Music Trade Review

192
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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
August 5th, 1881.
furnishes the power and steam for the factory, this we travel millions of miles, and are followed
being placed in the yard adjoining. The drying by millions of tons of freight, as the results of our
room, as the basis of almost the whole manufacture, efforts. Can we not truthfully claim that we are the
of commerce, and her faithful laborers.
N no other manufacturing business probably, is of special importance, it is heated in the usual auxiliaries
We are here to make the first concerted effort to-
have such manifest advantages been derived manner, by means of steam in pipes, and contains a ward
trying to obtain some concessions of tariff on
from a sub-division of the labor engaged as in the choice assortment of woods such as Cedar, White sample
and rates of railroad fare from the
manufacture of pianos, and there is no branch of Holly, Maple, Mahogany, etc., etc., of which there different trunks
lines we are constantly patronizing. That
the piano making industry in which this is so well is a stock on hand in the drying room of about we are entitled
to some reduction in rates no fair-
illusti'ated as in that devoted to the making of 100,000 feet, and in the lumber yard, which occu-
man can deny. We have, through the
pianoforte actions, for what the sinews and mus- pies a space of 60x100 feet on West 57th street, minded
associations, obtained recognition of our just
cles and more flexible parts of his body are to a about 300,000 feet, which remains there from two State
from some of the railroad and steamboat
man, the action is to a piano ; either being the to three years before being ready for use. The sea- claims
corporations, but we have not as yet made such ef-
mechanism by which the work is performed when soning process which has been done already as per- fort
we are now determined on in pursuit of
set in motion ; in the first case by the brain, and fectly as it could be by means of the air alone, is that as
which in justice is our due. The ways, the
in the second by the player seated at the key-board. finished in the drying-room so that such a thing as means
and the methods, by which we shall try to
shrinkage under ordinary atmospheric conditions
The time has been in this country, and is still in is impossible.
accomplish our object, will come before you for
certain European factories, when every man em-
Only the best and clearest wood can be employ- discussion to-day. During the last six months we
ployed in the making of pianos was of necessity
have corresponded with many representative men
trained in every detail of their manufacture, as ed for actions, as it must in the process of of our different organizations, and have found a
every part of the instrument had to be manufac- manufacture be cut into such small pieces and great unanimity of feeling existing We therefore
tured on the. same premises, thereby necessarily drilled and morticed so often, that anything like a wish to make the following recommendations for
increasing the cost of manufacture, excepting when knot or defect would render its use impossible.
consideration: 1. Experience has taught us that
The second floor which is used for offices and your
the business was carried on on a very large scale.
we are wasting time and effort in approaching the
store
room
for
hardware,
cloth,
felt,
leather,
etc.,
It is exceedingly rare that any large number of
different railroad corporations singly and alone, for
men can be collected together and induced to work etc., of which great quantities are used in this while we have been treated politely and courteous-
business,
has
also
a
large
room
with
numerous
for moderate wages, who combine the various
ly, and have in some instances obtained the con-
qualifications of wood-workers, metal and wire- wood-working machines, where the business proper cessions which we have asked for, yet, as a gen-
workers, brass and iron founders, carpenters and of action making may be said to commence. This eral thing, whe have been referred to the general
machinists, all these qualifications being demand- room contains many wood-working machines of ticket and passenger agents, with the informa-
ed for the manufacture of a modern piano ; and, great ingenuity of invention and nicety of working, tion that this matter came more directly in their
while the business of piano making was so small and the same may be said of all the other floors in line and must be arranged by them. We therefore
as to necessitate the employment of one man in the building which are filled with such machines, recommend the appointment of a strong committee,
several branches of the business, the instruments the total number in use in the establishment being to draw up in plain form, without argument or ver-
made were of inferior quality and proportionately 120 ; most of them, it is stated, are inventions and biage, a document specifying just what we ask for
more costly than at present when the sub-division adaptations by the three members of the firm, each and think should be granted.
of work seems to have been carried to the utmost. one of whom is thoroughly competent to supervise
working of any machine or process in the whole 2. That this committee be instructed by the con-
The advantages to be derived from a minute the
building, in fact it is only necessary for a man to vention to present such document to the General
sub-division of labor have been well shown in walk
through this factory in company with one of Ticket and Passenger Agents of the United States,
the cases of the great government arms factory the partners
notice his familiarity with the when assembled in convention, being prepared to
at Springfield, Mass., and in the manufacture processes and and
the
oa,36
\vhich he explains the explain and defend the same, and endeavor by all
of American watches at Waltham, a rifle or a r^rking of the intricate with
machinery
to be convinced honorable means to secure the concessions asked
watch made in either of these great factories hav- of this.
for.
ing its numerous parts absolutely interchangeable ;
and, as a piano is as purely a piece of mechanism It is only possible for men of great mechanical 3. We recommend that the amount of baggage
as a watch or a rifle, there is no good reason why, ability and thorough training to carry on a business on which free transportation is asked for be left to
in the course of time when a standard of excellence of this kind, for without years of special training a the discretion of the committee, and that the rates
comes to be established, pianos should not be made man would be at once bewildered and perplexed of railroad fare, &c., be arranged on a scale of per-
in the same way. It must be evident to any, one by the multitude of operations. To know how to centage, reduced from the regular through fare of
that an intelligent workman who concentrates his cut up quantities of raw material such as wood, the respective Lines.
4. That the matter of reduced hotel rates to mem-
attention upon one part of the mechanism of a wire, leather, felt, cloth, etc., with the minimum of
piano will have an advantage in point of quality of waste, and at the same time to work them in the bers of the National Association (for the present at
the work turned out over another who has to give most economical manner into the multitude of least) be laid upon the table.
attention to several parts, and will also be able to shapes required in such an elaborate work as a In submitting these recommendations for your
turu out a greater amount of work in the same pianoforte action, requires the exercise of no mean consideration we are aware of having opened a broad
time, thereby lessening the cost of the instrument. amount of foresight and skill, and upon the skill field for discusion, yet we hope to be perfectly har-
the selection of the raw material and its monious in our deliberations, and also hope that
With the object of demonstrating the above by shown in manipulation
depends almost altogether we shall succeed in securing tangible benefits for
a personal inspection of the factory of a prominent proper
the
quality
of
the
action,
and consequently that of ourselves, for our successors and for the associa-
firm in this line of business, one of our reporters the piano also.
tions we represent.
visited the action factory of Messrs. Wessell, Nickel,
If we do this we feel that the National Associa-
& Gross, of 45th street and Tenth avenue, in this There are, as is well known to piano makers, in
city, and, accompanied by one of the members of a pianoforte action no less than twenty-eight tion of Commercial Travelers of the United States
separate parts, and each part must be fitted to the has not labored in vain, but has accomplished the
the firm, went through the entire establishment.
Messrs. Wessell, Nickel <& Gross stated to our other with almost mathematical accuracy, other- object for which it was organized.
reporter that they were practically the pioneers in wise the whole machine would be a failure, and
BOSTON'S INDUSTEIAL EXHIBITIONS.
the manufacture of Upright and Grand actions, and when it is considered that five different styles of
that it has only been within a few years that piano- pianoforte actions are made in this establishment, r T^HE two exhibitions of an industrial character,
forte actions have been made on a large scale in and that about 1,500 completed actions are turned 1_ which are to be opened in Boston shortly,
this country, most actions used being, previous to out every month, some idea of the care and atten- are attracting attention. Heretofore, the Massa-
that time, imported ; they also said that they com- tion required in conducting the business success- chusetts Charitable Mechanics' Association has
menced the business of making pianoforte actions fully may be formed. That Messrs. Wessell, held an exhibition hardly once a year, and gener-
in 1874, after serving a long practical apprentice- Nickel & Gross have succeeded in this arduous ally thoroughly inadequate to represent the great
ship in the employment of piano-makers. Since undertaking is shown by the size to which their industries of the State. It was the indifferent
then their business has gone on expanding until the business has grown and the favor which their character of the previous exhibitions that finally
present time when it requires for its carrying on the actions have met with among prominent piano caused influential manufacturers to organize for
large building which they now occupy and which makers in all parts of the country, their business the purpose of holding an exhibition worthy of
covers a space of 100 x 44 feet and is six stories in having increased at least fifty per cent, during the the State, and, at the same time, to establish an
height, together with an L, 25 x 100, 5 stories four years they have been in their present locality. industrial institute, something after the style of
high, the whole factoi'y employing 275 workmen in
the Institute of Technology, relying, however,
its various departments.
THE COMMERCIAL TEAVELEES.
more upon a permanent exhibition.
It may be stated without fear of contradiction,
HE National Commercial Travelers' Association No sooner had the new association been formed
that, to anyone connected with the piano business,
met in Detroit last week, the president, Mr. than the old organization prepared to give battle.
or even to the mechanic or scientific man, this is James H Eaton, of Syracuse, in the chair. Mr. Valuable real estate that it owned was at once sold,
the most interesting branch of the piano manufac- Eaton in his opening address said :
and the means thus secured to carry out the plan
turing business, and must be seen to be appreciat- We connect the producer, the importer, the of erecting an exhibition building The new asso-
ed. A detailed description of the various wood jobber, the manufacturer, with their customers. ciation has been equally active, and thus to-day
and metal working machines in this establishment We enable a party to have exhibited their goods, two large permanent structures, one covering eight
would fill a good sized volume, and is not within wares and merchandise, not to two, five or ten cus- acres and the other seven, are being completed.
the scope of an article like the present one, nor tomers in a day, but to a hundred or a thousand. The exhibition of the New England Manufacturers'
could it be made clear without many illustrations. We display to a dealer in a small town, far from the and Mechanics' Institute will open August 18. It
It would however be a good thing if such a detailed great thoroughfares and arteries of traffic, samples now has 2,000 exhibitors.
description were published for it would show the of the whole world's productions. We carry on
The fate of the world's fair for Boston may be
progress which has been made in wood-working not only an inter-town and inter-State, but an almost said to hang upon these two enterprises. If
machinery in the nineteenth century, although a international commerce. Our name is legion. In they should both be successful, attracting crowds
more general account of this factory, imperfectly as the State associations represented in this conven- from all parts of New England, and presenting
it may describe the work, cannot fail to prove of tion, our membership aggregates tens of thousands, displays of a high character, a certain interest
interest to our readers.
and through these same State associations we are might be created for Boston to undertake the im-
The first floor of the large building in which carrying an insurance upon each other's lives mense enterprise of an international industrial ex-
Messrs. Wessell, Nickel & Gross' action factory is amounting to over $50,000,000—one association of position. By September both of these exhibitions
located, is occupied by the drying room for lum- our number having already collected and distribu- will be in operation, and it is not venturing much
ber, covering 70 x 25 feet, the remainder of the ted $500,000 among the families of its deceased to state that nothing definite in regard to the lar-
first floor being used for rough sawing and gluing ; members. Our sales during the year reach far in- ger enterprise will be probably decided upon
the engine and boiler of 80-horse power, which to the hundreds of millions of dollars, and to do until after they have closed their doors.
ACTION MAKING.
A VISIT TO WESSELL, NICKEL & GKOSS' ACTION
FACTORY.
I
T