Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
FROM A
TRAVELER'S
NOTE BOOK.
Trade in San Francisco—Good Prices Ob-
tained by the Dealers—No Slaughter
Sales—Location of Warerooms—
All Prominent Eastern Pianos
Represented—Elegant
Stores.
Russian Pianos at the Fair—Dealers Have
Done Well—Resources of California—
A Picturesque Route—Off for the
Pacific Northwest.
TORTLAND,
Oregon, March 30th, 1894.
FAREWELL TO SAN FRANCISCO.
}
T was with exceeding regret that I bade
farewell to the metropolis of the Paci6c
Slope. During my tarry there I was more than
ever impressed with the commercial advantages
of that city. In the music trade there is en-
gaged a class of men who have done much to
elevate the general tone of the business in
which their lines are cast. I noticed one thing
particularly, and that was their manner of ad-
vertising pianos is certainly very dignified and
very clever. I think, too, that the pianos are
sold at better prices and on greater monthly
payments than in many of the Eastern cities.
There stems to be less of the cutting and slash-
ing in prices, and there is less and really none
of the ridiculous payments which some dealers
adveitise to sell to customers in other cities. The
result of this, of course, has been to make the
business not only better paying but infinitely
more satisfying to the conductors.
BUSINESS CONDUCTED ON SAFE LINES.
The music stores are separated, so that the
customer cannot visit a number of piano ware-
rooms with the same ease and in the same time
that they can in New York, Boston or Chicago.
Men disagree as to whether it is advantageous
to their business to be located all in a row, so to
speak, or whether isolation assists their trade.
I doubt if there is a city in the United States
wherein may be found a better representation of
all the leading pianos than can be found in San
Francisco.
LOCATION OF TRADE CONCERNS.
The leading houses of San Francisco were
given such prominence in the California Special
of THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW that it seems
like a too frequent repetition to again particu-
larize the trade in San Francisco. There is one
thing, however, which must impress itself upon
every visitor at San Francisco who is interested
in music trade matters, and that is the elegance
of the buildings and warerooms occupied by the
firms which compose the trade of that city.
Take, for instance, the magnificent Curtaz build-
ing. It is of imposing appearance and striking
in its architectural designs. The Kohler &
Chase firm have extensive quarters. Byron
Mauzy has magnificent warerooms, where he
makes a fine showing of the Sohmer pianos.
Then there is that great Pacific house of Sher-
man, Clay & Co., who occupy an entire build-
ing. So I could go on through almost the entire
trade, but I believe all travelers will agree with
me in the statement that there is no city in the
United States where the piano men are carrying
on business in pleasanter and in more imposing
quarters than in San Francisco.
RUSSIAN PIANOS AT THE FAIR.
I wrote you last week of the limited musical
exhibit at the Midwinter Fair. I neglected to
9
state, however, that the Russian section con-
tains pianos which weie on exhibition in the
Russian section of the World's Fair at Chicago.
Also Bruenn & Heine, local piano manufactu-
rers, have four of their pianos exhibited in a
meagre space at the Fair.
A GOOD POINT FOR MUSIC DEALERS.
If one is familiar with the history of the men
who are now engaged in active business in the
musical line in San Francisco they will realize
that it has been a profitable city for that par-
ticular trade.
Large volumes might be written upon the
resources of California. This has been so fre-
quently referred to by Eastern newspaper men
that it is hardly necessary for me to recount the
wonderful endowment of that absolutely unique
region. Every new comer always takes the
deepest interest in the history of the City by the
Golden Gate, particularly when it is related to
him by one who is familiar with the phenomenal
development of this " land of sunshine, fruit and
flowers." Doubtless for all time to come the
boundless natural resources of the Golden State
will furnish a topic for speaker and writer. As
in climate and scenery California is absolutely
unique, so is she in the vast wealth, unlimited
abundance and overwhelming variety of her
natural resources. Nature would seem to have
reserved for this region her last and best gifts
to mankind, and she lavished them on Califor-
nia with an unstinted hand, and not only has
she outdone herself in her bounty, but she has
provided a scenic background and climatic sur-
roundings which are as nearly perfect as any-
thing could be found in this world where imper-
fection is the law and absolute perfection is un-
known.
WHICH ROUTE TO COME.
I would suggest to any of my friends who are
contemplating a visit to the "Midwinter" to
come out by the " Sunset " route. It lies in a
territory rich in resource and romance. Few
journeys can be taken which present so many
opportunities for delightful observations of na-
ture and of unique humanity as can be viewed
by the "Sunset" route, which traverses the
early French and Spanish settlements of the
United States.
A PICTURESQUE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
Of the three routes to California from the East
the Northern one, having its terminal station at
Portland, Oregon, is certainly not the least in-
teresting. It is called the "Shasta" route.
Indeed it may be said that if the traveler wishes
to become acquainted with the characteristic
features of the Pacific Slope, both from a scenic
and industrial standpoint, he will acquire a
broader and more comprehensive view than from
some other lines. He will pass through the great
Willamette Valley in Oregon, which, next to
the Sacramento, is the most important on the
Coast. The picturesque Cascade Range will
accompany him on the East through Oregon.
In my next letter I shall give you some im-
pressions of the Pacific Northwest, and shall
have something to say of the music trade in
Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and other Northwest-
ern points.
Bamboo for Organ Pipes.
a recent meeting of the Japan Society in
London, the chairman made a practical
suggestion. He said that the sound produced
by bamboo pipes was very soft and mellow ; that
it was largely used by the Japanese in the manu-
facture of musical instruments, and it seemed
possible that organ builders might derive ad-
vantage from the use of this reed for organ pipes.
A Few Thoughts Suggested to a Corres-
pondent of " The flusic Trade Re-
view " upon Returning to New
York after Prolonged
Absence.
WASHINGTON,
D. C, April 4th, 1894.
After an absence of eighteen months, the
greater part of which time lingering at the
National Capital, I determined to visit the
metropolis.
Perhaps those who live continuously in the
great city can not appreciate the many changes
that have taken place during the past year and
a half. Herein will be cited a few which at-
tracted my attention :
I noticed at Jersey City that the immense de-
pot of the Pennsylvania R.R. was nearly, if not
quite, completed. From the deck of the ferry
boat, crossing North River, I saw the wondrously
tall buildings recently erected. They impressed
me as marvelous structures. One, in the vicinity
of old Trinity Church, reaching far above its
spire, dwarfs that, for so many years the tallest
structure on Manhattan Island. In town I
found a number of new cable car lines—that
which pleased me most was the one on Broad-
way, for when I last saw that thoroughfare it
was in a terribly rough, ragged and rugged
condition. In sauntering through the city I
noted many changes of firm names and styles,
numbers retired from business and new houses
established. None can fail to observe the large,
innumerable stores and warehouses bearing the
legend, " To LET," a most conspicuous indica-
tion of Hard Times.
The music trade I found in a healthy and
comparatively prosperous condition. It was
not possible for me to call on all my business
friends because my vacation was abbreviated by
the space of a fortnight, wherein I was confined
to bed and room by reason of sickness. The
dealers in musical instruments and musical mer-
chandise appear to be concentrating upon 14th
street, Fifth avenue, near that street and about
Union Square, a sort of bunching together so
noticeable in the majority of houses in the same
trade in Philadelphia on Chestnut street, and on
Baltimore street in the Monumental City. As
iron sharpeneth iron and competition is the life
of trade, this gravitation toward a centre must
be so for good cause, and ultimately tend to
the general welfare of all concerned.
Now at this point permit me to interject the
information that the California Midwinter
number of
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
has
won golden opinions from all subscribers in
this city. Its several features, literary and
typographical, have been highly praised, and
the manner in which the advertisements were
displayed pronounced elegant and artistic. As
for myself, I think it is the finest copy of any
trade paper I have ever seen. " So say we all of
us! " sings the veteran dealer to whom I read
the last few lines.
But to get back to New York. Once upon a
time, not many years ago, there was a popular
song of which, I must confess, the refrain only
lingers in my memory :
"Walking down ^Broadway ; walking down
Broadway;