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THE MUSIC TRADE
TO HASTEN CUSTOMS CASES.
Judges Blame Importers and Counsel for Delay.
Some time this week a conference was held in
this city between representatives of the Treas-
ury Department, the Department of Justice, the
Board of United States General Appraisers, the
United States district attorney, and the judges
of the Federal courts in this circuit, to devise
some plan of expediting the trial of customs
cases before the Circuit Court and the Court of
Appeals.
The delay in this class of cases has assumed
the proportions almost of a scandal. It usually
takes two or three years to reach the trial of a
case of any importance. The government offi-
cers say that there is no reason why such cases
should not be reached in as many months if the
importers and their lawyers were willing.
If the case is of any importance it is invari-
ably appealed. In the meantime the high rate
of duty is assessed on all similar importations,
and the importer, secure in the knowledge that
his competitors are paying the same rate, bases
his prices on that rate so that the consumer
finally pays it. In the meantime every importa-
tion of similar goods is similarly protested and
the protests are placed on the suspended files
of the Board of General Appraisers to await the
court decision.
When the case is finally decided, if the deci-
sion is in the importer's favor he receives a re-
fund of the extra duty paid on all the importa-
tions which have been accumulating since the
starting of the original suit. As a rule in cus-
toms practice the lawyer gets half this refund
and the other half goes to the importer. It is
obviously to the interest then of both lawyer and
importer who have what they think is a good
case to delay its decision as long as possible.
The plan most favored is to make all customs
cases preferred cases and have the judges insist
on speedy trial, except where some good reason
for delay can be shown.
SCHTJNACK'S CHOICE SPECIALTIES.
C. E. Schunack, 115 East 14th street, whose
principal specialties are piano stools, chairs,
benches and covers, also the latest styles in
piano scarfs, is having an active season in all
departments. The Schunack stock is one of the
largest and choicest in the United States. It al-
ways contains the best and latest designs, so ar-
ranged that selections can be promptly and easily
made. It is a recognized fact throughout the
trade that the Schunack goods are right and the
prices are right. His plan of sending selections
on approval is widely appreciated.
CUSTOMS CASES NOW PENDING.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Jan. 17, 1905.
The following customs cases are pending at
this date before the United States courts:
METRONOMES
CLARINET
MOUTHPIECES.
Suit 122—William Tonk & Bro. against United
States: In the decision in question, dated De-
cember 18, 1890, it was held that certain metro-
nomes and clarinet mouthpieces, imported under
the tariff act of 1883, were properly classified as
manufactures of metal and of wood, respectively.
The importers contend that they should have
been classified as musical instruments under
paragraph 469 of said act.
PARTS OF MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS.
Suit 355—R. F. Downing & Co. against United
States: In the decision in question, which was
rendered January 28, 1891, the board affirmed
the classification, under the tariff act of 1883, of
certain parts of musical instruments at the rates
applicable to manufactures of the component ma-
terials of chief value therein. The importers'
contention is that the goods are dutiable as "mu-
sical instruments" under paragraph 469 of said
act.
SALE OF OLD VIOLINS.
In London recently Messrs. Puttick and Simp-
son held a sale of valuable violins. Amongst the
high prices realized were: A Joseph Gagliano,
1783, in case, £42; a Jerome Amati, with Mr.
F. Chanot's guarantee, £86; a Sanctus Seraphin,
Venice, 1747, with case, £120; a Nicolaus Gagli-
ano, with Messrs, W. E. Hill & Son's guarantee,
£70; a Nicolaus Amati, with bow, by Bausch, in
case, £66; a Nicolaus Amati, in case, £60; a
Carlo Testore, date 1708, original scroll, varnish
and ticket, £39 10s.; an F. B. Zanoli, with two
bows, in case, £30; a Carlo Tenoni, of Bologna,
1700, £36; a Nicolaus Amati, with case and bow,
£34; a Vinzenzo Panormo, with Mr. F. Chanot's
guarantee. £34, and a violincello, by Nicolaus
Amati, with case and bow, by Forster, £130.
The day's sale realized £1,790.
The "VICTOR "Always in the Lead!
"tutting off the end of a Mega horn and at-
taching it to a Victor tapering arm machine, it is
claimed the resonance is increased fully 50 per
cent. The originator vows it is 'one of the best
tilings ever.' "—The Talking Machine World for
January.
THE VICTOR TRUMPET
A SYNCHRONIZING HORN
The TRUMPET has a VOICE. The BEST HORN
for VOCAL RECORDS ever made—PRICE, $ 6 .
CONCERT TRUMPET, $ 9 . Usual discounts.
Descriptive pamphlet on application.
THE GRAND PRIZE
FOR TALKING
MACHINES
at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., has been
Awarded to the Victor Talking Machine Co.
THE VICTOR DISTRIBUTING
AND EXPORT CO.
77 CHAMBERS STREET,
NEW YORK
41
REVIEW
No small goods man who is interested, di-
rectly or indirectly, in Talking Machines,
can afford to get along without
"THE TALKING
MACHINE WORLD
the first issue of which made its appearance
Jan. 15, 1905.
It has won the approbation of dealers and
manufacturers who are a unit in proclaim-
ing it "Just what was needed." It con-
tains talking machine news from all parts
of the world, interviews with leading men,
technical improvements of value, and many
pages of chat of interest to talking ma-
chine men.
Send five cents in stamps for a copy; or,
better still, send fifty cents in stamps, or
check, and secure this publication for a year.
Address,
THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD
(EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher),
1 Madison Ave.
NEW YORK
THE " VICTOR " TRUA1PET.
A Specialty That is in Great Demand in the
Talking Machine World.
The "Victor Trumpet," for all Victor talking
machines, is one of the most successful special-
ties of the Victor Distributing & Export Co., 77
Chambers street. This trumpet, which has been
described and referred to in several issues of
The Review, and is emphasized in another col-
umn of this issue, is equal in volume to the larg-
est metal horn and superior to it in musical
tone. It is entirely free from harshness and
there is no shivering "either of horn or listener."
The point is made that the Victor trumpet is
not a non-vibrating horn. It vibrates as all
horns must which are good for anything. But it
vibrates in harmony with the sound waves, and
gives them character.
The proper vibration of the column of air
in the horn, as well as the sympathetic vibration
of the horn itself, is an important factor in good
record playing. The Trumpet vibrates in har-
mony with the sound waves set in motion by the
wound box."
An interesting fact concerning the mega horn
and the Victor tapering arm is that by cutting
off the end of the horn and attaching the horn
thus abbreviated to a Victor tapering arm ma-
chine the resonance is increased 50 per cent.
WILL HANDLE TALKING MACHINES.
C. C. Hawes, who for some time past has been
conducting nicely appointed warerooms in the
Miller Block, Portland, Me., will soon retire from
the piano business, and devote his energies to
the talking machine branch of the trade. Some
of the pianos carried by Mr. Hawes have been
transferred to the Stevens & Lane Piano Co., but
the sheet music and small instrument depart-
ment will be conducted under other management
The Columbia Phonograph Co., at a meeting of
the stockholders held last week in Bridgeport,
Conn., elected the following directors: Andrew
Devine, Frederick J. Warburton, Edward D.
Easton, William E. Bond, Thomas R. White, Jr.,
John J. Phelps, Philip Mauro, Mark T. Cox, Will-
iam M. Johnson, D. C. McEwen, George W. Lyle,
E. V. Murphy, Richard M. Sears and Paul M.
Cromelin.
W. L. Peters, a violin maker, of 118 Asylum
street, Hartford, Conn., has a collection of rare
old violins at his rooms in that city. They are
fine specimens of old makers, and are very valu-
able,