THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
16
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
PORT OF NEW YOKE.
Week ending August 23.
Exports.
Value.
Cuba, 1 pi3.n0,
$580 London, 1 piano,
Hamburg, 12 pianos,
. . 5,100 Liverpool, 12 pianos
4 organs,
Bremen, 27 organs, . . . 1,550
10 orguinettes,
U. S. Columbia, 2 orguinettes
150
Canada, 6 piano pins, . .
227
London, 17 organs, . . . 1,940
Imports.
Musical Instruments, 91
300
3,000
375
200
313,422
$15,952
Week ending August 30.
Exports.
H a m b u r g , 13 organs,
. .
"
1 piano mat'rls.
B r i t i s h W e s t Indies, 1 organ.
Cuba, 1 piano,
U. S. of Columbia, 1 piano .
Bristol, 1 organ,
. . . .
Mexico, 1 accordion, . . .
31,002
50
90
100
95
100
30
Hayti, 1 piano,
B r i t i s h Poss. in Africa, 16
organs,
Liverpool, 10 organs,
. .
L o n d o n , 4 organs, . . . .
Total,
250
1,095
652
417
$3,881
Imports.
Musical Instruments, 267 pkgs
830,359
PORT OF BOSTON.
England, organs,
Week ending August 20.
Exports.
$2,010
England Pianos,
$960
$2,970
Imports.
England, musical instruments,
$1,198
Week ending Aug. 27.
Exports.
England, organ,
$65
Imports.
England, musical instruments,
$1,074
POBT OF BALTIMORE.
Imports.
Entries for consumption, musical instruments,
Of which $363 were transported West, from Aug. 9 to 19 inclusive.
LUMBER.—The general opinion in the piano trade is that lower prices
for lumber will rule this fall.
.—Mr. G. A. Barlow, of Trenton, N. J., was in town last week.
SUMMER TRADE.—Trade reports from all quarters indicate that the sum-
mer season this year has been quite as satisfactory as that of 1879.
September 5th, 1880
distance of forty miles to the south-east is the summit of the Unaka chain of mountains,
on whose rugged crests, at an altitude of more than 4,000 feet above tide water, clothed
in richest emerald foliage, we find the Norway or white pine, which is largely used in the
manufacture of packing-cases, on account of its strength and lightness. In the last-named
qualification it excels probably every other wood in the United States.
Another kind of wood grows in great quantities in these high elevations, the bark of
which is much esteemed for its tanning properties—i.e., hemlock. This wood, like the
white pine, grows to great height and size.
In the coves of the north-west slopes of the Unaka chain of mountains and near their
greatest elevations is found an abundance of the finest black walnut, wild cherry and sugar
maple to be seen anywhere. These valuable woods will doubtless, ere many years are
past be brought to our doors, however inaccessible they may now be regarded. It is safe
to assert that there is within the district named enough of this valuable wood to supply
any number of manufactories. Of all the woods in this district which are used for manu-
facturing purposes black walnut is justly esteemed the most valuable. From this is manu-
factured the rich brown organ cases which are a distinguishing mark of the American reed
organ. This black walnut for fineness of finish and durability, has almost, if not entirely,
supplanted the use of the once famous mahogany, heretofore imported at great cost from
the tropical climate of South America. The popularity of the black walnut is not confined
to America; the European markets are equally prepossessed in its favor, and the United
States timbermen find it impossible to supply the demand, even at the almost fabulous
prices at which they are willing to purchase. Much of this valuable wood was destroyed
by the early settlers along the rich soils of the Tennessee, where it grew to perfection,
and where in the clearing of the lands for cultivation, it was cut into convenient lengths
to be handled and rolled into great piles called log-heaps, and then set on fire, which
was co sidered the most economical and convenient mode of disposal—in other words,
the best way to rid themselves of something for which they had no use. However, much
of it is yet standing on the tributary streams of the Tennessee, and on the north-west
slopes of Walden's ridge, as well as on the higher mountains of the Cumberland range.
We have also in these regions an abundant supply of a species of pine known as
pitch or yellow pine. This variety is not confined to any particular locality of the district,
but is distributed very generally over the country, except in the rich river lands. It is
largely used for pipe organ cases. While both the yellow and white pines are important
woods of this district, they do not compare in extent of forests and commercial value,
with the long-leaf pine found in Northern Georgia and Alabama. It is not an unusual
thing to find in Georgia and Alabama forests of the long-leaf pine covering many thou-
sands of acres, with scarcely a shrub of any other growth to be seen. For many purposes
this wood has been found superior to all others.
The traveler whose route may lie
through one of these pine-forests, whose topmost branches are clothed in perpetual verdure,
as his ear catches the mournful song produced by the wind playing among their branches,
and as he sees the heavy draughts that have already been made upon them to supply the
wants of man, if he be at all romantic in his thoughts, he almost feels that it is the song
of requiem to their fast-departing grandeur. A few- more -years, and the forests within
easy distance of existing lines of railway will have been culled out, and then, if the de-
mand should continue, new lines of railway will be projected and built into new districts
to reach fresh supplies.
Next in order of the manufacturing woods we may class the two varieties of poplar,
white and yellow, as among the most valuable of native woods. These trees grow to great
height, and occasionally attain the extraordmtry size of nine feet in diameter. The poplar
is among the soft woods, is easily worked, takes a good finish, is of medium strength and
holds paint better than almost any other wood, and is of great durability, particularly the
yellow variety. This wood is also largely used for cases, and organ cases made of this
wood can hardly be distinguished by the uninitiated from the more highly prized black
walnut. The wood is so abundant and easy of access in this district that it may be
asserted that there are ample supplies to meet any probable demand for many years to
come.
We pass on now to the oak woods, which, in point of abundant supply and useful-
ness, are perhaps superior to any of those considered. The white oak is not confined to
any locality or soil. It grows in the valleys, upon the mountain slopes, and the mountain
tops. The white oak, like black walnut, has become an article of large export on the
Cumberland Ri/er, below Nashville, and on the Tennessee, below the Muscle Shoals.
Many men are employed in getting out and shipping to New Orleans the rough staves,
which are cut some 4 ^ feet in length and two inches thick. They are floated to New
Orleans in flat boats, and are there taken out, inspected and partly dressed, when they
are baled and shipped to France and other districts of Europe. In their rough state they
command at New Orleans usually from 16/. to 30/. per 4,000, from which fact we may
judge it to be a profitable industry.
PATENTS.
VIOIJN STRINGS.—The application of P. & J. Turner for a permit to 231,630. PIANOFORTE HAMMER. C. F. Theodor Steinway, New York. Filed April
12, 1880.
Claim.—1. A piano string hammer, consisting of a wooden head, covered by a body
of felt or other suitable material, those portions of the covering-body below the nose
being hardened or rendered less elastic than the central portion of the body, which
HENRY BEHNING'S BABY GRAND.
forms the nose of the hammer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A body for a piano-string hammer, composed of felt or other suitable material,
T H E readers of T H E MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW, will observe on our
advertising pages, a cut of the new Baby Grand, manufactured by Henry Behning, of the end portions of which have been rendered comparatively inelastic by the application
thereto
of a liquid capable of being absorbed by the material of which the body is com-
129 E. 125th street, this city. We had occasion in our issue of July 5th, to notice the
christening of the first instrument of this kind made at Mr. Behning's factory, and we are posed, and of becoming hard when dry, substantially as set forth.
3. A piano-string hammer having a body of felt or other suitable material, in which
now able to state that the family has largely increased, and is being presented to the musical
public for its consideration and verdict, which latter will no doubt be favorable if the the glued joint of the body with the wooden head is protected from moisture by the
waterproofing of the ends of the body which enfold the wooden head, substantially as
merits of the instrument are a criterion of its success.
All the resources of Mr. Behning's factory have been employed to produce a really described.
good piano, and we are assured by him that only the best materials and the best work- 231,629. PIANOFORTE HAMMER. C. F. Theodor Steinway, New York. Filed March
manship have been used in its construction. The house wishes it to be understood that
10, 1880.
they have put forward their best efforts to make a really good instrument, believing that
Claim.—I. A pianoforte hammer, provided with a compressing ligature, extending
this style of piano is destined to have great popularity, especially among those who are
proficient in piano playing, and who wish to have something more than a mere instrument transversely through the wider portion of the felt body, and tightly strained, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
for a beginner to practice on, or a piece of furniture to ornament their houses with.
2. In a pianoforte hammer, the combination of the felt body and the tip of the
In addition to its musical merits, the instrument is a very handsome one, only the
best quality of sawed rosewood veneers have been used ; the case is finished and polished wooden cross-bar with the compressing ligature.
in the best style, and the legs, which are beautifully and elaborately carved, have been 231,849.
KEY-BOARD ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Christopher C.
made from a special design, drawn and carved in Mr. Behning's factory.
Reynolds, Kelseyville, Cal. Filed June II, 1880.
This instrument has been the result of much thought, skill and mechanical ability,
A key-board attachment for musical instruments, consisting of a series of pivoted
and should be a favorite with the trade and the general public. It is a work which levers, acted upon by the note-sheet and connected by strings or wires, with a correspond-
shows progress by this house in the right direction, and cannot fail to be appreciated.
ing series of fingers resting upon the keys and acted upon by a friction-roller rotated at
the same time with the feed-roller, between which the note-sheet is held, whereby the
keys are depressed by the action of the friction-roller and of the projections of the note-
PIANO AND ORGAN WOODS.
A great deal of the wood used for the cases of pianos, reed organs and other instru- sheet on the pivoted levers connected with the fingers.
ments, as well as for furniture and cabinet work, says the London and Provincial Music 231,786.
PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTUMENTS.
Azro Fowler, Mount
Trades Review, comes from the great forests of Tennessee, a district whose products are
Vernon, N. Y. Filed March 31, 1880.
better known than its geography in this country. Colonel A. W. Hoskins has recently
devoted a great deal of attention to the cabinet woods indigenous to the State of Tennes-
THE GAZETTE.
see, and in the course of a lecture recently delivered at Chattanooga he gave some highly
interesting data. Chattanooga, he said, is located in the centre of a vast forest, almost Hallett & Davis, Piano Manufacturing Co. Mortgaged machinery, fixtures, etc., as
primitive in its nature, there being less than one-sixth of this area stripped of its growth.
security for bonds issued to amount of $100,000, subject to prior lien of $55,000.
In this forest, which is tributary to Chattanooga by reason of 600 miles of railroad, and
William
H. Ivers, Boston, Mass., piano manufacturer ; failed.
more than 1,000 miles of navigable waters, which penetrate it in almost every direction,
there is every variety of wood indigenous to the climate of 35 deg. north latitude, and a few F. L. Wenzel, New York City, pianos ; conditional bill of sale, $1,000.
other varieties considered peculiar to the climate 1,000 miles north. For instance, within a P. & J. Turner, violin strings ; New York city ; judgment $186.
manufacture violin strings from lambs' entrails, at No. 602 W. 39th street,
was yesterday denied by the Board of Health.