The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-24

The Work OF Three Mrn who Were Nns-
tcrs of the Art OF Plano Moving.

AS moving time approached" said Mr..
Flatdwcller. the piano became n little bit Of a
bugbcar to US. We lived in a fourth floor Hat
and we were going to move to another fourth
floor. and II seemed like Il good deal OF an under
taking to move that heavy piano down three
flights o. stairs and up three in safety and with
ont marring 1t. and we rather thought that this
time we would have it moved with a tackle.
80 / went down to the manufacturers of whom
we had bought 1t ard asked them IL they moved
pianos. and they said they did: and | said we had
a plano that we would like to have moved and
that we thought we'd have It moved with a
tackle, and | asked IL that would cost any more.
They said II would cost $40 To move IT with a
tackle. or 81 II moved by hand; and they asked
how it was carried in where We lived now; and
when | said by hand. they said that. II it was
carried in by hand, it could be carried out by
hand. and that they could move 1t with entir'
satety, and so we arranged TO have it moved in
that way.
AT the appointed time atwo-wheeled piano
truck, OF the kind that one often meets among
the vehicles in the clty's streets, drove UP with
three men. When they came up into the room
it was comforting to look at them. They were
big. powerful men, who were very evidently
quite able TO carry the piano ~ywh Each
carried over his shoulder. with what seemed 10
me u picturesque effect. a big, soft. dark -colored
CIOtl, loosely OuHGlIc'A tNBetntE rs htibuh might
have been II carried In the same manner: these |
supposed were to form n covering for the piano.
They threw these cloths on upon a chair aud
proceeded TO strip the piano.
pounds. perhaps IA little more. One man took
OF the Dashboard in front. and another took or
keyboard. Two men took Oft each a leg: each
turned a screw out first from underneath. and
then the legs CRme OFT easily. The boss mover
touched the keys OF the piano. unsteady, to Try
the tone, as | thought al hrst, nut saw in n
~iocation OF a nut that was brought into view in
about tho centre of the action when the ham
mers we're thrown forward ~ rs touch npon
Of a bolt that ran from the body " the piano
through tho frame of the action To hold the
bolts. one 1T each end OF the frame The three
men unscrewrd each a nut. working all at tho
else. without iriay, but without the siirhtr.t
hurry or confusion. Then they lifted oN the
to one side, The head man lifted out the medal
rods and laid them In on the floor ~ the Iiano,
and That la6 tr %"s all T w.fyn ma ,l6 ,Sss sRo of about
the object had been not TO reduce its weight,
but 20 reduce rs bulk,
threw them each over his shoulder as they had
been carried when they came in, and then their
piano from scratching when the men hore their
weight against il. They picked up the piano,
one man AZ one end and two NJ the other. and
walked on with il, stepping IN unison. and down
tho first alght Of stars in the same way, with
the two men hntNl'. lhel hhl'ttl NJ the urSt
landing 10 get n fresh hold and then went on
with il. and So on down 10 the street where they
placed IL On the truck,
ARRIVED at the new house. they carried tho
piano up the three flights OF stairs I'm the same
manner ana walked into the room with IL and
cot II down without q scratch. The head man
set the pedal rods in place, They picked up the
keyboard and set that in place, and then. asthey
had done before, in u"nscrewtng the nuts they all
worked together, each scFewing Il nut on, Two
men picked up each a leg and set II in
position and with \ single touch drove II snugly
into place, and then they set the screws, Then
they pat on the dashboard and the upper piece,
and the piano had once more resumed It's usual
appearance. Tho head man touched the Keys
again briefly, but still with a touch that showed
that he could play the piano as well As move
all right. and II Was.
IL Was a difncult job most beautifully done,
manner oOssibls- the SorK OF men who were
masters Ia the art OF plano moving"