The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-11-22
t;eSss,u,al Awars,s.

-, Gente0nial Awards.
From the NewNYork Tribune Nov. 18th. 4
The newspapers have been lately teenn-
ing with in geniously worded advertise
nsnta regarding the awards. These pub
iicatfcus have been skillfully lprepafed,
so as to convey the impressions that this
or that exhibitor has really received the
highest and best award. Thus. INSTEAD
of in forming the public as to the true
state of AFFAIRS, they have simply confused
the reader. Visitors at the Centennial
find themselves bewildersd by the ad-
verse claims TO distinction which they
find placarded on every hand,
and they do not know which way
to turn TO discover the truth. 10
no department. has this system OF
misrepresentation been carried to so great
an extent as that devoted to piano.fortes.
There has been "a war; between piano
exhibitors since the exhibition opened,
and q regular skirHish line OF placards
since the awards were officially an
nounced. They have WED with each
other in the use of extravagant language
to prove their respective claims to as
tinction. The most ingenious methods
have been devised; disInterested cores
| poncents, whose sole object was to in
struct the ignorant public, have Volun
| teered their services for a conslderatlon) !
ex Judges of awards, in the interest OF
certain piano, have made
, pretended revelations Of the secrets OF the
Jury room, for the sake OF support
ing the claims OF their particular favor
ties, and lightning calculators have been
appealed to and lave found convenient
mathematical rules by which TO establish
absolutely the SUPREMACY Of their clients,
ON the pretense of the so much abused
maxim that figures cannot lie. All these
| efforts. while ridiculous to those &C
ousinted with the subject, have been at
tempted to il fiuence the uninitiated. In
fact, the piano men have left nothing un-
done to mislead the public, and by their
efforts have caused everything relatin G
to pianos to be looked upon with distrust,
and have made themselves the laughing
stock of the public. By these means, in.
Justice is not only done to the public, bit
to those who are not only entitled to the
leading position, but who were awarded
1t by the judges Your correspondent
has taken the trouble to submit all
the various reports, which are the
basis of the awards to careful scrutiny
and comparison, and the result Is that the
pianos of VIM. Knsbe Il Go. are found
to head the list. This house, from the
commencement of the Exhibition relied
solely upon the merits of their instru-
ments to secure them just award; and
since the official announcement, although
they were decreed the highest honors in
the Piano Department, they have mod
estlv remained in the background. 1t is
fortunate that the judges, in preparing
the Knabe Report, so framed 1t as to
leave no doubt about their pre.emlnence.
They especially commended all their
four styles of pianos, concert grand, par
lor grand, square and uprig bit,
and accorded them the praise
of unequaled excellence in all the
details of perfect instruments. The
report is plain, Straightforward, and COM
prehensive, specifying all the elements
of merit which it is possible for the best
piano.for to possess-power, richness,
and singing quality of tone; ease and
elasticity OF touch; effectiveness OF &C.
ton; soiidlty and originality of coEstruc-
ton, and excellence of workmanship.
By comparing it with the other reports
in the same department, even the most
skeptical will acknowledge that no
stronger language could have been used
to express the unanimous approval of
the judges.
Philadelphia, Nov. II, 1876.