The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-11-23
Centennial Awards.

(From the New York Tribune, Nov. 1871
The newspapers have been lately teemlng
with ingeniously- advertisements re-
garding the awards. These publications have
been skillfully prepared, so as to convey the
impression that this or that exhibitor has
really received the highest and best award
Thus, instead of informing the public as to the
true state OF affairs, they have simply confused
the reader. Visitors at the Centennial ind
themselves bewildered by the adverse claims
to distinction which they find placarded on
every hand, and they do not know which way
to turn to discover the truth. In no depart
ment has this system of misrepresentation
been carried to so great an extent rs that de-
voted to piano fortes There has been "a
war between piano exhibitors since tho Ex-
hibition opened. and q regular sklrmish line OF
placards since tho awards were officially an
nounced. They have We'd with eat h other IN
the use of extravaganza language to prove
their respective claims to distinction. The
most ingenious methods have been devised
dlsinterested correspondents, whose sole 90
iect was to instruct the ignorant public, have
volunteered their services (for d considers
tion); ex-judges of awards, in the interest OF
certain piano manufacturers, have made pre-
tended revelation of the secrets OF the jury
room, for the sake OF support ng the claims of
their particular favorites, and lightning calcu-
lators have been appealed to and have 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 acquainted
with the subject, have been attempted to liz
nuence The uninitiated. In fact, the piano
men have left nothing undone to mislead the
public, and by their efforts have caused every
thing relating to pianos to be looked upon
with distrusr, 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 entitled to the lead
ing position, but who were awarded it by the
judges. Your correspondent has taken the
trouble to submit all the various reports,
which are the basis of the awards, to a careful
scrutiny and comparison, and the result is
that the pianos of VIM. Knabe & Co. are
found to head the list This house, from the
commencement of the Exhibition relied solely
upon the merits of their instruments to secure
them just award and since the official an
uouncement, although they were decreed the
highest honors in the piano department., they
have modestly remained in the background.
1t is fortunate that the judges, in preparing
the Knabe report, so framed it as to leave no
doubt about their pre- eminence. They espe-
cially commended all their four styles OF pianos,
concert grand, parlor grand square and up
rights, and accorded them the praise of I'M
equaled excellence in all the details of perfect
Instruments. The report is plain, strsight-
forward and comprehensive, specifying all the
elements of merit which it is possible for the
best piano forte to possess-power, richness
and singing quality Of tone ease and elasticity
of touch: effectiveness of action soidity
and originality of construction, 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 ex-
press the unanimous approval of the judges.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. II, 1876.