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THE
MUSIC TRADE
11
REVIEW
STEQER'S PIANO CAR LINE
TRADE NOTES FROM BALTIMORE.
KANSAS CITY HAPPENINGS.
Has Proven a Big Success—-Realization of
Long Cherished Ideas of John V. Steger—
Delays Overcome and Quick Service Insured.
Making Up for Lost Time in Delivery of Pianos
—Business Somewhat Improved—Sales of
Pianos at Knabes—Harry Rayner's T r i p —
Recitals at Sanders & Stayman's.
Geo. P. Bent Visiting Southwestern Agencies—
Well Pleased With Outlook—That Rumor
About Lhevinne—His Concert a Success—
Tiede W i t h Kansas City Music Co.
The Steger & Sons piano car line, created
through necessity, has proven correct the theories
of J. V. Steger in inaugurating such a system.
Like every piano manufacturing firm, Steger
& Sons had the fact painfully impressed upon
them more than once that the facilities for ship-
ping their products without delay were greatly
lacking. Careful study on the part of Mr. Steger
convinced him that the only way to insure
prompt shipments was to have private cars, and
this plan of his he put into being. The Steger
(Special to The Heview.)
Baltimore, Md., Feb. 11, 1907.
Dealers and manufacturers are making up for
lost time in the delivery of pianos, the result be-
ing that all hands are working overtime in their
efforts to get out the orders which have been
held up for nearly a week. This hold-up was
due to the miniature blizzard which prevailed
last week, and which made it impossible for those
engaged in the piano trade to make deliveries
with any degree of regu-
larity. The snow was banked
up so far along the streets,
especially in the residential
sections, that just twice or
CHSCAGO
L 5 « s tows SATISFY ALL Owes
three times as much time
FACTORIES STECEPItX.
was consumed in hauling
pianos as is required under
ordinary circumstances. In
fact, it was necessary for
the dealers to have each
wagon equipped with four
instead of two horses to
cars are held in reserve for emergencies, and make deliveries.
The unfavorable weather also had a bad effect
when a dealer wants his pianos rushed and the
railroad company does not respond promptly a upon prospective buyers, as most persons, espe-
cially the ladies, preferred to remain indoors
Steger car is brought into service.
The cars form an ideal traveling advertise- and postpone their buying until Jupiter Pluvius
ment for Steger pianos—one that is bound to became more considerate. On Saturday and to-
day, however, business has been brisk, and the
be seen whether en route or on a siding.
As the illustration shows, pains are taken to sales numerous. Prospects are for a continuance
acquaint all who observe the car with the fact of a good business, unless more real bad weather
that that particular car contains pianos made sets in.
William Knabe & Co. report that the business
by Steger & Sons, of Chicago, and not hardware
or lumber. The cars are built especially for in the retail department has been excellent. A
carrying pianos and arrangements are made for number of player-pianos were disposed of during
hapoessing the instruments so securely that they the week to local customers, while another one
can travel from coast to coast without injury. was purchased by a party living in Washington.
Charles H. Keidel, Jr., of the Knabe house,
The cars have been sent to New York, San Fran-
cisco, New Orleans and intermediate points, and spent part of last week in New York on busi-
everywhere the progressiveness of Steger & Sons, ness. While there he attended the dinner given
in adopting the scheme, is commented upon. by the Maryland Society.
Harry Rayner, the firm's new traveling repre-
Arrangements with the railroads afford the
Steger cars every attention for rapid delivery sentative, was in the city yesterday. He will
start out to-day on his first trip as a representa-
and return.
tive of Knabe house. He will visit the Middle
West, his tour extending as far as Kansas City.
ADVERTISING DOESN'T JERK, IT PULLS.
William Knabe, manager of the wholesale de-
partment of the firm, whose headquarters are
John Wanamaker says: "If there is one enter-
now in New York, was in town for several days
prise on earth that a 'quitter' should leave se-
last week on business. He has returned to New
verely alone, it is advertising. To make a suc-
York.
cess of advertising one must be prepared to stick
For this time of the year members of the firm
like a barnacle on a boat's bottom. He should
know before he begins it that he must spend of Kranz-Smith Piano Co. say they are delighted
money—lots of it. Somebody must tell him, also, with the amount of business that is being trans-
that he cannot hope to reap results commensu- acted. George Fred Kranz, one of the members
rate with his expenditure early in the game. Ad- of the firm, who has been confined to his home
vertising doesn't jerk; it pulls. It begins very with the grippe, has returned to his desk.
Business continues excellent with the Sanders
gently a t first, but the pull is steady. I t in-
creases day by day and year by year until it & Stayman's Piano Co. Despite the weather they
have been unusually fortunate in disposing of a
exerts an irresistible power."
large number of pianos, while the sale of
pianolas has been exceedingly lively. An enjoy-
CHAS. W. LTJDWIG'S NEW QUARTERS.
able recital was given by the firm at their ware-
rooms last Thursday afternoon for the purpose
•Charles W. Ludwig, one of the enterprising of demonstrating to the public the excellent
piano dealers of Rochester, N. Y., has recently qualities of the pianola and the orchestrelle.
moved into a large new store at 514 North Clin-
E. T. Lumpkin & Co., dealers in pianos and
ton avenue, and now has one of the best organs, 209 North Liberty street, report that
equipped stores in the city. His large line of business could not be better at this season.
instruments embraces the makes of Krakauer
Bros., Weser Bros., Reinhard Kochmann, B. H.
Candidness is one of the prominent features
Janssen and others.
of the advertising of the Jacob's Music Store,
JUST THINK OF IT!
An Eastern piano manufacturer, who desired
to ship some pianos to a Kansas dealer in a
large furniture car in order to bring the load up
to minimum weight and save freight, wrote to
the dealer to inquire of him if the tunnels on
the Kansas railways were large enough to admit
of the passage of such large cars.
Youngstown, O., regarding the discontinuance of
their business. "We are making no excuses for
this sale. Just simply going to quit and go into
a business we hope there is more money in. We
have a large stock and have to get rid of it."
John V. Roberts, a piano dealer of Iola, Kan.,
has purchased the entire stock of pianos, organs,
etc., of Condon & Ball, Oswego, Kan., and has
removed same to his Iola store.
(Special to The Review.)
Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 11, 1907.
The manufacturer of the Crown piano, George
P. Bent, was in Kansas City one day last week.
He came here in connection with an inspection
tour of Western and Southwestern agencies. My
trip has been unusually successful," said Mr.
Bent. "I found business flourishing in every
agency that I visited. This condition is particu-
larly true of Kansas City and Chicago, and I be-
lieve that I am warranted in the assertion that
the Crown piano will be sold more extensively
this season than ever before in its history."
Mr. Bent had a few comments to make on the
labor situation in the music trade of Chicago.
"Hereafter we will try to get along without the
unions in the manufacture of pianos," he said.
"I think we have them thoroughly beaten." Mr.
Bent returned to Chicago Saturday.
Among the events of interest to persons fond
of music in Kansas City last week was the con-
cert of Lhevinne, the Russian pianist, in Conven-
tion Hall. Mr. Lhevinne's experience here was
rather unfortunate, however, owing to an untrue
rumor. The night before his concert here he
played in St. Joseph. After the concert there
a newspaper correspondent sent out the report
that the pianist had become ill, and would be
compelled to cancel his Kansas City engage-
ment. The report was published in the Kansas
City morning papers, and was denied in the
evening papers, but, of course, the seats were
materially affected. The concert was one of the
most interesting ever given here. Lhevinne re-
ceived many recalls. He played a Steinway
piano.
0. H. Tiede has accepted the position of man-
aging floor salesman for the Kansas City Music
Co. Until recently, and for the past several
years, he has occupied the position of salesman
with the Carl Hoffman Music Co., of this city.
Besides being a first-class business man, Mr.
Tiede is a cultured gentleman, an accomplished
musician (at one time having been an instruc-
tor), and is now organist in one of the most
popular German churches in Kansas City. He
has a large following with the musical profes-
sion.
J. E. Hagen has opened a new piano store in
St. Joseph, Mo., and will handle a fine line of in-
struments. Mr. Hagen has been in the piano
trade in St. Joseph and vicinity for a number of
years, and is very popular.
"Well adapted for
accompanying the
voice."
Gwllym Miles.
Ann Arbor Organ Company