Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-08-07
MONEY IN ORGAN GRINDING.
SkiIIfuI Organ Grinders Make from
SIS to S1O a Day.

SkiIIfuI Organ Grinders Make from
SIS to $40 Day.
Reliable statistics show that more
money is paid to the organ grinders
who furnish street music to New
Workers than is paid for the grand
opera season at the Metropolitan
Opera House. In fine weather o
single organ grinder frequently
makes as high $40 day, and some
times the amount he receives exceeds
this figure.
Two hundred and fifty licenses
have been issued in New York this
year to organ grinders. The license
is 81 q year, and an ordinance passed
two years ago limits the number OF
our street musicians to 300. But the
law is not very rigidly enforced, and
the octual number OF organs about
town at present far exceeds this
number.
Like all other professions, that OF
the organ grinder at times suffers
from depression, but on the whole it
is surprisingly profitable. The most
profitable audiences are usually
found in saloons. and next to these
the organ grinder prefers the fashion,
able neighborhoods.
The most enthusiastic audiences
are to be found, however, in the
crowded streets on the East side.
An enterprising Italian can usually
manage to play before as many as
3OU audiences in q single day, and
sometimes he plays much oftener.
The annfacture of hand organs;
has also grown into very irnportHnU
industry. A single piano organ
mounted on wheels is sold from SloO
to $3.50. The organ builder usually
rents organs out by the day. 1t
seldom happens that the ambitious
musician is at first able to buy an
organ for himself. The large organs
are rented out for 81 and the smaller
ones for 50 cents day.
A new cylinder of tunes for an
organ costs about $40. The grinder,
however, seldom feels called upon to
change his repertory.
The cheapest organs-those which
play one or two tunes, such as
Home, Sweet Home and yankee
Doodle ARE usually sold to blind
members OF the profession, or to the
very poor-looking old women who sit
all day long in some sheltered door
way.
The next step in the procession is
to own one OF the boX-like organs
which the organ grinder carries about
with him. These are usually sup
piled with a stout stick, which is
used as o supporting leg, while the
1tuliuu's two legs complete the
tripod.
These organs make very heavy
load to carry about all day, and q
more popular form is the organ
mounted on q small wagon. These
are often made up by using child's
express or toy wagon. The most
improved form in hand organ con-
struction is the regular piano organ
mounted on specially prepared
truck.
At present the street music OF New
York is supplied entirely by these
noisy instruments. About two years
ago law was passed doing away with
ali street music. The street band
disappeared at this time, and so did
the familiar organ grinders monkey,
but public opinion restored the street
organ.
The Italians are O very frugal peo-
ple, aud in time the organ grinder
usually accumulates enough money
in II short time to buy an organ for
himself. After this point is reached
tho Italians fortune is practically
assured.
AS in every other business there
are some unsuccessful organ grinders,
but the percentage of such is said to
be very small.
In many cases, howe yer, the organ
is used simply as an ex cuse for beg
ging. The organs used for this pur-
pose usually play only very dismal
tunes which, it is supposed, will put
the passerby in proper spirit for
almsgiving.
In more than one instance it has
been found that q forlorn looking
child has been b orrowed to sit beside
the organ to ex cite sympathy. Some
of the most profitable organs are
those which are decorated with tin
cup ut the we'll known II am blind"
sirn In some cases stock Of shoe
strings or OF lead pencils is added to
the outfit.