Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
A Gigantic Instrument.
TO BE PLAYED BY A STEAM ATTACHMENT-
USEFUL FOR STEAMSHIPS OR GREAT OR-
CHESTRAS A "WONDER" CREATION
UNDOUBTEDLY.
A manufacturer of musical instruments
in this city, C. G. Conn, no doubt, will
within the next few months exhibit what
is said to be absolutely the biggest bass
horn that has ever been made, says the
Sun. This horn will stand sixteen feet
high when resting on the bell or mouth of
the main tube. The diameter of the bell
from edge to edge will be four feet, and
the main tube, extending from the bell to
the top at the first curve, will taper from
three and a half to one and a half feet in
diameter. The horn will be fitted with
four valves, which will control the scale.
No pair of human lungs that has yet been
discovered will be able to control the vi-
bration of this horn, and this fact has led
the manufacturer to employ an inventor
who has almost completed a steam attach-
ment by means of which harmony will be
extracted from this gigantic piece of brass.
It is not the intention of the manufacturer
of this sixteen-foot horn to use it merely as
a means of advertisement. "If, after suf-
ficient tests," the manufacturer said to-
day, "this horn is found to be able to pro-
duce music in spite of its enormous vibra-
tive force, we shall be able to sell a great
many of them to the large steamship and
steamboat companies. The companies
will use them on the vessels instead of the
fog horns or sirens, whose monotonous
tones have for many years made thousands
of transatlantic voyagers miserable when-
ever the fog hung for any length of time.
"The vibrative energy of a sixteen-foot
horn blown by steam would impel sound
between seven and ten miles, and, with a
stiff breeze blowing, it is not unlikely that
a simple melody even might be carried
over the water for twenty miles or more.
And then, as a signalling device and a
means by which vessels may distinguish
each other in a fog while still a great dis-
tance apart, this gigantic steam horn would
prove itself to be indispensable after a few
years' use. Programmes of music could
be arranged by the various transatlantic
steamship companies which could be
used according to a prescribed schedule
on the different voyages.
The result
of this arrangement would be that
when one vessel passed another, no,
matter how dense the fog, each would
know the other by the respective tunes
that the steam horns played. In clear
weather the big horns could be used as
adjuncts to a ship's band when an increase
in volume of music was required,
"Aside from its usefulness on steam-
ships, we expect that our steam horn will
be serviceable to musical directors in the
rendering of certain modern operas. We
hope," the speaker concluded, "to have
this horn completed shortly before elec-
tion. "
Great advances have been made in
the manufacture of brass band instru-
ments within the last half century. In
former years too little attention was devoted
13
to the scientific construction of these in-
Brings Suit for Injunction.
struments and to the precise tubular and
HENRY F. MILLER & SONS BRING SUIT AGAINST
somewhat conical form of the instrument
C. D. BLAKE & CO. FOR USING THE WORD
into which the air vibrated. A successful
MILLER IN CONJUNCTION WITH
manufacturer nowadays must be both a
PIANOS PROPOSE TO TEST
THE MATTER IN THE
mathematician and an expert in acoustics,
COURTS.
or else he never will construct an instru-
ment to produce the proper tone. At one
[Special to The Review.]
time the building of the instrument itself
Boston, Mass., Sept. 26, 1899.
was a secondary consideration, whereas the
Henry F. Miller announced recently in
subsequent toning and adjusting were done The Review that he proposed to bring suit
by the most skillful hands and involved the against certain parties using the name of
most labor. At present the prototype sys- Miller in conjunction with pianos. He
tem is used' entirely, and by following a stated that he was satisfied that there were
model or prototype, which is scientifically a number of instances throughout the coun-
accurate in detail, more instruments of the try wherein certain dealers were trading
same size and construction can be made upon the reputation established by the
alike in every respect, and the subsequent Henry F. Miller house. In other words
labor of toning is only a minor considera- that there were spurious Miller pianos sold
tion.
in quantities, the purchasers believing that
they were securing a genuine Miller piano.
Among the Dealers.
It seems that Mr. Miller proposes to do
just
exactly what he says, for suit has just
D. S. Kerr will handle the Baldwin line
been
brought by the Henry F. Miller & Sons
of instruments in his new warerooms at
La Grange, Ind.—The business of the Co. against C. D. Blake & Co., the piano
Carthage (111.) Music Co. will be discon- dealers at 576 Washington street, asking
tinued.—Lew Bowie has purchased the that an injunction be granted restraining
music business of Haywood Morrison in C. D. Blake & Co. from infringing on the
El Dorado, Kan.—The business of T. H. rights and reputation of the Miller com-
Kenneaster in Texarkana, Tex., has been pany, in selling pianos said to be manu-
purchased by J. H. Roche.—Leonard & factured by "G. A. Miller," and also
Thomas is the title of anew concern which pianos said to be made by a firm called
has opened in the piano business in Canal "Miller & Co., Boston."
Dover, O.—C. W. Dantzler has sold out
The complainants declare that their bus-
his Collier, Col., music business and moved iness has been injured by the Blake firm
to St. Joseph, Mo.—The Keiselhorst Piano selling pianos stencilled with the name of
Co. of St. Louis, Mo., will in future con- "Miller," and causing certain customers to
duct a retail business only. The whole- be impressed with the idea that these pi-
sale branch will be discontinued.—S. Pierce anos were manufactured at the factory of
has succeeded to the business of Overing & Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Co.
Pierce, Earling, la.—Hadley & Roberts
The Miller people say that any piano in
have opened a music store in Freemont, Boston or New England, or even in any part
Neb.—The Kevekordes Co., Evansville, of the country, which is known by the
Ind., have been succeeded by Leo Keve- name of the "Miller piano," is supposed
kordes & Son.—Felix Blackenbaker is the by everybody to be a Henry F. Miller pi- v
partner of W. S. Mitchell in the piano ano, and when an instrument is stencilled
business just opened up in Charleston, "G. A. Miller" or "Miller & Co.," custom-
111.—The Hume-Minor Co. of Richmond, ers are more than likely to fail to distin-
Va., has opened a music store in Raleigh, guish the exact difference, and they pur-
N. C, under the management of John D. chase the "G. A. Miller" instrument main-
Meores.—Arthur W. Fisher of Los Angeles, ly upon the wide reputation of what they
Cal., is closing out his business to attend have always heard called the "Miller
to extensive mining interests.—W. D. piano," made, of course, by Henry F.
Paterson and Lyman Darrow, who for Miller & Sons Piano Co., of Boston, and
many years conducted a music store in with which the "G. A. Miller" instrument
Los Angeles, Cal., have filed petitions in has no connection.
bankruptcy. Paterson's liabilities are $2,-
The Miller people claim that C. D. Blake
865, assets, $3,473. Darrow's liabilities are
&
Co. have been trading upon their repu-
$4,000; assets $677.
tation.
The Henry F. Miller Co. say that they
Woodford Returns.
have always endeavored to produce an in-
Weber grands are in great demand this strument that for tone quality, volume and
season for concerts and private residences. first-class workmanship should be sur-
Mr. Woodford, who returned on Wednes- passed by no other piano in the market,
day from a lengthy trip, met with gratify- and it is to protect this reputation, estab-
ing success and reports the Weber grands lished by many years of careful, conscien-
and uprights as more highly appreciated tious work, that they ask the court for the
than ever before.
injunction against C. D. Blake & Co. using
the name "Miller" in any form.
Don't waste a moment! Turn immedi-
The Newby and Evans catalogue, re-
ately to page 17. The information con-
tained there will interest you, because cently issued, is convenient in size and
everyone is interested in useful war relics. well worthy of examination. It contains
It will tell you, too, how we propose to illustrations and descriptions of the four
add five hundred new subscribers to The leading styles in Newby & Evans' up-
rights.
Review.