The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-03-18
In a Hand-Organ Factory.

last SIX months; ana however tHe puDlle
may feel about it, the few dealers in that
instrument of bad repute are rubbing THEN
hands with satisfaction, much as the coel-
dealers are said to do on very frosty morn
ing. There is no other city in America
where hand-organs can be bought, and the
state of the business in New York is, there
fore, the state of the business in the whole
country. But because there is unusual ac-
tivity just now it is not to be supposed that
immense factories are turning out instru-
ments by the hundred and shipping them
all over the United States ike our piano
makers That would be a very great mis-
take The fact is, facilities for making
hand-organs in Amelica are so exceedingly
limited that an order for twenty instru-
ments, all to be finished within three months,
would astonish the manufacturers. For
nearly a score of years the number of or
gans of the barrel type manufactured in
New York averaged from seventy-6ve TO
one hundred year, but last year, owing to
the increase in the business, more than 150
were made Most residents of New York
have noticed great increase in the num-
Der of organ-grinders within the last few
months In the busy avenues hardly a
corner but has Its organ grinder on pleasant
days, And the grinders penny boxes are
always pretty well supplied with small
coins, though they are too smart to leave
very much money lying in the box where
the public can see it. To learn something
about the ins and outs Of this mysterious
business, a Times reporter called, a short
time ago, at a hand-organ factory, and IN a
very unmusieal and dusty atmosphere had
a conversation with one of its managers.
The factory, which until within short
time was the only one in America. Is In the
lower part Of the city, aud it might easily
he passed hundred times without its mod
est signs attracting any attention. 1t is up
several flights Of stairs, and when reached
it is not imposing. One large room, with
out too many windows, comprises the whole
Of it and there are not enough workmen
in the place to lift one Of the larger sizes Of
stationary organs, such as have come into
use in lager beer saloons. But the men
were all busy when the reporter called, and
the manager was several times interrupted
by customers in the course Of a brief con-
versatian. The customers, though, were
not Of the most profitable kind They near
IL al had organs undergoing repairs or
changing their times.
Il have no objection to telling you any
thing YOU want to know about the bust
ness, said the manager, 4for, though peO,
pie generally know little about it, It is only
because they do not take the trouble to
inquire There are no secrets in it, any
more than there are IN the piano or parlor
organ buSiness-indeed, not as much, fol
some Of the piano makers have processes 6l
their own which they keep TO themselves.
We have no secrets at all, and no patents
One man is as free to make hand organ
A. another, If he knows how. The techni
cal skill required for putting the tunes il
an organ Is sufficient protection to the
business without any legal safeguards
There are only three men in America wh'
can marx an organ barrel for the tunes, ant
| doubt whether there are fifty men in tbs
world who can do it, so you see it i
something of monopoly without any pat
ents. There is very little composition il
the business anywhere; in this country
there Is none. There Is a house in the cit
that imports hand-organs from Europe, ant
at one other place here they are made. w
al sell at the same prices, and all have ;
fair business, without making sudden for
tunc4. Last year was the best year w
have ever seen for the business in New
York.
+ 1T may seem strange to You, the hand
organ man continued, shat there shoulC
Be a sudden increase in our business IN an,
particular year. 1t is easily explained. Ii
the first place, you must have noticed tha
n large majority Of the organ-grinders ar,
Italians. Italy Is the home of the hand
organ, and an Italian out Of work takes al
most n kindly to turning the handle as h
does to eating maeearoni. Among th'
emigraats who arrived within the last yea
were a great many Italians, who all hav'
to gather, in some way, enough money Z
keen them alive. Some OF them are no
able 10 work, and others are not willing
A large percentage of those who do no
work take to grinding organs. This Is on
cause of the increase in business An IL
allan in the organ business does not general
" expect to earn enough money himself
I but sends his wife ont also, he taking ont
organ and she another, the children bein:
divided between them. In this way the,
sometimes pick up good deal of money
The other cause is the unusually mil'
weather. The Italians do not like colt
weather, and generally keep in the hous
as much as possible in the winter months
But this year there have been so mani
warm days there has been great demant
for organs. These two things taken to
gether have given the hand-organ business
a lift
"Yes,r the organ man went on, in repi,
to question, "the organs YOU see in tn
streets are generally rented and do not be
long to the people who play them. Their
are FIVE or six large places in the city wher
any number of organs can be rented, be
sides a number of smaller places, wher
only one or two organs are kept for hire.
Il tell You, said the enthusiastic organ
maker, '.the hand-organ is the worst ma
lgned musical instrument in the world
Because there are great many bad ones
all hand-organs are declared a nuisance
The instrument can be made with as I'm
a tone as the best piano. Drum away oil
a piano for twenty-five or thirty years, an'
what would be left Of the tone? Blu
hand-organs last longer than that, oftel
without any repairs. Ihaye put new tune
in organs that were made in Florence fort,
wears before and that were still in goo'
order. That is one of the drawbacks 0
the business Organs last too long. Lis
ten to this one and then tell me whethe
YOU think there is any music in hand
organ.
The organ-maker, as he spoke, adjuste'
the stops of new instrument that had ar
parently just been completed, and turne'
the handle. The result was as sweet musi
almost as could have been extracted fror
piano.
THAT is not an unusually fine instru
ment, he continued, though it is a goo
one; and it Just shows that there is a
much music in an organ as in any instru
ment when it is properly made and in goo
order. That was made to order, like a
our organs, and is worth $3.50, 1t play