Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
12
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MILWAUKEE PIANO MEN VIEW FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE
Trade Has Stood Firm During Entire Period of the War, and Now That Peace Has Arrived Local
Music Dealers Anticipate Greater Prosperity Than Ever—Association Holds Meeting
MILWAUKEE, WIS., November 12.—All Milwaukee
went wild with joy, all cares and troubles were
forgot, and man, woman and child joined in the
greatest and most thrilling patriotic demonstra-
tion in history when news came Monday that
Germany had surrendered and the bloodiest war
of all times had come to a close. For nearly
twenty-four hours a huge throng of merry-
makers surged up and down Grand avenue and
Wisconsin street in celebration of the glorious
victory. Every place of business closed for
the day. Even the big factories here which
are making munitions of war called off for the
day and ordered the workers to enjoy a holiday,
the like of which has never been seen and prob-
ably will never again come to be experienced.
The celebration really started last Thursday
noon, when the now famous premature report
of Germany's surrender was flashed around the
world. Despite the fact that the news was dis-
covered to be erroneous by the middle of the
afternoon, the people simply would not quit cele-
brating. It was only a few days before that
Milwaukee was relieved from a three weeks'
virtual quarantine because of the influenza epi-
demic, and pent-up spirit needed an outlet. Still,
this celebration detracted nothing from yester-
day's grand outburst of enthusiasm, which was
so far beyond anything before known that words
fail to describe it.
From Thursday until Saturday night the ten-
sion over the expectancy of news of the sur-
render was so great that business simply could
not seem to resume its wonted spirit. Never-
theless, the music dealers of the city reported
that Saturday was one of the best days they
have had this year. Once more the importance
of music was demonstrated in a vivid manner.
Throughout all of the excitement and turbu-
lent enthusiasm the trade did not forget that
the time has arrived when the principal thought
of all business men must center on the grave
problems of the future. The end of war, while
not at all unexpected, came so quickly that it
seemed to stun like a mighty blow. Then came
the awakening, with its splendid celebration.
That past the sterner problem arises.
The morale of the Milwaukee music business
during the year and a half of war—the period
now happily closed—has been such as to presage
a steady helm during the epoch which is to be
unfolded. Sails have been kept well trimmed
and the trade as a whole enters the new era well
fortified in every way to meet any change of con-
ditions.
There is no fear or trepidation among Mil-
waukee dealers. There is, however, a calm
realization that the coming months will call
forth the greatest courage they possess. It is
not denied that the times will demand further
sacrifices, but these will be made as willingly
and freely as the many called forth since April,
1917.
The campaign to raise a Milwaukee County
War Chest of nearly $2,000,000 for various or-
ganizations began Monday under peculiarly aus-
picious circumstances. In the heat of en-
thusiasm over victory, no one forgot that the
boys in France will need the same painstaking
care which has been granted them up to now.
The Music Industries Association, as usual, was
ready to do its share of the work of raising the
fund. Its allotment is $7,500, but President H.
M. Steussy believes his committee can raise $8,-
000 or more, despite the fact that a Fourth Lib-
erty Loan campaign has just come to a close.
Mr. Steussy has kept his soliciting organization
intact and hopes to complete the war chest work
within a few days' time by making a vigorous,
concentrated effort.
The October meeting of the Milwaukee Asso-
ciation of Music Industries, which was indefi-
nitely postponed because the influenza ban pre-
vented the holding of public gatherings, was held
Tuesday, November 5, in the Hotel Wisconsin.
It was deemed inadvisable to wait until the
regular meeting date this month, or November
21, because of various important matters, includ-
ing the appeal for the Milwaukee County War
Fund and questions arising out of the adoption,
as of October 1, of a uniform interest clause for
all deferred payment contracts made by the Mil-
waukee trade. There has been slight confusion
in respect to what may be considered a cash
transaction, or a sale upon which interest could
be waived. For the sake of uniformity in the
application of the rule, it was mutually agreed
that it be understood that any sale in which
payment is fully made within ninety days need
not carry an interest charge. Accordingly, all
members of the association and all other music
dealers of the city have been advised by Secre-
tary R. H. Zinke as follows:
NOVEMBER 16, 1918
"No contract for the sale of pianos, player-
pianos, talking machines, or, in fact, any other
musical instruments sold on time payments,
should be written without showing the 6 per
cent, interest clause. The buyer should be told
that if the account is paid up in full within ninety
days of the date of the contract, then the inter-
est may be waived, for a ninety-day transac-
tion may be considered a cash transaction. If
the account is not paid in full within ninety
days 6 per cent, interest must be charged from
the time the contract was entered into. Some
members have been of the opinion that the inter-
est was to begin ninety days from the date of
the contract. This is not correct. Interest at
the rate of 6 per cent, must be charged from the
date of the contract. It may be waived if the
account is paid in full within ninety days of the
date of the contract."
The local trade was deeply shocked on Thurs-
day, November 7, when news came that Oscar
Kreiter, widely known in the manufacturing and
retail piano business of Wisconsin, had suc-
cumbed to pneumonia. Mr. Kreiter was
stricken with influenza ten days ago and suffered
$. relapse. He was the oldest son of Conrad
Kreiter, and was born in Milwaukee thirty-four
years ago. His widow and a daughter, Bernice,
survive him. The funeral was held Monday,
November 11, from the home of his parents, at
2817 Highland boulevard, and was attended by
many members of the trade.
PITTSBURGH PIANO TRADE SHOWS REVIVAL OF ACTIVITY
Restrictions on Hours of Business Have Been Removed, and the Influenza Scare Has Ceased—
Mellor Co. Featuring the Vose Small Grand—Buys Mason & Hamlin to Celebrate Peace
PITTSBURGH, PA., November 11.—The lifting of
the quarantine placed by the State Health Com-
missioner, due to the Spanish influenza epidemic
as well as the partial removal of the restric-
tions on the opening and closing hours of stores
in Pittsburgh, was felt immediately with a
marked revival of trade activity in music cir-
cles. The influenza ban was in force from Oc-
tober 4 to November 9, and kept people away
from the business section and many persons
from nearby towns who made regular trips to
Pittsburgh did not do so during the drastic
health regulation period.
Piano dealers stated that the curtailing of
shopping hours as well as the health ban had
a marked tendency to affect trade. It is now
believed that there is every prospect for an ex-
cellent Christmas trade in pianos and other mu-
sical instruments. All of the leading dealers
are utilizing newspaper space very liberally in
directing the attention of the public to the real
comfort that is derived from music in the home.
The C. C. Mellor Co. have been making a
special publicity announcement covering the
Vose small grand piano priced at $750. This
is a marvelously fine instrument and has at-
tracted considerable attention in the spacious
showrooms of the Mellor Co. General Man-
ager Dierks, who was confined to his room for
some time with a severe cold, is about again.
He stated to The Review representative that
there was every indication of very satisfactory
holiday trade ahead. High-priced instruments,
he said, appeared to be in much more demand
this year than heretofore. He also stated that
there was a larger percentage of cash sales of
pianos this season, due to the enormous earnings
that are made in the Pittsburgh district by the
hundreds of artisans, etc.
The premature announcement of the signing
of. the armistice between the Allies and the Ger-
man Government was the cause of a substantial
sale of a piano by a salesman in the piano de-
partment of the S. Hamilton Co. In negotiat-
ing for the sale of a $1,500 Mason & Hamlin
piano the deal was made contingent on the end-
ing of the war before the holidays. When the
salesman learned of the announcement that the
armistice had been signed as reported on Thurs-
day, November 7, he at once hunted up his pros-
pect and within a few minutes the deal was
closed for the piano. When the real news
came that the armistice had not been signed
the salesman called up his customer, but the
latter felt so sure of peace being declared short-
ly—which it was to-day—that he did not wish
to withhold the order.
Emphasizing music "as an economical pleas-
uie" the C. C. Mellor Co. and the S. Hamilton
Co. jointly co-operated in another elaborate
publicity plan in which an entire page of a Pitts-
burgh newspaper was used to point out that
"music has an appeal for the thrifty for it can
be enjoyed at home." In touching on this side
of the question it is demonstrated that "the
money which is spent on an evening's entertain-
ment at the theatre or the 'movies' is gone with
nothing to show for it except an increased desire
to go again. The amount spent in this way
would pay the monthly instalment on a phono-
graph or even a piano or player-piano, and there
would always be something to show for it. It
would be an investment."
The Henry F. Miller Petite grand piano was
displayed to excellent advantage in the show-
rooms of the Boggs & Buhl piano department.
Boggs & Buhl are the exclusive representatives
of the Henry F. Miller as well as the Poole,
Lyon & Healy, Janssen, Ludwig and Crippen
pianos.
The Frederick Investment Co. has declared a
dividend at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum to
stockholders of its preferred shares of record
December 1. This is the third semi-annual
dividend declared by the company since 1917,
the dividends having been paid out of earnings.
A NATURAL, PART OF EVERY PIANO DEALERS TOADE
THEATOE
PIANOS
.ORGANS
Hi THE J\.&TOTtATlC
5EEBUHG
PIANO COMPANY , . .CHICAGO ILLINOIS —