Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
\
The Outlook in the Trade Field.
Paillard Affairs.
Big Blow at Trusts.
Business conditions in the piano indus-
try continue to be favorable, in the whole-
sale trade especially. Reports from manu-
facturers located in the West as well as the
East, are satisfactory and while there has
been a slight falling off in the demand, yet
the average orders placed as well as out-
put are considerably higher than for the
same period a year ago. The only co.m-
plaint made is that the retail trade in
New York and other centers has been
rather quiet for the past two weeks. The
weather has been to blame for this to some
extent, and it must be remembered that
the closing weeks of February and the
opening weeks of March have always been
quiet in the retail trade. That there is no
universal dullness even in the retail trade
is obvious from the fact that several firms
have made cheery reports to The Review
regarding retail trade this week. One
house handling exclusively high grade
products reports the largest sales since
Christmas. Meanwhile the consensus of
opinion is that trade in this field could be
better.
Notwithstanding the reports of some of
the commercial agencies that " there is a
certain hesitation in wholesale business"
in all lines, yet the gross earnings of the
railroads which in a measure reflect the
business of the country are exceptionally
favorable. Not only is the percentage of
gain in all earnings the heaviest reported
in any period for more than two years past,
but the list of large increases is a specially
notable one. The best authorities unite
in the opinion that the closing week of
March will witness a great activity in all
lines, which will not be interfered with
even by the political campaign the coming
fall.
John E. Brodsky, assignee of Gustav
Otto, doing business as M. J. Paillard &
Co., dealers in music boxes at 680 Broad-
way, obtained leave from Judge Bischoff,
of the Supreme Court, Thursday, to file a
provisional bond of $36,000 and an exten-
sion of twenty days' time in which to file
schedules, on the ground that Mr. Otto
had neglected to prepare the schedules.
As near as Mr. Brodsky can learn, the as-
sets will not exceed $35,000. There is a
stock of 1,000 music boxes, valued at $25,-
000, and outstanding accounts of nominal-
ly $9,500; actual value estimated at $8,000.
AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION INTRODUCED
THAT WOULD GIVE CONGRESS POWER
OVER MONOPOLIES.
Fischer for U. S. Transport.
Among the sales this week at the Fischer
warerooms was a Fischer mahogany upright,
1900, Egyptian style, purchased by John
N. Robins for presentation to the U. S.
Transport vessel "Crook," recently recon-
structed for military transport service be-
tween the United States and Cuba. The
ship's cabin fittings are of mahogany and
the Fischer piano in mahogany case has
been selected of a suitable design to har-
monize.
Art in Catalogue flaking.
The new ^Eolian pipe organ catalogue
just issued, is a truly magnificent work of
art. Apart from the subject treated of
the book is worthy of a place of honor at
the Paris Exhibition as an example of
what American printers and engravers can
do in the department of special catalogue
publishing. As a specimen of faultless
taste and discrimination in preparing and
editing, too, it holds high rank. A more
adequate notice will appear in a future
issue of The Review.
The M. Steinert & Sons Co. will occupy
one of the handsome stores in Fall River,
Mass., to be erected this spring by the
Henry Bennett estate in North Main street,
that city.
Want Actions Separated.
DIRECTORS OF THE KELLER & BLIGHT PIANO
CO. FILE MOTION IN COURT.
[Special to The Review.]
Bridgeport, Conn., March 12, 1900.
Arguments on a motion for the separa-
tion of causes of action in the case of John
I. Davenport, receiver, against George O.
Lines and others, before Judge Shumway
in the Superior Court this morning, brought
forth several interesting questions anent
the responsibility of directors of a corpo-
ration in which the stock is impaired. Mr.
Davenport is receiver of the Keller Bros.
& Blight Piano company. He brought
suit against Mr. Lines and other directors
to recover upon unpaid subscriptions to
stock.
Attorney Stoddard, representing some
of the stockholders, asked that the causes
of action be separated. He said that in
the writ, as it. stands, action is brought
against the directors as such, as stock-
holders, and as recipients of dividends.
He thought that each case should be made
separate, in order that an answer might be
made by the defendants.
Attorney Carroll opposed this in the
claim that even if Attorney Stoddard's
contention is correct, there still appears to
be only a single cause of action.
Judge Shumway took the papers and re-
served his decision.
Washington, D. C, March 15, 1900.
Trust legislation is to be taken up in
earnest by the republican leaders in Con-
gress.
Representative Ray, of New York, chair-
man of the House Committee on Judiciary,
introduced a resolution to-day proposing to
submit to the Legislatures of the several
States an amendment to the constitution of
the United States giving Congress plenary
power to deal with monopolies and com-
binations and to create and dissolve cor-
porations.
This is the text of Mr. Ray's proposed
constitutional amendment:
"The Congress shall have power to reg-
ulate and repress monopolies and combina-
tions, to create and dissolve corporations
and dispose of their property, to make all
laws necessary for the execution of the
foregoing powers. Such powers may be
exercised by the several States in any
manner not in conflict with the laws of the
United States."
Martin—liegeman.
Edward Norman Martin, the enterpris-
ing and successful dealer in piano stools,
scarfs and cabinets, became a party to a
highly important contract on Monday. On
that date, at 8 p. M. he was married to Miss
S. L. Hegeman of this city.
The ceremony took place at 259 West
Twentieth street, Rev. O. S. Roche offici-
ating. The relatives of the bride and
bridegroom were present and after a repast
the happy pair left for Washington, D. C.,
and other Southern points, where the honey-
moon is being spent. Congratulations!
Green up flusic Co. Sell Out.
LSpecial to The Review].
Louisville, Ky., March 14, 1900.
The Smith & Nixon Co. of this city
have purchased the Greenup Music Co. 's
entire stock of musical instruments, in-
cluding pianos, organs and small goods.
The Brown Testimonial.
Negotiations to this end have been under
The gentlemen having charge of the way for some time, but the final transfer
testimonial to Mr. J. Burns Brown report was not made until Saturday evening.
excellent progress this week. Quite a During a call at the Greenup warerooms
number of eminent artists have consented Mr. Greenup confirmed the news of the
to appear at the concert, which will be sale, stating that it was his intention to
given in the near future, while members of go into the manufacturing business.
the trade are taking a warm interest in the
A Colby Incorporation.
affair. Definite details regarding the Brown
benefit will probably be given out next
[Special to The Review.]
week.
Erie, Pa., March 12, 1900.
Notice
has
been
given by Attorney Stur-
At Kroeger's.
geon that an application will be made to
The report of the Kroeger Co. this the Governor of Pennsylvania for a charter
week is gratifying. The whole of the big of incorporation for the Colby Piano Co.
working force is kept busy on current The names appended to the application
orders. J. C. Amie, traveling representa- are: Chas. C. Colby, Katherine E. Stur-
tive, left town on Monday for an Eastern geon, Harold M. Sturgeon, Otto F. Ebisch
and Philip Huster, Jr.
trip.
KURTZMAN
PIANOS WIN FRIENDS
FOR THE DEALER
C. KURTZMAN & CO.
Factory, 526 to 536 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y,