Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
278
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town's. This is one of the most unjust acts ever
passed by Congress and signed by the President. It
cannot but lead to constant worry and disputes be-
tween the railroads and shippers.
That paper, Earth, republishes that classification
and underneath it adds:
"If any manufacturer thinks his rating incorrect
and can give us satisfactory proof to the contrary,
we will change it with great pleasure." The frantic
efforts of the editor of this sheet to get the piano
manufacturers to advertise in Earth has thus far met
with no success, nor do we believe they will. As an
Instance of the manner in which this " thorough in-
vestigation" as to the merits of the different makers,
we will say that we know where this editor simply went
into the warerooms of the Fourteenth street dealers
and requested a catalogue, upon obtaining which he
left without looking at the instruments. In the
classification referred to a great many of the best
pianos made are left out entirely ; probably because
it was inconvenient for the publisher of Earth to
"thoroughly investigate" all of them.
It seems strange that retail trade in the city should
be so dull while the wholesale trade is very good. It
is a fact, nevertheless.and one of those facts for which
there seems to be no particular cause.
THE TEMPLE OF MUSIC.
OR some years a desirable and worthy business
institution has existed in this town named as
above. It has had its vicissitudes, and there
have been times when its somewhat ambitious title
did not so exactly fit its local habitation as it does
now. " Temple " is no longer a misnomer. It applies
well to the magniflcient housing which the institu-
tion now enjoys. We venture to say there is not a
finer music store in the state, and it may well be
doubted if even in the largest cities a premises more
finely adapted for the purpose can be found occupied
exclusively as a music store.
* t
The establishment occupies in fact the space of
A contemporary is giving itself a great deal of un- two ordinary size stores thrown into one, and the
easiness about the Steinway agencies. It says in a spacious floor, forty-five feet front on Atlantic street,
recent issue that Mr. Steinert is not having an easy displays some thirty new pianos and ten or a dozen
time in appointing new agents out West, and goes on organs, representing chiefly the best products of the
manufactories of Augustus Baus & Co., of New York,
further to say that the Chickering and other makes and Wilcox & White, the celebrated reed organ
are so popular, etc., that they will not touch the makers. In various niches and at other suitable
Steinway, etc. What bosh this is, when everybody points, life-sized busts of the great masters of music
in the trade knows that it was with the utmost diffi- lend their appropriate embellishments to the scene.
Under the broad arch between the two great divis-
culty that Mr. Gildemeister could get anybody to
ions of the store, a space is railed off for office pur-
take the Chicago agency of the Chickering & Son poses, with elegantly finished hard wood. On the
piano, and Qnally, as a last resort, took up with N. walls which enclose the main stairway to the upper
A. Cross & Co., who formerly pushed such a com- floors are arranged a series of glass-covered cases,
paratively inferior instrument as the Kroeger & Son elegantly finished, and displaying an attractive line
of small string and wind instruments—banjos, gui-
as their leader, giving it the precedence over the
tars, mandolins, violins, etc., and back of the ele-
Chickering & Son instrument. While on the con- gant counters running along the south wall are other
trary everybody in the trade is well aware that cases for the display of small musical goods, and an
Steinway & Sons have the pick of the best agents in extensive series of finely finished drawers, in which a
the country, and as for their dealings with agents, very large and comprehensive stock of sheet music is
laid away in such a systematic form that any piece
the editor of that paper only makes himself ridicu-
among the thousands on hand can be found without
lous by saying that Steinway & Sons are anything but any delay or disarrangement. In the rear is a large
workshop where pianos and organs can receive such
the soul of honor.
ordinary repair as may be needed, and a competent
*
tuner, whose work is warranted by the establishment,
The trade editors of the Musical Courier and Amer- is prepared to execute promptly all orders received
ican Musician are just at. present indulging in an for tuning at the houses of the patrons.
innocent little light which must be very edifying to
The thorough equipment of the Stamford "Temple
their readers. One calls the other a "tramp," and of Music" for doing a business in the sale of pianos,
the so-called tramp retaliates by calling the other a organs, and every variety of musical instruments
and goods—its policy of low prices, and its ability
"bug juice editor."
and willingness to grant its patrons the best possible
We do not desire to interfere with this pleasurable terms, together with the high reputation and un-
pastime of the two editors, as far as they themselves doubted merit of the instruments which it makes its
are concerned, but when they bring innocent parties specialties, should certainly command the favorable
into the fight then we feel it our duty to have a say attention of purchasers in Stamford and all the
country round about. We submit that this fine es-
in the matter.
tablishment, >o creditable in every way to the man.
One of these editors has accused the other paper ager, Mr. J. H. Christie, and to the town of Stamford,
of being a Steinway paper and controlled by that firm. has a fair claim upon the patronage of our citizens,
Knowing what we do of the firm of Steinway & Sons and we trust its future success will prove to be com-
mensurate with its deserving enterprise and effort.—
we take it upon our own shoulders to contradict this
Stamford, Conn. Advocate.
statement. There is no more honorable house in the
piano trade than that of Steinway & Sons, and their
pianos have attained such a world-wide reputation
EDWARD ATKINSON ON MARGIN OF
that they can readily sell every piano they can make
PROFITS
with comparatively no effort whatever. Even though
this were not the case, the firm is far too intelligent
DWARD ATKINSON contributes in the April
number of the Century a timely article on the
and honorable to stoop to such means in order to
margin of profits obtained by the employer of
praise its goods, which every one knows would
labor in manufacturing operations. Mr. Atkinson
lead to disgrace in the end. If Steinway & Sons de- takes as his type for comparison the Eastern cotton
sire to do any advertising they place the advertise- factory. He shows that it requires for the making of
ment in just such papers as they see fit, and always medium goods, the outlay of just about $1,000 for
pay for same in a liberal manner. As for the firm buildings, machinery, and stock for each $1,000
worth of anuual product. The material and other
buying up any paper, that is simply a malicious lie.
elements of cost amount to $600, the wages to $300,
and the remaining $100 was the average profit on the
operations of the census year 1880. That is 10 per
The Inter-State Commerce Bill is seriously inter- cent, on the capital, which must be again divided
fering with the shipment of pianos to the Western into 6 per cent, of actual profit and 4 per cent, as a
F
E
sinking fund necessary to the maintenance o-f capi-
tal in an effective condition. In such a ease capital
would secure $60 of net ineome and labor would se-
cure $300 in the shape of wages, or five to one. And
this is an extreme case. In most branches of manu-
facturing industry the ratio of capital to the value
of the product per year is only as one to two, which
at the same rate as before would give to material and
labor $1,900 to each $60 of net profit. In most cases
labor secures nine or ten parts to one part that goes to
the fund of capital, and even then it should be remem-
bered that a large proportion of that one part is paid
out for other labor which ministers to the personal
comfort of the employer and his family.
In all lines of business, and especially in the manu-
facture of musical merchandise, where professional
talent at the head is required, and in which insur-
ance rates are exceptionally high, the items of in-
surance, taxes, cost of supervision of the processes
of manufacture and disposal of the goods must be
taken into account in determining for how much
the product can be sold. They may be fairly charg-
ed under the head of the cost of material, but
however they be counted the fact remains that they
are an element of the business that cannot be evaded
or Ignored. Then the price of the manufactured pro-
duct is determined in the open market, except in the
case of goods which are protected by patent. Outside
of that exception the competition among manufact-
urers is close enough to keep down the margin of
profit at very nearly the limit above named, and
whenever an increased demand enables the seller to
exact what will allow him much more than that there
is sure to be a speedy influx of other capital owned
by parties who have discovered that the business is
"paying unusually well." This fact is so evident
that it is a wonder how any one can lo e sight of it
in assuming to discuss the relations between capital
and labor.
A MISTAKE IN THE BRAND.
HEY tell a good story about our handsome
young Sheriff. Mr. Grant is very fond of the
society of the gentler sex, but unfortunately
is rather bashful. He is still more unfortunate in
the fact that he cannot remember names. He at-
tended a reception lately, and was introduced to a
very handsome young lady. The sheriff made a
mental note of the young lady's name, determined
that he would not forget it. Later in the evening he
found himself again in her company. He remembered
her name perfectly. It was a foreign name, and also
the name of a celebrated piano manufacturer. Of
course he remembered it. In the course of their
conversation he had occasion to address her by
name. He began: "Miss Weber, I
"but the
young lady looked so much astonished that he hesi
tated. She finally, with that superior wit possessed
by all charming young ladies, took in the situation.
Looking at him with a peculiar smile, she said :
"Well,that's pretty good, but you have made a mis-
take in the brand of pianos: I am Miss Decker.—
New York Star.
ALBERT WEBEB is now traveling through the South.
He will return in a short time, and on April 1 leaves
for London to attend the American Exhibition.
T
C. D. PEASE & CO.
NE of the most successful piano concerns in
this city is that of C. D. Pease & Co. For
thirteen years this concern has turned out
pianos until the number has reached upwards of
40,000, and the fact of their giving such perfect satis-
faction is evidence of the standard quality of the in-
struments. Messrs. C. D. Pease & Co. select only
good material, the eases being all double veneered
and highly finished, and the firm employs none but
first class workmen in every department.
The instruments contain many of the latest pat-
ents and improvements of any merit or value, in-
cluding their own patent glass front and silver key
rail, and every piano is fully warranted for five years.
The factory now owned and occupied by the con-
cern is located in the most central part of New York
city and for convenience and arrangement cannot be
excelled by any in this or any other country. It has
a capacity of about 50 pianos a week and is generally
taxed to its utmost to supply the demand. The
financial standing of the firm is very high, being
composed of men of wealth as well as practical
experience in piano building.
O