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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EXCELLENT INDICATIONS THAT TRADE REVIVAL IS ON.
Business Men Getting Over Feeling of Suspense Growing Out of Tariff Situation—Stocks Being
Replenished Throughout Country—Financial Authorities Optimistic Over Outlook.
The course of general business this week, says
Dun's Review, shows that merchants and manu-
facturers are feeling a relief from suspense over
true tariff, and, while expression is not by any means
to the fore as yet, signs of trade revival are be-
coming more and more apparent. The low posi-
tion of merchandise stock throughout the country
is one of the most encouraging features. Reports
from correspondents go to show that the growing
demands necessitate increased purchases to re-
plenish depleted supplies. With the approach
of the fall season advices from the leading centers
record a quickened wholesale and retail movement,
the volume of sales in most instances being in ex-
cess of last year's. Especially favorable conditions
prevail in the dry goods markets, which report an
excellent distribution at rapidly advancing prices
in practically all departments. The textile situa-
tion reflects decided betterment. Developments in
iron and steel testify to a well maintained con-
sumption and, though railroad buying is still light,
the demand from that source is not wnolly negli-
gible. Statistics of trade movements are of a
mixed character, bank clearings this week being
1.9 per cent, smaller than a year ago, but 4.!) per
cent, in, excess of 1911, while railroad gross earn-
ings in August showed gains of 1.0 and 8.0 per
cent., respectively, over the two preceding years.
Bradstreet's says: "The events of the week spell
progress along generally favorable lines. Chief
among these features were the expansion in fall
jobbing trade shown at most centers, the breaking
of the drought in the corn belt, too late to enlarge
the yield, but checking further deterioration; the
ending, generally speaking, of the tariff uncer-
tainty 'by the passage of the bill in the Senate, and
the realization, through the Government report,
of a record yield of wheat."
RARE ORGANJFOR AMERICA.
GROWTH OF FOREIGN TRADE.
Instrument Built by Nicolaus Mandeschett, Or-
gan Builder to Nuremberg Corporation in
1625, Purchased by a New York Collector.
Increase of $64,300,000 in First Seven Months
of
This
Year—British
Are
Our
Best
Customers—Some Interesting Figures Given.
What is described as one of the world's rarest
organs is an instrument nearly 300 years old,
which has been purchased by Karl J. Freund, a
dealer in antiques in New York, during his present
visit to Paris, for a wealthy collector, supposed to
be Henry C. Frick. The organ was built by the
renowned master artisan, Nicolaus Mandeschett,
organ builder to the Nuremberg Corporation. The
instrument, which was built in 1625, is of what is
now termed large cabinet size. The keyboard is
about three feet long. The case is carved in the
•bold style of the period and decorated with the
enamel armorial bearings of a master of the Order
of the Knights of Malta.
Inside is the maker's portrait and a statement as
to his age and honors. Saint-Saens played on the
instrument years ago and pronounced it to be al-
most miraculous in smoothness, delicacy and ten-
derness of tone.
Mr. Freund found the organ in an ancient cha-
teau in the Ardennes region of France, where, he
says, it had been for more than 200 yea'rs. It is
isupposed to 'have been seized in '.the Rhenish
Palatinate by an officer of the French King in the
course of the looting of the palace at the time of
the Thirty Years' War, says a correspondent of
the New York Times who was present at a private,
performance on the organ this week, when it was
played by the organist of the Church of St. Pierre
de Montmartre, and who speaks highly of its re-
markable qualities.
The shipment to New York will be made before
the end of the month. The organ may be heard
at private concerts during the coming winter.
HAS QUARTERS REARRANGED.
Smith & Hurst Northern Music House Meets
with Success in Traverse City, Mich.
Ernest K. Smith and J. N. Hurst who, some
time ago, organized the Smith & Hurst Northern
Music House in Traverse City, Mich., where they
handle the Baldwin nd Steger lines of pianos,
have met with flattering success in their business
and took the opportunity during the summer to
have the interior of their store at 239 East Front
street, Traverse City, entirely redecorated and
special rooms built in for the display and demon-
stration of the different instruments in their line.
Both members of the firm have been connected
with the piano trade for over twenty-five years.
(Special to The Review.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 15.—According
to the detailed figures concerning the imports and
exports of the United States for the month of
July and the seven months ended with July, 1913,
given out to-day by the Department of Commerce,
foreign trade continues to grow most satisfactorily.
The aggregate trade in the seven months was
$2,346,144,612, and showed an increase of more
than $64,300,000 over the corresponding period of
1912. This total volume of foreign trade was di-
vided into imports of $1,018,871,475, and exports
of $1,327,273,137, showing a trade balance in our
favor of $308,401,662.
The United Kingdom is still far in the lead as
America's best customer, the sales to that nation
in the seven months having exceeded $292,000,000,
and purchases therefrom amounting to almost
$155,500,000. Canada comes second, with pur-
chases from us amounting to more than $247,-
500,000, and sales to us exceeding $67,600,000, an
aggregate trade of over $315,000,000. Germany is
third, with a .total trade of more than $268,500,-
000, of which over $102,400,000 were sales to us
and over $166,100,000 were purchases from us.
France is fourth, with a total trade of $133,333,-
214, divided into $71,350,704 sales to us and $61,-
973,510 "purchases from us. France, however, is
closely pressed by Cuba, which comes next, with
a total trade of $126,585,410, made up of $85,787,-
678 sales to us and $40,797,732 purchases from us.
CREDIT MEN AFTER LAZY REFEREES.
The National Association of Credit Men is en-
deavoring to find out exactly where the responsi-
bility lies for the seeming inadequacies of the
bankruptcy law. In connection with this effort an
interesting case came up recently in West Vir-
ginia. The attention of the national office was
called to the persistently dilatory methods of one
of the referees of the district, as well as to the
tardiness of the trustees in bankruptcy operating
under his authority. The matter was fully inves-
tigated and the facts made known to the Fed-
eral judge of the district. This resulted in the
appointment of another referee, a man recom-
mended to the judge by a well-known business
man of the district. It is the contention of the as-
sociation that, in view of the power of the referee
in the administration of the bankruptcy law, those
careless or slow in their work must be made fully
to realize their obligations.
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
DEATH OF BERNARDO F. FISCHER.
Son of One of the Founders of J. & C. Fischer,
and Long an Active Member of the Firm,
Succumbs to Pneumonia at Home in New
York—Was a Practical Piano Maker of
Ability—Funeral Held on Tuesday.
In the death of Bernardo F. Fischer, at his home
in New York last Sunday, another member of
the old guard of New York piano manufacturers
has passed away. Mr. Fischer, who was sixty-
two years old, was one of four sons of Charles S.
Fischer, a founder of the house of J. & C. Fischer,
and was taken into partnership with his father in
1873. He at once took over much of the inside
work, purchased the materials, superintended the
building of the pianos, and was largely responsible
for the great increase in output during the year*
that followed. Mr. Fischer retired from the piano
business in 1907, when the house of J. & C. Fischer
was incorporated by new interests.
Mr. Fischer only recently returned from Europe,
and shortly afterward contracted pneumonia, which
caused his death. He is survived by his wife and
a married daughter, Mrs. Thomas Nosworthy, and
by two brothers, Adolpho H. Fischer, formerly
president of the National Piano Manufacturers'
Association, and T. Tasso Fischer. The funeral,
which was held from his late residence, 250 West
Eighty-second street, on Tuesday of this week,
was attended by several members of the trade.
OPPOSE HEAVIER_DRAWBACK CHARGE
American Manufacturer Goes on Record Against
Amendment to Tariff Bill as to Retaining 3
Per Cent, of Duties.
Considerable opposition is being raised by Ameri-
can manufacturers who (export piroduclts made
from imported raw materials to the amendment to
the tariff bill providing that the Government shall
retain 3 per cent, of the duties collected when the
goods are re-exported instead of 1 per cent., as at
the present time. Communications from these
manufacturers are already beginning to pour in
at Washington on the Conference Committee of
the House and Senate. The principal contention
of the exporters is that the profit made on ex-
ported merchandise, in which imported raw matt-
rials enter, is already so small that the proposed
increase in the Government's retention of duties
would necessarily result in the abandonment of
much of this business. In the opinion of one
prominent New York manufacturer the tripling of
the amount now retained by the Government will
result in a tax that is particularly hard at this time.
Encouragement for exporters, not taxation, is
needed, he says. In other quarters the point is
made that the increase will be, in effect, an indirect
tax on a certain class of exports, a tax which has
been held to be unconstitutional.
DECKER & SON PIANOS DISPLAYED
In Booth of Rankin Bros, at the Rochester,
N. Y., Exposition Held This Week.
(Special to The Review.)
ROCHESTER, N. Y., September 17.—One of the
interesting exhibits at the Rochester Exposition
being held in this city this week is that of several
pleasing styles of Decker & Son's pianos and
player-pianos displayed by Rankin Bros., the rep-
resentatives of Decker & Son in Rochester. Fre-
quent demonstrations of the Decker & Son's
player-piano in the Rankin Bros.' booth served to
attract a large crowd, Loth in the afternoon and
evening.
J. S. Smiley and E. O. Jackson have formed the
Jackson & Smiley Music Co. and opened a store
in Paducah, Ky.
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos