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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
D. H. Baldwin.
Again has the reaper death invaded the
fafiks of the industry claiming for its own
one of our most honored members. D. H.
Baldwin the grand old man of the Western
trade, full of years and honors, is no more.
He passed from earth at his Cincinnati
home Wednesday night, Aug. 23.
. The deceased had been in ill health for a
long period, and at one time last year it
was feared that his end was near. He
rallied, however, and improved materially
in health, but owing to his advanced years,
jit was believed that he never again would
f ecover his health, and while his death oc-
casions a great shock, it does not cause the
surprise that it would have had it occurred
some years ago.
To write of D. H. Baldwin is to write of
the life of a man who exemplified in home
and business those sterling qualities which
ever dignify the individual, and lend to
his personality a distinctive charm. A
New Englander by birth, a teacher by pro-
fession, he cast his lot in Cincinnati when
still a young man. Had he decided to
continue a professional career there is no
doubt but that he would have won emi-
nence, but resolving upon concentrating
his energies upon commercial affairs, he
•opened a modest establishment in Cincin-
nati, which from its very inception was a
success. His courteous affability and kind-
ly manner won him the confidence of all
with whom he came in contact, and his re-
tail trade began to thrive in a satisfactory
degree, expanding steadily with the years
.until it had outgrown the Cincinnati terri-
tory and he had established branches in
warious cities, all healthy feeders of the
•jparent house.
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As the industry of the West began to
develop, Mr. Baldwin and his associates
decided that the time was opportune for
the establishment of their own factories.
This was first commenced in a modest way,
and like everything else with which Mr.
Baldwin had been associated, it has proved
a marked success, and during the past few
years he has had the pleasure of witness-
ing a steady, almost phenomenal growth
of an industry which has compelled the
parent concern year after year to enlarge
and to erect new factories.
' There are four distinct manufacturing
corporations which are controlled by the
Baldwin house, including the manufacture
of several grades of pianos, as well as
organs.
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. Notwithstanding his active business
career Mr. Baldwin, to my mind, never
quite threw off the professional garment
which he wore in early years. There was
zaboiit him that scholarly dignity and
preciseness which always, smacked of the
professional rather than of the commercial
department of life.
His extreme modesty, too, was a notice-
able characteristic of this truly great man.
His personality while commanding was
never obtrusive, and his life, like his lan-
guage, was pure and wholesome. A man
who abhorred publicity in any form, yet in
him was crystallized a strength and will
power which impressed every one with
whom he came in contact. I question if
any man ever heard the deceased utter a
boastful word. On the contrary, in all my
conversations with him I have been im-
pressed with the idea that he sought to
belittle his own accomplishments rather
than to enlarge them. The germ of boast-
fulness had no lodgement in his make-up.
He stands out bold and clear as an historic
figure of the industry, and while his per-
sonality is not as well known as many, on
account of his retiring disposition, yet it is
none the less impressive.
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He early surrounded himself with men
of ability, and the relationship existing be-
tween,them and their chief was always the
kindliest. As his interests expanded, these
young men-became closer to him in busi-
ness* relations, and as associates they
worked together with an earnestness of
purpose which has won signal results, and
it is permitted to be the lot of few men in
their declining years to have such a mag-
nificent enterprise built and sustained
through loyalty and definiteness of pur-
pose.
It was a strong business staff upon which
Mr. Baldwin had leaned in later years, and
he was enabled to throw off entirely the
cares and responsibilities of a giant busi-
ness upon the capable shoulders of men
who assisted him for many years in the
expansion of his enterprises.
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Mr. Baldwin was an indefatigable work-
er, a lover of system, and while his cheer-
ing smile and kindly greeting lent bright-
ness to his business establishment, yet in
his home and social life one saw many
traits of this superb man which were not
revealed in business. With him friends
and friendship were not empty phrases, he
realized the full duty that one man owes
towards another. The music trade of
America well may lay a wreath of im-
mortelles upon the bier of D. H. Baldwin.
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It is but natural that the business asso-
ciates of Mr. Baldwin should feel deeply
grieved at his demise, which will have, how-
ever, no appreciable effect upon the Bald-
win business interests, Lucien Wulsin,
the senior member of the Baldwin house,
will now become the official head of the
different enterprises which are controlled
from the parent house in Cincinnati. He
will be staunchly supported by Geo. W.
Armstrong, Jr., and A. A. Van Buren,
who together constitute the controlling
forces of D. H. Baldwin & Co. Their
business interests have been harmoniously
blended for a long term of years, and so
will continue.
The Henry F. Hiller Piano in St.
Louis.
It is understood that negotiations are
now pending between the Henry F. Miller
& Sons Piano Co. and D. Crawford & Co.,
St. Louis, relative to the handling of the
Miller product by the latter concern.
Consolidation in Wheeling.
[Special to The Review.]
Wheeling, W. Va., Aug. 23, 1899.
I have just learned of an important move
in this city whereby a number of promi-
nent gentlemen have purchased the inter-
ests of F. W. Baumer in the F. W. Baumer
Co., securing also the stock of Milligan,
Wilkin & Co., and consolidating the two
concerns under the firm name of "F. W.
Baumer Co.," retaining all their agencies
and former employees.
The officers of the new firm are: Henry
M. Russell, president, W. A. Milligan,
vice-president and manager; Curtis Brown,
secretary and treasurer.
There is no question but those two
stores combined make a strong organiza-
tion whose influence will be widely felt.
Business with both concerns has been ex-
cellent since the first of the year and the
prospects ahead are of the brightest.
Mr. Baumer's plans for the present are
to take a well-earned rest which his health
demands. His future course has not yet
been considered.
Stockholders Hust Pay.
John Davenport, receiver for the Keller
Bros. & Blight Co., Bridgeport, Conn.,
has come off victorious in his suit against
the creditors of that corporation for the
recovery of dividends illegally declared.
The highest court in Connecticut has given
receiver Davenport an affirmative decision,
and the stockholders will be compelled to
pay back an amount in the neighborhood
of $2,000.
Bothner Activity.
George Bothner made an excellent re-
port regarding the Bothner industries
when The Review called on Wednesday.
"Our factories are running at full swing,
as they have done all through the summer,"
said he, "and so far as I can see now, they
will continue in that way for some time to
come. The Bothner action seems to please
our patrons as well as ever. Our old
friends remain with us and new ones keep
dropping in.
"The molding branch is growing. Man-
ufacturers of high-grade pianos apparent-
ly find that our present moldings and new
designs, together with our prices, suit their
ideas. All we want, either in action-mak-
ing or in the molding branch, is an oppor-
tunity to show what we can do and are do-
ing. If they give us a trial and a fair
show, we will do the rest."
Knabe Visitors.
This week's callers at the Knabe ware-
rooms included Robert L. Loud, of Buffa-
lo, N. Y., and W. T. Dyer, of Dyer Bros.,
St. Pavil and Minneapolis. Both are Knabe
representatives, and both selected stock
for the fall trade. William Knabe was at
the warerooms on Wednesday, but only on
a hurried visit. He has returned to Balti-
more.