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MAY
THE MUSIC TRADE
17, 1919
11
REVIEW
MINNESOTA MUSIC DEALERS' ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED
William J. Dyer Heads New Association Formed as a Result of Visit of George W. Pound—R. O.
Foster Presides as Toastmaster at Splendid Banquet Attended by Nearly Three Hundred
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., May 10.—George W.
Found left an imperishable monument in Minne-
apolis on May 3, when at the close of his ora-
tion to the music men of the Northwest they
formed the Minnesota Music Dealers' Associa-
tion. It starts out with nearly 300 members and
expects to be a live and a lively organization
right from the start.
William J. Dyer, dean of them all, was chosen
president by spontaneous acclamation. Robert
Owen Foster was elected vice-president; Sam-
uel W. Raudenbush, secretary, and Edward E.
Dyer, treasurer. Later a permanent organiza-
tion will be effected with working committees
and such other necessary adjuncts. Some of
the exclusive talking machine houses rather feel
that their special branch of the trade should
have been recognized in the distribution of of-
fices, but doubtless the final plans will be so
designed that there will be honors enough and
work enough for everybody. To be sure, the
first election was taken upon the spur of the
moment.
Unless the Twin Cities record is broken in
Mr. Pound's later meetings the Minneapolis visit
stands as the high water mark of his mem-
orable journey. There were 278 reservations for
the dinner given in his honor at the Radisson
Hotel, and it seemed that there were many more
present because of the enthusiastic reception
accorded the visitor.
At the head table were Robert O. Foster, the
toastmaster; George W. Pound, W. J. Dyer,
Samuel W. Raudenbush, W. S. Collins, George
A. Mairs, H. D. Cammack, W. L. Hurley,
Charles P. Wagner and Edward R. Dyer. Every-
body in the trade residing in the Twin Cities
was at the table, as well as some of the leading
dealers from the interior towns, such as Gomer
H. Jones, Mankato; Paul Kuskie, Springfield;
C. W. Ram, Fairmount; P. E. Gregg, Me-
nomonie, and many others. Henry G. Johnson,
superintendent of the Holland Piano Mfg. Co.'s
plant at Menomonie, was an interested par-
ticipant in all the doings.
The guest of the evening was presented by
Mr. Foster in poetical words eloquently deliv-
ered, as "The eloquent apostle of the muses,
who is spreading the gospel of music, good fel-
lowship, brotherly love and harmony." An
extended tribute was paid to Mr. Pound for his
energetic and capable efforts to protect and de-
velop the music trades as a whole during the war
period.
The speaker recounted at length the very se-
rious difficulties with which the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce had to contend and the
tribulations imposed by the whims and fancies
of the "cold-nosed gentlemen" that functioned
in various capacities to curtail and conserve
without regard to public necessity and common
sense. But happily, "No industry came out of
the war with fewer scars than did the music in-
dustry—it was the only one preserved in its
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THE WERNER INDUSTRIES CO.
9th and Harriet St..,
CINCINNATI, O.
entirety. For the first time either in peace or
war music was declared an essential."
It was prophesied that the music industry is
still in its infancy in the United States, al-
though it already manufactures more than any
other country both actually and relatively. The
player-piano will be the prevailing instrument
in his opinion. One of the greatest by-products
of the coming era of music will be the destruc-
tion of Bolshevism, he declared, for no man can
have music in his home and in his soul and be-
lieve in anarchy and ruin.
A pretty feature of the evening was the song
offering of Mrs. Anna Lake, well-known local
singer. She sang to compositions by Willard
Patten, a welcome song to the 151st Field Artil-
lery, written by George W. Bertrand, and "Pic-
ture Fair," a poem by Robert Owen Foster. All
were tunefully and effectively interpreted by the
singer.
The Particular
The "Fussy"
Dealer
is the one we like
for a customer be-
cause he appreci-
ates the superior
workmanship, ex-
ceptional tone and
honest values of
RICHMOND TRADE SHOWS ACTIVITY
Colonial Piano Corp. Changes Hands—Crafts
Co. Renew Lease on Present Headquarters—
Corley Co. Now Agents for Standard Rolls
RICHMOND, VA., May 12.—A number of changes
that have taken place in the local trade recently
may all be accepted as an indication that the
retail music business in this city is developing
and developing fast, and that the dealers are
prepared to take advantage of the opportunities.
The Jesse French Piano Co., of New Castle,
Tnd., who owned the Colonial Piano Corp. of
this city, have sold out to James Cowan, who is
the pioneer Columbia Grafonola dealer here.
Mr. Cowan maintains a Grafonola store on
Main street, and also conducts a Grafonola store
at 205 East Broad street. He is handling the
Jesse French line of pianos, and though he con-
templates adding to his line of pianos he is not
now ready to make any announcements.
Manly B. Ramos is conducting a busy little
store on Seventh street and seems to be pros-
pering. His friends, we are sure, will be glad
to know that he is again "in the ring." He is
disposing of a lot of small goods.
The A. J. Crafts Piano Co. have just signed
a lease for a term of years on their present store,
218-20 North Second street, as well as the ad-
joining store, and the premises will be entirely
remodeled. A new' battery of talking machine
booths will be installed, and other improvements
made which will add materially to the company's
facilities. The general offices will be moved to
the second and third floor, and the. cashier's
office moved to the mezzanine floor, thus leaving
the store proper free for display purposes.
The Crafts Piano Co. have signed a lease for
a store on Fayetteville street, Raleigh, N. C,
where they will handle the same line as that
carried in Richmond, including Starr phono-
graphs and Gennett records. Theodore H.
Bower will be manager of the new store, which
will open in about thirty days, at which time the
Crafts Co will discontinue their branch in Wil-
son, N. C.
The general offices of the Crafts-Starr Pho-
nograph Co. have been moved to the fourth floor
of the Commercial Building on Second street.
Business with the Corley Co. in all their de-
partments is expanding rapidly. There is an
active call for pianos, particularly player-pianos,
which serves to keep the warerooms shy of
stock almost constantly. The company's Vic-
tor wholesale business is also keeping up re-
markably well, and the arrival of stocks of ma-
chines and records from the factory in increas-
ing quantities is proving most gratifying. The
Corley Co. have recently become wholesale dis-
tributors for the music roll products of the
Standard Music Roll Co., Orange, N. J., which
include the Arto, SingA, Perfection and other
makes of rolls.
Christman
Upright, Player
and
Grand Pianos
You will find them
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grade and most ar-
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They outsell all
others, because
quality and tone
considered they out-
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Our catalogue and
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"The first touch tells"
Christman Piano Co.
597 E. 137th Street, New York
L