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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
11
DETROIT PIANO TRADE SLOW^DUE TO LOCAL CONVENTION
gle page in the "income and statement book,"
the dealer discovers that to conduct a gross
Fraternal Organization Attracts Great Crowds But Causes Little Piano Purchasing—The Ad- business of $10,000 it cost him $2,500, which
vertising Question and the High Cost of Paper—Ford Employes Good Piano Prospects
means 25 per cent. Now he knows absolutely
that to make it a paying proposition at all
26.—The
lie,
do
you
realize
that
some
large
piano
houses
DETROIT, MICH., June
conventions
in town for the past week have been a good pay these grafters from $75 to $150 on each there has got to be a difference between whole-
thing for some of the retail merchants but not sale." When a piano dealer has to resort to sale and retail price of over 25 per cent.
for those engaged in the piano and musical such remarks in an advertisement, calling music Otherwise, he knows the manufacturer is of-
instrument business. Last week we enter- teachers "grafters," it is most certainly time for fering him a line that means an ultimate loss.
If, on the other hand, the cost should be
tained 10,000 members of the Grotto and they the Detroit Music Trades' Association to do
only
15 per cent., the dealer knows that in
took the town by storm, holding parades and something. Such insinuations are certainly un-
frolics at all hours of the day and night. The called for in piano advertising and if the atten- such a department he is open to handling lines
downtown streets were never so crowded— tion was called to the attorney-general at that have over 15 per cent, difference between
even during the Elks' convention and Cadilla- Lansing no doubt the advertisement in question wholesale and retail prices.
As a rule it has evolved, thanks to the
qua week—but everybody was there for sight- would demand attention under the "honest ad-
column which gives the per cent, of loss be-
seeing only and not for shopping. If anything, vertising law."
The Charles E. Roat Music Co., 60 West Main tween expected and secured retail price, that
these conventions have a tendency to hold
back deals for pianos because the streets are street, Battle Creek, is conducting a sale of the dealer needs a 5 per cent, margin over the
so crowded and excitement at such a high Rrambach Baby grand pianos. Its allotment for per cent, of cost of doing business, to make it
pitch that it is hard to concentrate on busi- this sale is twenty-five instruments. The Roat a good proposition from the net profit stand-
point.
ness. However, in the long run, these con- store is one of the finest in that section.
Piano dealers are anxiously awaiting the out- This system of Mr. Beasly's has attracted
ventions are sure to help the retail business
because they leave a great deal of money in come of the Mexican crisis. It cannot be argued considerable comment and approval from
town and this is bound to be generally help- that war with Mexico could in any way improve prominent travelers and prominent dealers,
ful as it gets circulating. It is estimated that conditions in the piano trade. With thousands and it has even been suggested that it would
the Grotto members left something like a half of men along the border, indications are that be of great benefit to the trade to have such
million dollars with local hotels and mer- sales would be certain to fall off, if anything. a system of accounting—a system which is
Frederick W. Bergman, manager ©f the Hotel a reliable guide into the future, brought to the
chants. Another convention bringing about
10,000 delegates and ladies is the Knights of Statler, in Detroit, who has resigned to become knowledge of dealers in small towns and large
St. John, which starts June 26. There are manager of the new Southern Hotel in* Balti- ones for that matter, all over the country.
still about thirty-five national conventions more, now in course of construction, recently Isn't it a subject worthy of the consideration
of the National Association of Piano Mer-
booked for Detroit before the end of the sum- purchased an Apollo player grand through E.
chants?
Hugh Smith, of the J. L. Hudson piano store.
mer.
The Theo. C. Smoke Piano Co., 301 Francis
At a meeting of the national association of
circulation managers held last week in Grand street, Jackson, handling the Kimball line of
Rapids, it was unanimously agreed by the dele- pianos and players, announces its retirement.
W. H. Huttie, manager of the local store of
gates, most, of whom represented daily news-
papers, that it was high time for increasing the Starr Piano Co., announces the sales of a
the price of newspapers to meet the increased Starr parlor grand to Prof. La Verne Brown, of
cost of production and paper. Quite a num- the Detroit Conservatory of Music, and a Starr
ber of the managers stated that they had player and a Starr upright to the new St.
practically completed plans for advancing their Mathais Episcopal Church, Vinewood and
prices. This brings to mind The Music Trade Grand River avenues. Both will be finished in
Review, which is still maintaining its same antique oak to match the woodwork of the
price, although proportionately it is costing church. Manager Huttie reports that in the
AWARDED The position won by the
more to produce each issue than any of the past ninety days he has had more inquiries for
American Steel & Wire Co.
daily newspapers because the big advance in grands than ever before.
demonstrates clearly how
paper has been on the high-grade stocks, such
Henry Ford has started work on his $8,000,000
right, in the end, must tri-
as is used by The Review. It is a well-known blast furnace and parts plant in West Detroit.
umph over prejudice.
fact that every copy of The Music Trade Re- The Ford Motor Co. at the present time is em-
The high tension cry of
view costs considerably over four cents and ploying 33,000 men. When the other Ford in-
years ago has entirely sub-
more than $2 per year—the subscription price. stitutions are completed, the number of men
sided, and America's great
A New York woodenware manufacturer, in- will be increased to nearly 60,000—all good
wire manufacturing com-
cluding a line of piano boxes, has deposited piano prospects.
pany, by continuing its
$5,000 as evidence of his good faith in coming
campaign of education, has
to Saginaw, Mich., where he will establish a COST=KEEPING IN THE PIANO TRADE
finally won the piano trade
branch, having signed for a factory at South System Devised by Arkansas Dealer Shows
to see the correctness of its
Jefferson and Rust avenues. For the present
Exact Cost of Doing Business, as Well as
position.
the name of this concern is being kept quiet,
Net Profit and Loss on Each Sale
Gradually America's
although it is on file with the Board of Trade
leading piano manufacturing con-
at Saginaw. The company expects to employ
It is no obscure fact that complexity of ac-
cerns have accepted the American
at the outset 100 men.
count keeping, as far as it bears on the cost of
standard and artists and amateurs
Think of a piano concern that will advertise as doing business, has driven many a music trade
are now thinking less of the high ten-
follows: "We will not pay any commission to dealer of good intent not only into the realm
sion idea and more of beauty of tone
music teachers, agents or grafters. Dear pub- of question marks, but even from the land of
than ever before.
doubt to financial ruin. Anything, therefore,
which tends toward a simplification or rational-
The special brands of the American
ization of dealer accounting is worthy of being
Steel & Wire Co.—the "PERFECT-
lifted out from "under the bushel."
ED" and "CROWN"—were the out-
Down in Texarkana, Ark., there is a progres-
come of an ever alert anticipation—
sive dealer by the name of Wm. Howard V.
anticipation backed by the ability to
Beasly, who has devised a system which makes
know—the ability to fight undeviat-
his accounting books not only a source for
ingly for the maintenance of correct
knowing his present status, but which serves
principles. For years it clung relig-
"Music as Actually Played"
to enable him to see into the future.
iously to an ideal, in the face of the
The salient feature of this system is the "in-
most discouraging opposition, and
p
record rolls repre-
come and statement book," which, although
now the whole world recognizes its
-*- sent a true, scientific re-
simple in its numerical contents, gives an ac-
triumph, which has resulted in giving
production of piano playing
curate dial on: (1), the per cent, of loss be-
a purer musical tone than ever before,
as performed by e m i n e n t
tween what is expected and what is actually
and in showing that art is oftentimes
artists. Made with a respect to
made in the sales of any one department such
concealed by art.
as the piano, player-piano or talking machine
the ideals of past and present
department; (2), the stock on hand in any
composers. Artempo rolls sell
given department without taking any actual
on a merit basis only.
inventory; (3). the real net profits and, (4),
Your proof is in our sample
the per cent, which it costs to do business in
box at $2.00. Ask for it today.
Chicago, New York, Worcester, Cleveland, Pitts-
burgh, Denver. Export representative: U. 5. Steel
any given department.
Products Co., New York. Pacific Coast representa-
BENNETT & WHITE, Inc.
This last element is a most important one
tive: U, S. Steel Products Co., San Francisco, Lo«
Angeles, Portland, Seattle.
67-71 Gobel St., NEWARK, N. J.
because it eliminates guess work and taking
chances. For instance, by referring to a sin-
The Triumph
of the
American Tone
Artempo
Record Rolls
American Steel & Wire Company