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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
10
NOVEMBER 15, 1919
WEATHER HURTS ST. LOUIS TRADE
Music Week a Success in Spite of Continued Bad
Weather—P. E. Conroy Plans Permanent Civic
Music Association—Music Teachers Raise
$2,000 to Promote Cause of Music
E are building Bjur Bros.
Pianos and Player-Pianos
to Endure.
W
Our Dealers find this so
Ask them
Makers of
Bjur Bros. Co.
Bjur Bros, and
Gordon & Sons Pianos
and Player-Pianos
Southern Boulevard
near 156th Street
NEW YORK
J
HOLDS THIRD ANNUAL MUSIC SHOW
Arthur C. Germer Holds Annual Affair Which
Attracts Music Lovers From All Parts of State
—Notable Musical Program Given Each Day—
Only Music Dealer to Hold Music Show
BEARDSTOWN, IU<., November 10.—The latest and
most successful of this city's musical features
was the third Annual Music Show given by Ar-
thur C. Germer which came to an end the last
week in October and attracted many people of
this city and of Cass county as well.
This annual feature of one of the most pro-
gressive local business institutions is one of much
merit and delightful diversion for the music lov-
ers the country over, who are so fortunate as to
be able to attend. Mr. Germer, according to the
notices contained in trade papers of the largest
business centers of the country, has the distinc-
tion of being the first dealer to place this music
show feature before his people. There has been
for some time a system of national and State mu-
sic shows, but the Beardstown music man was
the pioneer in conceiving and successfully carry-
ing out the idea of furnishing his people with the
opportunity to enjoy occasions of this kind in
a local way.
The opening was held on Tuesday, beginning
at three thirty o'clock in the afternoon, and had
been announced as Women's Day. Large num-
bers of hot house roses were given as souvenirs
and many women attended.
Wednesday was Business Men's Day, and the
event, while out of the ordinary, was greatly en-
livened by the large number of the "staid" pillars
of the business section who evinced extraordinary
interest. Music Teachers' and Students' Day
was Thursday, and attendance was heavy. The
program for this occasion was the demonstration
of double teaching, the instructors playing one
instrument while pupils played another. This
day was also specially featured with violin music
by Miss Forester, of Jacksonville.
Children's Day was on Friday, and upon this
occasion hundreds of the children of the city
thronged the music hall, had a good time sing-
ing popular songs as played from the rolls by
a player-piano, received souvenirs from the mu-
sic man and went home much elated by the en-
tertainment which had been accorded them.
The demonstration ended, as before stated, on
Saturday night by what was designated on the
program as Farmers' Day. This, outside the
opening, was the big feature of the show, and
drew the largest crowd of the series of enter-
tainments. State street was virtually packed
from walk to walk and people from all over Cass
county were in the city to participate in the
festival. The Beardstown band gave a meritor-
ious concert in the evening and the anticipated
pleasure of the visitors was fully up to the ex-
pectation of all who came. Music throughout
the five days of the festival of music was fur-
nished by McDowell's union orchestra.
Mr. Germer had his business establishment
profusely and tastefully decorated with flowers
and colored lights and the effect was artistic and
in every respect entrancing.
The display of instruments was novel and in-
teresting as well as being extremely instructive.
He has on display a show piano made for exhibi-
tion purposes at the World's Fair in St. Louis,
and this instrument was shown in comparison
with later day styles. The instrument, handsome-
ly hand carved and of heavy design, is the exact
opposite in design of the plain smoothness which
marks the styles of today. He had on display
various sections of instruments, showing the in-
side construction and the methods of tone pro-
duction of all classes of instruments.
Mr. Germer is highly appreciative of the hand-
some reception which was given hs efforts by the
local public and feels much encouraged to con-
tinue his work in the advancement of music.
Next year he expects to conduct a similar dis-
play and entertainment upon a more elaborate
scale.
BIG OCTOBER INCORPORATIONS
Large Increase Over Same Month of 1918—Busi-
ness Circles Optimistic Over Future
Returns now available indicate that 1,067 new
enterprises were organized under the laws of the
principal States last month, with an authorized
capital of $100,000 or over, representing in the
aggregate the sum of $2,363,635,200, breaking all
previous records. This shows an increase over
October a year ago of 1,660 per cent. The only
figures that approximate this remarkable show-
ing are those of September, when 972 enterprises
were chartered, involving $1,946,945,500. But it
should be said that about a half dozen concerns
contributed no inconsiderable part of the grand
total. They afford concrete evidence of the hope-
ful sentiment in banking and business circles re-
garding the outlook. Since January 1 aggregate
incorporations have involved the enormous sum
of $10,338,237,100. This total compares with $2,-
338,722,600 in the first nine months of 1918, an
increase of 38 per cent.
The Rhoades Music Co. will open a branch
store in Princeton, Mo.
ST. LOUIS, MO., November 10.—Business, almost
drowned week before last, got only partially dried
out last week. The drying process was retarded
by changeable and disagreeable weather. Busi-
ness exhibited recuperative powers, however, and
at the end of the week was almost back to normal.
At some of the stores the entire week's business
was all that could be desired. The sale of three
grands within a couple of hours at the Scruggs,
Vandervoort & Barney piano department, for
instance, on Friday afternoon, helped to bring
up the average for the week. All three, curi-
ously, were sold on the reputation of the house.
Each of the purchasers disclaimed piano knowl-
edge but declared their confidence in the house
and bought on the strength of that.
While the weather was not entirely friendly to
"Music Week," the observance of the week was
completely successful. It is safe to say that more
people gave a thought to music during the week
than ever did so before in a month or a year.
They had to. The "Give a Thought" slogan was
pelted at them from every angle. There was a
good attendance at the "at homes" at the down-
town piano stores. The music teachers of the
city raised a fund of about $2,000 to be used in
the promotion of the cause ot music. Music was
the theme Sunday in the churches. A great com-
munity sing on the anniversary of armistice day
winds up the public celebration. P. E. Conroy,
chairman of the committee on a permanent Civic
Music Association, is confident that an efficient
organization will be effected. Mr. Conroy was
the speaker Saturday at the City Club luncheon.
He talked on "Music Week" and urged his hear-
ers to get behind the movement to make St.
Louis the music center of the West.
News of the death of Col. E. S. Conway, vice-
president of the W. W. Kiniball Co., Chicago,
caused deep regret among St. Louis piano men.
E. A. Kieselhorst, president of the Kieselhorst
Piano Co., was a particularly close friend of Col.
Conway. He left Thursday night for Chicago to
attend the funeral, expecting to remain there a
few days.
J. E. Dockstader, manager of the Stix, Baer
& Fuller Dry Goods Co., has returned from a
piano-hunting trip to Chicago.
L. F. Ditzell, manager of the Famous & Barr
Co.'s music department, did his piano-hunting
in New York last week and had about the same
sort of luck as Mr. Dockstader had in Chicago.
He is not complaining, however. He told the
Eastern manufacturers that the retailers would
back them up in their resistance to unfair labor
demands, and would be satisfied with whatever
goods they could get.
N. H. Alfring, manager of the wholesale de-
partment of the Aeolian Co., New York, was here
during the past week, on his way from Chicago
back to New York.
Great preparations are being made for the Leo
Ornstein appearance here December 3, when
comparisons will be given with the Chickcrin^
Ampico.
James T. Bristoc, secretary and treasurer of
the Price & Teeple Piano Co., Chicago, was in
St. Louis a few days last week.
Charles P. Tyler, of the Lehman Piano Co.,
who was severely injured in a fall down the ele-
vator shaft at the store, has been taken from a
hospital to his home and is rapidly recovering.
For over 25 years Specialists
in high grade Piano Cases
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PATERSON, N. J.