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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
of money to spare do they bethink them-
selves of buying a piano, so it speaks well
SOME REASONS WHY TORONTO HAS BECOME
for
the prosperity of Toronto when one
THE "HUB" OF THE INDUSTRY IN THE
hears that the present demand for pianos
DOMINION.
is greater than ever before, so much so as to
[Special to The Review.l
astonish the makers, and keep them very
Toronto, Can., May 24, 1900.
busy
trying to keep up with the demand.
The importance of the Queen City as
It
is
pleasant to realize that Canadian
the center of the musical instrument trade
industry
and thoroughness have done so
in Canada is well known to all who have
much
to
bring a lucrative trade to the
anything to do with this trade; but it may
not be quite so well known to those who country, and especially to the City of To-
have nothing to do with the buying and ronto. It is also pleasing to note that an-
selling of pianos, organs and musical in- other big concern has taken up its abode in
struments in general, that the fame of this city, in order to manufacture a new
Toronto piano makers has spread across type of organ, which is an invention made
the line, and even across the sea, and that by a Canadian, and which bids fair to be-
the name Toronto on a piano has almost come a great success. To lovers of music
become a hall-mark testifying to the excel- it is gratifying to know that Toronto is do-
ing so much towards filling the homes in
lence of the instrument.
The fact, however, remains that To- Canada and elsewhere with the most beau-
ronto is far and away the city, par excel- tiful of God's gifts—with the music that
lence, of this lucrative trade, as far as helps to brighten the life of many a weary
Canada is concerned and is yearly making sufferer and gives great pleasure to all.
a greater name in the States and also in
For Piano Keys.
Europe.
Why has Toronto become the center of
GOOD SUBSTITUTE FOR EBONY-
the piano trade ? This question was put DOGWOOD A FARMERS'
WINDFALL.
to the managers of several leading piano
firms in this city, and the answers were
How many of those who play pianos and
varied and in some cases most dissimilar. organs know what the keys representing
Nearly all agreed that one great reason sharps and flats are made of? Owing to
was owing to the fact that Toronto was the high price of ebony, of which they
the educational and residential center of were formerly made, the manufacturers of
the Dominion. So many schools and con- keyboards have been searching for a substi-
vents are on the spot, and also the best tute which would be cheaper, but it seemed
Conservatory in Canada. This is the rea- impossible to find a wood with a grain
son given by the Bell Piano and Organ close enough to take the neeessary polish
Co., who also point out that people natur- until experiments with our native dog-
ally came to Toronto when they wanted wood showed that it could be oiled, col-
anything in the musical line.
ored and polished until it equalled ebony
Messrs. Heintzman & Co. think that the in looks and utility. It is a wood which
pianomakers instigated the establishment seems to have no particular locations for
of the many schools, greatly owing to the growing, and is scattered through nearly
fact that the firms, as a rule, have been every forest, and on rare occasions a num-
well capitalized, but chiefly to the intrinsic ber of trees are found in a group. It grows
merit of the work turned out, which, in as a large bush or small tree, requiring
workmanship and general excellence, is twenty-five or thirty years to gain a diame-
equal to the best of its kind in Boston, ter of five or six inches. It is of an ex-
New York or Chicago. The last named ceedingly scraggy growth, giving a profu-
company has sent a beautiful piano, the sion of handsome white blossoms during
case of which is of Canadian maple-wood, May. Owing to the small amount of wood
and every part of Canadian workmanship, contained in a tree it is rarely cut unless
to clear up a piece.
to the Paris Exhibition.
Thus when E. E. Nettleton of Deep
The Nordheimer Company cannot say
why it came to settle in Toronto 54 years River contracted with some key makers to
ago, but does not regret the choice then furnish them some 800 cords of it sawed
made, for the firm has had an unbroken into strips an inch square, in lengths from
record of prosperity, and never has trade eight to twenty inches, he asked the farm-
been better nor the prospects brighter than ers around that section to get it for him
and had to offer $4.50 to $5 per cord for it.
at the present.
The Gourlay, Winter, Leeming Co., the In a short time the supply came so fast
Mendelssohn Piano Co., Messrs. Gerhard that nine mills were kept busy until the
Heintzman and Co., and the Stanley Piano first of this month, sawing it into strips.
Co., all agree that Toronto is a first-rate These strips are piled up cobhouse style
center for their trade, and all are satis- out of doors, where they remain until
fied with the prospects in the immediate thoroughly seasoned. They are then sawed
future. A piano is not a necessary article to the right size, oiled, colored and pol-
of furniture, like a kitchen range or a ished, when they are ready to be put on to
sideboard. Only when people have plenty the keyboard.
Canada's Music Trade Center.
the Vim of Piano Players
The Apollo.
Pronounced by experts, who
have given it the most com-
plete tests, to be the perfect
player. Territorial allotment
is being rapidly made to agents
That immediate section of Connecticut
is about cleared of dogwood now, so that a
future supply must be looked for in other
parts and other states. Several thousand
dollars have been distributed the past win-
ter and spring among the farmers and mill
men for what was considered worthless
property and of course they are rejoicing.
French Hanufacturers Elect.
At the recent meeting of the Chambre
Syndicale des Instruments de Musique
(The Manufacturers Association) of Paris,
the following officers were re-elected for
the ensuing year. President, M. Gustave
Lyon; vice-presidents, MM. Evette, Gout-
tiere and Bernardel; secretaries, MM.
Girard, Bord, Silvestre and Schoenaers;
treasurer, M. Seches. It was decided to
hold the annual banquet on June 1st.
President Lyon, who has been honored
with re-election, has accomplished some
notable work in connection with this or-
ganization during the past year. He has
labored indefatigably toward making an
unusually strong representation of the
musical industries of France at the Expo-
sition, and in various other ways has taken
important steps toward a broadening out
of the purposes of the important organiza-
tion of which he is the executive. The
piano manufacturers of Paris can justly
feel proud of this worthy representative of
their craft.
Sol. Grollman's Specialties.
A neat catalogue of stools, scarfs, etc.,
has been issued by Sol. Grollman, the en-
terprising dealer of Chicago. It is a very
complete production, in which are dis-
played the various specialties which he
handles. The stock is a large one, and of
sufficient variety to interest dealers the
country over. Since his entree in business
Mr. Grollman has made steady headway
by giving excellent values, strict attention
to the shipment of orders and every other
essential to merit support of an enlarging
constituency.
KEY MAKER WANTED.
WANTED—A thoroughly practical pianoforte
key maker, conversant with all the latest ma-
chinery; good salary and constant employ-
ment. Address •• Pianoforte,' 1 Care of Poole's
Advertising Offices, 25 Bouverie Street, Fleet
Street, London, England.
OF INTEREST TO PIANO TUNERS.
WANTED—To correspond with Piano Tuners
in every state of the Union. A Klondyke to
every tuner along with his regular tuning.
Write for information.
The Improved Piano Action Co.,
Macon, Mo.
TUNER AND SALESMEN WANTED.
WANTED:—An expert piano tuner for
wareroom and city work; also two experi-
enced city salesmen. Address Retail Dep't,
The Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind.
Clark Piano Co
Manufacturers of the . . .
APOLLO and the ORPHEUS,
FaCt
°$ar n e d roo mS: 5 * * 4 0 5 UJ. Vfi^\$^ St.
CHICAGO, ILL.