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JUNE 28,
1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
9
.
Coast Merchants Complain Regarding
Discrimination on Part of the Railroads
62nd Year
Smaller Dealers Declare Larger Merchants Favored by Rail Lines—Entire Trade Mourns
Death of George R. Hughes—Plans Rapidly Being Completed for the Coast Convention
C A N FRANCISCO, CAL., June 20.—Some
weeks ago the transportation committee for
the Western Music Trades Convention, to be
held here in July, sent out a letter to all the
music trade dealers in the Western territory
asking them to tell the committee their trans-
portation problems. The questionnaire was sent
out late in May and quite a number of answers
have been received from dealers throughout the
territory. Their one complaint is that the rail-
roads practically discriminate against smaller
dealers, who receive shipments of pianos from
Chicago and other points East of the Rockies
in less than carload lots.
Morley P. Thompson, Coast representative of
the Baldwin Piano Co. and chairman of the trans-
portation committee, when questioned regarding
the replies, said one of the subjects which will
be taken up at the convention, with an eye to
obtaining relief for the small dealers, is the
subject of the great difference between rates
for pianos in carload lots and in less than car
lots.
Most of the replies to the Transportation
Committee say that when the carload rate on
pianos from Chicago is $2.50 (two dollars and
fifty cents) per hundred pounds, the less than
carload rate should be less than the $5.25 (five
dollars and twenty-five cents) per hundred
pounds which it now is.
Very few of the small dealers find it advan-
tageous to receive their pianos in car lots and
they are forced to pay, as a result, more than
double the freight rates paid by the larger deal-
ers who receive their pianos in carload lots.
Having to pay more than double the freight
rates obtained by those who are more favorably
situated and are able to receive their pianos by
the carload, amounts, in effect, to discrimination
against small piano dealers. The small dealers
ask for relief and it is hoped that by taking up
the question at the convention betterment of
conditions can be obtained.
The discrimination between carload and less
than carload lots, Mr. Thompson declares to
exist, both in the zone of which Chicago is one
point, and in the zone which embraces Pacific
Coast points.
Trade Mourns George R. Hughes
The death of George Hughes, of the Wiley
I!. Allen Co., unexpected as it was up to the
very last, has profoundly shocked the music
trade of the entire Pacific Coast. Probably no
other man was so widely known or held in such
esteem on the Pacific Coast and more than once
have important trade disputes between rival con-
cc n ; been brought to his office for settlement,
his decisions always being accepted as final.
Telegrams and messages have been pouring into
t'ic Wiley B. Allen Company from all over the
country. In recognition of his last wish as
expressed in his will, there will no services nor
any public recognition of his passing on the
part of his friends and relatives. The trade will
remember him as he left San Francisco for the
national convention, blithe and unusually happy
and well.
Convention Will Be Held
In spite of the blow to the organization plans
given by the death of Mr. Hughes, who was in
charge of arrangements for the coming con-
vention of the Western Music Trades, the con-
vention will be held. Arrangements for the
convention have so far progressed and were so
well ordered that little difficulty will be ex-
perienced by the new committee chairman, who
will be named in a few days, in completing the
work necessary for the convention.
Music Memory Contest Completed
Completion of the third annual Music Memory
Contest and the final list of awards took place last
week. The preliminary or elimination test took
place early in May. The final tests were held in the
Golden Gate Theatre May 24. The number of
test cards hand.-d in was 1464, showing an im-
provement over the previous contests, 1,382
being submitted in the 1921 contest and 443 in
the 1922 contest. There were 473 perfect test
cards submitted, 392 in the grammar grades and
81 in the high school grades. The individuals
making perfect scores were awarded a saving
account of $1 in the Bank of Italy and a ticket
to any one of a selected list of musical attrac-
tions to be offered during the Winter season by
the following managements: Selby C. Oppen-
heimer, Elwyn Concert Bureau, Frank W. Healy,
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Auditorium
Committee, Board of Supervisors.
Each school in the final test was represented
by five pupils, forming a team. There were
seven public grammar schools and two parochial
grammar schools which turned in perfect scores.
Two public high schools scored 625 points, a
perfect score, while one parochial high school
turned in a score of 623 points. While the
number of prizes for the schools, consisting of
four Victrolas and eighty records donated by
Sherman, Clay & Co., was insufficient to give
prizes to all the winners, the situation was re-
lieved by Miss Estelle Carpenter, Director of
Music in the Public Schools, who purchased
eight extra Victrolas, to which Sherman, Clay
& Co. added additional records, so that all the
winners received their prizes in recognition of
their work.
Entries for Golf Tourney Still Coming
Entries for the golf tournament to be held
in connection with the convention of the West-
ern Music Trades next month continue to come
in according to Harald Pracht, who has charge
of this phase of the meeting.
Sherman, Clay Picnic Big Success
The fourth annual picnic of the employes of
Sherman, Clay & Co. was held Sunday, June 15,
at Madrona Park, charmingly set among the
redwood groves back of Oakland. Over 400
employes of the firm with their families and
sweethearts came from as far as Sacramento to
be present at the picnic. The employes from
the Sacramento, Stockton, Santa Rosa, San Jose,
Vallejo and Oakland blanches were present in
force, besides those from the main store in
San Francisco.
Robt. N. Watkin Praises
"Common Sense of Music"
Past-president of National Association of Music
Merchants Declares Volume Should Prove of
Great Value to Merchants and Salesmen
Robert N. Watkin, retiring president of the
National Association of Music Merchants, car-
ried back to Texas with him a copy of "The
Common Sense of Music," the new book by
Sigmund Spaeth, Ph.D., which is attracting the
attention of the entire music trade.
The author received the following note from
Mr. Watkin shortly after his departure:
"En route from New York I had the pleasure
of reading some of the interesting chapters in
your new book, 'The Common Sense of Music'
I believe it is a book that will be of value to
every music merchant and his salesmen. There
are too many engaged in the distribution of
musical instruments who know little of music.
Your book will help these."
In the same mail was a very strong endorse-
ment from Mrs. John F. Lyons, president of the
National Federation of Music Clubs, who had
already recommended the book most heartily
to the attention of all the members of her or-
ganization.
FEATURES
of the
LAUTER-
t HUMANA
I
Player Piano
Pressure Gauge
This gauge is placed in
plain view on the tempo in-
dicator, and is of invaluable
assistance in producing fine
music. It is connected with
the main air reservoir and
responds to the s l i g h t e s t
p r e s s u r e on the treadles,
accurately measuring the
degree of vacuum. Soft
music is produced by play-
ing between PP and P—
other ranges are used for
accent.
The Pressure Gauge is
but one of the features
that makes the Lauter-
H u m a n a d i fferent
from any other player
piano. Why not in-
vestigate the possibili-
ties of the L a u t e r
Agency in your terri-
tory?
LAUTER GO.
591 Broad St., Newark, N. J.
Manufacturers of Pianos,
Players, Grands and
Reproducers
„