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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
BUSH & GERTS GREAT RECORD.
Thirty Per Cent. Increase in Orders—Collec-
tions Satisfactory—Haven't Caught Up with
Orders—Bush Temple in Austin to be Dedi-
cated Sept. 1st—Bush & Gerts Grand
Praise—Letter from Supervisor Fairbanks.
(Special to The Review.)
ONE PRICE PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT.
OOME years ago the Review started the one price agitation by
^ offering a prize for the best article on the one price system.
For months past we have advocated the establishment of the
price at retail by the manufacturer at which his product shall
be sold. Resolutions were passed at Washington favoring this
plan, and we believe that the more the question is agitated
the more adherents it will win, therefore we will offer a cash
prize of $25.00 for the best article upon the subject: "Benefits
Which Will Accrue to the Trade by the Manufacturer
Establishing Retail Prices at Which His Pianos Shall be
Sold/' All contributions should be typewritten, and addressed
to the Prize Editor, The Music Trade Review, 1 Madison
Avenue, New York.
Chicago, July 21, 1906.
W. L. Bush, president of the Bush & Gerts
Piano Co., has just returned from a trip to
Memphis, where he renewed the lease for a long
term on the Bush Temple building. In the course
of a chat to-day he said: "July, 1906, is a record
breaker, so far as the Bush & Gerts Piano Co. are
concerned. Thirty per cent, more orders were re-
ceived from the 1st to the 15th of the month than
any previous year in the history of the house.
The collections are fully 20 per cent, in excess of
any previous July. The factory at the present
time is over 500 orders behind, and turning out
more pianos than ever before in its history, and
every indication points to the necessity of a
decided increase in output and capacity to take
about five years ago. After enjoying the hospi-
care of present and future demands.
"The grand department is especially favored, tality of his many old friends in this town, he
and the new styles, both of the miniature grands will turn his face homeward on August 9. Mr.
and concert grands, have made a great impres- Baker"s many friends in this city wish him a
sion on the trade and a number of prominent pleasant trip and safe return.
dealers of Bush & Gerts pianos have recently
purchased Bush & Gerts grandettes for their own
homes. This includes A. J. Hassmer, of Law- Forty-Seven Per Cent, of the 5,651 Post Offices
renceburg, Ind.; H. C. Wardleigh, of Ogden, .
Show an Increase of Revenue.
Utah; G. Clay Cox, of Rochester, N. Y.; George
K. Darling, of Los Angeles—all within the past
I Special to The Review.)
sixty days.
Washington, D. C, July 22, 1906.
"The concert grand piano recently placed in
The country has never Leen so prosperous as
the Normal School at 68th street and Stewart now, according to the postal officials, who regard
avenue, the largest Normal School in the coun- the fluctuations in the receipts of the post offices
try, has won for itself a splendid letter from as the most accurate and sensitive barometer of
H. W. Fairbanks, Supervisor of Music in Public financial conditions. The salaries of postmasters
Schools, addressed to Mr. Bush, president of the at first, second and third c!ass offices are fixed
company, reading as follows:
each July on the basis of their leceipts for the
" 'My Dear Sir—The new concert grand sold to four quarters of the preceding fiscal year, and
the Chicago Normal School has proven to be the annual readjustment for the twelve months
a most satisfactory instrument indeed. The ended June 30, just completed, shows that the
workmanship is strictly first class, and the tone, revenues of 2.670, or 47 per cent., of the 5,651
action and finish are all that could be desired.
offices justified increases varying from $100 to
"(Signed)
H. W. FAIRHAXKX.
$120 each year, while at 309, or 5 per cent., of
Supervisor of Music'
the offices the receipts fell off so that salaries
"On the first of September will be dedicated were reduced, leaving a net increase of 42 per
the Bush Temple of Music at Austin, where the csnt. Last year the gi o:s increase was but 33
Bush & Gerts Piano Co. have had a branch house per cent, and the loss 9 per cent., making the net
for the past eight years. This building is being increase only 24 per cent.
erected for the Bush & Gerts Piano Co. by a
Pennsylvania led the other States in the great-
prominent and wealthy widow lady of Austin, est number of increases, 219, but she had losses
who owned the largest business corner in Austin, at 21 offices, so that her net average is 46 per cent.
and upon it is erecting a building especially for New York had 175 increases and 23 decreases,
the convenience and occupancy of the Austin leaving a net increase of 35 per cent. On the
house. Possession will be taken some time in other hand, Ohio led in the number of decreases,
August, and the building will be formally dedi- 29, and, with only 107 decreases, her average
cated on the first of September, which will also was but 20 per cent., the lowest of all the States.
mark the twentieth anniversary of the Bush & Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma and
Gerts Piano Co., and the twenty-fifth anniversary Porto Rico suffered no lo?ses, and in several of
of the beginning of the manufacture of pianos tne States there was but one office whose salary
by John Gerts in Chicago."
was reduced. The highest net increase was in
South Carolina, with 79 per cent.; North Caro-
lina and Georgia followed with 72 per cent. each.
Indian Territory, Oklahoma and Arizona with
Will Leave for a Visit to His Old Home in
70 per cent., and Alabama and Florida with 6fi
Toronto, and Later Journey to Berlin for
per cent. These figures would indicate that the
"Old Boy's Home Week.
South was the most prosperous section of the
country.
Accompanied by his wife, Thomas G. Baker,
Barry Bros. Co., located in Harrison, Ark., re-
the superintendent of the piano factory of Linde- port an excellent trade in their section for the
man & Sons, at 548-550 West 23d street, will pianos carried by them, which include such
leave on Saturday, August 3, on a short vacation makes as Chickering, Behning, Hobart M. Cable,
trip. They will first go to Niagara Falls, leaving Huntington and Kurtzmann. They are also agents
on the evening boat from Lewiston for Toronto, for the Chicago Cottage and Clough & Warren or-
Canada, Mr. Baker's native town, where he will gans, and likewise handle small goods.
visit his parents, friends, piano factories and
scenes of his boyhood days. On the following
With the opening of the new Hayden Bros.'
Monday they will go to Berlin, Ontario, where building on Douglas street, Omaha, Neb., the
the "Old Boys' Home Week" celebration takes company have arranged for one of the largest
place on August 6, 7 and 8, and will enjoy the piano salesrooms and music departments in the
festivities in connection therewith. This town city. The entire first floor of the new building is
was a former home of Mr. Baker, as he was con- to be devoted exclusively to a music room, which
nected with the Berlin Piano & Organ Co. for has the floor space for displaying several hundred
several years before he went West, which was pianos.
COUNTRY NEVER SO PROSPEROUS.
THOS. G. BAKER'S VACATION.
NATIONAL MUSIC EXHIBIT.
J.
A. H. Dressel Is Well Pleased With the
Progress Being Made—Dealers Are Lending
Their Support—Maturing Plans of Enter-
tainment—Many Manufacturers in and Out
of Town Secure Space.
"The success of the National Music Exhibit is
positively assured," said J. A. H. Dressel to The
Review. "The latest additions to the subscribers
for space are houses whose reputation for high-
grade goods is unquestioned, and so far, taken as
a whole, the exhibitors will embrace the repre-
sentative houses of the East. I do not think it
good policy as yet to publish a list of those who
have taken space, but will be ready to do so after
1 have called on all members of the New York
and New England trade. Every mail brings in
letters from prominent dealers and piano manu-
facturers who intend to be present, and it will
undoubtedly bring dealers together as nothing
else could do. Among the acknowledgments of
our hangers are letters from dealers in the fol-
lowing large towns and cities, who express their
intention of being present:
"Ann Arbor, Mich.; Augusta, Ga.; Asbury Park,
X. J.; Birmingham, Ala.; Bayonne, N. J.; Bridge-
i:oit, Conn.; Charlotte, N. C ; Cumberland, Md.;
Dallas, Texas; Flushing, N. Y.; Grand Rapids,
Mich.; Holyoke. Mass.; Hammond, Ind.; Jersey
City, N. J.; Kingston. N. Y.; Long Island City,
N. Y.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Middletown, N. Y.;
New Brighton, S. I.; New Brunswick, N. J.;
North Adams, Mass.; Oil City, Pa.: Peoria, 111.;
Paterson, N. J.; Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Pittsburg,
Pa.; Rochester. N. Y.; Reading, Pa.; Schenec-
tady, N. Y.; Scranton, Pa.; Savannah, Ga.;
Tampa, Fla.; Worcester, Mass.; White Plains, N.
Y.; Albany, N. Y.; Allentown, Pa.; Amsterdam,
N. Y.; Burlington. Vt.; Brockton, Mass.; Bos-
ton. Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; Hudson, N. Y.;
Lynn, Mass.; Mt. Vernon, N. Y.; Newlmrg, N. Y.;
Newark. N. J.; New Orleans. La.; Ogdensburg,
N. Y.; Port Jervis, N. Y.; Providence, R. I.;
Portsmouth, N. H.; Pottsville, Pa.; Red Bank,
N. J.; St. Louis, Mo.; Stamford, Conn.; Wash-
ington, D. C ; Waterbury, Conn.; Akron, Ohio;
Auburn, Me.; Brooklyn, N. Y.; Baltimore, Md.;
Battle Creek, Mich.; Chicago, 111.; Hartford,
Conn.; Lancaster. Pa.; Mitchell, S. D.; New
Haven, Conn.; Newport News, Va.; Omaha,
Neb.; Plattsburg, N. Y.; Portland, Me.; Phila-.
delphia, Pa.; Roanoke, Va.; Springfield, Mass.;
Salt Lake City, Utah; Wilkesbarre, Pa.; Water-
town, Wis.; Washington, D. C.
"The plans for the entertainment of the visit-
ors to the exhibit are being rapidly matured,
and we are following out all good ideas ad-
vanced by our exhibitors. There will be many
attractive features of a very unique type, which
will arouse public interest in this exhibit, and I
think I am safe in prophesying that we will fill
the Madison Square Garden with one of the big-
gest crowds ever seen in that building at any
trade show,"