St. Charles Preparatory School
Columbus, OH
2/9 Kilgen
Opus 3721 - 1926

Other Photos of the Organ

Click on the photo to see a larger image

	Tucked away in a small room just outside the pipe chamber is the blower for this organ. This is the original blower built by the B.F. Blower Company of Fond du Lac, WI., and was likely refurbished by Peebles Herzog when the organ was rebuilt in 2001.
	This very cool photo shows information about the rotation of the blower's blades, and the technical specifications of the blower itself. It shows that it generates 5" of wind pressure which is a little high for a church organ (most church organs are on 3" of wind pressure), but probably common for the time period which this was built. According to the book "The Encyclopedia of the American Theater Organ", B.F. Blower Co.'s largest customer was Kilgen.
	Just to the right of the blower is this old Emerson motor. It doesn't appear to have been directly connected to the blower, but drawings of other blowers by this manufacturer show a motor at either end of the blower. However, judging by the less than ideal wiring, it's good it does not appear to be connected to anything anymore!
	While there is nothing special about the function of an electric junction box, I thought the old black GE junction box deserved a mention on the web page. Definitely something not commonly seen anymore.

The three photos above show how the builder has marked in a variety of ways that this organ has the opus number 3721. On the left is a cross-beam support of the Bourdon rank, the center photo shows the pipe rack for the Bourdon rank stenciled with the opus number, and finally on the right is the largest pipe of the Bourdon rank (and of the organ). Other pipe racks in the organ also have "3721" written on them. As mentioned on the opening page, Kilgen opus 3721 places the build date of this instrument at 1926.

	Here we see one of the two main wind chests in the organ. Someone has prominently marked that this organ is under 5" of wind pressure! Barely visible on the side between the springs is a stencil which says "KILGEN ORGAN NO. 3721".
	This photo shows the expression or swell shades for the chamber. All of the pipes for this organ are behind the shades. Some organists prefer an instrument which is entirely under expression in a single chamber such as this organ, others prefer to have everything under expression but with each division in its own chamber thus separate sets of swell shades (and expression pedals on the console), and still others prefer to have an unenclosed division or divisions (Great) as well as a division under expression (Swell and/or Choir). Each configuration has its pros and cons. Instruments built during the early part of the 1900s were often entirely under expression.
	The facade for this organ is simply decorative. These pipes, which appear to be fully functioning, are "dummy pipes" and do not speak. Their sole purpose is to cover up the ugly black expression shades and opening of the pipe chamber.

---