Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
From a Traveler's Note Book.
JANUARY BUSINESS—OPINIONS OF MANUFACTURERS—THE CAUSES OF THE PRESENT DULL TRADE.
WHAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS - T H E TRADE HOPEFUL BUT FULL OF EXCUSES—CONDITIONS WITH
THE SHAW PIANO CO.—-THEY MANUFACTURE INSTRUMENTS WHICH POSSESS INDIVIDUALITY.
BUSINESS AT COLBY'S—ATTRACTIVE PIANOS—SOMETHING OF THE BURDETT AFFAIRS
THE
COMPANY AT ERIE CONTINUE TO MANUFACTURE—TRADE IN BUFFALO—GLANCES HERE
AND THERE
SHOTS
W. F. BOOTHE SAYS HE WILL BREAK THE RECORD — ROCHESTER
STRAY
THE RENDEZVOUS AT THE POWERS—HENRY SPIES AND AUGUSTUS BAUS.
AFFAIRS AT ONEONTA—THE
SUCCESSFUL WORK OF THE MANAGERS OF THE
M'CAMMON PIANO CO. — A REGIME OF PROGRESSION—THE WATERLOO ORGAN
CO.
FOREIGN
DOLGEVILLE
SEVENTH
SHIPMENTS
THE MALCOLM LOVE PIANO—A
ITS GROWTH AS AN INDUSTRIAL CENTER
ANNUAL REUNION—TKUE
HEARTED
TRIP
TO
THE TWENTY-
HOSPITALITY—AT
SYRACUSE—THE MODEL ESTABLISHMENT OF CHASE & SMITH
THE POPULAr.'TY OF THE GILDEMEESTER PIANO
I'HE BROCKPORT PIANO MANUFACTURING CO.
INTEND TO INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS.
HE further one travels, the fact
becomes more and more ap-
parent that January, 1896,
will pass into history, not-
able, principally for being
several degrees duller, in a
business sense, than any of its near prede-
cessors in the years gone by.
The reasons are obvious for the prevalent
condition of affairs.
If Congress would stop playing politics
and place the finances of the country on a
sound basis, business would be different.
It is certain that continuous prosperity
cannot be enjoyed while uncertainty as to
the currency continues. Then again there
was President Cleveland's jingo message on
the Venezuela boundary, which set the
whole country aflame. Remove these con-
ditions and business would unquestionably
take on renewed life.
A talk last week with the principal
manufacturers and dealers throughout the
Empire State and in Pennsylvania, causes
me to think that while there is no great
activity just at present, the outlook is fairly
promising. One manufacturer said to me:
" I am confident that there will be a fair
business this spring. Of course, this season
is always quiet, but I believe from reports
of our agents that there will be a good
demand for pianos. Trade will be a little
late, but I think once this bond deal is
settled and out of the way, things will
brighten up materially."
Another remarked: "The present state
of business is so uncertain that no one can
predict a week in advance what the condi-
tion of affairs will be. The future depends
largely upon the action of Congress, and
no one can tell what the Senate will do any
day to further complicate matters. The
stagnation in banking is a criterion of the
activity in general business."
Still another opinion: "Business was
going along splendidly until people all over
the country began to talk about war. If
the Venezuela matter is settled without
cither the United States or England b-ing
humiliated, I think trade will pick up, and
that we will have a gocd year. Our busi.
ness is really better than a year ago."
"Another: "What the country needs more
than anything else, is a settled financial
policy. If Congress would go out of
politics for a few weeks and give us a little
legislation of the currency on a business
basis, this country would have a long period
of the best times in her history."
In the course of my travels, I met a well-
known iron man who, speaking of the iron
trade, said: "So far as structural iron is
concerned, there is every indication that
business will be excellent, but this is about
the only branch of trade which is favorably
affected by the present conditions. I hear
on all sides complaints, not alone from
dealers, but also from manufacturers, and
so far as the outlook for the iron trade in
general is concerned, it is far from encour-
aging. Men throughout the country seem
to be in the position of a Micawber, wait-
ing for something to turn up. When they
buy it is only because they have to, and
not for an investment. The uncertain
condition of the country's finances is,
undoubtedly the cause for the business
unrest on every side, and this will have to
be quieted before we can begin to count
on prosperity in the iron trade."
And so it goes. Every one seems hope-
ful, and at the same time full of excuses.
It is the natural buoyancy of American
people which keeps things jogging along at
a fair pace.
Personally, I think that within the next
ten days business will have brightened up
materially, and while I do not predict any
boom in trade for this spring, I do believe
that when this bond deal is once out of
way, and the banks have released their
store of golden shekels and are again giving
commercial paper the consideration which
is necessary for business expansion, things
will move along with an upward ten-
dency. Just now the tenacious hold which
the moneyed institutions have upon the
currency of the country is causing the
present stagnation of business. When good
commercial paper in all trades is going
begging, it means a contraction rather
than an expansion of business.
The regular weekly shipments of the com-
pany have cot only been maintained, but
have been considerably augmented by an
extra number of orders—in fact, the order
book of this firm shows a goodly number of
advance orders. There is no apparent
cause for complaints of lack of trade with
the Shaw Piano Co. Of course, there are
good reasons for this. The "Shaw" piano
is widely different than some other instru-
ments that I could name in its particular
class. It does not go into a wareroom to
stay. There are some pianos which seem
to have superior selling qualities. There
is a charm—an attraction—a certain inde-
finable something which gives an individ-
uality to some pianos over others and causes
their tarry to be short in the warerooms of
dealers. The Shaw is unquestionably one
of these instruments. It is an instrument
which sells. Well made—truly. Every
component part carefully studied—the best
of material entering into its construction—
but beyond that it has an individuality—
an attraction indisputable—it sells.
* * *
Since the death of Mr. C. C. Colby, Mr.
W. J. McCarter has given evidence that he
possesses an executive mind of breadth and
scope which is clearly brought into plav in
his management of the affairs of the Colby
Piano Co. In answer to my query as to
the condition of trade, he replied: "We
are busy, and considering the general
condition of the country, we have no reason
to complain, on the contrary, I think we
have cause for selt'-congratulation. Our
business has maintained a good healthy
showing."
The Colby pianos seem to be quite pop-
ular with dealers, and I have heard many
speak in the warmest terms regarding
their merits. They are gotten up attract-
ively, and in an almost endless variety of
woods, with some very charming effects in
panel designment and case architecture.
While in the Colby warerooms I had the
pleasure of renewing my former acquaint-
ance made some years ago with Mr. H. H.
Hazard, who was for many )'ears engaged
in the music business at Dallas, Tex. Mr.
Hazard is doing some effective work for
the Colby Co., and prefers to reside in the
North rather than in the "Lone Star State."
*
The Burdett Piano Co. have factory
quarters on Eighteenth and Peach streets,
Erie. The officers of this company are
John R. Brown, president; Jacob Christie,
vice-president; John F. Brown, secretary,
and Geo. A. Webb, superintendent. While
there has been talk of litigation between
the Burdett Co. of Erie, and the company
of the same name of Freeport, 111., yet
nothing of interest has materialized at
present. Mr. John R. Brown, who is the
man of authority of the Erie Co., does not
seem the slightest concerned over the out-
* *
come of the contention for the Burdett
*
At Erie I found rather an optimis- name. He continues to manufacture
tic sentiment prevalent. Mr. H. J. Ray- Burdett pianos, while I think the Western
more, of the Shaw Piano Co., showed company have not as yet placed any instru-
me convincing evidence that there was no ments, on the market and I question very
stagnancy within the Shaw factory confines. much if they ever will.