Music Trade Review

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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
A GENERAL STRIKE.
PIANO MAKERS REPORTED TO BE DISSATISFIED
WITH THEIR PRESENT WAGES.
AN INCREASE TO BE DEMANDED SIMULTANEOUSLY ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY ON FEBRUARY 8—WHAT THB
MANUFACTURERS AND WORKMEN SAY ON THE
SUBJECT—THE RUMOR ATTRIBUTED TO
A BOSTON SOURCE.
TNFORMATION reached the office of THB
JL
MUSICAL CRITIC AND TKADE REVIEW recently,
tion here as a workingman, and my employers
know that I would not use my influence to their
detriment or that of the workingmen under my
charge."
"What wages are piano makers earning now-a-
days?"
"All the way from $16 to $25 a week. I mean
skilled mechanics, of course. Two or three years
ago there were case-makers who didn't make $7
or S8 a week. Now they make 815 or $16. There
has been an increase in the price of labor in the
piano trade of twenty to thirty per cent."
*
"Rents have gone up, I suppose ?"
"Yes, that is true; but the country is very pros-
perous, and especially the piano trade, which has
not been so flourishing as now in the past fifteen
years. The Piano-Makers' Union does not attempt
to drive trade out of New York. That would be
impossible. On the contrary, we are taking pains
to see that workingmen in other cities are getting
the same advance in wages that we get."
"I understand there is considerable dissatis-
faction existing in a number of piano factories in
this city?"
"Well, it must be only in the small shops, and
that could have no strong effect on piano makers
throughout the country. You may depend upon
it, the rumor came originally from the Boston
manufacturers. Besides, I do not think piano
makers would be so silly as to strike just after the
busiest season of the year. You know after Jan-
uary 1 there is always a lull in the trade, which
lasts from four to six weeks. My own opinion is
that the workingmen will remain quiet during the
remainder of the winter, anyhow."
that a general strike among the piano makers of
the United States was on foot. The news came
from a source that lent it the force of authority.
The date fixed for the strike is February 8, and is
expected to begin simultaneously in all parts of
the country where pianos are made. It is reported
that this strike, from its perfect organization, will
be more formidable than any similar attempt on
the part of workmen in the piano trade to secure
an advance in wages in this country.
The chief reason for the strike, according to our
informant, is that the cost of living in the United
States has advanced more rapidly than wages, and
that many piano makers find it difficult to make
both ends meet, especially during the severer
portions of the winter. Rents have advanced, they
claim, and food is dearer; and while the manufac-
turers are making fortunes out of their handiwork,
it is only fair that the workmen should share to a
greater extent in their profits.
On receipt of this information, reporters were
immediately detailed from the office of THE MUSICAL
WOODS' PHILADELPHIA AGENCY.
CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW to interview piano
H.
LUCKENBACK, of G. H. Luckenbach &
manufacturers and their employe's on the likelihood
• Co., No. 1307 Chestnut street, Philadelphia,
of such an important strike taking place, and the writes
:
effect it would have upon the piano trade.
"Your
statement in regard to the change in the
TALK WITH A MANUFACTURER.
agency omits one point. When we transferred the
Mr. Billings, of Billings & Co., in East Four- agency, we understood that all our stock of Woods'
teenth street, recognized the important character instruments was to be taken off our hands at invoice
of such a strike if well organized, and expressed value, with expenses of cartage and freight. We
himself accordingly in a conversation with a will also state that Mr. Clemmer had accepted our
reporter.
original offer by telegraph from Boston, but, after
"If the piano makers all over the country should he returned to Philadelphia, we were compelled,
strike at the same time," said Mr. Billings, "it by a telegram received from George Woods & Co.,
would undoubtedly be a serious matter, for how to accept another offer from Mr. Clemmer. The
can you fill your orders if there are no men to offering of the agency, on our part, for sale to
make your pianos ? And yet I apprehend that no other dealers in Philadelphia, was owing to George
piano manufacturer would fear such a strike so Woods & Co. telling us they wanted us to make as
much as if it were local, for we should all be in the much out of the change as we could. We there-
same boat. The only great danger I should fear fore tried to see which one would give the most."
from a strike would be if it was local. Suppose all The above letter has been received from Messrs.
the piano makers of New York should strike, what
would be the result? Simply, that our trade would Luckenbach & Co., and, as will be seen, refers to
be driven to Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and the matter of the George Woods & Co.'s Phila-
other cities, whereas if the strike were universal, delphia agency. We have, since the receipt of the
as I said before, nobody could get an advantage over above letter, seen Messrs. Woods & Co., at Cam-
brideport, Mass., and made an examination of the
another's misfortune."
correspondence on the subject of the agency
"Has any dissatisfaction appeared yet among whole
transfer, to which we referred in our issue of De-
your workingmen?" asked the reporter.
5.
"Not yet, and I don't anticipate anything of the cember
From this correspondence we glean sufficient to
kind. My men are making from eighteen to thirty form
the definite opinion that it would be best for
dollars a week, and, I believe, are thoroughly sat- Messrs.
& Co. tc let the subject re-
isfied. Those are good wages and in perfectly fair main just Luckenbach
it is, without taking any action upon it.
proportion to the profits made by piano manufac- Both the as firms
of Geerge Woods & Co. and A.
turers. The workinpmen are making more money
Clemmer, of Philadelphia, Pa., it appears, have
than ever before, and have no reason to strike for G.
done their utmost to facilitate a peaceable arrange-
higher wages.
ment, and this arrangement might have been per-
BOSTON BLAMED.
fected had not certain circumstances (which we do
Salvator La Grassa, foreman in the piano factory not care to mention) prevented it. These circum-
of Hard man, Dowling & Peck, is a prominent stances were entirely outside of the control of the
officer of the Piano-Makers' Union. La Grassa two firms mentioned, and should have been prop-
talked freely with a reporter who questioned him erly arranged, or the suggestions which the two
firms made to Messrs. Luckenbach & Co. should
about the strike.
"I do not think there will be any trouble this have been adopted.
•winter," he said, "unless there should be a reduc- Instead of this, however, Messrs. Luckenbach &
tion of wages on the part of the manufacturers. Co. are now, two or three months after the trans-
In that event, I can assure you there would be a action is closed, desirous of forcing Messrs.
very decided opposition to the measure manifested George Woods & Co. into a position which will
compel them to take a step which involves expen-
by the workinginen."
"How do you suppose this rumor originated?" ditures and probable losses all around, and
"I think it has been started by the Boston men which, in its final effect, is nothing more nor less
who want the sympathy of the New York manu- than a practical adoption of the very first proposi-
facturers. You see, wages have been raised in tion made to Messrs. Luckenbach & Co. by
New York in the last two years, while in Boston they Messrs. George Woods & Co. and Mr. A. G.
have been kept at their old figures. We know Clemmer.
that we've got to compete with other cities, and as From the correspondence, it is easily seen that
Boston mechanics work for less money than New all the propositions made to Messrs. Luckenbach
York mechanics, trade here would naturally have & Co. were strictly in business form, and were de-
a tendency to go to Boston. But a certain number cidedly practical, while Messrs. Luckenbach & Co.
of pianos must be made in this country anyhow, seemed to be very sensitive on small matters, not-
and as for the workingman, he cares only for the withstanding that Mr. A. G. Clemmer paid them a
place that will pay him the highest wages. The sum which, in our opinion, was purely gratuitous.
Piano-Makers' Union is an organization that seeks We came to these conclusions only after a
to better the condition of the workingmen and to perusal of the correspondence, and thereupon
give the whole trade in general a better standing volunteer to state to Messrs. Luckenbach & Co.
hot'ore tlie community. I hold the highest posi- that the matter should remain in siatu quo.
E
January 5th, 1882.
Mr. Clemmer may be forced into the position of
making a plain statement of his side of the case,
and we could not blame him for adopting such a
plan to place himself in the proper light before
the trade.
GEORGE GEMUNDER.
T^HERE exists at present no more celebrated
1
name in the contemporary world of artists
identified with the construction of valuable violins
and violoncellos, than that of Mr. George Gemiin-
der, who, since his removal from New York city,
has been residing in Astoria, L. I.
Gemiinder, the most celebrated pupil of the late
Vuillaume, of Paris, has constructed some of the
most valuable and artistic instruments made dur-
ing the present century. The controversy regard-
ing his renowned "Emperor" violin, which he ex-
hibited at the Vienna Exposition, in 1873, as a
modern violin, and which was pronounced •
genuine "Guarnerius" by the jury, and Gemiinder
stigmatized in consequence as & fraud, still re-
mains in vivid recollection. The jury awarded
the firBt prize to a Vienna violin maker, and only
discovered the mistake too late to eradicate the
blunder.
Gemiinder, however, became a celebrity through-
out the musical world, and his work is esteemed at
unapproachable to the present day. Some of his
imitations are really marvellous, and were it sot
for his sterling integrity and his conscientiousness,
he could to-day be in possession of a large fortune
from the sale of his instruments, many of which
he could have sold as genuine.
In explanation of the many absurdities connected
with the manufacture and judgment of violins and
violoncellos, and as a short biographical notice
referring to his own career during a life which has
had many varied and interesting experiences, Mr.
Gemiinder has written a work called "Progress
in Violin Making," which is a very interesting
volume.
r
THE NEW ENGLAND PIANO CO.
T. F. SCANLAN, PROPRIETOR.
BOUT eight months ago, Mr. T. F. Scanlan,
formerly a member of the New England
Organ Company, Boston, Mass., decided to go into
the manufacture of pianos. The prosperity of the
business, and the success attaching to the pianos
he has thus far made, can be readily appreciated
when we state that during the week ending with
Christmas, he shipped twenty pianos, two of which
were sent to the eastern coast of Africa.
Our representative recently took a look at the
two factories which are used by the New England
Piano Co. The first factory, in Reed's Block,
Harrison avenue, is used for the purpose of mak-
ing eases, tops, etc., veneering the same and giv-
ing them the first varnishes. The plates are also
fastened in the cases at this factory. After this
part of the manufacture has been completed, the
cases are sent to the main factory in Harrison ave-
nue, where the stringing, action-fitting, finishing,
regulating, and final polishing and tuning com-
plete the instruments; and from thence they are
shipped.
Mr. Scanlan is determined to use only the best
material, and our personal examination proved to
us the correctness of his decision. The result of
using good material is manifested ia the tone
which his pianos produce, being rich, powerful,
and full of resonance, while the touch is elastic,
yet firm. There is no doubt that Mr. Scanlan
will be able to please the trade in all sections,
both with the quality and, in rushing times like
the past few months, the quantity of pianos.
Being a business man of excellent judgment, we
see no reason why he should not succeed, starting
out as he does with tha best principles that can be
adapted to the manufacture of pianos.
A
CROSBY MANUFACTURING CO.
R. JOHN H. HAWKINS bought out the
business of the Crosby Manufacturing Com-
pany about eighteen months ago, since which time
it has gradually increased. The company manu-
factures ivory and glass-faced organ stops, also
stems.
The names of the ivory stops, indicating the
reeds which the stops control, are put in with dies
and stencils in a thorough manner, and cannot be
effaced. The stops themselves are ebonized and
highly polished. Those with glass faces are a
comparatively recent invention, and make a beauti-
ful ornament to the organ front.
Mr. Hawkins uses the very best material, and ia
now furnishing the largest reed organ factories of
the country with his organ stops.
M