Scan 32
Musical Courier 1893-07-01: Vol 27 Iss 695, 1893
107 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 29. See the scan on archive.org.
1the hands of the people. Never in the history of an American city has there been so much money going into the hands of the masses without being first disbursed by corporations. The people are the true circulators of money. They turn cash rapidly and keep it moving, while the rich suffer a portion of it to find its way into private vaults and investments that tie it up.
3There is still another possible condition that may put more money into all hands, that being the financial success of the Fair. To have larger crowds than at present—something sure to happen—will increase the volume of cash now rolling into the masses' hands, while it helps bring about the financial success of the Exposition, thus increasing the amount of cash that will be payable to holders of stock. This, however, is only a small matter compared to the cash that strangers bring and will leave in the people's hands.
5The financial failure of the Fair (provided it does not close the Exposition) will not cut any figure in the people's cash this fall. Their subscriptions for stock issued were given a few years ago and have ceased to cut any hole in their present finances. To many the return of a percentage of their stock will be in the nature of a gift, as they supposed the money spent in a good cause. Gift money almost invariably finds its way into luxuries, and the piano and organ trade will get a percentage of this.
7Whichever way the Fair turns out (provided its debts do not shut its gates, something so remote as to be beyond the possibility of happening) the effect on the masses will be one of great monetary prosperity. It is the stranger within Chicago's boundaries that will leave his money in the hands of the citizen, thus enabling him to add to his comfort.
9There will be plenty of money in the masses' hands this fall. This being proved, and the disposition on the public's part to purchase pianos also demonstrated, the boom that follows the conjunction of these two great causes will necessarily follow, and the retail trade be expanded to abnormal proportions.
11This coming trade, while benefiting retail dealers, will also add financial sauce to the Christmas dinner of the manufacturer. What class of manufacturers will be benefited? This is easily answered. All of them will receive a slice from this boom. The distribution of money incident to the Fair will be so general that all grades of musical instruments will be purchased.
13Perhaps the greatest gainers will be the medium grade makers, as their clients will receive a little larger proportion of the monetary influx. This class of buyers is the largest, and as their cash will be augmented the most, the medium grade instrument producer can count on much trade this fall. The individual firms that will get a good share of this it is hard to name. Yet some hint to the answer to this question can be had by studying the situation.
15Let us see?
17Chicago has been called a cosmopolitan city, and perhaps justly when one reflects on the number of nationalities represented in its citizens. It may be and is cosmopolitan in the make-up of citizenship, but it is as clannish as the ragged Highlander on his native heath as regards Chicago and her business interests.
19Can one gather then that Chicago manufacturers will supply the market in their own city? Certainly not; but there has been a revolt against the Exposition on the part of some manufacturers, and an alleged attempt was made to injure the Fair—Chicago's pet baby—and the clannishness of Chicago's citizenship was hard to overcome. Through the medium of the press Chicago's citizens have learned just who are in sympathy with her pet project and who are not. Those that are, whether eastern or western manufacturers, will receive her tokens of good will, while those that are not will find here a Gibraltar rock garrisoned with clannishness, whose cannons are loaded ready to repel assault.
21All Chicago industries are dear to the heart of Chicagoans; but merit must be manifest, or the average man or woman turns to other quarters. Neither clannishness nor prejudice will keep a citizen of Chicago from spending his money where he believes that he will get adequate returns. Still he would rather spend it among his neighbors and friends of other cities than among men he supposes—even if wrongfully—to be against his city's interests.
23Therefore the bulk of this coming trade will be secured by Chicago manufacturers and those who are known to be true and loyal to the Fair and Chicago's institutions. Manufacturers, watch this and be prepared, as Chicago is going to make great demands on you for goods before 1893 passes into history and 1894 heads your accounts.
25A BEAUTIFUL STENCIL SCHEME.
27An innocent looking document called the Prospectus of the Mathushek & Son Piano Company has been mailed extensively to dealers in the United States. The company is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, with a capital stock of $50,000, consisting of 200 shares 10 per cent. cumulative preferred stock, aggregating $20,000, and 300 shares common stock, aggregating $30,000. The officers of the concern are as follows: President, Victor Hugo Mathushek; vice-president, Chas. Jacob; secretary, B. H. Janssen; treasurer, C. Albert Jacob. These officers also form the board of directors.
29The prospectus sets forth the advantage to be gained by taking stock, &c., and is mailed to dealers with a letter printed in typewriter type that contains the following clauses:
31"Our purpose is to have dealers have an interest, a certain number of shares, say three, five or ten, not more.
33"As stockholder, he can claim that he is selling his own piano, he can identify the piano, and the value of that claim no one knows better than you."
35If this does not savor of an attempt at wholesale stenciling what does? Any dealer who puts $300, $400 or $500 into this corporation can claim that he is selling his own piano. That is so, and the flexibility of the clause will also give him the right to demand his own name on the pianos he sells. The common outweighs the preferred stock, but a combination of dealers with the vote of the Jacobs, who have a proportion of the common stock, could vote to stencil pianos for each and every one. Then when they are accused of stenciling they "can claim that they are selling their own piano." (The plural number is used in the quotation.)
37That this is the intention of this corporation is open to the possibility of doubt.
39Mr. Chas. Jacob is vice-president of the company and his brother is the treasurer. It is known that the first named gentleman is trying to sell his half interest in the firm of Jacob Brothers. As a stenciler his abilities are widely known and need not be enlarged on here. With the known fact of his intention of selling his interest in the firm of Jacob Brothers, his connection with the company as vice-president and his famous penchant for making boxes for unscrupulous dealers wherewith to lure the buying public, the Mathushek & Son Piano Company's prospectus and letter to dealers looks like a rotten stencil scheme. It is doubtful if the trade will be caught by this cleverly worded prospectus and letter, but there are enough unscrupulous dealers to make it possibly successful.
41The wonder is that Victor Hugo Mathushek should allow himself to be so taken in by the stenciling crew associated with him in the enterprise. Look out, gentlemen, these catchy schemes have been tried before and disaster has overtaken the promoters.
43California Midwinter Exposition.
45CALIFORNIA dispatch says: "Mr. R. Conley, manager of the German exhibition at the World's Fair, and Leopold Denet, architect, have met the California committee of eleven and discussed preliminary arrangements for a midwinter fair here to follow the Columbian Exposition. It was decided that the name shall be the California Midwinter Exposition, and there will be erected four buildings costing $500,000.
47"The opening day will be January 1, 1894, and the fair will last six months. Other matters were determined on and the whole plan placed fairly in motion for a fair that will be a suitable successor to the great exhibition at Chicago."
49This looks as though the Coast people meant business. Several of the exhibitors in Section I in the Manufactures Building state that they will remove their booths to this coming exposition and show their goods. It will certainly boom the far Western business of all houses who are bidding for this trade.
51—The Cleveland, Ohio, "Press" of June 23, publishes an item to the effect that Mr. John S. Barr, one of the leading citizens of Butler, Richland County, Ohio, has been arrested on a charge of supplying immoral literature and nasty pictures to the Union News Company's boys for sale on the B. & O. trains. Among other lines of business in which Mr. Barr is interested is that of a music dealer.
53The Gemunder Trade Mark.
55THE following circular has been received from August Gemunder & Sons:
57OFFICE OF
58AUGUST GEMUNDER & SONS,
59Famous Violin House,
60ESTABLISHED 1846.
6113 East 16th St., near 5th Ave., New York.
63IMPORTANT NOTICE.
65TRADE MARK REGISTERED.
67In order to still further protect our unrivaled goods, we have adopted the above trade mark, which has been duly registered at Washington.
69We desire to call particular attention to this trade mark, as it is invariably affixed to all the famous "Gemunder" goods, and all the other well-known specialties of our house.
71When anything in the string instrument line is desired remember our trade mark, and intending purchasers will be sure to get instruments, &c., that are the acknowledged standard of the world.
73Once our customer, always our customer. Faithfully yours,
74AUGUST GEMUNDER & SONS.
76This letter will be of interest:
78NEW YORK, June 22, 1893.
79Messrs. August Gemunder & Sons, 13 East Sixteenth street, New York:
81GENTLEMEN—I wrote you some time ago in reference to the violin strings furnished by you, to which you replied on March 29. I have now to report that one of the E strings broke on the 5th and the other on the 15th inst., and as I received the two violins from you during September, 1892, these strings have lasted about nine (9) months. They have been kept up to pitch all the time, and were used nearly every day alternately. The strings did not show the least wear, and were apparently as good as when delivered by you.
83I remain, sincerely yours,
84JOHN N. JEPSON.
86Annual Picnic of the Sick Benefit Society of Sohmer & Co.'s Employees.
88THE sick benefit society of the employees of Sohmer & Co. held their annual picnic at Kern's Astoria assembly rooms and park on Saturday afternoon and evening, June 24.
90The occasion was one of great enjoyment to the members of the organization and their friends. The weather was charming and the attendance large.
92This sick benefit society has proven of substantial value during the past year, many having had occasion to feel grateful that a fund had been created among themselves from which assistance could be obtained in times of affliction.
94—Mr. George Maxwell, United States manager of the Boosey & Co. Publishing House, will sail on the steamship Servia, leaving this port July 22.
96MALCOLM LOVE PIANOS
97A High Grade Piano, equal to any!
98MANUFACTURED BY
99WATERLOO ORGAN CO., Waterloo, N. Y
100We invite correspondence from Dealers in localities where we are not represented.
102FOR SPRUCE SOUNDING BOARD LUMBER
103ADDRESS
104IRVING SNELL, Little Falls, N. Y.,
105Manufacturer of first quality quartered spruce for pianos, and also dimension lumber for violins and other instruments.
106MILLAS T. HARRISVILLE, N. Y.
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