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THE
flUJIC TRADE
VOL. XLVI. N o . 1S. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, April \\> 1908,
WITT MUSIC COJELECT OFFICERS.
Arrange
for
Issue of Stock and Change of
Quarters in Cleveland.
(Special to The Keview.)
Lorain, O., April 6, 1908.
The stockholders of the Witt Music Co. held
a meeting last week and elected the following
officers: President, F. D. Witt; vice-president,
C. E. Van Deusen; secretary and treasurer, A. V.
Hageman; inspectors, F. D. Witt and John
Kalva.
A resolution was passed authorizing the sale
of all the stock, which consists of $30,000 of
common and $25,000 preferred. The stock is all
subscribed except $5,000. The store in Cleve-
land will be changed from its present location
to the three large storerooms on Prospect street
opposite the May Co. They will be handsomely
fitted up. In all of the stores, in Lorain as well
as in Cleveland and Elyria, a complete line of
sheet music, musical instruments of all kinds
and talking machines will be handled.
The arrangements for Lorain are not as yet
complete. The new concern has been negotiat-
ing for certain quarters in connection with their
present store, but negotiations are not as yet
complete. It is more than probable that two
stores will be opened in Lorain, the additional
one to be located at the south end.
PERSONALITY^ BUSINESS.
A Manufacturer Says It Is the Keystone—The
One Essential.
In response to a question put by System, the
business magazine, regarding his belief in the
effectiveness of personality in business, a certain
well-known manufacturer replied: "Believe in
it? Why, I believe it is the keystone—the one
foremost essential. No business can permanently
and fully succeed without it. It is that element
of persona] power which makes an effective or-
ganization possible with the business establish-
ment and holds it at its best. It is the personal
touch that secures that loyalty from the members
of that organization which insures certain suc-
cess. It is personality that secures the confi-
dence of customers in a house's word and yields
that satisfaction which holds purchasers to you
just as the magnet attracts and holds the bits
of steel. Take away that essential of 'personal
interest,' and there probably would be lack of
organization—of efficient, capable, dependable
organization, I mean—here to-day. I have al-
ways believed in young men. The young man
of proper personality—there it is again—is the
man who can best be turned into the particular
type of salesman or employe that your business
requires. He has the ability to 'fit in' where he,
is placed."
DEATH OF LEVI MERRIAM PIERCE.
(Special to The Review.)
Springfield, Mass., April 7, 1908.
Within five days from the time he was taken
ill, Levi Merriam Pierce, a music dealer for
more than 35 years, died in his home, 247 Union
street, last Wednesday night, of pneumonia.
He was in his 75th year, and was probably the
oldest music dealer in the city, having been en-
gaged in the business continuously since 1874,
when he became a partner to William B. Carter,
who was then in the quarters now occupied by
the Meekins, Packard & Wheat Co.
He was born in West Boylston in 1833. After
being graduated from fitting schools he entered
Colby University, and was graduated with hon-
ors. For some years he engaged in educational
work, serving as principal of several prominent
high schools.
After leaving the profession of teaching he
went into business. His first office was the
presidency of the Arlington Piano Co. in Leo-
minster. With his experience in the construc-
tion of pianos, his services became valuable as a
dealer, and in 1874 he joined with Mr. Carter in
this city in purchasing the stock of the William
Spear Music Co. This firm continued for four-
teen years, passing over in 1888 to Mr. Pierce,
who continued the business alone. During the
time of its existence the store was one of the
leading piano houses in this section,
REMODEL THEIR STORE.
The Milam Music House, of Muskogee, I. T.,
have had their store entirely redecorated and re-
modeled and now have one of the most attractive
stores in the State of Oklahoma.
PEASE PIANOS FOR HOTEL SECOR.
The Handsome Hostelry Now Being Completed
in Toledo Will be Equipped With These
Instruments.
The Pease Piano Co., New York, have received
the contract for supplying all pianos, both grands
and uprights, to be used in the new Hotel Secor,
now being completed in Toledo. A special
grand in the Louis XVI. style is being made for
the Marie Antoinette room of the hotel. Wal-
lach Bros., who are building the Hotel Secor,
also own the Hotel Cadillac in New York.
E. R. MATTHEWS CLOSING OUT BUSINESS.
(Special to The Review.)
Omaha, Neb., April 6, 1908.
The Matthews Piano Co., 1513 Harvey street,
this city, retired from business last week after
twenty years «f successful piano selling. This
reputable piano firm was established by E. R.
Matthews, who was compelled to close out his
business on account of ill health. He has ac-
quired large ranch lands in Alberta province,
Canada, and will go there to make his perma-
nent residence as soon as his business affairs
can be closed up.
NEW BUSH & LANE STYLES.
Two new styles in Bush & Lane pianos are
nearing completion at the factories of the Bush
& Lane Piano Co., Holland, Mich., and will
shortly be put on the market. One is a small
upright with a new scale and a plain but at-
tractive cage, while the other is a small grand,
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
even smaller than their present instrument of
that style. The new grand is said to have sur-
prising tonal qualities for a piano of its size.
BURK-HUME CO.'S NEW QUARTERS.
(Special to The Hevkw.)
Norfolk Va., April 6, 1908.
The Burk-Hume Piano Co. have secured the
large new store in the Taylor Building, corner
Granby and Washington streets, where they will
move immediately.
The increased floor space in their new store
will afford them an opportunity of showi^>2tq
the best advantage their large line of piaS^.
embracing the following makes: Knabe, Weber,
Mehlin, Mathushek, Steck, Vose, Kroeger, Cable-
Nelson, Royal and others.
AMERICAN PIANOS IN NEW ZEALAND.
It is stated on excellent authority that Amer-
ican piano manufacturers have a big field open
to them in New Zealand if they will only finish
their instruments in accordance with the desires
of the trade in that country. Owing to the immi-
nent danger of scratching and marring during
the long sea trip, the New Zealand dealers claim
that they only want pianos with Prench-polished
instead of varnished cases as, in the former,
scratches may be readily obliterated with shellac
or other substance, while where the case is var-
nished over a light ground it is almost impos-
sible for the local repairman to eradicate
scratches or other blemishes. It is said, how-
ever, that the tone of the American pianos, their
ability to remain in tune for a prolonged period,
the folding music desk and other features appeal
strongly to the trade in that country.
DISCHARGED FROM BANKRUPTCY.
John W. Tilton, the piano dealer of Dayton,
O., was given his final discharge from bank-
ruptcy last week in the United States District
Court in Cincinnati.
WM. KNABE ELECTED DIRECTOR.
William Knabe, of William Knabe & Co., has
been elected a director of the Washington Sym-
phony Orchestra, Washington, D. C.
WILL OCCUPY HANDSOME QUARTERS.
On May 1 the Buffalo Music Co. and the C. F.
Kurtzmann Co., Buffalo, N. Y., will unite in occu-
pying the handsome store recently used by the
bankrupt Grohs Piano Co. The Grohs store was
fitted up at a cost of $10,000, and the greater
part of the fittings, being nailed to the walls,
still remain, the landlord not permitting their
removal by his previous tenants.
The Conroy Piano Co., St. Louis, Mo., have
opened a branch store in Poplar Bluff, Mo., un-
der the management of J. F. Chambers. One
hundred pianos constitute the stock of the new
branch.
The South Florida Music Co., of Tampa, Fla.,
have recently moved to new quarters,