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Brook Arts Center
2/8 Wurlitzer Theatre Organ
Bound Brook, NJ
Bound Brook Flood
& Wurlitzer
Bound Brook Wurlitzer progress before the hurricane.
more... Flood Part
2
more... Flood Part
3
The hurricane (Floyd) flooded Bound Brook, NJ on
9/16/99 where GSTOS was restoring and installing
a Wurlitzer Pipe Organ.Bound
Brook has been on national TV news since Thursday
because of massive flooding from the recent
hurricane. The water level at the theatre was
as high as 18 feet above street level by some
news reports.
The entire city was closed and surrounded by the
National Guard. The water level was around 5
feet higher than the backstage door. The theatre
was flooded, all the seats submerged. Oddly,
the theatre's main glass doors were not broken
by the water and the theatre still had electricity
and an alarm system.
Certain parts of the organ were already installed in
the Solo chamber (3-rank chest, offsets, xylo,
chimes, toys, 4 regulators). Most likely (fingers
crossed) these were above the water level. The
rest of the organ, which was in the work area
backstage (console, 5-rank chest, main regulator,
all pipes wood and metal, and tuned percussion)
was under water. We are assuming the all wood
pipes have come apart. The newly rebuilt and
releathered 5-rank chest just
finished was also covered with water and
in pieces.
The newly refinished
console top floated around the lobby and
ended up next to a Gulbransen organ 40 feet
away. The base was in place but the platform
floated away. The new finish on the console
helped protect it from extensive water damage
even though the pneumatics are lost. The manuals
were being adjusted at a location outside of
the theatre. Both blowers were under 10 feet
of water.
This organ loss comes at the worse possible time.
The organ crew of around 18 people have been
working on the organ for just over 2 years and
all major parts of the organ were rebuilt the
week before the flood and ready to go into the
chambers. We were going to start moving the
final parts of the Solo chamber in the week
of 9/16/99, connecting the relay wiring, and
start moving the main chamber parts up in about
4-5 weeks.
Pictures
Wed 9/22/99 (click on them for a larger version)
In the theatre looking toward the main
chamber & Allen organ on the platform. |
Backstage work and storage area.
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Joe puts large reed resonators on seats
so they can dry and drain. |
Remains of the newly rebuilt main regulator.
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Water level in theatre just below the
Solo chamber floor. |
Buckets of brown goo on everything.
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Whats a little more clean water to wash
the pedals ? |
Carole, Joe, and Bob washing the console.
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Don't turn the blower on with the mud
in it !
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The console fared well because of Bob's
awesome console refinishing work. |
Cleaning stuff off of the vox.
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We were going to clean pipes next month
for chamber installation, so this is happening
early. |
more...
Flood Part 2
more... Flood Part
3
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