Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1886-01-13
THE BARREL ORGAN.
Tho Business Now and What It Used To
Be-A Change of Compiexion-The
Monkey Conc.

Il 1btk Ol0NJAlNe
Tho Business Now and What 1t Used To
Be-A Change OF Complexion-The
Monkey Gone.
1t has been observed of late by those
who do not, with the beau monde, for
sake tho streets of New Orleans in the
summer, that the barrel organ is pass
ing from Italy to Africa. The hand
which turns the magical crank and the
face which responds in smiles to the
Jingle of the nickel have darkened
from the sun kiss to the sun stamp.
The European has asserted himself and
become proprietor. He has reaped
the harvest of American small coin and
turned over his ''back-o'-town" route
to q colored agent. He has retained
the fee simple to his instrument, and
with his accumulations invested In
more, and now from the ease and COM
fort of fruit-stand on some obscure
but melon-eating street in the Latin
quarter he sends forth his darker pub
licans to levy tribute upon the youths
and maidens of the banquete ball
: rooms along tho basins or the levee.
And the monkey has gone with the
picturesque "dago" into his retirement.
The monkey and the negro do not seem
to affiliate. But it may be that the
monkey is superfuous, not because OF
the change in the grinder, but because
with the youths and maidens OF
the routes dancing is no monkey BUSH
ness" but serious matter. Let those
of the Times Democrat readers who
have had the good fortune to attend
the New Orleans Sunday picnic recall
the solemn gyrations OF the "waitz
tough" as distinguished from the
.'waltz elite" and they will find no
difficulty in understanding that the
levity OF the monkey has no seemli-
ness in the public schools of the picnic
dance. ~
A reporter yesterday intruded upon
the privacy of one of the retired Italian
musicians, and after convincing the ar
fist that there was no intention OF be-
coming competitor in the business,
and under the genial influences OF a
two bit watermelon, engaged him and
his esposa in a conversation upon the
| subject of organs. With true CONNER
cial sagacity he deprecated the BUSH
ness. Each of his six organs cost
1.-TWO hunder fiftee dollars" (This,
according to more reliable information,
| is a SO per cent lie. Two rollers, con-
tanning eight tunes each, accompanied
each organ, the rollers requiring re-
newal every four years at cost on
each side of $50, according to the diff
Guilty of the music. The organs were
made in France, but the rollers could
be bought in New York. The organs
were rented outright at the rate OF 81
a day, or So week. When sent out
by. his own agents he took his chances,
and was we'll satisfied to get 2 bits for
DAYS work. Several yagabondish-
looking negroes were lying around the
place gorging themselves with green
watermelons, and the proprietor, point
| ing to these, impeached the. honesty OF
their returns in vigorous ''dago."
Pointing to one of the lazy fellows,
who, even in the throes of his melon,
never let go his hold on greasy pack
of cards, the Italian said: dat BADGE
fell He go every day, gita 8 bit, GIN
me 2, and gamble my mon all nlghte. l
gita him on 5046 some day." The ne
gro grinned in acknowledgement, and
again immersed himself in the melon.
The proprietor stated that he was the
largest "organ issuer' in the city. He
had several competitors down on st.
Louis street. He thought, however,
eighteen organs covered the entire
stock outside of individual owners who
worked their own routes. Of these he
| knew some ten OF a dozen. Dance
music was now the universal demand.
| Carrying around a seventy-five pound
organ was not pleasant thing, and
there was q disposition on the part OF
| the Italians to buy number and retire
as he had done. This had ruined trade,
aud his receipts were frequently not
more than 81 or So a month.
Suspicious of the figures the reporter
cautiously asked one of the working
agents about receipts. He said he had
taken in as high as $3.50 day, but
that was the limit. Rainy days he did
nothing, and got on an average AZ
cents or 80 cents day. He did not
| have any particular route, but took in
the town. He could take in several
districts day if he did not happen to
strike dancing crowd. With them he
frequently staid for an hour or. more.
The favorite time was between 5 and 8
o'clock in the evening. Sunday was
the big day, and he frequently took in
as much on that day as the rest of the
week. He had no fights with other
grinders over routes, though he had
| heard that when business was confined
| to Italians there used to be frequent
rows on the subject of invaded terri
tory.
In conversation with a veteran or
ganist, who has quit the business alto
! gether, the reporter was told that it
| was much changed from what it used
to be. The monkey used to be prom
| inent feature, and was worth more than
the organ, according to his accomplish
ments. A monkey that would climb
up to front balcony on collecting
tour was treasure beyond price. One
which went no farther than the front
door was proportionately less valuable,
| and so on, down to the stupid brute
| who merely blinked his eyes under his
red cap, and would not leave his perch
on the organ for love or money.
In those days also the business was
not dependent so much upon the dane
ers, and the favorite time was the
children's hour in the afternoon and
early evening. The day was then di-
vided into hours for the various classes
of people, and regular relays of grind
ers were employed morning, evening,
and night men. The Italian sighed
and said the business had greatly de-
generated since the palmy days of his
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