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THE MUSIC TRADE
MAHOGANY CROP SHORT.
REVIEW
QRUBB & KOSEQARTEN PROGRESS.
Rainy Season Has Checked Lumber Operations
Kiln Completed and General Factory Well on
and It Has Been Found Impossible to Get
Its W a y — W i l l Be Larger Than Old Plant
Hardwoods to the Coast.
and Most Complete in Every Way.
(Special to The Review.)
New Orleans, La., August 23, 1904.
The mahogany crop of Central America will be
from fifty to sixty per cent, short this year, and
piano and furniture manufacturers are likely to
suffer in consequence of an insufficient supply of
wood. The shortage is due to the rainiest season
known for thirty years, which has checked the
lumbering operations and prevented the hauling
of mahogany to the coast.
This condition of affairs has brought about an
experiment that may mean a great deal to the
United States and bring into prominence in an-
other part of the world the Missouri mule. It
will lie remembered that during the Boer war
the British after experimenting with various
animals in South Africa—where an immense
number were needed for hauling—finally settled
upon the Missouri mule as the best draught ani-
mal procurable.
Central America may adopt the same solution
of the transportation problem. The mahogany
concessionaires, nearly all of whom are Amer-
icans, have resolved to supplant the burro, or
Spanish donkey, by the American mule.
"If we had American mules down there now,"
one of the loggers said, "we would be able to get
out the logs in spite of the rains, but the burros
are not big or strong enough for work of this
kind. You might as well try to operate a big
steamship with a donkey engine."
The burro, able to carry small packages over
the mountains by a narrow path, is utterly un-
suited for the hauling of such heavy articles as
lumber over the water soaked lands of the low
country. The Americans are therefore shipping
mules to Yucatan, Belize and Honduras to take
the place of the burros.
(Special to The Review.)
Nassau, N. Y., August 22, 1904.
Splendid progress is befcig made on the new
building of Grubb & Kosegarten Bros., manufac-
turers of piano actions, now being erected here.
The foundation for the new plant is all laid, the
dry kilns built, and around the closing days of
this week, they expect to have steam in the kiln,
with the factory building well on its way to com-
pletion. The new plant is located on the Albany
& Hudson Railroad, and a switch is being placed
in the yard for connection with the main road.
This will be a great convenience in the matter
of shipments as well as for the receipt of lumber
and other stock.
It is safe to say that the new factory of Grubb
& Kosegarten Bros, will be one of the most com-
plete and best equipped in the country, affording
them much needed room for the expansion of
their business. The entire plant will be in full
working order before the first of November.
DEATH OF WM. C. MUHLENFELS.
William C. Muhlenfels, father of Chas. Muhlen-
fels, of Wessell, Nickel & Gross headquarters,
died at midnight on Sunday at his home, 616
West 147th street, in his 82d year, from diabetes.
The funeral, a private one, took place on Tuesday
from the residence of the deceased, Rev. Dr.
Peter, of St. Andrew's Protestant Episcopal
Church, Convent avenue, officiating. The inter-
ment was at Woodlawn.
The late Mr. Muhlenfels. a German by birth,
came to the United States thirty years ago. In
his own country he was an agriculturist, con-
trolling and operating a large area of land. The
• i
same class of work was undertaken here and
carried on successfully for a number of years in
the West. Nearly twenty years ago, Mr. Muhlen-
fels retired from active life and since that time
has lived a quiet domestic life, the careful bring-
ing up of the family being his chief concern. He
leaves a widow, three sons and two daughters.
SCARF AND STOOL PRICES
Continue Firm With an Increasing Demand—
Regret That Combination Was Not Main-
tained.
Scarfs and stools are firm as to price, and the
latter is in full supply, the manufacturers catch-
ing up on orders, and have been working on stock
for several months. Regret is heard that the
combination among the makers and wholesalers,
to which favorable action at one time seemed pos-
sible, was not maintained, for more or less de-
moralization is said to have prevailed since.
Current business is normal and satisfactory, with
excellent prospects for a good fall trade.
STAIB-ABENDSCHEIN'S SUCCESS.
The Staib-Abendschein durability and quality
guarantee, a fac-simile of which appeared on
page 33 in The Review, recently, and a copy of
which is by this time in the hands of many piano
manufacturers, is a strong document, unequivocal
in its terms and purport. As a concise, respon-
sible statement on an important subject—one of
vital importance to piano makers—it is unique
and striking: "We hereby guarantee the felts
and cloths on our piano actions to be the best
purchasable, our lumber thoroughly seasoned, and
the workmanship first class in all respects. We
guarantee the durability of our piano actions.
Our anti-lost motion attachment we can prove
Js the best." That is a direct challenge and well
illustrated the aggressive spirit of the Staib-
Abendschein firm.
WILL MANUFACTURE HARDWARE FOR
PIANOS.
DO YOU KNOW
(Special tu Tbe Review.)
That TOWSLEY'S Glue Spreaders
are giving to many Piano Manufacturers
ABUNDANT SATISFACTION?
Write the Company for their handsome Catalog,
showing their complete line of Modern Woodworking
Machinery, Factory Truck* and Gluing Appliances.
Glue Spreaders, Hand and Power Feed; 12 to
54 inches wide. Single, Double and CombU
nation Machines.
JOHN T. TOWSLEY MFG. CO.
CINCINNATI, OHIO
••••••
8-UTTLE-
IT WON'T HURT THE DEALER
Any to See that
THE-MAPES-
STRING
is on his Pianos.
VENEERS
Rockford, 111., August 22, 1904.
The incorporation papers of the Oregon Plat-
ing and Machine Works have been filed for rec-
ord in the county recorder's office. The capital
stock is $18,000, and the incorporators are Wil-
lard E. Cleveland, John O. Petty, James B. Powell
and Charles D. Entyre. The object of the com-
pany is to manufacture piano hardware and do
general manufacturing.
N. Y. CO-OPERATIVE
PIANO STRING CO.
MANUFACTURERS OP
""• Ba$$ String
312, 316 East 95th Street,
NEW YORK.
C. H. O. HOUGHTON
ESTABLISHED 1824 BY E. <8L C. W. HOVGHTON
96 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK CITY
Phono, 6935 Gra>.n\ercy
Grand Rapids
Piano
Case
Co.,
Ltd.
GRAND RAPIDS, MIOH.
The most modern and
complete exclusive
case factory in the
world.
QUALITY AND PROMPT SHIPMENTS GUARANTEED
A. C. CHENEY PIANO ACTION CO.
Manufactured of HIGH GRADE PIANOFORTE ACTIONS.
CASTLETON, HEW YOUR