The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-09

heap. and then put them together again
and set mn the barrel, viii IT be the
same barrel or another and wants
10 know orr opinion on the grave sub
ject. We do not wish 70 pre- udtee the
Intelligent audience who VIII listen %
the debate. But We do not hesitate 10
say in response to the above question,
f'Yes, sir" ~
An Extensive MASUFAcIoRY-THE
RESULT OF ErerERPRIsE AND ENERGY.
Those of our citizens who viii let
their mfndsreyert back 10 the year 1881,
viii remember the establishment Of a
piano forte manu- factory in our city, OF
which the late William Knabe was the
founder. Almost from the start, the
linstruments manufactured by the firm
achieved n marked success for their SUI
periority, both in quality and fnish,
over those which had been previously
made Here. and such was the eneour-
| fremont recei we'd from the musical pub
lie that Il led at once TO the enlarge
] nent OF rho business, which had been
! begun on an humble scale, to one OF
more imposing importance. From the
time when it was ascertalned that the
! efforts of the late public spirited foun-
endeavoring to secure for our city the
proud boast OF its being the birthplace
OF the best pianos manufactured IN TINS
country, until the present period, the
course of the house has been onward
and upward, until now It has assumed
gigantic proportions, ana ran "a ~ osse
OF the most extensive, If not the most
extensive Of its kind, in this country,
We have been led to make these re-
Prospective remarks by visit which
was made q few days ago TO the extern
sive factory OF the nrm on EossM III ~
West streets, which now presents me
most enlarged proportions, fhen oad
buildings having been found entirely
insuficieut to meet the wants Of the
trade, and an addition thereto BEING
rendered absolutely necessary. The
new building has just been completed,
and. united with the main building and
tbe iumber=yanis, occupies two entire
squares Of ground. This extensive
manufaetory is i've stories high, and
has an aggregate front OF 4S8 feet, with
an average depth of 10 feet. 1t IS well
lighted ON all sides by numerous Win
dows, and the interior IS SO arranged
AZ to afford the greatest possible factli-
ties to the woTkmen IN the prosecution
of their laboTs.s II has been butlt IN the
most substantial manner, with a due
regard, in every respect, to the require
ments of the business The various
shops are each appropriated toGsome
distinctive branch Of construction, and
II is Instructive, in passing through the
building, to note the busy scene
OF Industry which meets the eye
ON all sides and to mark the
system which regulates the whole.
Here may be seen all the different pro-
cesses of manufacture, from the tune
the we'll SEASONED wood is taken in the
rough, and goes through all the grada-
tons Of blocking, ease-maki1g, sound
inp-board, top making, finishing, regu-
lating, tuning, modulating, vanishing,
until IL receives the finishing touch,
and is ready for the delicate lingering
of our fair cOuntrywolnep, or the more
pronounced manipulation of the pro-
fessiOnHl. All the modern mechanical
aids to labor are contained in this fac
tory: the beautiful and powerful en-
Rine turns n hundred wheels or moves
a score of saws; and number OF rare
and costly machines, OF extraordinary
power and unique invention, are IN
constant operation to produce the beau
tiful specimens of workmanship which
the Knabe piano exhibits. The firm
now employ about $50 workmen, and
with their improved facilities for MANN
featuring, they turn ont from thirty 10
forty instruments per week, Including
the finest and most elabOrntelyl finished
however, entirely sufficient 10 meet the
demand for these superior instruments.
The whole establishment Is heated by
steam, the apparatus for which is of the
most approved pattern, and was put5up
by. MesSrs. Thos. C.. Basschor d Co. 5ot
It Is a pride and a pleasure to us to
record this evidence OF the great public
spirit which always actuAted the1late
founder of the firm, and to express our
qualification that his mantle has fallen
upon such worthy shoulders as his two
sons, Ernst and William, and his som
in-law, Charles keidel, each of whom
seems to be actuHted by that remnrka-
BILE spirit and enterprise which never
fails to be rewarded with the most
abundant success. Nor is itless a subs
iect for cOngratulation and pride when
we reflect that the fame Of their instru-
ment is not confined to one section
alone. but extends all over the country,
ON the shores OF the Atlantic as well as
the Pacific slope, TO South America and
tho West Indies, and even TO Europe
ITSELF This last fact Is the more re-
markable, when we remember the conf
pnraIiveIy. few years that have elapsed
since il was considered impossible to
have a good piano unless 1t was import
ed. But the Knabe piano, almost from
its first inception, began TO assert its
superiority over the imported instru-
| ment, until now IL would be considered
very absurd thing to Import n piano
into this country, when we have at our
own doors and in our midst those which
are so far beyond them in durability,
beauty OF tone, and elegance of finish.
The pianos manufactured by knaPe
| q Co, are made in the most thorough
manner,of well seasoned timber, which
gives them such powers OF endurance as
may be relied upon. They are not turn
| ed out with rapidity, witha view only
- .L,i,,I. b,,t tl,s.,- N 10 an, f,ouRfT-f1e Ct
| ed that they will bear their own attes=
| taticn OF their sterling qualities. There
are three classes into which they are
manufactnred--the grand, the square,
and the upright. There are but few
makers of the first named in the United
| states, and the Knabe is without SUI
peFior., The tone is large and sonorous,
brilliant snd sympathetic, round and
I bell-like; ard its power of singing or
/ sustaining the sound Is not exceeded in
/ any instrument now made. The touch
\ Is firEn, elastic, and powerful, meeting
every requirement. of the player. The
sssouaren Is equally mHrked in its gen
| ersll excellence, its tone being OF a re-
lined and beautiful character, sympa-
thetie and brilliant. clear and equal in
/ all its registers, while in point of touch
\ it Is all that could be desired, and in tfn-
ish and exterior appearance fireworks
manship Is perESot.--The l.'uPrightil Is
more now t,s 81 taS eonid be * ecte from
an instrument of this clusS, and is in
/ every respect an admirable instrument
the small, compact, hrm and elegant
i case rendering il a desirable ornament
| for the chamber or bopdoir. We might
20 on ind efinItely to multiply the many
4 advantages of these Instruments but
/ we have said enough for our purpose,
which was the more especially to call
i public attention TO the new building
Il and the extensive business In which
Messrs. Knabe & Co. are now engaged,