Presto

PRESTO
16
WHY PIANO MEN ARE
SUCH GOOD GOLFERS
A Writer Who Seems to Know Gives Some
Interesting Gossip About the Much-Loved
Gamboling on the Green.
A singular theory of special interest to piano
men who are also enthusiastic golfers has been
advanced by an English writer. It is that piano
players are the best golfers. They are supple of
wrist and can measure more accurately than others
the distances from tee to hole. They also have the
most acute sense of hearing, and can often tell the
direction of the ball by hearing so perfectly that
even when lost to the sight the point of alighting
is determined in advance.
It might be interesting to have some such expert
piano men as Paul Klugh, A. S. Bond, Arthur
Wessell, Howard Morenus—any of the winners, or
even contestants in the piano fold—tell how far the
theory is right. It might be well to have the next
contest in a measure based upon the interesting test.
Of course the convention coming in mid-winter
spoils the golf feature which has heretofore been
an interesting one. But the piano golfers will have
their meetings, nevertheless, and the champions
will prove their skill just the same.
The writer who advanced the interesting theories
referred to, has other things to say to the golfers
which, while not directly concerning either the man-
ufacture or sale of the instruments, may have an
influence in both branches of the business. He
says, for instance, that in the fashioning of a course
most golfers fancy themselves not a little. And if
all one's likes and dislikes received due attention,
something startling in the way of golf architecture
would be achieved. While some might advocate
the lengthening of holes, others might put in a
strong plea for the introduction of more "one shot"
holes. Rather an elastic creature, is this one shot
- hole. It may mean a half-mashie, or it may mean
a full drive even on a still day. The golfer who
airily describes as a one shot hole any hole of less
than two hundred and twenty yards is trying the
ordinary man a trifle too high. And yet, though
the bogey be put at four, the green should, under
favorable conditions, be reached from the tee. The
ordinary player's idea of a one shot hole is one
which gives him a choice of clubs with which to
reach the green—any hole up to one hundred and
seventy yards, one might say.
Short holes test one's golf more severely than do
those at which three strokes are presumed to be re-
quired to reach the green. In the great majority of
these fine holes a generous margin is allowed for
error. Many of them may be reached with a drive
and an iron, and a faulty tee shot does not entirely
dissipate one's chances of equaling "bogey." On
the other hand, the short hole admits of no slipshod
methods. If you don't get on the green, and even
if you are lucky enougn to escape the bunkers, noth-
ing but a fine recovery can save you from the loss
of a stroke.
Presto has no idea of introducing a golf column,
but at the beginning of the year therewith and
spring just over the snow tipped hill everything
pertaining to the green is of interest to a good pro-
portion of piano men whether manufacturers, deal-
ers or travelers.
GEORGE H. BENZON GUEST
AT ANNIVERSARY DINNER
Fifty Years in Philadelphia Music Trade Pleasantly
Celebrated in Theo. Presser Co.'s Restaurant.
On January 7, George H. Benzon celebrated his
fiftieth anniversary in the music business with a
testimonial dinner given him by his friends of the
Theo. Presser Co., Philadelphia, in the restaurant
operated by the company for its employes.
Mr. Benzon was first employed as an office boy
by the firm of Lee & Walker in Philadelphia in 1870.
Shortly thereafter this firm published Sep Winner's
famous "Mocking Bird" which, in its various ar-
rangements, sold up into the millions. In 1875 the
firm of Lee & Walker joined with the Ditson com-
pany forming the Philadelphia branch of that estab-
lishment. Mr. Benzon served continuously with
this company until 1909 when the Philadelphia es-
tablishment of Ditson was closed. At that time he
entered the employ of the Theo. Presser Co., where
he is still actively engaged.
Those who are familiar with the musical life of
Philadelphia, during the last fifty years, have looked
upon him not only as a familiar figure but as an in-
terested friend always ready to assist the young and
the old, the distinguished and the unknown, with
the same smiling courtesy which made his vast
knowledge of musical publications a great asset to
the music interest of the city.
At the end of the dinner, at which eighty-two
warm friends sat at the table, Mr. Presser, the
toast master, handed Mr. Benzon a gold seal ring
inscribed on the outside with his initials and the
date of his beginning service and the date of his
anniversary. On the inside was an inscription in
commemoration of the fifty years service to musical
Philadelphia. The following spoke in a compli-
mentary way about the guest of the evening: Dr. J.
M. Ward, President of American Organists' Asso-
ciation; Dr. Hugh A. Clarke, professor of music at
University of Pennsylvania; Perley Dunn Aldrich,
well known Philadelphia vocal teacher, and also
different heads and employes of the Theo. Presser
Co., who had known Mr. Benzon during his long
service in the city.
January 15, 1920.
JESSE FRENCH & SONS
PLAN ENLARGEMENT
Output of Instrument for 1920 to Be Vastly
Increased and Preparations for Increasing
Production by Greater Facilities
Now Under Way.
The Jesse French & Sons Piano Company, New
Castle, Ind., is pushing preparations to vastly in-
crease the output of its factory in the year 1920. In
the last six months the output of the plant has
been doubled and it is planned to continue the
speeding up until a steady output, double the size
of the present, is established. Much new machinery
is being installed at the factory and a large num-
ber of additional workers are to be employed in all
departments. Construction has started on a new
building 100 feet long to be used as a shipping room.
Some Striking Sales and Deliveries of Pianos Are
The piano factory is one of the oldest of New
Here Described.
Castle's big industries. It was established there
The selling or methods of distribution and de- seventeen years ago when the city had a popula-
livering, of musical instruments, especially the tion of only 3,000 and has been a big factor in the
larger kinds must always be interesting to every development of the city. The pride of New Castle
one engaged in the business. The writer remem- in the Jesse French & Sons Piano Company and
bers the story, told long ago, of his forefathers congratulation on the possession of such a lively
making pianos, or perhaps we will say melodeons, industry is expressed by the New Castle, Courier,
in Baltimore, Md., and how a purchaser, in his which says:
endeavor to get the instrument to his home in
Local Pride Expressed.
Knoxville, Tenn., when crossing the Blue Ridge
"The enlarging of the local piano factory makes
Mountains, his mule, with the prized "piano" it one of the largest, if not the largest, factory of
strapped on his back, let his foot slip. The caravan its kind in the world. Few New Castle people re-
was rounding a narrow path which ended forever alize the importance of their city in the piano in-
the musical notes of both instrument and Jack!
dustry. Not only do New Castle-made pianos go
Years ago, when reed organs were the thing, to every part of the United States, but they are
the salesman and his "rig," with one or two or- purchased by every civilized country in the world.
gans, stopped at a farm house. The farmer could Jesse French instruments are making music in all
not resist the charms of music and the sale and
parts of Europe and South America, in South Af-
delivery were made at once.
rica, Japan, Iceland, Siam and every other spot
Then came the circus-tent, filled with organs where music is listened to. The company has a
with the "professor" giving a performance on the branch house in Australia and ships about ISO pianos
outside to attract, the crowd to the inside. Soon, to that place every month.
almost the entire neighborhood had an organ in
"The phenomenal sale of Jesse French pianos at
their homes. It became quite out of fashion for
those that did not purchase. Then came the piano, the present is attributed to the name built up by
with methods that are now known—too well Jesse French, Sr., for his product. Mr. French
entered the piano manufacturing business in 1875
known, perhaps.
The scene again changes. Now comes a new era. and since that time has been putting on the market
Phonographs are here and multiplying faster than an instrumet of such quality that the name Jesse
French has come to mean the world over a superb
rabbits.
They're nearly all selling them—the
piano.
butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker.
More Work for City.
But the most successful outside of music dealers
"The enlarging of the New Castle factory will give
are the jeweler, the druggist, the furniture dealer,
the hardware dealer and other shops at or near many young men an excellent opportunity to learn
every city or town corner. The merchant who piano building trades. Two hundred and sixty men
draws a general class of trade whatever his line, are now employed at the factory and nearly double
seems! to be a logical distributor of the phono- this number will be given employment if they can
graph. And in that is found one of the reasons for be secured. Piano making is pleasant, well paid
work and requires high class men. Intelligent and
the boundless progress of the modern marvel.
dependable young men are wanted by the company
to enter its employment and learn the piano mak-
HEADS TWO IOWA STORES.
ing business. It promises good wages from the
The L. L. Smith Piano Co., of Albia, Iowa, with a start. A wide variety of work is offered at the fac-
branch store at Chariton, is a live establishment, the
head of which is a believer in fine instruments. The tory as new men will be put in most of its many
line includes such as the Chickering, Lyon & Healy, departments. Opportunities are offered to learn
Smith & Barnes, and others. L. L. Smith, president trades in the machine, veneer, case-making, rub-
of the house that bears his name, was in Chicago bing, action-making, action-finishing,
sounding
this week looking after fresh supplies. He told a board, finishing, sound-regulating, and the tuning
Presto representative that the only cause for com-
plaint is that there aren't instruments enough to fill rooms and in the shipping department.
"The enormous growth of the Jesse French Com-
the demand. His motto is, "High class—one price."
pany in the last year is due in a considerable measure
the work of C. B. Lewis, general manager. Mr.
LUTHER T. ADAMS WRITES WALTZ. to
Lewis came here less than a year ago and took
Luther T. Adams, piano dealer of Shelbyville, 111., complete charge of the company's affairs. His suc-
who handles the Gulbransen playerpianos, was in cess is shown by the results obtained in the past
Chicago on Friday last. Mr. Adams has won suc- year. Mr. Lewis is a comparatively young man,
cess in a new way for a piano man. He has writ- only 38 years of age, but he knows every inch of
ten a waltz, called "The Baby's Prayer," which is the piano business, having been engaged in it since
suited for dancing, and it has proved so much of a 20 years old. He obtained his training under the
success that the Vocalstyle Company, of Cincinnati, famous piano maker. Col. W. B. Brinkerhoff, of Chi-
has agreed to produce it and put it in its catalogue. cago."
The output of the factory for 1919 totaled, approx-
GULBRANSEN'S NATIONAL ADS.
imately, 4,000 instruments, according to Mr. Lewis.
Tn its national advertising campaign the Gulbran- In 1920 it is planned to construct between 7,500 and
sen-Dickinson Company uses a full-page adver- 8,000 instruments.
tisement in this week's Country Gentleman—the is-
sue of January 17, to be exact—showing the Gul-
bransen baby operating the pedals of a Gulbransen
PIANO FOR WHOLE FAMILY.
playerpiano. A two-page advertisement showing
Sommers, Indianapolis, Ind., prints the advice:
this display will appear in the Saturday Evening "Get an instrument the whole family can play!
Post on January 31.
Turn that old piano of yours into a universal in-
strument, one every one in the home can operate.
We will accept it as a liberal cash payment on a
ROLL COMPANY HOLDS MEETING.
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the high-grade playerpiano. You need not lay out any
Musicnote Roll Co., Dixon, 111., was held at the money on the transaction until after you have had
company offices in that city Saturday evening, Jan. the new instrument a whole month. And even then
3 at 7:30 o'clock at which time two directors were you can make very modest payments extended over
elected for terms of three years. Notice to this effect a long period of time, and without any added
charges to cover interest."
was sent out by Secretary D. S. Horton.
HOW PIANO AND MULE
SLIPPED DOWN A MOUNTAIN
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