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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
STEPHENS BIU^BROUGHT UP
UNHEALTHY FOR_FAKE ADVERTISERS
SEEKS TO EFFECT REORGANIZATION
Congress Grants Hearing on Price Maintenance
Measure—Some Arguments in Its Favor
Vigilance Bureau of Minneapolis Advertising
Forum Takes Action Against Advertiser Who
Used Wrong Name and Valuation in Copy
Director of the J. W. Steere & Son Organ Co.
Moves for Mortgagee's Sale in Order to Put
Affairs of Concern on Better Basis
Edmond A. Whittier, secretary-treasurer of
the American Fair Trade League, announced
early this week receipt of a telegram from a
member of the House Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce reading: "Committee
at its meeting to-day granted hearings on
Stephens Bill (H. R. 13,568) for next Thursday
and Friday."
This action is understood to be in fulfillment
of the agreement made at the close of the last
session of Congress by which the Stephens
Honest Advertising Bill was scheduled as the
first measure to be given consideration by the
committee at the beginning of this session.
Friends of the measure are arguing that the
use of standard products as advertising bait to
sell anonymous bulk goods at highly specula-
tive prices contributes, in no slight degree, to
the present oppressive cost of living.
It is stated that in spite of rising costs of
materials, not only in food products, but in
practically every line of household necessity,
goods bearing the maker's name have not ad-
vanced in price. Supporters of the Stephens
Bill insist that the stability of price which
branded goods are showing in the present great-
ly inflated market for unidentified bulk goods
makes an unanswerable argument for the bill's
speedy enactment as a matter of vital interest
to the consuming public. ,
A MAGNIFICENT MUSIC ROOM
Recital Hall in Residence of Prominent Louis-
ville Society Woman Is Equipped With Four
Baldwin Grand Pianos, Style K
LOUISVILLE, KY., December 11.—The residence
of Mrs. James B. Speed contains a music room
which has attracted considerable attention
throughout the country because of its perfect
appointments and absolute perfection from
every possible standpoint as a recital room.
Before her marriage Mrs. Speed was a musician
of high standing, and the music room is the
outgrowth of her interest in some of her former
pupils, who, after her marriage, organized the
Bach Club, which met regularly at Mrs. Speed's
residence. The room is fifty feet long and thirty
feet wide, and contains a stage fifteen feet in
depth, the interior finish being constructed so
that there are no right angle corners, the result
being that the acoustic properties of the room
are perfect. Four parlor grand Baldwin pianos
are placed upon the stage, each of the instru-
ments being the Style K, and practically identi-
cal as to cases, which are of mahogany. The
pianos were purchased from the Louisville
branch of the Baldwin Co., of which W. C.
Willis is manager, and many pianists of national
repute have performed upon them.
TO DECLARE SECOND DIVIDEND
Referee
in Engelhardt-Seybold Co. Notifies
Creditors of Proposed Payment
ELGIN, I I I . , December 11.—Thomas S. Hunt-
ley, referee in bankruptcy in the case of the
Engelhardt-Seybold Co., has issued a notice to
the creditors of the concern that the Central
Trust Co., of Illinois, trustee of the bankrupt
estate, has filed its petition for a second divi-
dend, a petition asking for authority to sell cer-
tain assets of the estate to R. A. Crandall, a
petition to sell the trade name "Peerless," and
also a petition to compromise a certain claim
of the Otis T. Wickerd Co. A hearing on these
petitions will be had, and a second dividend
will be declared at the referee's office in this
city on December 19.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., December 9.—The Vig-
ilance Bureau of the Minneapolis Advertising
Forum is still showing great activity in running
down fraudulent advertising in talking ma-
chines, the latest case concerned an advertise-
ment which read, "A Victrola. A nice $50 size
for $18.50 cash." Three complaints were filed
concerning this advertisement, each of which
questioned whether the phonograph mentioned
in this advertisement was a genuine Victrola.
Investigation showed that the machine in
question was made by a concern other than the
Victor Talking Machine Co., and bore the label
of the real manufacturer on the lid. The ad-
vertiser was interviewed and informed of the
violation of the state advertising law, and dis-
claimed responsibility for the copy. He, how-
ever, immediately cancelled the advertising
order with the newspapers and stated that he
would use new copy with the name Victrola
and the reference to the $50 size eliminated..
SPRINGFIELD,
MASS.,
December
11.—Compli-
cated business affairs of the J. W. Steere & Son
Organ Co. have resulted in a move for a mort-
gagee's sale on December 27, the advertisement
of which was recently published. The sale was
instituted by Harry G. Fiske, who, as a di-
rector of the concern, has been contributing
new capital to it for the past three years. Ac-
cording to Chas. H. Beckwith, who is attorney
for Mr. Fiske, the organ company is still sol-
vent, and the sale is hoped to make possible
a reorganization of the concern which will per-
mit it to continue in business. Present plans
include the reorganization of the concern, new
capital, and new management. The concern has
plenty of contracts on hand, and its business is
apparently flourishing, but it is stated that there
is some dissatisfaction with the manner in
which the affairs of the company are adminis-
tered at present.
PRAISE FOR THE REVIEW
W. A. WATKIN AS AN ORGANIST
Wm. W. Lott Says it Contains More Interest-
ing Articles Than Does Any Other Journal
Prominent Piano Man of Dallas, Texas, Is an
Authority on Pipe Organs
Wm. W. Lott, an expert piano tuner, located
DALLAS, TEX., December 11.—Will A. Watkin, at 701 North Seventeenth street, Harrisburg,
president of the Will A. Watkin Co., piano Pa., writes as follows: "I am enclosing money
dealers of this citv. in addition to his activities order for $2 for a subscription to The Review for
1917.
When 1 was superintendent of the re-
pair shop and rebuilding plant of the Steinway
agency in Harrisburg, I read The Review reg-
ularly, through the courtesy of my employer.
Now I am working independently, and do not
wish to be without it. I find more things in
it to interest me than any trade journal I
have come across. The special articles on the
player in the last issue which I received were
excellent, and 1 hope you will continue them in-
definitely. Very truly yours, (Signed) Wm. W.
Lott."
NEW CHRISTMAS ORDER CARD
Will A. Watkin at the Pipe Organ
as a piano man, has been active for the past
twenty-seven years as an organist of the First
Baptist Church. He has had a lifelong experi-
ence with pipe organs, and his advice is much
sought after whenever a church in this section
of the country contemplates the purchase of a
new organ. The accompanying picture shows
Mr. Watkin seated at the console of the organ
in the local Baptist Church.
BIG BUSINESS FOR DROOP CO.
A new combination order postal card has
been devised by the Christman Piano Co., and
lias been sent out to Christman dealers through-
out the country. The card, compiled by J. A.
Krumme, Jr., contains the caption, "Double
Your Dollars," and contains a number of in-
teresting hints for piano dealers generally. The
card also contains a reproduction of the Christ-
man player.
PIANO DISPLAY AT WANAMAKER'S
The Wanamaker store has devoted its most
prominent Broadway window to a piano dis-
play. The Schomacker, Emerson, J. C. Camp-
bell, Lindeman and other pianos arc artistically
arranged in a strikingly harmonious background
in the usual Wanamaker style.
NEW WAREROOJVTFOR C. A. WOODS
C. A. Woods, of the C. A. Woods Piano Co.,
44 West Thirty-seventh street, opened a new
piano wareroom last week at 1323 St. Nicholas
avenue, near 176th street. A full line of Schu-
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 11.—The E. F. bert pianos will be carried, in addition to the
Droop & Sons Co. has had an exceptionally Q R S and Standard music rolls. B. F. Agar
busy fall season, and reports the past year to will be in charge of the branch store.
Steinway Agents in Washington, D. C, Recently
Celebrate Anniversary
have been the most prosperous in all its history.
This concern has the Steinway agency ex-
clusively in this city, and features this line in
a most attractive manner at its new building,
Thirteenth and G streets. The concern re-
cently finished celebrating the fifty-ninth anni-
versary of its founding, the anniversary being
most successful in every respect.
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
MEHLIN GRAJSDJN CONCERT
The Mehlin grand was the instrument fea-
tured at the concert of the New York School
of Music and Arts, held at the school in New
York on Thursday evening of last week. Helen
Wolverton presided at the piano for the ac-
companiments.
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos