Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1895 — MONEY IN ORGAN GRINDING. [ARTICLE]

MONEY IN ORGAN GRINDING.

Skillful Organ Grinders Make from $5 to $lO a Day. Reliable statistics show that more money is paid to the organ grinders who furnish street music to New Yorkers than is paid for the grand opera season at the Metropolitan Opera House. In fine weather a single organ grinder frequently makes as high a $lO a day, and sometimes the amount he receives exceeds this figure. Two hundred and fifty licenses have been issued in New York this year to organ grinders. The license is $1 a year, and an ordinance passed two yoars ago limits the number of our street musicians to 800. But the law is not very rigidly enforced, and the actual number of organs about town at present far exceeds this number. Like all other professions, that of ihe organ grinder at times sutlers from depression, but on the whole itIs surprisingly profitable. The most profitable audiences are usuallly found in saloons, and next to these the organ grinder prefers the fashionable neighborhoods. The most enthusiastic audionces ure to be found, however, in tho crowded streets on the East side. An enterprising Italian can usually manage to p'ay beforo as many as 800 audiences in a singlo day, and sometimes he plays much oftener. The manufacture of hand organs has also grown into a very important industry. A single piano organ mounted on wheels is sold from $l5O to #250. The organ builder usually rents organs out by the day. It seldom happens that the ambitious musician is at first able to buy an organ for himself. The large organs are rentod out for #1 and the smaller ones for 50 cents a day. A new cylinder of tunes for an organ costs about #lO. The grinder, however, seldom feels called upon to change his repertory. The cheapest organs—thoso which play one or two tunes, such as “Home, Sweet Home ” and "Yankee Doodle”—are usually sold to blind members of the profession, or to the very poor-looking old women who sit all day long in some sheltered doorway. Tho next step in tho procession is to own ono of tho box-like organs which the organ grinder carries about with him. These are usually supplied with a stout stick, which is used as a supporting leg, while the Italian’s two logs complote the tripod. Theso organa mako a vory heavy load to carry about all day, and a more popular form Is the organ mounted on a small wugon. Those aro often made up by using a child’s express or toy wagon. Tho most improved form in hand organ construction is tho regular piano organ mounted on a specially prepared truck. At present the stroet music of New York is supplied entirely by these noisy instruments. About two years ugo a law was passed doing away with all street music. The stroet band disappeared at this time, and so did the familiar organ grinder’s monkey, but public opinion restored the street organ. -» The Italians are a very frugal peoplo, and in time the organ grinder usually accumulates enough money in a short time to buy an organ for himself. After this point is reached tho Italian’s fortune Is practically assured. As in every othor business there are some unsuccessful organ grinders, but the percentage of such is said to be vory small. . In many cases, however, tho organ is used simply as an ox cuso for begging. Tho organs used for this purpose usually play only vory dismal tunos which, it is supposed, will put the pusserby in a proper spirit for almsgiving. In more than ono instanco it has been found that a forlorn looking child has been borrowed to sit beside the organ to ex cite sympathy. Some of the moat profitable organs are those which are decorated with a tin cup at th 9 well known “I am blind" sign In some cases a stock of shoestrings or of lead pencils is added to the outfit.