The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-06-16
CELESTIAL MUSIC.
The Most Recent Developments in
the Music Box Cylinders.
TRADE CENTERS IN PROVIDENCE.
what n Local Dealer Has Done-Hearing
Through the Teeth-Music for All at
Home-No Practice Needed.

II music hath charms to soothe a savage
breast, there certainly ought to be enough
of the soothing element In Rhode Island
to keep forever at peace all the redskins
of the plains. 1t may not be known gen.
orally, but it is fact that this city is fur
nishing the greater proportion OF music
boxes now sold in this country that Is,
the finer boxes sold to people OF wealth
and fine musical taste.
The boxes are not manufactured in this
country, neither are they made for the
local dealer, Herman A Ockel, but the
this State only, has by dint of hard and
constant pushing built up large busi-
ness and he is now in daily receipt of
orders from the various States OF the
Union.
There is something singular about the
way that the music box trade has come
up here. Ii is but a very short time ago
that one found in the warerooms OF the
jewellers few specimens only of the
boxes, generally of the single-cylinder
type, not SO very musical, either, and
quoted at prices which made them quite
luxury even to those Of more than ordi-
nary means.
In addition to these there were the toy
boxes. rather unmusical and jerky in
their movements and extremely costly,
considering their actual worth. Some
of the older boys and girls of to-day will
recall the quaint box which Heaton used
to wind up and set a-going in the window
change streets, on the Fourth of July
and Washington's birthday. 1t had for
an attraction pair OF automatons, in
the shape OF monkeys, one being an art
ist at work at his easel, the other a lady
patron. This was a rare treat for the
-rrfTt M NJ IN
century ago, it now seems, aud the
writer remembers standing for hours
watching the wonderful performances Of
the monkeys.
About the first person who kept music
boxes In stock to any account in this city
jewelry store in the Franklin building.
Mr. Browns stock consisted OF perhaps
dozen single cylinder boxes, and quoted
at prices which would seem ridiculously
high when compared to what is asked for
boxes of the same size and Of much better
make now.
A few boxes were also to be found in
the pawn shops, whittier they had jour
neyed because their owners were looking
for cash and pawned them in lieu of any
thing else that could be handily spared.
But not until recently did any house In
New England think of keeping any con-
siderable number Of boxes on hand and
business speciality. II is but short time
since the business was begun; but it has
increased so rapidly and become SO well
known that Rhode Island now supplies q
large per centage of the whole number Of
boxes sold in the States.
The music box of to-day is wonderful
piece of mechanism. IL Is within the
province of the purchaser to expend any
sum he may care to invest, from q half
dollar up to 81 800 on single instrument.
He may take home a really good box for
the smaller sum named and get two tunes
did one of the business men OF this city,
The gentleman had another kind of a
music box, and to quiet it he took home a
fifty cent box, which was operated with
crank. The child took kindly to the
music and so did the father, for the latter
walked down town the next day and pur-
chased box which could be wound up,
aud which played three tunes. Then the
fever set in. He returned the latter men
toned box which cost $3.50, and bought
one for SIS. This he kept for few days
and then brought it back and bought one
costing S25. Again he was delighted, and
in less than week he owned box which
cost $15. Then the fever set in in good
earnest, and he began to talk about 500
box. His wife now took hand i'm the
business. and said that il q box was TO be
purchased the husband might as well
take the big plunge at once. The result
was that he purchased a box costing
nearly 800, and he is now happy with the
music.
There is no one who takes greater
pleasure with music box than ex-Gov.
Henry Howard. He, too, began to own
music boxes I'm a small way but is now
the possessof of fine piccolo instrument
with interchangeable cylinders: He is
having some special work done for him,
which, when complete. will give him
musical repertoire which will put any
orchestra To their best efforts to dupli-
cate il.
The ex governor Is one of many gentle
men who make IL a daily habit, when
business will permit, to visit the ware
rooms and listen to concert. For their
benefit special room is being built,
which will be furnished In good style, and
all will be welcomed. Another frequenter
Is William Walton, the well-known man
ufacturer, who is having special set of
cylinders prepared for him, which
are to 20 into a new box of superior
make.
There are also some who come TO the
rooms who are through misfortune de-
barred from enjoying the music of the
concert hall. These people place a stick
Of wood, such as ruler, against tho
metallic base OF the steel comb. and
lightly press the other end of the stick
TO their teeth. The vibrations of the
music are thus conveyed To them and
they enjoy the sweet airs as well as their
more fortunate acauaintances
Among the recent orders filed were
four boxes of the medium size, which
were bought by lady who came here
from Washington expressly for that pur-
pose, having been told by resident OF
that city that there was but one dealer
and one place in America where she
could get good box. These were sent to
New Bedford recently. as presents from
the buyer TO intimate friends. Two other
boxes went TO Fall River. some were
shipped 10 BOSTON, one To Rochester. one
TO Cincinnati, one TO Milwaukee and one
TO Chicago. All these orders came un-
solicited, and show what widespread
reputation Providence Is enjoying as the
headquarters for music boxes.
The instruments now so popular are
the Ideals, divided into six classes, name
ly. the concerta, the guitare. the piccolo,
the sublime harmonic, the soprano and
the sublime harmonic piccolo, all with