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According to the Brittanica, a calliope is described as
a steam-whistle musical organ with a loud, shrill sound
audible miles away; it is used to attract attention for
circuses and fairs. It was invented in the United States
about 1850 by A.S. Denny and patented in 1855 by Joshua
C. Stoddard.
The calliope consists of a boiler that forces steam through
a set of whistle pipes. Either a keyboard or a pinned cylinder
(like that of a barrel organ or music box) controls the
entry of steam into the proper pipes.
Water is heated to produce steam in the boiler
by burning wood in the fire box. The steam whistles, controlled
by a keyboard similar to that on an organ, produce very
loud music. Calliopes were used on the Mississippi steamboats
during the 19th century and also by the circus to attract
the curious.
The steam calliope, found special favor on steamboats
for announcing the arrival of the boat. When used in other
applications such as the circus, a separate boiler was required
to generate the steam. With a good head of steam, they could
be heard for miles! |
