Presto

THE PRESTO BUYERS'
GUIDE CLASSIFIES ALL
PIANOS AND PLAYERS
AND THEIR MAKERS
PRESTO
E,tabli.hed 1884
0. K. HOUCK ADVANCES
THE CAUSE OF MUSIC
Memphis, Tenn., Piano Merchant Again Dis-
plays His Noted Public Spirit by Creating
the O. K. Houck Music Foundation.
To advance the cause of music in Memphis, Tenn.,
by making it possible to bring to the city some of
the best and strongest musical organizations in the
country, a charter has been granted to the O. K.
Houck Music Foundation. O. K. Houck, Jesse F.
Houck, W. S. Christian, J. V. Day, W. T. Sutherland,
John G. McConnell and Charles A. Pinson are the
incorporators.
The foundation will undertake to underwrite con-
certs for local musical organizations and aid in every
way possible to further the interest and advance-
ment of music in Memphis. It will be sustained by
public subscriptions. The first sum given came
from O. K. Houck, who has subscribed $5,000. Other
subscriptions will be expected from persons inter-
ested in music.
Coming as it does at the height of the most not-
able musical season Memphis has known in years,
the announcement that the recent progress in the
musical life of the city will be increased and made
permanent, will be received with satisfaction by mu-
sicians and the music-loving public. The present
season has witnessed the inauguration of a highly
successful series of Sunday concerts given under the
auspices of the music committee of the Chamber of
Commerce.
In addition to these concerts, which have attracted
large audiences weekly, some of the notable musi-
cians of the day have appeared in that city recently.
What the O. K. Houck Musical Foundation pro-
poses to accomplish for the music lovers of Mem-
phis was outlined by O. K. Houck, the founder.
Briefly, the organization plans to bring more high
class musical attractions to that city by underwriting
contracts which local musical clubs and societies
make with stars. If deficits occur, the foundation
will meet them.
Mr. Houck, who has made a fortune in the music
business there, says he wants to leave this founda-
tion as his monument and also as his legacy to music
lovers. He plans that it shall endure perpetually.
"In addition to assisting other organizations to
bring high class musical attractions here by guaran-
teeing the necessary funds, the foundation also will
bring stars here on its own accord," he said.
All earnings must be used to further the cause of
music there, Houck says, as no profits will be de-
clared. The terms of the charter require that in the
event the foundation should cease to exist at any
time in the future the funds remaining in the treas-
ury must be turned over to some musical organiza-
tion not designed for profit.
The foundation also may provide funds for the
education of promising young musicians there, giv-
ing them complete courses in this country and in
Europe, with all expenses.
GULBRANSEN FACTORY NOW
A DOMINANT LANDMARK
Visible From So Many Points Company Will Put
Up Big Sign.
The new Gulbransen factory building at Kedzie
and Chicago Avenue is now up to the fourth story.
It is to be six stories when completed.
The new chimney can be seen from the Kedzie
Avenue station of the Lake Street elevated rail-
road three-fourths of a mile away. The structure
when completed will be visible from two boulevards
—the Franklin Boulevard and Sacramento Boule-
vard. It can also be seen from the Chicago, Mil-
waukee & St. Paul railroad, and at least from three
street-car lines—Kedzie Avenue, Chicago Avenue
and Grand Avenue roads. It can be seen also from
Hufnboldt Park.
Being thus a great landmark—the most conspicu-
ous factory for the whole neighborhood—A. G. Gul-
bransen and T. B. Thompson are considering the
erection of a great sign that can be read from all
of these points of advantage. It will be readable at
night in letters of fire; by day in letters against the
sky. They are considering putting up a great sign
on the side of the new building. Deciding on a sign
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
THE PRESTO YEAR BOOK
IS THE ONLY ANNUAL
REVIEW OF
THE MUSIC TRADES
/• Cent.; $2.00 a Year
is an important matter, and the sign or signs that
will mark the home of the Gulbransen playerpiano
will be decided with care.
TERRIBLE ARRAY OF EVIL
DOERS IN THE TRADE
Better Business Bureau Is Fat with Long List of
Complaints Against Bad Advertisers.
The latest report of the Better Business Bureau,
under the charge of Secretary C. L. Dennis, pre-
sents a sinister array of complaints against dealers
and others, who are charged with doing some bad
advertising, or otherwise committing infractions of
the ethics of trade. The arraignments embrace
everything from "unfair competition" to mislead-
ing and tricky piano advertising.
Mr. Dennis' report covers 18 pages of closely
written large letter paper. Presto is one of the
papers that doesn't believe that publication of the
details of biased doings of the trade is calculated
to help. It often only serves to stimulate further
bad work and sometimes furnishes "copy" for other
bad advertisers.
It is to be hoped that the work of the Better
Business Bureau may work reforms, and so re-
lieve the trade of still more of the stigma of
obliquity which has too long rested upon the retail
end of the trade. If every dealer would "play fair"
there would be no need of such reports, and all
would make more money and accumulate also a
larger share of self-respect.
MANY DEALERS CALL ON
CHICAGO MANUFACTURERS
Some of Them Report Wonderful Piano Trade
in the Southwest.
Harry Wunderlich, of Kansas City, Mo., called
at the M. Schulz Co.'s office in Chicago last week
to place orders for goods. Mr. Wunderlich said
that piano trade was never more active than at
present, and his house was getting a large share of
the general prosperity.
Frank Lehman, piano merchant of East St. Louis,
111., who called at the M. Schulz Co.'s place of
business in Chicago last week to place orders for
goods, says that business in southwestern Illinois
is wonderful this winter. He has rebuilt his store,
so that now it is very attractive.
C. H. Hoffman, of the Herrick Piano Company,
Grand Rapids, Mich., was in Chicago last week. He,
too, reported many fine sales of good instruments
from the Herrick store recently.
Both members of Hook Bros., piano dealers of
Madison, Wis., were in Chicago Saturday placing
orders for goods.
Sales Manager Moore, of the Pelletier Company,
Sioux City, Iowa, was in Chicago placing orders in
the latter part of last week.
The manager of the piano department of the Bos-
ton Store, Milwaukee, Wis., was in Chicago Friday
and placed orders for more goods.
R. D. Gaston, of Hastings, Neb., was in Chicago
this week. He was en route to the convention in
New York.
George H. Costain, piano dealer of Huron, S. D.,
was in Chicago this week. He, also, was en route to
the New York convention.
George Glenn, of the Glenn Bros.-Roberts Piano
Company, which has stores at Salt Lake City and
Ogden, Utah, accompanied by his wife, was in Chi-
cago this week en route to the New York conven-
tion. After the convention Mr. and Mrs. Glenn will
take a trip to Florida. Mr. Glenn said the company
had been having a very good trade in the Ampico
playerpianos.
Charles E. Wells, president of the Charles E.
Wells Music Company, Denver, Colo., who left Den-
ver Saturday for the convention in New York,
stopped in Chicago on Monday of this week. He
called on some of the Chicago manufacturers while
in the city.
Ralph Stoddard, tuner for the Benedict Piano
Company, Shenandoah, Iowa, arrived in Chicago
on Monday en route to the New York convention.
Another tuner who arrived in Chicago Monday
en route to the convention was A. J. Grove, of De-
troit, Minn. Mr. Grove is an independent tuner.
S. K. Meyers, of Manchester, Iowa, was one of
the visitors to the piano wholesale markets of Chi-
cago this week.
THESE TWO GO IF
OTHERS STAY OUT
Here's an Early Bird Piano Man Who Chal-
lenges Edwin Jarrett, and Another Who
Compliments Presto on One of
Its Spasms of Virtue.
ANOTHER EARLY BIRD CLAIMANT.
Lebanon, Ind., Jan. 17, 1920.
Editor Presto: Perhaps Mr. Jarrett, of the
Kroeger Piano Co., is the first rooster to Crow in
the morning. But I have been prancing about my.
house before daylight for a good many years, my-
self, in the effort to get the store open in time to
catch the prospects who deliver milk and things
from the farm. I have been known to get a pros-
pect in tow at six p. m., fill him with supper, bring
him back to the store and stay till dawn the next
morning, and then sell him the piano right after
two o'clock lunch.
Seriously I have been in the habit of opening up
at six a. m., getting breakfast after the boy gets
there, and driving from twenty to fifty miles four
days out of the six, besides going to church twice
on Sundays. And I have kept that up for just
twenty-three years, except on the occasion of my
honeymoon, sixteen years back, when I didn't get
down to business much before seven in the morn-
ing for nearly a week.
It isn't just getting to it now and then before
daybreak. I've opened my store door at 4 o'clock
many a time in the attempt to catch the Cincin-
nati train, fifteen miles away, at 8:10. That was
several years ago. Now we have another road to
the city. But I still think it pays to beat the leg-
horns in the morning, and I am doing it. Do I win?
Very truly,
B. M. T.
HE'S A "CLEAN" DEALER.
Du Quoin, Iowa, Jan. 26, 1920.
Editor Presto: I think the piano trade owes
your paper a card of thanks for what you said
about the craze for "bettering" the way the piano
business is done. I have' been selling pianos, on
the road and at home, for a good many years.
All that time I have been buying other things, too.
I have bought furniture, clothing, shoes and stock-
ings, sugar and sometimes a "nip" or two—though
that's all done, now!
And I don't believe that I have ever indulged in
anything like the "bad business" that the other
fellows have wished upon me and my family. I
have bought some good stuff in all the lines. And
I have, now and then, felt that I had been "stuck"
by some of my neighbors. But I have never
thought of calling the merchants thieves, or of
calling a meeting at the public square to lynch any
of them or to have them indicted by either the
grand jury or the trade press. No committee has
ever heard me crying out loud for means of puri-
fying the other fellow's business. And I don't
think the piano men are so much worse.
That's why I say Presto deserves a medal. Per-
haps not one like Sims says Daniels shouldn't have
passed out to so many of our sailors, but a button
of some kind, at least. I, for one, wish the other
trade papers in our line had the sand to say some-
thing, also, now and then.
Yours, etc.,
B. M. HAZARD.
MRS. H. W. RANDALL'S FATHER DEAD
The sympathy of members of the trade goes out
to Mr. and Mrs.. Hugh W. Randall, of Milwaukee,
at the death of Mrs. Randall's father, William D.
Gray, who passed away Jan. 18 at the age of 77
years. Mr. Gray was probably the most noted in-
ventive genius in the flour mill industry and evolved
the present roller mill system of flour milling, which
revolutionized the industry about thirty years ago.
H. W. Randall is widely known as the proprietor of
the J. B. Badford Piano Co. of Milwaukee.
TEACHER MORAN ON TRIP.
O. W. Moran, who is one of the teachers at
Polk's School of Piano Tuning, Valparaiso, Ind..
went out to Iowa for a short trip in his special
work, action regulating and tuning, and is still out
there. Mr. Moran expects to return within a week
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