West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-08-10
THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.
An IHtersstfsg Letter From Oar
Special Correspondent at the
Worlds Fair.
The SEVILLE, 6GTm Place,
CHICAGO, Aug. 2, 1893.

that the great concert organ in
Festival Hall is AZ last completed
and dedicated. One of the frat
things the board of directors deci-
ded must be credit to the United
States, was the music and to facili-
tate the success OF their plans they
appointed assistants in each depart
ment OF music. The choice of n
builder for the magnificent pipe
organ, which they wished erected
i'm Festival Hall, was left TO Clar-
eDce Eddy, one Of the greatest
organjsts in America, as we'll as
man of most discrete judgment.
He decided after some investigation
that Messrs. Farrand and votey, of
Detroit, were the best fitted Of any
firm to build an organ that would
satisfy various demands of capri
cious public, as well rs the leading
organlsts of the county. The organ
is not so large, but so perfectly
arranged that the best results can
be Obtained by only ordinary exer-
ton. Electricity is used not only
to do the pumping, but proves of
vast assistance to the player, the
Earrand and Votey Electric Key
Action being used in all the manu-
ais. The organ was dedicated by
Mr.. Eddy, July 21. at IL NJ.
There was a large and appreciative
audience present, and Ire was
applauded vigorously at the close of
each number, but when In "T'he
Royal Procession" composed and
dedicated to him by Walter Spinney
he introduced the echo organ for
the echo of the bugles, silence
reigned. All eyes turned in the
direction whence the echo proceeded
but OF course they could see moth
ing, MS the echo-organ is in the wall
and is connected with the other
instrument by electric wires. AS
the last sound of the bugle died
away expressions of GLOW real 20
Glow beautiful ~ "Such a sue
cess ~ etc., could be heard on all
sides. When the thunder could be
heard, crashing rumbling in the
distance in Semmens' "Storm,"
one could almost imagine it grow
ing dark. After the recital | went
around to the organ hoping to be
able to see it and hear an explana-
ton Of the mechanism of it, but it
was completely surrounded and
gave it mp, but as was leaving tho
hall / met an acquaintance in COM
pany with the firms Chicago repre-
sentative, and after on introduction
he offered to show me all through
the organ the following day. He
was prevented from keeping his
appointment, however, but left
orders with tho chief builder TO see
that was shown around, and l
certainly cannot complain Of any
lack OF attention. i was piloted up
one flight of steep stairs after an
other and shown the difference be-
tween reed pipes and flue pipes and
allowed to pull ont the different
kinds and blow them. The builder
was not sparing of words and
explained everything with such evil
dent satisfaction that it recalled to
my mind few lines from the poem
''The Legend Of the Organ Builder"
which | think l must ask Mr..
Brown to publish some time if he
will. The lines are as follows
"Ay SO rarely was Il bunded
That whenever groom and bride,
Who In Gods sight were we'll pleasing,
~ tho NoNf'u tioyH bine " sue.
without touch OF breath
The srean Of iteeIf bsaan % play
Ard. the very airs Of Heaven
Through the soft gloom seemed 10 stray"
] pondered over the progress of
the last few years and wondered II
some day, at the rate we are going
now, some one would not complete
an organ almost as wonderful to us.
In thinking over the expedition I
recall wildly TIE queer sensation !
experienced on FIRST going into
thing from which 90 much expires.
sion can be drawn by tie master
hand that one must almost think il
is alive. II you have an opportu.
nifty to hear this organ take advan-
tage Of it and hear Clarence EDDY
too.
Recently ! spent another after
i a. d