April 15, 1929
P R E S T O-T I M E S
THIRTY=FIVE YEARS AGO
(From The Presto, April 12, 1894.)
After May 1, 1894, the offices of The Presto will
be at 710-720 Monon Building, Chicago. This is
directly opposite to the present location in the Monon
Building and equally convenient, being one-half a
block from the Monadnock and Old Colony buildings.
We understand that Mr. Fred L. Drew, with Vose
& Sons Piano Co., is to make a Western trip for his
hcuse and will be in Chicago some time within the
next two weeks.
It is understood that the case of Sohmer & Co.
against the Sebastian Sommer Piano Company is to
have a hearing this week in which case the details
may be looked for next week.
There is a gratifying increase in Steinway sales in
Chicago in both grands and uprights, whereby Lyon,
Potter & Co., have every reason to feel proud of
the business they are doing with these instruments
and in their other lines.
Mr. P. J. Healy was in Boston on Saturday last.
Mr. E. A. Potter was scheduled to arrive in Chicago
yesterday at noon.
The agency for the Hardman piano in Springfield,
Mass., has gone from W. C. Taylor to the M. Steinert
& Sons Company.
Mr. George Steck, the veteran piano maker, was
in Chicago yesterday. He is en his way to New York
after a visit to Colorado.
Mr. I. N. Rice has accepted the proposition of the
Hallet & Davis Piano Company to become their
wholesale traveling representative in their western
territory.. Mr. Rice went to Boston the middle of
last week and returned to Chicago on Tuesday after
having completed the arrangements.
Heard Without a
Trace of Static
GOT THE DOUBLE CROSS
Abou Ben Adhem, dealer of Swilkoot,
Awoke one night from a deep dream of loot,
In which, by methods foxy, he alone
Secured the school-board contract for the Anviltone;
A lemon upright which his salesmen mocked,
Teachers derided and the tuners knocked.
Spake he: "I'll oil afresh my graft machine
And slip those school-board geezers some long green.
The kale, discreetly planted, votes will sway."
So Abou laid the wires to bribe his way;
His slick devices bearing on the job,
By means corrupt he rounded up the mob.
"At last," he cried, "the game is mine! Alone
I've cinched the contract for the Anviltone."
Again he dreamed, alas, for human aims!
The bribed board voted and among the names
Of those which "also ran"—of the distressed
Abou's Anviltone followed all the rest.
* * *
No, it is not possible to have a high old time at
the trade convention in Chicago in June—at least not
without an airship. Don't you know T all Chicago
hotels are strictly snooperized?
* * *
IMPROVEMENTS
"Keeping up with a competitor today is keeping
abreast of improvements," said the piano wareroom
cynic. "Everything is suffering from 'improvements'
except prohibition enforcement. Last year's auto-
mobile was the wonder of the spring of 1928, but
your wife calls it passe today. The burning question
before the board of directors now is: 'Will we be able
to equip out plant with the latest improvements be-
fore they are obsolete?' They will if they hurry.
Many a factory is paying- for three sets of machinery,
all sold to the carefree junkman, because of improve-
ments.' "
* * *
Among the popular veneers is that of virtue.
* * *
to the farmhouse and rang up the constable at Elm-
hurst on the telephone.
"Say, Mark, there's a feller on an auto out here on
top of Ray's Hill. Hello! D'ye get me? Stannin'
plumb still instead of scootin' up hill and down dale."
"You don't say," responded the Elmhurst constable
over the wire. "That's queer and mighty suspicious.
Does he look dangerous?"
"Not so's you could notice. He's a quiet lookin'
feller. But you know, Mark, that kind is often de-
ceivin'. One thing he said made me kinda skeered.
Tee. hee! Whatja think he said; him with a new
auto and plenty of gaserline? He said he pulled up
once in a while to look at the scenery. Tee, hee! ho!"
"Wow!" exploded the constable on the wire, "that
certainly looks mighty queer. A new auto, you say.
with lots of juice, and stannin' plumb still instead of
snort in' at top speed along the pike."
"Yeah," verified the farmer, "sittin" calm and steady,
lookin' all 'round him pleasant like."
"That's enough, he's sure crazy," was the consta-
ble's decision; "I'll be on the lookout for him if he
heads this way."
But acting upon a beneficent impulse, Captain
Holmes sedately turned his machine south within
half a mile of the Elmhurst township line and so
avoided an unpleasant experience with the posse of
sleuths.
* * *
"Luckily," said the piano wareroom cynic," some
men don't know as much as they think they do, or
they would be greater bores than they are."
* * *
STENCILS
GALORE
The piano trade has long been assoc : ated with
"stencil" products, but it has no monopoly on the
motive the word represents. The marts of trade are
full of "Oriental" rugs made in Massachusetts, "an-
tique" furniture just from Grand Rapids, "medieval"
bronzes and "old masters" that are pure stencils in
the accepted meaning of the term. The label on the
bottle of "Scotch" or "Irish" your favorite bootleg-
The Chicago warerooms of Haines Bros, will be
ger may bring you, denotes a contents distilled across
removed about May 1st to 367 Wabash avenue, at
the sea, but you know it is a stencil fiction. But in-
present occupied by the Thompson Music Company.
vestigations have discovered another busy stcnciler
ACTED SUSPICIOUSLY
and it shocks us.
Mr. A. M. Wright of the Manufacturers' Piano
Captain Holmes, piano sales manager for Justin
Company, who left on Thursday last on an extended Bros., Cicero, 111., recently bought an automobile for
Tn these warm spring days when an elemental
Western trip, will visit, either going or on his return, purposes of enjoyment. The thrills and loop-the-loop thirst assails you and when you virtuously pass by
a number of the Manufacturers' Piano Company rep- frills of the buzzwagon have no tempations for Cap- the furtive likker dispensary and enter the soft drink
resentatives in Des Moines, Lincoln, Omaha, St. tain Holmes. He considers a car a health-giving aid emporium, don't flatter yourself you can slake with
Joseph, Mo., Kansas City, Denver, and elsewhere.
safety and with confiding trust in the standard qual-
to recreation for the tired man of business, instead
An arrangement of considerable interest has just of the quickest transportation between irrigating sta- ity of the foaming tipples. They are all stencils.
been consummated between the Farrand & Votey tions for the tired business man—the kind that makes
New York and Montana have issued bulletins ex-
Company and the Aeolian Organ Company, by which you tired. There's a distinction. Get it?
posing them.
a combination of the principles of the instruments of
Your ginger ale contains no ginger. Capsicum
Last Sunday the green stretches of Illinois prairie
each will be made. The Farrand & Votey pipe organ west of his home invited Captain Holmes to take a takes its place in the stencil product. The foam on
is being placed in the Aeolian warerooms on Twenty- ride. On the highest point of a ridge some miles
your soft drink has not the honesty of the suds on
third street, New York, which will be operated en- out, he pulled up his car to look about him in delight
the tall one of beer. It is produced by using extract
tirely by the principles that govern the working of at the prospect.
of soap bark, which contains a toxic principle, sapo-
the Aeolian organ.
Hello, broken down?" inquired a farmer chewing a taxon, which is poisonous.
Mr. Lew H. Clement, secretary and manager of straw on a fence.
* * *
the Ann Arbor Organ Company, has written and pub-
"No, sir," Captain Holmes responded.
In
piano
prospect
hunting
you don't have to pay
lished the "U. of M. Waltz." It is catchy and de-
"Out of gaserline, maybe?"
any attention to state game laws. There's nothing in
serves a good sale.
"No, I have plenty."
them either to prevent "shooting the bull."
Mr. J. V. Steger has returned to Chicago from his
"Lost your way?"
* * *
Eastern trip more than satisfied with the results, for
"Certainly not. I know the country hereabouts
"Despite reform of advertising methods I notice
the Steger piano is now represented in practically like a book."
that dealers using bait pianos ads still encumber the
every important city in the East. He made a num-
"Dropped sumpin' from your auto?"
earth."
ber of new agencies, as has already been noted, and
"Not a thing?"
"That's so. 1 think the fool-killer should be pros-
he found his old friends firmer in their friendship to
The inquisitive farmer backed away from the fence
his piano than ever before.
with a puzzled look on his face. Then he hot-footed ecuted for criminal negligence."
Coin Operated and Selection Controlled Pianos
MECHANICALLY PERFECT
Music That Pays as It Plays
W E S T E R N ELECTRIC P I A N O CO., 832-850 Blackhawk St., Chicago, ID.
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