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To Tiffany & Company
| Messr Tiffany & Co
Gentlemen, |
9 Dec. 79. |
I should like to place under the floor of a Summer House now building on the Capitol Grounds at Washington a small carillon of sufficient power to be heard only some 20 or 30 yards away. It should be set to play a few simple airs, should be strong and enduring; not liable to get out of order or be injured by rust or frost. I would arrange to have it worked by water power at intervals, having the discharge of a drinking fountain to dispose of.
Will you please inform me if you have anything likely to answer my purpose? If not, do you think that it could probably be found ready made in Europe? If not could you have it made to order? I should not require it for three months to come, and could wait if necessary nine months. I shall be glad to have advice as to probable cost &c.
| Tiffany & Co. Mr Gray, |
16th Dec. 1879. |
One other desideratum occurs to me which it may be as well to have in view in devising the chimes for Capitol Grounds. Suppose the barrel is adapted to a single “change” upon 8 or 9 notes, to be repeated say seven times and followed by silence for an equal period of time. It would be desirable that it should be hardly distinguishable at first, and only heard in full force the fourth time, rising gradually and then dying out or lost in the tinkle of the waters. The simplest way to accomplish this that occurs to me would be to place the chimes in a box, with close fitting lids top and bottom. At first they [432] would be closed, then the lower lid gradually drawn out thru the upper. The operation afterwards reversed. This to be done by the clock-work if clock work is used.