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THE
PIANO MAKING IN CANADA.
Manufacturers Tell of Surprising Growth—Big
Demand for Pianos—Some Big Concerns—
Prosperity Has Helped the Piano Business—•
Splendid Showing in the Supply Trade.
(Special to The Review.)
Toronto, Can., August 8, 1904.
There have been at various times statements
made concerning the annual output of the piano
factories of Canada. The figures have usually
been placed at nine thousand.
Speaking of the growth of the piano industry
here a prominent music trade iran said that 12,-
000 would be a conservative estimate of the num-
ber of instruments made in the Dominion last
year, whereas the average for the eight years pre-
vious would not be more than 7,000. "We were
never so healthy in our history," said he. "Our
collections never were as good as at the present
time. In the old days pianos were sold and put
into houses sometimes without cash payments.
Now there is none of that, the periodical instal-
ments asked are larger, and they are paid with
far greater regularity."
The Toronto manager of R. S. Williams &
Sons, speaking roughly, said that ten years ago
the firm employed about 125 hands in its piano
department, and turned out about 500 instru-
ments per annum. Now it employs 250, and the
output is 1,100 pianos a year. The plant was
also considerably enlarged, a number of modern
labor-saving machines being put in. Already,
however, the orders have outgrown the capacity
of the works and lots north and south of the
present building have been purchased with a view
to an extension one-third as large as the existing
factory. When this is completed the firm state
that they will give employment to a considerably
larger number of hands.
The factory of Heintzman & Co., at Toronto
Junction, is twice as large as it was ten years
ago, additional plant in an immense new wing
having been put into operation last year. The
company report a tremendous trade with the
Northwest, where they have wholesale depots at
Winnipeg, Brandon, Vancouver and Victoria. The
goods are shipped in carload lots only. "The total
imports show a considerable decrease," said the
manager, "although there is an increase, I believe,
in the cheaper lines."
The Nordheimer Piano Company, whose output
has quadrupled in the ten years, moved into a
splendid new factory less than a year ago at To-
ronto Junction. I t has a floor space of 60,000
feet, and the plant consists of the very latest im-
proved machinery. "The people to-day realize
the superior quality of the Canadian-made instru-
ments," was given by the manager as one of the
principal reasons for the expansion.
Gourlay, Winter & Leeming went into the
manufacture of pianos seven months ago. The
firm is making rapid strides, already employing
about sixty hands. "There never was such a de-
mand for pianos," remarked Mr. Winter, "and
despite the keen competition there is no difficulty
in building up a business. The demand is in-
creasing every year. I suppose because the peo-
ple have money and feel that they can afford
luxuries. The most satisfactory feature is that
the demand can now be supplied by Canadian fac-
tories—there is no occasion for importing first-
class pianos as there was years ago; the domestic
piano of to-day is good enough for anybody."
"Although we have increased our output 400
per cent, in ten years," remarked the manager of
the Mendelssohn Piano Co., "we could sell far
more pianos than we are now making. We shall
have to extend our factory."
One of the developments of the piano industry
has been the establishment of independent fac-
tories for the manufacture of piano parts—keys,
hammers, actions and strings. Formerly these
were either made by the piano manufacturers
themselves.
Then outside of Toronto, there are important
concerns like the Bell Piano Co., at Guelph, and
D. W. Karn & Co., at Woodstock, Ont. The sup-
ply trades are also well represented. There is
The Newell & Higel Co. as the result of an amal-
gamation of two other firms three years ago.
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
They bought the fine factory of the Toronto
Lithograph Co. at the corner of King and
Bathurst streets, and have since added to it until
they now occupy 36,000 feet of floor space. The
output has increased 75 or 80 per cent. Barth-
elmes & Co. have enlarged their own building
to twice its former capacity, and have now rented
a factory adjoining. Bohne & Co. occupy five
times the space they formerly did, turning out
178 sets of hammers a day, where previously
their output was 35 sets a day. The Loose people
moved into a new factory six years ago, of two
floors, 32x100 feet. The Best concern went into
the business of manufacturing hammers four
years ago.
The Bell Organ & Piano Co., of Guelph, have
been compelled to enlarge, and have just secured
the Royal Hotel as an addition to their factory.
Their output is now 32 pianos per week, giving
employment to 400 hands. With the increased
accommodation, they will manufacture 50 pianos
per week, and need more artisans.
The principal reason, though, for the great de-
mand for pianos—and the manufacturers are a
unit in this—is the fact that Canadians to-day
have more money and are consequently better
able to afford luxuries. The amount of social
comfort enjoyed by the ordinary citizen has in-
creased in proportion to the greater prosperity of
the people. The standard of living has been
raised. The small householder who formerly
purchased a cheap parlor organ to give tone to
the home now buys an expensive piano, and the
newly-married couple who in the old days waited
a quarter of a century before investing in music
cio not regard their first little house as furnished
until it contains a sample of the modern spinnet.
Mason & Risch, whose output has been trebled
in ten years, have several times enlarged their
factory, four years ago taking over a building on
Niagara street as an addition larger than their
main works on King street west. "The demand,"
said Mr. Henry Mason, "is for the more expensive
styles of pianos. The peopie have more money
and are able to gratify their tastes—they select
the instrument they like best from an assortment,
and the one they like best is invariably the most
expensive. The opening up of the new sections
of the country has led to greater prosperity in
the older parts, and we feel the effect at both
ends. Take Toronto, if it had not been for the
opening up of the West we would not have had
the great prosperity that we have here to-day,
which has enabled citizens to purchase pianos.
Then there are pianos going into districts of
Canada to-day where ten years ago they were un-
known; Sassatoon, for instance; pianos are be-
ing supplied to people up there now, whereas ten
years ago an instrument would have been the
greatest curiosity. The pianos imported to-day
are the very expensive world-renowned instru-
months and the very cheap ones."
LIKES THE SHONINGER
And Does Not Hesitate to Say So in Strong
Terms.
The following letter, sent to Williamson Bros.,
Los Angeles, the Shoninger enthusiasts, who have
built up a large Shoninger following in their
territory, is a splendid endorsement of the Shon-
inger piano:
"Gentlemen:—In November, 1886, Mrs. J. H.
Loomis purchased a Shoninger piano. She is one
of a musical family. Her father was the manu-
facturer of the Foster organ. His brother was
for several years with W. W. Kimball and Lyon
& Healy—both piano dealers, etc., of Chicago.
Tne inference naturally follows that she was
posted on pianos and a good judge—and she was.
Miss Nellie Meanager—her father the Meanager
of Meanager, Wheeler & Co., the great grain ele-
vator firm of Chicago—also bought a Shoninger
piano at or about the same time. She certainly
could have had any piano she preferred. And my
father and I also bought a Shoninger piano (No.
3458) for my sister about the same time. These
three pianos have given splendid satisfaction.
That is why I ordered a Shoninger of you last
December. As I always like to see merit win I
wish you success with your agency for the Shon-
inger pianos.
"Yours very truly,
"JAMES J. SIMONS.
"116 W. Twenty-fifth street."
[Mr. Simons subsequently bought another
Shoninger, this making the fifth Shoninger in the
family.]"
OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS.
Pianos and Other Musical Instruments Shipped
Abroad from the Port of New York for the
Week Just Ended.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, August 9, 1904.
The following are the export3 of musical in-
struments and kindred lines from the port of
New York for the week just ended:
Antwerp—o pkgs. organs and material, $156.
Auckland—32 pkgs. talking machines and ma-
terial, $230; 3 pkgs. organs, $L27; 14 pkgs. organs,
$2,530.
Bremen—1 pkg. pianos, $200.
Brussels—6 pkgs. talking machines, $136.
Calcutta—5 pkgs. pianos and material, $195.
Callao—1 pkg. watches, $203; 10 pkgs. talking
machines, $1,140.
Glasgow—3 pkgs. organs, $280.
Hamburg—16 pkgs. pianos and material, $1,963.
Hong Kong—1 case pianos, $350.
Havana—13 pkgs. talking machines, $493.
Hamilton—1 pkg. pianos, $150.
Halifax—1 pkg. organs and material, $100.
Liverpool—10 pkgs. organs, $150.
London—1 pkg. pianos, $300; 47 pkgs. talking
machines, $1,899; 18 pkgs. organs, $563.
Melbourne—2 pkgs. music rolls, $185; 16 pkgs.
organs, $1,200; 6 pkgs. organs, $810; 1 pkg. mu-
sic, $155.
Manila—17 pkgs. talking machinery material,
$1,465; 8 pkgs. talking machines, $808.
Pernambuco—1 pkg. pianos, $63; 1 pkg. plated
ware, $465.
Para—9 pkgs. talking machines, $270.
Rotterdam—3 pkgs. organs, $125; 1 pkg. talk-
ie g machines, $129.
Suez—21 pkgs. talking machines, $300.
Shanghai—33 pkgs. organs, $750.
Singapore—32 pkgs. talking machines, $1,111.
St. Johns—17 pkgs. organs, $385; 6 pkgs.
pianos, $265.
Savanilla—2 pkgs. pianos and material, $8,305.
Valparaiso—1 pkg. watches, $1,164.
Waterford—1 pkg. piano material, $130.
THE BEHR CAMPAIGN
Promises to Be a Warm One—Travelers on
the Trail.
The Behr fall campaign has begun in earnest.
Horace F. Brown, of the firm, left town on
Wednesday for a business trip in the far West
and South. He will make an extended series of
visits to the Behr agents if possible during this
tour. Mr. Shafer, the Behr player expert, in the
middle West, Mr. Krumme, Behr traveler, is in
Pennsylvania.
THE BANNER PIANO TRUCK.
The Self-Lifting Piano Truck Co., of Findlay,
O., are in constant receipt of commendatory let-
ters from prominent dealers in various sections
of the country who have used the self-lifting
trucks made by this concern. They find these
trucks such a valuable assistance to their busi-
ness that it is a hardship to do without them.
A well-known dealer in Dayton, O., writes: "I
have used five different upright piano trucks, but
this one beats anything I ever saw. Satisfactory
in every resoect. I have had the truck five weeks,
handled pianos, as many as fourteen in one day,
with it."
N. J. Richardson, who has been manager of the
San Jose (Cal.) branch of the Curtaz Co., will
become attached to the San Francisco house. Mr.
Richardson is highly spoken of in San Jose,
where he has a host of friends.