PHILADELPHIA, PA., 1915, June 23
Weymann & Sons, who have been active as publishers for a number of years, have sold their copyrights and
plates of the famous Marie Louka selections to Volkwein Bros., Pittsburgh. These include the popular sellers
"Silent Prayer" and "Dance of the Dew Drops." There were twelve other numbers. They will discontinue the
publishing of music, as the manufacturing end and the Victrola business has increased so rapidly that it has
compelled them to devote all their attention to these lines.
PITTSBURGH, PA., 1915, October 5
The sheet music section of Volkwein Bros., 516 Smithfield street, reports that the Marie Louka compositions,
purchased recently from Weymann & Sons, Philadelphia, are selling big. They consist of fourteen semi-classical
compositions for the piano, and were originally published by Weymann & Sons, who have sold the entire rights
to Volkwein Bros.
NEWARK, N. J., 1917, April 16
The spendidly equipped plant of the Herbert Co., which it will be remembered recently retired from the
business of manufacturing music rolls in this city, has been sold to the Rose Valley Co., of Media, Pa. The
entire music cutting machinery in the Herbert plant is now being shipped this week to the Rose Valley Co.
and placed in their factory in Media.
NEW YORK, 1917, April 21
One of the prominent figures in the world of popular music a very few years ago was Johann C. Schmid, who as
a member of the organization of Jerome H. Remick & Co., composed a number of distinctly popular songs and
instrumental selections, among them being the hit: "Garden of Dreams." Mr. Schmid also shone as a composer
and compiler of teaching editions, his thorough knowledge of music well qualifying him for that work. Sometime
ago Mr. Schmid dropped out of sight of his friends in the sheet music trade, and beyond the announcement that
he was engaged in other pursuits near his home city, Philadelphia, his later activities were unknown to many.
The Review scout has discovered Mr. Schmid doing mighty well in another line of the music trade. In other
words, instead of composing music he now sells it in the shape of music rolls, being general manager of the
Rose Valley Co., successful music roll manufacturers in Media, Pa. Mr. Schmid is therefore supporting the
interests of his friends among the music publishers and composers by providing additional royalties for
mechanical reproduction rights. He declares that selling music rolls has some advantage over composing for
the fickle public. [The reference to "Garden of Dreams" is a confused conflation of two song titles by Johann C.
Schmid, "The Garden of Roses" (1909) and "The Vale of Dreams" (1910).]
NEW YORK, 1917, June 30
The affairs of the company are under the direction of a live force. C. Schoen Johnson, president of the company,
is constantly working along lines that will insure its development. G. H. Rimmington, expert accountant and
executive, is secretary and treasurer of the company, and Johann C. Schmid, in charge of the selling end, is in
addition to being a competent salesman, an expert musician and composer, and thoroughly acquainted with the
music business through long association with prominent music publishing houses, among them being J. H.
Remick & Co., New York.
MEDIA, PA., 1917, December 3
The plant of the Rose Valley Co. has been materially enlarged recently to take care of the growing demand
for the company's rolls, and the departments have been rearranged under the direction of Johann C. Schmid,
vice-president of the company, in order to eliminate lost motion and speed up production.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., 1919, January 28
The Rose Valley Co., who during the past few years have manufactured Ideal music rolls at Media, Pa., and
have built up a substantial business with that line, are now carrying on plans to move their plant to this city and
to triple the output of their rolls, the demands for which have for a long time exceeded the available supply.
The company has leased a large building at Fifty-fifth and Hunter streets, with a floor space of 48,000 square
feet, and equipped with a complete power plant and other modern features. Arrangements have been made to
move the entire plant from Media to Philadelphia late in February, and to be turning out rolls in the new factory
well before March 1.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., 1919, April 21
The Rose Valley Co. is now located in its new and commodious factory building at Fifty-fifth street and Hunter
avenue, this city, to which the company removed from Media some weeks ago. The new plant provides for a
very substantial increase in output, of which full advantage is being taken at this particular time. The arranging
department is under the direction of Ellis Linder, who was formerly connected with several well-known music
roll manufacturers.
NEW YORK, 1919, August 30
Johann C. Schmid, who in years agone composed many songs and instrumental numbers that have ranked as
big hits, has entered the ranks of jazz artists, and is responsible for the melody of a new number, "That
Heavenly Jazz" (The Religious Blues), which is to be produced as a word roll by the Rose Valley Music Co.,
Philadelphia, of which Mr. Schmid is now general manager.
