PRESTO
RELIEF OF FREIGHT
CONGESTION OBJECT
Campaign for Desirable Purpose Launched By
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
Proves Effective.
The campaign of the Music Industries, Chamber
of Commerce, to assist in relieving the freight con-
gestion by getting shippers to make more effective
use of .cars, has brought much commendation from
the railroads of the country, who have sent scores
of letters to the Chamber approving the campaign
and acknowledging the great assistance which it will
give them.
The Louisiana & Texas Railroad and Steamship
Company said: "If the terms of your circular are
parried out literally by all shippers in all lines of
business, there will be little difficulty in taking care
of the situation. If only a majority of the shippers
throughout the United States would adopt the un-
selfish view as outlined in your circular, a wonder-
ful amount of good would be accomplished in solv-
ing the transportation difficulties."
The New Jersey, Indiana & Illinois R. R. Co.
said: "The action of the members of the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce is a most commend-
able one, and a like resolution should be adopted by
all industries, organizations, and Chambers of Com-
merce throughout the United States. Wish to com-
pliment you on the wisdom of your suggestions and
assure you of our hearty co-operation."
The Reynoldsville and Falls Creek Railroad Co.
commended the Chamber "in placing your appeal
before the music industries, an appeal which should
be heeded as the condition today is so critical. The
co-operation of such organizations as yours has a
most valuable effect upon the country, and will tend
to alleviate the trying conditions of the present
time." .
The Pennsylvania System assured the Chamber
that its action is appreciated, and continued the
letter, "if we can count upon the full measure of
assistance and co-operation of the various individual
shippers and receivers of freight as well as the
trade organizations throughout the United States
along the lines indicated, there is no question but
that the greatest measure of efficiency will be se-
cured from existing facilities and equipment, which
it is well known are inadequate to meet the require-
ments."
The Norfolk & Western Railway Co. expressed
belief that the missionary work with members of
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce with
respect to proper loading and handling of cars will
bring results mutually beneficial, and the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western Railroad Co. said: "You
could not render the railroads at this time, a greater
service than by impressing upon your members the
carrying out of the suggestions you have made. The
investigation develops that the car situation could
be materially improved were the cars, when prac-
ticable, loaded and unloaded the day they are placed.
Of course, at times there may be extenuating cir-
cumstances that perhaps may not permit of this be-
ing done, but in a very large percentage of the
cases it could be, with the result of a marked im-
provement in the general equipment situation."
SHEET MUSIC DEALERS
ASSOCIATION CONVENES
Organization Elects New Officers and Debates Sev-
eral Questions of Important Trade Policy.
No official action was taken on the resolution of
the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers
urging a uniform discount of one-third on sheet
music by the Music Publishers' Association of the
United States at the Hotel Astor last week. Presi-
dent Fischer explained that it was not the custom of
the organization to decide such questions, but the
matter was debated and will be determined by each
member according to his needs.
The retail price of sheet music, in New York at
least, will remain the same, it was said, in spite of
the increasing cost of production. Efforts will be
made by the association to increase production, so
that there may be no scarcity of both popular and
classical songs. It was decided to continue the
manufacture of smaller music sheets, such as were
used in wartime.
The association was declared a member of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce. Several
thousand dollars was pledged for the support of
the latter.
The association elected these officers: President,
Clarence A. Woodman, of Oliver Ditson Company,
Boston: vice-president, Isidore Witmark; treasurer,
Charles K. Harris, and secretary, E. T. Paul, all of
New York City.
The association annual dinner was held in the Astor
Hotel. The speakers were the Rev. Dr. A. R. Petty,
of Jefferson Memorial church; George Pound and
Nathan Burkan. C. A. Woodman was toastmaster.
ALERT SAN FRANCISCO
DEALER ABREAST OF TIMES
Byron Mauzy, Taking Advantage of Opportunity,
Shows Relation of Electricity to Music.
The Electrical Home at St. Francis Woods, San
Francisco, is a practical demonstration of how every
home should be equipped. It is a servantless house,
but has employed the never tiring genii of electric-
ity. Electricity is the agent in every housekeeping
function in the Electrical Home, and the recreation
of music is had through its instrumentality. The
agency of electricity is employed in operating the
talking machine and playerpiano. Other practical
uses of electricity are exemplified in the Electrical
Home, including the electric range, samovar, sew-
ing, washing and ironing machines, water heater,
wall type air heater, combination grill, refrigerator
and door bell.
The part of Byron Mauzy, the San Francisco
piano dealer in the Electrical Home has been to es-
tablish in the living room a Chickering Ampico
Grand, which depends for its potential energy on at-
mospheric pressure created through bellows oper-
ated by an electric motor. In anticipation of a con-
stantly increasing demand for complete electrical
equipment in the modern home building, the devel-
opers of St. Francis Wood have produced in the
Electrical Home a model example.
WAREROOM WARBLES
(A New One Every Week.)
By The Presto Poick.
THE TOO-LATER.
Perhaps you know the chap so slow
That he's always just behind,
It's just his fate to get there late,
Which makes Fate seem unkind;
He'll never change, although it's strange
For he's eager for the chase,
But he's never first with the dash and burst
That is sure to win the race.
He knows the game, but just the same,
He's the victim of defeat,
Because he waits, and hesitates,
Till his rivals have him beat;
He never shirks, but humps and works—
In starting things he's great,
But where he fails in closing sales
Is in getting there too late.
It's his daily task to call and ask
Some prospect he has found
If he won't decide on one he's tried,
But he scarce can turn around,
When he sees some bird, who's also heard,
Just coming through the gate,
And, of course, he's told he might have sold
If he hadn't come too late.
A. B. CHASE CO., INC.
The directors of the A. B. Chase Co., Inc., met
last week in the executive offices in New York, J.
Harry Shale, chairman of the board of directors, pre-
siding. The quarterly dividend of 1^4 per cent on
preferred stock is payable July 1 to stock of record
June 29. The conditions since last meeting and
those existing today were discussed by the directors.
The possibilities generally for the future evoked the
opinions of those present. These were very opti-
mistic for the A. B. Chase Co., Inc., and for the trade
at large. But Mr. Shale said he could see no indica-
tions of lower prices for pianos within the next year.
June 26, 1920.
REPUBLIC PLAYER ROLL
NEW LIST FOR JULY
New Artists, Herschel Henlere and Adrian
Rollini, Represented in Winning Contribu-
tions to Playerpiano Music.
The Republic Player Roll Corporation list for
July shows the usual pleasing variety of music with
several extraordinarily attractive numbers outstand-
ing from the list. "Hold Me," the latest number of
Art Hickman, has a prominent place. "Close to
Your Heart," from the show, "Honey Girl," prom-
ises to be a topliner. Herschel Henlere, composer
of the fox trot, "Kismet," has recorded personally
for this list. Besides the pleasant variety of dance
and show music, the Republic list for July includes
three standard ballads, all played by Irene D'Gio-
vanni. The list is as follows:
"Hold Me," fox trot (Hickman). Played by J.
Milton Delcamp and Adam Carroll.
"Close to Your Heart," fox trot (Von Tilzer).
Played by J. Milton Delcamp.
"Kismet," Oriental fox trot (Henlere). Played
by Herschel Henlere.
"Manyana," fox trot (Fier). Played by J. Milton
Delcamp and Adam Carroll.
"The Jazz Dance Repertoire," jazz fox trot
(Brooks): Played by Adam Carroll and Adrian
Rollini.
"I Love You Sunday," novelty fox trot (Straight).
Played by Nan Foster and Victor Lane.
"I'm a Jazz Vampire," one-step (Morgan). Played
by J. Milton Delcamp and Adam Carroll.
"The Argentinos, The Portuguese and The
Greeks," novelty fox trot (Morgan). Played by Vic-
tor Lane and Cal Adams.
"Chili Bean," fox trot (Von Tilzer). Played by J.
Milton Delcamp.
"Drifting," waltz song (Polla). Played by Nan
Foster.
"What-Cha Gonna Do When There Ain't No
Jazz," rag fox trot (Wendling). Played by Adrian
Rollini.
"Come Back and Love Me Again," waltz song
(Clark). Played by Nan Foster.
"I Realize," fox trot (Fischer). Played by Adam
Carroll.
"In An Oriental Garden," fox trot (Rosenstein).
Played by Adam Carroll and Victor Lane.
"Way Down Barcelona Way," syncopated waltz.
(Jentes). Played by Victor Lane and Adrian Rol-
lini.
"If There's a Lovers' Lane in Heaven," one-step
(Fisher). Played by J. Milton Delcamp.
In the list are the following standard ballads that
never grow old: "Mighty Lak a Rose" (Nevin),
"Abest" (Metcalf), "A Dream" (Bartlett).
MUCH FREIGHT IS MOVING.
Despite the strikes, more freight business is be-
ing done in this country than ever before. Millions
of our citizens, otherwise well posted, are not aware
of this fact. Frcm March 27 to May 22, this year,
the railroads handled 370,000 carloads more freight
than during the same period last year; and of these
additional carloads the western roads handled 191,-
000. And this hauling was done with practically
no increase in equipment. The additional business
is being done in various lines of shipping, but man-
ufactured articles have constituted a large percent-
age of the freights. In a few weeks the bulk of the
freight will be in the moving of the crops of the
farmers—a kind of hauling that takes precedence
over all other sorts of bulky goods in the season for
moving the crops. The reason is plain—crops are
vital to the life of the nation; in our case, as surplus
food producer of the world, our crops keep the
world alive.
SATURDAY CLOSING HOUR.
Whether or not the piano stores shall close at 1
o'clock on Saturdays during the summer months is
a matter evoking a difference of opinion in Detroit,
Mich. The majority favors closing at the hour
named and the rest think that six, or half-past six,
would be the most sensible time to close. The Hud-
son Music Store has already announced its intention
of closing at 1 o'clock on Saturdays during July and
August.
JOINS WHITE PLAINS FIRM.
Laurence R. Yeager has been made secretary and
treasurer of Hunt's Leading Music House, Inc.,
White Plains, N. Y., and has also been elected to the
board of directors. Mr. Yeager recently purchased
the stock holdings of Leonard E. Teed in the com-
pany. The new active member of the White Plains
corporation was for several years traveler for the
Victor Talking Machine Co.
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