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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
the first day. In this plant anyone caught care-
lessly throwing these things around would be dis-
Proper Instruction in the Use of Fire-Fighting
missed on the spot; but such an action is almost
Materials Will Often Avert Serious Loss—A
unknown.
Knowledge of What Not to Do Is an Im- At intervals the firefighting apparatus should be
portant as Is a Knowledge of What to Do.
tested. Recently a fire occurred in a local piano
factory that was thought to be equipped for any
The importance of fire drills and a proper emergency in this line. But when the water was
knowledge of what not to do, as well as what to turned on the hose burst, and before another hose
do, in case a fire breaks out in a piano factory, could be obtained from another part of the fac-
cannot be overestimated, says Harry Hindson, tory the city brigade had arrived. But the fire
writing in The Woodworker. In almost every had gained considerable headway and great dam-
piano factory there are pails of water and pails of
age was done. The hose had not been tested for
sand, but sometimes there is but small attempt years and had actually rotted.
made to instruct the men when to use the water
and when to use the sand.
STUDENTS AT STARR CO.'S PLANT.
The sand should always be used when liquids
High School Class in Botany Observes Com-
such as benzine or oil are on fire; ignorance of
mercial Uses of Wood at Piano Factory.
this fact burned down a shop some time ago. A
boy had lighted a piece of sandpaper with a match,
Practical information regarding the use of wood
then tried to extinguish it in some benzine that
iu commercial lines is being obtained by the pupils
was in a pail. On a post near by were two pails in the botany classes at the Richmond High
of sand and one of water. A man caught up the School, Richmond, Ind., through visits made to
pail of water and threw it into the benzine. The the Starr Piano Co.'s factories there. After the
pail overflowed and the water carried the burning students become familiar with the character and
benzine all over the floor. A near-by window be- habitat of the different woods, they go to the
ing open, the wind blew the flames further into factory in a body and observe the uses to which
the shop and soon the whole interior was a roaring the different woods are put. The Starr concern
furnace. Had the man used sand instead of water, buys woods from all over the world. The teak-
the burning benzine would have been smothered.
wood used is mainly imported from India, South
Some years ago a factory was saved by the America furnishing the rosewood and some of
presence of mind of one boy and his knowledge the mahogany, though Cuban and South African
of what to do in an emergency. It was in the mahogany is also used. Walnut, chestnut, linden,
days of coal oil lamps, and the place was the fin- spruce, poplar and maple are obtained from dif-
ishing room of an organ factory. One lamp had ferent sections of the United States. The con-
been lighted, and a man, wishing to light his lamp, sumption of hard maple, yellow poplar, basswood
but having no match, took up a piece of oily and chestnut is greater than is the consumption of
waste and applied it to the flame of the other the other woods. A supply of approximately four
lamp. The waste flamed up, the man dropped it million feet of lumber of assorted kinds is kept
on some other waste, and soon a general confla- constantly on hand at the factory, and the students
gration was threatened. The men tried to beat therefore find plenty of specimens of every kind
the fire out, but could not, and were starting down of wood that is being used in piano making to-day.
the stairs to escape with their lives. But one of
the boys remembered the bottles of fire extin-
POOR PUMIClTCAUpS SCRATCHES.
guisher on the window at the far side of the
Particles of Glaze in Inferior Grades of Pumice
room. He had seen them there, all covered with
Will Result in Scratched Cases.
dust, and had asked about them. Rushing over,
he caught up several of the bottles and hurled
Difficulty is often encountered, after piano cases
them, one at a time, into the fire, and before he have been pumice-stoned,- through scratches which
went downstairs the fire was out.
appear on the finished surface. These scratches are
Another disastrous fire was averted by an in- very often due to the quality of stone used. The
quisitive boy who wanted to know what every- stone is usually purchased by the barrel, but if
thing was for. When the factory was built a the pumice is purchased at retail particles of
pipe had been run into the filling and staining ground china are liable to be found therein, and
room, for the purpose of pouring in live steam in these particles of glaze cause the trouble. If a
case of fire. The older men in the room either piano case is allowed to dry for about five days
never knew what that pipe was for or had for- after the first coat of varnish is put on, and then
gotten it, and when a fire started they rushed another coat is applied, the rubbing can usually be
downstairs. But the boy, who had made inquiries accomplished successfully and without these an-
of the fireman, went back and opened the valve, noying scratches appearing on the surface. Par-
which was just at the head of the stairs. He then ticular care should be used in the selection of good
hurried down and told the fireman what he had pumice-stone, as an inferior quality is sure to cause
done. The steam was then turned on and the fire trouble.
smothered.
Every employe in factories that have no fire bri-
MAHOGANVHFRO~M~NICARAGUA.
gade should know what the fire apparatus is for
Mahogany to the value of $242,435 was invoiced
and where it is. Cards giving this information at the American consulate at Bluefields, Nicara-
should be posted up in prominent places through- gua, for the United States during 1915, as com-
out the shop. In the finishing room and the var- pared with $.°)74,723 for 1914.
nish room every employe should be fully informed
in regard to the inflammable nature of the mate-
rials used and the danger of throwing oily waste
or rags around. I know. one foreman in a large
finishing room who makes it a point to give his
men frequent quiet talks along this line, and every
new employe has these things explained to him
will stand the most tensile strength
47
FIGHTING FACTORY FIRES.
American - Made
Tuning Pins
The Ohio Veneer Co.
"AMSCO"
CINCINNATI, O.
ARE MADE OF SPECIAL STEEL.
Importers a n d Manufacturers of
Figured Mahogany, Circassian Wal-
nut and Foreign Woods for high-
grade piano cases and cabinets.
Nmw York OfUcm and Smtnplm XMHI
And when you're satisfied
that we've the best punch-
ings on the market, cut
clean and accurately from
the best of material in cellu-
loid, cloth, felt, fibre,
leather, paper, rubber or
whatever you want, give
us credit and send your
orders to
CFGQEPEL&CO
137 E A S T I3 T -* ST.
NEW YORK
MAKING RUBBERJFROM RUSSIAN OIL.
Experiments Seem to Show That Synthetic
Rubber Can Be Produced That Is Equal in
Commercial Value to the Genuine Article.
Some very successful experiments have been con-
ducted in making rubber from Russian crude oil,
which recently sprang into popularity as the basis
for a medicinal preparation. The Russian oil con-
tains chemical constituents similar to those found
in California oil, and the synthetic rubber which
has been produced from it is said to be of equal
commercial value to the genuine article. Player-
piano manufacturers are watching the progress of
these experiments with interest, for if exhaustive
tests show that tubing, etc., can be made from the
synthetic rubber, it will probably be in demand for
use in player actions, as it can be manufactured
cheaper than the real rubber can be produced.
AUTHORIZED IN NEW YORK STATE.
William C. Hess Representing the American
Piano Supply Co. in New York City.
An authorization was granted this week to the
American Piano Supply Co., of Bristol, Conn., to
do business in this State. The capitalization of the
concern, which deals in musical instruments, is
$100,000, the New York representative being
William C. Hess, 110 East Thirteenth street.
WILL MANUFACTURE PIANO STOOLS.
The Racine Stool Manufacturing Co., of Racine,
Wis., will shortly engage in the manufacture of
piano stools and music cabinets. Plans for a new
woodworking plant to take care of this branch of
the firm's business are being prepared under the
supervision of Sol Grollman.
SPSS!
INVISIBLE
tHINGES
Send for sample stt
mud prices.
Grand Central Palace Building
American Musical Supply Go.
Lexington Ave. and 46th St.
G. H. VAUGHAN, Eastern ReprewiUtiYe
451 Gommunlpaw ATenue, Jersey City, N. J.
Ckicai*
110 N*. Fiftfc AT*
Saa FraaciK*
1«4 Huuferi BMf
BRAND
Thirty-five years of experience in mak-
ing tuning pins enables us to give you
the most reliable pins in the market.
Guaranteed to hold for a lifetime.
BRANCH OFFICES
Illustrated Catalog S
•wiled on request