The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1872-05-30
THURSDAY, MAY 80, 1879.
BALTIMORE INDUSTRIES.
The Manufacture of Piano FOrtess.
A Visit to tho Factory Of ChaS. NJ
Stieff-ExtenSiye and Important
Enterprise-The Fame OF
the Baltimore InStru-
ment-MuSic by the
Wholesale.

hand OF skill tOuCneS ltS melOulOuS KEYS.
We are told by good authority that this
musical instrument was invented byJ c.
Schroeder, of Dresden, in I'LL, although
it has been also asrribed to an instru-
ment maker of Florence, The commence
ment Of the manufacture IN London was
in 17G6, by Mr.. Zumoie German. The
number manufactured steadily increas-
ed, and at last great many pianos were
shipped from the Old World to the New,
at large prices, and these instruments,
never very good in themselves, were un-
able to stand the variation OF our climate
and the suPerheating of our parlors
generally, so that after two er three years
they became fit only for kindling wood.
One of the first to assert American In
dependence, in the way of Piano manu-
featuring was Chss NJ. Stieff, of Balti-
more, Nd,
THE FACTORY OF CHARLES NJ. sTIEFF.
In the factory Of Charles NJ, Stisff the
Baltimore public have generally taken
much interest, and Tive prosperity OF the
brothers Stisff has been source Of
qualification to the many who are ac-
quainted with the thrift, industry, and
enterprise of these young men. The
father, Chas. NJ. Stieff, dealt in pianos
for European markets as early as 1849,
and in 1855 he commenced the manu-
facture in Baltimore. He died on Jan
uary 1st. 1862, and was succeeded by
his sons, John l.. Charles and Frederic p
Steff, who retained the name OF their
father as the title of tho firm. They
have an extensive factory at Nos, 81 and
sc Camden street, and Nos. 40 and AZ
Perry street. The main building is A
feet front by 210 deep, five stories in
heighth, and the rear building so feet
front on Perry street, 126 feet deep and
four stories high. They are connected
by bridge. In the rear Of the factory
is large lumber yard, where the lum.
ber is kept for several years, where it is
dried. On the first floor of the Perry
street factory the cases are made in diff,
ferent styles and sizes. They are .ther
conveyed to thelsecond and third floors
where the sounding boards are put in
The properties Of the spruce pine lulr
Der for sounding boards are peculiar
1t has to be sawed so as to leave alter
nate layers OF the wood vertical to eacl
other. The iron frame is also introduced
here into the piano, weighing from IN
to IT'S pounds. Then they are sent tt
the vanishing rooms, in the fourth anC
fifth stories Of the Camden street factory
where hundreds of cases are in prepara
ton. The vanishing of a case is com
plicated. The pores Of the wood ar
filled; then comes the rubbing dow
with pumice stone, and then they ar
polished with the hand to the smooth
E ness of the mirror. About fouteen t
sixteen coats of varnish are put on eac
4 piano The fnishers then adjust tn
+ keys, hammers and hampers, and tn
''fne regulators examine the instru
o ment thoroughly. 1t is toned, modero
{, ted and polished, and is ready for ship
ment. 1t usually takes four months t
: finish piano, not including the tim
necessary to season the wood as ysal
are required for that purpose. One {
= Bates improved hOisting machines
usel Ill IAo luSIoly' ....
This house does one of the larges
g. trades in this line with the Souther
/, people, and they have testimonials frol
the late Gen. Robt. E Lee and host
others eminent in the South as to IL
N great satisfaction this instrument hi
rs given them. They have sold twelV
. hundred pianos to the Southern Stat,
u since the war, and have furnished ski
j schools and institutions in that sectio
V in that line. This house shipped on Il
;" 10th inst, to the Judson Female Inst
tute, Marion, Alabama, ten OF it's s
u hundred dollar planes. They have i
" ceived twenty-seven premiums in thr,
~ years, and altogether they have receive
upwards Of fifty frst-class premiums an
gold and silver medals. They turn o,
from ten to twelve pianos weekly ar
'R employ eighty hands. They sell thr
hundred organs yearly. This busine
81, is increasing steadily, and in order
3 meet its requirementsthe Stieff Brothe
are projecting ar extension Of thOir ia
&c, tory accommodations.
THE WAREHOUSE NO. 8 NORTH LIBERTY SIRE
id is monument Of the success Of this e.
terprise, and an ornament to the bus
ness portion Of Baltimore. II is fo
u stories in height, OF the Corinthian sty
-. :, OF architecture; the entire front is COZ
posed of iron, with heavy ornament,
" pillars, painted pure white. 1t has
front Of .tYentSFfpur feet on Lihsr
10 70 street, extending through TO- Sha
street, q distance Of ninety feet. T.
warehouse and lot cost the sum Of 81
600. The interior arrangements a
Z well adapted to the exhibition, trial al
4 sale Of pianos and argans' There at
"