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MAY
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
15, 1920
REASONS WHY PIANO PRICES ARE HIGH—(Continued from page 5)
hardware store or from any wholesaler are cent in the difference in wages on account of
difficult to be had and the special screws are the readjustments that had to be made. An-
not to be found in the market. The screw other thing that has affected conditions has
manufacturers are complaining of a lack of been the instability of labor. Turn-over of
supply of steel, especially since the railroad labor is acknowledged to be one of the heaviest
strike and these goods are coming in in small expenses in connection with any business and
during the past year our average turn-over of
quantities to keep the consumers going.
"The railroad strike added another expense labor per week was twenty per cent; that is,
to doing business by compelling us, in a number four out of every twenty persons that we took
of instances, to send our trucks from one hun- on stayed. This made operating costs very
dred to two hundred miles from the city to heavy and reduced production."
No Drop in Prices for Some Time
obtain supplies to continue operation. This
"In summing up the situation," said the
meant heavy expense and when to this is added
the continual necessity of having goods shipped inquirer, "do you believe the prices in the piano
by express to insure a reasonable prompt de- industry will decline within the near- future or
livery the operating costs are made extraordi- will they ever come back to their former levels?"
narily heavy."
"I cannot see," he concluded, "how there is
any possibility for a decline in prices for some
Labor Chief Factor in Increased Costs
"Some people claim," said The Review man, time to come. In my opinion prices in general
"that the labor situation and the increase in the
cost of labor have been the chief factors in the EARL ELSHAM HEADS BUYERS' CLUB
increase of prices of piano materials. Do you
Manager of Leader Department Store Piano
think so?"
Department Heads Newly Organized Club to
"That is a fact,"he answered emphatically.
Promote Better Business Methods
"We are constantly getting letters notifying us
of advances in goods on account of advances
ST. JOSEPH, MO., May 10.—At a meeting of the
which various manufacturers have had to stand
on their labor. The piano trade itself is aware buyers of the Leader Department Store held
of that fact as it is only just recovering from last week for the purposevof discussing impor-
the demands which were made on it last Fall. tant matters of store policy, it was decided to
We have had to meet the conditions that are form the buyers into a club to be known as the
prevailing in the matter of wages in other 4-B Club. Earl Elsham, manager of the piano
trades in order to obtain and to retain help and and talking machine department of the Leader
the advances which we have had to make in Store, was chosen unanimously as the head of
order to solve this problem have ranged from the new organization. By means of this buyers'
one hundred to four hundred per cent. We club, it is hoped to promote greater co-opera-
use a large number of young men and women tion between the employes of the store and to
for certain parts of our lighter work. This establish the store in the minds of its patrons
class of help we were formerly able to get for by means of the most modern merchandising
$4.50 per week and that not any later than 1916. methods.
To-day we are paying this same class of labor
$14.00 when starting and within two weeks
DEATH OF DANIEL J. THAYER
after they receive $18.00 and as high as $20.00
Veteran Music Dealer of Bay City, Mich.,
a week.
Passes Away After a Lengthy Illness
"The change in the number of hours of labor
has also had its effect. Where we formerly
BAY CITY, MICH., May 10.—Daniel J. Thayer,
worked fifty-four hours a week the schedule ot
working hours is now forty-eight hours per the oldest music dealer in this city, died at his
week and in rearranging these hours the change home here on Thursday, after a lengthy illness,
had to be made so as not to affect the weekly following a stroke of paralysis two years ago
income of the worker. While the difference in which left him totally disabled. Mr. Thayer was
the number of hours was about eleven per cent, born in New Hampshire in 1848, and came to
it represented between twelve and fifteen per Bay City in the early 80's, organizing with M.
A. Root the music firm of Root & Thayer. When
that firm was dissolved Mr. Thayer took over
the business and reorganized it under the name
CHARACTER
of Thayer & Co. He retired from active busi-
"Admirable Quality; Acknowledged Reputation"
ness a few years ago.
•—(.Standard Dictionary)
Mr. Thayer was a member of the Baptist
Church and of Bay City Lodge, F. and A. M.,
which conducted the funeral according to
Masonic rites yesterday. He is survived by two
sisters, who live in Bridgeport, Conn.
PIANOS
Manufactured by
Smith, Barnes
and
Strohber Co.
have for 33 years
justified their right
to be called
Pianos of Character
FACTORIES
North Milwaukee, W'S.
Chicago, 111.
OFFICE
1872 Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, III.
will never come back to those which formerly
prevailed. The history of all times, such as
these through which we have been and are now
passing, shows it to be a fact that there is a
certain permanent progress made as a result
of all these universal struggles. This period
has been one, not alone of human warfare, but
of social advancement and if the advantages
obtained are used wisely cannot help but bene-
fit everyone. As things normalize there will
be gradual readjustments in costs and in selling
prices brought about by mutual concessions to
meet the changing conditions, but the forty-
eight hours of labor and the general advances
in wages will remain with us. Where wages
have reached a point that is unnatural they will
be taken care of by the operation of the known
economic laws which will gradually, but sureiy,
work out their own solution."
ESTEY OFFICES MOVED
Now Located in New Administration Building
on 133rd Street
The executive offices of the Estey Piano Co.,
which for many years have been located in the
corner of the Estey factory at 133rd street and
Lincoln avenue on the main floor, were moved
this week to the new building adjoining the
plant recently erected for administration pur-
poses. The new offices are now located at 133rd
street on the second floor of this two-story
building, and besides having an abundance of
windows, is also lighted by skylight from the
roof. These offices provide larger and more
comfortable quarters for the executives and
office staff.
The former space occupied by the offices is
now being used for manufacturing purposes.
JOHNSON SELLS INTEREST TO SONS
Alliance, O., Business Passes Into Hands of En-
terprising Young Men
ALLIANCE, O., May 8.—J. H. Johnson, of the
firm of J. H. Johnson & Sons, has sold his in-
terest in the firm to his sons, Arthur C. and
Willis B. Johnson, who are now exclusive own-
ers of the business which has been at the same
stand on Main street for the last fifteen years.
By their honest business methods and courte-
ous treatment these men have built up one of
the most enterprising piano stores in this city.
The young men enjoy the highest business"
qualifications and should be very successful.
SCHOMACKER CO.'S ANNUAL MEETING
All Officers and Directors of Company Re-
elected for Ensuing Year
PHILADELPHIA, PA., May 8.—The :imuial meet-
ing of the Schomacker Piano Co. was held on
HELPS EMPLOYES TO CITIZENSHIP
May 3 at the office of the company in this city,
and all the officers and directors weie re-elected
Mark P. Campbell Lends Personal Co-opera- for the ensuing year, the officers being E. F.
tion to Any Employe in Applying for Citizen- Tibbott, president; W. C. Schwamb, vice-presi-
ship in the United States
dent; J. D. Williams, treasurer, and Win. J.
McCaughan, secretary. The business report of
Citizenship of the United States is a consid- the year as presented at the meeting showed that
eration of first importance to Mark P. Camp- the Schomacker Co, had made most satisfactory
bell, president of the Brambach Piano Co., progress during the past twelve months.
New York City.
He is directing an effort to have all eligible
workmen of the Brambach plant become citi-
zens of the United States, offering them every
co-operation so that they may do this.
The welfare department of the Brambach
Used Pianos, Players and Grands
Piano Co. is on hand to assist the employe in
Wholesale—Any Quantity
filing his first papers and to give him any in-
Any Grade, Style or Make, All Repaired.
formation which may be necessary to do this
Rebuilt and Polished
correctly. In taking out the final papers it is
Ready for Your Wareroom Floor
necessary for the candidate for citizenship to
Factory and ll'arcroonis
present himself with citizens of good standing
who act as sponsors. In this connection Mark
HILL'S TRIANGLE BUILDING
P. Campbell is offering his personal time, going
1365-75 Myrtle Ave.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
with his employes and standing sponsor for
/'hour:
2279 Hnslrwuh
HILL & SONS
them.
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