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REVIEW
V O L . XXXI. No. 2 6 . Published Every Saturday by Edward Lpan Bill at 3 East FourteentH Street, New York, Dec. 29,1900.
The Past and Present.
Death of Timothy Bahnsen.
The Poole Piano Co. of Boston, have se-
cured a valuable relic of the early days of pi-
ano making in this country in the. form of
a piano made by A. Babcock. The latter,
according- to Spillane's History of the
American Pianoforte, with his brother,
commenced the manufacture of pianos
about 1810 at 34^ Newbury street, Boston.
He later joined forces with John Mackey,
continuing the alliance until 1829 when
Babcock went to Philadelphia entering into
partnership with J. G. Klem, while at the
same time Mackey became the partner of
Jonas Chickering.
The piano in possession of Mr. Poole is
in excellent condition. This is not sur-
prising for every instrument made by Bab-
cock was a creditable product, that is from
the viewpoint of the period. It.must not
be forgotten that it is due to the contribu-
tions of Babcock and Chickering that we
owe the first successful and permanent in-
troduction of metal plates into squares and
grands. If we mistake not the Mason &
Hamlin Co. have, or had, one of Babcock's
pianos in their possession.
A study of this old instrument empha-
sizes the remarkable changes that have
occurred since the early days of the cen-
tury. Wnen we compare the few pioneer
makers with the army that constitute the
great piano making industry of to-day, we
are enabled to comprehend the immense
expansion which has helped to make this
country so potential in the manufactures
of the world.
Here is a theme that might be dwelt up-
on, if space permitted, with some interest
and advantage. The labors of such men
as Babcock and his contemporaries must
never be overlooked when estimating the
position of the American piano of to-day.
It is to the efforts of these apostles—crude
and imperfect though they may have been
—that the American grand and upright oc-
cupies a unique position in the world of
tone.
[Special to The Review.]
Make Business Lively.
The organ factories at Washington, N. J.,
make business lively at the post-office. One
day last week over 23,000 pieces of mail
matter were sent from that office. Most of
it went to foreign countries. A large farm
wagon was required to convey the mail
from the post-office to the depot.
The Bogart piano is being handled in
Dolgeville, N. Y., by James Campion.
fa.oo PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES IO CENTS
Heads the List.
The United States seems likely to stand
at the head of the world's list of exporting
nations in the year 1900. One by one the
great nations have fallen behind in the
race for this distinction until during the
past five years only the United Kingdom
and the United States could be considered
as competitors for the distinction of being
the world's greatest exporter of articles of
home production. In 1894 the United
Kingdom led the United States by near-
ly $250,000,000, and in 1897 the United
States had so rapidly gained that she was
but $60,000,000 behind.
In 1898 the United States took first
place, our exports in that year exceeding
those of the United Kingdom by nearly
$100,000,000. In 1899 the United King-
Sultan and the Graphophone. dom again stood at the head of the list,
her exports exceeding those of the United
INSTRUMENT PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN
States by nearly $35,000,000. In the
THE SIGNING OF THE SULU TREATY.
eleven months of 1900 whose figures have
According to Capt. S. E. Smiley of the been received by the Treasury Bureau of
Fifteenth United States Infantry, who has Statistics the domestic exports of the
just reached Washington, the graphophone Unites States exceed those of the United
played an important part in the negotia- Kingdom by $5,473,670, and should this
tions which preceded the signing of a rate of gain be attained in December the
treaty between this country and the Sultan United States will in the year 1900 show a
of the Sulu Archipelago.
larger exportation of domestic products
Capt. Smiley was a member of Gen. than any other nation in the world.
Bates' staff, Military Commander of the
Even this distinction, however, of head-
Department of Southern Luzon, and ac-
ing the world's list of exporting nations
companied that official on the tour of the
but partially tells the story of the wonder-
islands under the jurisdiction of the Sul-
ful growth of our export trade as meas-
tan, which resulted in the execution of
ured by that of other nations. Comparing
the celebrated treaty.
the growth of our exports during the last
'' We made the trip from Manila to the
quarter of the century with those of the
islands on the cruiser Charleston, which
other great nations of the world, we are
has since been lost," said Capt. Smiley.
able to better measure the wonderful prog-
" It happened that we had a graphophone
ress shown. France shows no increase in
along. It was more a matter of chance
her exports of domestic merchandise in
than anything else that it was taken, but
the closing quarter of the century; Ger-
it came in useful before we got through
many shows during the same period an in-
with our work. When we reached the
crease of about fifty per cent., and the
home of the Sultan we invited him to
United Kingdom shows from 1875 to 1900
come aboard our ship, and sent a cutter
an increase of nearly forty per cent, while
and guard to escort him. The Sultan ac-
the United States shows during that time
cepted the invitation, and after everybody
an increase of practically 200 per cent.
had taken his position on deck under an
awning Gen. Bates stated the object of the
A Kingsbury Booklet.
conference, and formal negotiations were
A booklet of Kingsbury pianos, suitable
begun.
for
pocket use, has been issued by the
"We succeeded in making the Sultan un-
Cable
Co. It contains testimonials from
derstand our mission in a measure through
the services of an interpreter, but he purchasers, piano tuners, teachers and
seemed suspicious and acted as if he want- dealers, regarding these instruments as
ed us to do something to convince him of well as illustrations of style B, and style
our power. Then we let him marvel at the
graphophone, and that seemed to settle the F. The booklet, like all the Cable litera-
ture, is neatly printed.
business."
St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 25, 1900.
Timothy Bahnsen, President of the T.
Bahnsen Piano Co., dropped dead by the
side of a Christmas tree in the midst of a
joyous holiday celebration Monday night,
at the home of his brother, John Bahnsen,
1327 Park avenue. His body lies in the
parlor of his brother's home, and the light
of the candles that Monday night shone on
the happy faces of a merry family party
falls on a group of mourning relatives.
Excitement caused by the burning of
tinsel on the tree brought on apoplexy and
he fell to the floor. Before a physician ar-
rived he was dead. Instantly the scene of
gayety and rejoicing was changed to one
of gloom and tears.