The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-06

r.um-Au About It's Piano and Organ
What 1t is Doing, How
1t is Run and Something as to the
Men Who Manage and Control Its
Immense Business.
Lives there man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself has said,
Music, sweet music, harmonious to the ear,
But, mortal powers, how awful dear
Yes, it comes high, as the proud parent of
u half dozen sweet girls fiads out when he
foots the bills for their musical educa ton
and winds up with the purchase of "A 81, 100
Chickering Grand, upon which the afore-
said music-nad angels in silks and lace Will
enrapture languishing love- while the old
man, banlshed from the parlor, meditates
up stairs, and wonders why his girls never
car play him tune when he asks it.
But, cost what it may, it's worth it all,
and dark indeed would be our passage
through this life without it. You are
always sure to find happiness, culture, ana
refinement, as companions Of good music,
for it is a comforter that smooths out the
wrinkles and tones down the rougher pas
sageS in our life, and helps recon-
Gle us to the many disappointing influences
that bring heartaches and misery in their
train.
To have good music calls not only for
capable instruments, but for instruments Of
highest superiority as well, and just here
let us say that high commendation is justly
due those engaged in the sale of pianos and
organs, who, through the extension Of Lot0
prices and easy tnstdttment terms, are
filling southern homes with instruments.
Prominent in this good work are our friends,
MesSsrS. Ludden 81 Bates, who certainly
merit pleasant corner in the hearts of our
citizens for their successful efforts in cater
ing to this most nOblest chord in human
nature, and their marvellous success is
surely a graceful and fitting tribute to
their energetic career in supplying our
homes with what is as necessary III making
home happy as bread.
Believing that a few facts relative to
their extended business would interest our
readers, we herewith present information
CLEANED from brief
VISIT TO THEIR BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE OF MUSIC AND
AN INTERVIEW WITH MR.. JOHN D. MURPHY, MAN
AGER OF THE PIANO AND ORGAN DEPARTMENT.
No trouble to find L. & B. S. NJ. H. It's i'm
menSe in reality, not merely on paper. Stroll
up Broughton street. Stop at the largest and
finest business block in the city, and there you
are. The new Altmayer building, of which L.
& b. S. NJ VI. occupies about one half, 50 feet
front, 100 feet deep, four stories and
basement. The LARGEST Music HOUSE IN
minutes inspection of the four large
plate-g glass show windows, with their
tempting displays of musical and art goods.
You are in mag nihCeDt Salesroom 80 by 100
feet, 17-fOot ceiling. gallery across rear end.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT on east side MUSICAL MER-
CHANDIsE in gallery, ART DEPARTMENT in center,
and offices OF PIANO and ORGAN DEPARTMENT on
west side. All beautifully arranged. Cherry
fixtures rich show cases, electric lights, at
tractive signs everywhere; fine pictures, stat
uary, brIc-a-brac, carpeted offices, steam heat,
elevators. Every foot of spare space packed
with goods pertaining to music and art.
On floor above 200 pianos and organs dis
played at one time, and above that the tuning
and repairing departmental young factory in
itself.
Take seat in the coy Office of the piano and
organ department, and receive a courteous,
hearty greeting from the manager, Mr.. John D.
Murphy, who, by his genial but unaSsuming
way and solid force of character, has slowly
but steadily won the regard and confidence of
Savannah s citizens. Thus introduced, we will
let him speak for himself.
This is grand; beats all | ever saw" we re-
mark as an opener, but is il actually true that
this is the largest music house in the United
States, as you claim in your advertisements"
Yes sir. it is fact responds Mr. Muir
ply This house claims only what it believes to
be true. Leading men in the piano and organ
trade, like Mr.. Gdermeestor of Chickerng &
Sons, Mr. Knabe of Knabe & Co, Mr.. Thayer of
Fort Wayne Organ Company, aud John C..
Freund, publisher of american Musician, who
travel the United States over. assure us that
they have seen nothing yet 60 equal it,"
ut hardly seems possible that Savannah
should SO lead the large cities of the north, but
the facts you give seem incontrovertible, but
what about YOUR sales? DO you also lead there?'
No, we make no such claim. A few large
and old houses north can show larger sales, but
we certainly do lead in having the largest and
most extended c0iT'esD0adesce trade in pianos
aud organs Of any Music House in the United
States"
lis that so Give us some facts and figures,
please :"
well. here they are Look over our piano
and organ sales book, and you will find sales in
Vulnerable to parties in Georgia, Florida Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas,
Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee. South
Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and fire.
quently in New York, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
made in New Mexico, California, Montana,
England ard China. Now the monthly
aggregate $4,000 to $50 900, and yearly, almost
S30O,000 Is not that convincing ~
Rather, - we respond; but is all this trade
done by correspondence"
Yes, the greater part. OF course our city
trade is large, but as we employ few travelling
men, the bulk of our sales are made by letters
How have you built up such an extended
trade" We Inquire.
MANY things contributed to this success. and
among them Large and persistent advertising
low prices easy terms best Instruments one
price TO ALL sending ON trial, paying an freight
fine outfits, enterprise liberal Inducements, and
our fair and square methods of dealing We
iAeuo iiiShu Va o'viJ pc. VIZ Saihcu d Tepu-
taton for honest trade and now the harvest is
come in yearly increasing sales"
And who manages all this business and how
many employees does it take to run III"
Our company Is regularly Incorporated with
q cash capital of S2000O0, the stock being en-
tirey owned 10y the officers and employees, who
thus share in the profits. The officers are: Mr.
W. Ludden, president: Mr.. j A. Bates treas
urer and general manager; Mr. john D. Muir
ply, secretary and assistant MANAGER"
"Alr. Luddeu is now resident piano and organ |
buyer north. Mr. Bates has general manage |
ment of the business, attending specially TO |
finances, Office matters, advertising, printing
and your humble servant is manager of the |
piano and organ department. and in charge Of |
working force in said department. I attend to
son TO the retail corIesp ondence with the help |
of two stenographers and typewriters, and be !
sides, we have one waruroOm salesman one city
canvaSser one office clerk, one cashier one |
boukkeepcr. two installmeut collectors one city
collector and mail clerk one Office boy four |
tuners and repairers two piano movers, one
wareroom porter and one shipping clerk. A
large force, but kept on the jump all the year
round"
Where is Mr.. Bates nowY Has he not been in
bad health for some tmeg'
Yes. He overworKed for many years aud get.
ting into this new store in 1856 tioored him for
time 50 that for over year he was forced to
give up business. But rest and relaxation
have about built him up again lie is spending
the summer at his old home In Brockport, n. Y.
and expected back Dec /, To- resume his regu-
lar work. And then, tnere'll be fun, for he is a
pusher and no mistake II ne didn't lose his
grip, once in a WHILE there wouldn't be any
room Tor Others in our line"