Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . XXIX. N o . 8.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, August 19,1899.
fa.oo PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS.
names. It is, strictly speaking, a com-
mercial directory, but includes nearly all
the well-to-do people, and embraces not
DEMAND FOR COMPETENT TUNERS EUROPEAN PIANOS MAINLY SOLD OPPORTUNITY FOR
only the city proper, but the suburbs of
AMERICAN PIANOS HOW THE CUBANS LIKE THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION.
Jesus del Monte, Cerro and Vedodo.
'' The difficulties we encountered were
[Special to The Review].
"As
conservative Americans it has been very enormous," continued Mr. Cox.
nothing of the kind had ever been done
unwise.
New Orleans, Aug. 14, 1899.
F. A. Wells, who was a former resident
"Another order that was incredibly ab- before, a good many of the native mer-
of this city, is now engaged in the music surd forbade any man to appear in public chants were at first inclined to be suspici-
They thought it might be some sweet
business in Cuba. He recently visited this without an overshirt. It has always been ous.
city and I had an interesting interview the custom of the laboring classes to work American trick to entrap them into finan-
with him regarding Cuban affairs.
in their undershirts and the new rule cial obligation, but we finally made them
The American regime is not at all means an immense amount of discomfort. understand. Our advertising patronageHE^EV
•
popular with Cubans. According to Mr. It has caused no end of grumbling that has been unexpectedly heavy, and, oddlyn ^r TT T Jp <
enough,
is
the
first
general
advertising
might
have
been
avoided
and
gives
the
Well?, there is too much red tape, and the
military government smacks too much of natives an idea that Americans are simply that has ever been done in Havana. Here-
meddlesome busybodies. Only a few days tofore it has been practically throttled by a-.
the old Spanish order of things.
Speaking of affairs in general at Havana, ago quite a prominent citizen was arrested tax of five cents a word. The tax was a
concession farmed out by the Spanish gov-
because he went out in a sweater."
Mr. Wells told some interesting things.
Speaking of the music trade affairs in ernment, and the privilege expired last
"The sanitary transformation of the
city has been marvelous," he said. " The Cuba, Mr. Wells said that he had done ex- month. That opened the gates, and we
normal sick rate has fallen off eighty-two ceedingly well since he commenced busi- were overwhelmed with applicatiops for
and one half per cent, and it will soon be ness there and has sanguine expectations space. It was a curious state of affairs,
one of the cleanest and healthiest parts in for the future. The old method of con- impossible anywhere else in the world."
the world. The streets are scrupulously ducting the music business in Havana was
'' What are the prospects for the general
swept, the sewers and gutters are flushed far behind the American idea. The stores census? " asked the reporter.
with ' electrozone' and sanitary plumbing were uncleanly and the stock poorly kept
"Very good, indeed, I think. I go to
is going in as rapidly as facilities will and displayed. "Pianos of cheap Euro- Washington to-morrow to confer with the
permit. The sanitation of the residences pean manufacture," said Mr. Wells, "seem authorities there in regard to it, and feel
is still bad, but that is being remedied to have had the run entirely. The ebon- reasonably certain that our firm will get
right along, and strict regulations in regard ized cases with candle sticks on them were the contract to do the work. If so we will
to cesspools and so on are being enforced the only things that were sold as far as the begin at once. We have already looked
to the letter. Inside of a year everything general appearance of the instruments go. over the field and know exactly what there
will be in tiptop shape from one end of the They are very sloppy indeed compared is to be done. I estimate that it will re-
with the American idea. There is a splen- quire about seven months to complete the
city to the other."
The enumeration will include data
"How are the people taking to American did opportunity in Havana for tuners. In job.
fact
there
is
a
dearth
of
tuners,
and
I
think
as
to
property, occupation and nativity,
ideas?"
that
the
music
business
in
Havana
is
capa-
and
from
what I understand the govern-
"Very well. There was a great deal of
ble
of
considerable
expansion.
It
is
not
ment
expects
to so adjust its home rule
obstruction among the Cubans at first, but
overdone
by
any
means.
Of
course
one
program
as
to
have
an election immediate-
that has been quashed by public opinion,
needs
a
pretty
good
knowledge
of
the
Span-
ly
afterwaru.
It
would
be very difficult
and they have finally consented to be clean.
ish
in
order
to
carry
on
a
live
music
busi-
to
make
a
guess
worth
anything
as to the
The greatest trouble that has been encoun-
ness."
total
population.
That
of
Havana
itself I
tered has been a foolish attempt to localize
estimate
at
about
235,000."
blue laws that might be all right in a New
With Mr. Wells was Mr.W. A. Cox who is
England village but are ridiculously out of interested in compiling a directory of Cuba.
It is probable that Mr. Wells will visit
place among a free and easy Latin people.
No systematic effort has ever been made New York before he returns to* Havana.
The regulation that has caused the most to obtain the exact figures of Cuba's popu-
It would seem to me with American
complaint has been in regard to the closing lation and all estimates have been more or ideas growing in Cuba that the possibili-
of places of amusement on Sunday. In less guess work. Nobody knows the num- ties there for a music business are consider-
Havana Sunday has been, from time out ber of adult males or how many would be able, at least worth looking after.
of mind, a day of recreation and pleasure, entitled to franchise by birth or naturaliza-
and it is impossible to make the people un- tion. In other words, the census is the
Frank Clark, who is manager of the
derstand that there is anything wicked or first move toward autonomy.
piano department of the Crawford dry
immoral in the custom. The new order
"We. expect to have out our Havana goods store, St. Louis, is on a trip East.
has closed the theatres, stopped the music directory in about thirty days," said Mr. Mr. Clark was in New York last week and
in the parks and prohibited anything sav- Cox. "We began work on it last Novem- spent the early days of the week in Bos-
oring of sport. In the opinion of even ber and the book will contain about 60,000 ton.
.
. . THE MUSIC TRADE IN CUBA . .. .