Scan 23
Musical Courier 1891-09-30: Vol 23 Iss 606, 1891
73 lines. Read by computer on 19 September 2026. Printed page 372. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1CHICAGO.
3Latest from Our Chicago Representative.
5CHICAGO OFFICE MUSICAL COURIER,
6233 STATE STREET,
7CHICAGO, September 26, 1891.
9THERE seems to be a feeling in the minds of a few of the dealers in this city that to engage the services of a clerk or salesman while still in the employ of a competitor is a very dishonorable action. This feeling has been fostered and greatly encouraged recently by the action of the proprietor of one of the Chicago trade papers, who has taken it upon himself personally to interfere in the case of one of the salesmen who was desirous of bettering his condition by engaging with another house. This action has been promptly denounced and condemned by some of the employers, and the salesmen are almost literally up in arms against what they consider a direct invasion of their liberty of action and their indignation finds vent in no measured terms.
11The strike at the Bush factory is still on and there is no change in the situation whatever. Messrs. Bush & Co. have a few men at work.
13Mr. M. J. Chase is now the president of the Chickering-Chase Brothers Company.
15Mr. R. H. Day has engaged with the Chicago Music Company, the Day-Johnson combination not culminating as anticipated.
17A young man of this city named Mr. F. J. Baird has drawings of a device which he thinks will enable composers to register the notes without writing them out, simply by playing the piano, but as he has so far no model it is hard to say whether it would be practical or not. This is an old scheme and many attempts in the direction of automatic composing which preceded it have not been successful.
19The death of Mr. Alonzo Pelton, at the age of 75 years, formerly of Freeport, Ill., and more recently of the well-known concern in this city, Pelton, Pomeroy & Cross, gives occasion for a few remarks from gentlemen in the trade here, which should certainly be a warning to abide by the old adage of "letting well enough alone." They say Mr. Pelton was an early settler and an Indian trader, and accumulated what in those days was considered quite a fortune. He got into the music business by starting his nephew in the jewelry business in Freeport, Ill., in which business musical instruments were a part, and upon the removal, caused by ill health, and subsequent death of his nephew, Mr. E. C. Dwight, he took the business in his own name and soon after took for a partner Mr. A. J. Pomeroy, who proved to be a good salesman for that locality. The firm then became Pelton & Pomeroy, and they did so well in the music line that they finally sold out the jewelry business. Both were looked upon as big men in their locality and their credit was high, but in an evil hour they were strongly urged by a New York piano manufacturer to move to Chicago. The matter was taken into serious consideration and contrary to the advice of one of the most conservative and wisest friends they came here, but not to conquer. For a while their business seemed to prosper. Mr. R. W. Cross was made a member of the concern and it then became Pelton, Pomeroy & Cross. No concern was better advertised; their signs appeared on every fence leading into the city; every newspaper contained their advertisement and their goods were scattered broadcast. To the initiated a crash was inevitable and the manufacturer who had urged their removal to this city had sufficient wisdom to sever the connection before the crash came, but come it did and none but a few secured creditors got a cent.
21The Hollenberg Music Company, of Little Rock, Ark., has been incorporated with a paid in capital of $42,000. Mr. Hollenberg, the Kimball Company and the Hallet & Davis Company are the stockholders. The goods to be handled are the Hallet & Davis pianos, the Kimball Company's goods, and perhaps one or two other lines not yet decided upon.
23The firm of C. H. Martin & Co., of St. Paul, Minn., is in liquidation.
25Mr. T. W. Raudenbush has bought a portion of the goods of the late concern mentioned above, and has removed to a handsome store in the Arcade Building on Wabasha street. Mr. Raudenbush will handle regularly the A. B. Chase piano, which he is highly pleased with, and the Bush & Gerts piano, which he has handled for some time. He has quite a stock of Fischer pianos, which he may also represent. It is said that Third street, St. Paul, which has heretofore been the favorite street for the music houses, is becoming less and less popular, and that nearly if not all the houses are seeking more favorable quarters on Wabasha, Fourth or Fifth streets.
27Mr. Charles C. Curtis, president of the Manufacturers Piano Company, of this city, says that their company were not at all interested in the C. H. Martin & Co. (St. Paul) house further than to sell them goods. It is not likely that so valuable an agency as the Weber in a place like St. Paul will be very long without its representative.
29Mr. Geo. P. Bent invites the closest inspection of his pianos and organs and is perfectly justified in doing so. He is a very conscientious manufacturer, as those dealing with him will very soon discover for themselves.
31STEINWAYS AT SEA.
33IN reply to the inquiry of Mr. Horace Spaulding, we submit the following letter, which is self explanatory:
35OFFICE OF STEINWAY & SONS,
36NEW YORK, September 18, 1891.
38Editors Musical Courier:
40I am in receipt of your letter of the 16th inst., in which you state that one of your correspondents in the West is desirous of knowing what pianos are used on board of the modern greyhounds plying between New York and Europe.
42Our pianos are used on the White Star Line, Nord. deutscher Lloyd Steamship Line, Hamburg-American Packet Line, Red D Line, and the Ward Line of steamers running to Cuba, Mexico, the West Indies and South America.
44Many of these instruments—in fact a majority of them—have been manufactured on special order, to harmonize and correspond with the artistic trimmings of the music rooms of the respective steamers; for instance, those on the Teutonic, Majestic, Havel, Spree, Furst Bismarck, Normandia and other fast Atlantic liners.
46I returned from Europe, as you know, on the Havel, of the North German Lloyd, August 25, and I found not only the beautiful Steinway upright piano in the main music room, but a Bechstein in the second cabin, and I presume on other steamers of the transatlantic lines the same policy is adopted.
48Yours truly,
49N. STETSON.
51She Had a Steinway.
53BAY STATE HOUSE, WORCESTER, September 25, 1891.
55C. L. Gorham & Co.:
57My Dear Mr. Gorham—Let me hasten to thank you for so kindly sending me a beautiful Steinway piano during the festival.
59It has been most acceptable and I have enjoyed it greatly.
61Thanking you once again, believe me,
62Faithfully yours, LILLIAN NORDICA.
64—Young Harry Peters, the bookkeeper for Henry C. Harney & Co., the Greenpoint piano plate makers, who has been charged with grand larceny and arson, will have a final trial on Friday next, October 2. Mr. Harney claims to have discovered a shortage of $2,377.13 in the books, which it is alleged that Peters attempted to destroy by burning. Peters has made no answer to the charge of embezzlement, but claims that he was drunk when caught in the office surrounded with fire. A general defense of insanity has been entered, and as he has wealthy connections it is possible that a compromise will be effected or that he will at most be very lightly punished.
66"CROWN" PIANOS AND ORGANS.
68All others call theirs the best, so I modestly say that mine are next to the best. In tone, style, finish, quality, durability and salability you will find them good, if not the best. Dealers wanted in unoccupied territory. Send for catalogue and prices, stating terms wanted.
70GEO. P. BENT,
71MANUFACTURER,
72323 to 333 SO. CANAL ST., CHICAGO, U.S.A.
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