The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-07
The Hand Organ Business.
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81 believe I am the only hand-organ man
ufacturer in this country" said the builder
as he lit his little black pipe and blew a
cloud of smoke from his lips; 81 have been
here on this corner for 27 years. A long
time to stick to one place, isn't it2 But our
business isn't what it used to be-" and the
organ builder shook his head as the profits
of former years arose before his mind; sour
trade is fast going to the dogs. The demand
for street hand-organs has fallen off 80 to
40 per cent. within. 10 or Is years. People
have got sick and tired of the music and
offer no excuse for kicking the italian grind
er into the middle of the street when he be-
comes too demonstrative. See how things
have changed since first began to make
organs. For many years italian immigrants
monopolized the organ-grindlng business.
When the war ended disabled soldiers be-
came their rivals and beat them on their
own ground. Now there are all sorts of
men and women engaged in Juggling or
dragging organs about the streets. 1t is no
ticeable, too, that the Italians do not make
as much money as they did years ago. Peo-
pie do not now throw dollar bills around
loosely as they did in flush days. A hand
organ was then wonder worth seeing and
hearing; now fellow wouldn't go around
the corner to look at the instrument, much
less to hear it."
"Do you know of any street organists who
have succeeded in making fortunes in the
business?'' asked the reporter.
eyes, SEVERAL" replied the builder. 'I
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 as far west as the Mis-
sssippi river and northward to Quebec.
On that trip alone he made $2500. He was
badly frost-bitten while in Canada, and
swore on that account that he would never
go into that blasted region again, and he
didn't. He took the money he had made
organs; he opened store and sold his in
struments at good margin. In a few years
he had amassed large fortune"
"Hand-organs, the street variety" contin-
ned the builder, ,''cost all the way from $25
to $125. Concert organs, such as are used
in drinking shops, halls and travelling shows,
bring all the way from $2500 to $25, ,000
Some of these are as complete in the num-
Der of instruments they represent as an or
chestra or full band. They contain pic
colos, flutes, clarionets, cornets, baritenes,
bases, triangles, drums and cymbals."
"Does your business extend outside of
New York?'
ooh yes. send organs to South Ameri-
ca, Central America, Mexico, Spain, the
West Indies and dozen other places. My
trade in the United States is of course the
largest"
"Are the organs which you send out of
New York furnished with the same class of
music as those in use here?"
''Not 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 a fair number of
Moody and Sankey hymns, waltz or two,
and few popular airs. The South prefers
dance music, such as reels, jigs, waltzes and
polkas. The central States and the West
want airs from 'Pinafore,' Patience Mas.
cot,' 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
Violets,' wait till the clouds roll BY and
musical sketches from McSorley's Inhation,'
and Muddy Day. Emmet's songs are also
popular. Spaniards and Mexicans take
special delight in fandangos, minuets and
similar music, so the organs which we send
to them are furnished entirely with such
pieces. The song, Home, Sweet Home is
a favorite in New England. Airs from the
old italian operas, which used to be SO pop
ular ON the streets years ago, are not in de-
mand now. Their day has passed. Writers
of music must compose to suit the popular
ear if they expect to achieve success. have
found that out from experience, for l am
not only a maker of organs, but maker of
tunes also.
How can tell what the popular pieces
are?" 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 streets. Soon you will hear bust
ness men humming it over on their way
down town. Music publishers, who are al |
ways waiting for "a hit issue it by the |
copies, and in short time it has
become popular enough to warrant me in
putting 1t into hand-organ. Some of these
pieces have short life, others are always
acceptable to the public.
''Hand-organs, like people, get tired. |
They get out of sorts about once in six |
months, even with the best of care. The |
wheezy or out of tune, and we doctor them |
up
Here the builder paused for moment,
wiped the perspiration from his brow, and |
said:
"That organ"-ppinting to an old worn
out instrument on the foor-"has history
worth repeating. Many years ago, soon af-
ter opened this establishment, a young
French girl appeared in the streets of New
York as an organ-griuder She attracted
much attention, for she was pretty, modest,
nay, do not smile,-and well dressed. |
Sometimes, after playing tune on the Or
gan, she sang some sweet song she had |
learned in her home beyond the sea. Well, |
one day she brought her instrument to me |
for repairs, and told her would arrange
the accompaniment for several of her songs
on the organ. She was delighted with my
and when the work was done
went away with happy heart. Her sue
cess after that was wonderful, bat it did not
turn her head. Men on the street respected
her and treated her courteously; rough fell
lows some of them were, too. The money
which was showered upon her was not spent
extravagantly, but was put away in Bow
cry bank. She had many suitors, but none
day bronzed young man from the West
saw her and fell in love with her. In time
he proposed, was accepted and finally mar
ried her. l never saw the girl after that A
few years later man brought the organ she
used to play to me for repairs. He said he
had bought it at auction for $40 told him
what it would cost to have it repaired and
he went away. He never returned, and
there the organ has stood for nearly 20
years. IEsometimes wish it would speak
and tell me what became of its mistress, but
the pipes are broken, the cylinder crooked
and its voice forever silent"