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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
from the very time they applied for space
they included with the application a positive
statement that they would not under any cir-
cumstances, accept awards. We have now to
add another pleasant fact: Strange. as it may
seem, whilst their wholesale trade has been a
little dull their retail trade has been excep-
tionally large, so far, this month.
[HILE the vast business interests of the
country have been suffering by reason of
the obstructionists in the Senate, it may be of
interest to readers to give a few descriptions of
the scene in the upper house which occurred
recently.
Inattention is the rule rather than the excep-
tion in the Senate, but the attitude of discourtesy
on the part of the Senators toward the tassellated
Senator from Kansas has reached a stage where
it is a subject of general comment. Recently
Senator Peffer addressed the Senate on an im-
portant subject—the use of an alleged illegal
currency by the National banks—and yet when
he began, the Senate might have been in recess,
so great was the confusion, talk and general
perambulation. More than once did Senator
Peffer appeal for order, that his remarks might
be heard at least by the stenographer, who was
the only person giving him the slightest atten-
tion.
As the hands of the Senate clock pointed to i
o'clock there were thirty-seven Senators, not
including Mr. Peffer and Mr. Lodge, who was
in the chair, in the Chamber, and here is what
they were doing :
Mr. Stockbridge—Reading a newspaper with
his feet on a chair and his back to Mr. Peffer,
who was standing at the adjoining desk.
Mr. Quay—Reading a newspaper.
Mr. McMillan and Mr. Proctor—In conversa-
tion.
Mr. Hawley and Mr. Dubois—Chatting to-
gether.
Mr. Sherman—Opening and reading his mail.
Mr. Platt—Writing letters on the back of a
big law volumn.
Mr. Hoar—Reading papers.
Mr. Aldrich—Reading his speech in the
Record.
Mr. Perkins—Glancing through the Record.
Mr. Pettigrew—Talking with a newspaper
correspondent.
Mr. Hale—Occupied with reading letters.
Mr. Washburn—With his back turned to the
speaker, reading a morning paper.
Mr. Wolcott and Mr. Teller—In earnest con-
versation.
Mr. Allison—Deeply interested in a news-
paper.
Mr. Mitchell— Reading letters.
Mr. Dolph—Hidden behind a newspaper,
which he was intently reading.
Mr. Stewart—Reading letters.
Mr. Frye—With his back toward Mr. Peffer,
reading papers.
Mr. Cullotn—Rooking through a bound
volume of the Record.
Mr. Pugh—Engaged with his morning mail.
Mr. Morgan and Mr. Cockrell—In earnest plates in grands, but he also carried Babcock's
conference.
rather crude idea to a notable point of success
Mr. Voorhees—Reading.
in the square piano.
Mr. Mathews might
Mr. George—Oblivious to everything except study this department in American musical his-
the Record.
tory with advantage to himself and to his
Mr. Call, Mr. Turpie and Mr. Caffery—In a readers.
three-cornered symposium.
opening of the Kurzenknabe Temple of
Mr. Palmer, Mr. Gibson and Mr. Lindsay—
Music at Harrisburg, Pa., on Monday
Laughing together over each other's stories.
evening, Sept. 18th, was quite an important
Mr. McPherson—Buried in a newspaper.
event. Here is an account of the opening from
Mr. Bate—Reading letters.
Mr. Martin—With the Record in his hands, a local paper:
"The reputation and well-known enterprise
reading.
of
the firm was sufficient to insure the occasion
Mr. Roach—Dreaming.
to
be
one of more than ordinary interest, and all
What a farce!
day the big storeroom, nearly 100 feet long, was
thronged with enthusiastic admirers who in-
the current issue of Music the editor de-
creased in numbers until in the evening, when
votes considerable space to '' The Piano
it was impossible for all to gain admittance.
Exhibit at the Fair. " He has the following to
Everyone was delighted with the treat that
say regarding the historical aspect of the Ameri-
awaited them. The immense stock of musical
can piano:
merchandise was tastefully arranged about the
" The American piano began with the Eng- room. Potted plants, exotics, banquet lamps
lish production, about 1776. In the early part with delicately tinted shades, pretty draperies
of this century the pianos made in America and electric lamps made the scene brilliant and
differed from those made in London mainly in enchanting. Elegant pianos, in all the fancy
being perhaps somewhat less cleverly finished. woods, the triumph of musical and mechanical
It was in this way that the great originator and skill; organs, elaborate in design; tinkling
founder of the American piano, Alpheus Bab- music boxes, violins, guitars, zithers, auto-
cock, of Boston, began. An instrument of his harps and a wonderful variety of other instru-
make, dating probably from about 1820, is in ments, the product of American and European
the Steinert collection. It is a small piano with manufacture, were displayed with rare effect.
wooden frame throughout. The strings are In the evening a grand concert was given, in
small, the hammers hinged to the rail with which the prominent local musicians manifested
parchment, etc. This was substantially the their good will by taking part and making it a
piano with which Jonas Chickering began his flattering success. The popular proprietors had
career as master, for in the Chickering exhibit a good reason to accept the many sincere con-
is the very piano. It is of wood frame, small gratulations, for their new establishment is be-
strings, etc., dating from 1823. Unfortunately yond doubt one of the largest and finest in
the Chickerings do not make any effort to bridge central Pennsylvania.
over the chasm between the primeval instru-
ment and their modern ones. The beginning
of the improvement and foundation of the
American piano was the iron frame, which was
{Continued from 1st page.)
invented by Alpheus Babcock in 1825. For
Colby Piano Company, Erie, Pa., pianos.
many years this bold innovator continued to
Ditson, Oliver, Company, Boston, music
manufacture pianos, removing to Philadelphia books, sheet music.
John C. Haynes & Co., Boston, musical in-
in 1830. His instruments appear to have been
the best manufactured anywhere in America at struments.
Mehlin Piano Co., Minneapolis, pianos.
that time. Conrad Meyer, of Philadelphia, also
Fort Wayne Organ Co., Fort Wayne, Ind.,
made pianos with iron frame about 1832.
reed organs.
Estey Organ Co., Brattleboro, Vt., reed
'' The present writer is not able to learn of Mr.
Jonas Chickering having made any pianos with organs.
KrellPiano Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, pianos.
iron frame until nearly or quite 1838, when he
Schomacher Piano Co., Philadelphia, Pa.,
brought out a patent for a new mode of casting pianos.
the plate in one piece. But to Mr. Chickering
Farrand & Votey, Detroit, Mich., pipe organ.
belongs incontestably the honor of first having
AWARDS TO FOREIGN EXHIBITORS.
applied the iron frame to grand pianos, which
Awards to foreign exhibitors in group 158,
he did in 1843, n e being at that time the only musical instruments and works, were made as
manufacturer of grand pianos in America. He follows:
GERMANY.
also made the first circular scales, and in fact
Prati
&
Co.,
Arnold & Co.,
advanced the instrument very much towards
Cocchi.Bracigalupe & Ellersieck, Alf.,
the point where the Stein ways took hold of it in
Graffigna,
Fabrik, Lochmanns,
the very year that Mr. Chickering died, namely Haalwanter, John
Heilbrun, K., Sons,
in 1853."
Hohner Mathiua,
Hupfeld, Ludw.,
Kruspe, C ,
The writer of the foregoing fairly accurate Koerner, Gunther,
Lange,
F.,
Loewenthal,
L.,
sketch may learn, however, that there was a
Meier, Francz,
Messner, Christian & Co.
wide difference between Babcock's "skeleton " Otto, Louis,
Rachals, M.F. & Co.,
plate and the full plates of Jonas Chickering. Rittershausen, Eniil, Schuetzhold, Carl,
That famous inventor not only applied full Sickelka, C. B.,
Steizner, Alfred.
THE AWARDS,