Great Fortunes, and How They Were Made

JONAS CHICKERING.

The largest building in the United States--The Chickering piano factory--Birth of Jonas Chickering--Early love of music--Is apprenticed to a cabinet-maker--Is employed to repair a piano--Succeeds in the undertaking--Consequence of this success--Becomes a piano-maker--Removes to Boston--Is employed as a journeyman--The labor of his life--His patience and skill--Is known as the best workman in the establishment--History of the piano--Chickering's first discovery--His hope of success based on intelligence--Becomes a master of the theory of sound--His studies and their result--Makes an improvement in the framing of pianos--Invents the circular scale for square pianos--Generously makes his invention free--A noble gift to the world--His business operations--Increase in the demand for his instruments--Death of Captain Mackay--Mr. Chickering undertakes the sole charge of his affairs--Fears of his friends--Magnitude of the business--The lawyer's question answered--The mortgages