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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
8
Adjustment of Insurance Continues to be a Question of the Utmost Importance as Far as the
Up-Building and Future Prosperity of San Francisco Is Concerned—Disposition to Accept
75 Per Cent, of Policy—State Interests Keep Piano Dealers Busy.
to earthquakes is thus emphasized by these com-
panies and very likely would make prosecution
useless. The dealers are convinced, however,
that these companies will be willing to make a
compromise in the end and settle upon the 75 per
cent, basis, thus saving themselves from com-
plete ruin. The dealers believe that it is a case
of life and death with these companies, and that
they are simply fighting for their existence, and
as business men they do not blame them. Of
course, they are also convinced that a certain
number of the companies are absolutely criminal
in their desire to withhold payments, and they
are ready to assist in punishing them to the very
limit. The publicity idea has been adopted by all
the business men of San Francisco, and meas-
ures have been taken by means of which a list
of companies will be published, mentioning those
who have paid up entirely, those who have set-
tled on a percentage basis and those who have
refused payment. There cannot be any question
as to the result such publication will have. It
will be a good thing and will, once for all, pre-
vent any such trickeries which have charac-
terized the attempt at settlement in San Fran-
cisco.
It is, of course, natural that this insurance set-
tlement will have a remarkable effect on the
plans of tiie San Francisco dealers. Of course,
firms like Sherman, Clay & Co., Benj. Curtaz &
Sons, Wiley B. Allen Co., Kohler & Chase and
other firms who have already made arrangements
for locations, will simply go ahead concluding
their plans as they have outlined them. There
were, however, other firms who counted abso-
lutely upon early settlements with insurance com-
panies, and while their financial standing is un-
questioned and their credit first-class, they will,
as careful business men, not be willing to
plunge headlong into indebtedness without being
There does not seem to exist such a very certain as to their chances in obtaining their
harsh feeling against the Insurance companies insurance money. I know, as a matter of fact,
among the dealers as one would conclude after that there are firms who counted very much upon
reading all the newspaper accounts, which in- the insurance money coming forth presently, and
clude the corporation of business men organized did not expect to have to wait very long. This
for the purpose of prosecuting the companies. Of unexpected blow of companies informing them of
course, the music dealers expect that all those their unwillingness to pay up naturally changes
companies who are in a position to pay up should their plans, and I should not be surprised to hear
not be treated with any leniency, for it is their of changes in the near future. It is impossible to
duty to pay every cent as per agreement. But do big things without a certain amount of capital
the dealers realize that there are some companies and no sane business man will assume big re-
who are fighting for existence, who would have sponsibilities without knowing where the money
been safe enough under ordinary circumstances, comes from, even if there are hundreds of
who would no doubt have paid up every cent of friends willing to extend him credit.
insurance had the calamity not been of such a
So far the most reliable information as to
terrific extent as that that devastated a great actual resumption of business has come from
metropolitan city. Of course the dealers agree Sherman, Clay & Co., and the D. H. Baldwin &
that every insurance company should be pre- Co. branch in San Francisco. The latter has
pared for just such an emergency, but at the added a sheet music department to its premises
same time they are willing to accept the situa- under the management of S. M. Simon, who for-
tion as an extraordinary one, which no man could merly managed the sheet music department for
foresee, and which, therefore, gives at least a Clark Wise & Co. The branch is doing business
vestige of excuse to those companies whose com- right along, Mr. Brown has really sold several
plete settlement would result in utter ruin, and pianos, he has increased this branch in an aston-
even then they would perhaps not be able to ishing degree, has really made it a local retail
settle all around. Furthermore, some of the store and it may be said positively and with
dealers admit that a certain amount of damage perfect assurance that the D. H. Baldwin & Co.
in certain cases was occasioned by the earthquake. branch in San Francisco to-day is superior to
That falling walls or bricks might have done the branch previous to the fire in every way.
some damage, that in case of the possibility of Sherman, Clay & Co. have placed big orders with
proper investigations it might have developed Eastern manufacturers lately, among them being
that a certain percentage of the damage an order'for thirteen A. B. Chase pianos alone.
must have been ascribed to the earthquake. For The latter fact I can vouch for personally. When
these reasons the dealers, or at least a number a firm orders pianos in such numbers there is
of them, do not feel quite as indignant as other every evidence for the fact that it is doing busi-
people in regard to settlements upon the 75 per ness. Sherman, Clay & Co. have already signed
cent, basis. Indeed, some of these are willing to a lease for an eight-story steel frame building on
make, and some have made, settlement under their old location, corner of Sutter and Kearny
these conditions.
streets. They have secured a temporary location
There seems to prevail a conviction that the right in the very heart of the temporary business
letters received from several companies disclaim- district in the midst of the biggest business con-
ing all liability are only formalities in order to cerns, and they have established separate quar-
prevent court proceedings, for the clause referring ters for small goods and talking machines in an-
(Special to The Review.)
Los Angeles, Cal., July 13, 1906.
Inasmuch as there is but little news to record
from California at present, and since the San
Francisco news items seem to revolve entirely
around the new locations of the dealers, and other
similar events of passing interest, it will not
be out of place to cast our eye upon a most im-
portant factor brought forth by the recent dis-
aster, a factor that will not only have a lasting
influence upon the music trade of the Pacific
Coast, but which will exercise an equal amount
of influence upon the music trade of the United
States. I refer here to the difficulty put in the
way of the San Francisco music dealers by a
large number of insurance companies "who are
unwilling to settle. In a letter from one of the
leading dealers of San Francisco I note the fol-
lowing paragraph: "The insurance companies
have notified us that they will not pay any losses
by reason of an earthquake clause in their poli-
cies." This is certainly a very disheartening
state of affairs, and I hardly believe that the
companies who take this stand will come out win-
ners in the end. Thorough investigation has re-
vealed the fact that about 50 per cent, of the
companies have announced their willingness to
pay in full without question, using this action, no
doubt, as future advertising material for the pur-
pose of securing new business. It is certainly a
wise move. Among the remaining 50 per cent,
some companies desire to settle on a percentage
basis, while others seem to be ready to shirk re-
sponsibilities by hiding behind the earthquake
clause. For the benefit of the readers of The
Music Trade Review I have interviewed several
prominent dealers on this question, and in the
subsequent lines I desire to jot down the con-
sensus of opinion as gathered from these inter-
views.
other part of the city. Here again is absolute as-
surance for the resumption ot business.
Several other companies, as already recorded
in The Review, are in line. The fact that a great
number of the San Francisco concerns have out-
side interests has kept them very active. For
instance, Benjamin Curtaz & Sons have branches
in Alameda, San Jose, Fresno and Eureka, which
are doing a splendid business, and which are, of
course, supplied by the San Francisco house, Hy.
Eilers has his Northwestern territory, Wiley B.
Allen Co. have their Southern California terri-
tory, and are thinking of entering the North-
western field; in fact, Mr. Anrys is about to
make a trip to Portland with the view of making
final arrangements for a Northwestern invasion,
Kohler & Chase have their Sacramento interests
and their Seattle branch, and so each of these
houses have outside interests, which at a time
like this come very handy. Of course Sherman,
Clay & Co. have their new Northwestern field to
develop, and it will not take them very long to
do so, their Seattle branch has proved especially
profitable of late, and their wholesale talking ma-
chine depot in Los Angeles has proven a most
effective financial station, so a casual glance at
the situation shows beyond the slightest doubt
that the music trade situation in San Francisco
is not only encouraging, but it shows on the
very face of things that it is only logical to as-
sume that while the injury will be evident for
some time to come the resumption of normal con-
ditions is not quite as far distant as many pessi-
mists seem to think. In my next letter I will en-
deavor to outline the future of the music trade
in San Francisco as regarded by the prominent
dealers of the Pacific Coast.
THE FAMOUS J)ODWORTH.
The Son of the Famous Bandmaster Is Man-
ager of the Ricca & Son Harlem Ware-
rooms.
The late Harvey B. Dodworth, bandmaster, was
the subject of an extended mention in the Harlem
Reporter (New York) of recent date, and the
history of the famous organization of which he
was the leader was dwelt upon at length. The
band was active in both military and civil circles,
and many bandmasters graduated to posts of
honor from under Mr. Dodworth's baton.
In 1879 tne late P. S. Gilmore said of Dod-
worth: "To be a member of this organization or
to have graduated from it, must mark a man as
a star in the profession." Mr. Dodworth retired
in 1890 and died in 1892, respected as a gentle-
man of refinement and intelligence, and a thor-
ough musician.
Ole. Dodworth, his son, a popular Harlemite, is
the only representative musically of this famous
family. He is manager of the warerooms of
Ricca & Son, the piano manufacturers, on 125th
street.
ADVERTISING ANALYZED.
Those members of the trade who get "cold
feet," to use a vulgarism, when paying their ad-
vertising bills in the summer time, or those who
believe advertising is an extravagance, should
read and digest the following conversation, which
occurred between two manufacturers recently. I t
is to the point, and shows the difference between
dry rot and progress:
"We don't waste money on advertising," said
the first manufacturer.
"Nor we," said the second. "We invest it."
"It is a serious business," said the first manu-
facturer, "spending so much money."
"It is, it is," second manufacturer rejoined. "It
is a profession."
Gustav Winkler, piano manufacturer of Tren-
ton, N. J., has recently distributed a circular, il-
lustrating styles A, B and C of his line. The
designs are simple and chaste, and attractive in
every way. Mr. Winkler uses the Strauch action.
The Estey Co., of Philadelphia, have booked
an order for a $2,000 organ for the Emanuel
Baptist Church, of Camden, N. J.