Elroy "Cy" Hewitt
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and did odd jobs. One of the king pins of the company, I forget his name, but Haskell is a name which sticks in my mind,
took a liking to Dad. He began allowing Dad to learn how to build pipe organs.
"Dad began working full time for Estey [in 1916] from that time on until Estey closed in 1958. There was a hiatus when Estey's
was in bankruptcy about 1932 or '32. Dad resumed working for Estey's again when the company began again.
"One of the organs he installed in New York City was in The Church of the Blessed Sacrament. That was a big organ with
a stop which had 32’ pipes. He told me that the only way that stop could be tuned was by counting the vibrations as the pipes spoke.
After the organ had been installed the Estey crew set about the final process of tuning the organ. Dad was at the top of a pipe in that stop, adjusting the stopper. Ray Livingston was at the mouth adjusting the beard. One of the Swedish employees was at the console.
Just as the tone was adjudged to be “O.K.” they suddenly heard a “bloob, bloob, bloob”. The Swede let loose with choice words,
both in Swedish and English. Ray looked into the mouth to see a pair of human feet! Dad had fallen the full length of the pipe!
A block and tackle was used to pull Dad out!
"In his career he helped to
install pipe organs in Henry Ford’s home, Thomas Edison’s home, Horace
Dodge’s home.
During the time of installing a pipe organ in a church in Princeton, N. J., Dad met Albert Einstein who visited the church
because he was interested in seeing and hearing that most magnificent instrument.
"Dad also installed an organ in a yacht. Due to the fact that the job could not be finished in time for the owner to set sail,
the owner took the crew with him on the cruise. A day or two out of New York City the yacht met up with a hurricane.
Heavy winds and rain blew and splashed into the yacht, ruined the organ. Upon the return to port Dad hailed a black fellow
driving a wagon and team. Dad asked him if he would like some firewood. The ruined organ was dumped into the wagon,
much to the teamster’s appreciation.
" One organ, which went to Panama had to have all the wooden pipes made from teak wood so that termites would not eat them.
Dad had an interesting experience voicing those pipes."
During the time of installing a pipe organ in a church in Princeton, N. J., Dad met Albert Einstein who visited the church
because he was interested in seeing and hearing that most magnificent instrument.
"Dad also installed an organ in a yacht. Due to the fact that the job could not be finished in time for the owner to set sail,
the owner took the crew with him on the cruise. A day or two out of New York City the yacht met up with a hurricane.
Heavy winds and rain blew and splashed into the yacht, ruined the organ. Upon the return to port Dad hailed a black fellow
driving a wagon and team. Dad asked him if he would like some firewood. The ruined organ was dumped into the wagon,
much to the teamster’s appreciation.
" One organ, which went to Panama had to have all the wooden pipes made from teak wood so that termites would not eat them.
Dad had an interesting experience voicing those pipes."
--Recollections of V. Dana
Allison (daughter)
 "Sledding" a console to the balcony at age 66. |
 Loading pipes on Cy's
boat trailer at John Wessel's house in Brattleboro. |
 Tuning pipes in the organ
chamber.
|
 At the voicing machine in
the Estey factory. |