Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1903-09-26
PASSING OF THE ORGAN.
All the Vogue Half q Century Ago,
Hut Now Recalled ms n Long
Forgotten Fad.

A little over half century ago the
manufacture of the American reed Or
gan took distinct shape. The instru-
ment was first known as "melodeon,"
and q strong demand Immediately
sprang up for it. particularly among
the humber, and, consequently, more
religious class. The melodeon was
just the thing for leading or accom-
panying the voice in hymns 1t was
used by peripatetic evangelists
throughout the country, and thousands
who had never heard the like of it be-
fore strained themselves to get it for
family use. In the larger cities the
piano had full swing, but in small
towns, villages and hamlets and in
country homes the melodeon was es-
tablished in nearly every parlor, says
the New York Press.
Prince, of Buffalo, Carhart. of New
York, and others too numerous to
mention sent out vast quantities of
these wind-jammers. After awhile
they were called freed organs" and
the price was raised. In few months
they would become wind-broken, and
the miserable wheezy things were a
constant affection wherever they were
known. There was hardly Sunday
school In the United States that did
not take up collections from the chill
dren to buy one. At first the perform
err worked the thing with her feet
while playing the keys with her fin
gers. Later pump-handle attach
ment was made. and 1t was a great
thing for smart boy to be called on
by the superintendent to do the pump
ing. He must do it just so: not too
fast. not too hard, not too slow. not
too softly. If he did just right he be-
came permanency. and mighty proud
was he. the envy of all.
Some of the organ builders hired
missionaries to travel and sing hymns
to the accompaniment of their instru-
ments as an advertisement. Thirty
years ago Ira d. Sankey travelled with
an organ of his own q do not remem-
Der the make). and set the people wild.
1t has never been charged that he was
in the pay Of any firm. Shiploads of
these organs were sent to Europe.
Some got into the Congo. and the AZ
ricans were charmed. Some went to
India to soothe the supplicating Hin
doc. The Protestant countries. par
ticularly. demanded great quantities
OF them-Sweden, Norway. England
and Scotland. Few American enter
prises attained so big boom and few
fell so quickly into state of collapse
Standard manufacturers of reed or
gans quit the business and went into
the making Of pianos. some with signal
success. The organs have gone into
church cellars to rot. while the piano
is installed in the home and Sunday
school. in the lecture room and the
college. A remarkable change, this.
Preacher Selected by Phonogrnph.
From the Jewish Chronicle" we learn
Of novel use for the photograph. Some
TIME ago the Hungarian Jews in Chi
cago wrote to the chief rabbi of Press
burg, in Hungary, asking him to recon-
mend an orthodox rabbi, able to preach
n their native language. Pressburg is
l long way from Chicago, and it was
10 much to expect that a rabbi could
lrop across for a Sabbath to preach a
trial sermon. That was where the pho
nograph showed its use. The recon-
nended candidate spoke his best SER