New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-26
THE ENDLESS MUSIC or THE CRANK.
pHILosoPHIc REFLECTIONS BY MAKER OF HAND
ORGANS.

pHILosoPHIC REFLECTIONS BY MAKER OF HAND
ORGANS
Not far from the spot where the narrow pave
ents OF Chathanst lose themselves In the broad and
railroad Bowery stands afactory whose existence
is horror and the continuance OF whose Industry IL
likely to bring blight upon many happy home Ith
one OF those places where the sounds are first ri
being the presence OF which In the summer air has made
many mild-cyed citizen curse his bearing and has
caused multitudes OF ripsaws to perish In despair IL
has no reason TO live TO scatter torment In half and
quarter notes. and is accommodating upon it, fat roof
such load Of popular indignation that some day It will
crash through TO the cellar and annhaie every hand
organ and hand-org maker In the building. TnrB-
uNg reporter invaded the dscordant precincts aud Was
Inet by man who declared in tones as wheezy and as
varous as his own handwork that he the proprietor
OF the factory.
~The hand-Organ," he BEGAN, regarded IN the alb
stract is a beautiful contemplation. Think how many
fair woodland they have made vocal with their echoes
how many mountain torrent has eapcd from its prec-
mice and run laughing and murmuring down its silver
course TO the ducet sounds OF the hand-organ; how
many a summer sunset has bushed anew Us the sweet
tones OF the organ lay quverng beneath its haze II st.
Cecilia had been tho she has been represented
she would. have turned he harmonious crank But
hand-organs in the concrete mean money. The business
ia prontable for while have Italian i'm migrsnts
shall have hand-organs The business Is insome respects
singular one. You must not think for moment that
every organ-grnder buys his instrument directly from
the dealer He comes TO this country with the expecta-
ton finding grapes hanging In clusters about the doors
and ppme < anntes nodding from the lamp posts. He
finds that the only suceways open to the rush OF his
ambitions arc tho Cleaning Department and the
unstable hand-organ. He finds his level in Mulberryst
and sngushes there with stale beer at his elbow and
stale bread in his mouth. At last pddroHe comes
along Let the police say what they WILL the padronc
system has not been killed and never will be until the
Nufo hmm H.f.
padrone appreciates the situation He says to himself
here's chance make $50 pay me back 500 in three
months Then he paints before Antonio the wonderful
resources OF the country. He tells him that ho will
mako lots OF money by travelling through the country
and playing IN the cities The terms OF the agreement
are very simple. The padrone allows the man every
thing he makes 81 day and sets him the road
with stout pair OF shoes and decreplt hand
There is singular thing about Italian who appren
tees himself 10 pddrons He becomes supernaturally
honest He won't rob his master, but will turn every
sent Of the dollar he over 10 him though lie
has but cu cents day 10 live At tho end OF three
months II he has gone out into the country he
does more trampng abon IN the city: the end o!
six months the han dorgan Is his and be has laid the
foundation OF his fortune Bat six months work means
$50 days each one OF which represents dollar
he remains slave. oh, yes! pddroHS does a very
profitable iusiness lie pays $50 for the organ and
makes profit OF $3.50 on his investment. There is
many reputable merchant who would be well satisfied
Do they ever come 10 us ~ continued tho manufact-
urer. Yes often. We have about dozen ragged
looking Italsns come 10 us every day with So or In
their hands, asking for organs No. We don't sell them.
We cannot do so. II we did We wonla lose regular
custom for agree, every manufacturer docs,
sell at retail. We can get an organ up low So and
make money on IL. OF course IL won't play q dozen
tunes, but It VIII grind out two quite respectfully They
usually shipped to South America aud Africa where
they qne important article OF trade for although
noe ana % quite the thing for s Paasonan tribe to
have In the tent Of It's chief To tho Dadroaes
We sell dozen organs at time and get money In
cash. Yes, we know them and know what devilsh
trade they engaged In, but it's our business and we
are Obliged TO make living. We ship number Of
organs TO Europe also, iormany being the best market
and after IL Italy. In Germany they make figures that
are moved by the core OF the organ and make the
front of the box quite Of dancing shapes
In Italy tncy do nothing but play the and from
the number send there the ruins OF Traan and OF the
Antonnes must he shaken To their crmblDg hearts by
tho music OF The American hand-organ."