Music Trade Review

94
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
November 5th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
Their books showed two accounts with me, one for on this subject, from one of the firm of Lee & been beneficial. Mr. Whitney informs me that he
found an increased demand for the publications of
salary and the other for pianos. Their notes given Walker.
the house that he represents, and also that a better
for Hale pianos were made payable to me, and
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 16th, 1881.
when received, the bills were receipted by me.
Friend Benham: Received your California paper class of music was called for.
It was shown by Mr Sherman's testimony that some time since, and sent you my congratulations. I t
BUSINESS EXPANSION.
I discounted two notes of theirs, given for Hale is not easy for me to forget that you turned into Lee
A number of consecutive years of business pros-
pianos, in their own office, off a Mr. Cunningham, & Walker's hands trade to the anfount of $15,000 to perity
likely to produce too great an ex-
a capitalist in their employ, who was loaning them $20,000 per year, and declined to accept any commis- pansion is of very
trade, upon inadequate capital. When
or reward of any kind. I want to shake your
money and holding their piano leases as security. sion
money is plenty the larger houses are tempted to
This was done with his knowledge and consent. hand before you leave for California.
Yours, etc.,
use
it to increase their business, and thus by push-
The money was paid to me by Cunningham and
ing their goods offer longer credit, and, as it were,
J. F. MORRISON.
when the notes were due they paid them to Cun-
The above is one of many expressions of confi- overstock the country merchant. A good year
ningham. There are but two horns to this
in a measure, induces over-production by
dilemma; I either had rights in the notes, or dence and regard I have received from Eastern always,
manufacturers. This overplus of goods is
else was embezzling Mr. Hale's money with their friends since my arrival here, for all of which I am the
placed upon the market, sometimes to the extent
knowledge and approval. Does my action in this very grateful.
that will lower the prices of the productions, while
Respectfully,
matter bear the stamp of secrecy ?
again it only serves to overstock the country.
A. M. BENHAM.
Hyde swore that they learned I was making
In either case there is a damage to commercial
something by opening my letters, but they con-
health by exciting abnormal demands for goods.
tinued buying pianos, and kept me in their em-
CHICAGO TRADE.
A reaction may take place at any time in conse-
ploy till I left voluntarily to open my own ware-
quence. But as far as I can learn this is not now
HE
commercial
outlook
has
not
changed
since
house, and after this they waited two years more
the case in the Western music trade. A healthy
my
last
letter.
Money
continues
to
be
easy
before discovering this " moral turpitude." I ask
conservatism seems to prevail, to at least this ex-
for
business
purposes.
The
Fall
months
are
al-
any business man if this is plausible, and if the
tent, that the liabilities are not increased in an un-
way«
considered
the
best
for
the
piano
and
organ
pinching of the shoe of competition, the payment
healthy ratio, with the acquisition of capital. As
of over $25,000 cash borrowed from Mr. Hale, and trade.
With September comes the resume of study in long as this aim is kept in view our business will
nearly a hundred thousand dollars in notes given
be upon a sound basis.
for pianos, was not what hurt worse than the music and the schools, and the demand for instru-
ments begins to be more active. One large house
A. REED A SONS
" moral turpitude."
(Lyon & Healy) sold fifty pianos from their
This firm now sells their own make of organs
A suit was threatened for commissions received warerooms
during the first ten days of the present exclusively. They have lately issued a new and
from Peloubet & Pelton, but the existence of the
following letter leaked out, and hence nothing was month. The general movement in pianos and very finely illustrated catalogue setting forth their
done in that direction. Why I was not charged organs seems better than last year at this time. I merits.
with improper motives in writing for this letter have been permitted to look over the private books
LYON & HEALY.
before Sherman called for it in person in New York, of one important house, and have calculated the
Mr.
George
W.
Lyon has just returned from
ratio of increase in their business, judging each
is a mystery.
month with the returns of the same period in New York, where he purchased a large number of
COPY OF LETTER.
other years, and have found that every indication pianofortes. This firm has enjoyed a large busi-
SAN FRANCISCO, April 15, 1874.
ness in instruments this Fall, as their rapidly de-
points to rapid advances in the amount of sales.
Messrs. Peloubet, Pelton It will be my purpose to show the estimate of pleated warerooms bear witness. Mr. Lyon is
GENTLEMEN—Mr. A. M. Benham left here for the capital in the music trade of Chicago, and the engaged in perfecting improvements upon the
East to-day; he takes with him an order for some of ratio of its increase from year to year in the fol- Lyon & Healy piano.
your new styles for us, with which we are much lowing number of T H E MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE
In my next letter I hope to be able to present
pleased, judging by the photographs. Mr. Benham REVIEW.
some items in regard to the extent of our trade in
made us acquainted with the fact that you have gen-
small goods, particularly band instruments.
•
MR. A. E. WHITNEY
erously offered him a percentage of five per cent, on
C. H. BRITTAN.
all the orders we give for the first six months. We Of the Chicago house of S. Brainard's Sons, has
wish for his sake that we might order a thousand just returned from a business trip in the West, and
instruments within that time, but we would not be has, at my request, made notes of the commercial
justified in doing so at present. Mr. Benham came condition of things as he found them, which he
to us a perfect stranger and our taking the agency kindly allows me to transmit in my correspondence.
for your organ was no doubt owing to the gentle- He i visited St. Paul, Minneapolis, Sioux City,
manly way he presented your interests. What we Omaha, Kansas City, Leavenworth and St. Louis.
Manufacturer of ORGANS AND ORGAN ACTIONS.
would like you to do, is to extend, if possible, the
At St. Paul and Minneapolis he found great
5 per cent, commission from six months to one year.
No better work, nnd no hotter prices can be ob-
This kindness we know would be more than appre- prosperity. Dyer & Howard had two new stores,
tained anywhere. Manufacturers only for
the Trade.
ciated by Mr. Benham. He has taken great pains to one in each city, almost ready for them, having
work your organ up here, and we feel that six months out-grown their old quarters. The business of
MONTGOMERY,
N. Y.
is hardly timo enough to do much with a new instru- these cities extends to the extreme limits of the
ment. We trust you will conclude to do this, not north-west. The farming districts are peopled by
only as a favor to him, but also for us, and we assure a well-to-do class of men, and they create a healthy
you we shall take extra pains to do the best with
demand for musical merchandise. There was a
your organ possible.
O- IE*. B O W L B X ,
time not many years ago, when the music business
Truly yours,
SHERMAN & HYDE.
WASHINGTON, M. J.,
at these points suffered greatly. Continued pros-
Manufacturer of strictly first-class
In both of these cases it was fully proven by perity has removed this condition. Sioux City,
their own showing that there was nothing secret," atlhough a much smaller place, was still doing a
but, on the contrary, they were made acquainted good business. There was a healthy demand for
NEW STYLES NOW RKADY.
with my arrangements with the Eastern manufac- good publications in instruction and organ books;
turers I represented before I entered the employ while the piano trade was claimed by dealers to be PROTECTION TO AGENTS .GUARANTEED.
Circulars on application.
of Sherman & Hyde, and were satisfied to have good.
them continued. Is it not fair to presume that
At Omaha the wave of commercial prosperity
they also knew of my arrangement with Von Min- had reached a higher point of culmination. The
den, as they bought his goods of me before I enter- crops had been short in the surrounding districts,
C. M. MAXWELL,
ed their employ, and I received samples in their but the higher prices gave them plenty of ready
care after I entered their employ. But I have money, and consequently business was remark-
No. 83 East Thirteenth Street, New York,
learned that law is not always justice ; that it is ably good. The display of musical goods and
(Near Wallack's.)
one thing to know a thing, and another to be able music stocks was very good.
SE C
N D
PIANOS
AND ORGANS
H
A°N
D
-
to prove it. I could not show their knowledge in
Kansas City, now numbers 60,000 persons, and
Bought, Sold, Exchanged, Received on Sale and on Storage.
this case, and hence lost it.
is called a small Chicago in business industry.
made. Rebuilding of Pianos and Organs a Special-
When the judgment is due, I shall pay it, which Many of our large wholesale houses have branches Advancements
ty. Special prices to the Trade.
is more than the plaintiff, Hyde, has done with the at this point, although the eastern firms are also
judgments hanging over him. My defense in both starting agencies. The stores are fine, and the
of these cases, was an agreement with the plaintiffs stocks carried are very large as the city is a supply
before entering their employ, that my engagement point of great importance. All the leading pianos GRAND CONSERVATORY OP MUSIC
should not interfere with my Eastern business. and organs have representation here. New stores
This verbal agreement was made in the presence of are in great demand.
OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
my wife, and on this point my testimony was sup-
At St. Louis there are some important publish-
21 East 14th Street. 21
ported by hers.
ing houses, but, while business is good, it did not
From other parties not mentioned in this suit, in seem to be upon the rush as at other points. St. This RENOWNED MUSIC SCHOOL offers tho accumulated advan-
tages of years of successful operation. Instruction in all branches
Europe and America, I bought goods to the amount Louis has been very conservative in the music busi- of
and Instrumental Music, Harmony and Composition,
of thousands of dollars, and never received one dol- ness, but she is rapidly overcoming this quality, and etc., Vocal
by the most eminent Masters and Professors of the land, at
lar in commission. Since my arrival in New York I is now reaching out for the western and southern MODERATE RATES. For further particulars, address,
have received the following pleasant letter, bearing business. The example of Kansas City may have
E. EUKKHARD, Director.
T
JOHN A. POWELL,
Cabinet, Parlor, and Chapel Organs.
THE HARDMAN PIANO,
ESTABLISHED 1842.
Manufactured
by HARDMAN,
DOWLI1TG <& PECK.
Warerooms and Factory, 57th Street and Tenth Avenue, New York.