The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-25
Hand.organ Romances.
A GRINDER WHO MADE P0RTUNE--AN index
OF TAsTE-THE FRENCH GIRL.

Hand-Organ Romanecs.
| GRINDER WHO MADE A PORTUNE-AN INDEX
OF TAsTE-THE FRENCH GIRL.
from the New York TrIbune.l
The organ-bulder, with coat and whist
coat laid aside, was busily at work when
! Tribune reporter called on q recent after
noon. Hand-organs In various stages OF
completion stood upon the benches which
ran about the room. On high shelf were
piled fifteen or twenty instruments which
had long ago ceased to be useful to peripa-
tetic musicians.
AZ believe am the only hand-organ mar
ufacturer i'm this country" said the build
cr. as he III his little black pipe and bowed
n cloud of smoke from his lips. 81 have
been here on this corner for twenty-seven
wears, A long time TO stick TO one place,
| isn't It? But our business isn't what it
used 20 be-" And the organ-builder shook
his head as the profits OF former years arose
before his mind. "Our trade is fast going
TO the dogs. The demand for street hand
organs has fallen off 30 or 40 per cent.
within ten or fifteen years. People have
got sick and tired OF the music, and
offer no excuse for kicking the Ita-
Ian grinder into the middle Of the
street when he becomes too demonstrative.
See how things have changed since first
began 70 make organs. For many years
Italian emigrants monopolzed the organ
grinding business. When the war closed
disabled soldiers became their rivals and
beat them on their own ground. Now
there are all sorts OF men and women en-
gagged in Juggling or dragging organs about
the streets. 1t is noticeable, too, that the
Italians do not make as much money as
they did years ago. People do not now
throw dollar-blls around loosely as they
did in flush days. A hand-organ was then
q wonder worth seeing and hearing; now
a fellow wouldn't go around the corner to
look mt the instrument. much less to
hear it,"
ado you know OF any street orgnnists
who have succeeded in making fortunes in
the business?" asked the reporter.
eyes. several" replied the builder. al
remember one in particular. He started
off in the spring, with his organ, and
did not return till late in the winter.
During this time he had travelled rs far
west as the Mississippi river and north
ward to Quebec. On that trip alone he
made $1,000. lie was badly froSt-bitten
while i'm Canada, and swore on that ac-
count that he would never go into that
blasted region again, and he didn't. He
took the money he had made for several
years and invested it IN hand-organs; be
opened store and sold his instruments at
q good margin. In few years he had
amassed a large fortune.
Hnd-organs, the street variety" con-
tlnucd the builder, "cost all the way from
S25 to 1925. Concert organs, such as are
used in drinking-Shops, halls, and travel
ling shows, bring all the way from $500
to $4,000. Some Of these are as complete
in the number OF instruments they repre-
sent as an orchestra or full band. They
contain piccolos, flutes. clarinets, comets,
baritones, bases, triangles, drums, and
cymbals."
Does your business extend outside of
New York;"
ooh, yes. / send organs to South
America, Central America. Mexico, Spain,
the West Indies, and dozen other places.
My trade in the United States is OF course
the largest"
care the organs which Won send out OF
New York furnished with the same class
OF music as those in use here?"
'sNot bit Of it." said the builder, with
an expansive smile; the fact is, we have
learned by experience that tastes differ In |
the various sections OF the world. The
hand-organs which we send to New Eng |
land are furnished with fair number OF |
Moody and Sankey hymns, a waltz or two. |
and few popular airs. The South pre-
fers dance music, such as reels, jigs, |
waltZes, and polkas. The Central States |
and the West want airs from Plnafore, Pa
thence. Mascotte, and other light operas. |
Lively songs which have made hit at the |
theatres here in New York are also
in demand. Among the latest Of
these are 'Peek-a-Boo,' Sweet Vio-
lets wait Till the Clouds Roll |
By and musical sketches from Me |
Sorley's lnilation,' and Muddy Day. |
Emmets songs are also popular. |
SpaDiards and MeXicans take special de-
light in fandangoes, minuets, and similar
music, so the organs which we send to
them are furnished entirely with such
pieces. The song Home, Sweet Home
is iavorite in New England. Airs from
the old Italian operas, which used to be so |
popular on the streets years ago, are not
in demand now. Their day has passed.
Writers of music must compose to suit the
popular ear il they expect to achieve sue
cess. i have found that out from expe-
renee, for am not only maker OF organs,
but maker Of tunes also.
How can l tell you what the popular
pieces IRE? Simply by keeping my ears
and eyes wide open. The newsboys and
bootblacks catch an air at the theatre,
whistle and sing it in the street. Soon YOU
will hear businessmen humming il over
on their way down town. Music-pub-
fishers, who are always waiting for hit
issue 1t by the thousand copies, and in a
short time 1t has become popular enough
to warrant me in putting il into hand
organ. Some OF these pieces have a short
life; others are always acceptable to the
public.
" Hand-organs, like people, get tired.
They get out OF sorts about once in six |
even with the best of care. The
owners bring them here when they become .
wheezy or out Of tune, and we doctor them
up"
Here the builder paused for q moment
wiped the perspiration from his brow, and :
said:
"That organ "-pointing TO an old.
WORKOUT instrument on the floor" has
history worth repeating. Many wears =
'go, soon after / opened this establish
nent, young French girl appeared in the Z
treets OF New York as an organ-erindes r
'he attracted much attention. for She was c
'retty, modest-nay. do not smile-and o
veil dressed. Sometimes, after playing a 1,
une on the organ, she sang some
weet song she had learned I'm her ,
ONE beyond the sea. Well, one day she
rought her instrument to me for re-
AIRS, and told her | would arrange the I
nA raff r.s