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THE
TV^USIC TRKDE
. . JOSEPH M. MANNJ^CURES BIG CAPITAL
REVIEW
. .
II
what is now no doubt (or was before the
flood A. D.) the handsomest and most ar-
For his business at Providence, K- '•—Wm. t{. Arnold Jr., son of the wealthy manufacturer, has new partner tistic piano warerooms of their size in the
—Firm name may be Joseph M. Mann & Co — Store will be enlarged.
United States. Mr. Mann's office, for in-
There is a very old and well-known say- is one of the wealthiest citizens of Rhode stance, Turkish in effect, shows his true ar-
ing', "All the world loves a lover," so can Island, as well as a scion of one of the old- tistic taste. It is Mr. Mann's intention to
it be said that all the world loves the true est and most aristocratic families of Rhode take several rooms directly over the main
"fighter?" We do not mean the gentleman Island, his direct descendants having landed warerooms, one to be devoted to grand pi-
who dons the gloves and looks for pugilistic with Roger Williams, and were the first set- anos exclusively, another to piano players,
honors and, incidentally, the gate receipts, tlers there.
and automatic instruments, such as large
Mr. Arnold's country seat, a farm consist- music boxes, etc., and the third to be made
but the man who fights his way over seeming-
ly unsurmountable obstacles, to which many ing of some three hundred acres, and one of into a beautiful reception room; all three
a man without the nature, will power and de- the most beautiful in the country, was pur- rooms, the dimensions of which will be 80 x
termination of this man would have been chased from Chief Possnegansett, the prin- 50, will be connected by a series of glass
obliged to succumb. The man who, at one cipal Indian tribe then in Rhode Island, and, doors, (something entirely new and of Mr.
moment, and that his darkest, thinks he can naturally, it abounds in many historic in- Mann's own conception, as will be the en-
fight against the fates—call it what you will cidents. The house now occupied by Mr. tire detail and decoration) and arches that
—no longer, and then with one great "her- Arnold as his summer home, is the original they can be thrown into one, making one of
culean" effort throws down the gauntlet, and one built in 1770. One of the beauties of the the finest teachers' recital halls, to be known
rises to a supreme height and power of will estate is, that the entire park is surrounded as "Mann Hall," in the country. This Mr.
and determination, which seems almost in- by one of the largest lakes in the state.
Mr. Arnold has the original deeds, chart-
ers, etc., granted by King George I to his
forefathers, and they are often sought for
exhibition purposes by the historical socie-
ties of the country. He also has some of
the original deeds from Chief Possnegan-
sett—very curious and interesting documents,
to say the least.
William Rhodes Arnold, Jr., is what a
person of judgment at a glance would call,
a shrewd, keen, bright business man, and
one who would be bound to succeed in what-
ever he undertook. No greater compliment
can be paid Mr. Arnold than to say, though
but twenty-two years of age, when he de-
cided to cast his fortunes with that astute
member of the trade, Joseph M. Mann, he
was receiving teller at the Commercial Na-
tional Hank, one of the most progressive and
prosperous institutions of Rhode Island. To
put it in Mr. Mann's own words, as he said
to the writer of this article, "You have seen
a pair of fine fitting gloves that seem to be
moulded on the wearer's hands.
Such is
my comparison of Mr. Arnold to this busi-
WM. R. ARNOLD JR.
ness ; he seems to be a perfect fit and mould-
JO-EPII M. MANN.
ed
to it. In my many years of piano ex-
comprehensible and supernatural—such a
Mann
proposes
to give for the use of the
perience,
it
has
come
to
my
lot
to
attempt
man is Joseph M. Mann, the popular and
teachers
gratuitously,
which in itself must
to
teach
many
young
men
the
business,
but
unassuming piano man of Providence, R.
make
the
firm
more
popular,
if such a thing
I
can
honestly
say,
without
indulging
in
one
I., a man whose business career of the past
is
possible.
bit
of
flattery
that
Mr.
Arnold
is
unique.
I
six years, with its various incidents, would
As a recent illustration of Mr. Mann's far-
read more like the romance of a fairy tale have never.seen anyone take to it as he does.
seeing quickness of action and ability, where
But
then,
as
Mr.
Arnold
says,
he
enjoys
than a piano. business narrative. Surely
another man of less astuteness and brain
there is no man living in the piano trade to- every minute of it and it does not seem like would have been dismayed, I wish to tell
day, though he be Mr. Mann's senior by work, but more like a kaleidoscope of de- a little incident of what was seemingly a
great calamity to everyone else but to Mr.
many years, who has been through the sev- tail."
It is, of course, needless to say that with Mann himself, and what made it worse (to
ere trials and experiences that he has, even
the others) as it occurred on the very morn-
Mr. Arnold's entrance into the Mann busi-
in these six short years.
ing only at between the hours of one and
It is not necessary to repeat in these col- ness there came an abundance of additional three A. M. that Mr. Arnold, his new asso-
umns the stories of Mr. Mann's adventures, capital,—in fact, the better words would be ciate, entered the business.
as they have been chronicled time and time "unlimited" capital. "Only do the busi-
This incident was related to me by Mr.
again, and all readers are acquainted with ness," was Mr. Arnold, Sr.'s remark," "andthe Mann's own employees. When Mr. Mann
them, as well as with Mr. Mann, although money will be there at all times." During was called from his most comfortable bed
many probably never met the genial gentle- the past year, when the dissolution of his at three A. M., to go to the store for a water
man. And now to crown it all, Mr. Mann firm naturally necessitated the withdrawal of pipe had burst, and he hustled into his clothes
has accomplished his valedictorian act, one a large amount of capital, which, to a young and came down Broadway at a hop, skip and
jump, reached the store and found good of-
which before a very few years will make his concern means a good deal. Mr. Mann was
ficer "Lees," one of the best on the force,
concern a power in the retail piano world. possibly handicapped. But now that he has and kind Mr. Wyatt, superintendent of the
Mr. Mann lias succeeded in interesting in a backing as substantial and solid as any estate known as "Hoppin Homestead Build-
his business, William R. Arnold, Jr., the son business house need have, he can further ing," waiting to receive him and to get into
of W r illiam R. Arnold, former owner of the his ambitious plans, which the writer has the store. The sight that befell them on
Valley Worsted and other Mills of Rhode been aware of for the past two or three years. entering would have made many a stronger
man's heart just slump. From all quarters
Island, now retired, having sold out to the Shortly after the holidays, or as soon as the of his beautiful warerooms streams of water
Trust at its formation two years ago. He plans can be prepared, Mr, Mann will make \vere pouring down; the water on the floors.