Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
it was learned that they were unfounded and
that no one is missing.
Within twenty-four hours after the fire
the music trade firms whose establishments
were destroyed were located in new quarters
ready for business.
This enterprise is characteristic of the
West.
T"HERE is no report yet from the conference
committee who are struggling with the
National Bankruptcy Bill, recently passed by
the House of Representatives. It is sincere-
ly to be hoped that the representatives of the
Senate in the committee will agree to accept
the House measure. The Senate bill provid-
ing solely for voluntary bankruptcy is of no
value whatever, as no legislation can be
which does not provide the means by which
the property of an unwilling bankrupt may be
divided among his creditors.
It seems that the question at issue between
the two Houses is: shall the law be estab-
lished in the interest of the debtors, or shall
it favor just creditors against dishonest and
incompetent debtors, and shall it aid honest
debtors to make a settlement and make a new
start in business?
To summarize the matter in brief, the
Senate bill is for the relief of debtors, while
the House bill now being considered by the
conference committee is for the just relief of
both creditors and debtors. It is designed in
a broad spirit of consideration and should re-
ceive the President's signature during the
present session. Every representative busi-
ness organization in the United States de-
mands such a law on the statute-books.
T H E very graceful and indeed unusual com.
pliment paid Mr. Ferdinand Mayer this
week by the corporation of Wm. Knabe &
Co., and referred to elsewhere in this issue,
will be warmly applauded by a legion of
friends of the firm and of the gentleman so
signally honored. The bestowal of such a
substantial token of esteem and appreciation
of services is rare—hence the more valued.
Mr. Mayer's career in the music trade for
over thirty years has ever been a dignified
and an honorable one, and it is a great
pleasure to The Review to extend congratu-
lations on this auspicious occasion.
These are busy days at the Strich &
Zeidler factory. The output is large and
orders are plentiful. Mr. Widenmann left
town early in the week on a short Eastern
trip.
Pryibil machinery for piano makers occu-
pies a conspicuous place in the Pryibil cata-
logues. The members of the firm say that
they will cheerfully furnish estimates at any
time for ordinary or special work.
HUNDREDS OF PIANOS
GO UP IN SflOKE.
The Heart of the Retail Music Trade in Chicago in Ashes—The Retail Establish-
ments of the Chicago Cottage Organ Co., Emerson Piano Co. Totally Destroyed.
J. O. Twitchell, John A. Bryant, Lyon & Healy, Clayton F. Summy, Julius
Bauer & Co., National Music Co., Sol. Grollman all Suffer Loss—Hundreds
of Thousands Destroyed in Ten Minutes—Many Lives Lost—The Chicago
Cottage Organ Co. Secure New Quarters—Incidents of the Big Fire.
Chicago, 111., March 16, 1898.
The very heart of the piano district of the
city by the lake lies a smouldering mass of
ruins. In less time than will be required to
pen these brief lines, hundreds of thousands
of dollars worth of property was swept away
by the seething flames, while many lives were
lost. At this time it is impossible to tell how
many human beings were swallowed up in the
great fire which swept the business heart of
Chicago, destroying property roughly estima-
ted at a million or over. At about eleven to-
day a fire broke out in the building occupied by
the Conover Piano Co. It originated in the
wall paper establishment of Alfred Peats on
the third floor.
It was only a few minutes before the entire
building was aflame. There were hundreds
of people in the building at the time, and they
poured out of every exit, some on the fire-
escapes, some down the stairways and some
through the windows, meeting death in the
streets.
Ten minutes from the time the fire started
the entire structure was a mass of flames.
The street was quickly packed with people.
The flames reached a store of varnish and
chemicals on the third floor.
There was an explosion. The front wall
was blown out.
Plate-glass windows across the street were
shattered. The flames shot across Wabash
avenue.
Scores were burned. Many more were
struck by the flying debris.
•
The throng in the street was seized with a
panic. The people started to rush along the
thoroughfare. Men and women fell. They
were trampled upon.
In a solid mass the crowd pushed on.
Huge burning brands dropped on their heads.
Teams from the cross-streets plunged into
the struggling mass. Neither horses nor
people stopped. Some of the horses reared
and struck out, wounding men and women.
Policemen tried to bring order. It was in
vain.
For two blocks the crowd pushed on in this
mad chase. Then it stopped for breath, leav-
ing a long trail of injured behind.
Two more explosions followed the first one.
Within twenty minutes the building was a
heap of ruins.
Half a hundred engines pumped torrents
of water upon the blaze. It spread to the
Holbrook building, 211 Wabash avenue, and
to the building at 207 and 209.
It was feared that the blaze would reach
as far as Adams street and take in the
building occupied by Lyon & Healy. By
11:45 o'clock, however, the fire was under
control.
It all started from a swinging gas jet in
Alfred Peats.' The jet was in a storeroom,
with wall-paper on all sides, reaching to the
ceiling. The jet swung in the breeze, touched
a roll of paper, and in an instant all the room
was ablaze.
The magnificent structure is a total ruin,
one wall alone is standing.
The piano firms who occupied premises in
the burned district are the Chicago Cottage
Organ Co., The Emerson Piano Co., John A.
Bryant, J. O. Twichell and George P. Bent;
other music firms are Sol. Grollman, stools and
scarfs, agent for Henry Holtzman, Colum-
bus, The National Music Co. and E.
Wilson, piano scarfs.
There were other
business firms, but I am only enumerating
those who are allied to the music trade.
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co. had their
wholesale offices at 215, as well as their re-
tail business. Mr. H. D. Cable said that the
instruments owned by his corporation in the
burned building exceeded four hundred.
There is not a piece of one left. They are
wiped out.
John W. Northrup of the Emerson Co. said
that the number of pianos carried in stock by
his company would approximate one hundred
and thirty-five.
The magnificent establishment of George
P. Bent is damaged only by smoke and water.
He had but a limited stock of instruments in
the wareroom. His new decorations are
much damaged.
I am unable to get figures from John A.
Bryant but I should say his stock must be
ruined.
The stock of J. O. Twichell must be be-
yond rehabilitation, as through the clouds of
smoke it appears that the top of his building
has sunk in. The other firms enumerated
have suffered a total loss of stock.
I understand that all of the concerns car-
ried ample insurance on their stock so that
there will be no loss from that quarter. At
one time it looked as if the entire block would
be swept to Adams street, and that Lyon &
Healy's would go with the rest. The ele-