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THE MUSlC TRADE REVIEW
F. C. HENDERSON'S ENTERPRISES.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEST.
Controls Piano Departments in Providence,
Worcester, Springfield and Buffalo—Handle
Splendid Line of Pianos, the Most Recent
Acquisition Being the Gabler.
People of That Territory Buying Luxuries—No
Longer Dependent on the East—Mortgages
Are Paid Off—Banks in the West in Fine
Condition and Business Outlook Good.
(Special to The Review.)
Providence, R. I., Oct. 28, 1907.
F. C. Henderson, of Boston, Mass., who oper-
ates the piano department of the Shepard Co. in
this city, as well as in the establishments of Den-
holm & McKay Co., Worcester, Mass.; Forbes &
Wallace, Springfield, Mass., and H. A. Meldrum
Co., Buffalo, N. Y., is becoming quite a figure in
the music trade industry. Only recently he se-
F. C. HENDERSON.
cured the exclusive agency of the famous Gabler
piano, not only for the Shepard store in this city,
but for the various piano departments operated
in the stores before named.
Owing to the splendid standing of the Gabler
throughout New England a large trade in these
instruments is certain to ensue. The piano de-
partment of the Shepard store will have been
established three years on the 6th of next Febru-
ary. Its success has been really phenomenal
from every point of view, and from a small space
on the fourth floor the piano warerooms have
been transferred to beautifully decorated and
spacious quarters on the second floor. At the
opening of the department the line of pianos
handled included the Mehlin, Kurtzmann and
Kohler & Campbell, but since then they have se-
cured the agency for the Knabe, Crown, Merrill
and Angelus, and just recently the Gabler.
The piano department controlled by Mr. Hen-
derson in Worcester was opened about a year be-
fore the Providence department, and the success
there has been quite as marked as in this city.
The departments at Springfield and Buffalo have
been in operation only a short time, but are doing
well. Mr. Henderson has been making a deep
study of the piano situation and expects to build
up a still larger business in the various cities in
which he is operating. He speaks very highly
of his latest acquisition, the Gabler, and looks
forward to a large trade for it in New England.
In the "Saturday Evening Post" of recent date
was published a most interesting article upon the
wonderful development of the West and the
changed conditions in that section within the
last few years. One point dwelt upon especially
was the fact that the people, in these prosperous
times, are buying many things, such as im-
proved machinery, pianos and automobiles,
classed as decided luxuries only a few years ago.
The article read in part:
"A few years ago Wall Street, representing the
financial East, had a mortgage on the West. The
West had a hard struggle, but, in the course of
time, it grew good crops and began paying off the
mortgage. For several years interest and prin-
cipal flowed from the Western farms to the East
—a golden flood of vast proportions. Wall Street
had more money than it knew what to do with.
At the same time the gold mines of the West and
of Alaska were pouring forth their wealth by the
millions and increasing the 'per capita' which the
Populists had desired, though not in the manner
they demanded; and as gold became more plenti-
ful, prices went up. Speculation became rife.
Money was cheap and plentiful in the East.
Great combinations of capital were formed in
many lines of industry, bonds were issued and
eagerly gobbled by the speculating public, the
prices of securities soared, values became in-
flated, and the people went money mad.
"But the golden flood did not last. There came
a time when the West paid off its mortgages,
principal and interest, and then the money quit
coming East except for value received. Instead,
it. began to pile up in the banks of the West.
"With their debts paid off, the producing
regions began to enjoy prosperity. The West and
South advanced rapidly. The farmers built new
houses and barns; they bought machinery, and
rubber-tired buggies, and pianos, and now they
are purchasing automobiles. But notwithstand-
ing their efforts to keep them down, their bank
deposits have grown tremendously. A dozen
years ago Kansas banks contained little more
than thirty million dollars. It took eight years
to reach the hundred million point, and during
those eight years Kansas also paid off millions of
dollars of mortgages held in the East. In addi-
tion to having loaned the East fifteen million
dollars during the last few months, the State
banks of Kansas now have on hand reserves of
41 per cent, of their deposits, and its national
banks have on hand 37 per cent., or much more
than the amount required by law. In other
words, Kansas banks have sufficient cash and
sight exchange on hand to loan the East many
more million dollars, and still maintain their
legal reserve."
BRINSMEAD & SONS INCREASE PRICES.
John Brinsmead & Sons, the famous British
piano manufacturers, on October 1 advanced the
prices of their instruments from two and a half
to five per cent., the greatest increase being in
the cheaper styles. The company stated in a let-
ter announcing the increase in prices that they
had postponed the step for a year in the hope
that the cost of supplies would go down again,
J. & C. FISCHER'S GREAT RECORD.
but as they still remained at the high level the
increase in piano prices was inevitable. In the
Shortly after the first of the month J. & C.
retail warerooms of the company the prices were
Fischer, the well-known manufacturers of this
advanced five per cent, on all styles.
city, announced that they had succeeded in ap-
pointing thirty new agents so far this year, an
VICTOR PIANOS FOR SCHOOLS.
enviable record when it is considered that every
one of the new agents is numbered among the
The Grand Rapids, Mich., Board of Education
representative dealers in their respective terri-
have
decided to purchase three Victor pianos
tories. The company also stated that 130,000
Fischer pianos had left the factory and it will not from the Bush & Lane Piano Co., of Holland,
Mich. One of these will be placed in Sigsbee
be long before the 140.000 mark will be passed.
school, another at Wealthy avenue and the loca-
Claude Patton has put in a stock of pianos in tion of the third has not yet been decided. The
the jewelry store of G. W. Kennan, Springdale, board has also arranged to rent sis other pianos
for use this year.
Ark.
11
SomeTradC'Straws"
Here are some excerpts taken at random
from the many letters which we have re-
ceived from dealers, toners and salesmen
who enthusiastically endorse "Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building."
Here is what the Phillips & Crew Co.,
Savannah, Ga., one of the leading firms in the
South, say regarding "Theory and Practice of
Pianoforte Building":
"We beg to hand you herewith our check
for $2 to cover cost of one copy of "Theory
and Practice of Pianoforte Building," which
has been received with thanks. The book is all
that you claim it to be and should find a ready
place with all those connected with the trade.
With our very best wishes, we beg to remain,"
etc.
George Rose, of the great English house
of Broadwood & Sons, and one of the lead-
ing piano makers of Europe, writes:
"I have perused the book with much pleas-
ure, and 'Theory and Practice of Pianoforte
Building' should be in the hands of every prac-
tical and interested man in the trade."
H. A. Brueggemann, a dealer in Fort
Wayne, Ind., writes: "I have one of your
books, 'Theory and Practice of Pianoforte
Building,' and will say that it is just the kind
of a book I have been looking for for many
years. I have been tuning pianos for fourteen
years, and from studying the book, 'Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building,' I have
learned something that I never knew before."
John G. Erck, for many years manager of
the Mathushek & Son retail piano business,
and now manager of the piano department of
a big store in Cleveland, writes: "You cer-
tainly deserve strong commendation, for your
latest effort, 'Theory and Practice of Piano-
forte Building' is a book written in such an
instructive and concise form that certainly no
piano player or piano professional enthusiast
should lack it in his or her library. It gives
to the salesman the highest knowledge of in-
struments and is invaluable."
Henry Keeler, of Grafton, W. Va., says: "I
most heartily congratulate you for launching
such a worthy book. I consider it the best
work ever written upon the subject, and I
hope that its ready sale will cause the reprint
of many editions."
George A. Witney, head of the Brockport
Piano Mfg. Co., himself being a scale draughts-
man of national repute, writes: " 'Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building' is a valuable
book for those interested in piano construc-
tion."
Every man, whether manufacturer,
scale draughtsman,superintendent,
dealer, or salesman, should own
a copy of the first work of its kind
in the English language.
The price for single copies delivered to
any part of the United States, Canada
and Mexico is $2. All other countries,
on account of increased postage, $a.zo.
If the book is not desired after examination, money
will be refunded.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
1 MADISON AVE., NEW YORK CITY