Books › Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937 › scan 283
Scan 283
Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937
25 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 257. See the scan on archive.org.
1III.a. Organ Water Motors—Period 1870-1933
3Addresses from Boston Business Directories
5Names of Firms and Information About the Firms
71871—[address hidden]
81872-73—[address hidden]
91874-75—[address hidden]
101875-80—different numbers on Charlestown
111881-88—[address hidden]
121889-91—[address hidden]
131892-1925—[address hidden]
15BOSTON HYDRAULIC MOTOR CO.
17This organ blower was patented May 10, 1870. The firm was first Hydraulic Motor and Meter Co. and in 1872 became Hydraulic Motor and Meter Asso., H. F. Wheeler being prominently connected with it through 1876. In 1877 it became Hydraulic Motor Company at [address hidden]. That same year the Boston Hydraulic Motor Co. is first listed at [address hidden]. By 1880 the two seem to have merged and from 1883 only Boston Hydraulic Motor Company is listed. This was succeeded 1889 to 1891 by D. P. Gosline, and that company by F. E. Whitney 1892-1925. Mr. Gosline stated in a business circular that L. R. Stanley was working for him. Mr. Stanley moved to Framingham where he died. When the company was at [address hidden] the prices of their products ranged from $75 to $250.
19Maker of "Boston Water Motor." The first notable reciprocating water motor in general use in America. Rather complicated, but very efficient.8 It was used for blowing their organs by Cole & Woodberry, Hook & Hastings, Geo. S. Hutchings, George H. Ryder, and Woodberry & Harris. This motor was followed by the water motors "Ross" of Albany, "Jaques" of Brooklyn and "Spencer" of Hartford. (The most elaborate and economical was the "Canning"—not common.) The "Ross" was used considerably by Boston organ builders. Water power was utilized by a variety of "flutter-wheels" and rotary devices such as "The Backus" water wheel, "Amherst," etc. Electricity superseded them all by multiple fans, principally the "Orgoblo" and "Kinetic." The F. E. Whitney Co. followed the trend and developed the "Stanley Organ Blower," not widely used nor especially good. This was bought in January 1925 by C. M. Smith of Pepperell, Mass., who had previously purchased the company's principal business in later years, namely the "Boston" and "Whitney" ice cream freezers.
215 Information supplied by James Cole and William B. Goodwin.
226 Boston Business Directory 1870, Advertising Department p. 993 and other years too.
237 See P. 166.
248 Information about the water motors supplied by William B. Goodwin, Lowell, Massachusetts, organ builder, and by A. C. Foster, Organ Blower Co.
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