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THE MUSIC .TRADE REVIEW
The Vocalion's New Quarters.
Our Population.
Kranich & Bach and Prosperity-
[Special to The Review.]
The total population of the United
States is 76,295,220, according to a Census
Bureau bulletin issued this week. This is
an increase of 13,225,464 over the enu-
meration of 1890. The percentage of in-
crease is 20.90. The figures are in excess
of the estimates made by competent ob-
servers, which ranged from 70,000,000 to
75,000,000. It is the largest actual in-
crease occurring during any decade since
the first census in 1790, when the popula-
tion of the nation was 3,929,214. The
growth from that modest figure to over
76,000,000 in a little over a century is one
of the marvels of our remarkable country.
It is a record unparalleled in the history
of the world.
One hundred years ago Russia stood at
the head, in point of population, of the
civilized countries of the Western world,
while the United States took lowest rank.
At the end of the century Russia remains
in the same position, while the United
States has risen to the second place.
But if the advance in material well being
and industrial achievements of the people
is taken into consideration, it will be found
that this country has forged ahead into the
first place by a long interval.
Taking the population of the country by
States, it is shown that New York stands
easily at the head, with a population of
7,268,009, Pennsylvania coming second
with 6,301,365 inhabitants, Illinois third
with 4,821,550, Ohio fourth with 4,157,545,
and Missouri fifth with 3,107,117. These
States keep in the order in which they
stood ten years ago, but Massachusetts
gives up her place as the sixth most popu-
lous State in favor of Texas, which has
advanced to within 59,000 of Missouri,
In the far West, some of the small States
show remarkable rates of increase, Idaho's
growth being 92 per cent., that of Mon-
tana 84 per cent., North Dakota 75 per
cent., and Wyoming 53 per cent. On the
other hand, Kansas has gained only 3 per
cent., and Nebraska 1 per cent., while Ne-
vada shows an actual loss in population.
New Jersey makes the best record in the
East, with an increase of 30 per cent.,
New York's growth being 21 per cent.,
and Pennsylvania's 20 per cent. The New
England States have made comparatively
little advance. In the South, Florida has
grown 35 per cent, in population, while
Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama have
each gained about 20 per cent. The other
Southern States fall far behind these fig-
ures. Illinois and Wisconsin, in the Mid-
dle West, have increased 23 per cent.,
Iowa 17 per cent., Indiana 15 per cent.,
and Ohio only 13 per cent.
POST ELECTION ORDER BY KELLER OF EASTON
A STRENUOUS K. & B. WORKER
FINE DISPLAY OF GRANDS.
Worcester, Mass., Nov. 5, 1900.
The Vocalion Co. is now " a t home" in
its new factory quarters at Beacon and
Jackson streets, and are already shipping
completed vocalions. The shop is one of
the best in Worcester. Everything is of
the most modern type. The power is all
transmitted by electricity generated in the
building. Much of the machinery is brand
new.
The building is of modern mill construc-
tion. The walls are massive brick. The
uprights and beams are of the heaviest
southern pine with intervening plates of
steel, so that there is absolutely no shrink
or swell. The floors are five inches thick,
consisting of two two-inch planks with as-
bestos between, and a floor of inch boards
on top of that. It is of the best type of
slow-burning building. A bonfire could
be started against one of the upright posts
and there would be little danger of spread-
ing unless given a long time to get to work.
The building has a length of 185 feet on
Jackson street and 70 feet on Beacon
street. The company also occupies a 70-
foot section of the Estabrook building
which adjoins on Beacon street. The total
floor area is 70,000 square feet, which is
two-thirds more than that at the old loca-
tion. A new Corliss engine has been in-
stalled, making 150 horse power, capable
of doing much more work when required.
Two 100 horse power boilers provide the
steam. The engine is connected direct
with a 100 horse power Westinghouse gen-
erator, through which passes all the power
used in the shop for running machinery
and two large elevators, and illuminating
by incandescent and arc lights.
Each department has its own electric
motor, so that anyone of them may shut
down without interfering with other parts
of the works. Every ounce of dust and
shavings from the woodworking machinery
of the shop is utilized for power. Small
electric motors operate bellows, which fur-
nish the corps of tuners with wind for use
in their delicate work of giving the reeds
the exact pitch. There are numerous other
little conveniences and the employes of the
new shop are given every advantage of
modern sanitary construction.
Worcester-made vocalions are played in
every civilized country. They are becom-
ing common in England and the countries
of the European continent. Wednesday
nine big instruments were shipped to Aus-
tralia. Some idea of the business may
be obtained from the fact that the aver-
age week's payroll is $2,300, and last year
business to the amount of nearly $300,000
was done.
The new shop will employ more men
when everything is in order. New ma-
chinery has been added, and more is build-
ing in the company's machine shop, for it
builds most of its machinery. Then the
force of 175 men will gradually be con-
siderably increased.
Weser Bros, have a pleasant suprise in
store for their patrons and the trade. It
will be announced at an early date.
L. W. P. Norris, President of the Linde-
man & Sons Piano Co., West Twenty-third
street, is getting in some big orders and
sending out notable shipments of the
choicest Lindeman & Sons uprights. He
reports the outlook as very good.
The report this week at the Behr Bros,
factory is: " Very busy and growing more
SO every day."
The first visitor at the Kranich & Bach
warerooms in this city on the morning
after election was W. H. Keller, the Kran-
ich & Bach agent at Easton, Pa. He said
that in view of the results at the polls, he
desired to order a carload of his favorite
instruments at once. The selection of pi-
anos was made, and they are now being
prepared for shipment.
Mr. Keller has been the Kranich & Bach
agent at Easton for nearly, if not quite, a
quarter of a century. He handles the K.
& B. as his leader and is a strenuous work-
er in the firm interests. In a booklet is-
sued by him recently under the title:—"Is
Your Name in This Book—If Not, Why
Not?" Mr. Keller gives a long list of de-
lighted purchasers in Easton, South Eas-
ton, Phi lipsburg, N. J., and out-of-town.
The list contains the names and ad-
dresses of 276 prominent professional men
and women, and other citizens of good so-
cial standing in his territory. Each pos-
sesses one or more Kranich & Bach pianos,
and every one is an enthusiast on the mer-
its of these instruments. As Mr. Keller
puts it: " They have purchased and tested
the Kranich & Bach pianos in a manner to
justify full expression as to their relative
worth and merit."
During a recent visit to the Kranich &
Bach warerooms, The Review, under the
guidance of Victor W. O'Brien, inspected
a number of Kranich & Bach grands just
completed, in plain and fancy woods. They
fully sustain every claim made for them,
and every indorsement from those who
have used and are now using similar Kra-
nich & Bach products. It is safe to predict
that this will be a great season for the
firm's business.
Opera in English.
"Esmeralda," a grand opera in four acts
by Arthur Goring Thomas, will receive its
first American presentation at the Metro-
politan Opera House next Monday, Nov.
12. The management of the Metropolitan
English Grand Opera Co. selected this
work as the first novelty of the season. It
is especially adapted for production by an
organization devoted to the presentation of
opera in English, as it was written by an
English composer for an English Opera
Co. "Esmeralda" was composed for the
Carl Rosa Opera Co., by whom it was first
produced on March 26, 1883, at the Drury
Lane Theatre, London. It won an im-
mediate success and has maintained its
popularity up to the present time.
Miss Grace Van Studdiford is proving
to be a valuable member of the Metropol-
itan English Opera Company. Her first
successes, as Martha and Michaela, were
followed by a triumph won last Saturday
afternoon, when she was called upon at an
hour's notice to sing Marguerite in ' 'Faust,"
owing to the sudden indisposition of Miss
Alice Esty. Her hit was all the more re-
markable in view of the fact that she ha.d
never previously appeared in the role,