Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1920 1785

PRESTO
October 9, 1920.
Jas. F. Bowers, present head of the old music house, knew them all,
and he knows, too, why the unfolding pedal in those times would
have created a sensation while today it will scarcely cause a ripple,
good as it is.
FIFTY YEARS FAITHFUL
Fifty years ago very few if any men could cejebrate their semi-
centennial as faithful workers for the same music house—or any
other U. S. A. business house. Certainly no man at that time in
Chicago could do it, and it would be difficult today to find as many
as two or three who have remained loyal to one place and one trust
through fifty years. That is why the story in last week's Presto,
of the celebration of Mr. Jas. F. Bowers' devotion to the house of
Lyon & Healy, and its reward, has so much more than ordinary trade
interest.
Fifty years ago the music trade was not of great importance in
the commercial world. It was just beginning to grow into some-
thing. In the East Oliver Ditson had built up a good business in
Boston. In New York Firth, Pond & Hall had grown fairly large.
In the West Cincinnati had a good music store, conducted by a man
named Baldwin—not the founder of the present great piano industry
—and Milwaukee had H. N. Hempstead, running a branch of the New
York house just as, later, Lyon & Healy started as an offshoot
of the Boston house. Chicago already had two fairly successful
music stores—those of H. M. Higgins and Root & Cady.
But the house of Lyon & Healy, opened in 1864, is the only one
that survives today, and Mr. Bowers, now president of that fine in-
stitution has been with it from the sixth year of its existence. How
the memories must have filled him on the day of his semi-centennial
anniversary! He must have had with him again that little giant,
P. J. Healy, and the noted musical enthusiast, George W. Lyon. He
must have recalled the days when his late successor as president of
the house, "Bob" Gregory, looked after the "small goods" with the
dignity of a preacher, and "Charlie" Post attended to the affairs of the
office. He knew the late Silas G. Pratt, composer and pianist, whose
successor he was in presiding over the sheet music counter. He had
seen the other veterans of today—as "Ben" Jefferson, the adv.-man;
Jay Freeman, the violin expert, and a host of others—come into the
house and grow to places of importance. He knew the "Healy boys"
when they were babes and he can recall an army of Chicago's early
musicians who have long since given up piano playing to handle
celestial harps.
And when Mr. Bowers applied for a place in Lyon & Healy's,
the great "Chicago fire" had not yet swept away every vestige of the
city's musical greatness. The famous Smith & Nixon Hall, at Clark
and Washington streets, still stood, with its big Steinway sign across
SEVERAL EXPERTS
TALK ADVERTISING
Tell Piano Men of Campaigns and Propa-
ganda Methods of Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce.
Alfred L. Smith, manager of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, the main office of which is
in New York, is improving both as a public speaker
and a demonstrator of ideas, plans and proceedings
along the line of promoting a more general interest
in music and things that produce music. He gives
his message in a simple and instructive way; it is a
pleasure and a profit to listen to him.
His subject before the Chicago Piano & Organ
Association on Thursday of last week was "Co-
operative Advertising," which he said was the one
theme that had been running through the different
lines of publicity. Most of the important trades
had this end in view. Cement-selling propaganda
was spread through articles on the necessity of good
roads. Fruit growers and dealers had changed the
eating habits of the nation by advertising the good
habit of eating fruit for breakfast.
And now we were trying to make America more
musical. The speaker believed, he said, that con-
ditions were not ripe now for co-operative adver-
tising on a national scale. But it is possible for a
campaign to be conducted through local advertising.
In the work of promoting the love of music, each
campaign of the Bureau for the Advancement of
Music is a part of a certain theme. First, Mr. Smith
said, came "Music in Wartime." Then followed
"Music in Times of Peace," "Music in Childhood"
and other campaigns, Later the theme was carried
the roof and the things of the trade, as we have them today, were
still unborn. There was no dream of the player-piano, the harp had
not entered Mr. Healy's dream of art, it had not been thought pos-
sible to create a new piano to bear the firm name and daily programs
of free concerts to entertain customers were remote from the scheme
of progress.
It is easy to imagine some of the sensations which must have
moved Mr. Bowers, as head of the house of Lyon & Healy, that day
last week when he was called upon to accept the congratulations of
his friends upon the celebration of fifty years with the house, every
year of which has lifted him still higher in the esteem of the trade
and public. It was a notable memorial to an unusual attainment and
a very rare condition.
President Wilson has set aside today, October 9, as Fire Preven-
tion Day. In his proclamation to the nation, he asks the governors
of the various states to designate and set apart October 9, as Fire
Prevention Day. This being the anniversary of the great Chicago fire
of 1871, the citizens of Chicago have annually taken notice of it by
holding meetings and by visits to the relics that are on exhibition at
the Chicago Historical Society's building and elsewhere. President
Wilson calls attention in the proclamation to timber saving by tak-
ing steps to prevent forest fires and fire prevention generally. Piano
men, manufacturers, merchants and salesmen, are interested in fire
prevention, whether in the great forests or the cities large and small.
Without wood we could make very little. And lumber is getting
scarce—and consequently costly.
* * #
Mr. Alfred Dolge, a gentleman so widely know in the piano
industry that his name is historic, sailed last Saturday from New
York for Rotterdam, on a trip "around the world." It may strike
some in the trade as remarkable that Mr. Dolge is again absolutely
independent financially. Considering that not so many years ago his
entire fortune, of an ordinary life time of hard work, and large work,
was swept from him, the achievements of the founder of two Dolge-
villes set a fine example for younger men in whatsoever line of
endeavor.
*»s
•¥•
¥
Because some minor essentials to life are "coming down" is no
reason why pianos will soon take a tumble. Dealers who wait for
lower prices before placing their orders will have a dull Christmas
and a slow start for the New Year.
# * *
Copper has fallen somewhat in price. But copper isn't much of
an item in the piano, and the decline won't cut any corners in the
still upward tendency in the cost of the completed instrument.
on by reproducing quotations of what great Ameri-
cans had thought of music, showing how essential
it is to life or good living.
Mr. Smith exhibited an advertisement showing
what our leading presidents had said about music.
One plan was to sell it to the local papers at the
regular price and then the local paper men could
solicit advertising from the music trade of the
town in which they published. The associations
are offering to the merchants of each locality propa-
ganda showing the importance of inculcating the
desire among the people for music. It might be
well also to have a local organization go over the
work. Mr. Smith thought it best not to advertise
any specific line of houses in the general advertising
of music.
Edwin F. Droop, of Washington, D. C, spoke
briefly. He said he always felt rejuvenated by meet-
ing such a lot of intelligent men as constituted the
gatherings of the piano trade in Chicago. He was
going back to Washington with a lot of new ideas,
and he had got those ideas in Chicago.
Frank E. Morton said he had found that the
University of Illinois had no place in its curriculum
for the promotion of music. He said we should
work through organizations and associations. We
had got to make and sell 500,000 pianos a year in
this country; we must reach that figure. We had
passed the buck long enough. It was high time
for the Chicago Piano & Organ Association—each
member in it—to do his part.
Adam Schneider, president of the association,
talked of the retailers' license and of the reporting
bureau which reports removals in Chicago. About
60,000 removals had been reported so far. Prose-
cutions were about to be begun against expressmen
who had fai 1 ed to report names and addresses of
persons they had moved.
The association passed a resolution congratulating
FINE SALES IN PLAYERS
MARK WEEK IN PORTLAND
Other Items of Trade News Suggest' Activity in
Music Goods Generally.
The G. F. Johnson Piano Co., Portland, Ore.,
made some fine sales last week, among them being
two Chickering Ampicos and two Marshall & Wen-
dell Ampicos. These sales were made by Charles
Huggins.
Horace Marlow, of the San Francisco branch of
the Wiley B. Allen Co., has been transferred to the
Portland branch. He motored from San Francisco
to Portland.
Back orders for Conn saxophones are now coming
in at the store of the McDougal Music Co., Port-
land, Ore. There is a big demand for these saxo-
phones and R. S. McDougal expects an enormous
business in that line this fall.
SPIRIT OF MUSIC.
In featuring the Knabe piano this, week the Bruce
Co., Springfield, 111., said: "The spirit of music
dwells within the Knabe. It is not merely a good
instrument of sound workmanship—it is more. A
living and breathing art has endowed the Knabe
with soul and distinctive individuality. It is the
harmonic achievement of supreme craftsmanship."
James F. Bowers on the completion of fifty years
with Lyon & Healy.
A report was made that James F. Broderick is
now out of the sanitarium and can be visited at his
home at 4709 Beacon street, Chicago, where he
will welcome old friends, for he feels lonesome at
times.
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/
PRESTO
CITY THRILLED
BY MUSIC LOVE
Col. F. B. T. Hollenberg Sets Little Rock
Aflame with Enthusiasm and Robert Law-
rence Does the Rest Till the Arkan-
sas City Is All Smiles and Singing.
Success
marked
the first period of
the campaign for
establishment
o f
community singing
on a broad scale
throughout Arkan-
sas which Robert
Lawrence, of the
National Bureau for
the Advancement of
Music opened last
week under the aus-
pices of the Little
Rock Music Commission, of which F. B. T. Hollen-
berg is chairman.
In accordance with the program formulated in
mid-summer, the first period, from September 27
to October 2 inclusive, was devoted to preliminary
work, including interviews with representatives of
industries, department stores, educational institu-
tions, churches, clubs, lodges and other organiza-
tions desiring to promote community singing and
the holding of demonstration "sings."
Training Period.
The second period, from October 18 to 30, in-
clusive, will be the training period. The third per-
iod, beginning November 22 and ending on Thanks-
giving Day, will be called "Community Sing Week,"
and the crowning feature of the campaign will be
held on Thanksgiving Day.
Mr. Lawrence arrived in Little Rock September
27. At Colonel Hollenberg's suggestion Benjamin D.
Brickhouse, mayor of Little Rock, appointed a
music commission, which is handling the details of
Mr. Lawrence's campaign. Of this commission,
Mr. Hollenberg himself was made chairman. The
other members are George B. Rose, a well known
attorney and patron of arts; Gordon M. Peay, pres-
ident of the W. E. Worthen Company Bank; L. C.
Herrington, president of the Typographical Union;
Mrs. H. H. Foster, perhaps the leading patron of
music in Arkansas; Mrs. Will Henniger, teacher of
singing; Saul Harris, who controls all the theatres
and picture shows in Little Rock; J. L. Bond, State
Superintendent of Public Instruction; and Mayor
Brickhouse.
Col. Hollenberg's Part.
Colonel Hollenberg has guaranteed the entire cost
of the campaign, but all of the music dealers in
Little Rock and a great many others insisted upon
sharing the expenses, with the result that the total
cost of the campaign, amounting approximately to
$1,700, will be so distributed that it will be a burden
to no one person or concern.
"The work here has been unusually successful,"
says Mr. Lawrence in a report to the Chamber.
"We have held the following sings: Junior High
School, 1,500 persons; Draughton's Business Col-
lege, 200; Robson-Roders Co., 60; general meeting
at the High School, 400; Blass' Department Store,
200; Senior High School, 1,500; Miller Manufactur-
ing Co., 100; Lions Club (Business men), 60; Tele-
phone Co., 100; Colored High School, 400; Business
Women's Club, 75; Rotary Club, 100.
"The following sings are scheduled to occur:
Three picture shows, Pfeifers Department Store,
Argenta High School, W. E. L. Bruce Co., Catholic
School, Missouri Railroad Shops.
"From this you will see that by Saturday night I
shall have held twenty-one demonstration sings dur-
ing the week. This covers the ground very thor-
oughly, and a great deal of interest has been
aroused."
WIDER USES FOR THE
LESLEY PATCHING VARNISH
Three More Distributing Stations Added for Con-
venience of Customers by Indianapolis Company.
The interest of manufacturers, dealers and tuners
grows every month for Lesley's Patching Varnish,
the popular product of the Lesley's Chemical Co..
Indianapolis, Ind. Frank Lesley, manager of the
company, reports further extensions of the Lesley
Chemical Co.'s agency which provide three addi-
tional distributing points for the convenience of the
trade.
In Dallas, Texas, the Sonora Distributing Co. has
been made an agent for the Lesley products. This
company is now supplied with stock from which
customers in the Southwestern States may be sup-
plied.
The New England States will be served with Les-
ley's Patching Varnish and the other useful com-
modities made by the Indianapolis company by the
Lansing Sales Co., Boston, Mass. This company is
also supplied with the necessary stock for filling
New England orders.
A stock of the specialties of Lesley's Chemical
Co. is ready for exportation to Ca Cuba De Fono-
grafos, No. 89 O'Reilly street, Habana, Cuba, which
company will be pleased to fill orders from Cuban
customers as soon as express service for Cuba is
available. The American Express Co. has an em-
bargo on shipments to that point.
The new service station which Lesley's Chemical
Co. opened in the downtown district of Indianapolis
on September 1 is now in busy running order. Three
students were taught during the month.
Besides patching varnish, the company makes the
following useful commodities: piano polish, crack-
filling varnish, dusting fluid, stain spirit glue, metal
polish, auto body polish and finishers' supplies.
MOVEMENTS OF MEN
OF THE TRADE NOTED
Brief Items Recording the Whereabouts of Promi-
nent Ones.
James Guyette is manager of the W. T. Brows
Piano Co., Jacksonville, 111. The house is over 40
years in business and points to its record as a surety
to prospective piano or playerpiano buyers.
E. W. Strong is manager of the piano department
of Sifnond's Music Store, Ottawa, 111.
Miss Helen Allison is manager of the player roll
department of Byron Mauzy, San Francisco. The
line composes the Q R S and Mel-o-dee rolls.
C. J. Doser is a new man on the sales staff of the
small goods department of Lyon & Healy, Chicago.
T. W. Perkins has joined the sales force of the
player department of Lyon & Healy, Chicago.
Albert F. Price, vice-president of the Price &
Teeple Piano Company, has returned to Chicago
from a trip to Memphis and Little Rock. He found
the weather very hot down there.
C. R. Huston, traveler in Minnestota and Wis-
consin for the Baldwin Piano Company, spent last
Saturday in Chicago at the Baldwin offices.
Walter Kiehn resigned his position as managing
editor of the Chicago Musical Times last Saturday
and on Monday began work in the sales and adver-
tising department of the Gulbransen-Dickinson com-
pany. Mr. Kiehn is an alert young man and will,
undoubtedly, make good in his new position.
C. G. Gulbransen, superintendent of the Gulbran-
sen-Dickinson company's factory, Chicago, moved
his office into the new building on Monday of this
week. It is on the second floor.
E. J. Wolmer, who recently resigned from the
Kieselhorst Piano Co., St. Louis, has returned to
California.
Frank Hamm, a traveling man for the Tri-Sales
Co., has joined the piano sales forces of the Kiesel-
horst Piano Co., St. Louis.
Otto J. De Moll, of O. J. De Moll & Co., Wash-
ington, D. C, is the most active member of a com-
mittee appointed by the Merchants' and Manu-
facturers' Association to stimulate the Do Your
Christmas Shopping Early spirit.
Henry P. Veatch, Chicago manager of the Pack-
ard Piano Company's business, was in Chester, 111.,
on Wednesday of this week.
C. J. Scheiman, treasurer of the Packard Piano
Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., was in Chicago one
dav this week. He was accompanied by W. H.
Wiebke, assistant treasurer of the house.
STEINERT OFFICIAL HONORED.
Jerome F. Murphy, of Boston, was accorded a
pleasant surprise visit last Thursday night by his
associates of the M. Steinert & Sons' organization
of that city. Mr. Murphy is treasurer of the M.
Steinert & Sons Co., and general manager of the
Jev/ett Piano Company. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy
were presented with a mahogany library table and
a floor lamp. Many messages were read from friends
and associates.
PIANO PRICES REDUCED.
There is unusual interest in the announcement of
Lyon & Healy in this issue of Presto. The great
Chicago hcuse declares a price reduction and, in
view of the source of the announcement, it becomes
of great significance. When Lvon & Healy say
something, the trade listens. The announcement
menns a reduction in the price of a high grade piano
and, without doubt, the trade will take it seriously
and the result will be an impetus in the demand
for Lyon & Healy pianos which has had few paraf-
lels in their class.
October 9, 1920.
LABOR TURNOVER IN
MUSIC INDUSTRIES
Excellent Conditions in Plants Denoted by the
Flattering Report on Conditions Made
by Journal of Commerce.
"Most of the employes are very highly skilled
workers of the older type. They look upon them-
selves as craftsmen. Wages are high and work is
steady. Moreover, the men have a superintendent
they like. As a result, the annual turnover is less
than 50 per cent," is the report on labor turnover in
one of the musical instrument factories investigated
recently by the Journal of Commerce, New York.
The average yearly rate of labor shift or "turnover"
in 1920 for skilled and semi-skilled factory workers
in New York City is 125 per cent and for unskilled
factory workers 265 per cent, according" to reports
made to the Industrial Bureau of the Merchants' As-
sociation by forty-two manufacturing concerns rep-
resenting fifteen different industries and employing a
total average force of 41,375 workers.
In about two-thirds of the plants studied the turn-
over lay between 100 and 250 per cent, but the total
range for all plants extended from a minimum of
16/$ per cent to a maximum of 338 per cent, says the
Journal of Commerce, which adds: The cost of re-
placements, according to the testimony of employ-
ers, varies from $10 for unskilled to $250 for highly
skilled workers. A fair average for semi-skilled em-
ployes is $50 or more.
Three musical instrument factories were covered
in this study of various industries. In most cases
the period investigated was the first eight months of
1920. The turnover of factory labor increased dur-
ing the war and some time after the signing of the
armistice. The tendency now, however, seems to be
in the opposite direction.
For the purpose of this report, therefore, labor
turnover has been computed by dividing the number
of employes replaced during a year by the average
number of persons on the payroll during the same
period. For example, if there was an average of 100
men on the payroll of a concern during the year, and
200 additional employes had to be secured during
that time to replace those who were fired, died or
quit for any other cause, the turnover would be twice
the average number on the payroll, or 200 per cent.
In a decreasing payroll replacements will equal the
number of people hired, while in an increasing one
they will equal the number of separations from the
plant.
It is apparent that the turnover among plants em-
ploying mainly unskilled workers is much larger
than in factories where the operatives are more
skilled. In the former group, six out of fourteen, or
43 per cent of the concerns, have a turnover between
200 per cent and 250 per cent. Among the latter
group twelve out of twenty-eight, or 43 per cent,
have turnovers between 100 per cent and 150 per
cent. The difference between these two groups is
most clearly shown by the actual figures.
NEW ORLEANS MANAGER
ENTERTAINS HIS SALESMEN
Sales Force of Junius Hart Piano Co. Are Dinner
Guests of George A. Stecker.
General Manager George A. Stecker, of the Junius
Hart Piano House, New Orleans, La., recently en-
tertained the sales and office force at Maylie & Es-
parbo's. It was another of those get-together af-
fairs, in which the "boys," incidental to the enjoy-
ment of the menu, exchanged ideas tending to the
promotion of the efficiency of the service and piano
salesmanship generally.
General Manager Stecker presided and indulged
in a little heart-to-heart congratulatory talk on the
increase of business and the hustling co-operation of
the force which so largely contributed to the suc-
cess. Among those present were: J. F. White,
Paul T. Ashton, F. W. Tudury, F. C. Schmitt, H. W.
Couturie, Jr., Wm. G. Burck, Henry Mische, H. F.
Vidclange, Hugh Martin, Frank Desplas.
PIANO STRIKE POSTPONED.
A national referendum is being held by the
Piano, Organ p.nd Musical Instrument Makers'
International Union of America on the question
of the postponement of the proposed national strike
of the 50.000 piano, organ and musical instrument
makers, it was announced last Saturday, in New
York City, by John Whitehill. vice-president of the
international union. Mr. Whitehill said that he did
not consider the present time opportune for a na-
tional strike. He thought it most likely that the
workers would vote for postponement. There are
about 20,000 piano and organ makers in New York
City alone.
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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