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REVIEW
THE
ffUSIC TIRADE
V O L . X L I V . N o . 1 1 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, March J6, 1907
NATIONAL FREIGHT SERVICE ASSOCIATION FORMED.
SINGLE COPIES. 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
AFTER MILLIONSOF DOLLARS.
Fifty Leading Trade Associations in Evidence at Richmond, Va., When Association Is Organized
to Secure Favorable Legislation on Freight Traffic at Next Session of Congress—Propose
to Enlist the Aid of the Commercial Interests of the Country.
Descendants of Abraham Bassford, an Old-Time
Piano Manufacturer, After New York Real
Estate—Reads Like a Fairy Story.
Shook Manufacturers, with power to increase.
The executive committee was instructed to se-
lect the secretary and treasurer, who is to be an
accomplished man for this line of work, and
who is to enter at once upon a correspondence
with the various organizations represented, with
the view of getting their co-operation in the mat-
ter of securing the ends sought by the associa-
tion. The time and place for the next meeting
will also be determined by the executive com-
mittee.
This is said by delegates on the ground to be
but the beginning of a great movement on the
part of the business and commercial interests of
the entire country to secure favorable legislation
with reference to freight traffic at the next ses-
sion of Congress. Meanwhile, in addition to the
work of officers and individual delegates to the
association, the matter will be brought up and
strongly urged in the 1907 national conventions
of the forty business associations of various lines
that were represented here to-day. These will
meet in various sections of the country and they
touch nearly every form of commerce and manu-
facture in the United States. If later on the Na-
tional Freight Service Association, just launched,
snail find that its purposes can be better accom-
plished by merging with some other organization,
for example, the National Reciprocal Demurrage
Association, it is probable that there may be an
amalgamation, but in any event the men who
were here are going to press the matter
for which they met and any merger they may
go into will be solely for the purpose of strength-
ening their cause, and insuring them success.
Delegate Keyser, of Canal Dover, Ohio, offered a
bill in the meeting to be introduced in the next
Congress providing for drastic car movement,
regulating reciprocal demurrage, but this was
referred to the legislative committee, members
taking the ground that this was not the time to
agitate particular forms of legislation. They
wished first to enlist the commercial interests
of the country thoroughly in the subject, and
then take up matters of detail.
A corporation with a capital of $100,000 has
been formed for the purpose of gaining posses-
sion of millions of dollars' worth of valuable
New York real estate said to have been owned
by Abraham Bassford, a piano manufacturer,
who died in 1864. It is said Mr. Bassford's
grandnieces, the Misses Evesson, have already
proved title to an immense amount of property,
and they are prime movers in the corporation
formed to gain possession of it. Mr. Bassford
began manufacturing pianos and billiard tables
in New York in 1834, and continued the business
for thirty years, or until the time of his death.
His sons, William K. and Franklin Bassford,
were musicians and composers.
(Special to The Review.)
Richmond, Va., March 11, 1907.
Among the delegates represented at the great
gathering of business men assembled in this
city on Thursday for the purpose of organizing
•the National Freight Service Association were
those of the National Piano Manufacturers' and
Dealers' Associations. More than fifty of the
leading industries of the country were in evi-
dence, and the gathering was one of the most
potential and influential which ever came to-
gether in this State.
The purpose of the new association is to ob-
tain, through legislation or otherwise, improved
conditions of movement of freight throughout
the United States. The meeting had been quiet-
ly worked up through correspondence, and promi-
nent leaders in the business world came as far
as Texas and Washington on the western coast,
while New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, Buffalo,
Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and other centers
were well represented.
These men came determined to at least start
a tangible movement to relieve the slow and con-
gested freight traffic siutation of the country, and
after spending a whole day in exchanging views
and deliberating they formed a permanent or-
ganization and elected the following officers:
President, T. Payton Giles, Richmond, represent-
ing National Shoe Wholesalers; first vice-presi-
dent, John Donnan, Richmond, representing Na-
tional Hardware Association; executive commit-
tee, John C. Freeman, Richmond, representing
National Dry Goods' Association; Charles T.
Johnson, Canal Dover, Ohio, representing Ameri-
can Hardware Manufacturers; Victor H. Beck-
ham, Seattle, representing Pacific Coast Lum-
ber Manufacturers; E. D. Taylor, Richmond, rep-
resenting National Wholesale Druggists; John
.Landstreet, Richmond, representing National As-
sociation of Credit Men. Legislative Committee,
John S. Harwood, Richmond, representing Na-
tional T. P. A.; S. P. Hastier, Chicago, repre-
senting Chicago Wholesale Coal Trade; W. C.
Rice, Philadelphia, representing National Box &
ii i • i
PACKARD CO. STILL GROWING.
To Increase Their Manufacturing Facilities by
12,000 Feet of Floor Space—Able to Turn
Out a Vast Number of Pianos.
(Soecial to The Review.)
Ft. Wayne, Ind., March 9, 1907.
The Packard Co., of this city, have arranged to
add 12,000 more feet of floor space to their fac-.
tory in order to cope with the expansion of their
business, which has been most marked in every
section of the country.
This is only one of several steps which have
been recorded within the past ten years, show-
ing how this company have built up a splendid
prestige, and following strictly on values—artis-
tic values at that. From comparatively modest
beginning they have grown year after year,
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until to-day they are occupying more than 355,-
000 square feet of floor space, turning out a vast
number of pianos yearly; and it is not merely
that they are turning out so many pianos that
counts, but the fact that these pianos are high
grade in every respect, and are so recognized by
musicians of ability.
The present styles the Packard Co. are putting
on the market are of unusual attractiveness, not
merely in design, but in tone and construction.
Albert S. Bond, manager of the company, has
good reason to feel proud of the success achieved.
He is an indefatigable worker, who accomplishes
much without recourse to flamboyant methods.
The growth of the Packard institution is the
best testimonial to his ability.
A new music store has been opened in Doland,
S, D., by W. J. Else.
PEAKE & FRIEDEL CO. OPEN NEW STORE.
(Special to The Review.)
Wheeling, W. Va., March 11, 1907.
The Peake & Friedel Piano Co. recently opened
their new store at 2231 Market street, having
moved from Virginia street, Island. This house
carry an excellent line of pianos, organs, small,
goods and talking machines, having augmented
their regular line through the recent purchase of
the stock of the Hoehl & Geiseler Piano Co. Mrs.
A. D. Peake is the president of the company;
Mark Klibanow, vice-president; A. C. Friedel,
treasurer, and C. F. Peake, secretary, and all
were formerly connected with the Hoehl & Geise-
ler Co.
HANDLE MEHLIN PIANO AS LEADER.
The H. A. Meldrum Co., opened their new
piano department at 460-470 Main street, Buffalo,
N. Y., last week. The place is most attractively
fitted up, and a very fine line of pianos is on ex-
hibition, including the Mehlin, Kohler & Camp-
bell and others. F. C. Henderson is manager of
these warerooms, and he has associated with
him a competent staff of piano men.
OPPOSE REGISTRATION LAW.
Connecticut piano dealers and merchants in
other lines doing an instalment business are up
in arms against the proposed new State law mak-
ing it compulsory to register all instalment
leases at the office of the Town Clerk, where
the transaction takes place.
SMITH & NIXON WITH GOGGAN.
Thomas Goggan & Bro., the great Texas piano
dealers, with headquarters in Galveston, have
taken the agency for the Smith & Nixon pianos,
made in Cincinnati, and contracted for a carload
shipment of those instruments each month.
The legislature of Alabama has reduced the
county tax on piano and organ agents from $10Q
to $25.