Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1882-07-15
ONE OF THE SINEWS
NIX that has Risen from the Ashes
Of the Old W oOlen Mill.

The destruction of the old Jackson,
Swsyne s. Dunn wooden mills by fire .
dozen or fifteen years ago was . blow
that was felt by Richmond for . long
time afterward. The blackened founda-
ton walls and the tall chimney standing
alone in the valley below the bridge were
sad reminders of the city's great mnfor-
tune. The wiping out of one of her lar
gest manufacturing establishments did
not check the growth, however, for she
has kept steadily along charging her
boundaries with every succeeding year,
and gathering in capital and men pos
sessing experience and enterprise until
she has become q manufacturing cen
ter of such magnitude IS to be call
ed on to send her wares into all of
the large markets of the United States,
and EVEN to those of transatlantic coun
tries. Phoenix like there has sprung
from the ashes of the old factory anoth-
er, unlike it in most respects, but of
much greater proportions, and capable
of dong much more for Richmond.
The Chase Piano Company has q large
four story building, on the site of the old
mills, in which they are working one
hundred and twenty five mechanics, who
turn out from ten-to twelve finished In
struments every week. In order to make
an instrument of so high q grade, it Is
necessary to employ first class skilled Ia
Dor in every department, and to use none
but the very finest material. Mr.. Chase,
whose name is borne by the piano, is the
business manager, and gives his personal
attention to experimenting thework In the
factory, while his four sons who have
grown up in the business under his tutil-
age are in charge of the different depart
ments. They select and are held respons
ible for the work of the men under them,
SO that the standard of excellence is al
ways maintained. Every person who is
acquainted with the piano trade knows
that interruptions makers often use poor
ly seasoned lumber, and that the result Is
manifest in the course of year or two
by the joints pulling apart and the In
strument falling to pieces. Ii the lumber
yards of the Chase Company should be
destroyed by fire at any time, and 1t
should be impossible to get more season
ed lumber, they would not have to stop
day on that account, for they always
keep supply for eight months ahead in
their dry rooms After being thor
oughly air-dried it is subjected
to artificial heat constantly for
eight months, which drives out
every particle of water and
makes it as near perfectly seasoned as it
is possible to get. From the beginning
to the end the piano goes through seven
rooms, in each of which it undergoes
searching inspection, and when it rea, hes
the wsreroom it is again carefully over
hauled, and if not found perfect IN every
respect is condemned and sent back to
the factory. This seldom or never oc-
ours however. There are five OF the
Chsses who ar. i.terested in keeplnQ up
the reputation of the -Cnase" brsno,
hence, the work is not slighted. The
Will Rattray, who assured reporter Sho
called there that they were behind tnelI
orders, and are dropping back In spite OF
their efforts to clear off the order book.
The value of ouch an ins1ution to the
city can easily be seen when 1t Is
remembered that they use>high priced
labor almost exclusively, and keep q full
force all the year round. There Is no
such thing as q shutting down with
them, and they do not temporarily In
crease or decrease their roll. To Mr..
Chase more than any other man Is due
the system and thoroughness with which
the business is conducted and the excel
lence of the Chase piano. Richmond
needs more men and more establishments
of the same kind.