Allmendinger Organ Works

By invitation the local psperg sent representativas to the works of the AUmendinger Organ Co., last Friday afternoon. The object of the inviiation was that our citizens might know more about one of the enlerprises of the city that has thrived here and, for the third time within a few year, ha? outgrown its quarters. The works cover 40 feet on Firstst and 116 feet on Washington-st. The Iront floor is occupied as an office and showroom, being filled wilh pianos and organs of their own ar.d other make?. Next come the tuniog room, which is far too small and not aDapied for the ue that is made of it. The action-room, where the part of the organs are put together, the action put in and made ready for the cuses, is in the rear of the tuning room. In the rear on thJs fljor is the light machine shop, where fine mschine work ie done. B;low this is a room oontaming the heavier machiuery. Oiie machine here hich does a vast atmunt of labor before done by hand, is the inveniion of D. F. Allmendinger. It is called an emory machine, and is for polwhiag off the rough edges. The boiler room and engine house is bult on the rear. A 25 horse-power engine and 35 horse-power boiler are used, and aie of the best make. A dry kün adjoins the engibe room, the capacity beirig about 6,000 feet. On the upper flor.rs are the finishing and varnishin? room", and the cabinet shop where the cases are put together. Everyihing about the uewer portions of the building 8 airangeu for convenience and protection. On each floor an iron door opens iato a flue whioh carries all ihe shavings and waste to the engine loom, thus preventiQg acjidental fires. Stand pipes and plenty of hose are on each fl ior, and thoulii a fire cccur it could be quickly extinuished. The gDwth ol ihe bu-inesshta been remarkable. In 1872 D. F. Alloiendir ger started it, duiug the work iu his house and emjlying one asitant. Most of the wi rk was done by hand, as he dia not have the oopiial to invest in rracliinery. In 1880, he managed to t-rect a portion of the preerlt building, 22 by 42 leet, a;d put in a muil engine and a litile machinery. He gave emplovmpnt then to three er Ibur hnniis. In 1885, he erected the front of the present woiks, and used the upper floor for a show-room. In erecting this part he was fortúnate enouah to pro vide against tire, by building a solid brick wnll between ihe two part, aad thus gaved a heavy loss when the buildings were d'soovered on fire on New Year's night, 87. The business increaed rspidly, and all that wbb needed was more room and capital to make it a stroi g competitor of many older factories. List spri' g a stck C"mpany was orgatiizert, $12,000 of the $25,000 capital .--toek bting paid in. A (hite story brick addition, 48 by 40 feet, was built, and a number of new machines pul in. The woika were started running agnin in Septemoer, and have been rushed ever since. To show that it is a paying investment for capital, nine per cent has heen cleared since the orgamzation of the stock company, although the factory has only been running a few months during (hat time. The company tnake eight different siyles of oigans, and build on an average one complete organ a day. During the past year they have built several piunoe, and ia tone and etyle these compare very favorably with those of other firm. Iq the Works 23 hands are now employed, with D. F. Allmendinger as superintendent Two salesmen are empkiyed on the road in gelling the goods. More room is needed, as is also more capital, and with a Hule financial aid Ann Arbor would have an industry of which it may well be proud.