The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-09-02
WIN. WOOD, NURSE
MAID TO ORGANS

Hood River until recently was enter
tainHg in her midst celebrity. Tn,
genius referred to was no other THAI
William Wood. Says the Oregoniar
Some folks call him William, some
folks call him Bill, but his name is
William Wood, and his official capacity
is master mechanic of organs in all
Jensen & Won Herberg houses in Port.
land, from the mammoth Wurlitzer al
the Liberty to the Kimball at the Star.
With a genial smile on his face and a
helping hand to all employees of Jensen
& Won Herberg who need it. Billy goes
on his way through life well liked and
a master in his line of endeavor.
Theater patrons who sit in the Lib
erty theatre on Sunday during a con-
cert and listen to the perfectly true
and harmonious notes filling the house
do not know that up in the organ
chambers sits Billy Wood with his
tools and fiashlight ready in case of
trouble to fix anything in the whole or.
gan that could possibly go wrong.
Besides tuning, repairing. installing
and playing all the organs. Billy has
had an eventful career that very few
people are aware of.
Billy first gained fame in the world
| about 81 years ago oyer a little piano
store on Gerard avenue in Philadel-
phia. when he was born. His father
was a master organ builder and main
tanned two piano and organ stores in
Philadelphia.
When Billy reached the age of 5
years his name was changed to Master
William, and with his brother, Master
Darwin Wood, he started on a tour of
the world with his father. The object
was to give concerts with Master Dar-
win accompanying Master Williams
rich baritone voice. Master Darwin
Wood at this time had gained the sobri-
quet of the little Mozart of America.
During their tour of the world the
young pair appeared before Queen Vic
toria of England, giving a recital at
the Crystal Palace in London. And
later, on their return to the United
States, they appeared before John d.
Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie,
playing one of blind Toms famous
concerts.
One of the feature exhibitions of the
Toronto exhibitions in 1897 was the |
appearance of Master William and |
Darwin Wood in joint recital
At the age of years, Master Will |
lam decided to strike out for himelf |
and left his father and brother, going
to Vancouver, B. c., and shipped on a
river steamer as a bellboy. A year
later he was promoted to steward of
the ship.
About this time the moving picture
started to be noticed by the public. and
before long the singing of illustrated
songs in the motion picture houses was
considered an important feature of the
show Toward this new business Mas
ter William-now Mr.. Wood wended
his way and he started singing illus
trated songs in little theater on Cor
dova street in Vancouver, b. c.
During his stay here he acted as
doorboy, janitor, operator and songster
as well.
During the next II years Bill taught
himself how to play the piano, organ,
drums and Xylophones and worked in
Iheaters all over the coast in all the
cities at one or the other of
these accomplishments. In his spare
he was learning the mechani-
,al end of the piano and organ with the
object in view of some day being a
master mechanic of organs.
Then he went into business for him
elf, buying a theater in Roseburg.
Darwin went with him and played the
,iano while Billy played the xylophone
md drums and managed the house.
They hired an operator and ticket
eler.
Billy at this time had acquired suffi-
lent ability in the organ mechanic
BUSINESS to begin manufacturing eff
ects for organs, such as whistles.
ellis, guns. etc, that connected with
II up to-date organs.
After experiences in Hood River,
larshfeld and other Oregon towns as
musician, Billy took up his chosen
me exclusively and went to work for
ensen & Won Herberg.
To sam it all up, Bill has crossed the
eep three times, made one trip to I,
hina, crossed the North American K
ointment II times, and is well known d
] every principal city on the Pacific
past.
In his chosen line of work. Wood has
ne advantage Of some other men of
milar occupations because of his abil- n
y to make himself any piece of mech II
nism connected with an organ. III
And oh, yes Billy is also a regularly III
-dained minister, but. as he says, 81 III
ever worked at it. Hi