The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-17
Centennial Awards.
From the New York Tribune; Nov. Isl
~, E.l t-..I.g4

Prom the New York Tribune Nov. u
The newspapers have been lately TEEN.
Ing with ingeniously wotdedL advertise.
ments regarding the awards. These pub.
LEGATIONS have been skillfully prepared,
SO as to convey the impression that this
or that exhibitor has really received tho
highest and best award. Thus, instead
Of informing the public as to the true
state Of affairs, they have simply con.
fused the reader. Visitors at the Gen.
,ennial find themselves bewildered by
the adverse claims 10 distinction which
they find placarded on every hand, and
they do not know which way.to turn to
discover the truth! In no department
has this system neutrality-suspicious.
been carried 10 so great an extent ~ that
devoted to piano.iortes. There has been
"a war; between piano exhibitors since
the Exhibition opened, and regular
skirmish line Of placards since the awards
we're officially announced. They have
We'd with each other In the use Of extrav-
agant language 10 prove their respective
claims to distinction. The most ingenious
methods have been devised; disinterested
correspondents, whose sole object was to
instruct the ignorant public, have. yolun-
teered their services (for q considers.
tion); ex. judges Of awards, In heinterest
OF certain piano manufacturers, have
made pretended revelations Of the secrets
OF the iury.room, for the sake Of sup
porting the claims Of their particular
fayorites, and lightning caloulaters have
been appealed to and have found conven.
lent mathematical rules by which to ea.i
tablish absolutely the supremacy OF their
clients, on the pretense OF the 30 much
abused maxim that figures cannot lie.
All these efforts, hileridiculous to those
acquainted with, the subject, have been
at,em pied to influence the uninitiated.
In fact, the piano men have left nothing
undone to miSlead the public, and by
their efforts have caused everything re-
lating to pianos to be looked upon with
distrust, and have made themselves the
laughing stock OF the public. By these
means, injustice is not only done to the
public, but to those who are not only en-
titled to the leading petition, but
who were awarded It by the judg.
es. Your correspondent has taken the
trouble to submit all the vsriouS re.
ports, which are the basis OF the
awards 10 careful scrutiny and compari.
son, and the result Is that the pianos oil
VIM. Knabe l. Co. are found TO head the
list. This house, from the commence.
ment Of the Exhibition, relied solely upon
the merits OF their instruments to secure
them q Just award; and since the official
announcement although they were de.
creed the highest honors In the Piano
Department, they have modesly re-
NAMED In the background. It Is fortu.
nate that the judges in preparing the
Knabe Report, so framed itGs TO leave
no doubt about their preeminence. They
especially commended all their four
styles Of pianos, concert grand, parlor
grand, square, and uprights, and accord.
ed them the praise Of unequRled excel
| lence in ali the details ofperfect instru-
monts: The report iEplain, straightior:
ward, and comprehensive, specifying all
the elements Of merit which Il Is posi-.
bic for tho best piano forte TO possess:
power, richness, and singing quality oil
tone; ease and elasticity Of touch;, effect.
iyeness Of action; solidity and original.
ty OF construction, and excellence Of
workmanship. By comparing 1t with
the other reports In tho same department,
even tho most Skeptieal viii acknowledge
that NO stronger language could have
been used % express the unanimous ap-