Presto

PRESTO
January 22, 1920.
PLAYER ROLL
DEMAND FOR 1920
L. O. Rogers of the Republic Player Roll Cor-
poration Says He Looks for Banner Year
With,Still Further Increase
During 1921.
L. O. Rogers of the Republic Player Roll Cor-
poration, New York, a far-sighted business man,
has made a very careful analysis of the player trade
conditions of this country. Mr. Rogers has cov-
ered every large city in the United States and is fa-
miliar with most dealers and their trade viewpoints.
He is perhaps one of the best versed men on player-
roll conditions today in the country, and we print
his interview with the assurance that his statement
voices the opinion of the majority of player-roll
dealers.
"Using my numerous trips among the trade as a
criterion of player-roll conditions in the country to-
day, I can see the prospect of an ever-growing
player-roll demand for the next two or three years.
The demand for 1920 is assured. In fact dealers
cannot see anything that can possibly stop player-
roll sales during this coming year. They are acting
in accordance, enlarging their selling facilities wher-
ever possible and doing everything in their power
in the form of propaganda and literature to give
the player roll the popularity it deserves. Since
the opening of the war we have seen in the player-
roll business perhaps the largest forward develop-
ment ever recorded in the music industry. The de-
mand for player rolls has been phenomenal and
greater than even the most far-sighted player mer-
chants had foreseen.
Patriotic Numbers.
"Our entry into the world war flooded the country
with stirring patriotic popular songs and naturally
the public turned to the playerpiano. The hand-
played word roll, which until this time had only
been receiving a small percentage of the player-roll
buyers' attention, quickly stepped into its own. Its
advantages were very quickly apparent; old plyaers
were dusted off, new ones bought; the old "mechan-
ical bugaboo" had been dissolved forever. The ef-
forts of the roll manufacturer to produce, regard-
less of expense, exact reproductions of the world's
most popular artists in their respective lines, had
been recognized not only by the piano manufactur-
ers and dealers, but by the roll-buying public.
"The manufacture of playerpianos took on a new
scope of operation. Where one player was made
heretofore, it became necessary to produce three.
People wanted music, wanted it in every form and
proceeded to get it. Playerpiano manufacturers at-
tempted to supply the instruments, but were unable
to meet the demand that was created.
The New Requirements.
"Then came the end of the struggle. Popular
music of the jazz variety had a new meaning to
this musical giant born of the god Mars. It offered
an avenue of rest, of recreation and a relief after
the trying efforts of the past two years. The player
owner of today is a close and interested observer
of new monthly issues and a mighty critical one
at that. That perhaps is the biggest single factor
in the tremendous player-roll demand of tomorrow
of 1920, and of the years to come. The demand has
started and there is nothing that I can see that will
stop it for many years. People are buying player-
pianos and it is but natural conjecture that they
will continue to buy player rolls especially player
rolls that differ in their originaity to present an
ever-changing novelty.
"The statement made above is taken from a con-
census of opinion of the dealers I have visited dur-
ing the last year. This is but their viewpoint as to
the demand for player rolls and I think we can
safely say that 1920 will prove the biggest player-
roll year ever known in the industry, and that 1921,
if we care to look forward so far, will exceed the
remarkable production that is assured for the coming
year.
CHANGES IN CHAMPAIGN, ILL.
F. E. Sturdyvin is in charge of the store in Cham-
paign, 111., recently purchased by the Cable Piano
Co. from the Eggleston Music House. Mr. Sturdy-
vin is a native of Champaign and well and favorably
known in that section of Illinois. J. P. Eggleston
continues the small goods department, which he has
always found so profitable in the University City.
The Temple of Music
Music in a piano factory is no novelty.
But music in mills, shops, ironworks
and other industrial plants is a distinct
novelty arranged for New York's Music
Week, the first week of February.
Through concerts, choruses and instru-
mental programs Music will carry its
message to thousands of workers who
seldom hear its voice.
At the same time the Autopiano will
demonstrate at the National Music
Show, Grand Central Palace, what it is
doing toward making every home a Tem-
ple of Music.
THE AUTOPIANO COMPANY
Paul Brown Klugh, President
On-the-Hudson at 51st St., New York
LETTERS FROM
TRADE WORKERS
Writers Close to Their Themes Tell Entertain-
ing Stories About Matters of Trade Interest
in Several Departments of the Business.
HE'S MAKING MORE MONEY.
Mankato, Minn., Jan. 15, 1920.
Editor Presto: On my return from an extended
trip I found Presto as well as a whole box full of
second class mail—some from houses I'd asked to
take me off their mailing list months ago.
As I am not at present doing any piano or phono-
graph business it is a waste of time for manufactur-
ers to keep on circularizing me, and it clutters up
the mail service!
Some of the executives of these very houses will
talk and talk about conservation and reduction of
overhead, and go right on wasting money—names
on request, if desired!
Now, I'm making more real cash money than I
ever made in the piano business, and will probably
stay out of it until I get enough money ahead to pay
spot cash for all the goods I need. If I ever do open
a store again I'll put up a sign that can be read a
block away, saying: "CONSIGNMENT MEN,
KEEP OUT"! and get a bull dog and a gun to see
that the order is obeyed.
I'll let you know when and where I open up again
if I ever do. With all good wishes, I am,
Yours sincerely,
E. A. FRANCIS.
* * *
AN OLD ORGAN IN SEATTLE.
Seattle, Wash., Jan. 3, 1920.
Editor Presto: Mrs. J. Rock, of the Ballard
Piano House, Seattle, Wash., had acquired an organ
in trade. As she wished to dispose of the organ
quickly, on account of its battered frame, she placed
the organ in her show window with the following
poem on the instrument:
"I lived in a place where I grew old,
Just look at me, and behold,
How they knocked at my frame,
But still, with unsullied fame,
My honor and glory I retain,
In hope that my beauty I'll regain;
Now look at me and behold
For thirty-five dollars I'll be sold."
This, composed by Mrs. Rock, and the battered
organ in the decorated window, brought attraction
and a few sales of other instruments. But still the
organ stands now in a desolated corner, waiting to
be sold.
Sincerely yours,
KATHARINE KESSLER.
* * *
THE VALUE OF TRADE PAPERS.
Erie, Pa., Jan. 16, 1920.
Editor Presto: The city of Erie has a population
of 100,000 and is a great manufacturing and com-
mercial center. The advantages of trade journals are
not fully appreciated here and, while some of our
people carry the journal of their own line, none have
the opportunity of noting the broad policy upon in-
dustrial matters and business at large reflected in
those of other interests.
In my past experience, at McKeesport, Pennsyl-
vania, a collection of journals was established
through the co-operation of publishers and such dis-
play made upon the tables of the club library as to
prove a great attraction and show visitors the field
of journalism in the profession and trades.
In that city you were good enough to place the
Chamber of Commerce upon your distribution list.
As it is impossible for us to establish the trade jour-
nal habit unless we have the highest grade maga-
zines, we ask that you extend the same courtesy to
this body to help us develop a taste for this reading,
and to permit us to assist you to place your journal
permanently before the public as a representative of
a high type of business literature.
Erie Board of Commerce has 1,000 members,
maintains most attractive club and reading rooms
and is visited daily by many residents and visitors.
Your help in establishing our business library will
be appreciated and will receive acknowledgment
through our newspapers and in our monthly house
organ.
We can assure you that your journal will be dis-
played in a prominent place on our tables and that
we shall be glad to present it to the consideration of
our people.
Verdy truly yours,
H. A. DAVIDSON, Secretary.
a position with L. L. Smith Piano Company, and
began his duties last week. E. L. Hutchinson, an-
other experienced salesman, has also been em-
ployed by this company, and will soon be found
hustling for piano customers.
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