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VOL. XLN. No. 4 .
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at I Madison Ave., New York, Jan* 27, 1906.
A PIANO PRODUCING COLOSSUS.
CABLE MEN ENTERTAINED.
The Great Series of Factories Erected by the
Foster-Armstrong Co.—A Vast Systematical-
ly Planned Enterprise, Perfectly Equipped
Structure—Over One Hundred Miles of Pip-
ing—The New Haines Bros.' Piano Better-
ment Which Will be Appreciated by Dealers
— N e w Scales and New Designs.
Superintendent Johanson Prepares Great En-
tertainment for Officers of Cable Company at
St. Charles, III.—Cable Orchestra Makes De-
but—A Most Enjoyable Reunion.
(Special to The Review.)
Rochester, N. Y., Jan. 21, 1906.
Much has been said about the great plant of
the Foster-Armstrong Co., at Despatch, just out-
side the city limits of Rochester, and I may add,
much more will be said and written, and then
the story will not be half told. The subject is
too great, the extent and variety of the series of
connecting factories too elaborate to be explained
by any pen sketch. The whole system is too
vast, too elaborate, to be described by a detailed
discription which shall tell of so many thousand
square feet of floor space devoted to piano mak-
ing. There is no life in figures, although they do
not lie save in life insurance reports. Yet in
this case to say that there are five immense con-
crete factories devoted to the manufacture of
particular instruments, that there is a huge case
plant 600 feet long, a vast plate plant, with a
capacity of 200 plates a day; a well-equipped
administration building, with other structures
planned, crystallizes the whole situation suc-
cinctly, and yet it gives no adequate conception
of this colossal business enterprise, with its 2,000
feet of frontage on the New York Central tracks,
with its private switches, which traverse the 35
acres of ground owned by the Poster-Armstrong
Co. In order to fully appreciate the plans of the
developers of this great industrial enterprise, a
visit must be paid to Despatch, and the visitor
will take away with him a feeling of admiration
for the master minds who planned and developed
this colossus of piano making. I may use one
illustration, showing the vastness of the enter-
prise: There are in the series of buildings over
157 miles of steam and water piping. If ex-
tended from the Grand Central Depot it would
traverse the line of the New Haven Railroad
until it enters Rhode Island. Then, too, there is
a system apparent everywhere which is impres-
sive. With the superb facilities at the command
of the directors of this enterprise there is an ex-
actness and efficiency require4 which was not
possible under the old conditions. This is evi-
denced in no more marked degree than in the
Haines Bros, product. To compare the Haines
Bros, pianos of 1906 with the instruments of a
few years ago is to reveal a remarkable evolution
in material, workmanship and tonal qualities.
New scales have been drawn, new designs of
cases, careful vigilance exercised in materials
and workmanship, which make units of strength
that cannot be overlooked even by the most
casual observer, and to the critic it means that
the old reputation of Haines Bros, will be vastly
augmented under the new rules which rigidly
apply in each department of manufacture. Deal-
ers cannot be long in learning the many features,
all of which make for piano betterment, and they
will see the advantages which a business alliance
with the Haines Bros, piano offers.
Thirty-five officials and foremen of the Cable
Company were the guests of Superintendent Jo-
hanson of the St. Charles plant of the company
at a banquet given on the evening of January 12
at the Atwood Inn, St. Charles, 111., which was
one of the most brilliant affairs of its kind ever
held in that city.
Among the guests were President Shaw, Treas-
urer Draper and General Superintendent Keefe,
of the Chicago plant, and a number of the other
officials from Chicago and other parts of the
country. The dining rooms at the Atwood Inn
were beautifully decorated with festoons of flags
and banners bearing the various trade-marks of
the Cable Company. The banquet tables were
decorated with a mass of cut flowers, pink and
white carnations being the color scheme of the
table decorations.
As the gay party of piano men were about to
seat themselves for the first course they were
treated to a very pleasant surprise, when an at-
tendant threw open the folding doors separating
the dining rooms and the full Cable orchestra
of thirty pieces, under the baton of Professor
Hecker, of Elgin, crashed forth with a musical
selection. The orchestra played a number of
very pleasing selections during the banquet and
made a very favorable impression before their
patrons, who have not seen or heard the organi-
zation since the gift of the uniforms last season.
NEW CONCERN IN CLEVELAND.
The Bailey Co. of Department Store Fame Will
Carry a Big Line of Pianos and Musical
Merchandise—Mr. Goodman in Charge.
The Bailey Co., the leading department store
in Cleveland, O., will devote an entire floor es-
pecially to pianos and other musical instruments
early in February. It will be an imposing de-
partment, and will be under the management of
B. B. Goodman, with W. B. Lauersdorf as assist-
ant manager. The latter gentleman was with
the Dreher house for a number of years. Mr.
Goodman has not yet fully decided upon his line
of pianos.
NEW ZEALAND'S EXPOSITION.
Chances for American Manufacturers to Ex-
ploit Their Specialties—Of Interest to Piano
Men—Exposition Opens in November.
An international exposition will be held at
Christ Church, New Zealand, beginning Novem-
ber, 1906, and extending to April, 1907, for the
purpose of demonstrating the resources and pos-
sibilities of New Zealand as one of the world's
great markets of producers. According to ad-
vices received by the authorities at Washington
this exhibition will afford special opportunities
for American manufacturers of musical instru-
ments to exploit their specialties in New Zealand,
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
where there are splendid openings for new mar-
kets. All exhibits must be in the buildings by
October 28, 1906, and the charge for space will
be at the rate of two shillings (50 cents) per
square foot. Communications regarding the ex-
position may be addressed to the secretary at
Christ Church, New Zealand.
ASSOCIATION'S GOOD RECORD.
What the Detroit Music Trade Association
Has Accomplished—Officers
Elected and
Committees Appointed.
(Special to The Review.)
Detroit, Mich., Jan. 20, 1906.
The recent meeting of the local Music Trade
Association, which was held at the Griswold
House, was a very successful and harmonious
one. Speeches were made by the retiring presi-
dent, M. A. Van Wagoner, of the Detroit Music
Co., and C. A. Grinnell, the retiring secretary,
all of which were eulogistic of the accomplish-
ments of the association during the past year.
After an enjoyable banquet the following offi-
cers were elected for the ensuing year: President,
C. W. Marvin, of the C. W. Marvin Piano Co.;
first vice-president, J. Henry Ling, of Ling's Mu-
sic House; second vice-president, H. T. Schmidt,
of the Cable Piano Co.; secretary and third vice-
president, H. O. Friederichs, of F. J. Schwankov-
sky Music House; treasurer, F. T. Woodyatt, of
the, Chase-Hackley Piano Co.
One of the important accomplishments of the
Association was that making six dollars the mini-
mum monthly payment on contracts, and consum-
mating an agreement to refuse to sell on contract
to anybody who attempted to evade a contract
with any member The Association has been
able also to secure better prices for tuning and
cartage. In fact, the value of associated effort
is splendidly apparent in the achievements of this
Association during the past year.
J. Henry Ling and C. A. Grinnell were appoint-
ed as an advertising committee to criticise the
advertising of members and also to endeavor to
expose the practices of those "fakirs" who
make sales from private residences.
BIG MASON & HAMLIN TRADE.
(Special to The Review.)
Buffalo, N. Y., Jan. 20, 1906.
George N. Grass, general traveler for the Ma-
son & Hamlin Co., reached this city to-day. He
was returning from an extended Western trip,
and when asked about general conditions, Mr.
Grass replied, "I am sure the year will be a
record breaker, and as far as the Mason & Ham-
lin business is concerned, it will reach splendid
proportions. No doubt about it. My trip has
been most successful."
G. Fred Kranz, president of the Kranz-Smith
Piano Co., Baltimore, Md., has been elected fore-
man of the grand jury just impaneled in that city,
which will consider a number of very important
matters during its tenure.
V. W. O'Brien, who recently joined the forces
of Krakauer Bros., has been making a short trip
to Eastern points.