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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
M
Carreno and the "Chickering"
WIN
GOLDEN OPINIONS FROM MUSIC-LOVERS
ON THE PACIFIC COAST.
Mme. Carreno and the Chickering piano
have "captured" the music-loving public
of the Pacific Coast. The receptions ac-
corded her in that section of the country
are without precedent and the critics, one
and all, proclaim Carreno as having reached
the very apogee of her fame—her art.
A correspondent writes as follows, under
date of Feb. 14th, of her appearance in San
Francisco:
" T h e most wonderful enthusiasm for
any pianist ever seen or heard in this place
was shown Mme. Carreno last evening at
Metropolitan Hall. A splendid aiidicnce
was enchanted with her artistic perform-
ance. Every number on the program was
an open-eyed wonderment. The most re-
markable scene of all was at the end of her
work. The audience rose en masse, and,
with cries and bravos, tore from their
breasts and garments boutonnieres of
violets, pinks and roses, threw them at her
from every part of the audience. She was
completely covered with them. The beau-
tiful Chickering piano was filled with them.
They mingled with the strings and action.
Encore after encore was given, and withal
the flower-smothered piano, she once more
brought them to their seats. The enthu-
siasm was something marvelous. It took
over an hour to remove violets and other
flowers from her Chickering piano."
Mme. Carreno is slated to give two re-
citals at Studebaker Hall, Chicago, on the
afternoons of Feb. 23d and March 4th.
Steger Factory Addition.
Steger & Co. have just closed arrange-
ments with contractors for the erection of
an important addition to their plant. The
dimensions of the new structure will be
166 by 135 feet deep, and when complete
will give the company seventy thousand
square feet of floor space, making, in addi-
tion to the space now occupied, a grand
total of 135,000 square feet for manufac-
turing. The plans include three large dry
kilns.
The proposed addition will in-
crease the capacity of the Steger factories
to twenty-eight to thirty pianos a day.
Henry B. Fischer Returns
FROM A PACIFIC COAST TRIP DID DOUBLE THE
BUSINESS OF FORMER YEARS.
Henry B. Fischer, of J. & C. Fischer,
returned on Friday last from his trip to the
Pacific Coast, and declared himself as well
pleased with results. "Our business this
year on the Pacific Coast," said he, "will
be more than double what it was in 1898.
In fact, there will be a notable increase all
along the line. I am fully justified in
saying this, because my orders, even up
to this date, prove it in regard to a big
stretch of territory, and advices in other
directions are of good import."
Mr. Fischer, who looks all the better for
his last outing in the firm's interests, ex-
pects to start on the road again about
March 1st. He will visit the central West,
subsequently turning southward. Adolpho
H. Fischer is away on a brief western tour.
He will probably return early next week.
Seasoning Wood by Electricity.
Seasoning wood by means of electricity
is a demonstrated success. A London firm
have erected a model plant for this purpose,
the system used being the Nodon-Breton-
neau. The timber to be seasoned is placed
in a large tank and immersed, all but an
inch or two, in a solution containing 10 per
cent, of borax, 5 of resin and % of carbon-
ate of soda. The lead plate upon which it
rests is connected to the positive pole of a
dynamo, and the negative pole being at-
tached to a similar plate arranged on its
upper surface, so as to give good electrical
contact, the circuit is completed through
the wood. Under the influence of the cur-
rent the sap appears to rise to the surface
of the bath, while the aseptic borax and
resin solution takes its place in the pores
of the wood. This part of the process re-
quires from five to eight hours for its com-
pletion, and then the wood is removed and
dried either by artificial or natural means.
In the latter case a fortnight's exposure
in summer weather is said to render it as
well seasoned as storage in the usual way
for five years.
The current employed
has a potential of 1:0 volts, the consump-
tion of energy being about one kilowatt
per hour for each cubic meter of timber,
and the greener the wood the better, be-
cause its electrical resistance is less. The
liquid in the bath is kept at a temperature
of from 90 to 100 degrees F. Those who
are introducing the process into England
from France do not profess to be able to
give a complete explanation of its rationale,
though they describe it generally as a case
of electro-capillary attraction, but they
claim that its results are satisfactory, how-
ever surprising they may seem.
They
even state that some woods, such as the
"maritime pine" of the south coast of
France, which cannot now be properly
dried, will, after their treatment, be found
useful and serviceable for practical pur-
poses.
Pease Interests Prospering.
The "Popular Pease" is making steady
progress this season in every section. Ex-
cellent reports are coming in from travel-
ing representatives and dealers. The new
Pease Parlor Grand and the latest styles in
Pease Uprights have caught the popular
fancy and the Pease interests are prosper-
ing accordingly.
When The Review called on Tuesday at
the new warerooms the head of the firm
was discovered busily dictating replies to
dealers, home customers and other corres-
pondents. So deeply immersed was he in
the task before him that The Review did
not venture to interrupt with many ques-
tions. Mr. Pease, however, found time to
give some pertinent facts on the situation.
The result may be summed up briefly in
these words: "Prosperity, secured strictly
on merit."
Behr Bros. & Co.
Henry Behr told The Review on Tues-
day, in response to an inquiry, that, like
every other piano manufacturing firm in
New York, Behr Bros, have been kept be-
hind in shipments by the recent storm, but
will soon be up with current work again.
The present progressive policy of Behr
Bros, is bearing excellent fruit. The army
of Behr friends and admirers is rapidly
growing.
1
The Factories of W. W. Kimball Co., Chicago, 111., U. S. A.
"More than double the size and output of any simitar institution in the
Kimball Pianos.
Kimball Reed Organs.
I
TRIBUNE.
$
Kimball Pipe Organs. I