A portrait of Charles E. Bard, manufacturer of player action pianos, who in 1917 decided to move his factory from Harrisburg to the second and third floors of the Weaver Building at 47 South Market Street, Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Bard claimed he had signed a five-year deal with a company that had agreed to purchase the entire production output of thirty player actions per week.
The Elizabethville Echo of 4 January 1917 announced the new enterprise for the town:
Piano Player Factory for Elizabethville
For several months efforts have been made to secure another industry for our borough, and through the efforts of G. Fred Gaupp, I. S. Daniel, I. T. Buffington and Richard Weaver, an institution which will employ quite a number of mechanics has been induced to locate here.
In fact the machinery for the Charles E. Bard and Company, the Player Action manufacturers who are moving their factory from Harrisburg to this town, has arrived and will be unloaded and moved to the two upper floors of the Weaver Building. Mr. Charles E. Bard and wife, with two expert player mechanics, Mr. C. Kaminsheff and Mr. Alex Polomashmoff arrived on Sunday night and the latter has already rented a house, the family being expected here this week. There are several more of the expert help to follow.
The work of getting the building in shape has been in progress for several days, A new elevator is to be installed, wiring to be done, as a considerable amount of carpenter work to be completed.
The president of the company, Mr. Bard, states that the company already has a contract with an Eastern Company who contracted to use the entire output of the factory for a period of five years. This contract calls for a minimum of thirty player actions per week.
Quite a number of our citizens have become financially interested in Charles E. Bard & Company and with one exception the Directors are residents of Elizabethville.
The Company will employ about thirty people and our home people will be employed whenever possible but it will be necessary to bring some of the help here.
The power of the factory will all be electric and each machine will have an individual motor. The work in this factory requires a light, clean building and the Weaver Building was chosen on account of its many advantages. It is expected that the factory will be in full operation by February 1st.
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According to the Elizabethville Sesquicentennial Book, “some pianos were made for several months, but plans were miscarried and by November the same year the machinery was removed and on Saturday, June 15, 1918, the office furniture and remainder of the property were sold at public sale.”
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Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.