Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-01-25
ABOUT cHuRch' ORGANS.
How the Different Parts M tine Anstru-
.,t monta Are Built

How the Different Parts Al tne Ans'ru-
mentS Are Built
When the parish of churI n DECIDES
that it is within the possibili " OF Di-
vine Providence that they Can raise
enough for q new church organ, II tney
are wise they look around TO see wha're
they can be obtained on the best terms.
Deciding on this, the next thing is to
get the organ of the tone and volume
they wish, and fit 1t in the space given.
Frequently the latter is q difficult task.
Most times small churches want bigger
organs than they have buildings. In
some cases 1t is necessary to send out
special man from the Office to decide
this delicate point, but this is not al
ways needful. Given the plans and
specifications, the real work begins.
It might be generally supposed that the
work begins with the very first laid
boards and then upward; but not so;
every man has his appointed task and
only he can do it. BY this division OF
labor the work goes merrily on, and as
the different parts OF locomotive are
made to be fitted together, so the pipes,
the bellows, the keys Of the organ are
all in the process Of construction at
once, only to be fitted together when all
are finished. Internally the organ is :
divided in three structural portions;
the apparatus for collecting and
distributing the wind, the mechan-
ism controlling the keys and stops,
and the pipes. These are all in
the factory made in their separate de-
partments, and are constructed by men,
frequently foreigners, who are experts
in this handiwork. Among the first
parts to be constructed are the bellows,
which are the lungs Of the mechanism,
are horizontal and Of wood. The wind,
having been collected and compressed,
is conveyed from the bellows by means
of wooden tubes and is received in the
wind chest. This chest is long and
rather shallow wooden case, where the
compressed air is accumulated, stored
and is distributed to the pipes as oc-
casion requires. The upper board of the
chest is something like chess-board
with pipe set above each square. Each
row Of pipes, then, from right to left, is
controlled by stop within reach Of the
organist and each row from back to
front is controlled by key. So each
stop connects with perforated board,
which slides under the pipes and ad-
mits or shuts of the wind at the bot
tom. So as the wind chest Is divided
into compartments, each key controls
its own compartment and each stop has
its own. OF course the pedals and other
contrivances move a number of stops by
one effort, and another pedal opens and
closes pipe Of swell organ, which in
creases the volume of sound. Con-
nected with the bellows is o wind
gauge, which consists Of glass tube
bent like barometer, the lower end Of
which Is fixed in o socket, and the other
end opens to the air. This tells the
organ boy when to blow hard or to take
rest for time.
The work requiring the greatest
nicely Of construction is the making OF
the pipes. This is technically called
the ''metal" shop. There the tin and
other material comes in the pig form.
First it is melted in big pot, then laid
out on cloth, ON big table over cloth,
and so made into thin sheets. When
cooled it Is bent into the form required
by means of round models, which con-
form in size to the pipes required.
Organ pipes vary in size from length
of three-fourths of an inch to thirty
two feet, the largest known. After
their construction not the least inter-
esting is the voicing-room. There are
two embryo organs with one set Of
pipes; the pipe to be voiced is placed
over q hole connected with the wind
chest, and the operator has to tell only
by ear If the two pipes accord in sound.
1t is delicate art which few acquire to
perfection. but on it depends much Of
the value Of the instrument. After the
pipes are placed in position in the
frames the frescoing after the designs
desired takes place, and is usually
done by contract--Springfeld (Mass.)
Republican.