Scan 28
Musical Courier 1893-04-12: Vol 26 Iss 684, 1893
110 lines. Read by computer on 25 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 29. See the scan on archive.org.
1MR. WM. D. DUTTON has arrived in Chicago to look after the placing of the exhibit of Hardman, Peck & Co. and the Standard piano.
3MR. JOSEPH KELLER, of the Keller Brothers & Blight Company, Bridgeport, Conn., has been in Chicago and has arranged to exhibit their pianos at the Fair.
5THAT SUPPLY COMBINE.
7MR. C. G. Cheney, of Comstock, Cheney & Co., Ivoryton, Conn., is in Chicago, and tells THE MUSICAL COURIER that the combination reported as between members of his company, of the firm of Pratt, Read & Co., and of Augustus Newell & Co., Chicago, has not as yet been effected, and would in no case be a combination. The delay in closing up the arrangement is due to the character of the corporation laws of Illinois, and the relations of companies doing business in that State to other State corporation laws under which they could incorporate provided they concluded not to incorporate under Illinois law.
9It is denied in toto that the object of the arrangement is an advance in the price of celluloid and ivory piano and organ keyboards. The arrangement, if perfected, will merely bring some of the younger men of the Eastern concerns in closer contact with the Newell house in Chicago, and it is also a direct admission that the Chicago market needs direct relations with these supply houses if they care to cater properly to that trade.
11The Whitney reed factory at Brattleboro, Vt., has closed its affairs, Mr. Whitney retiring on account of old age. The machinery is for sale, but the stock of reeds was purchased by the last remaining customers of consequence Whitney had, the Wilcox & White Organ Company. The reed makers now in the business actively are A. H. Hammond, Worcester; E. W. Ingalls & Co., Worcester; Pratt, Read & Co., Deep River; Augustus Newell & Co., Chicago, and the Chicago Brass Company, and the latter concern is also furnishing reed blocks to organ manufacturers who put in the tongues and claim to be making their own reeds.
13In this connection we publish a very interesting letter addressed by Mr. Augustus Newell to our Chicago office:
15It seems to me that journalism overreaches its proper sphere when it, for the sake of early news merely, boldly asks pointed questions concerning matters, the secret nature of which is private property. The public has no interest in my enterprise or its permanency or change of ownership. That portion of the public which buys my goods asks only for honest work at bottom prices. Anything beyond these lines is impertinence or gossip. I cannot therefore consider your question now.
17Truly a most excellent letter, but very unsatisfactory from a newspaper point of view outside of the fact of its existence. "That portion of the public which buys" Mr. Newell's goods happens to be to an appreciable extent the public that reads this paper, and Mr. Newell would himself pay no attention whatever to these columns if he did not feel that they were made up weekly by means of the same legitimate effort he made when we addressed a letter to him to confirm or deny at first hand the very "gossip and impertinence" to which he refers. We always seek something more substantial than gossip, because we appreciate the value placed by the outside world upon the contents of this paper and the information derived from and through it, and we look to such men as Mr. Newell to aid us in this commendable struggle for truthful information.
19Besides this, Mr. Newell must not forget that corporation news is not of a "secret nature," but rather of a public nature, the documents being accessible to anyone. Mr. Newell's affairs of a "secret nature" are those which to inquire into would be "impertinence," no matter how much "gossip" they may contain; but the organization of a stock company is a matter decidedly public in its nature.
21A man of Mr. Newell's intelligence cannot therefore fail to appreciate that our inquiry was not guided by idle curiosity to pry into his affairs, but by the rather laudable purpose of securing the co-operation of a man of known veracity to aid us in disseminating the truth. Mr. Newell's reputation inspired us with the hope that we would find him delighted to assist us in removing the Keyboard and Brass Reed Mystery that now envelopes with gloom the agitated Reed Organ makers whose contracts are on the eve of expiring. His refusal to come to our rescue only deepens the mystery, and we are utterly unable to fathom the plans of those who hold in their hands the destinies of these helpless Reed Organ Manufacturers.
23This, however, we do know: Mr. Newell is the originator of the proposed amalgamation of forces, and experts will be placed at work, if not already engaged in it, to ascertain and assess the actual value of the Newell plant preparatory to the final close of the arrangement.
25New Enterprises.
27Noel Brothers is the style of a new firm which has located at 641 Main street, Terre Haute, Ind. Mr. E. W. Noel, for some time employed by the D. H. Baldwin Company, and J. M. Noel, a Chicago man, constitute the firm.
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31Wm. Klimmek, of Watertown, S. D., has started a novel piano repair shop, novel in that it is located in an abandoned railroad car, which was until recently used as a photograph gallery.
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35The organization of the B. Frank Wood Music Company has been effected with the following board of directors: B. Frank Wood, C. A. Robinson, A. W. Fowles. Mr. Wood is president and treasurer. Authorized capital stock, $30,000. Amount of stock paid in $3,000. The company will publish standard musical works and new music.—Auburn, Me., "Gazette."
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39Truly here is a corporation that does out-Blasius Blasius and makes New Jersey seem a hard and business-like State in which to form a stock company:
41Articles of incorporation of the Utah Purchasing and Supply Company were yesterday filed with the county clerk. The incorporators are O. F. Smith, David Kay, L. B. Smith, John W. Hobson and D. D. Smith. The business of the corporation is the dealing in musical instruments, land and insurance policies. The life of the corporation is fifty years and the capital stock $5,000. The capital stock is 10 per cent., paid up by the transfer of a music box.—Oregon, Ill., "Standard."
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45At last there comes from the Athol, Mass., "Chronicle" some sort of definite statement about the new concern at Farley, which has been reported as a piano factory, an organ factory and several other things. The "Chronicle" says: "A stock company has been formed for the manufacture of piano cases at Farley. The officers are: J. B. Farley, president; Dr. F. E. Johnson, vice-president; D. E. Farley, treasurer; G. E. Munroe, secretary. They will erect a shop 100×40 feet, three stories, on the river bank back of the depot."
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49Mr. W. L. Mason, of Hartford, Conn., is in this city and will soon open a music store at No. 42 Main street (P. D. Walter's old stand). Mr. Mason expects his stock, which will consist of a fine line of pianos, organs, musical instruments and sheet music, here by the last of this week or the first of next.
51A formal opening will be held soon, to which all are invited. The date will be announced later.—Lockport (N. Y.) "Journal."
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55The Bloomfield Organ Company is the name of a new corporation started in Bloomfield, with a capital of $25,000, for the purpose of manufacturing parlor organs. The officers elected are as follows: President, Moses Van Winkle; vice president, Charles Seibert; treasurer, George Peterson; secretary, J. Connolly; general manager, Jacob Maire.—Newark (N. J.) "Call."
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59The Syracuse Musical Company is among the newest of the city's corporations. A certificate showing a capital of $2,000 was filed on March 28 with the Secretary of State. The directors are J. Lighton, H. Loughlin, William A. Beach, James Devine and Margaret T. Loughlin, of Syracuse.
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63The J. G. Hinderer Organ Company has been organized at Anderson, Ind., with a capital stock of $5,000. The purpose is to push into the market a new piano-organ, an invention of Mr. Hinderer. The officers of the new company are Wm. A. Gabbet, president; Flery Tomes, vice-president; R. H. Williams, treasurer; David Kilgore, secretary, and J. G. Hinderer, manager.
65The Salesmen's Dinner.
67At a meeting of the committee of arrangements held on Monday evening it was decided to have the dinner at the Hotel Kensington. one of two readings
68A t a meeting of the committee of arrangements held on Monday evening it was decided to have the dinner at the Hotel Kensington. one of two readings
70It was further decided to postpone the time from April 22 to Saturday night, April 29. All invitations must be acknowledged by April 22, however.
72The price per plate has been fixed at $5, which includes wine and incidentals.
74$50 Reward!
76FOR the arrest and delivery to the sheriff of Miller County, Mo., of C. E. Moore, formerly agent for the Lakeside Organ at Spring Garden, Mo.; the above reward will be paid upon presentation of a certificate from the sheriff of said county stating that he has the above named party in his custody. All other offers of a reward for the said C. E. Moore are hereby withdrawn.
78TRYBER & SWEETLAND,
79Chicago, Ill.
81Fires, Thieves and Troubles.
83AN extensive fire at Des Moines, Ia., a short time ago did considerable damage to Thornie's music store, which was but partially insured. one of two readings
84A n extensive fire at Des Moines, Ia., a short time ago did considerable damage to Thornie's music store, which was but partially insured. one of two readings
86A $20,000 fire at Streator, Ill., has damaged the stock of N. H. Press, a dealer in musical merchandise, to an extent not stated in the local papers.
88T. C. James' music store at Hannibal, Mo., was closed by the sheriff on April 1 upon the execution of judgments amounting to $348.11 in favor of the Citizens' Bank of Memphis, Mo., Thomas B. Hale and John S. Pile.
90Thieves broke into the music store of Fred. Conzleman on Lower Pike street, next to the Barrett Bridge, on April 4. Entrance was effected by breaking open a side window. They stole two accordions and one violin, or at least that is all that Mr. Conzleman misses so far. The visitors were certainly not good judges of musical instruments, as there were several valuable violins and music boxes lying near the articles that were stolen that were not even touched.—Port Jervis "Gazette."
92W. F. Jones' music store at Brockton, Mass., was completely gutted by fire on April 7. Insurance not stated.
94The Piano Sewing Machine.
96WE are moved to inquire if Garvie & Wood, the Americans, were ahead of the times in their long ago efforts to combine a musical instrument with the sewing machine; and if a Frenchman is to step in at this late day and take the honors of a successful and popular revival of their genuine Yankee idea. The moving cause of our inquiry is a "Hip! hip! hurrah" announcement in a Paris paper, copied, enlarged and improved in some American prints, of a newly invented piano sewing machine that will sew to any tune that is played upon it. one of two readings
97W e are moved to inquire if Garvie & Wood, the Americans, were ahead of the times in their long ago efforts to combine a musical instrument with the sewing machine; and if a Frenchman is to step in at this late day and take the honors of a successful and popular revival of their genuine Yankee idea. The moving cause of our inquiry is a "Hip! hip! hurrah" announcement in a Paris paper, copied, enlarged and improved in some American prints, of a newly invented piano sewing machine that will sew to any tune that is played upon it. one of two readings
99Here is the way one paper speaks of it:
101"The nineteenth century is vindicated. A French inventor has partly atoned for the invention of the piano by constructing an ingenious mechanism which is fitted under the keyboard of the piano, and sewing is done while sounds, musical or otherwise, are pounded out of the innocent wires. With this invention an accomplished fact, the nineteenth century may now proudly claim a high and brilliant red place on the calendar of time.
103"This invention will have its disadvantages in thickly settled communities. Hereafter it will not be a question of how many sewing machines are run in a cloak factory or a sweat shop, but how many pianos. Musical talent will be at a premium when it is generally known that the Russian hymn will sew a baby's bonnet, that the waltz in Faust will run up a flannel vest, the intermezzo of Cavalleria Rusticana will turn out a complete suit of Ypsilantis, and the "Battle of Prague" not less than three box top-coats for the young men who carry canes upside down.
105"Doublet this invention will be applied to church organs also. For why not turn out clothing for the heathen while the strains of "From Greenland's Icy Mountains" swell to Heaven? It is said it costs 90 cents to send 10 cents to the heathen. Why not send that 90 cents for cloth and spend the 10 cents for freight to heathendom when the church organs have turned out the tea gowns and other things not in the masculine clothes chest or vocabulary? It is estimated that one of Wagner's operas will furnish a complete wedding trousseau. When one thinks of how many Hottentots an average American trousseau will clothe it cannot be doubted that Wagner will become more popular for organ music.
107"But what is to become of people with sensitive ears? It may be necessary for the Legislature to take up this matter and enact a law prohibiting the use of the piano sewing machine outside of asylums for the deaf and dumb. What is to become of matrimony if every bachelor can have in his room a piano with which he can sew on the buttons as fast as they leave their moorings? What is to become of the sewing women, who have to work for a living, if every conservatory of music is turned into an underwear, trousers, cloak or lingerie factory? These dangers are real and must be met.
109"It may be that this new invention will bring about a complete change in our civilization. It is evident that it is about 12.03 of the morning of the millenium. But the sun of that morning will not rise until the inventor of this new piano sewing machine invents a mouth organ that will always cause sudden death, and a hotel chambermaid who will not put a man's tooth brush in his shaving cup.—"Sewing Machine Times."
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