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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The Staib-Abendschein Co.
THE REVIEW TOURS THEIR SPACIOUS PLANT—-
A GREAT PIANO ACTION-MAKING
ESTABLISHMENT.
The Review, during a recent visit to
Harlem, took occasion to note the marked
development of business at the Staib-
Abendschein action factory, as demonstra-
ted in the complete absorption of every
inch of space in the large annex finished
and taken possession of several weeks ago.
The Staib-Abendschein factory now oc-
cupies six floors in the two adjoining struc-
tures. In the larger building, at the
southwest corner of Brook avenue and
134th street, there are three floors, each
Another indication of the firm's devel-
opment is the fact that the output of ac-
tions for 1899 up to date is at least 2,000
ahead of a similar period in 1898. At pres-
ent one hundred and forty men are kept
busy, the majority of them working twelve
hours a day. This has been the case for
some time past. Even during the summer
months a big force was employed regular-
ly, without a day's intermission.
A flcPhail Incident.
The old McPhail "for fifty-nine years—
made on honor, sold on merit" is more
popular to-day than ever. Throughout
New England thousands of these instru-
ments have found abiding places in homes
where they have been factors in producing
household harmony.
An incident showing how the old Mc-
Phail is appreciated occurred recently. A
lady residing in Maine entered the McPhail
warerooms and stated that some thirty-five
years ago she had bought a McPhail square
piano, a beautiful*creation in rosewood for
which she had paid a thousand dollars in
coin of the realm. This instrument had
furnished pleasure for many years, and she
said she and her daughters had been so
much pleased with the piano that nothing
but a McPhail would satisfy her now that
she had concluded to purchase an upright.
It is needless to say that she left an order,
as well as a goodly sized check for one of
the latest McPhail creations to be shipped
just before Christmas to her home—an in-
one hundred feet long, fifty feet wide and cident showing that the McPhail pianos are
eleven feet high.
always good pianos.
The lower floor or basement is used for
lumber and milling purposes. Above that
David G. Calder's Views.
is the machine or lathe floor, and next above
[Special to The Review.]
is a floor used for preparation of parts and
Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 2, 1899.
for finishing. A number of specially de-
David G. Calder, of D. O. Calder's Sons,
vised machines are used, many of them be- who has just returned from a business trip
ing supplied with steam motive power. to New York and other Eastern points,
Several valuable pieces of specially devised says:
machinery have been added to the plant
"The Eastern piano makers are going
within the past six months.
to raise prices because of the pressing de-
In the new building or Staib Annex, mand. I saw one transaction involving
each floor is thirty-four feet in length, the four pianos costing $30,000, and one order
frontage being thirty-eight feet. The for a very costly instrument was taken for
lower floor is used for lumber. On the the Christmas of 1900. There is a big
first floor of the Annex are the offices and strike on in the piano trade in Chicago,
stock room. The floor above is occupied which may extend to other cities. Em-
for finishing and covering. Behind the ployers object to allowing the walking
Annex and main building is a large drying delegates to decide whether a man whom
kiln. In the lumber yard, contiguous to they do not want shall be discharged or
both buildings, there is a stock containing not, and the friction appears to have be-
90,000 feet of the choicest lumber for come so acute that employers propose to
action-making purposes.
fight the situation out; and this is made
Power is supplied to the works by one of the more unpleasant because the public is
the latest improved 100-horse power Corliss calling loudly for more and more pianos."
engines. Steam heat is furnished through-
Freiderich's Display.
out the buildings and a liberal gas-lighting
system is in use. The main factory, as
The display of holiday goods which is
may be seen in the illustration, is well being made by Julius A. J. Freiderich, the
lighted, with proper arrangements for ven- well-known dealer of Grand Rapids, Mich.,
tilation, ensuring a continuous supply of has excited considerable notice in the local
pure air in all of the rooms.
papers. The Herald says: "His new pur-
This is also true of the Annex, which is chases have all arrived, and are rapidly
not shown in the picture. It has been being placed in shape. When in readiness
erected on ground belonging to the firm to he will show to the public the largest, most
the right as you enter on 134th street. Both complete and best assorted stock of pianos,
structures, with the ground on which they musical instruments, novelties and musical
stand, and all enclosures, are the property merchandise ever seen under one roof in
Grand Rapids."
of the Staib-Abendschein Co.
Forced Sale to Raise Honey.
[Special to The Review.]
Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 4, 1899.
In order to satisfy the judgment which
Samuel Curtis secured against the Roches-
ter Music Co., a sacrifice sale is being con-
ducted at their warerooms here. The
prices at which they are advertising pianos
are simply outrageous. They state: "It
is not a question of price or of value; the
sum of $10,077.08 must be raised, and
raised quickly, no matter how great the
sacrifice."
It is too bad that honored names in the
trade such as Weber, Gabler, Fischer,
Mason & Hamlin and Kimball should be
used as stool pigeons to attract the public
to a sale of this kind. The Rochester
Music Co. have been in business only a
few months. It is stated that this judg-
ment is practically all the company owe,
and that they will be able to resume busi-
ness as soon as they raise sufficient money
through this forced sale, to meet their in-
debtedness to Mr. Curtis.
Incorporated In South Dakota.
[Special to The Review.]
Aberdeen, S. D., Dec. 4, 1899.
P. T. Burns, T. W. Childs and D. E.
Roberts have organized a stock company
for the conducting of a musical instrument
business. The capital stock is $25,000.
Congratulations to Brown.
Cards have already been issued by Mrs.
Manning Augustus Goodwin, announcing
the marriage of her daughter, Nellie Sea-
man, to Mr. Horace Franklin Brown, on
Dec. 12, at her residence, 55 West Ninety-
second street. Mr. Brown, who is the gen-
eral road representative for Behr Bros., is
receiving congratulations from his many
friends upon his approaching nuptials.
Estey Activity.
This year has proved to be one of phe-
nomenal activity in all branches of the
Estey business. In this city the Estey
retail trade for October and November has
exceeded by a very large percentage any
months of the best years in the history of
the house. This, of course, affords an indi-
cation of the condition of affairs at the fac-
tory in Brattleboro where night work is
the rule in many departments in order to
keep in touch with demands. The current
appreciation of the Estey products is grati-
fying. It demonstrates that the people
are willing to buy a higher standard of
wares and pay a fair price for them.
Concerned About His Absence.
[Special to The Review.!
McKeesport, Pa., Dec. 4, 1899.
H. M. Seymore, of Fifth avenue, has
been absent from his place of business
since last Friday. Seymore conducts an
agency for the sale of musical instruments
and employs agents to do the selling. It
is said that each agent is required to leave
a deposit of $10 at the office as an evidence
of good faith, and they were represented as
being much concerned over the disposition
of their money.