Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
Editor*
Telephones, Local and Long Distance,, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
merclal Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered aa second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription,
;rlptlon, $2
$2 a year; 6 months,
months, 91;
91; Foreign,
Foreign, f4.
PayHplfl a In advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions,
Cuba
and
Mexico.
Rates
for
advertising
on
Ions,
application.
lication should make public, seemingly serious-
ly, that the Ohio music trade has become so
small in its individual resources as to proffer
notes for $5 to such an extent that a warning
against them should be considered necessary,
even by the official organ.
The music trade is not pauperized and its
representatives are as financially able to draw
checks for $5 as those in any other line of
business. We blush—can't help it.
A WORTHY CAUSE
President Matt J. Kennedy, of the National
Piano Travelers' Association, has the right
idea. He believes that the trade organiza-
tions are good for something, and that they
may serve a purpose even better than meeting
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the in conventions or enjoying the social amenities
editorial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of pro- of the club.
duction will be charged if of commercial character,
Last week Mr. Kennedy proved this when
or other than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is he mailed a letter to members of the associa-
requested that their subjects and senders be carefully tion telling of the unhappy plight of Mr.
indicated.
James Freeman, of St. Louis, and asking for
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- subscriptions to enable the unfortunate fellow
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the traveler to secure artificial limbs by which to
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full permit him to resume his self-sustaining
page dfsplay copy should be in hand by Monday noon work.
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than
The cause is so good, and the promptings of
Wednesday noon.
Mr.
Kennedy's appeal so characteristically and
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
humanly
sympathetic, that there should be,
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
and will be, prompt response. Mr. Kennedy
asked for only one dollar from each of the 300
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1927.
members of the Piano Travelers' Association.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press Had he called for several times that sum it
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring would, we believe, have been forthcoming.
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
And that is practical association work—the
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
is not strictly news of importance can have kind that, more than any other, proves the
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they helpful possibilities of such organizations and
concern the interests of manufacturers or justifies their encouragement. He would be a
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the very small man who could refuse Mr. Ken-
current issue must reach the office not later nedy's request, and help for Mr. Freeman will
than Wednesday noon of each week.
not be slow in coming.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
NITWIT NOTES
There is no escaping the impression that the
power of printer's ink in the hands of side-line
contributors to trade literature may be mis-
leading to the point of disaster. As good a
specimen as any, to illustrate what is meant,
appeared in a recent issue of the "official bul-
letin of the Music Merchants Association of
Ohio." And behind the item trails the intima-
tion that of all the threadbare hangers-on to
the skirts of industry the men of music must
be about the poorest. But here is the item:
GUIDE TO PIANO CONTESTS
Considerable space in this w r eek's Presto-
Times is devoted to a very valuable descrip-
tion of the Piano Playing Contest. In it Mr.
Frank J. Bayley tells in detail just how to go
about the staging of a contest. The article
is a copy of what is to be published by the
National Piano Association, for general dis-
tribution, together with the forms, etc. It
will be a month or more before the official
organization can place the same material in
the hands of the dealers.
A long established rule of the Music Merchants As-
The time is short for 1927 preparations and
sociation of Ohio is not to accept notes of its members
Mr.
Bayley believes every large city and some
for the $5.00 annual dues. Please send your check now
smaller
ones are clamoring for just the sug-
for $5.00, as we have no bank or finance company con-
nections to handle notes.
gestions presented this week. Therefore it
Mind you, that suggestion of financial in- must be of value to readers of Presto-Times
adequacy appeared in a publication designed to give it in advance. The plan for contests
to represent the combined music trade of a makes a long article, but if it were any shorter
great state. Possibly it may have been in- it would leave many questions to be answered.
tended for wit. We hope so. But it was poor And even now should further elucidation be
desired Mr. Bayley will give all counsel re-
humor, in that event.
quested
to any who may write to Presto-
The paragraph, as it stands, must by many,
Times
and
both questions and answers will
if it is read, imply that a five dollar payment
later
appear
in these columns.
is so important that "notes" are given to se-
cure it. Which, of course, is not true. No
Since the start of the World War the Nation's
Ohio music dealer ever offered his note for
membership fee to any association. Neverthe- population has increased 118,628,000. And in all that
time there have been piano men who seemed troubled
less, we have reason to know that piano men about where the instruments were to be sold. They
of intelligence, who observe what the trade have had the notion of saturation in mind. If we can
publications are doing have been astounded sell the added 118,000,000 it won't be so bad.
* * *
by the statement of the Ohio association
Mr.
Frank
J.
Bayley,
of Detroit, creator of the
organ. They cannot understand how any pub- Piano Playing Contest idea,
makes an interesting
February 12, 1927.
suggestion. It is that any piano dealer, or others
concerned in the contest movement, write to Presto-
Times, putting any questions about which there may
be any doubt, and to which Mr. Bayley will make
replies. The questions and answers will be published
in this trade paper and will do much to still further
spread general interest in the best plan for helping
along the sale of pianos. Read the article in this
issue and send in your questions.
* * *
The first big fire in the piano industry this week
destroyed the factory of the Newman Bros. Company
on Dix street, Chicago. Fortunately the actual loss
of pianos was not large because the industry had not
been active for a considerable time. It is a pity to
lose the fine old factory, and will be a still greater
loss should the fine old Newman Bros. Company de-
cide to retire from the business entirely, which is as
yet not decided.
* * *
The Chicago Piano Club is getting a start on the
preliminary work of the June convention. President
Laughead, of the club, makes announcement con-
cerning hotel accommodations at the new Stevens
Hotel. He announces that over 2,400 of the 3,000
rooms will be available and that members of the
music trades and industries are urged to forward
their reservations at the earliest time possible in
order to secure the best service.
* * *
Don't merely tell it; prove, demonstrate it.
WHAT WE WERE DOING
And Saying When the Trade
Was Young
45 YEARS AGO IN THE TIMES
(From Musical Times* Feb. 12, 1882.)
Messrs. John Church & Co., have secured a build-
ing on Walnut street, above Sixth, Cincinnati, at a
rental of $2,400 per annum, for the purpose of storing
surplus stock, principally pianos and organs.
A writer in McMillan's Magazine, of London,
concedes that American manufacturers are honest and
unexcelled. He declares that the United States is
soon to become the greatest in the manufacture o£
musical instruments.
The new Cincinnati house of D. S. Johnston &
Co. will handle the Mathushek piano.
George Jardine, the well-known organ builder, of
New York, died February 12, aged eighty. He came
from London, England, in 1837. His brother was a
piano maker of Broadway and Grand street.
Only old fogy musicians refuse to endorse upright
pianos.
35 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
(From Presto, Feb. 11, 1892.)
Eighteen hundred and ninety-one was not only our
most prosperous year; it was also the most eventful.
The volume of business done exceeds by far that of
any previous year.
The report submitted at the annual meeting of the
Wilcox & White Organ Company showed a most sat-
isfactory state of affairs. Better still, a seven per
cent dividend was declared.
Wiley B. Allen, of Portland, is closing out his
stock of books and stationery at public auction. He
will devote his time and space to the music business
exclusively, handling his goods through the M. Gray
Co. of San Francisco.
Stultz & Bauer have now completed all the altera-
tions, which have been in progress for some months,
at their factory in East Thirty-first street, New York.
Mr. Bauer states that their trade in January was
the best they ever enjoyed in that month.
25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, Feb. 13, 1902.)
The Philadelphia Piano Trade Association held its
fifth annual meeting and banquet at the Hotel Strat-
ford, in the Quaker City, Saturday evening, Febru-
ary 8. The association elected, at that meeting, the
following officers: President, C. J. Heppe; vice-presi-
dent, George Miller; secretary, D. E. Woolley; treas-
urer, A. Von Bermuth. Directors selected are: G.
R. Fleming, James C. Miller and Leopold Bellak.
Piano productions of the "rattle trap" and "thump-
box" variety appear, in a great measure, to have
"had their day." At any rate, the demand for them
is evidently and rapidly on the decline—a fact which
furnishes occasion for much congratulation.
Today workmen began to tear down old Chickering
Hall, at Fifth avenue and Eighteenth street, New
York. By noon there was little or nothing left of the
facade of the building. At this rate, the old landmark
will totally disappear by Saturday next.
The members of the recently-formed Detroit Music
Trades Association participated in an informal din-
ner at the Hotel Cadillac on Monday of last week.
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