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Hello, everyone.  My name is Michael Roseboom, and I'm located in
Binghamton, New York.  I have been interested in automatic musical
instruments since I was a kid and have been a member of MBSI East
Coast Chapter for about ten years now.

I and several other individuals in the Binghamton area are forming
a local organization dedicated to theater organs and their music
as well as automatic musical instruments.  Our area has several
connections with both.  The Automatic Musical Company as well as the
Link Piano and Organ Company were once located here, as you all know.

We have six Allan Herschell carousels in Broome County; the two in
Binghamton still have their original Wurlitzer band organs on them
(146-A and 146-B, respectively).  Of course, two of the most well-known
mechanical music enthusiasts, Harvey and Marion Roehl, as well as their
Vestal Press, were located in nearby Vestal, New York.  Last, but not
least, we have two fine theater organs: a 3/18 Link organ in the
Roberson Museum and Science Center, and a 4/24 Robert Morton organ in
the Forum Theater.

The Link organ was once located in the Capitol Theater in Binghamton.
It was removed in the 1960's just prior to the theater's demolition
and installed in the Roberson Museum by Edwin A. Link himself.  It
was used occasionally up to about ten years ago.  Members of our group
started the restoration process about five months ago, and much still
needs to be done.  However,  the instrument is definitely playable.
Our group put on a concert and showed a silent film last month using
this rare instrument.  We had about 170 people in attendance.  The
organ itself has a roll-playing mechanism that was added later and
which uses Wurlitzer organ rolls.  We have about 65 of these rolls,
most of which are in fairly good condition.

The Morton organ was originally used in the America Theater in Denver
until it was removed in 1930 and installed in the Pillar of Fire Church
in Denver.  The church used it until about 1970, when it was removed by
a speculator, who transported the instrument to Michigan and stored it
in a chicken coop!  The Trustees of the Binghamton Savings Bank were at
this time looking for a theater organ to install in the Forum Theater
as a gift to the community.  In 1975 they sent out organ buffs to
locate the Morton and transport it to Binghamton and install it in the
Forum.  The organ was restored over the next few years and dedicated
in 1978.

We will be involved with the ongoing maintenance and preservation of
these two treasures, as well as the restoration and maintenance of the
Wurlitzer band organs on the Binghamton carousels.  Also, there is a
Link Style R coin piano in the Roberson Museum that came out of Harvey
Roehl's collection and which also needs to be restored and maintained;
we will be involved with this machine as well.

Finally, one of our members is planning on eventually opening up
a mechanical music museum in the Binghamton area.  He bought three
of Harvey Roehl's machines and is in the process of purchasing more
instruments.  He plans on creating a museum similar to the Musical
Museum of Deansboro (whoa, do I miss that place!)  Our group will
assist him in his endeavors.

If you would like more information about our club, of which I am
Membership Chairman,  please contact me at (607) 797-7947.

It doesn't get any better than this!

Michael Roseboom
Binghamton, New York