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THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE KANSAS CITY PIANO CO. ORGANIZED.
Messrs. H. W. Forline and G. W. Nourse Secure the Exclusive Representation for the West of
the Line of Pianos and Player-Pianos Made by the Waltham Piano Co., of Milwaukee, Wis.,
and Will Open Headquarters at 2800 Woodland Avenue, Kansas City, Mo.
(Special to The Review.)
Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 8, 1912.
An important deal has just been closed whereby
H. W. Forline and G. W. Nourse secure the ex-
clusive representation for the West for the line
of pianos and player-pianos made by the Waltham
Piano Co., of Milwaukee, Wis.
These gentlemen will operate under the name
of the Kansas" City Piano Co., with headquarters
at 2800 Woodland avenue, this city, and in addition
to the Waltham and Warfield pianos and players
they will feature the "Electrotone" electric players
made by this company and also will introduce to
the trade the Waltham selling system, which they
claim will be of interest to dealers in the West.
Both members of this concern are practical men
and are extensively acquainted with the trade
through Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and adja-
cent territory.
Mr. Nourse has been in the piano business, both
wholesale and retail branches, for the last twenty-
four years, and for the last four years has been
connected with the S.tarr Piano Co., Richmond,
Ind., as wholesale traveler, and is very popular.
Mr. Forline, of Kansas City, while he has not
been in the piano business longer than six years,
is thoroughly familiar with pianos and players 'and
the conditions in the Western territory. Mr. For-
line has been Western wholesale traveler for four
years for the Baldwin Co.
This deal has been under negotiation for some
time and was terminated a few days ago when
these gentlemen spent three days in Milwaukee,
inspecting the Waltham plant and studying the com-
pany's methods of selling.
The Kansas City Piano Co. has a large force of
experienced travelers and retail salesmen who will
be at it all the time assisting Waltham dealers sell
and booming things generally in the trade. The
advertising department of the Waltham Co. will
work up some special literature to be used in assist-
ing the dealers to sell at retail.
This new arrangement will do much to develop
the business of the Waltham Piano Co. in the ex-
tensive territory which will be covered by the Kan-
sas City Piano Co.
GETS BEHR BROS/ LINE IN DETROIT.
CAR FAMINE GROWS.
Will Be the Leader in the New Store Opened by
Cameron F. Roberts—Instruments Handled.
Railways Entered This Month with a Shortage
of 17,000 Cars—Bound to Be Some Delays
in Pianos Reaching Dealers This Fall.
(Special to The Review.)
Detroit, Mich., Oct. 8, 1912.
Behr Bros. & Co., of New YorK, nas placed
its line of pianos, including the players, with Cam-
eron F. Roberts, who recently opened a new store
in the Woodward Arcade here. Mr. Roberts will
make this line his leader. His store has been en-
larged by the addition of new salesrooms adja-
cent to the ones originally taken, giving ample
room for the handling of a large line. The Kind-
ler & Collins, the Palmer and the Bacon pianos, of
New York; the Chute & Butler line, of Peru,
Ind., and the Nysewander, of Chicago, are the other
lines represented by Mr. Roberts.
The car situation is growing steadily worse, as
u was predicted it would by railway men. On
Sept. 26 there was a net shortage of 17,790 freight
cars reported by the lines in this country and
Canada. This is about twice the shortage reported
two weeks earlier.
There are evidences that the shippers and trans-
portation interests are co-operating to get the full-
est possible use out of the limited amount of equip-
ment, and it seems hardly probable now that the
shortage will develop the proportions feared.
Nevertheless, it will be the worst seen since 1907,
and may prove even more critical than the partial
famine which then prevailed.
In the two weeks ended Sept. 26, the net short-
age of open cars increased from about 3,000 cars
to 5,500, while the net shortage of box cars showed
an increase from . 14,000 cars to over 18,000.
Movements of other classes of cars were corre-'
spondingly active.
In the latest reports are indications that the car
stringency is steadily approaching a maximum,
which the next two or three reports will probably
reveal. There were not any marked changes in the
gross surplus of cars reported by the various
sections of the country, but the growing demand
for rolling stock was reflected in the increasing
size of the shortages. One rather notable exception
was the Northwest. In that part of the country,
the net surplus on Sept. 26, was about 3,500, while
two weeks before there was a net shortage of over
1,000 cars. The Middle West showed the largest
shortage, the figures standing at 9,374, and against
this there was a gross surplus of only 589 cars.
As has been the case for some months past, lines
operating in Oregon, Idaho, California and Ari-
zona, had the largest gross surplus of any section
of the country. Apparently there have been more
than enough cars in that territory to meet all needs.
New England States and the Middle Atlantic sec-
tion joined the general trend toward shrinking car
facilities.
WORLD DEMAND FOR AMERICAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Some Interesting Facts Bearing Upon the Growth of the Musical Instruments Trade Throughout
the World Which Will Form the Basis of a Monograph to Be Issued by the Bureau of For-
eign and Domestic Commerce of the Department of Commerce and Labor, Washington, D. C.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Oct. 7, 1912.
American musical instruments of all kinds have
found a sale in almost every quarter of the world,
WM. F. GROSSKOPF TAKES CHARGE according to a monograph, "Foreign Trade in
Musical Instruments," which will soon be issued
Of the Retail Sales Department of the Kohler
by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce
& Chase Department in Seattle—Is an Ex-
of the Department of Commerce and Labor.
perienced and Competent Piano Man with an
About $1,300,000 worth of American pianos were
Excellent Record.
sold abroad in 1911, Canada taking the largest
share. In other countries they maintain a steady
(Special to The Review.)
sale, but meet strong competition from European,
Seattle, Wash., Oct. 5, 1912.
particularly German, instruments.
Wm. F. Grosskopf has assumed the management
In China and the Orient generally the feature
of the retail piano sales department of the local
that blocks the sale of American as well as Euro-
house of Kohler & Chase. Mr. Grosskopf is con-
pean instruments is that the Oriental races have
sidered one of the best posted piano men in the
not yet taken a liking for Western music. This,
country. He has had six years' experience with
however, does not apply to talking machines, which
the Steinway house, four years with Hallet &
are adapted to selections in any language, and
Davis, and was associated for two years with
they are consequently very popular, especially in
Steger & Sons. Aside from this he is a member
of a family of noted German musicians, and is a China. Shopkeepers there were quick to recognize
the value of the phonograph as a crowd gatherer
pianist and vocalist of considerable note.
and now many shops have a phonograph playing in
front all day long.
American organs find one of their best markets
in Australia, and a large number are also sold in
Germany. The United Kingdom was once the
held for a thriving sale in these instruments, but
the coming of the cheap piano and the phonograph
has diminished the demand in most sections until
the trade is inconsiderable. There is still a good
demand among the Roer farmers in South Africa,
and also in Canada, but in both places the piano is
encroaching on the trade.
Large numbers of American phonographs go to
the Latin American countries, where they are im-
mensely popular. This is especially true of Mex-
ico, because of the many isolated mining camps
and ranches.
LARGE NUMBER OF STEINWAY SALES
Reported by the Gram House Since Opening of
Its New Building in Milwaukee—H. H. Hem-
ing, Publicity Manager of the House, En-
tertains the Entire Executive and Sales
Force at Stag Party Given Recently.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 8, 1912.
Edmund Gram, representative of the Steinway
and other well-known lines, and his entire sales,
office and shop force were entertained at a highly
enjoyable "stag" party, given recently by Harry
H. Heming, publicity and advertising manager for
the Gram house. The affair was given at Mr.
Heming's residence at 2432 Vine street. The en-
terprising publicity man presented figures which
showed the remarkably large number of Steinway
sales which had been made since the recent open-
ing of Mr. Gram's new $125,000 store, and he be-
lieved that a new high record could be made dar-
ing the next three months. Mr. Gram reports the
sale of several more Steinway B grands.
R. M. Solbsrg is a new piano dealer in Brook-
lings, S. D., where he handles Haines Bros.', and
other makes of pianos.