Show i C 1 DEAN OF STAFF AFF j w v IS 18 JOHN JOHNB B. B FEDR FEHR By Dy CLARENCE WILLIAMS S While much has been said about the famous dropping pin episode to demonstrate the tho acoustics of the historic shaped oval-shaped L Lr D D. S S. S tabernacle tabernacle taber taber- i nacle few persons know the name namo of the man who generally is Js master of ceremonies at this important event which takes place several times daily dally for the benefit of at tour tour- is ts I The man John B. B Fehr who celebrated cele I his seventy-eighth seventy birthday May ay 16 also is observing his thirty- thirty fourth year as a worker In the tabernacle tabernacle tabernacle tab tab- this month montii Small in stature but possessed of the tho tolerance of 10 men Mr Fehr was found Friday on the tabernacle I rostrum doing what he started to todo todo todo do 34 years ago drop ago drop pins to best show chow the genius of the Mormon pioneer builders Drops Countless Pins Pin PinI i You wonder how many times this genial little man has dropped pins in the noted structure They are arc countless countIes To demonstrate the fame of ot the acoustics in the tabernacle Mr Fehr first sends his audience to the rear of the tho building feet away Can you ou hear me he softly Whispers His interested spectators Inform him that the they have by raising their hands after alter he asks them if it they heard distinctly Then he drops the pin from froom a distance of only 10 Inches It can be heard so distinctly distinct distinct- ly y that when it is dropped from a standing position it can be heard even on the first bounce To further prove the unsurpassed Acoustic qualities of this unique structure Mr Fehr turns his back toward the audience and whispers again This time ver very faintly after alter which he rubs his hands together His listeners gaze in awe Praise Acoustics The visitors inspired with this demonstration usually tell mo me they have never heard of or a building with such fine acoustics let alone having having hav hav- ing seen one like it it said Mr Fehr Mr Fehr who was born In Schafhausen Schafhausen hausen Switzerland May 16 1859 revealed that he has missed only one semiannual general conference of the church in his 35 years ears In Salt Lake City He was forced to re remain remain remain re- re main away at the tho October 1935 conference conference con con- ference Terence because of ot Illness He lives at Redondo avenue Is a high priest in the Wells Yells ward and is the father of ot 12 children five of whom are living A peek into the attic of ot the egg- egg shaped structure reveals that its huge wooden arches of ot lattice truss construction which are held together er cr with great wooden pegs and binding binding bind bind- ing of ot cowhide are Just as ns steadfast steadfast steadfast stead stead- fast as the day U they ey were put to to- to gether Begun In 1863 The structure was begun in 1863 Men were kept busy getting out timber and sandstone from the mountains east of the city until the building was sufficiently completed for religious services to be held in 1867 The plan of ot the building was drawn Sy by William H H. Folsom and Henry Grow under the direction of the pioneer church leader Brigham Young Mr Grow a bridge builder In Pennsylvania constructed the tabernacle after the Remington patent patent patent pat pat- ent of lattice bridges in which planking and pegs were used Workers were brought from different dif dif- dlf- dlf ferent parts of ot the territory and given employment on the tho building A maximum of men were employed em- em loyed while an average of ot 70 men were engaged in plastering the thelI lI structure which was dedicated August August August Au Au- gust 6 1867 before a tremendous crowd many of whom walked hundreds hune hun hun- e of miles to the ceremonies |