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The Omaha Sunday Bee.
WANT AD SECTIO.'l.
Pages 1 to 8.
Advertise In
THE OMAHA DEE
Best
& West
ESTABLISHED JUNE 19, 1871.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 20, i!KG.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
Palatial Home for Ihe Piano Established by Enterprising Omaha Firm
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ON THE MAIN FLOOR. OFFICES AT THE REAR.
NOTABLE event in the mu
sical world of the west will
beslgnalized In Omaha next
Saturday, when the Schmol
ler & Mueller Piano corn-
natural and can accurately judge tone
qualities and make careful compari
sons between fifteen celebrated makes
of pianos. At first blush It niltrn
seem an expensive undertaking to de-
pany, 1311 and 1313 Farnain vote an entire floor to such a purpose,
street will formally throw open to the but Mr. Schmoller said it has been his
public its new salesrooms, factory and experience that the end will Justify the
offices with receptions, concerts and means.
souvenir distribution. It is not alone The entire fourth floor is devoted
in the mere-material consideration u. to stock and exchange departments,
the event that it becomes something On the fifth floor is the factory and
of more than passing notice, but
viewed from the standpoint of contin
uous growth of nearly half a century,
the opening of the Schmoller & Muel
ler establishment is another indication
of the great advancement of Omaha
and the power of western brain and
brawn. It is another object lesson in
success success attained by patient
and earnest endeavor, with ability to
do the things planned and an uwaver
ing faith in the city and surrounding
territory.
isone can realize better wnat this
new piano establishment really alani
nes tnan tne sturdy pioneers wno
blazed the way half a century ago,'
when the arrival of the first piano or
organ was an event in the little com
munity. So when the old-timers wan
der through the five-story Schmoller &
Mueller-building next Saturday they,
more than any others, will be able to
picture in their mind's eye the ad
vance music has made in this western
country, which is-Joining. Jiands with
the east In every line of human ac
tivity. As the younger generations
will be Imbued with a higher and
deeper regard for music, which has
added more to the sum total of human
happiness than anything eUe.
Fruit of Much Experience.
it nas tasen tne better part or a
year to erect tne ounaiug aiong lines
suggested by years of experience and
thought. The building stands on a lot
44x132 and is five stories in height,
being constructed of brown pressed
brick and the interldr finished in the
most pleasing style. The first floor is
finished in a color scheme of white,
and green, the decorations being in a
soft shade of green, something quite
new in this city. A passenger and
freight elevator run between all floors.
Two large windows face Farnam street
each window being capable of holding
half a dozen pianos. The general sales
room and offices occupy the first floor.
The second floor is devoted to the
development of music, an auditorium
with a seating capacity of 600 occupy
ing most of the floor. The. auditor
ium has a concert stage and the chairs
are of opera pattern. It is the pur
pose of Messrs. Schmoller & Mueller to
give the auditorium practically free of
charge to local teachers, who may wish
to give recitals or concerts, providing
no admission charge Is made. At either
end of the auditorium are six studio
rooms. A $2,000 vocation will soon
be placed in the auditorium. This
Instrument has a tone of rare sweet
ness and richness. This auditorium
feature is of itself an interesting one.
Some of the larger music houses in
and Sioux City.
The business last
year amounted
to nearly $500,
000. As piano man
ufacturers they
have learned to
accurately com
pute the maker's
cost on all pur
chases, an advan-
flnlshlng departments, where the Muel- tage which has,
ler piano Is made. In the basement contributed
are the shipping room, storage room
and steam plant. The entire building
is so well lighted that stock may be
shown as well in the evening as In the
&.y. The building was arranged and
erected to suit the public need for the
convenience of the buyer and for the
economical nananng ot a large piano
trade and it is the opinion of the firm
that for its purpose the building is
not excelled anywhere. The building
much to their
success.
The piano be
ing manufac
tured by this
firm is known
as the Mueller
piano. Last
year the firm
turned out 400
ot them. V The
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IN THE " FACTORY SECTION OF THE VARNISnTNO ROOM.
man, A. B. Chase, piano is no longer built. -In fact. It room even all the time, and the heat
McPhail, Kurtz- has not teen made for at least twenty lnB ant scrubbing are done with th
c o m-
Mueller
pany.
The immense
stock of 600 pi
anos now being
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man and other .oir. Th ,.rih , .h. utmost care.
makes are ex- , ' . , 4 , "I have seen pianos that had been
tensively han- vantage over the square in point of utterly ru,ned ,n home wnen the
died by the strength as well as in the matter of owners thought the instruments were
Schmoller & floor space occupied. It has been getting the best of care. Often a
periectea in many essential points,
chiefly, though, in that it is stronger
and heavier than ever. It has a
stronger plate the frame on which
the wires are strung and longer
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carried by this ou'u'' """o i uwi ter tnrougn tne walls, exerting a
firm will be ar- the Quality of tone produced exceeds steady effect on the piano, and the
ranged in a few that of the square. These points all sounding board is th part that suffers
days so that vlsl- counl ln lavor OI lne upngnt.
tors who attend "The piano must be built to stand
the opening on proof against changes incident to the
Saturday will be climate and other exigencies of which
able to prome- the buyer usually knows little. For
nade through example, the American-made pianos
the large show are all much better built than the for-
rooms and par- eign. An English or German-made
piano will be placed against a wall
through which the air ducts from tl
furnace are conducted. This nearly
Invariably results In a split sounding
board. The heated air passes all win-
moBt. It is kiln-dried to the limit
when It is placed in the instrument,
and then it is fastened rigidly in po
sition. When the further drying ef
fect of the steadily applied heat is felt
the'sounding board must give some
where, and being fast at the ends,
nothing is left for It but to split. This
has a floor space of 3 5,000 square first piano manu-
BOHMOLLER-& MUELLER VIANO COMPANY'S NEW XIO?IE ON FAR
NAM STREET.
lors, view the piano will not stand the rigors of the doesn't always ruin the piano, but it
largest and best American climate, but the American
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VIEW OF THE 'AUDITORIUM UNFINISHED WHEN PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN.
feel, devoted 'entirely to the merchan
dizing and manufacture ot high grade
pianos.
Growth of Firm.
The Schmoller & Mueller Piano
company has grown from a small bus
iness established by Joseph Mueller at
Council Bluffs in 1859. Later he moved
to Omaha and started the Mueller Pl-
factured in Nebraska was put on the Stetnway piano has the endorsement
market by this firm fifteen years ago of many of the world's greatest ar
and 'r, In service now. That a piano tlsts. It has been spoken of as "The
a no and Orean comoany. which after-
the east have free auditoriums, but it vard became the Schmoller & Mueller
remained for Schmoller & Mueller to piano company (incorporated), giving
would be ii:?.de In Omaha feme day
was not thcuKht of in the days when
steamboats piled at this port.
1 Pin now In (h Orlgrlnnl.
In the east show window at the
Schmoller & Mueller store is shown
the parts of a pin no ready to be as
sembled. That the iuaas of wood, steel
standard piano of the world." The
new Steinvay miniature grand piano
is proving a popular little favorite
wherever pianos are used. A neat
compliment has been1 paid by the
Rtfllnnjir comnanv to the Schmoller &
Mueller' company In the sending of Schmoller & Mueller company.
three Stelnway art grand
Omaha for the opening week.
IN THE SHIPPING DEPARTMENT.
stock of Instruments ever before made' piano will endure anywhere,
shown in a western city and be efcter- This Is the secret of its supremacy,
talned with music and flowers. Haw Are Abll.ed.
Popularity of the. piano. v . "Many pianos are abused through
"The popularity of the piano is ignorance rather tharf neglect and the
such-that It is almost looked upon as owners wonder what is the matter,
a household necessity," says Mr. W. when the fault Is generally due to
H. Rhodes, floor manager tor the some carelessnebs that might eauily be
Not obviated.
does always have a bad result. It de
pends on the location of the split.
Again, people will set a piano near a
register, through which the hot air
pours all winter long. This. too. has
a bad effect on the instrument, and Is
Boon noticed in the loose and rattling
keys. Piano owners ought to keep
these things in mind and not exposa
the delicate mechanism to too great
train from heat, cold or moisture.
Material for Piano.
"No material for pianos is to be had
In Omaha.. Quls the .best and most
expensive of woods are used, and all
the metals are prepared especially for
pianos, so we are compelled to buy all
our stock for manufacturing in tha
east. Our hardwood for cases and .
backs comes from Michigan. We usa
Michigan maple and oak for this pur
pose, and for the posts and pin blocks.
The pin blocks are made from rock
maple, several layers being glued to
gether with the grain crossed so as to
absolutely prevent splitting. The
finer woods used for decorative cases,
such as walnuts and mahoganies, ars
all imported. They are supplied to us
from the importers direct. Thesa
have their headquarters in the east,
although in Cincinnati are found tha
headquarters of the Importers of soma
of the jnost expensive of piano woods.
Piano lumber is the most costly
known, for it must be selected with
the utmost care and be han,,' with,
the greatest skill in order t .vrluca
the perfection demanded lor the in
ternment. No wood for ny other pur
pose if so expensive In either quality,
or seasoning.
"The sounding boards are made
from Vermont spruce, selected for the
purpose. This Is the best wood ever
discovered for the uses. It has the
most resonance and Is most desirable
in other regards. The same quality
that enters Into the top of the violin Is
used for the sounding board of the
piano.
Workmen of Great Skill.
"In making a piano great skill is re-
Pianos are very susceptible quired of the workman. It might
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piuuus iu j m .nniHnn. A ttepnat nn. mal'Ar nf nrdlnarv skill could make a
Introduce the feature to the west.
oaad Proof Parlora for Piano.
The third floor is divided into fif
teen rooms, each containing samples
of' the fifteen leading makes of in
struments handled by the company.
These parlors are elegantly arranged
and are sound-proof, enablirg a num-
ariors to
the firm the name of the oldest piano
house in the middle, west. Messrs.
Schmoller & Mueller believe their
forty-seven years of fruitful experience
In the piano trade have afforded them
lessons which enable them to cater suc
cessfully to the great western trade.
They figure that their large volume
o: trade, handled on a close margin.
bear any particular piano. Aeollans has an advantage over the retail piano
or Pianolas at the same time without bus ness for the reason that in their
?nteruptlon. The piano parlors be- V?1 TnV &
Ing the ame size as an ordinary home lorded In buying and selling,
parlor the patron is enabled to hear an The company has stores in Omaha.
Instrument under conditions that are South Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluff's
. , ... .- . - wAii-tn.an hut now it is everv- of heat and cold cause expansion ana piano, uui sucn is uui me cu. v
wires, felt, carvlnes. Ivorv and othr instruments' represent the creme de tne wen-io-ao. nut now ii is every " ucai. v" l' j .u-. a i .i
parts could be Joined together ta n,ak uxe In piano construction, being both where. The millionaire and the me- contract on o : e wooos aa Tm X
an instrument which would eive back works of art as well as havlns tones chanlc al ke have a taste for music, used in the instrument, and with vary- skill bas been aemonstratea in mat
the "on of hJ mito at fhe touch of rar richness Thev represent a and this is best served by the piano, ing effects, all of whi.h are noticeable line of work, has to learn the business
PM t.1. Tot Vrom $2,000 to 5,000 We sell to all. The man of means in the tone qu.. Xty The woods of when P'
at first but when the visitor makes a niay want to iidorn the music room of course, are more susceptible to the In- tory. The processes are very differ.
trie .through the factory uMta he ! 8ome th" P,"BO"- h mansion with an Instrument cost- fluence of moirture. while the metals ent and a much better grade of work
ushered ?nto new woHd of wonder Next to the Stetnway the Schmoller ing as high as $2,000. while the poor are more easily acted upon by the is necessary. The piano maker must
In the factory, skilled piano makers & Mueller company take pride In the student, the shop girl for example, changes of heat and cold. For exam- not only understand the working of
work?wlth the materials and from their Steger piano, which represents the am- may not be able to pay above $40 or p le we dare to ' une wood in the highest
handiwork comes beautiful instru- bitlons of J. V. Steger, who founded $50, but we can suit them both. The all the pianos on this floor, and then must have a further knowledge or
meni the town of Steger! Illinois, now a great bulk of pianos In use range in mop the floor. The moisture would -JV These
world. place of several thousand Inhabitants, price from $300 to $600. affect the tone of each and the work which are 'MnUal In the . piano These
The Stelnway piano heads the The Steger company employs 2,800" "The upright piano is the popular of attuning the instruments wou.d men are the klngs f tnir "a"' l"8
list of the many makes of high grade people and sends pianos to all parts style, but the grand is the supreme have to be done all over again. N o as the piano is tha king ot modera
Instruments handled by this firm. The of the world. The Emerson. Hard- effort in piano building. The square strive to keep the conditions in the music
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A STEGER PARLOR.
