River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-30
1907 ls,455 1858
Centennial Awards.

From the New York Tribune Nov. Is
The newspapers have been lately
teeming with ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS advertise
ments regarding the awards. These publica-
tons have been skilltully prepared, so as TO
convey the impression that this or that eXhib-
itor has really received the highest and best
award. Thus, instead OF informing the public
ss to the true state of affairs, they have simply
confused the reader Visitors at the Centen-
NAL find themselves bewildered by the adverse
claims to distinction which they ind plaearded
on every hand, and they do not know which
way to turn TO discover the trnth. In no de-
partment has this system OF misrepresentation
been carried to so great an extent as that de-
voted to piano fOrtes. There has been ga
war; between piano exhibitors since the EX-
hibition opened, and regular skirmish line
of placards since the awards were officially an
nOunced. They have We'd with each other in
the use of extravagant language TO prove
Their respective claims TO distinction. The
most ingenious methods have been devised 4;
disinteTested correspondents, whose sole OBJ
ject was to instruct the ignorant public, have
volunteered their services (ior considera-
toni; ex-judges OF awards, in the interest Of
certain piano manufacturers, have made pre-
tended revelations of the secrets of the jury
room, for the sake of supporting the claims OF
their particular iavorites, and lightning cal
culatOrs have beenappealed 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 Ell
forts, while ridiculous to those acquainted
with the subject, have been attempted to in
fiuence the uninitlated. In fact, the piano
men have lett nothing undOne to mislead the
public, and by their efforts have caused every
thing relating 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 entitled to the lead
ing position, but who were awarded it by the
judges. Your correspondent has uaken 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 Iianos OF VIM. knabe & Co. are
found t. head the list This house, from the
commencement of the Exhibition, relied solely
upon the merits OF their instrumentsto SECURE
them lust award; and since the official an
nouncement, although they were decrred the
highest honOrs in the Piano department, they
have modestly remained in the background.
| Ii is fortunate that the judges in preparing
the Knabe report, so framed IL as to leave no
doubt about their pre-eminence. They
especially commended all their four styles
of pianos, concert grand, parlor grand, square,
and uprights, and accorded them the praise OF
unequaled excellence in all the details OF per-
feet instruments. The report is plain, straight
forward and compre hensive, specifying ali the
elements OF merit which ii IL possible for the
best piano loIte TO possess-power, richness,
aud singi. quality OF tone; case and elastic
ity OF touch effectiveness OF action sOlldlty
and originality eli construction, and excellence
of workmanship. By comparing 1t with the
other reports in the same department, even
the most skeptcal will acknowledge that no
stronger language could have been used to ex-
press the unanimous approval OF the judges.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. II, 1876.