The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-19
Mrs. Welsh, an Opulent Parish
ioner, Gave $4,000 for
Its Purchase.
FATHER VARsrs MANY DESIGNS
Ninety Times Will the Earth Rotate
on It's Axis Ere the Organ
Can Be Used.

1t will not be long till the parishioners
of st. Ignatius Church will rejoice and
their hearts will swell with pride, for
Polyhymnia has come to dwell among
them. Plainly speaking, the grandest
organ in the world as regards beauty Of
finish, modern Improvements ana sweet
ness of tone is soon to be placed in the
church held sacred to the memory of St.
Ignatius.
The idea is that of Mrs. Welsh, rich
parishioner, who a year ago last June
presented the church with $4,000, the
balance remaining after purchasing the
organ to go into a reserve fund to be used
in maintaining choir. On the LIST of
last March the contract was awarded to
Farrand & Votey of Detroit, Mich.
This was the firm that built the man.
moth organ for the Worlds Fair and
recently the celebrated organ for the
Carnegie library.
While not the largest in existence the
organ will probably be the finest in the
world in the way of musical resources and
mechanical accessories. There will be
four manuals of sixty-one notes each and
pedal of thirty notes. There will also be
eighty-six speaking-stops, including the
preparations for an altar organ.
The number OF pipes in the organ are
something stupendous, aggregating over
5000. 1t will be placed in the lower gal
Iery of the church, and will tower upward
for 81 feet inches. 1t is 80 feet in width
and Is feet in depth.
The entire organ is electro-pneumatic
The keyboard, or console, will be placed
some distance in front of the organ-case.
Within this console Will be placed the
eIectro-contact pneumatic piston knobs
for moving the various adjustable cofnbi-
nations.
The case of the instrument is of selected
white ash, finished in the natural color,
and the front pipes are ornamented in
gold and colors. The case has beautiful
finish and is of most imposing design,
beautifully carved, with two life-sized
angels placed on the top columns.
The wind supply will be furnished with
SIX sets of bellows, operated by two cleo
trio motors of horsepower one of and
the other of 2. This bellows plant will be
situated in the lower room, at the left of
the organ, and the air will be conveyed
about forty feet to the receivers within the
organ.
The first carload arrived about ten days
ago. The entire organ will occupy about
five cars. Two of these have been I'M
loaded, one is in the warehouse and two
grand instrument when set up may be
gathered from its weight-over 100000
pounds.
Fully three months will be required to
put the organ into working order. Taking
the improvements in the way of pipes and
facilities ior handling into consideration,
it will undoubtedly be the finest lnstru-
ment of It's kind in the world.
The erection of the organ is under the
supervision of W. D. Woods, assistant
superintendent of the factory. He will be
assisted in this by Foreman a. E. White
head, also of Detroit.
In building the organ the manufac-
turers were greatly aided by the advice
and suggestions of Father Varsi. The de-
sign for the decoration of the front pip g
was furnished by him alone.
This Will be the first electric organ in
San Francisco" said Superintendent
Woods. Il believe, however, that 1t is
only the second in California, as there is
one also in Los Angeles.
The intention was to place it in the
upper gallery, but it was found to be better
10 place 1t in the lower gallery. So pro-
vision has been made for removing q part
of the upper gallery, all but two small
balconies.
This will not only improve the APP
pearance of the organ itself, but will assist
in the attainment of musical results and
be far better for the choir"