Presto

Issue: 1920 1781

O
the lovingly conceived plan of the owner. Mr. Cor-
win in early life worked with his father, who was a
contractor, and so he was competent to create a
workman-like plan for the dreamed-of store. For
economy of space, ease in doing business, proper dis-
posal of the different lines of music goods and con-
Pleasing Personality of Albert T. Strauch, Jr., venience generally the store of the Covington dealer,
designed by himself, is well worth the observation
Makes the Right Impression at the Head-
of piano men. He has recently built a new front
quarters of Mid-West Piano Industries.
and added several new booths for demonstrations on
There was a caller of unusual interest in the Chi- the first floor. From the garage adjoining the store
cago piano factory offices this week. He is Albert an elevator reaching to the upper floors adds to ease
pianos.
T. Strauch, Jr., who has been making the acquaint- in handling
W r hen Mr. Corwin visited Chicago this week he
ance of as many of the piano manufacturers through-
out the middle west as possible. And the impression was on his way home from a visit to the factory of
he has made is of a kind to insure him a warm wel- the Hobart M. Cable Co., in La Porte, Ind. He was
accompanied by his cousin, Miss Orr, who is one of
come on the occasion of future visits.
ablest aids in selling pianos and players. Mr.
The distinguished piano action house of Strauch his
regretted missing a meeting with Hobart M.
Bros., New York, is one of the supply industries with Corwin
Cable,
president,
and Edwin M. Schurz, treasurer,
a history crowded with the kind of attainment that both visiting in the
but Howard B. Morenus,
sheds credit upon the American piano. From the vice-president, made East,
it pleasant for the visitors to
day of its establishment, more than a half century La Porte in his characteristically
hospitable and
ago, to the present time, there has never been a agreeable way. The relations between
Ohio
word of derogation, and the products of the house dealer and the La Porte piano industry the
are ideal.
have steadily strengthened the character of their The
Hobart M. Cable Co. appreciates a dealer of am-
makers. Naturally when the younger representative
and the energy to realize it, and Mr. Corwin is
of the house appears for the first time, the busiest bition
sensible
of the worth of association with a fine, re-
piano manufacturer is not too busy to give him atten- liable line
of pianos and players and a company
tion. Albert T. Strauch, Jr., is in many respects a whose policy
is a generous consideration of the
true son of his father. In appearance the resem- dealer.
blance is striking, and in his manner of giving ex-
pression to trade impressions and views born of
experience in the New York factory, he is almost, if
not quite, as precise and accurate as the elder Albert
T. Strauch, who, veteran in the industry, still seems
a youngster. And of course the junior member of
the famous action industry is enthusiastic over the
progress of things at the new Strauch Bros, factory. Several Cases of Swelled Hip Find Remarkable
Cures at Winter Garden Show.
"We are getting settled rapidly," he said, "and
while we are not yet attempting to fill all demands,
The active ones of the Kohler Industries, New
as we would like to do, the time is not far distant York, relaxed one evening last week and dined to-
when our output will justify the promise that the gether at Keene's Chop House. Later they took
desirable end has been reached. Just now, as a mat- their minds more completely off business and in a
ter of fact, I am instructed not to take orders at body attended the show with a thousand kicks at the
all, my mission being to meet the gentlemen of the Winter Garden.
industry, so that on future trips I may not be ex-
Perhaps the greatest degree of interest evinced
actly "a stranger in a strange land.' "
by the party was aroused by William H. Bowles,
Mr. Strauch has been, for several weeks, in at- the eminent surgeon, when he performed a success-
tendance at the Forest Reserve school, in connec- ful operation for enlargement of the hip joint. The
tion with the University of Wisconsin, at Madison, patient was E. C. Schwarcz, whose fearfully dis-
and he has there acquired valuable information which torted hip was reduced to its original symmetry by a
pertains, indirectly but surely, to the industry to simple laying on of Mr. Bowles' hands. Minor op-
which his life is to be devoted.
erations for similar cases were performed on others
Of course the Presto representative asked Mr. during the evening.
Strauch about his grandfather, Peter Strauch, to
When the festivities were over it was discovered
whose industry and skill a good share of the Ameri- that Mr. Schwarcz had lost his brand-new flivver
can piano's perfection is due. It is a pleasure to sedan, which, however, a scouting party discovered
know that the veteran is still hale and enjoying life next morning on a side street near the theater.
as much as ever, his 83 years resting as lightly as he
The following took part in the events: E. A.
could wish. The Strauch brothers, Albert and Wil- Cardinal, H. Simpson, W. L. Knegel, J. T. Gibson,
liam, are, of course, filled with the same enthusiasm G. Campbell, B. P. Sibley, W. H. Bowles, G. L.
as was expressed by the junior representative—that Mclntyre, W. P. H. Bacon, W. J. Barton, E. Vidaud,
of the change from the old factory to the new. And H. J. Lajoie, E. C. Schwarcz, W. C. Heaton.
they are as active as ever—as they should be, in the
prime of life and the attainment of the end to which
their energies have long been directed. And this
REX PIANO CO. IS BUSY.
means that the Strauch piano actions will, if pos-
Lem Kline, who heads the selling end of the Rex
sible, be better than ever and, of course, there will be Piano Company, third floor of the Republic building,
many more of them coming from the new and great- Chicago, is so busy these days that he has been
ly enlarged factory.
obliged to actually turn some orders down, or parts
of good orders. When a Presto representative called
on him at his office on Wednesday of this week he
has just closed a deal for 200 machines as an initial
order to the phonograph department of a large de-
partment store in Chicago. The instruments are be-
ing produced so far in the factory at Genoa, 111., but
Piano Man Guessed True About Possibilities of Cov- Mr. Kline says the company will be in its new fac-
tory at 2048-52 Larrabee street, Chicago, this month.
ingtbn, O., Farmers for Weed.
When J. S. Corwin, the Covington, O., piano
RECALLS THE "LITTLE GIANT."
dealer, holds the formal opening of his remodeled
There is an active piano dealer at Appleton City,
store in a few weeks he will have realized in part
the ambitions born ten years ago. It was at that Mo., who bears a name which holds a place high in
comparatively recent time he opened in one small American history. The gentleman is Stephen A.
room, but his hopes were high because his experi- Douglas, who deals in "high grade pianos, stringed
ence was wide, his energy great and his courage instruments and musical instruments of all kinds."
dauntless. He chose Covington because he consid- W*hen the original Stephen A. Douglas ran for the
ered it an ideal location for a permanent piano busi- presidency against Abraham Lincoln, he set an ex-
ample of courage in defeat that has left an indelible
ness.
Covington is picturesque enough to thrill the artist, mark in the life of higher politics. Mr. Douglas of
but it would give Lucy Page Gaston a pain in the Appleton City, Mo., has a good name and he is doing
olfactories. It is one of the famous tobacco towns a crood business.
of that section, and is redolent of the weed. To-
bacco warehouses, diffusing their fragrance tower
NO MORE "KRAFT" PIANOS.
high on the landscape, and at the selling season
After
an extended experiment and the expenditure
the streets are cluttered with the bales and hogs-
heads of filler and wrapper and mixture leaf. It is of a good deal of money in the effort to establish a
then that Mr. Corwin reaps the reward of previous piano industry in Boston, the Kraft, Bates & Spen-
months of advertising and personal appeals to pros- cer Company, of that city, has given it up. In re-
pective piano and playerpiano buyers among the to- ply to the information blank request for purposes
bacco growers. Ten energetic years are represented of the 1921 edition of Presto Buyers' Guide, the Bos-
in his store, which is generally admitted to contain ton firm writes thus: "Please be advised that we
the handsomest set of warerooms in Miami county have discontinued manufacturing pianos."
and a stock of music goods to interest the most in-
different prospect.
The Emerson Piano House, Decatur, III., features
The Cofwin store has developed and grown after the Chickering pianos this week.
THIRD GENERATION OF
STRAUCH IS CALLING
NEW YORK PIANO MEN
ENJOY GREAT EVENING
J. S. CORWIN ACHIEVES
SUCCESS IN TOBACCO BELT
September 11, 1920.
PRICE & TEEPLE PIANO CO.
WIN PATENT RIGHT VICTORY
Commissioner of Patents Decides in Their Favor
Against Phonograph Men.
The following statement by the Price & Teeple
Piano Co., of an important court ruling with refer-
ence to the name "Symphonola" must interest the
entire trade. The name is one that has been made
familiar, and even famous, by its consistent use on
instruments of unchallenged merits.
The application of the Symphonola Manufactur-
ing Co., of Minneapolis, Minn., for a trade-mark and
the privilege of using the name "Symphonola" on
phonographs, as well as the application of Paul Rud-
ert, of Tarentum, Penn., to use the name "Sym-
phone" on sound boxes for phonographs, have just
been denied by Commissioner of Patents, Washing-
ton, D. C, the Commissioner ruling that the use of
the name "Symphonola" or a similar name, such as
"Symphone," on phonographs, was interfering with
the rights of the Price & Teeple Piano Co., of Chi-
cago, who clearly established the fact that they had
used the name "Symphonola" since the year 1911,
thus antedating the others, and were therefore en-
titled to the exclusive rights to the name "Sympho-
nola" or any name of similar character.
This decision affirms the prior favorable decision
of the Examiner of Interferences, in the above men-
tioned Case, No. 43386.
The Price & Teeple Piano Co. are to be congratu-
lated upon having these sweeping decisions rendered
in their favor, as it establishes beyond all question
their prior and exclusive rights to the name "Sym-
phonola" or any similar name, not only upon pianos
and playerpianos, but upon talking machines, rec-
ords, appliances and any type of musical instrument.
The decision simply confirms the right of a piano
name to be used on phonographs and parts and ac-
cessories by the owner, and the manufacturer of
other musical instruments has no right to the use
of an established piano name. In previous cases
Steinway & Sons, the Wilcox & White Co., manu-
facturers of the Angelus; and The Cable Company,
manufacturers of the Carola, each won their cases
against the phonograph manufacturers; the piano
men stopped them.
MISS. BEEBE VISITS
REPUBLIC ROLL PLANO
In the Company's Recording Rooms Clever Pianist
Plays Several Selections.
Miss Florence Beebe, who conducts the player
roll activites of the May Co., Cleveland, Ohio, dur-
ing her recent visit to New York was a visitor to
the Republic Player Roll Corporation's new factory.
Miss Beebe was particularly interested in the re-
cording room which this corporation has equipped
in its new building and played several selections on
the instruments.
Miss Beebe . besides being one of the foremost
figures in player roll sales in the United States is
a pianist of remarkable talent, having recorded many
selections from time to time for the modern player
roll. After her visit to New York Miss Beebe
returned to Cleveland to start an active campaign
on Republic player rolls which will run iuto the
rush holiday business.
NEW VENTURES SHARE
FAVOR OF BUYERS
Late Additions to Forces of Piano Distribution
Show Liveliness of Trade.
T. J. Smith, manager of Schroeder's piano store,
after three months of success in selling pianos, is
closing the store in Woodlawn, Pa., for the winter,
on account of poor heating system in the building.
Thomas F. Moore has closed a deal for the lease
of his concrete building which he is constructing on
Wall street, Winchester, Ky., to T. F. Phillips of the
Phillips Music Company. The building will be open
for business about September 15.
Muncy Bros., Richmond, Ky., will open a new fur-
niture and music store in Berea, Ky., within a very
short time.
T. A. Kling has purchased the E. Smith Music
Store on North Poplar street, Centralia, 111.
EUPHONA AT COUNTY FAIR.
B. S. Porter & Son, Lima, O., had a piano and
player exhibit at the Allen County Fair recently,
where they showed a complete line of instruments
and particularly featured the Euphona Inner-player,
made by The Cable Company, Chicago. The com-
pany was established in 1877.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
September 11, 1920.
PRESTO
LETTERS OF UNUSUAL INTEREST
FROM PRESTO CONTRIBUTORS
The Very Best Reading Possible for Trade Members, on Subjects Replete
with Interest in Every Branch of the Business.
done, and I have a duplicate copy, giving me a com-
plete record of my work. I am filling in prices I get
for my work, which I consider fair when the work
is properly done.
You have my permission to print any part or all
of this letter, or enclosures, if you see fit. If any
ideas of mine will help the "other fellow" to do bet-
ter work, well and good, as I believe every one in
the business should do the very best work he pos-
sibly can.
Very truly,
H E R B E R T E. TURNER.
[NOTE.—The work-slips sent by Mr. Turner dis-
play ingenuity and will be useful to other practical
tuners. In accordance with his permission, more
helps will appear in a special article in Presto next
week.—Ed. Presto.]
Pearl Harbor—our naval base for the Pacific. It
has the largest dry dock of any harbor, $10,000,000
having been expended thereon; also immense float-
ing derricks and repair shops for anything in the
ship building line. Immense coal sheds provide
Story of the Man of Many Aliases, a Later Account fuel for the ships of our navy. At Ft. Shafter
$20,000,000 are spent to house about 30,000 to 40,000
Appearing in This Week's Presto.
soldiers, of all branches of the army.
Newton, Kas., Sept. 1, 1920.
The climate is just glorious. The thermometer
Editor Presto: I am writing to you because I be- varies between 55 and 85 degrees; it never is either
Lyon & Healy to Install $23,000.00 Pipe Organ in
lieve you will help promptly to find out about what hot or cold. Pineapples, bananas, bread fruit and
Gymnasium at Quantico, W. Va.
I believe to be a very clever swindling scheme. papeia—a tree fruit, in taste similar to our casaba—
Here are facts, as nearly correct as I can present grow here in abundance. But the main industry is
As a result of the efforts made by energetic mem-
them from what we can find out (or what seem to
raising of sugar cane, of which one can see thousands
bers of the U. S. Marine Corps, stationed at Quan-
be the facts). Yesterday I purchased a walnut cased and thousands of acres on all of the five islands.
tico, W. Va., a magnificent pipe organ is to be in-
"Silvertone" (Sears, Roebuck) phonograph, Number
stalled in the post gymnasium. This will be the first
That the money craze is having its orgies here,
P. F. C. H53O1, and 16 Columbia records, from a
post of either the army or the navy to have an
as well as elsewhere, you can see from the fact that
man giving the name of Guy McCain, of Sterling, the Asiatic coolies, who have for years worked for
organ, and is one more evidence of the progressive
Kans. This same name is tattooed on his right fore- $20 per month, are now drawing $120 to $150 per
interest taken in the welfare of the marines.
arm, and he is about 5 feet tall, 40 or 45 years old,
month, and mechanics in the sugar mills get as much
The organ itself will cost about $23,000.00 and
rather of sandy hair and red freckled face—as near as $800 to $1,000 per month. Does not this beat
has been ordered from Lyon & Healy. It will be
as I can describe—and would weigh about 130 anything we know of in the piano industry, where
one of the finest in the country and will contain a
pounds.
even now a good retail salesman is glad to get $250 number of late improvements and accessories so
He sold me this phonograph, representing it to per month.
that it may be used for every purpose which the
be of perfect title; stating he had owned it 18 months.
I am going to San Francisco on the 21st, arriv- needs of the post indicate, being a three manual and
I found out at the express office that it had been ing there on the 28th. If I can finish my business pedal pipe organ. In addition to the great organ, the
reshipped to him, the day previous, from. Sterling, there in time will leave for Yellowstone Park on
swell organ, the orchestral organ and the pedal or-
Kans.—to him under the name of James D. Tuttle— Sept. 2nd., from there to Glacier Park, and then
gan, there will be a full drum outfit, and among the
and had been shipped out of Chicago by Sears, Roe- direct to Chicago, where we may arrive about Sept. accessories will be an electric motor and blower,
buck a few days previous to Guy McCain at Sterling, 20th, or thereabouts. After a short stay at Chicago
electric generator and console in pit.
Kans. The sheriff now has the man in jail, holding and Rockford, we go direct to New York, where
The incident recalls a note of war days, for two
him under the charge of getting money under fa'se we have engaged steamer passage for Rotterdam of the Healy boys were in the marine corps. Both
pretenses and, in searching his effects, receipts, etc., on October 2nd—providing the bolshevikis are not Captain Vincent E. Healy and First Lieutenant Au-
were found that seem to indicate that he had gotten overrunning all Europe! After that we have no
gustine Healy were students at the Marine Officers'
other phonographs from Sears, Roebuck under other fixed plan, except that somehow we want to finish
School in Quantico, later making for themselves en-
names, i. e., "Donald Kelly, Wynona, Okla.," "Guy the trip around the world by way of India, China, viable records in France.
:
McCain, Nickerson, Kans.," and "W . G. Tuttle, Japan, back to Honolulu and Southern California.
Sterling, Kansas." He stated to the county attorney
I am very glad we took the trip to Hawaii. It
and sheriff that he had gotten other phonographs and was a revelation for us and has restored Mrs. D's
told them, further, that the one he sold me was not health so much that she is herself again, while four
paid for.
months ago I was daily in fear of losing her.
Now, for the sake of the music dealers all over
Cordially yours,
the country, this matter ought to be taken up with
Good Report of Manager Lewis, on His Return from
A L F R E D DOLGE.
Seas, Roebuck, and the facts verified and this man
Mr. French's Resting Place.
prosecuted, if the facts justify it, as it may be pos-
General Manager C. B. Lewis, of the Jesse French
sible that I have uncovered one of a gang of clever
& Sons Piano Co., New Castle, is back from a visit
swindlers. Kindly see if the piano merchants' asso-
with H. Edgar French at tha.t gentleman's temporary
ciation can't investigate this matter and let me know
home in Boerne, Texas. Mr. Lewis found Mr.
if I have done the trade at large a favor.
French much improved in health, and anxious to get
Yours Sincerely,
Herbert E. Turner, an Independent, Indorses Recent
back into the harness again. However, he does not
H. S. DICKEY'S PIANO STORE.
Strong Article by R. C. Bishop, of Oklahoma?"""
expect to return home for a year or so, as he wants
to make his recovery permanent.
Aurora, 111., Aug. 23, 1920.
What has been said will be good news to a large
Editor Presto: Enclosed please find $2 for one
number of piano men who know Mr. French per-
year's subscription to Presto. The article by R. C. sonally. That gentleman's hard work, in the up-
Bishop in July 24 issue is alone worth the price of a
building of the big industry at New Castle was re-
year's subscription. I can say "Amen" to every
sponsible for his physical decline and which, it was
Tells of Trade in the Islands and Gives a Graphic
statement in the article, as I am an independent
believed, only a long rest was needed to restore.
Picture of Our Charge in the Pacific.
tuner, working along the same line as Mr. Bishop, That happy result has been nearly attained and the
trying to educate the piano owners to the necessity loyal and capable manner in which Mr. Lewis has
Haleiwa, Hawaii, Aug. 18, 1920.
of care of their pianos, both musically and mechanic-
sustained his responsible position is doing much to
Editor Presto: We are here now just about one ally.
further the entire recovery of Mr. French.
month, and I have just killed time sitting under palm
I have found, in my fifteen years' experience, that
trees, drawing. I thought I never could do such a
A PERTINENT QUESTION.
thing, but the wonderful scenery, the balmy air, the more pianos are worn out from lack of mechanical
music of the ever-rolling ocean and the beautiful care than from use. When people have had their
The
Smith
Piano Co., Milwaukee, asks this week
blue sky makes one think of Schopenhauer's Nir- pianos tuned once or twice a year, by the same
in the newspapers: "Can't you afford now to own
tuner
for
years,
and
no
mechanical
care
has
been
vana—that condition of positive inertness, sel^sat-
a fine piano? Now, when you are enjoying a better
isfaction and brotherly love of all humankind—or given, no one is to blame but the tuner, and a great
income than perhaps ever before, is the time to real-
many
times
he
isn't,
as
he
may
have
no
mechanical
the reverse of the latter, if you choose!
ize your long cherished wish for a piano or player-
ability.
Recently
I
was
called
by
a
prominent
teacher
It is just glorious here and if it were not that these
piano in your home. Then why wait longer? But
islands harbor 220,000 Asiatics—Chinese, Japanese, in my town, who has employed the same Chicago
remember a piano, if bought right, is something you
Filipinos and what not—against only 30,000 whites music house tuner for ten years, not less than once purchase only once. A good piano should be, and
a
year
and
usually
twice,
and
in
all
that
time
he
had
—Portuguese, Americans, English, a few French,
ours are, guaranteed to last indefinitely. And be-
Italian, Germans and Russians—one would have the not removed the action for cleaning, tightening or
hind the Smith, Barnes & Strohber Company's guar-
regulating.
There
was
only
three-sixteenths
of
an
desire to stay here and let the old world rumble
antee stands a reputation worth millions to us be-
inch lost motion between the keys and action.
along any old way it may choose!
cause it has taken us thirty-five years to earn it."
This,
I
find,
is
a
fair
sample
of
the
average
music
There are three piano stores here. The Bergstrom
Music Co., established over 20 years ago, carrying house tuner's work. I am enclosing a circular that
FOR YOUNGSTOWN CONVENTION.
Mason & Hamlin, Aeolian and Haddorff, is the larg- I got out several years ago; these brought in more
The A. B. Chase piano was the official instrument
est concern of all. It is owned by W. A. Adams, a work than any kind of advertising I ever did. The
of the Lockport music festival, held this week in
most genial man, with artistic temperament and past year I have had more work than I could do
Locport, N. Y. At the conclusion of the festival,
leanings. The Thayer Music Co. carries Steinway without any advertising, except my own work, which
Warren C. Whitney, president of the A. B. Chase
and the Starr line; and the Honolulu company has is the best adv. any tuner can have.
Piano Co., Inc., who attended the festival, will pro-
the American Piano Co.'s line.
I find very few, in fact hardly any, people when
ceed to Youngstown, O., to address the annual con-
At Hilo, the next largest city (10,000), on the the actual condition of their pianos is shown them,
vention of the Ohio Piano Merchants' Association,
Island Hawaii, the Moses Stationery & Music Co. and they are told intelligently what needs to be done,
which opens next week.
carries the Mason & Hamlin, Haddorff and Decker mechanically, to their pianos and what it will cost
& Son. * Honolulu has 83,000 population and is the them to have the work done right, who will not have
Schmoller & Mueller Piano Company, Sioux City,
biggest trading post in the Pacific Ocean. Nearly all the necessary work done and are willing to pay
la., brought suit against George M. Carey for $200,
all the steamers to and from the Orient stop here, the price. I am enclosing sample of my work slips
alleged to be due for rent on space used in their
which I had printed in September in tab form. This
unloading and taking passengers and freight.
store by Carey for his music department.
Uncle Sam is spending millions and millions on gives the customer an itemized account of the work
NEWTON, KAS., DEALER
UNCOVERS A SWINDLER
UNCLE SAM ORDERS GREAT
ORGAN FOR MARINE POST
H. EDGAR FRENCH RAPIDLY
REGAINING HIS HEALTH
PRACTICAL TUNER TELLS
OF HIS EXPERIENCES
FROM ALFRED DOLGE
IN DREAMY HAWAII ISLES
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

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