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THE
REVIEW
fflJJIC TIRADE
VOL. XLIH. N o . 3 .
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, July 2J, 1906.
GREAT HOBART M. CABLE CO. RECORD
Piano Sales Show Increase of 36.54 Per Cent,
and Organ Sales Increase by 23.46 Per Cent,
for the Past Six Months—A Remarkable and
Satisfactory Showing in Output.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., July 16, 1906.
A review of the business of the Hobart M. Cable
Piano Co., for the first six months of this year,
shows an increase in Hobart M. Cable piano
sales of 36.54 per cent., and in Burdett organ
sales of 23.46 per cent., as compared with the
same period last year. This is certainly a mag-
nificent showing, and speaks eloquently of the
splendid values which the Hobart M. Cable Piano
Co. are giving the trade of this country.
In discussing the report, Hobart M. Cable,
president of the company, said: "We look upon
this as a most remarkable showing, considering
the fact that last year was the greatest in our
history. We attribute much of it to the great
prosperity of the country generally, but in addi-
tion I believe our strenuous efforts at all times
toward perfection in our product, and in keeping
in close touch with the requirements of the trade,
have been appreciated by our dealers."
The basic reasons underlying Hobart M. Cable
Co.'s success is succinctly outlined in President
Cable's short talk. It is the combination of en-
terprise and substantial merit, for which this
firm have long been distinguished, that has en-
abled them to reach such a high pinnacle in pres-
tige and output.
"Success from the Start" has not turned the
heads of the members of this company. On the
contrary, they have made success more sure as
the years pass by by untiring efforts toward the
betterment of their product in both piano and or-
gan departments, and the Hobart M. Cable crea-
tions, which are being placed on the market to-
day, are ample proof of this fact.
That the next six months will not only equal
but excel the same period which has just closed,
is absolutely certain, as the prospects are of the
brightest for this company in all parts of the
country. The Hobart M. Cable pianos were never
more popular, nor was the demand ever more as-
sertive, while the same may be said of the
business of the Burdett organs, which are made
under the auspices of this enterprising company.
system specific duties, assessed almost entirely by
weight. While this should conduce to simplicity
of administration, it results in great inequalities
under many of the schedules. To take an in-
stance, all kinds of musical instruments pay 55
cents Mexican the legal kilogram, which means
that a Stradivarius violin, for example, would en-
ter for a trifling charge, while a $50 organ, weigh-
ing, perhaps, 400 pounds, cased, would have to
pay more than its original value in duty alone.
This operates against the sale of the cheaper
grade pianos, for which there should be an in-
creasing sale in Mexico, while there are, in fact,
a surprising number sold, considering conditions
here."
WOULD ESTABLISH PLANT IN BOISE.
Inquiry Made of Commercial Club Regarding
Inducement if "Two Experts in the Musical
Instrument Business from Germany" Would
Locate There—No Competition West (?)
(Special to The Review.)
Boise, Idaho, July 14, 1906.
Secretary Reilly Atkinson, of the Commercial
Club, is in receipt of a letter from C. Bath and
William Prince, American agents of German mu-
sical manufacturers, suggesting that they are
looking for a location for the establishment of
a factory, and asking what inducements Boise
can offer for the location of the proposed factory
here. They propose to manufacture self-playing
instruments and church pipe organs.
The letter written by the Eastern musical
agents states that all they desire is enough en-
couragement to give them a good start, and they
will then build up a business of which both they
and the city may well be proud. "There is prac-
tically no competition in the West," write the
two gentlemen, "and we cannot fail to make a
big success."
The two men, they state, came to America from
Germany about six years ago, and are experts in
the musical instrument business.
Secretary Atkinson has written the men, in-
quiring for more definite information as to the
plans of the two men, the amount of capital they
control, the output of the proposed factory, etc.,
assuring them that when the proper time comes
this city will be found ready to do its part.
TEMPLETON REMODELING WAREROOMS.
CUSTOMS LAWS IN MEXICO.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, July 16, 1906.
Consul James A. Le Roy, of Durango, reports
on the customs laws of Mexico, and especially
as they are administered at border ports and ap-
plied to inland places. The consul says that the
defects are those of administration rather than
of the law. He describes annoying provisions as
to fines that are arbitrarily imposed for failure
to properly classify an article, although on a pre-
ceding occasion the article may have been en-
tered as described in the invoice. This practice
is said to be frequent at El Paso, Eagle Pass and
Laredo, which are border ports. This lack of uni-
formity in administration is not only annoying,
but expensive to all parties concerned. The con-
sul writes: "Mexico has adopted throughout the*
The J. H. Templeton Co., of 722 Market street,
Chattanooga, Tenn., one of the largest music
houses in that city, have made arrangements for
the entire remodeling of their store and many
new features will be introduced, among which
will be a very complete talking machine depart-
ment, the stock comprising the very latest in
both records and machines. Special attention
will also be paid to the piano players and player-
pianos, and, in fact, the company will keep right
in touch with progress of the times in musical
affairs.
The Cable Piano Company will close its store
at Calumet, Mich., on four evenings of each
week as requested by the clerks' association, Its
representative having signed the petition when
jt was first presented.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
FOSTER ARMSTRONG CO. IN CANADA.
Buy Factory of the Berlin Piano & Organ Co.
at Berlin and Will Make Pianos for the
Dominion—E. P. Hawkins Will Take Charge
at Present—Another Expansive Move.
A short time since The Review made mention
of the possibility of the Foster-Armstrong Co., of
Rochester, N. Y., opening a factory in Canada in
order to meet the growing demands for their in-
struments in that country. This possibility has
materialized into fact, for on Monday we were
advised by Silas Maxson, secretary, that the Fos-
ter-Armstrong Co. had purchased the plant of
the Berlin Piano & Organ Co., of Berlin, Can.,
and expected to open the factory for work this
week. The plant is well equipped in every re-
spect, and gives them facilities for turning out
a large number of pianos. Through manufactur-
ing in Canada they are able to avoid the heavy
import duty on American pianos. E. P. Hawkins,
who has had considerable experience in the Cana-
dian piano business will represent the Foster-
Armstrong Co. at Berlin for the present.
This new move is another one of the many de-
velopments of the great business carried on by
this institution, whose factory at Despatch, N. Y.,
is a veritable piano making city, with an output
this year that will be formidable.
Canada is becoming a most profitable center
for piano making, and owing to the great pros-
perity which the farmers of the Dominion have
enjoyed in common with our own during the
past few years, the sales of pianos have been
steadily growing in volume. With their Cana-
dian business carried on with the same enter-
prising spirit as in the United States they (Fos-
ter-Armstrong Co.) are destined to become fact-
ors of international importance.
A. H. HOWES A VISITOR TO NEW YORK.
Arthur H. Howes, of the piano department of
Grinnell Bros., Detroit, Mich., was a visitor to
New York the early days of the week, and accom-
panied by W. B. Williams, the ambassador of the
Sterling Co., he visited some of the city's most
prominent points (including Coney Island, as a
matter of course) and left Monday evening for
Derby, Conn., where he spent some days as the
guest of the Sterling Co. From there he accom-
panied Mr. Williams to his beautiful home in
Philadelphia.
Mr. Howes' Eastern trip is purely one of pleas-
ure, as he is enjoying a short vacation from his
strenuous labors of piano selling. It is some
five years since he visited New York, and he was
amazed at the marvelous changes which have oc-
curred in the city in that time. In the course of
a chat in The Review sanctum on Monday, he
spoke encouragingly of the business conditions in
Detroit and locality.
A charter will shortly be applied for by the
Tellers Pipe Organ Co., a new concern in Erie,
Pa., who will fit out a factory and begin the
manufacture of organs at an early date. It is
said the company will have a paid in capital of
$50,000.