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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
First Piano in the Klondyke.
HOW IT DISRUPTED THE CAMP- -THE POWER
OF SONG.
The new piano was brought up on one of
the very late boats, and arrived at Circle
City in good order about the first week in
September, bearing on the box the ad-
dress of the man who kept the big saloon
on the corner of the front street in the
same block with the company stores.
Its advent in camp created almost a hol-
iday, and the saloonman was at once satis-
fied that he had made no mistake, costly
as his purchase probably was by the time it
reached him. For three days from the
hour the thing was put up on the pedestal
prepared for it and formally thrown open
with great eclat, it did not again become
silent.
The saloon-keeper's wife hammered at it
most, but everybody in the town took his
turn, struck the chords he loved the best,
sang his collection of "comics and senti-
mentals," and gave place to the next im-
presario on the keys.
" J u s t tell them that you saw me and
they will know the rest;
Just tell them that I'm looking well, you
know."
In the middle of the song the pianist
was pulled off the stool, and the next man
in the long line waiting to get a whack at
the piano was pushed toward it. On the
night of the third day a stranger fell on the
stool with a sigh of satisfaction and a hic-
cough and struck the keys with both hands.
Suddenly his face changed, he forgot the
ribald crowd about him, and with only a
few preliminary chords he began to sing
"The Holy City."
By any single voice I have not heard it
done better—a round, smooth, strong, cer-
tain voice, that sang the song as it was in-
tended it should be sung, with dignity and
power, it seemed to me, before the slowly
opening gates of the New Jerusalem.
The first verse was not finished before
the faro dealer had stopped the game at
the faro bank, the bartender lifted his fin-
ger to the man who had called for a drink
as a sign that he must wait, the string of
men along the bar held their glasses sus-
pended, the smoke arose and wound itself
slowly into a blue circle over the heads of
the hushed and attentive though half-
drunken crowd.
The singer remained
wrapped in his song to the finish, slurring
not one note nor hurrying one interval.
The light from the dirty and ill-smelling
coal oil lamps that hung against and be-
grimed the walls even when the curtain
of tobacco smoke had risen toward the
rafters could to those at the further end of
the room scarcely reveal the singer and his
piano on the pedestal as he repeated the
closing lines of the song.
For the space of one whole note interval
the spell continued after the song was fin-
ished. Then the singer rose, stepped down
and became one of the crowd again. He
was treated as a discovery. They had not
known he could sing, or, at least, that he
qould sing that way.
The delighted crowd dragged him to the
bar, of course, but all the expressions of
appreciation were comparatively subdued
and respectful, and there was nothing at
all of the kind that followed the first ren-
dering of "Isabella" and " T h e New
Bully." The crowd drank to him, and
then they clamored for him to sing again.
But he said he would not, and he did
not; he had sung more than he intended to
sing, and neither would he repeat this nor
sing anything else, and he joined the drink-
ers around the bar while another delighted
miner pounded gleefully on the keys of the
wearied piano and roared out his song,
"Oh, Tellum That You Saw Me."
Boothe Bros. Piano Catalogue.
A volume of more than ordinary typo-
graphical attractiveness is the new cata-
logue of Boothe Bros, pianos, just issued
by the Gibson Piano Co., 207-9 E. Forty-
ninth street, this city. It is conceived after
the Will Bradley style with marginal text
and illustrative designs in two colors.
From a literary standpoint the volume is
of interest. The special claims made for
the Boothe Bros, pianos are discussed in
forceful and unambiguous language, and
every point of value to dealer and pur-
chaser is treated of comprehensively.
Among the styles of Boothe Bros, pianos
illustrated and described are styles E, EX
and D Orchestral Grand Uprights and Baby
Cirands, styles 1 and 2. The baby grands
are different in design, style 2 being some-
what after the Colonial. The dimensions
are: Width five feet, length five feet three
inches.
A book of this character, so admirably
printed and which defines the position of
the makers of the Boothe Bros, pianos in a
most dignified manner, should unquestion-
ably be productive of satisfactory results
in augmenting the business of this house.
The volume bears the ear-marks of the
manager of the institution, William F.
Boothe, and it is just such a production as
might be expected from such a gifted
musician and capable business man. Dealers
interested in the latest style of Boothe
pianos would do well to write for this cat-
alogue.
For Organ flanufacturers.
Taylor and Westminster streets. $100,-
000.—Richardson & Hotchkiss, Peoria,
111., are preparing plans for the Hale
Chapel M. E. Church. It is to cost n-ot
over $20,000.—Paul Boetticher, 751 Broad
street, Newark, church for the Presbyter-
ian Church Society of Dover, N. J. About
$75,000.—L. L. Bishop, Montclair, N. J.,
church for the Swedish Congregational
Church Society.
$5,000.—The Wissa-
kickon M. E. Congregation will erect a
church, with tower, at Adams and Terrace
streets, Philadelphia, Pa. Granite and
stone.
$30,000.—M. E. Parmelee, 302
Clinch street, Knoxville, Tenn., church
and dwelling for Presbyterian Church,
Kosciusko, Miss. $9,000.—G. F. Barber
& Co., Knoxville, Tenn., church for Metho-
dist Congregation, Rev. S. M. Morgan,
pastor, Snowhill, Md. $12,000.—Bruce &
Morgan, Atlanta, Ga., have plans for the
North Avenue Presbyterian Church. $20,-
000.
C. G. Conn's « Truth."
The May number of C. G. Conn's Truth
has just appeared, and like its predeces-
sors, is full of interesting material concern-
ing the Conn products, including scores of
well-made and pertinent illustrations.
On the first page of the cover appears
an excellent portrait of Lieut. Dan God-
frey, bandmaster of the British Guards
Band, now making a concert tour of the
United States.
In connection with the
visit of Godfrey's musicians, Mr. Conn has
evolved and successfully produced an artis-
tic colored supplement to the current
Truth, celebrating the "Anglo-American
Alliance in Music."
Within the limits of eight pages, form-
ing this supplement, is given a pictorial
review of Godfrey's leading soloists and
instrumentalists, including Fred'k Kettle-
well, Lynn Barraclough, W. S. Tyler and
twelve others who have voluntarily be-
stowed the highest praise on the Wonder
instruments. These tributes are indeed
significant. The portraits are well brought
out, showing each individual, in the band's
uniform, to the best advantage.
Special notice is given in this issue of
Truth to the further extension of the Conn
business, embracing " Small Goods." The
Benary stock is described in detail and ex-
traordinary offers are made in the matter
of prices.
The following list of new churches, for
the erection of which contracts have been
closed, should prove of interest to organ
Kroeger and the Biograph.
manufacturers, inasmuch as the church
Through the biograph pictures which
committees will now be open for bids for
are
a feature of many of the vaudeville
organs for these edifices: Yost & Packard,
theatres,
the Kroeger Piano Co. are receiv-
Columbus, O., are preparing plans for the
ing
a
free
advertisement these days.
Col ling wood Avenue Presbyterian Church
Among
the
views
shown of upper New
at Toledo, O. $30,000.—Morrison & Fuller,
York,
the
Kroeger
factory occupies no in-
Chicago, church at Kankakee, 111., for the
conspicuous
place.
It is realistic enough
Episcopal Congregation, Rev. S. D. Phil-
to
expect
to
hear
the
voice of the genial
lips, pastor. $20,000.—Wesley Arnold, 5823
Chris.
Garritson
around
somewhere.
Frink street, Austin, 111., is preparing plans
for a chapel to be built at Oakpark, 111.,
The Schaeffer Piano Manufacturing Co.
for the Euclid Avenue M. E. Church. are now located in their new quarters in
It will cost $30,000, but $7,000 only the McClurg Building, Chicago. Dealers
will be spent at present. — Theo. C. visiting that city should make it a point to
Link, Century Building, St. Louis, Mo., look up the fine line of styles which they
church
for the
Second
Presbytery, have on exhibition in these quarters.