Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
A GREAT MU5IC TRADE INDUSTRY.
Wickham, Chapman & Co.
A MODEL FOUNDRY PLANT
O.
STEADY GROWTH
YEAR
SINCE
OF
AT
SPRINGFIELD,
BUSINESS
ITS INCEPTION
IN
EACH
1889
TURNING OUT ONE HUNDRED AND SIX-
TY PLATES PER DAY
BUILDING
THE
IN WHICH
WOODEN
MARKING
A FIREPROOF
IS
STORED
PATTERNS
BOARDS
AND
A PLANT
WHICH COVERS ACRES.
Perhaps one of the best illustrations of
the growth of the music trade industry in
the West may be found at Springfield, O.,
in the magnificent plant of Wickham,
Chapman & Co. It has often been stated
that the supply trade, particularly the
plate men and the action makers, are the
JOHN CHAPMAN.
real barometers of trade activity. If such
is the case, and the reasons for crediting
the statement are beyond dispute, then the
fact must be admitted that the piano and
organ business is in a most prosperous
condition to-day. For what we saw on a
recent visit to Springfield, O., proved con-
clusively to our minds that there is more
activity in the piano trade, and particular-
ly more activity in the great foundries of
Wickham, Chapman & Co., than the mem-
bers of the trade are really^ aware of.
The manufacturing enterprise of Wick-
ham, Chapman & Co. has undergone pro-
digious changes since our last visit there,
the early part of the present year, among
which we may mention a new one hundred
horse-power boiler, and a new hundred
horse engine, which enables them to run
their own electric light plant, and also
operate a giant Sturtevant steam heating
apparatus, which heats the entire factory,
keeping all the departments at an even
temperature throughout the winter. And
one of the many devices we noticed for
labor saving, and expedition, was that of
connecting all the different departments,
by telephone, with the office.
There, at the Wickham-Chapman plant,
five acres or more of ground are nearly cir-
cumscribed with buildings; notwithstand-
ing this fact, we understand, they were s
compelled to refuse some car-load and sev-
eral small lot customers, in order to take
care of their older customers, which con-
dition of affairs is pushing them to their
utmost to do so, at present; and although
they are doing an immense business
and have a magnificently equipped fac-
tory, devoted exclusively to the manufac-
ture of piano plates, they anticipate
building in the New Year, as early as the
weather permits, additions that will give
them a capacity of two hundred and fifty
plates per day.
Henry Wickham and John Chapman are
businessmen of keen intelligence, and they
realized that years ago there was a mag-
nificent opening for a business of the na-
ture which they are conducting in the
West. They immediately grasped the op-
portunity and success has crowned their
efforts.
Henry Wickham is a native of New York,
and was connected from 1875 to 1889 with
Brown & Patterson, the well-known plate
makers of tht East, thus acquiring a
practical knowledge of the business in
every way. John Chapman is a native of
Canada. He had a careful business train-
ing which amply fits him for looking after
the business end of the institution. George
D. Turner, whose services they secured
January 1 of this year, and who was form-
erly connected with the Turner Dickinson
Co., of Chicago, has had more than twenty-
five years experience in the business, is a
practical foundry man, and is thoroughly
acquainted with all the details of the work,
and is conceded by authorities in the West
to be a metallurgist of the highest rank.
This combination of expert mechanical
and business skill is developing the busi-
ness of Wickham, Chapman & Co. at a phe-
nomenal rate.
Aside from the casting of piano plates,
Wickham, Chapman & Co. supply all the
other metal parts of the pianos, including
action brackets, pedal feet, pedal guards,
pressure bars, organ pedals, organ frames,
etc. In addition to conducting the huge
plate business described here, they also
enjoy the distinction of having one of the
largest and best arranged nickel plating
plants of the kind in the United States.
While making the rounds of the exten-
sive plant we noted the names cast on the
plates indicated that they were doing a
business with manufacturers in the far
East, as well as in the West; in fact all
over America and Canada where piano
manufacturing is carried on, Wickham,
Chapman & Co. are transacting business.
We noticed that they have a fire proof
building erected entirely separate from
their plant in which are kept the wood
patterns and marking boards furnished
them by all manufacturers with whom
they are doing business, so in case of fire
their patterns will be preserved and there
will be little if any interruption to the
business.
It is always an interesting trip to go
through a foundry; the evolution of the
piano plate from the "pig " to the finished
HENRY WICKHAM.
plate, is full of interesting consideration
and study. The arrangements for receiv-
ing materials of all kinds, and of shipping
goods, are admirable and absolutely per-
fect in this plant, located as they are di-
rectly on the railroad, with two sidings.
The cars as received are unloaded at the
different receptacles, and are also loaded
at the shipping room doors, without addi-
tional handling. The offices of the com-
pany are located in a separate building.
Taken altogether, the Wickham-Chap-
man plant is complete in every detail and
is perfectly arranged for the conduct of a
great enterprise, and if there is anyone
entertaining doubts of the revival of trade,
or the betterment of the industrial condi-
tions of the country to-day, we would ad-
vise them to pay a visit to the works of
Wickham, Chapman & Co., and be con-
vinced to the contrary.