Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-03-08 | Page 32 | Death [Illegible] Joseph H. Ridges

"sepFTidge builder of the great organ in the Mormon tabernacle, who died in this city yesterday. DEATH SUM JOSEPH m Builder of Famom nacle Organ PjtujBj 0ther Sik CAREER lFlNTEr? Story of How He CoiHS Great Instrumer,tHj Joseph II. liici J5 great organ in the MonnoTB of tho Amelia Ialac, Q0r,TP and many other historic tS Salt Lake City, died la homo, 427 West Third Xor3B the infirmities incidont to oV ing rounded out a career luSP eight years, lacking one moiE' arraugomcnta havo not WR Until three months ...JB had been in his U5ual despite his advanced ajj0 toB interest in the affairs of the past four weeks ho lB grown weaker, but tho co,B peacefully, was not oxpMuc3H Mr. Itidges is survived bH and nine children. ThB iB Mrs. Adelaide fiidges. whfiB aro truest Ridges, if nB hams and Mrs. Addie'B Agatha Pratt Ridges, the sB hns these children liVineiB once Ridges Dean of IdaKotiH Clarabcl Ridges Pike nlB Falls; Milto Kidgcs,' Carpenter, Boatrico PidrB Badges and J. P. Ridges, liH ception of the two (fturifjB Idaho Falls, Tdaho, all niH family arc residents of SaltB Born in England. Mr. Ridgps was a' nativeS near Southampton, nnd'iHI April 7. 1S20. He H tralia in 1S47, and AH later in Sydney he built tta ) organ in that city. HereH converted to the Mormo sailed tor San Pedro, C&lH thero ono winter and then H wostorn desert to Utah brH bringing with him tho orjaH built in Australia and IaterB his church. 'H Arriving in Salt Lake fjjH early '60s, tho organ kilitl gan tho construction of tliaH organ. .iH As to this gTcat work henvl story as he told it brieflrB years ago: When tho construction present labornaclo was vanced, David 0. CalderrtB cr of tho pioncor muskB Salt Lake; was tcachiug.B notation singing in the;J house which stood where tiiB ford apartments now arsiB time cabinet organs had cB comparatively common iH nud music was bocomiue lH tho ascondant. JM Decides Upon Organ. Ahout this time the qtw having a big organ for tH naclo was pretty well iM and it was tho "universal jB that It was absolutely tM that a b'iLr organ should bMB to accompany the clioH thoughts of " President Young wore always in adH tho community. Ono fy that tho tabernacle EhottUjjB big organ which would ciH surato with the beauty iB ness of tho building. Brigham Young sent iorH asked mo if it were t&H build such an organ in him I thought it could M whereupon he asked as preliminary plans. jM Mr. Ridges then yrcn 6JH tho months that ho laboreCB planB, and, when the tim9 actual construction of tne ffjl mont, of gathering around skilled mechanics, none .' 'B ever, had ever worked at OTB ing. Continuing, ho said: ,JH Before proceeding (fT.B work I took a trip to &wB took timo, for there jB roads out west, much cars, Tli ere I purcbWjB wire, thin sheot brass, tm loather to make tno TalJjB for tho keys and other Hfl could not make 'here. Difficulties Are Met. S Great difficulties had iS and surmounted. Thew cal grain pine had to from tho mountains and wero brought in wMB Goorge, n haul of 40 rigM was tho best wood for being free from fJLfjB clear. The great vM tones required tnonsanw w "We wanted iCTmenM I!W of gluo. so wo mado iust outsido tho tahernat on big iron potf, iVJTB hides to chop up and h"TM glue. Wo got them, iot simply died. JB In concluding his nvd(SH of his achievement, J", "I, assisted by soino o chanics in tho wcsU bull I planned it alone. . umB it is true, indeed, tn g lions of persons have J Jfl velcd at and enjoyed ana bv tho tabomaclo 0.T"a'iJM fill if ono listener in JfM thought to or hn'tfyJB history of the modest,- genius who built it- FM