Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Va. Though the article itself is a strong expose
of the "prize puzzle" methods, the Hamilton Co.
The Schenectady Department Store to Handle
take occasion to add the following: "If the 'win-
a Strong Line of Pianos with A. E. De Mars ner' (?) of one of these so-called 'certificates' or
awards for $97 or $118 or $127 or $148 or any
as Manager—The
Starr
Line
Already
amount as issued by some piano houses as 'prizes'
Selected—Visits New York and Boston.
in their puzzle guessing 'contests' desires further
A. E. De Mars, manager of the piano depart- information regarding the way in which such piano
ment to be opened at an early date by the H. S. stores operate, we will be glad to furnish evidence
Barney Co., the large department store of Sche- that such certificates have no real value. And, fur-
nectady, N. Y., has been in New York this week ther, we can show from the printed price lists that
making arrangements for pianos to be represented pianos which have been sold at $275 to $300 have
in the new establishment. In a chat with The been marked up to $500 and $750 to allow of the
Review Mr. De Mars stated that he had already use of the puzzle certificates."
perfected arrangements to handle the full line of
pianos made by the Starr Piano Co., of Rich-
OMAHA SHIPPERS WIN.
mond, Ind., and after a visit to Boston late this
week expects to be able to announce his full line at Interstate Commerce Commission Decides for
Lower Freight Rates—Fight Lasts Four
an early date.
Years—Rebates of $175,000 and $100,000
"It is our intention," iaid Mr. De Mars, "to
Annual Saving the Result.
conduct a first-class pian^ store, to keep up prices
and display our line in an environment that will
The shippers of Omaha, Neb., have just won a
be in keeping with the character of the goods.
The formal opening of the new establishment will four-year battle for lower freight rates, the final
be quite an event in a musical way in Schenectady, victory occurring last week, when the Interstate
Commerce Commission decided that the new rates
but of that more anon."
Mr. De Mars is a piano man of experience, with demanded were legal and equitable. The decision
progressive ideas, and with the backing and pres- of the commission means that the shippers will
tige of the house of Barney he expects to make the receive rebates of over $175,000, of which about
$7,000 will go to piano houses. The A. Hospe Co.
piano department a live issue.
alone have filed formal claim for $2,000 refund.
The ruling, it is estmated, will save fully $100,000
EXPRESS STRIKE_CAUSES TROUBLE. annually in freight charges to Omaha merchants.
PIANO DEPARTMENT FOR BARNEY.
Small Goods Houses Have Difficulty in Making
Shipments and Receiving
Goods—Piano
Houses May Suffer if Strike Spreads.
The strike of the drivers, helpers and clerks of
the leading express companies in New York and
Jersey City has caused considerable annoyance and
expense in the trade, especially to the small goods
houses, who have been unable to make rush ship-
ments by means of express. Even when it was
decided to ship by freight it was with difficulty the
means could be found to transport the goods to the
depots. As to the piano houses and the depart-
ment stores handling pianos they have been hav'
ing an uneasy time ever since the threat was made
by the union officials that teamsters in all lines
would be called out in support of the expressmen
and to cripple the industries of the city. Even
when the matter is finally settled, difficulty will be
experienced in receiving and making express ship-
ments, owing to the congestion that has already
resulted.
ANOTHER MOVE_FOR HEALTH.
Michigan Board of Health Orders That There
Be No Brushing of Clothes in Railroad Cars
of That State—An Act to Be Commended.
The traveling fraternity will doubtless be pleased
to learn that another step has been taken in the
movement to protect the health of the traveling
public more thoroughly than is now the case. The
latest move has been made by the State Board of
Health of Michigan, who have ordered that the
practice of brushing the clothes of customers in
the railroad cars in that State be discontinued, as
it tends to spread disease. The traveler will read-
ily appreciate the wisdom of the board's order, for
it is not a very pleasant experience to have the
ebony hued son of Ham, who is the despot and
hold-up artist of the Pullman car, energetically
brush the dust from the clothes of your fellow
passenger onto your own and from there distribute
the dirt to the four winds to get into the mouths
and throats of others in the car. The amount of
dirt carried from cars on the clothing and per-
sons of the passengers must save the car cleaners
a lot of work in the course of a year.
HAMILTON CO. FIGHT CONTESTS.
TO GUARD CORPORATION SECRETS.
Information About Income Tax Collected Will
No Longer Be Supplied.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Oct. 31, 1910.
After a conference last night between Attorney-
General Wickersham and President Taft it was
decided that regulations should be drafted to gov-
ern information on the collection of the corporation
tax. It is said that manufacturers have been get-
ting information about the incomes of rival cor-
porations through a leak in the system by which
the corporation tax is collected.
Lawyers, it is said, have been writing to officials
in Washington, asking for information about the
income of concerns with which they have no per-
sonal connection. The information has been for-
warded, and the theory is that the lawyers in all
such cases were acting for rival corporations. Here-
after all such information will be refused.
DISPOSED OF 117 PIANOS.
This is the Record Made by the Milwaukee
Store of the F. G. Smith Piano Co. During
September and October — This Concern
Opened a Branch at Two Rivers, Wis.
(Special to The Review.)
Milwaukee, Wis., Nov. 1, 1910.
The F. G. Smith Piano Co. have opened a new
branch store at Two Rivers, Wis., under the direct
charge of Tony Hansen, but under the general
management of Emil O. Schmidt, manager of the
Milwaukee store of the company. An exception-
ally fine record was made during the months of
September and October by the Milwaukee store
of the F. G. Smith Co.; 117 instruments were dis-
posed of during these two months in Milwaukee
county. The Bradbury grand is proving so popu-
lar in Milwaukee that the house recently disposed
of two of these instruments in one day.
J. M. Hawxhurst was a recent visitor.
IMPORTERS TO BE PROSECUTED.
None Will Escape Through Cash Payments for
Undervaluations.
(Special to The Review.)
The S. Hamilton Co., Pittsburg, Pa., continue
to wage war against the prize certificate plan of
selling pianos and have had reprinted and published
an article upon the subject by W. A. Milligan,
manager of the F. W. Baumer Co., Wheeling, W.
Washington, D. C, Oct. 31, 1910.
New York importers who have profited through
undervaluations will not be permitted to escape
through compromise and cash payments. This is
made clear in a letter which J. F. Curtis, Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury, has sent to one of the
importers who wish to settle on the immunity
basis.
The stand taken by the Treasury Department
means that a number of importers who have made
offers to Collector Loeb will be disappointed and
that the government will go ahead with prosecu-
tions whenever it has the evidence of undervalua-
tion frauds.
CURTICE-BAUAHIET DECISION
In Case Against Purchasers Who Returned
Pianos Owing to Sales Breaking Tactics—
Secure Judgment—Case to Be Appealed—
Piano Men Pleased.
/
(Special to The Review.)
Omaha, Neb, Nov. 1, 1910.
The suit of the Curtice-Baum Co. to force Dr.
E. M. Hafner and Anton Ondreacek to pay for
pianos purchased by them and later returned, upon
representations made by the salesmen of a rival
house to the effect that the instruments were sec-
ond-hand, was decided in favor of the plaintiff,
the piano company being awarded a judgment of
$350 in each instance.
The court held that the conditional contracts
held by the Curtice-Baum Co. were legal and
binding upon the defendants, and immediately upon
securing judgment the piano company filed execu-
tions covering the amounts upon the two $400
pianos sold the defendants by the rival house, the
latter filing chattel mortgages upon the instruments
too late. The defendants have filed appeal bonds
to release the pianos, and will fight out the matter
in the higher courts.
The majority of the local piano men are well
pleased at the result of the suit, not only because
thus far the conditional contract of sale has been
upheld, but because the case is looked upon as a
staggering blow to the sales-breaking methods that
have been in evidence in the trade for some time
past.
Allen Buskirk, Easton, Pa., recently purchased
the music store of C. E. Searles.
Wire Excellence!
Do you realize why some products ex-
cel?
We mean by that, scientific products—
products which represent a triumph of
American skill—products like American
piano wire, for instance!
The why is easy, and if you seek for it
you do not have to look far.
It is because every possible avenue of
investigation has been exhausted in the
perfection of such products.
The brands of wire produced by this
great corporation, known as the
" PERFECTED
f»
AND
" CROWN "
have gained the strongest possible position
with piano manufacturers on account of
the critical tests which have been applied
and the fact that when these brands are
put forth they are as near perfection as
human skill and ingenuity can produce.
That is why the American Steel & Wire
products are gaining ground all the while,
and when pianos and player pianos are
equipped with this wire there is nothing
further to be said regarding quality, for
the best procurable is there.
American Steel & Wire Co.
Chicago
New York
Worcester
Denver
San Francisco
United States Steel Products Co.
ExDOrt Representative
30 Church St.. NEW YORK