Paul R. Marchesano on March 22nd, 2022:
In an undated pamphlet titled, "The Organ: Concerning the Organ in St. John's Cathedral," we are informed that *The Dean had the opportunity of purchasing from a Methodist church in Camden* [New Jersey] *an old organ of 27 stops, for $1000, which was kindly given by Miss Page. (It is an interesting fact that the freight charge of $670 on this organ of 13,000 pounds, from Philadeplphia to Denver, was $63 more than for bringing the 15 Bells, which weighed 36,806 pounds, from Westphalia.) Ten of these stops were utilized in the new organ.* [Perhaps further research will reveal which Methodist church in Camden, of which there were several, had a 27-stop organ for sale around 1909.] *...In our two Cathedral organs the pressure has been 4½ inches; this produced hardly sufficient sound for so large a building, we therefore have added five more stops on a wind pressure of 15 inches. Each of hte four new stops contains 73 pipes. Stentophon [sic]; Flute Doppel; Violin; Tuba Mirabilis (292 pipes) Pedal Bourdon 30 pipes. The total number of pipes in the organ is 2800.
*The mechanism of the organ is operated by 47 couplers, etc., and there is a Crescendo pedal by which the whole organ can be thrown into action instantly. We were enabled to make this addition by a legacy of $5000, which was bequeathed to us by MIss Virginia Nash, and we now possess an organ which coupled with its environment is hardly surpassed by any in the country and it has only cost us something less than $15,000. The pipes are from the factory of Samuel Pierce & Company of Reading Mass.; the Kinetic blower is from the Kinetic Engineering Company of Philadelphia; and the sound chests which are filled with mechanism which allows wind to enter the pipes when the performer touches the keys, are manufactured by Gottfried of Erie, Pa.* [Larry Burt, who owns the choir chest, states that the Swell, Great, Choir and Pedal chests were built by George Foot; it was the high-pressure chests that were made by Gottfried.] -- from sidebar, 1998 OHS Handbook
[Since it has been determined that the organ acquired from Camden was built by J.C.B. Standbridge, c. 1867 -- see additional note.]
Paul R. Marchesano on March 22nd, 2022:
It is now fairly well determined, from various sources and reports, that the organ (from which 10 ranks of pipes were added to the Foot organ) that the Dean of the cathedral purchased from "a Methodist church in Camden, New Jersey" was the J.C.B. Standbridge organ built for Third Street Methodist Episcopal Church, c. 1867. The organ had been moved to the new building built in 1896, the merged congregation then named "First Methodist Church."
Paul R. Marchesano on March 22nd, 2022:
In Vol. 13, No. 5, the *Boston Organ Club Newsletter* quoted *The Music Trade Review* of 28 November 1908. PIPE ORGAN FOR DENVER CATHEDRAL. With the exception of the pipes, which are machine made, the large organ to be used in the new St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Denver, Colorado, is being built in that city. In their modest little home, 3507 Franklin Street, George T. Foot and his daughter have been working assiduously for the past five months, and unless something unforeseen happens, the instrument will be ready for delivery Janudiy 1, 1910, says the *Denver News* [The cathedral itself was not ready by that date; by the time it was ready, George Foot had moved to Arvada, Colorado.]...
St. John's appears on the opus list of M. P. Möller for Op. 1010 (1911), a "3 -57" indicated as a "rebuild." Larry Burt, who assisted in removing the Foot organ from the Cathedral when the present Kimball was installed, states that only the (drawknob) console and relay were supplied by M. P. Möller, and the Möller contract confirms that. The console had electropneumatic action.
-- from the *1998 OHS Handbook*
Database Manager on October 30th, 2004:
"Console and relay provided by M. P. Möller in 1911 as Op. 1010. Used 10 ranks of pipes from a 27 stop organ purchased from a Methodist Church in Camden, NJ. 4 stops were added on 15" of wind on Gottfried wind chests. Rest of chests by Foote. Removed in 1937."