Presto

m T o
TRAFFIC TROUBLE
GROWS NO LESS
Edward A. Leveille, Traffic Manager at Chi-
cago of the Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
ciation Advises Shippers to Anticipate
Their Fall Requirements at Once.
"Traffic congestion in July! Think of it!" said
Edward A. Leveille, traffic manager for the Chicago
Piano Manufacturers' Association to a Presto repre-
sentative on Wednesday of this week. "Why, when
I worked for the Michigan Central Railroad Com-
pany we used to put our feet on the table in July—
there was so little to do in that month. But now—
why, it required from three to four months to get
piano supplies through from Deep River, Conn., to
Chicago!"
Mr. Leveille sent out the following letter this
week:
Mr. Leveille's Letter.
Chicago, July 19, 1920.
To Members:
There can no longer be any question but that the
demand for transportation this fall will be far in ex-
cess of the supply.
The present congested condition of the carriers,
at a time of the year when the demand is normally
lightest, the slow movement of freight, the depleted
fuel reserves, the serious consideration being given
the extension of the permit system, and the action
of the Interstate Commerce Commission in assum-
ing control over the distribution of cars, and the as-
signment by the Commission of all open top equip-
ment for the movement of fuel and large numbers
of box cars for grain, are unmistakable evidences
of the difficulties with which we will have to con-
tend this fall.
It is suggested in the interest of uninterrupted
operations, that manufacturers give immediate and
careful attention to the question of materials and
supplies, and anticipate their fall and winter require-
ments to the utmost extent that it is practicable to
do so.
EDW. A. LEVEILLE,
Traffic Dircetor.
An Emergency Exists.
Mr. Leveille then called the attention of the re-
porter to service order No. 9, which resulted from a
session of the Interstate Commerce Commission,
Division 5. held at its office in Washington, D. C,
on the 13th day of July, 1920. This order states:
It appearing in the opinion of the Commission
that because of a shortage of equipment and conges-
tion of traffic aggravated by unfavorable labor con-
ditions which continue to exist upon the lines of
each and all the common carriers by railroad sub-
ject to the Interstate Commerce Act within the ter-
ritory east of the Mississippi River, and because of
the inability of the said common carriers properly
and completely to serve the public in the transporta-
tion of coal, an emergency exists which requires im-
mediate action.
The Interstate Commerce Commission has, there-
fore, ordered that there be no interference with coal
shipments.
NOTABLE STEINWAY PIANO
SALES IN MILWAUKEE
Four of the Famous Instruments Recently Placed
in Auditorium; Prominent Citizens Purchasers.
Notable sales of the Steinway Style B parlor
grand have been made by the Gram house in Mil-
waukee. One is for the auditorium of the new $4,-
000,000 home office building of the Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Co. and was purchased by
P. R. Sanborn, first vice-president. Another Stein-
way was purchased by the Women's Club of Eau
Claire, Wis., for its new quarters. The third, and
one of the most prized of all, is that of a Steinway
parlor grand by Milwaukee-Downer College, one of
the most noted educational institutions exclusively
for women in the United States.
The Milwaukee Elks' Club recently purchased
a Steinway style B, mahogany grand. Other pur-
chasers of Steinway grands include: J. Frederick
Palmer, Frank I. Comey, Mrs. A. L. Wirth, B. Lew-
enauer, Leo Goldman, Mrs. B. Barrett, Peter Mc-
Bride, David Cohen, J. H. Lawton, all of Milwau-
kee; and C. W. Collier and Clarence F. Straubel, of
Green Bay, Wis.
A. B. SMITH INCORPORATES.
The A. B. Smith Piano Co., Akron, O., has been
incorporated for $1,000,000. A. B. Smith is one of
the widely known piano men of the Middle West.
He has built a great business and has branch houses
in several cities throughout Ohio. As a distributor
of pianos Mr. Smith has assumed a large place in
the trade and his increased capitalization suggests
still greater things than ever.
CHASE=HACKLEY MANAGER
WINS HIS VACATION
H. D. BRADLEY AT WORK.
Manager H. D. Bradley, of the Chase-Hackley
Piano Co., Muskegon, Mich., is away on a month's
vacation on Bermuda Island. Mr. Bradley has
proved his right to the rest by the steady and en-
thusiastic manner with which he has sustained the
responsibilities of the offices of the active piano in-
dustry which was so long in care of the late
Braton S. Chase. Mr. Bradley assumed the work of
Mr. Chase when that gentleman died, and he had
added to the already extensive business of the com-
pany, as well as supervising the addition to the fac-
tory by which the output has been considerably
increased.
H. D. Bradley is one of the younger clement in
the piano industry who had "arrived" some time
ago. He and his brother, Ff. H. Bradley, manager
of the Chicago offices of the Chase-Hackley Piano
Co., make what may properly be referred to as a
"team," and a mighty good one, of the kind the
late Hobart M. Cable liked to refer to as "wheel-
horses, 11 Mr. Bradley will be back in Muskegon
again in August.
July 24, 1920.
COURT DECISION
IN EILERS CASE
Judge Bean, at Portland, Ore., in the Now;
Famous Contention, Upholds the Petition
of Master as to Unity and Identity of
the Different Eilers Interests.
The Smith, Barnes & Strohber Company, and
other creditors of Hy Eilers, of the Pacific Coast,
scored a point in their litigation this week. A
Presto representative, hearing of the decision of
Judge Bean at Portland, Ore., was referred to Law-
yer John Taylor Booz, First National Bank Build-
ing, for the particulars. Mr. Booz made the follow-
ing statement:
Mr. Booz Explains It.
The Trustees in Bankruptcy of Eilers Music
House about a year ago filed a petition in the U.
S. District Court at Portland, Oregon, which was
referred to the Referee as special Master; in this
petition asking that Oregon Eilers Music House be
declared to be a part of Eilers Music House.
Three or four months ago the special Master's
report stated that the assets of Oregon Eilers Music
House were a part of the Eilers Music House, bank-
rupt, and recommended that a decree be entered by
the Court turning over these assets to the Trustee
in Bankruptcy of Eilers Music House.
A telegram dated July 19th states that Judge
Bean of the United States District Court has ap-
proved the special Master's recommendations and
ordered the Trustee of Eilers Music House to take
full charge of Oregon Eilers Music House at once.
A telegram dated July 20th states that Judge Bean
has granted a stay of five days for Oregon Eilers
Music House to file a $75,000 bond, but has warned
the parties against any dissipation of assets either
at Portland or Spokane.
The Trustee in bankruptcy of Eilers Music House
and Oregon Eilers Music House own the entire
capital stock of Spokane Eilers Music House, and
if this decision is sustained it will carry with it the
assets of Spokane Eilers Music House as well as
Eilers Music House.
However, doubtless, the separate creditors of the
Oregon Eilers Music House and of Spokane Eilers
Music House will be paid their claims and only the
surplus go to the creditors of the Eilers Music
House. This, however, should materially increase
the assets.
The reporter further learned that Judge Bean, of
the United States District Court of the District of
Oregon, in upholding this week the decision of A.
M. Cannon, master in chancery handed down in
1918. has smoothed the way for the creditors to col-
lect their claims.
In part, the Master in Chancery said, when mak-
ing his report in 1918 "In short, for anything that
appeared on the surface, there was discernible there
luit one business, and, mere corporate title aside,
that is all there was in fact.
"Parts of Same Enterprise."
"There were many indubitable corporations, it is
true, but they were parts and parcels of the same
enterprise, and nothing else whatever can be made
of it.
"And so it seems anachronistic to say that the
officers and chief stockholders of the Eilers Music
I louse, a failing and insolvent corporation, may
lawfully transfer to Oregon Eilers, of which they
are likewise the officers and chief stockholders, a
laige amount of music house property for some-
thing of no substantial value; may take from the
former one of its principal branches of business and
sources of income; may lead its creditors by their
contracts, representations and engagements to be-
lieve that whatever was done was done and per-
formed in furtherance of the determination success-
fully to liquidate the debts and put upon a sound
foundation the Eilers business; may in fact for al-
most two years combine, handfe and operate the
several corporations for that purpose and with that
design; yet are at liberty when the reversion in for-
tune actually comes to segregate from the various
companies that portion which seems to have value,
upon the grounds solely that it is a distinct cor-
poration, entirely individual, in which they hold the
stock.
"The persons involved are estopped to do this by
every consideration which the court of equity may
draw upon."
MOVES INTO NEW STORE.
F. W. Eberhard, piano dealer at Pierce City, Neb.,
w r as in Chicago this week ordering goods. He said
he was stocking up for his new store, into which he
will move right away. It is a large new building,
and Mr. Eberhard is justified in the pride with which
he speaks of his business. He has been an enthusi-
astic dealer in good pianos and he is entitled to his
success.
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