Presto

PRESTO
Presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
- Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
now in progress can permit of the prompt
shipments for which he has made a record.
In last week's Presto, too, special mention
was made of the unusual activities of the Nel-
son-Wiggin Piano Co., the M. Schulz Co., and
the Story & Clark Piano Co.—and we think
several more whose business had special men-
tion.
What, then, is the matter with the piano
business? Can you tell? If you think you
can, take an inward look and see whether or
not you are in any degree to blame for it.
VOICES
In writing of the late Commoner and re-
ligious Crusader, J. G. Hayden, newspaper
writer at the nation's capital, said: "Wash-
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if ington knew and feared Bryan primarily as a
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen 'Voice.' " That's all any man is—or anything,
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre- for that matter—if we amount to a row of pins
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
—voices. Presto has always tried to be a
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- voice acclaiming the square deal—good music,
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the good pianos, well made, fair-priced, under
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full sound contracts to honest dealers and on to
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon their "prospects," carefully chosen for their
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
week, to insure classification, must not be later than reputations as men and women with a sense of
Wednesday noon.
financial obligation and general integrity.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Good pianos and organs are well voiced, but
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
there are other voices that run parallel to the
voice of the strings, or the wood, or the reeds
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1925.
or the sound-box. Voices of command in fac-
tory, or store, or advertising room, or over the
CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE
If there is anything, more than others, that wire to the traveling salesman. Voices of
Presto likes to publish, it is the indisputable genius in the compositions that are played; in
proof that the piano is as live an item in the the varnish and in the hand-rubbed prepara-
world of affairs as almost any of its more tion of the instrument's surfaces; of the hus-
commonplace associates in trade and industry. band and wife as they planned and laid away
And this week we have so much evidence of now a V now a saw-buck to meet their pay-
that cheering kind that we can not refrain ments ; of the sawmill, the wire-mill, the foun-
dry, the glue works, the emery wheel and the
from pointing to some of it in this way.
Notice what is said in this week's article cutting tools. Voices of the elephant trumpet-
that tells of a visit by the forces of a large ing through the jungles as he carries the sacred
retail house to the Lester Piano Company. keys, many times the "seven keys to Bald-
There are several invaluable lessons for piano pate" ; of the calf bellowing in the pasture
dealers in that report. It is an inspiration to back of the barn as he carries the sacred drum-
read such remarks as are attributed to Mr. head ; of the horse neighing over the rail fence
Geo. Miller in his welcoming address to his and Risking vainly at the flies with his tail
company's guests. It is no less inspiring to broomed with the sacred hairs of the violin
read what Sales Manager Schiller said about bow; of the bull bellowing, and, in his anxiety
the character of the merchants who sell Les- to get at the tantalizing schoolboy on the safe
side of the fence, pawing up the dust with the
ter pianos.
At a time when so much is said about a hoofs containing the sacred glue ; of the hog
lack of enterprise, indifference and doubtful squealing for his dinner that will make him
methods of some of the retail piano dealers, grow bigger and furnish more sausage for the
it is especially reassuring to consider the piano factory man's dinner-pail.
story of the Troup organization's visit to the
You could go on and on. But why? It's a
great Lester factories. Don't miss a word time for mergers and combines. Merge the
of it.
combinations of these voices and get the voice
And then commit to heart what is said, in of music, to "soothe the savage breast," and
another column this week, about the Straube make life more worth while. In short voice
Piano Co., of Hammond, Indiana, and it^ the need of more pianos. Get out and sell
hard-working and energetic president. A them.
"record-breaking summer business" is the cen-
tral theme of it. Not a suggestion of the
The bursting of a giant fly-wheel is neces-
"dull" times of the supposed "dead" season. sarily an incident of disaster. But the fact
Just, and briefly, that the industry controlled of such an accident in the engine room of the
by the man who "can seldom be induced to Jesse French & Sons Piano Co. proves that
take a vacation" proclaims the assurance of the big factory must be so active as to sug-
"even better business this fall," with a great gest a cheerful demand for the favorite pianos
addition to the factory approaching com- from New Castle.
pletion.
* * *
And, in a report of one of Presto's investi-
Last week's slogan of the Piano Club of
gators of piano affairs, one of the newer, but Chicago may not find denial in the minds of
very active and ambitious industries, adds an any piano man who read the letters of Mr..
enthusiastic voice. Mr. B. K. Settergren, of Geo. P. Bent with approval. It was "Personal
Bluffton, Indiana, says his factory is so busy liberty in America is now only a tradition."
that only the completion of the new addition And appropriately enough, the slogan was
Subscription, $2 a y-jar; 6 months, $1; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
August 15, 1925.
contributed by Mr. Schlitz, whose namesake
was at one time a very popular citizen of
Milwaukee.
* * *
The Department of Agriculture is plainly
inclined to help along the piano trade. It pre-
dicts marked prosperity just ahead and says
that the hay, corn and oats crops look par-
ticularly good. Such conditions are bound to
boom the music business.
* * *
The new Chicago representation of the
Starr and Remington pianos is described in
Presto this week. It is on a conspicuous
West Side corner and it began to do business
on the day of its opening.
Reports of several new piano industries,
soon to start, and the plan of a giant "chain"
of general music stores, give vigor to interest
in current events and must add to the topics
of trade discussion.
* * *
Northward the course of the piano goes in
the American cities. In both New York and
Chicago recent movements in the trade have
been to the North, where the new Piano Rows
are more imposing than the splendid older
ones.
* * *
The promise is for an active fall and winter
piano trade. Dealers will be wise who pro-
vide for it in advance.
30 YEARS AGO IN THE TRADE
From the Files of Presto
(August 15, 1895.)
Business for three or four weeks back has been on
the decline, but during the past week it has bright-
ened up somewhat. Retail trade generally is at low-
est ebb, but many of the factories are running along
at a ecirhparatively fair rate.
Fire seems to be doing its best to decrease the
organ industry this summer. Following close upon
the total destruction of the Western Cottage Organ
Company's plant at Ottawa, 111., comes news of the
burning of the new factory of M. P. Moller, at
Hagerstown, Md.
Think what a field Chicago offers for the hustling
piano salesman. Only eleven thousand pianos in a
city of nearly two million souls. Allowing five to
each household, there would still be nearly thirty
thousand desolate homes in which no music is heard
—no piano music. What a field for the missionary,
to be sure!
Buck up, you music dealers! What if Angelina has
latterly shown a preference for the bicycle over the
piano. Have not city authorities decreed that hence-
forward there is to be no more display of stockings?
Do you really think that she will any longer care to
accompany Edward clad in the regulation costume,
baggy from the ankles upward? No, no! She will
return to virtue and Mendelssohn, "The Battle of
Prague," "Silvery Waves,"' "The Maiden's Prayer"
and all that charmed her of yore. Without knicker-
bockers the bike will have no more attraction for her
than stale candy or stocking mending.
20 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(From Presto, August 17, 1905.)
An English doctor has declared that marital happi-
ness is determined by the nature of the music in the
home. Poor pianos, he said, were the cause of con-
siderable connubial infelicity.
Charles F. Tretbar, who has seen Ihe music busi-
ness of this country grow and, in serving Steinway
& Sons has taken an active part therein, will, within
a few months, leave for Germany where he will
spend the rest of his days.
Charles Dold, the cigar maker, noted for conduct-
ing strikes against piano factories, was elected presi-
dent of the Chicago Federation of Labor last Sunday.
This was the third attempt to hold an election, the
other meetings ending in rioting.
"Piano dealers who talk about summer vacation
dullness in big cities like to have an excuse for not
hustling in hot weather," said a prominent manu-
facturer to a representative of Presto Tuesday.
"Right now I imagine as many pianos, or nearly as
many, could be sold as at any other period of time.
The dealers simply do not go after customers."
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