The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-03-07
SWEET SOUNDS IN INK,
PHILADELPHIA PRINTS OVER A
auAaTEH OF coUNTRY's MUSIC.

PHILADELPHIA PRINTS OVER A
auAaTER OF coUNTRY'S MUSIC.
Industry Has Rapid Growth-Has
Eight Timeo Volume Of Fifteen
Years Ago-Best Work Done BY
Lithoaraphic Process - Tools I'M
ported.
That America is rapidly becoming
musical nation is generally admit
ted. and If the quality q the musical
taste which is being evoked is lett out
Of the question the matter is suscep-
tible of more definite proof than Is
to be found in the increased muslcal
noise which one hears on the streets
and In places of amusement, the
steady growth and spread OF the
"humming" habit among private In
dividuals of all classes and the swell
ing sales of mechanical music-maklng
machines. These things indicate
quickening ear and taste for music,
but it is the sale of printed music
which measures the amount of skill
and knowledge in the production OF
music by the laymen.
Business Increases Rapidly.
1t is estimated by conservative au-
thorities that the amount Of musical
compositions printed, published ana
sold in this country is now eight
and the greatest increase has been
within the last five years. The esti-
mate, too, is based on the value OF
total sales which, while In one sense
the most reliable basis. does not
show the actual increase because of
the constant cheapening Of the prices
at which the printed matter is sold,
The current figures for total annual
sales is s4S5000 for the entire United
States, which amount is large or small
according to the point of view Of the
observer. That there is still ample
room for the growth of the business
and of fondness for music is shown
by the fact that the total amount OF
music printed in this country is less
than that printed in each Of several
European cities and less than half
of the annual output Of the city OF
Leipsig, Germany.
Only four places in this country are
centres of music printing and out
side of these the industry is practical
ly non-existant. These are New
York, with $4,000 worth year;
Philadelphia, with s125,000; Cincin-
natl, with 100000, and Boston, with
$4,000. From this it will be seen
that this city prints over a quarter
Of the total amount In this city,
too it is an older industry than else
where in this country and with a more
complete history New Yorks rise
in the business is of comparatively
recent date, and may be attributed to
that city's lead in theatricals, espe-
cially that branch of it known as mu-
steal comedy.
Eneravers are Musicians.
Most music is now printed by the
process of engraving on stone, known
as TYPOGRAPHY. This, or some sort
Of engraving was perhaps the earliest
method used, but modern efforts to
cheaper the work resulted in the use
of movable metal type, set up by
printers just as type for reading mat
ter is. The number and complicated
forms of the characters needed has
made this method not so cheap as was
hoped, however, and not so satisfac-
tory in the quality of the finished pro-
duct, and, while there is still some
printing from these metal types, they
are less and less used. About all of
the Philadelphia product is now litho-
graph work and it is reputed every
where to be of high excellence. The
engravers are themselves musicians
and Of necessity, because they work
from the composers manuscript and
must have a knowledge Of music equal
to the ordinary printers knowledge
of language. In the largest printing
establishment in this city the engrav-
ers are all young women, and when
not engaged at this trade add con-
siderably to their income by appear
ing as performers at concerts and
similar entertainments. Some of
these are vocalists, and there is not
one Of them, indeed, who is not capa-
BILE Of producing music, either instru-
mental or vocal, by reading by note
The first engraving is done upon a
plate having a composition somewhat
similar to ordinary type metal, but