Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
REVIEW
THL
ffU SIC TIRADE
VOL. XLIV. No. 1 0 .
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, March 9, 1907
DENATURED ALCOHOL NOT ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY
As a Solvent for Shellac and Wiping Off Surplus Oil in Polishing—A Letter on the Subject to
H. Paul Mehlin from J. H. Allen Worth Reading.
A careful canvass among some of the best-in-
formed varnish foremen and piano polishers in
this city as to their opinion of the merits of de-
natured alcohol as a solvent for shellac, and to
wipe off the surplus oil in polishing, shows that
it has proved as satisfactory as was hoped. Its
only defect seems to he that the addition of one-
half of 1 per cent, of benzine as one of the
denaturants causes the shellac to dry imperfectly
and as a rubbing off fluid leaves the surface in a
cloudy condition. All agree that if a substitute
for benzine can be found, and there are several
that should answer, denatured alcohol will
fully meet all the requirements intended. J. H.
Allen, secretary-treasurer of the Committee of
Manufacturers, who had charge of the passage of
the denatured alcohol bill, in a recent communi-
cation to H. Paul Mehlin, who as president of the
National Piano Manufacturers' Association, made
such strenuous efforts for its passage, says: "In
event that the manufacturers of pianos find they
cannot use grain alcohol mixed with 9 per cent,
of wood alcohol and one-half of 1 per cent, of
benzine, we will, of course, take up with the
commissioner the question of securing a specific
denaturant which will be satisfactory to your
industry. I will be indebted to. you if you will
kindly advise me on this point." It has been
suggested that it would be advisable for every
piano manufacturer using denatured alcohol to
send in a report of their experience in its use.
Another feature that operates against the use of
benzine is that in burning it in a lamp the
flame is found to contain a considerable per-
centage of carbon, which blackens, or at least
discolors, bright surfaces and renders it unfit for
soldering plated and polished surfaces.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.no PKR YEAR.
old, Mr. Schwankovsky, Jr., has had four years
of active and hard experience in various de-
partments of his father's business and is fully
able to hold down his new position in a very
satisfactory way. Mr. Schwankovsky senior,
will still maintain a general supervision over his
establishment, but the details of the management
will be left to the son.
VOTE FOR TAX ON PIANOS.
French Deputies Insist on Clause in Revenue
Bill—Advocate of Measure Urges That Levy
on Instruments Would be Easy to Collect—
Teachers Are Exempt from Provisions.
According to dispatches from Paris, France,
the piano tax, on the feasibility of which the
Senate and Chamber have been -divided, is caus-
ing as much discussion as the tax on incomes.
When the budget reached the Senate the
clause relating to the piano tax was ruthlessly
cut out, but it was reinstated by the Chamber
the other day, when M. Maurice Berteaux, the
president of the budget commission, justified its
inclusion.
M. Millevoye regarded the tax as anti-demo-
musical
merchandise
and
sheet
music
depart-
SILVERS TAKES CHARGE
ments and will devote the space to their line of cratic, since it struck an instrument of labor.
pianos, of which the Kranich & Bach is the Replying to his critics, M. Berteaux declared that
Of the D. S. Johnston Co.'s Store in Tacoma—
leader.
This house also handles the Apollo very pianos which were used in teaching music would
Mr. Johnston to Reside in Chicago.
be exempt, but that those people who possessed
successfully.
mechanical pianos would have to pay the tax.
(Special to The Review.)
He pointed out that if the Chamber would" not
Tacoma, Wash., March 1, 1907.
THIRTEEN MASON & HAMLINS
vote the tax others would have to be imposed.
D. W. Johnston, who since the retirement of
The tax would be easily collected, he thought.
his father, D. S. Johnston, from active business Purchased by the Florida Female College at
"Suppose,"
he added, "a young woman who is
life, has been the manager of the D. S. Johnston
Tallahassee.
playing
a
piano
says to a young man who is turn-
Co.'s music house of this city, is now in Chicago,
ing over her music, 'I am tempted not to declare
where he will in the future reside. During Mr.
The Mason & Hamlin Co. are exceedingly my piano.'
Johnston, Jr.'s, management of this well-known pleased over the fact that in competition with
" 'Declare it,' the young man would say, 'for
house he has not only proven himself to be a several makes thirteen Mason & Hamlins, the en-
if
you don't do it your neighbor will do it for
thorough, all-round business man of more than tire number, were recently purchased for the
you.'"
ordinary ability, but has built up a wide circle Florida Female College at Tallahassee.
The Chamber allowed itself to be convinced by
of friends in this city who will regret very much
M. Berteaux's arguments, and voted for the re-
his departure. D. S. Johnston, who for over
HOBBS MUSIC CO. REORGANIZE.
tention of the tax, which on upright pianos and
twenty years has figured conspicuously in the
harmoniums is 10 francs a year, 20 francs on
retail piano trade on the coast, is expected to re-
The Hobbs Music Co., Logan, Utah, have been horizontal pianos and 100 francs on large or-
turn within a short time from an extended trip reorganized, with the following officers: Jacob gans.
around the world, the latter will continue to West, president; G. F. Thatcher, vice-president;
The action of the Chamber was not without its
make Tacoma his permanent place of residence, L. Farr, Jr., secretary; Robert Murdock, treas- effect on the Senate. Senators did not again
although he will not again engage in active busi- urer, and James Hobbs, Jr., manager. The com- cut out the clause, but decided that it should be
ness life.
pany is capitalized at $25,000, with James Hobbs, dealt with separately.
T. S. Silvers, who for some five years has re- Jr., as largest shareholder, with 200 shares.
sided in Spokane, where he was assistant man-
INCREASE IN FREIGHT RATES.
ager of Eilers' piano house, will assume f the man- WORRELL BUYS OUT PARK'S INTERESTS.
agement of the D. S. Johnston Co.'s store in this
Railroad Manager in Cincinnati Says It Will
city. Mr. Silvers is said to have been one of the
E. A. Parks has sold his interest in the
/
Average 5 Per Cent.
most successful young men in the piano business Worrell-Parka Music Co., Mexico, Mo., to R. D.
(Special to The Review.)
on the coast.
Worrell, who will continue the business. Mr.
Cincinnati, O., March 4, 1907.
Parks will devote himself to the affairs of Parks'
It
was
said
by
a railroad manager in Cincin-
Music House Co., Louisiana, Mo., which he con-
LECHNER & SCHOENBERGER ENLARGE trols,
and which has branches in several towns nati to-day that on April 1 freight rates on cer-
tain commodities would be increased, and on
in Missouri.
Secure Second Floor of Present Building—To
May 1 rates would be advanced on still other
Give Up Music and Small Goods Lines-—
commodities, the average increase being 5 per
Kranich & Bach Piano Is Their Leader.
F. J. SCHWANKOVSKY, JR., IN CHARGE.
cent.
The Lechner & Schoenberger Co., Pittsburg,
F. J. Schwankovsky, Jr., has been made gen-
A. A. KIBLER SUFFERS FIRE LOSS.
Pa..^ will on April 1 obtain possession of the eral manager of the great six-story music estab-
second •floor of the building, in which they now lishment founded by his father, in Detroit, Mich.,
In the destruction of the Y. M. C. A. build-
oecupy the first and third floors. The quarters succeeding H. O. Friedrichs, who left to become ing in Utica, N. Y., by fire last week, A. A. Kid-
will be redecorated in handsome style. On the manager of. the Smith &. Nixon Piano Co.'s der, the music dealer who occupied a store on the,
above date the company will discontinue their Toledo branch, Although only twenty-two years ground floor, suffered a loss of about $8,000,