Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
NO FINANCIAL OR ECONOMICAL REASON FOR SLOWING UP
BIG GAIN IN FOREIGN TRADE
Geo. Miller, Treasurer of the Lester Piano Co., Sends Strongly Optimistic Letter to Dealers Con-
taining Forceful Argument for Keeping Business Active—Confidence the Keynote
"Does not this quotation from Mr. Coffin sum
PHILADELPHIA, PA., April .30.—The Lester Piano
Co. has been doing some active work in pro- up the whole situation? Money is more plen-
mulgating the idea of "Business as Usual," in an tiful in the United States to-day than ever be-
effort to counteract the effect of those alarmists fore, and to the money we now have are to be
who have been preaching retrenchment on ac- added the billions to be spent for labor and ma-
count of the war. The officials of the Lester terial in the United States.
Co. have been instrumental in starting a cam-
"The piano business should be better than
paign of reassurance in the Philadelphia North ever before. The only serious drawback to
American, recent issues of which have contained increased business in the piano line is the lack
vigorous editorials showing why the country of materials and labor, and the delay in trans-
and its vast industries should continue to expand portation. Piano business in Canada is re-
along commercial lines, instead of endeavoring ported to be better than ever before, because
to economize rigorously along lines that are the people have more money, and the next year
inimical to the welfare of the nation.
or two in the United States, should be the piano
In addition to this highly constructive work man's real opportunity.
the Lester Co. has sent to each of its dealers
"Don't let your stock run down. Don't lose
the following letter, which gives some excellent business on account of absolutely unnecessary
reasons for keeping business up to the satis- reduction in the stocks carried. The motto of
factory degree of activity which has prevailed the piano industry should be: 'Let's make better
generally during the past two years:
business our watchword and keep our factory
"Howard K. Coffin, of the Advisory Commis- and home fires burning.'
sion of the Council of National Defense, is
"There is no financial or economical reason
quoted in the public press, as saying, among for slowing up. We are running full time and
other things:
expect to do so right along. We are not cur-
" 'Patriotic service does not, of necessity, tailing in any way and will not. We are wait-
mean the making of shells or carrying a musket ing for our share of your future orders, and as-
over the shoulder. This would soon become a sure you of our intention to supply your needs
which will certainly be greater during the bal-
sorry country if it did.
" 'To the billions which have been spent here ance of this year than ever before, and we
by foreign powers are now to be added seven know that patriotism as well as your financial
billions of our own. Stated activities, road prosperity will compel you to largely increase
building, public works, private industries all your efforts and consequently your orders.
must go on as before; business must be in- "We wish to assure you that there will be no
creased, labor employed and the country kept hold-up on the part of the Lester Piano Co.,
going strongly ahead as a successful econom- and that we are ready and awaiting your com-
ical machine. We must have successful in- nands. Very truly yours, Lester Piano Co.,
dustries if successful tax levys are to be raised.'
"GEO. MILLER, Treasurer."
United States Foreign Commerce for March
Shows a Gain of $156,000,000, Surpassing the
Previous Months—Exports Take a Jump
W. L. BUSH IN CONCERT IN DULUTH
FORD CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY
JAMESTOWN, N. Y., April 30.—M. L. Ford, who
President of Bush & Gerts Piano Co. Demon-
strates Personally the Musical Qualities of has represented the Cable & Sons line for many
years in this city, is celebrating his ninetieth
His Instruments for Korby Piano Co.
birthday to-day. In addition to the many con-
DULUTH, MINN., April 30.—W. L. Bush, presi-
gratulatory messages which he has received,
dent of the Bush & Gerts Piano Co., who has Cable & Sons sent him a special word of greet-
been spending some time with the trade in this ing expressing the wish that he will live to
section of the country, recently gave several order one of their instruments on his one hun-
concerts at the warerooms of the Korby Piano dredth birthday.
Co., 26-30 Lake avenue, North, for the pur-
pose of demonstrating personally the tone qual- PATRIOTISM AT KROEOER FACTORY
ities of the Bush & Gerts piano. The first two STAMFORD, CONN., April 30.—The Kroeger
concerts given by Mr. Bush proved so suc- Piano Co., of this city, is evidencing its patriot-
cessful that two others were also given subse- ism these days through an innumerable array,
quently.
of flags, every window in the extensive plant
showing the Stars and Stripes. The factory is
THOS. DUNNIOANJN CLEVELAND
exceedingly busy these days, and an especially
Is Now Assistant to Manager Dan J. Nolan, heavy demand is being reported for Kroeger
of the May Co.
grands, while the uprights and players are com-
ing in for their share of attention, each mail
CLEVELAND, O., April 29.—Thos. Dunnigan, who
bringing
in good-sized orders.
was associated with the May Co. a few years
ago, has returned to that concern, and is now
assistant to Manager Dan J. Nolan. Mr. Dun- BRAMBACH GRANDJN HOME SETTING
The Brambach Piano Co., 639 West Forty-
nigan, since his previous residence in this city,
has been manager of the piano department of ninth street, New York, will have an interesting
Boggs & Buhl in Pittsburgh, afterwards being exhibit at the National Music Show during Con-
connected with Klein & Heffelman, Canton, O. vention Week, at which they will display the
flis many friends in Cleveland are glad to see Brambach baby grand in a comfortable home
him back in town again, and he is doing some setting, showing how this instrument set across
excellent sales work in his present capacity the corner of a room occupies no more space
than an upright in the same position. W. C.
here.
Hepperla, secretary of the company, will be in
TONK WARER00M EXHIBIT
attendance.
Win, Tonk & Bro., Tenth avenue and Thirty-
sixth street, New York, will exhibit a complete COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS IMPROVING
line of Tonk pianos and player-pianos at 323 Commercial failures last week in the United
South Wabash avenue, Chicago, during Con- States, as reported by R. G. Dun & Co., were
vention Week. Wm. Tonk, Chas. J. Tonk and 283, against 268 in the previous week and 336 in
Edwin G. Tonk will have charge of the exhibit. the corresponding week last year.
WINTER & CO.
•» Manufacturers of
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
WASHINGTON, D. C, April 28.—The country's
foreign trade in March showed an increase of
nearly $156,000,000 over that of February, ac-
cording to a statement issued to-day by the
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce of
the Department of Commerce. Exports from
American ports jumped from $467,683,406 in
February to $551,278,328 in March, which is
second only to the $613,555,693 of January as a
record for American sales abroad in one month.
Imports for March were valued at $270,484,439,
as compared with $199,479,996 in February and
$241,816,282 in January. The March figure is a
new record.
The value of all exports for the nine months
ended with March is placed at $4,634,863,518, as
compared with $2,995,424,760 for the similar
period in 1916, and $1,931,077,869 for the nine
months ended with March, 1915. Imports for
similiar periods were valued at $1,818,319,416,
$1,504,662,718, and $1,213,-613,643 respectively.
Of the March imports 69.75 per cent, entered
free of duty, while in March, 1916, the percen-
tage of free imports was 67.78, and in March,
1915, 60.43 per cent.
Gold imports totaled $139,498,590 in March,
1917, while exports of gold for the month were
$17,919,601. Imports of gold for the nine
months ended March 1917, were $801,202,430,
as compared with exports of $150,094,328, leav-
ing a net balance of imports of gold of $651,-
108,102.
MATHUSHEK BUILDING LEASED
Property on Broadway Occupied by Piano
House for Over Half Century to Be Ta"£en
Over by New and Unnam«d Interests
The five-story building at the southwest cor-
ner of Forty-seventh street and Broadway,
which, for the past half century, has been oc-
cupied by the Mathushek & Sons Piano Mfg.
Co., has been leased to unnamed parties for a
term of years at an annual rental of about
$55,000. The Mathushek lease expires in May,
1918, and the new lease is subject to that com-
pany's rights.
INAUGURATES AUTOMOBILE SERVICE
Albany Piano Store Will Send Automobile for
Out-of-Town Customers
ALBANY, N. Y., April 30.—McClure & Cowles,
piano dealers in this city, have recently been
advertising a free automobile service for the
benefit of prospective customers who live with-
in a radius of twenty miles of their store. This
advertisement has already been productive of
good results, and the concern expects that it
will thus be enabled to secure the patronage
of many prospective clients who ordinarily
would feel that they could not spare the time
to travel to the store by trolley or railroad.
The concern handles the American Piano Co.'s
line, and is doing a good business.
PREPARED FOR J1AZELTON EXHIBIT
W. M. Plaisted, vice-president and general
manager of Hazelton Bros., New York, has
been busy for the last two weeks, preparing a
most complete line of instruments—grand, up-
right and player-pianos—to be displayed at
Booth No. 33, at the National Music Show in
Chicago during the convention. There has also
been prepared a complete line of literature, in-
cluding a most attractive catalog and several
artistic leaflets besides the display hanger. Mr.
Plaisted will be in constant attendance.
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos