MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS— THE ORGAN. 637 



bodied, and believing himself capable of contributing to its per- 

 fection, Roosevelt entered the sphere of organ-building with love 

 for the art, personal genius, and money to back up his ambition. 

 Though cut off prematurely in 1889, he had succeeded in winning 

 fame as an inventor and builder of the highest character. The 

 instrument designated alone proves the capabilities of the house 

 and the value of the mechanical and scientific principles which 

 Roosevelt developed and helped to put into practical effect. 

 Among his numerous innovations, which created considerable 

 interest and discussion, was his arrangement of the swell effect. 

 For instance, in a two-manual instrument of ordinary dimensions 

 and capacity he inclosed all the pij)es in a swell-box of his own 

 construction and design, which enabled the executant to produce 

 better nuances leading frova foHe to piano, or vice versa; at least, 

 the champions of the Roosevelt system asserted these claims, 

 while there was also a strong opposition among organists to that 

 method of construction. I think, however, that the Roosevelt 

 system will prove a valuable feature in time; at present it is 

 somewhat immature and crude. Mr. Roosevelt also carried the 

 principle into the region of three and four manual instruments. 

 In the latter almost all the total register of tones can be brought 

 under the influence of the swell at pleasure. This is accom- 

 plished by inclosing the various organs, solo, etc., constituting 

 the abstract instrument, in separate swell-boxes, part of the grand 

 organ being also partly inclosed. Apart from his original de- 

 parture in the swell movement, Mr. Roosevelt introduced several 

 notable improvements in the action of his three or four manual 

 instruments. In the application of electricity and pneumatics to 

 the instrument as well as in the region of tones this maker further 

 displayed his remarkable ability. The Auditorium organ is an 

 eloquent illustration of Roosevelt's capacity; the Garden City 

 Cathedral instrument is another magnificent example of what the 

 Roosevelt shop was and is capable of accomplishing. Though the 

 late Mr. Roosevelt was the genius of the house he founded, the 

 business is still carried on with success on the lines he laid down. 



Johnson & Sons, of Westfield, Mass., are known as capable 

 and progressive makers, destined through their past work to 

 reach a high position in the future. William A. Johnson, the 

 head of the business, has brought forth many inventions of value. 

 In the region of voicing — a most important function — his son, W. 

 M. Johnson, is regarded as an expert of the first order. Hutch- 

 ings, Plaisted & Co., another Boston firm, have won considerable 

 notice for their instruments within the past twenty years, many 

 of which contain improvements of value, and are found in lead- 

 ing churches throughout the country. 



The general principles of the Jardine Tabernacle organ shown 



