Presto

13 PRESTO February 26, 1920. DEATH OF F.SXABLE GREATLY MOURNED Head of Cable-Nelson Piano Co. Was a Man of Rare Attainment, Much Beloved, Who Leaves a Broad Mark in the Industry. If ever there was a man associated with the American piano whose death may have been termed a personal loss to all who knew him, one of those rare characters was Fayette S. Cable, who passed away at his home in Hinsdale, a Chicago suburb, last Sunday night. Even to his intimates, who knew that Mr. Cable was in delicate health and that the strain of a recent attack of the "flu" had still further weakened him, the pressive in his sincerity, and withal an indefatigable worker, even to the degree of entering into the minutiae of details. His agreeable disposition, his great personal and general acquaintance, his warmhearted traits of character, and his long business career made him favorably known among a wide circle of acquaintances. In 1903 he purchased the Lakeside Piano Company and the E. Sweetland Piano Company in Chicago, and established the Cable-Nelson Piano Company and built the great factories of that concern at South Haven, Michigan. Mr. Cable belonged to the Masonic fraternity; and in politics he was a republican. His political activities, however, were directed along the lines of good citizenship, and he stood for that which would benefit the municipality and the state. He was a member of the Union League Club, Chicago. He was very fond of out-door exercise; riding, driving and healthful athletic games were his favorite recreations. Mr. Cable earned his first dollar "working out" while a boy, at 50 cents a F. S. C4BLE. Picture taken in 1893. w Q r d Qn M o n d a y o f h i s g o i n g proved a painful shock. And it will be long before his genial presence and his never-failing optimism will cease to be a cheering memory to literally thousands in the piano business and other circles. A Hard Worker. Mr. Cable had never been of robust physique. But he was agile and capable of sustaining a great deal of hard work, in which he was persistent. He never seemed to realize that there are limitations to man's endurance, and it fell to him to carve out a place in the ranks of the American piano industry upon a wholly independent basis, after many years of close association with other men in the same pursuit and similar ambitions. And. in making his way. and in the upbuilding of the Cable-Nelson Piano Company, Mr. Cable proved at once the strength of his purpose, and the quality that wins more than money, in that it makes and sustains warm friendships. To all men F. S. Cable was the genial gentleman. He made no discrimination between the casual customer from a small inland town and the head of a great institution of the big city. They equally felt that he was a friend and were at ease in his company. And it was largely that characteristic that won for Mr. Cable the rapid success which came to the industry which he established in 1903, when he separated from the Cable Company, which had been founded by his brother H. D. Cable and sustained, in its beginning, by the three Cable brothers, Herman D., Hobart M. and Fayette S. And the history of the Cable-Nelson Piano Co. is one of almost dramatic interest. It began when F. S. Cable bought the factories of the Lakeside Piano Co. and the Sweetland Piano Company, and consolidated the two industries at the factory of the Sweetland factory on Carroll avenue, Chicago. Later the big plant at South Haven was completed and occupied, with Mr. Cable's personal offices still in Chicago. Sketch of F. S. Cable. Fayette Shepherd Cable was born in Cannonsville, Delaware County, N. Y., March 18, 1855; he died 26 days short of his 65th birthday. His father, Silas Cable, whose ancestors were Hollanders, was a prosperous New York farmer, and his mother, Mary (Goodrich) Cable, a descendant of English stock. Fayette S. attended the public schools near his quiet country home and later studied for several years at the Delaware Literary Institute, at Franklin, N.'Y. After completing his scholastic education he taught school for two years and in 1875 began his commercial career as an agent for the publishing house of A. S. Barnes & Company, traveling in the Eastern States. His aptness in this work developed him for larger responsibilities, and we next see him for some eight years in charge as manager of the Western branch, at Chicago, of the Philadelphia book house of Porter & Coates. He gave up this position only at the earnest solicitation of his brother, the late Herman D. Cable, president of the Chicago Cottage Organ Company. We see the rising manthe man for leadershipin the successive steps of Mr. Cable, from a nominal position with that concernpractically a clerkship through that of stockholder, then director, then secretary, and finally as president of The Cable Company, the successor of the Chicago Cottage Organ Company. Established Present Industry. In these steps the worth and ability of Mr. Cable was recognized by his fellow-workers and the stockholders. He was a man of genial temperamenta man who made friends and held them, im- F. S. CABLE. day. He was married Oct. 16, 1879, to Miss Kate Elting, a daughter of Daniel Elting, of Ellenville, N. Y., and four children were the result of this union. F. S. Cable, having been vice-president of the Chicago Piano Manufacturers' Association at the time of his death, the meeting of the different trade organizations to pay tribute to his memory was called by that organization. Adam Schneider, treasurer, in the absence of the president, presided at this meeting, which was held Monday afternoon in Kimball Hall, Chicago. Mr. Schneider said he had known Mr. Cable many yearslong before the deceased had engaged in the piano business. He characterized him as a man of great courage, kindly and always ready to do his part. Tribute by Chicago Men. MARION, IND., PROUD OF J. EDWIN BUTLER'S HONORS Recent Election to Office of Vice-President of National Association Pleases His Neighbors. The Marion, Ind., Leader expresses the pride of the city at the election of J. Edwin Butler to the position of second vice-president of the National Association of Music Merchants at the recent convention in New York. Mr. Butler is head of the Butler Music Co., in the Indiana city, and one of its most active citizens in civic and commercial affairs. Commenting, the Marion Leader says: "The National Association of Piano Merchants is an organization of piano merchants of nationwide scope and the honor which has come to the young merchant is an enviable one. Mr. Butler was a member of the executive board of the big organization last year and the honor which has just come to him is in further recognition of the high position which he holds among the piano merchants of the country." away. M. J. Kennedy said that it was only last Thursday that he had a long talk with Mr. Cable. C. H. Smith, president of Smith, Barnes & Strohber, and George P. Bent, who was in from California, paid Mr. Cable high tributes. E. F. Lapham, of Grosvenor, Lapham & Co., said that for gentleness, combined with firmness, Mr. Cable's character was that of the highest type of American citizen. Mr. Lapham was followed by E. H. Uhl, of Wurlitzer's; Eugene Whelan, who said he knew Mr. Cable through the eyes of a secretary, and that Mr. Cable saw all the little things that others might pass by; and by F. W. Chickering, who said the trade had lost one of the finest and most whole-souled of its members. His Sympathetic Nature. J. O. Twichell spoke of Mr. Cable's sympathetic nature. J. P. Seeburg said he had known him since 1893, and H. H. Bradley said he had known him only a few years but felt that he had been fortunate in his friendship. Platt P. Gibbs said he had known him something like 40 years. All of these gentlemen, to whose tributes George Dowling, president of the Cable Company, added his sympathetic tribute, spoke highly of Mr. Cable's life. W. W. Lufkin, of the W." W. Kimhall Co., also paid tribute to the kindly life of Mr. Cable. A joint committee to prepare resolutions of respect was appointed as follows: Chicago Piano & Organ AssociationJames F. Bowers, George J. Dowling and Edw. H. Uhl. Also Adam Schneider, president, and James T. Bristol, secretary. Chicago Piano Manufacturers' Association Carl S. Williams, C. H. Smith and W. B. Price. The members of the associations were appointed as honorary pallbearers to attend the funeral at Hinsdale. The services were held at 2:30 p. m. at the Cable residence, 134 Second street, Hinsdale. The Funeral. Otto Schulz said he know Mr. Cable for more Chicago members of the trade left the city at 1:30 than 28 years. He was fair in competition. "I always looked upon him as one of the strong men p. m. Tuesday over the C. B. & Q. Railroad, and the of the trade,"' said Mr. Schulz, "and the success funeral services were held at 2:30 p. m. in the Cable which he achieved was his because he deserved it." home in Hinsdale, 111. Rev. Dr. Rowell preached James F. Bowers, president of Lyon & Healy, the sermon and Rev. Dr. Brown offered the prayer, said he had known Mr. Cable for a number of the service being very impressive. Although the family had requested that no flowers years, and had found him at all times a cultured and polished gentleman, "a man who reflected be sent, banks of winter blooms arrived and seemed honor upon this trade." It was only a week since appropriate. Noticeably were large floral pieces he had met him in a restaurant, where he was from the factory at South Haven, Mich., and from sitting talking with P. E. Mason, one of his busi- the trade in Chicago. ness associates. Mr. Cable's greeting to Mr. Bowers Among those in attendance at the funeral were was cordial, and although he looked as though he noticed: George J. Dowling, president of The Cable had emerged from an illness, his voice had the old Company; James F. Bowers, president of Lyon & ring in it, and his conversation was just as snappy Healy; Adam Schneider, president of the Chicago as ever. "This trade has lost a valued, honored • Piano & Organ Association; W. B. Price, president member," said Mr. Bowers in closing, "and his of the Chicago Manufacturers' Association; E. H. family and trade friends are all the poorer for his Uhl, vice-president of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Compassing." pany; M. J. Kennedy, piano dealer in the Republic E. B. Bartlett said Mr. Cable had been an honor Building, Chicago; Mr. Overton-,ofthe Overtoil facto the industry, and as a man his influence would tories, South Haven, Mich.; E. S. Rauworth, for go far. Mr. Bartlett did not quite remember when many years superintendent of the Cable-Nelson fache did not know him. Mr. Cable was a man who tories, now head of the Apollo Piano Company, De had nothing to cover up; there was nothing to be Kalb, 111.; N. R. Luther, of the Wood & Brooks ashamed of, in his family life or otherwise. He Company, Buffalo, N. Y.; James H. Wibley, of the Thayer Action Works, Rockford, 111.; W. S. Cheney, was an ideal citizen. L. A. Reichardt, the Milwaukee avenue piano of the Piano & Organ Supply Company, Chicago; dealer, spoke of Mr. Cable's willingness to lend a Supt. Keefe, of The Cable Company, and J. L. helping hand to struggling dealers. "It was really Hench, Mr. Cable's son-in-law, who is not in the the hardest blow to me when we, some years ago, piano business. Those from the Cable-Nelson Piano discontinued handling his goods," said the speaker, Company, direct, were: P. L. Powell, P. E. Mason, "I feel that I have lost a friend; no man in the J. E. Cooke, L. R. Cooke, L. Lundberg, T. E. Creedon and L. Aiken. trade was whiter or squarer." Besides the gentlemen named there were a host Chairman Adam Schneider called upon others to express their opinions of the man who had passed of friends of Mr. Cable in attendance. Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com). All Rights Reserved. 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