Presto

16
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BILLINGS PLAYER
ROLL COMPANY
Milwaukee Concern Incorporates and Will
Manufacture Full Line, Including the Staff-
note Roll by Special Patented Print-
ing Process.
The Billings Player Roll Company, Milwaukee,
Wis., has been incorporated under the laws of Wis-
consin with an authorized capital of $150,000. The
par value of shares is $100, all common.
The officers of the company are: F. C. Billings,
president; E. R. Billings, vice-president and treas-
urer, and H. C. Billings, secretary.
The following compose the board of directors: F.
C. Billings, inventor of Billings Brass Flange Ac-
tion; Edmund Gram, piano merchant and manufac-
F. C. BILLINGS.
turer; E. R. Billings, formerly with The Cable Co.,
of Chicago; Win. A. Kaun, president of the Wm.
Kaun Music Co.; H. C. Billings, formerly superin-
teendent of Billings Brass Flange Co.
The counsel is composed of Geo. E. Ballhorn,
Wells Building. Milwaukee, and Erwin, Wheeler &
Woolard, patent attorneys.
All sales of the stock of this corporation are con«
summated at the home office of the corporation at
Milwaukee, Wis.
The Product.
The Billings Player Roll Company will manufac-
ture a full line of .music rolls. The first and only
Staffnote Song Roll on the market that contains
notes on the roll, an accomplishment that is only
possible where the staff and notes are visible on the
roll. All staff measures, notes and words will be
one-third larger than standard sheet music size and
will be printed from electrotype by our new printing
process. Thus our music roll invention is the most
complete and artistic roll on the market which in
May 15, 1920.
C. G. STEQER'S WALLOP AT
H. C. OF L. GETS RESULTS
Expressed Belief of President of Steger In-
stitution Verified by John Wanamaker
and Other Prominent Business Men.
When the Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co., Chi-
cago, through its president, C. G. Steger, issued the
announcement on January 1, 1920, that it would not
advance prices of Steger pianos, playerpianos or
phonographs during 1920, but whenever possible
would reduce them, the news created a sensation.
Comment, complimentary and condemnatory, re-
sulted from the news, which was published in all
parts of the country by the press. By quite a few
the new Steger policy was regarded as radical, sen-
sational and foolhardy.
However, Mr. Steger was prepared to meet the
critics, because he believed from a careful survey
of business conditions that the peak of high prices
had been reached. He contended that it would be
unwise and dangerous for manufacturers and deal-
ers to continue to boost prices to the ethereal blue
and thereby contribute to the utter demoralization
of economic and social conditions.
On May 2, 1920, John Wanamaker announced a
straight cut of 20 per cent in the prices of all mer-
chandise in the Wanamaker stores in New York
and Philadelphia, for the same reasons proclaimed
by Mr. Steger and stated that his "sense of duty in
this emergency of soaring living costs impelled his
H. C. BILLINGS.
decision to assist the public in battling with the
tide of high prices." Thousands of merchants
eludes educational, amusement and commercial pos- rising
the United States are following Mr.
sibilities that is the last word in p'ayer roll produc- throughout
Wanamaker's
example and are announcing price re-
tion."
ductions in newspaper advertisements. Each inci-
The Special Press.
dent is a practical acknowledgment that Mr. Steger
The Billings Player Roll Company utilizes a new was right in his position in attempting to eliminate
patented printing process, which is said to be "the the same dangerous conditions with which Mr.
only automatic printing press on the market that Wanamaker and other farsighted business men are
will print from electrotype different forms of sub- concerned.
ject matter from one-eighth of an inch to fifty feet
Mr. Steger, on April 25, 1920, went one step farth-
cr more in length on a continuous roll of paper."
er by denouncing the evil methods of concerns that
The machine is designed for either duplicate or boost prices and at the same time cheapen qualities.
different subject matter printed on a continuous His declaration which follows merits careful consid-
paper roll. The machine cylinder is octagon in eration:
shape, with eight different units of printing surface. "HIGH PRICES AND POOR QUALITY COM-
The paper is automatically drawn under each unit,
BINE TO SPREAD INFECTION OF
endwise of the cylinder, allowing each unit to auto-
DISCONTENT."
matically print lengthwise of the paper sheet. This
The
Chicago
Daily
News, in an editorial, stated,
machine is said to be perfectly adapted for printing
Staffnote Song Rolls, word rolls, music roll charts, "amid the readjustments, more or less provisional,
all kinds of expression marks, and for commercial that for months have been in progress throughout
the various industries of the country the public,
printing.
The printing machine will print large, uniform which pays the cost and takes the loss due to ab-
and black lettering, and greatly increase production. normal conditions, finds itself confronted .more in-
It will print three hundred 25-foot rolls each hour. exorably not only by scarcity but also by inferior
The printing press will be placed on the general products."
It may be necessary for a manufacturer to ad-
market for printing word rolls, job printing, different
prices—but to boost prices and at the same
numbered tickets, tabs, posters, and all kinds of vance
;
printing in general, either duplicate or different sub- t me cheapen quality, so as to offer an. inferior or
ject matter from a continuous paper roll. All rights deficient product is unfair, extortionate and un-
are retained for printing the music staff, notations scrupulous—a destructive business policy.
As publicly announced on January 1, 1920, the
and words in combination with the perforations on
STEGER INSTITUTION will not advance prices
music rolls.
on STEGER pianos, playerpianos and phonographs
during 1920, but will maintain constantly the high-
est standard of quality, artistic, musical and con-
structive excellence.
The reputation of a business institution is depend-
ent upon the good will of the public. To gain that
New and Old Concerns Secure Charters in Various good will it must be fair in its dealings, offer honest
values and render the best possible service. We be-
Places.
lieve that the public in time to come will remember
The Sandren Music Co., Springfield, 111. To deal those concerns that do not take advantage of the
in pianos and musical supplies. Capital stock. present abnormal conditions.
$25,000.
The Russell-Utter Music Co., Inc., Kingston, N.
A BIG CIVIC EVENT.
C. Capital stock $25,000, of which $7,000 has been
P. E. Conroy, president of the Conroy Piano Co.,
subscribed by C, T. Russell, L. L. Utter and G. L.
St. Louis, is chairman of the program committee
Strowd.
The Bailey-McBrearby Co., Perzel, S. C. to deal of the Civic Music Association of that city. The po-
in musical instruments, etc; $1,000. John McBrear- sition for the past few weeks has evoked his well
by president; W. D. Bendy, vice-president, and known managerial qualities. The music season will
be formally opened with a concert on Decoration
Gccrge C. Bailey, secretary.
Day at the Municipal Open Air Theater in Forest
Park. The preparation for this concert has given
HAINES BROS. THE PRIZE.
Mr. Conroy much to do and think about. There will
A Haines Bros, piano recently offered by the F. be band, community chorus and solo numbers and
(). Miller Piano Co., Jacksonville, Fla., as a prize of course there will be speechifying. Mr. Conroy
for the best essay by a pupil of the city's schools says he will not be responsible for the length, weight
was won by Betty Wilcox, an eleven-year-old con- or density of the orations.
testant. The instrument, valued at $525, was so well
appreciated as a prize that the interest in the con-
SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.
test was keen from the start. The winning essay
Moving picture operas are promised Chicago by
on the benefits of enlistment in the army of the
United States was published in the local papers. Andreas Dippell, formerly director of the Chicago
The Haines Bros, piano in satin finished mahogany Grand Opera Co., in what he terms an experimental
was on exhibition in the window of the F. O. Miller venture to begin May 23 at the Auditorium. The
scheme will provide "golden tones of opera for the
Piano Co.
highbrows, films for the lowbrows and jazzy band
music for the no-brows," according to an unpub-
BUY EBE PLAY RPIANOS-2469 Third Av, New York lished prospectus.
NEW INCORPORATIONS
IN MUSIC GOODS TRADE
K. K. B1UL1NGS.
the staffnotcs in addition to the words, will be pro-
duced. "By adding the notes and music staff to
word rolls, we have a noncompeting advantage by
presenting to player owners an educational set of
rolls, including" duets, quartets, trios, popular songs,
selected classical songs, lullabies, mother songs, old
negro melodies, folk songs, hymnals, etc," says an-
nouncement of the company, which adds:
"A violin or other instruments can be used to play
along with a group of singers by reading from the
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