Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
SHORTAGE IN PIANO SUPPLIES
33
Then his cup of misery—if he had orders
BRECKWOLDT PLANT DESTROYED
enough ahead or in prospect to reach this
Due to Fires at Wickham, Chapman & Co.'s and
By Fire—Only Moulding Room and Office Left
Julius Breckwoldt's Plants—Looks Like a Cur- beatific stage of business—would be full and
Standin g—Will Rebuild at Once.
tailment in Piano Output of from 10 to 15 overflowing. Several prominent action man-
[Special to The Review.]
Per Cent.
ufacturers have been discussing this possibili-
Dolgeville, N. Y., Oct. 6, 1903.
Supply houses have been comparing notes ty since Sunday, and have instituted extra
The sounding board factory of Julius
this week regarding the effects on the trade precaution against fire in their plants. Some Breckwoldt in this village was burned to the
of the Wickham, Chapman & Co. and the concerns also make their own actions, but ground on Sunday evening. The fire started
Julius Breckwoldt fires. The best informed they are scarce and only supply their own about 6.30 o'clock and notwithstanding the
believe these disasters mean a curtailment of needs. For instance, if the 'fiery element'— splendid work of the fire companies it spread
fully io to 15 per cent, in the piano output as you newspaper men write when in fire so rapidly that the building was enveloped
for the year. Referring to this phase of the frenzy perhaps—should destroy a certain in flames within a few minutes. When the
matter a thoroughly up-to-date supplier said plant that turns out 5,000 actions weekly, fire had been put out, only the company's
that would mean a whole lot of pianos, office and moulding room at one end re-
to The Review Wednesday:
wouldn't
it ? And every action factory is prac- mained standing. A large quantity of stock
"The destruction of the Springfield (O.)
tically
full
to the muzzle with rush business. and much machinery were destroyed and the
plate plant is a serious blow. It happened at
Let
us
hope,
however, this will not occur."
the wrong time. These three months—Octo-
damage is estimated at $100,000, three-
Thereupon
the supply gentleman lapsed fourths covered by insurance.
ber, November and December—are the cream
of the piano year, and manufacturers are run- into eloquent silence and turned to his cor-
It has been impossible to account for the
ning full up. To. be sure the forehanded respondence with a sigh of relief.
origin of the fire, nothing being known
maker has his usual surplus or contingent
further than that it started near the elevator
PRICES OF PIANO HARDWARE.
stock to draw upon, but when this is exhaust-
shaft in the sounding board room. The com-
ed his trouble begins; and it is likely the No Likelihood of Change in the Near Future—Pitts- pany were unusually busy in all departments,
burg Meeting Decides the Situation.
shortage in plates will be worse than ever. For
in fact away behind in the supply of sound-
There is no likelihood of any change in the ing boards.
example, all the plate makers had about as
much as they could swing for the remainder prices of piano hardware, even with the ad-
Since the fire Mr. Breckwoldt has had
of the season—every plant was busy and not vent of the new year. A lower quotation for many offers to locate elsewhere, and at the
raw material was expected, but a restriction
a few behind in orders. - Now, Wickham,
of 25 per cent, in the output of iron for the time of writing has not decided whether he
Chapman & Co. turned out 350 plates a day current three months about equalizes condi- will rebuild at Fulton Chain or Dolgeville.
—that means the same number of pianos— tions. This step was decided upon Tuesday Every effort is being made to hold him here,
and if you stop and figure it out—as the other at a meeting in Pittsburg of the committee and the probabilities are that he will remain.
plants cannot possibly take care of any great appointed by the blast furnace operators of
BIG CALL FOR SCHWANDER ACTIONS.
increase of new business—the answer is the Middle West. The suspension of the
Edward
Rouvet, Schwander representative
capacity
a
quarter
is
to
meet
market
require-
plain.
ments. Therefore any material used by piano for the United States and Canada, is getting
"Then the shrinkage in the production of
and organ makers of iron or steel as the base many orders by mail and telegraph for the
sounding boards which will follow the loss will continue at the same selling rate for some
Schwander grand and upright actions, which
of the Breckwoldt factory will be felt almost time to come.
are gaining ground steadily in the estimation
immediately. On a pinch the piano manufac-
of high grade piano makers.
Mr. Rouvet
STANDARD CO. NOT INCONVENIENCED.
turer can make his own boards—either plan-
made a host of substantial friends during his
Fortunately for the Standard Piano Ham- latest lengthy tour in the Schwander interest.
ing by machinery or even hand work if the
business is too small to have any of the mod- mer and Felt Co., the fire at the Breckwoldt The Schwander actions, made of the best ma-
plant will cause them no inconvenience in
ern conveniences. It would be slow work having a good margin on their stock of ham- terial with the best appliances, are sold at a
and cost some more than if bought of the mer mouldings. The Dolgeville factory has a standard price consistent with their quality.
specialist, but it can be done just the same. standing order to supply 500 sets a week for Mr. Rouvet reports, and the number of orders
As it is, some few of our leading piano fac- the Standard Co., but a big shipment was on received during September and up to
tories make their own boards. Then to think cars ready to go forward at the time, and Wednesday last in the present month confirms
these were uninjured. In writing the firm
what a chance it is for the new Dolge con- Monday, Mr. Breckwoldt stated the hammer his statement, that his patrons are well con-
cern out in Los Angeles to get in the market! and sounding bar departments were saved, tent to pay a reasonable price in order to se-
and as soon as the fire loss is adjusted would cure highest class products.
An opportunity of a lifetime.
be
in a position to keep up with the terms of
"Plates, however, are a different proposi-
ADDS FIFTEEN NEW MACHINES.
his
contract.
tion. To be sure, a foundry building seems a
Wessell, Nickel & Gross have just added
simple, crude sort of an affair, but it takes
fifteen new machines to their hammer-mak-
HAVE BROKEN ALL RECORDS.
ing plant. This department, like the action
time to get such an equipment in shape and
The O. S. Kelly Co., piano plate manu- department, is working up to full capacity.
in working order.
facturers, Springfield, O., are working
"All that is needed now to cause the piano these days to the extreme limit of their plant
The first lot of piano sounding boards
manufacturers additional anxiety and worri- to fill orders. Their business this year has shipped by Alfred Dolge from the Pacific
Coast was to Cincinnati.
ment is the destruction of an action plant. broken all records.
WiHner
Wood
Co.
52 WALL STREET
NEW YORK
W O O D CARVINGS
IN A_VARIETY OF BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS
ARTISTIC PIANO PANELS
make the most beautiful Wood Carvings uy a patented process, which enables us to reproduce the most
artistic designs, e n t i r e l y i n W o o d , at a price far below the cheapest hand-carving. Any design repro*
duced. No composition. No embossing. No applique work. Write for Catalogue.