Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-06-06
THE ExI ENSIVR PIANO FORTE
WORKS OF WIN. KNABE 4 co,

Baltimore has taken high rank az a |
manufacturing city, and her resources, in |
this respect, are being rapidly aud continu.
ously developed. At the breaking out of |
the war the loss of the Southern trade, for |
a time parsly1ed the people, but with ae-
customed energy the work of resuscitation |
was commenced, and new channels of trade |
for the production of her manufactures |
we're soon opened, not only with the Wes- |
tern but with the Eastern States, which |
haVe ever since continued to increase. Now |
that the war Is at an end, the commerce
with the south will of course revive, and |
new impetus be given to all kinds and
branches Of trade. Among the manufac-
tories of Baltimore there is none more exF
tenstve than the piano works of MeRsrs.
VIM. Knabe 4 Co., whose establishment
is one Of the 6uest aud most celebrated in
the country. Few persons in the city have
the least idea of the immense business
carried on by the firm in the manufacture
OF pianos, and Of the vast proportions
which their business has assumed within
the last few years. A short description of
their works will be read with interest.-
They are situated on the corner of
EutsW and West streets, the build
logs and lumber yards attached occupying
nearly an entire square of ground. The
main factory is i've stories high, ninety.
i've feet front by forty Eve feet depth, with
one. story boiler and engine house, thirs
ty by forty-6ve. The other building.
about thirty feet west Of the main factory,
is four stories high, with a front of ITO feet
and depth of 80 feet 1t has two wings,
one front and one back, each 80 by so feet,
the two buildings being connected by an
iron bridge The boiler house contains two
large boilers for driving the engines and for
heating the buildings and drying rooms,
steam pipes being used for the purpose,
which, if laid out in length, would reach
several miles. The steam engine is of thir-
ty-fiVe horse power, q most beautiful and
perfect machine, the first premium having
been awarded to Its builders by the Mary
land Institute few years ago. The first
door OF the main building is occupied by
, the heavier machinery, such as planning
and jolnting mRChi0es, circular saws aud
saws for scroll work, laIhes, drills, &C.
The second, third and fourth floors are ap
: PropriaIed for bottom and cssemaking, and
} also contains some costly machinery.
Steam elevators are used 10 transporting
articles from one story to the other. From
the case-makinR room the frames Of the
pianos are taken to the third floor of the
/ smaller building where the sounding boards
n are put in; from here to the varnish rooma
to the 9Th floor, where they receive the
: legs, the varDish is rubbed down and the
j. instruments are ready for the finishing de
partment. The second floor of the smaller
building is occupied by top-makers and
the grand piano-case makers. The firs
door, with the exception Of the store room
in the front wing, is used entirely for the
q purpose of drying lumber, Of which somC
/ 100000 feet is continually kept subject e
a heat of over lao degrees. The lumber
yards adjoining the buildings always con-
tain . stock of not less one million feet Of
Q the various kinds of wood, we'll seasoned
It by the weather before being placed in tn
drying rooms.
The finishing department of the work
occupy the buildinRs Nos. /. 3, 8 and Z, N
d EuIaW street, and No. $50 West Baltimore
street. Here the pianos receive the strings
action, general finishing. the last coat o
Varntsh, polishing, Sc. The first door o
u the building, No. $50 Baltimore street, !
n used as the Warerooms where the insIru
n ments are on exhibition, and are the mol
A. commodtous and best arranged in the city
Some three hundred men are kept constant
% y employed in the several departments Z
the mandatory, aud these turn out abou
q thirty pianos per week.
The house Of Kuabs 4 Co., l. one OF th
oldest and most celebrated in the Unite
States, and their pianos, of every descrip
ton, have general high reputation 70
N excellences not only in the United State
~ Canada and South America, but also
q Europe. In America, wherever they haT
been exhibited the have invariably cal
IL risd away the gold medal. The fri
q are now deVoting much attention