Scan 37
Musical Courier 1893-04-12: Vol 26 Iss 684, 1893
166 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 38. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Largest Canadian Factory.
3IT is now nearly four years since the R. S. Williams piano factory located at Oshawa, and it is safe to say that no commercial enterprise has ever given greater satisfaction to a Canadian municipality than this one has. When the firm decided to move their factory from Toronto to Oshawa the town corporation agreed to pay them a bonus of $20,000, at the rate of $2,000 per annum. The stipulation was that 70 men should be employed, and that the factory should be kept working at least half to three-quarters of the year. Mr. Williams then bought the large building on Duke street, formerly known as the Hall Stove Works, and spent $40,000 in cash improving and enlarging it.
5The growth of the business enabled the firm to generously fulfill their agreement with the town. They have today on their factory pay roll 160 regular employees, and this number is occasionally increased to 200. Instead of working short time, the factory is running the year round, 10 hours per day, and very often the demand for pianos is so great that overtime is necessary. Mr. Robert Williams, eldest son of the head of the firm, took up his residence here as manager of the factory, and he fills the position with great tact and judgment. Owing to his considerate policy, he has won the respect and loyalty of all the employees, and the town has gained a useful and popular citizen.
7This afternoon the "Globe" representative paid a visit to the factory, and its dimensions will be realized when it is stated that it took over two hours' steady work to inspect the various departments. A block of land nearly 4 acres in extent is occupied, and probably the first great advantage in having the factory here is noticeable in the immense lumber piles that are seasoning in the yards. Almost the first requisite in a good piano is that the wood should be properly seasoned, and this can only be secured by exposing the wood for years to the action of the atmosphere in all temperatures. Messrs Williams & Son have facilities in this respect superior to any other concern in Canada, and over 2,000,000 feet of lumber are to be seen in their yards to-day, in addition to that in the building specially devoted to costly veneers.
9After visiting the splendidly equipped engine room, the evolution of the piano from the raw material to the superbly finished parlor ornament was followed up. First came the drying rooms, where the lumber is prepared for cutting up, then the carpenter shops, where the wood is sliced and shaped for the different sections of the instrument; then the gluing, case making and drying rooms, the ivory department, where the keys are made; next, the sounding boards, the stringing and the setting up of the action; then the varnishing and polishing of the case; the final tuning by skilled musicians, and, finally, the packing warehouse, whence the instrument is shipped to the various city warehouses and salesrooms.
11A pleasing feature of the factory is the contented and enthusiastic spirit that seems to prevail among the men. They do their work willingly, and a home like air is given to the place by the boxes and pots of fresh green geraniums that fill the windows. The varnishing room of the factory is the largest in America, being 300×50 feet, and containing 1,000 cases. Altogether there are 300,000 feet of maple flooring in the various buildings, and to keep the place warm there are nine miles of steam piping. One might go on emphasizing the various points in which this factory excels all similar factories in Canada, but space forbids.
13In addition to their capacity for turning out four or five pianos every working day of the year, the Messrs. Williams are building up a grand reputation for pipe organs. They have under way now a large, richly carved, double bank organ for the Colborne Street Methodist Church, Brantford, costing some $3,000, and they are also at work on large organs for Clinton and Chatham churches. Their superintendent of this department had charge of the construction of the immense organ presented to Grace Church, New York, by a wealthy lady member, and is the recognized authority in Canada on organ building. The Toronto warehouse of R. S. Williams & Son is at 143 Yonge street, while there are branch warehouses in London, Hamilton, Kingston, Chatham, St. Thomas and Ottawa.—Canadian Exchange.
15The Great St George Organ.
17THIS organ ranks among the largest of the world. It is built in two divisions, both being playable at the console placed in the chancel, in which are the 75 speaking registers, controlling its 4,737 pipes (the longest being 32 feet), and embracing great variety of both organ and orchestral toned effects.
19The 32, 16 and 8 feet stops, of which there are more than the usual proportion, give the instrument that deep cathedral tone that characterizes this organ, the scales being the same as those in the Westminster Abbey organ. The solo stops possess that individuality and purity of tone which is the result of careful voicing.
21The action is simple in construction, being a combination of the pneumatic and electric systems; it is prompt and easy to touch, although the console is 200 feet distant from the organ.
23The main bellows is in the crypt of the church and automatically controls each organ.
25This grand organ is a marvel of ingenious construction and artistic voicing, forming an enduring monument to the skill of its builders, Messrs. George Jardine & Son, and worthy of its high vocation and the noble edifice it adorns.
27Specifications.
29GREAT ORGAN.
30GALLERY DIVISION.
311. Double open diapason…feet. 16
322. Grand open diapason…feet. 16
333. Open diapason…feet. 16
344. Gamba…feet. 16
355. Stopped diapason…feet. 16
366. Gross quint…feet. 16
377. Grand principal…feet. 16
388. Geigen principal…feet. 4
399. Geigen…feet. 4
4010. Fifteenth…ranks. 3
4111. Mixture…ranks. 3
4212. Sesquialtra…ranks. 3
4313. Trumpet…feet. 8
4414. Clarion…feet. 4
46CHANCEL DIVISION.
471. Double open diapason…feet. 16
482. Open diapason…feet. 16
493. Bell gamba…feet. 8
504. Doppel flute…feet. 8
515. Melodia…feet. 8
526. Harmonic flute…feet. 4
537. Principal…feet. 4
548. Piccolo…feet. 2
559. Cornet…ranks. 3
5610. Cymbal…feet. 4
5711. Cornopean…feet. 8
5812. Vox humana…feet. 8
5913. Tremulant…feet. 8
61SWELL ORGAN.
62GALLERY DIVISION.
631. Bourdon…feet. 16
642. Open diapason…feet. 16
653. Stopped diapason…feet. 16
664. Dulciana…feet. 8
675. Salicional…feet. 8
686. Clarinet…feet. 8
697. Piccolo…feet. 2
708. Cornet…ranks. 3
719. Oboe…feet. 8
73CHANCEL DIVISION.
741. Bourdon…feet. 16
752. Open diapason…feet. 16
763. Dulciana…feet. 8
774. Viol de Gamba…feet. 8
785. Lieblich Gedackt…feet. 8
796. Violine…feet. 4
807. Vienna flute…feet. 4
818. Piccolo…feet. 2
829. Clarinet…feet. 8
8310. Bassoon…feet. 8
8411. Vox Celestis…feet. 4
8512. Campanella…feet. 8
87CHOIR ORGAN.
88(GALLERY DIVISION.)
891. Bourdon…feet. 16
902. Dulciana…feet. 8
913. Viol de Gamba…feet. 8
924. Lieblich Gedackt…feet. 8
935. Violine…feet. 4
946. Vienna flute…feet. 4
957. Piccolo…feet. 2
968. Clarinet…feet. 8
979. Bassoon…feet. 8
9810. Vox Celestis…feet. 4
9911. Campanella…feet. 8
101SOLO ORGAN.
102(GALLERY DIVISION.)
1031. Doppel flute…feet. 8
1042. French horn…feet. 8
1053. Flute harmonique…feet. 4
1064. Quinton…feet. 4
1075. Gems horn…feet. 2
1086. Tuba Mirabilis…feet. 8
1097. Vox Angelica (free reed)…feet. 8
111PEDAL ORGANS.
112GALLERY DIVISION.
1131. Open diapason…feet. 32
1142. Open diapason…feet. 16
1153. Violon…feet. 16
1164. Contra bass…feet. 16
1175. Grand quint…feet. 12
1186. Violoncello…feet. 8
1197. Octave…feet. 4
1208. Sesquialtra…ranks. 3
1219. Trombone…feet. 16
123CHANCEL DIVISION.
1241. Open diapason…feet. 16
1252. Bourdon…feet. 16
1263. Violoncello…feet. 8
128ACCESSORIES.
129GALLERY DIVISION
130Eight couplers, six composition knobs, five combination pedals. (Not electrically connected.)
132CHANCEL DIVISION.
133Four couplers, &c., two pedal movements.
135INTERCHANGEABLE COUPLERS.
1361. Gallery great organ to chancel great organ.
1372. Gallery swell organ to chancel great organ.
1383. Gallery choir organ to chancel great organ.
1394. Gallery solo organ to chancel great organ.
1405. Gallery great organ to chancel swell organ.
1416. Gallery swell organ to chancel swell organ.
1427. Gallery choir organ to chancel swell organ.
1438. Gallery solo organ to chancel swell organ.
1449. Gallery organ to chancel organ.
14510. Gallery organ separation (manuals).
147SUMMARY.
148Total speaking stop, 75; total pipes, 4,737; total accessories and pedal movements, 35.
150Musical Instruments
151[FROM THE REPORT OF CONSUL DAUGHERTY, CALLAO, PERU.]
153THE trade in this line of imports is practically all with Germany, England, Belgium, France and Italy.
155In a list of importations embracing 24 different kinds of instruments those from the United States consist of only 5 music boxes, 1 melodeon, 28 organs and 2 pianos. I may say that the importations of this character are very limited, and that the United States lead in the sale of organs. Germany has imported a great number of pianos, and they undersell the American product in the same way that the German sewing machines undersell the American. The American piano is regarded as a superior instrument, I am told, but the freights and credits cut an important figure here again, and to our disadvantage.
157The duties are very high on this class of goods, ranging as follows: On accordions, 2.40 to 9.60 soles per dozen; on violin bows, 2 soles per dozen; bass drums, 4 soles each; music boxes, 1.60 to 1.41 soles per dozen (the finer class of these pay a duty of 20 soles each); clarinets, 2 to 3.20 soles each; zithers, 4 soles each; flutes, 40 cents to 3.20 soles each; guitars and mandolins, 1.20 soles each; organs, 4 to 40 soles each; pianos, 90 to 1.35 soles each; trombones, 4 soles each; violins, 7.20 per dozen to 8 soles each; violoncellos, 4 soles each.
159POSITION WANTED—By a thoroughly skilled piano maker of executive ability; understands scale drawing, pattern making and piano building in all its branches thoroughly. Address "Piano Maker," care of THE MUSICAL COURIER.
161MALCOLM LOVE PIANOS.
162A High Grade Piano, equal to any!
163MANUFACTURED BY
164WATERLOO ORGAN CO., Waterloo, N. Y.
165We invite correspondence from Dealers in localities where we are not represented.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.