I have always believed that one of the principal goals of AMICA should
be the active, involved preservation of automatic, roll-operated music
machines.  Certainly what the owners of Knott's Berry Farm are doing in
allowing these museum treasures to sit in the condition they are in,
exposing them to further debasement and vandalism by an uninformed
public, can only be described as a criminal act against the care and
preservation of mechanical music instruments.

I recommend that, as members of the Southern California chapter of
AMICA, we create a petition to present to the owners of Knott's,
reminding them of the historical and artistic importance of these
instruments and informing them that they should either be placed in
storage for future sale or restoration or be put up for immediate sale.

What Knott's is doing is tantamount to leaving a Ming dynasty vase
filled with sand sit outside to be used as a public ashtray.  Wouldn't
it be great to have those machines playing in top condition, with a
card beside the instrument describing the history and use of coin-
operated pianos?  Perhaps a local, qualified Southern California
restorer who is an AMICA member can offer a discount to at least get
them playing.  He could create a description and history card that
includes "for further information contact AMICA" and gives AMICA's web-
site address.

At the very least, let the owners know the irreparable damage that is
being done as those instruments slowly decompose in their non-playing
and ignored state.

Stephen Kent Goodman

  [I'm afraid it is an uphill fight to focus most amusement park oper-
  [ators' attention on non-revenue producing items like band organs.
  [They will spend millions on new thrill rides, but not thousands on
  [organ maintenance ... and an organ is maintenance-intensive machine,
  [if it is played daily for 12 hours or so.  There are exceptions to
  [this blanket indictment; Knoebels Groves, Hershey Park, Kennywood
  [come to mind.  But corporate owners with no family roots in the
  [amusement business are typical culprits.  Why then do they keep the
  [machines?  Window dressing?
  [--Relief Editor