The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-05-09

,from the old world to the new, and, find
!. ing the Indian beating his drum, routed
him, drowning his tann-sus wish martial
| music and the Puritan's psalms. Then
from the East to the West came the
quicNening spirit Of music, touching the
hearts of rough people, thrilling cities
with its power. and leaving creating and
fostering elements along its route Chi
cage, in its overgrowth. has not forgotten
the graces needed to remove e-t hide its
.awkwardness. Its citizens hay cherish
ed music, and the arms which sowed the
seed of melody, have waited for its ger
mination and its harvest. Ofthese firms
one of the most interchangeable, faithful
and patient, and also one of the most in
fuential and successful, is that Of Root &
Cady, known to every musician and mu-
n dealer in the. Northwest, Theirs b 8
not been an ordinary success, confined to
a limited territory, impeded by petty ri
valries, or stihed by the malice OF COM
peting houses. Though they have prob
ably had such prosecutions to endure,
they have triumpheo, and made their
! which they live. a ars
The original copartnership was formed
by Messrs. y. I. Root and G. M. Cady,
on the first day of December, 1858, and,
under the firm name OF Root & Cady,
they began the music business in Chica-
go, at No. 95 South Clark str eet. 1t was
a small store, only 20 by IS feet, almost
concealed by its pretentious neighbors
whose great signs flung their shadows
across its threshold. You might pass and
repass a score Of times a day without no.
ticing this nook into which the noted mu-
slclans OF the city daily passed, and where
music throated women fingered, idly turn
ing over the leaves of the latest musical
gems. There were no mammoth outly-
ing signs, either in the windows or on
the walk, to excite the curiosity of the
| people. To be sure, a skillful hand often
| brought out tunes of exceeding sweetness
| from me'odeon or piano-forte, and the
| crowd would lOlter In its steps, and two
Or three or dozen would stop and listen;
| but these were waits of melodies, not set
appeals to the ears Of the shifting, drift
ing passers-by. Notwithstanding this
| basrenness of guide-posts the firm some
how, perhaps through its very l.o lesty,
grew into enviable notoriety, its name
passing from mouth to mouth in an eulo-
CYSTIC way, until finally, the people in the
| country, east, west, north and south,
| knew as much, it not more, about the
| gentlemen than was known at home,
where they wrote, and published, and
| sold songs for the people. Their origin
al capital was small, but so We're their ex-
penses. Their.stock Was su a to make
a noise in the world if it accomplished
anything: they strove to deal fairly with
their customers, and by all honorable
means to build up substantial and hon
est business, even if the profits were
small. These efforts were appreciated
by the public and the firm thriyed and
grow stronger each day.
December LIST, 1860, MIR. George f. Root,
the composer, became member Of the
firm. America knows the gentleman,
somehow; his songs have made him
famous. 'Let me make the ballads Of
the people, and | care not who makes
the laws!" He has M de ballads that
h v: been sung in parlors, hummed
IL the streets, reared Gu. py crowds with
the incurable fever of patriotism parch-
ing their veins and their threats MUIR
INJURED at the bivouac, and shouted by
thousands of soldiers marching proudly
to the battle.
There was that scene at Metropolitan
Hall, just after the war began. Has
Peace buried it in oblivion? An excited
crowd was gathered in a vast hail. A
few singers came forward upon the plat
form. Suddenly slips of paper were fly
ing through the air and eagerly grasped
by the avarlclous assemblagc. These
verses contained the verses of a new song
"a war melody. The multitude took up
the chorus, shouting it frantically The
walls shook with the strength of the
sound. There was a whirlwind of voices.
This was the song by Mr.. Root, cite
First Gun is Fired, an opening chorus
to tragedy.
Undoubtedly his most popular and we'll
known song was the 'sFattle Cry of Free
dom, which, so far as the people, both
soldiers and civilians, were concerned,
was their alphabet of music. Even now,
after victorious career in this country.
it has been adopted by the Reformers in
England, with slight change in phi, ase-
ology, and is roared throughout that
land with all the vigor that can be given
to it by good, strong lungs.
This gentleman was the accession to the
old tirm-an occasion that soon brought
popularity and renown that, probably,
no another music house has acquired.
The acquisition was well timed and fol-
tunate. Hitherto the West had, in mat
ters OF music, paid heavy tribute to the
East. The question was, whether that
bondage could not be forever ended. To
| successfully answer that question was one
of their aims And it has been answered
| in the affirmative in most emphatic
manner, They sought for, and found,
competent authors to supply the wants
and please the tastes of the people. In
| this way they acquired the services of Mr.
Henry c. Work, another fertile and pop
| ular song maker of this house and of the
West.
Still another source of strength was
obtained in the person of the Rev. B. r.
Handy, lately deceased.
] 1t was this seeking out and liberal en-
/ enlargement of home talent that enabled
Messrs. Root & Cady to firmly establish
their business, and to make theirs the
leading music house, both in publications
and sales, in the West
Here Is a list of some of their principal
publications. The figures are startling.
They show how people are enthralled by
music. The list comprises words issued
from 1862 to 1867, and is an instructive
commentary on the culture of the age:
1852 Kingdom ;d Coming. By H.nsy c.
& Battle Cry of Freedom, IN .aeetJosm. 100000
| an book form. $50 600
1868 Vacant Chair. Nearly 100000
| 1861. just Before the Battle. Nearly 100000
| 1865. Tramp, Tramp Tramp 150 600
| Weight, Tairty-three tons.
BOOKS.
1851. Silver Lutte. By George f. Root,
Nearly 100000
| Weight Fifty toms
| 1868. Bugle Call. (ieootl $4,000
| 1865. Wusicle Curriculum, (RooE % 900
| Weight nearly F.fta TONS
g The Coronet. (Roet) $4,000
| Weight, Twenty.foe tons.
1855. Our Song Birds 100000
| Weight Eighty TONS
| Chapel Gems for Sunday Schools
| (Reot and Hanby) $4,000
!