Music Trade Review

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November 5th,
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
THE STAB PARLOR ORGAN COMPANY.
with artists, as the large number of our small
grands sold to professionals will prove. By the
way, I want to show you one of our ' Baby'
grands," and as he said this Mr. Sohmer
threw the cover off from a very beautiful
piano, of which the picture at the beginning
of this article gives a fair idea. It is a
very novel and unique style, catalogued
as No. 12, and is made with an ebonized case.
"We are selling these 'Baby' grands so
fast that it is all we can do to keep one
for twenty-four hours in the warerooms to
show our customers," said Mr. Sohmer,
as he rejoined the crowd that was waiting
for him and bade our reporter " good day."
TEN MINUTES TALE WITH SOHMER.
WHERE WILL IT LOCATE.
E greatly regret to learn from a source
not to be questioned that the Star
W
Parlor Organ Company have resolved not to
re-establish their business in this place. It
is not yet fully settled where they will locate
th«ir factory, but it is their present purpose
not to build in Washington. When we say
that we regret this, we are confident that we
express not only the feelings of their late
employees, but also of all our best informed
and best minded citizens. The capital and
high order of business talent and experience
which Mr. Pierce brought in to the place had
given a new charm to industry, both to his
employees and to all who had visited their
well regulated factory. Its removal, there-
fore, is no small calamity to Washington.
The company, in common with Mayor
Beatty, justly feels annoyed over their re-
cent great loss; while we are compelled to
admit that our town authorities had been
derelict. With the number of well dis-
tributed hydrants the Common Council are
providing and the pressure of one hundred and eighty
feet on those hydrants, Washington will be second
to no place in the State for facilities to put out fires.
From the number of organ factories now located
here, the place must always be the home of a large
number of skilled mechanics in this line, while the
labor market from its abundant supply can scarcely
ever become exorbitant in its price. To this wo
must add our excellent railroad facilities and cheap
coal. We can but hope that the Star Parlor Com-
pany will reconsider their purpose to remove. The
genius of industry would toss her cap into the air in
the midst of our streets, and scream with ineffable
delight should they resolve» to stay.—Star, Wash-
ington, N. J.
We have expressed our opinion in a previous
issue in regard to much that is stated in the arti-
cle quoted above, particularly that part of it which
refers to the neglect of the town authorities of
Washington, N. J., in not furnishing proper facili-
ties for the extinguishing of fires. We think that a
large bonus should be paid to the Star Parlor
Organ Company in case it concludes to rebuild
there, not only because the town authorities ought
to encourage such an industry in any event; but,
also because they are morally, if not legally re-
sponsible, for a large part of the loss and incon-
venience which the Star Parlor Organ Company
has been subjected to.
The Star also says in regard to a reported locat-
ing of the Star Parlor Organ Co., in Easton, Pa.:
The Easton peopl* are struggling to raise the $2,-
500 necessary to pay the interest on $8,000 for five
years, to have the Star factory locate in that place.
The papers present pathetic appeals each week. Why
don't some of their rich men come forward and sub-
scribe the whole amount instead of carrying around
a subscription list as if to collect funds for a desti-
tute family ?
A STRIKE AMONG THE KEY MAKERS.
BOUT a week ago a strike was inaugurated
by the employees of C. Ruperich, a piano
key manufacturer, atNos. 509 and 511 First avenue,
New York city, the men claiming that they were
underpaid in comparison with men employed in
other branches of piano making, requiring no
greater degree of skill, and, if, as we were inform-
ed, the men employed in this branch were only
earning from $9 to 315 per week, there would seem
to have been some justice in their action.
The men demanded an advance of twenty-five
per cent, on the wages they w«re receiving, and
while they were still out, the men employed by
A. Lange & Son, of East Twenty-second street,
made a similar demand on Monday, Oct. 31, which
was settled on the following day by a compromise,
the men returning to work on condition of receiv-
ing an advance of fifteen per cent, over the wages
they were formerly receiving, the success of which
compromise was largely owing to a representative
A
of the MUSICAL CBITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
•
The Root & Son's Music Co., of Chicago, report
the past month's business as larger than the cor-
responding month of last year, with most cheering
indications of steady increase in the future. They
are now^orth-Western agents for Hazelton Bros.'
pianos.
Ehrich, the dry goods and fancy " notions" man
on Eighth avenue, New York city, is going into the
piano business, it is said. He will carry a large
stock.
A small quantity of bi-chromate of potash added
to a solution of logwood makes an excellent mix-
ture for staining wood black, the black produced
being very intense and durable.
91
DOLGE'S ELECTRIC LIGHT.
passing along Fourteenth
A
street, saw the sidewalk in front of Sohmer & Co. 's
REPORTER for THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND
TBADE REVIEW,
so crowded with pianos that were boxed up ready
for shipping that he dropped in to see Mr. Sohmer
and inquire the cause of the commotion.
Mr. Sohmer was surrounded by a group of men
composed of advertising agents, out of town
piano dealers, two bookkeepers, salesmen, tuners
and four foremen of departments in the manu-
factory.
Each one of. the crowd was apparently clamor-
ing for Mr. Sohmer's blood. Catching sight of our
reporter, he quickly disengaged himself, and with-
drew with him to a quiet corner of the warerooms
behind a large upright piano.
" I can give you about ten minutes," he said.
" What do you want to know."
" I merely wanted to ask," said the reparter, " if
business was not springing up in a remarkably
lively manner just now?"
"Indeed it is," he replied. " Since the award
we received from Montreal there has been a greatly
increasing demand for our pianos. We are put-
ting ourselves more than ever on a cash basis, and
dealers are realizing that that plan pays them best.
They get better prices by paying cash, and we
have no trouble in inducing them to pay it.
Nearly all our trade in the Eastern, Middle, and
Western States and Canada is d©ne for cash.
There are very few exceptions to the rule. The
few exceptions we can well trust, for they are
solid houses and we know them well. Most of
those who pay cash are, of course, taking advan-
tage of the cash discounts."
"Does not this tendency to buy for cash," said
the reporter, " characterize the trade generally ? "
"Yes," answered Mr. Sohmer, "it is true every-
where except in some parts of the South, where,
for the present, it is impossible, as the people have
not as yet acquired the command of sufficient L
ready money. Dealers are asking, too, for a dif
ferent class of pianos than formerly. They can
sell the best grades of pianos without trouble and
they are bound to have them."
"Do you make many new agencies ?" said the
reporter.
"Yes, a good many, and it is not necessary to
send out to establish them, because through the
effect of such advertising as can be done through
the MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW, the
bus-
iness can be done by correspondence, or when the
dealers are visiting New York city. As they are
quite willing to pay cash, one does not need to
visit them to become acquainted with their sur-
roundings and to make inquiries about them."
" I presume," said the reporter, "that you are
working fully up to the capacities of both your
factories ? "
" Yes," replied Mr. Sohmer, "and beyond it.
Even with the late addition to our factory, we
cannot, at present, turn out enough pianos to
supply our orders. We shall be obliged to get
more space somewhere. Here it is only two months
from the Holidays and we are already behind
hand."
" Well, I am glad that you find it so easy to get
cash for your goods," said the reporter.
" Yes, it is a great advantage. In spite of the
accommodation offered by the makers of cheap
pianos, the dealers are so anxious to get the bet-
ter class of goods, that they are perfectly willing
to pay cash."
" To what do you attribute the present lively con-
dition of trade?"
"Well, with us it is partly caused by the exception-
ally brisk demand for pianos at retail, and we always
do a fine retail business. Our pianos are popular
A MOMENTOUS sign of healthy activity
J\. in the piano trade, as well as another
evidence of that restless enterprise, which is
sure to lead to ultimate success, is the recent
introduction of electric light at Alfred
Dolge's Mills, at Brockett'a, and the first in
the trade to our knowledge.
The machine requiring about 10-horse power, is
one of Edison's largest, with 125 lamps of 8-candle
power each, and lights the immense floors of the
mills like daylight, so that every machine may be
run all night at full speed, a thing hitherto impos-
sible with other means of illumination.
Mr Dolge states that the light is very agreeable
to the eye, permits a perfectly accurate distinction
of all colors in felts, as well as of the finest shades in
Spruce; is absolutely steady, uniform and easy to
regulate, and presents none of those dangers from
fire which many recent alarming reports, of un-
doubtedly "gaseous" origin, have tried hard to
fasten upon it.
.
Mr. Dolge, who will be compelled to work over
time in all departments during the Winter, calcu-
lates this improvement will pay for itself within
the next six months by the' increased production
of his establishments, besides the great indirect ad-
vantage of filling his orders at much shorter notice.
We have no doubt but that Mr. Dolge's example
will soon "electrify" and "enlighten" others,
who, like him, make it their aim to keep in the
front rank.
Messrs. Strauch Brothers, the well known action
makers, of 116 G-ansevoort street, New York, have
lately patented an improvement in upright piano
actions consisting of a spring washer, the use of
which when placed underneath the head of the
screw which fastens the action to the rails, pre-
vents its loosening through shrinkage, which it
would otherwise have a tendency to do. This
patent spring washer will be applied to all the
actions manufactured by Messrs. Strauch Bros.
The trade is interested in knowing whether Mr.
Hyde, of Sherman & Hyde, San Francisco, has
sold that yacht yet, and whether he intends going
to Europe to join the Moody & Sankey forces, and
whether he will take that young lady choir singer
with him?
Mr. Henry Behning has been travelling West,
and will soon make his way South and appear at
the Atlanta Exposition, if he is not already there.
Mr. C. F. Chickering is building a house at New-
port.
Mr. Rufus Blake, of the Sterling Organ Co., Der-
by, Conn., has paid us a visit since our last issue.
Mr. S. B. Johnson, of the New Haven Organ Co.,
called at our office last week to hear the news.
The co-partnership existing between Messrs. Sca-
lan and McLaughlin, of Boston, Mass., under the
name of the New England Organ Company, has
been dissolved by mutual consent. The business
will be continued by Mr. George T. McLaughlin.
A few days ago Mr. D. C. Knowlton, of 342 Bea-
con street, Boston, purchased the Haines grand in
a walnut case that has been exhibited at Messrs.
J. Estey & Co's branch establishment in that city,
formerly controlled by Hunt Bros. Messrs. Estey
& Co. are doing an immense business in Boston in
their own organs, and the pianos for which the es-
tablishment has the agencies.
A well-known Western dealer, who has had a
remarkable success during the past fifteen or twen-
ty years in selling pianos and organs at retail, was
asked by a friend recently to what he attributed
his remarkable success. His reply was, that he
owed his success mainly to his scale of prices.
" I have, "he said "a scale of four prices, viz:—first,
my asking price, for green-horns; second, my bot-
tom price, for those customers who hold back a
little; third, my front door price, for very slow
customers; and fourth, my curb-stone price, for
hard cases."