Presto

MUSICAL
TIMES
PRESTO
Established
1884
Established
1881
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE JOURNAL
10 Cents a
1 Year
Copy
$1.25
10 Months.. .$1.00
6 Months. .75 cents
CHICAGO, ILL.,
OCTOBER, 1930
CHICAGO PIANO MANUFACTURERS ELECT
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
This Organization, With Characteristic Vim, Is Leading the Way to Livelier
Piano Trade Throughout the Country
A meeting of members of the Chicago Piano Manu-
facturers' Association for the election of officers and
disposition of routine matters was held at the Illinois
Athletic Club, September 25, 1930. The following
officers were elected to succeed themselves for the
ensuing year:
President—Frederick P. Bassett.
Secretary—W. E. Guylee.
Vice-President—John H. Parnham.
Treasurer—Adam Schneider.
Assistant Secretary—Edward A. Le Veille.
An executive committee of five members was also
re-elected composed of Messrs. H. C. Dickinson,
(ieorge J. Dowling, E. R. Tacobson C. N. Kimball and
J-. F. Story.
Adam Schneider presented the Treasurer's report
and Mr. Le Veille made a report on behalf of the
traffic committee detailing developments in the East-
ern Class Rate Investigation and Western Trunk Line
cases.
The Chicago Piano Manufacturers' Association is
one of the most vital and powerful of the associations
devoted to piano interests, and its work is the most
far-reaching of any of the forces employed in com-
bination for continuing to manufacture pianos in large
quantities for the trade of the musical world.
The men now heading it. as will be noted at a
glance, are among the most progressive of the live
wires, who are continuing to fly the flag of the piano
in almost undisputed triumph; men who are concen-
trating every energy with tenacity of purpose to create
more business in their chosen field of manufacturing
desirable musical instruments.
They succeed in putting a kind of electrical agita-
tion into the minds and the joints of the slower deal-
ers, and are always out to do that very thing. They
put more goodwill into those fellows by giving them
the best in quality, terms and prices. In short, what-
ever is to the betterment of the trade in general, the
members of the Chicago Piano Manufacturers Asso-
ciation take hold of with vim and verve.
The Association Is Devoted Particularly to Trans-
portation Practices and Legislation.
The Chicago Piano Manufacturers' Association oc-
cupies an unique position in the field of piano asso-
ciation activities. Its service is confined largely to the
field of transportation, classification, rates, rules, prac-
tices and regulations. By confining its service to
this field of activity the Chicago Association succeeds
in covering it thoroughly, intelligently and promptly;
and experience has demonstrated no field offers so
many opportunities for profitable service. In addi-
tion to contacting traffic and transportation executives
the Association maintains a capable staff and is
equipped with complete library of tariffs and facili-
ties for serving its members.
Profitable Possibilities.
The profitable possibilities are not as well under-
stood as they should be. Transportation rates are
graded according to classes and distance. The rates
between New York and Chicago, for example, are:
New York to Chicago.
Classes
1
2
3 4
Rates
142 124/ 2 94*/> 66
A commodity like pianos rated first class pays a
rate of $1.42 per 100 pounds; in carloads rated second
class the rate is $1.24; sounding boards rated third
class are 94^/., etc. A change in rating from first
class to second or from second class to first signifies
a difference of eighteen cents per 100 pounds, or $22.00
per carload to the industry.
Achievements of Association.
The Chicago association can count among its
achievements a reduction in the rate on pianos to the
far West amounting to $200.00 per car, a reduction
in the rating of pianos in carloads from first class to
second; reductions in the rating of sounding boards,
piano hardware—all of which enter into the cost of
production or distribution or both. Its traffic com-
mittee assumes the responsibility of examining dock-
ets of all the classification and rate committees for
items of legislation affecting the interests of its mem-
bers, which happen to be the interests of the entire
trade. One such proposal if made effective would
have involved a change in the specifications for load-
ing pianos in carloads unboxed that would have put
Issued Monthly—
Fifteenth of Each Month
In addition to these activities the association dis-
tributes timely articles on traffic and transportation
topics, freight claims, reparation, etc. It has a com-
plete library of tariffs from which to derive legal tariff
rates in the preparation of exhibits for classification
and rate committees, and this library is also useful in
auditing the freight accounts of members of the asso-
ciation, an activity that frequently yields surprising
results in overcharges amounting to hundreds of dol-
lars in some cases and thousands of dollars in another.
And the auditing of freight accounts keeps the traffic
director informed as to volume and current of move-
ment and occasionally, as in the case of the rating
on sounding boards, discloses situations where the
classification rating does not reflect the transporta-
tion elements of the commodity. In such instances
it is possible by suitable petition to secure re-rating
of the item and this is what was done in the case of
F. P. BASSETT,
President-elect Chicago Piano Manufacturers' Association.
an unnecessarily severe handicap on the industry—
another proposed change would have increased the
rating on pianos from second class to first and still
another would have required the construction of piano
boxes from sound lumber—to mention only a few
of the suggestions constantly emanating from one
source or another and submitted to traffic executives
for consideration. These find their way on the public
docket, the purpose of which is to advise interested
shippers of suggestions received and affording an
opportunity to voice their views; and the Chicago
association never fails to avail itself of the opportunity
thus presented. And it has by timely action and an
attitude of helpful cooperation saved the industry
thousands of dollars in charges for transportation
services and successfully opposing such unnecessary
handicaps as piano boxes being constructed of sound
lumber, etc., in addition to promoting harmonious
relations by averting or correcting regulations cal-
culated to produce frictions and irritations. Its inter-
est is so well known that its views are sought on
all matters deemed likely to affect it.
the sounding boards, the second class rating being
reduced to third class.
Claims for Damages.
The association has the necessary forms for the
preparation, presentation and successful prosecution
of claims for damages to pianos in transit. Instances
of damage in transit are unusual and the individual
manufacturer ordinarily is glad to avail himself of
the facilities and experience of the association in the
collection of such accounts. Some of these claims are
comparatively simple, others involving instances of
concealed damages frequently present some difficulty.
The experienced claim adjuster is quick to recognize
these and to collect the necessary evidence while the
incident is still fresh in the minds of those concerned.
The functions of the association are numerous and
many of its members have come to rely implicitly
upon it, in speeding up transportation of products and
negotiating favorable classification rate and claim ad-
justments, in auditing freight accounts, and have found
the organization with its facilities a splendid invest-
ment.
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