10
PRESTO
THE FARMER AS A
GOOD PIANO CUSTOMER
But Whether He Is a Profitable or Negligible
Quantity Depends Altogether on the
„ Salesman.
By M. V. Rountree.
In those days of big prices for farm products and
a consequent prosperity of the farmers generally,
the relation of the piano dealer and salesman to the
tillers of the soil is something of the highest impor-
tance. The first requirement of the men in the
piano stores, of course, is an understanding of the
farmer in his capacity as a prospective piano buyer.
As far as the pianos and general music goods
dealer is concerned, you can't hold the farmer's trade
unless you live on a basis with him and know his
problems, live his life with him, not merely to sell
him merchandise, but live a part of the life of the
community. There is the advantage of the small
town dealer, who, if he is wise to his job, will "live
close" to the people among whom he finds his cus-
tomers.
The average prospect among the farmers has an
open mind as far as piano merits go. But don't
make the mistake of concluding that he doesn't di-
rect that open mind in getting the true estimate of a
piano's value. Every community is built up of five
institutions, homes, schools, churches, the local gov-
ernment, and its business. Community building
means a grouping and development along all of
these lines. The piano man has something to say
in all of the institutions. A man on the farm is en-
vironed only by the other farms about him—he is
free to think. There are few distractions to keep
him from continually thinking, and, while he thinks
in a measure through incidents and happenings
rather than from abstract principles, almost invari-
ably he arrives at the right conclusions.
If you will get the right piano facts to the farm-
ers you can always rely on the right decision and
verdict. The farmer is notoriously close-fisted but
he believes in fair play.
The farmer is loyal to the local piano merchant
who has made good. The success of the dealer he
takes for a proof of the merits of the instrument he
sells. Upon this feeling depends in a large measure
the degree of success which a dealer makes, and the
farmer is going to be loyal to the neighbor that has
made good.
When he buys he wants the best, wants the latest
improvements in piano or player or talking machine,
and it is highly important to render a service with
the merchandise sold—not a nominal service, but a
real service. Give satisfaction to the last word. It
is highly important in holding trade that the dealer
continue to advertise and keep the farmer acquainted
with the piano facts concerning the instrument he
has bought. If he has bought a player, make him
a good roll customer.
YOUNG PIANO ACTION
FOREMAN COMMITS SUICIDE
Walter Carlewitz, Employed by Standard Pneumatic
Action Co., Dies of Gunshot Wound.
While making his rounds of a building at Twelfth
avenue and Fifty-second street, New York, occupied
by the Standard Pneumatic Action Co., the watch-
man found the body of Walter Carlewitz, 22 years
old, who was employed as a foreman in the building,
lying across his desk with an automatic pistol in his
hand and a gunshot wound in the right temple. Be-
side the body lay a note addressed to the man's
father which read:
"Dear Father:—Forgive me for this act, as I do
not want to live any longer. Please don't blame
anybody for this, as I did it myself."
September 4, 1920.
THEY CONQUERED DE KALB
Admiring friends s a y
that the group of sales-
men in the piano depart-
ment of the May Com-
pany, Cleveland, Ohio, is
one of the liveliest bunches
of piano salesmen in the
United States. The Apol-
lo Piano Co. at De Kalb
agrees in this opinion.
Not only h a v e they
made an enviable record
in the sale of Apollos at
the Cleveland store of the
May Co., but the personal
contact with this crowd
recently,at the Apollo fac-
tory has convinced every-
body t h a t they possess
energy and ambition in
large quantities. The vis-
iting salesmen were in charge of H. H. Hart, man-
ager of the piano department.
Unusual musical ability was displayed by many
of this group of salesmen. They have organized a
chorus among themselves and sung frequently dur-
ing their trip through the factory. Besides this there
seems to be some latent dramatic and vaudeville
talent which was displayed as occasion required. In
8_ * [ % " " "
tcrest of music are bearing fruit. The letter follows:
Our Mayor seems to be impressed with the won-
derful work that you are doing, and recently stated
that he would favor a Music Commission here. If
this comes to pass, I will be greatly elated if our
Mrs. Lyons can persuade the Commission to give
this city a part-of their time. in. furthering the cause
of music. Everyone knows what this did for Dal-
las, and, of course, it was through your splendid di-
rection that it was carried there. This good old
U. S. A. can never repay you for the wonderful
work that has been accomplished through you and
your assistants.
W. H. COLLINS' BROTHER DIES.
W. H. Collins, manager of the retail piano de-
partment of Lyon & Healy, Chicago, mourns the
death of his brother, Charles Collins, of St. Paul,
Minn. Charles Collins was widely known as a
musician of distinction, his professional friends
genially calling him "Cotton-top" Collins, on ac-
count of his light hair. His health having become
broken, he sold out his business in St. Paul, and
two weeks ago went to Alameda, Calif., where he
died. He was 52 years old and leaves a widow.
The body was cremated at Alameda and the ashes
sent on to Wichita, Kan., where they were depos-
ited in a crypt by the widow. W. H. Collins met
her at Kansas City and accompanied her and the
rest of the funeral party to St. Paul, and then he
returned to Chicago. The others go back to Cali-
fornia.
STREATOR A GOOD PIANO TOWN.
Al. Durham, who is with the Meils Piano Com-
pany, Streator, 111., was met in Chicago by a Presto
representative on Thursday of this week. He had
just returned from a three days' trip through the
PJackard factory at Fort Wayne, Ind. "There are
16,000 people living within the square mile off which
Streator is the center," said Mr. Durham. "And
there are 2,000 automobiles owned among the 16,-
000 peoplee. We have the largest bottle factory in
the United States in Streator. Also an immense
plate glass works—the Western Glass Company.
Our city is further famous for manufacturing brick,
clay products and tile, not to speak of many leesser
industries." Mr. Durham is helping to make it a
mighty good piano town.
E. C. MODEL'S GOOD TRIP.
MUSIC ADVANCEMENT
IN FORT WORTH, TEX.
Letter from E. I. Conkling Assures Formation of a
Music Commission There.
That music advancement is making progress in
Fort Worth, Texas, is shown by a letter received
this week by the National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce from E. I. Conkling, Manager of the
Field-Lippman Piano Stores, of that city, indicating
the probable establishment there of a music com-
mission.
The National Bureau has been in correspondence
with the Mayor of Fort Worth for months. Mr.
Conkling's letter holds forth promise that in Fort
Worth, as in Dallas, the Bureau's efforts in the in-
Edwin C. Model, special traveling salesman for
the Robert Morton division of the American Photo
Player Company, is back at headquarters on the
eighth floor of the Lyon & Healy Building, Chi-
cago. He made several sales of theatrical instru-
ments on this trip, which took him through the
Central Western States, being particularly succeess-
ful in selling a number of the Style 75 Robert Mor-
ton organ, and orchestra organs. The Style 75 is
meeting with great favor, Mr. Model says.
He
noticed with gratification that many new theaters
are being erected in his territory, most of them
very fine ones.
A blue-print map of the United States, showing
the location of Packard piano dealers has been is-
sued in triplicate—one for the Fort Wayne office,
one for the Chicago office, and the third for the
New York office. It also helps to check up on the
efficiency of Packard advertising by localities.
. • ^ ' I X •<.••<•'
other words, the boys had a great time among them-
selves and helped everybody else to have a good
time.
In addition to all this they absorbed a lot of infor-
mation regarding the way Apollos are made and left
the factory more enthusiastic boosters than ever for
this fine playerpiano line.
PACKARD ADVERTISING GETS
BOOST AT A MEETING
Two Days' Session at Fort Wayne Ought to Bring
Good Results.
The men attending the Packard Piano Company's
meeting last week had an educational time of it.
Plans were made for hooking up the Packard adver-
tisements in a concentrated way with the dealers.
The company's men were represented at the
meeting by O. W. Williams, of New York, and H. J.
Backer, who has recently joined Mr. Williams'
staff; B. R. Brassfield, western representative of the
company; H. M. Hulme, Pacific Coast representa-
tive; Al. Buenning, southwestern representative,
who was accompanied by his wife and daughter;
H. H. Harris, of Rochester, N. Y., whose territory
includes Ohio, and Henry P. Veatch, manager of
the Chicago branch.
It was a two days' meeting, with busy sessions.
A feature was an address by William Agnew, head
of the merchandising department of Henri Hurst &
McDonald, Inc., of Chicago, whose subject was
"The Value of a Trade Mark," and who illustrated
his talk with pictures.
BILLINGS PLAYER ROLL CO.,
MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT
Stockholders and General Public Invited to See
Processes in Making Staffnote Player Rolls.
The Billings Player Roll Company, Milwaukee,
announces the complete installation of all machinery
ready for the production of Staffnote Player Rolls.
Original masters are now being recorded and edited
for the first monthly bulletin by the staff artists,
Earl Billings and Armand Muth, assisted by well
known Milwaukee artists.
The corporation owns the exclusive patent rights
to manufacture and print the melody, staffnotes and
words on player rolls for vocal, instrumental and
educational music roll charts. A two-in-one feature
for instrumental rolls. All marches, waltzes, over-
tures, etc., will have the melody staffnotes printed
on the rolls, for violin and other wind and stringed
instruments, with the player piano as accompanist.
In an announcement this week this is said: "This
modern variety of player rolls will appeal not only
to player owners but to every known class of musi-
cians. Thus our sales department is not limited to
the sale of popular hits. Many player owners and
dealers are among our stockholders. A cordial invi-
tation is extended to stockholders and others to visit
our factory at 1721 Fond du Lac avenue, to see the
wonderful automatic machines and learn how mod-
ern player rolls are made. Electrotype printing on
rolls by our own patented printing press."
FEATURES THE PLAYER.
The L. E. Lines Music Co. is one of the most con-
sistent advertisers of the playerpiano. The firm has
a fine line of the instruments, which offers variety
enough to suit all tastes and requirements. These
are included: Autopiano, Kimball, Pianista, Price
& Teeple, Schaeffer, Apollo, Kohler & Campbell,
Artemis and Carleton symphonola. The headquar-
ters are at Springfield, Mo.
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