Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
From a Traveler's Note Book.
A LITTLE VILLAGE NOTED FOR BEING THE BIRTHPLACE OF AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY
& GRUBB
THE YOUTH WHO CAME TO NEW YORK
GORGEN
MAINE THE LAND OF WALTONIAN
SPORT PIANOS MADE THERE AS WELL—DYER & HUGHES PETERBORO IS
WHERE THE HAGEN & RUEFER PIANO IS MADE—-H. LEHR & CO.
THEIR SUCCESS WITH PIANO CASED ORGANS EVOLU-
TIONS THAT ARE STEADILY GOING ON.
HERE is a little village, reached
easily by road from Albany,
which has played no unim-
portant part in the supply
trade of this country. I re-
fer to the action factory of
Gorgen & Grubb.
They have a snug, well-appointed plant
—are good workmen, who attend strictly
to their business, and build actions which
are in demand by the trade. The plant
which they run was owned originally by
one F. Frickinger, who was, I think, the
first man in the United States who operated
a factory exclusively devoted to the manu-
facture of pianoforte actions.
It was when the industry was young, so
very young, in fact, that it was hardly out
of its swaddling clothes when Mr. Frick-
inger conceived the idea that there was a
chance for a factory devoted exclusively to
the manufacture of one branch or of one
part of the piano.
Mr. Frickinger accumulated what in
those days was a moderate fortune, and was
gathered in to his fathers. With him was
associated a young man who not only im-
bued Frickinger's ideas regarding the
building of actions, but saw beyond the
great possibility of building a tremendous
business. He saw the wonderful possibili-
ties of development in America,and he knew
that there was a big future in the piano
action business. He believed also that the
confines of the village of Nassau were limit-
ed for such accomplishments as he desired.
He thought New York City would be the
proper place for the expansion of those
ideas which were being nurtured in his
young brain. He came to New York, saw
and .conquered. His name is not only
well known in music trade circles, but in
financial circles as well. I refer to Peter
D. Strauch.
With the old-time action maker were
also associated the Messrs. Gorgen &
Grubb, who subsequently became owners
of the business, and have continued to
thrive and prosper in the little town which
was the birthplace of the first piano action
factory. Their actions have taken well
with the trade, and they are conducting a
snug, conservative and safe business.
* *
*
is brought to mind, it awakens a longing,
a deep longing as it were, to hie away from
the care-infested city and sojourn awhile
amid the sequestered shades and on the
crystal lakes of the old Pine Tree State.
This longing is intensified particularly
as John Davenport has recently related one
of his fishing tales which had their origin
up in the headwaters of Lake Moosetoc-
maguntic.
But Maine is also noted for her musical
products.
Take in the charming little town of Fox-
croft, there is located a music trade indus-
try which is fast winning a wide-spread
notoriety for its product. I refer to the
Dyer & Hughes piano, the fame of which
is being constantly augmented in all parts
of the country.
=.__ J
J. F. HUGHES.
J. F. Hughes & Son, the manufacturers,
take particular pride in the instruments
which they build. Their pianos are being
constantly improved. They have not lan-
guished by the wayside in the matter of
halting on improvements; they have been
wide-awake, and have weighed every pos-
sibility of improvement with decidedly
beneficial results to their product.
The Dyer & Hughes piano is steadily ad-
vancing. Its tonal effect is being im-
proved, while the case architecture is being
made harmonious in every detail.
* *
Another charming * little New England
When one talks abovit Maine, particularly
at this season of the year, there always town, and, by the way, it can boast of one
comes to mind stories of hunting and fish- of the best hotels that I have ever found in
ing galore—of finny products of the blue small interior towns^—that is Peterboro, N.
lakes, and .the four-footed animals which H. It is not difficult to reach from either
inhabit the dark paths of the pine forests. New York or Boston, and after you arrive
Maine is noted for its wonderful hunting there and have filled your lungs with the
and Waltonian possibilities, and just now pure mountain air, and have enjoyed a
at this season of the year, when this matter night's rest between fresh, sweet sheets,
and have enjoyed a breakfast which is as
wholesome as it is charming, you will be
mighty glad you came.
Hagen & Ruefer, the piano manufac-
turers, since their removal to this town
from New York, have been steadily at work
increasing their output. Mr. Hagen is in
every way pleased with the result of his
removal to Peterboro, and he views the
future with hopeful anticipation.
*
There is no mistaking the fact that H.
Lehr & Co., Easton, Pa., are building a
piano-cased organ which may be termed a
"winner.". Leaders in this particular
field of industrial art, they have endeavored
in every way to maintain supremacy. I
have seen in my travels a number of the
Lehr organs, and have heard them spoken
of in the very warmest terms of praise.
It is, of course, a difficult fact to produce
a musical instrument in a piano-cased or-
gan. H. Lehr & Co. seem, however, to
have reduced the difficulty to a minimum.
*
It was my argument years ago that
travel was one of the greatest educators,
that it was necessary for a manufacturer
who desired to keep in touch with his trade
to travel, to see the men in the different
localities, .to note the environments with
which they were surrounded; but I never
believed in that argument so. fully, so
strongly and so ardently as to-day. One
must travel in order to appreciate the
steady change that is going steadily on.
Everything in life is changing. Revo-
lution and evolution seem to be going on
everywhere. Scenes, methods, habits,
tastes and even principles, are radically
changing. It is a new life, with new ways
and new aspirations—not the least startling
change is to be seen in business life.
What would the rich old merchants of half
a century ago say to the methods, expenses
and fine surroundings of the business
houses of the present day? They would
rub their eyes in bewilderment, and tell
many a story of their own day of simplicity
and economy, and yet of great and honor-
able success. All business men, and es-
pecially the younger firms, should recog-
nize the new state of affairs, and make a
constant study of the changes and develop-
ment that are taking place. Judgment and
nerve are required in a higher degree than
ever before. Business must have clear
brains and stout hearts. It must have con-
stant watchfulness and energy. It must
have regard not only for private interests,
but the public welfare. The success and
expansion of firms cannot now take place
without the prosperity and growth of
cities. The road to fortune in business is
no longer the beaten track which can be
followed from generation to generation of
a family. Each season and each year is
producing new elements and relations in
the situation, in connection with human
progress generally, and the wise and suc-
cessful merchants will be those who join in
the onward march with faith in them-
selves and confidence in the future.