The Portland daily press., 1871-12-30
The Portland uaud.


of 1910, and the adoption of brass instrument
instead of those of a mixed character AT
regular meeting on the 18th of February Tin
othy ID. Burnham was chosen leader, and Eel
iel d. Cannon, Secretary; and subsequently
code of bylaws was adopted and some ne,
members admitted. The headquarters of tn
Band at that time were in Haymarket Row, op
posite Old City Hail. We make an extrac
from the Secretary's record: tEH
april 6-Met at o'clock, and after playin,
some time to our edificatiOn and that of small
audience, we brought forth the Constitution
and Laws for signature, which was accordingl,
complied with.
May 4th, engaged to play for the Portland
Light Infantry, but the weather being unfavor
able the parade was adjourned to the 9th. Thi,
we presume was MAY training
| Nag 25.-Met according to adiournment, and
after playing awhile dissolved ourselves in
'royal pop to meet at City Hall, if it is not en-.
gagged on Monday evening, 18th inst.
June AT rather late hour we assembled
when letter was presented from William NJ
Prior, requesting his discharge from the Band
without stating reasons. Voted that when he
| pays what is due the Band in fines from him,
he may go to the ID or assist Bill Miller.
We do not understand the significance of the
last expression, but it is evident that the men
bers of the Band were inclined to treat such i'm
portant subjects as this with unseemly leyity
Dec. 21.-Fired up as usual and after calling
the roll and filming some delinquents, proceeded
| to play and had very good rehearsal. -Ad-
| journed after voting to assess the members 30
| cents each to buy coal Received 1888.
AT the annual meeting, Jan. 4, 1S4l, Messrs
Burnham and Cannon were reelected Leader
and Secretary, and William Richards, Simeon
Higgins and James B. Newhall were chosen
| Directors.
| The records during the following summer note
several engagements with the Infantry, the
Blues and the old Artillery company, and there
was little competition and strategy en-
ployed by the companies at times to secure the
services of the Band. On the 10th of May it
was voted that 'any member who shall get in
toxicated while ON duty shall forfeit his pay for
that engagement, and if the offense be repeated
he shall forfeit his membership measure
adopted more in consonance with the sentiment
OF the Washingtonian movement then going
on than corrective of any existing evil in the
organization, we presume
On the 9th of December, Erastus Knight,
Joshua R. Harmon, Cyrus L. Curtis and L. W.
Bradley were admitted to membership. At the
Bradley was chosen leader, in place of Burn
ham, and e. ID. Cannon reelected Secretary
and the Secretary was allowed 3 per cent. on
all money collected by him. 1t was also voted
to dispense with clarionets entirely.
Some time during the year 1871 Alonzo Ora
per came here from Boston and opened band
school, the effect of which was beneficial to this
organization, we should judge, for soon after
it closed it is recorded that French horns were
dispensed with, and the Band gradually chang
ed entirely to brass instruments; the records are
more regularly kept; rehearsals were more fire.
quent, and some action was taken ia regard
to uniform caps. On the Sd of May, 1912, the
Band appeared in full uniform with the Blues)
land played with much acceptance as brass
band Received 50 (each) for our services"
May II, 1842.-Played for the celebation
WashingtoniaD according to agreement, but
were found fault with because we would not
give them one half the amount of our services,
which saw ftto do, and consequently gave
Mr. l.. Gooding, ir. ,one dollar for the Washing
tonians. 0 % N@M
The next engagement was for the Rifle Corps
anniversary on the 18th of june.
In January, 1s43, the Band removed their
headquarters to the ward room of Ward 5, cor
ner of Spring and South streets: Ezekiel York
was chosen Leader, vice Bradley, who declined
a reelection. eltaisi .sg4A 2 $3.50 5at
On the 18th of January the first public con-
cert of the Band that we have any record of
Though we believe others had been given preyi-
ously) was given. The audience numbered
about 600 which was large for those days, and
the net proceeds were $33.O3. Three days after
the Band Voted to make concert tour to the
Mr hon NJ
of the stage line, furnishing transportation
The best version of this remarkable profession
al trip is found in Gammon's records, and we
copy entire.
Monday, Jan. 23d, 1s4s.-Ieft this morning
for North Yarmouth, where l arrived at fifteen
minutes before 10 O clock Obtained the use of
the Universalist meeting house for our concert
(all other houses being refused u.s. AT o'clock
the rest of the squad, eleven in number, arrived
at Mr.. Gray's, our headquarters.
Receipts at Concert. 1918
Expenses. .............."..... $50
.ii Net proceeds. -. S3.oo
Bath, Jan. 24-At o'clock started with all
hands for Bath where we arrived about O. clock
A. M. 1t being still morning, and Millerism
prevailing, the people thought the second COM
ing had arrived when we played into the village
on top of the coach. will now state and re-
cord fact which think is not on record be-
fore, of Universalist Society refusing their
house for a concert, which we can pass to the
credit of Dick Smith, one of the committee.
We finally had the use of Mechanics Hall
very small + i..5. -.togo .aileIi,
Receipts at Concert ..............$ $50
Expenses. ... ........................... 1900
Out of funds. :. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SALT
Jan. 25.-At 5 o'clock we packed instruments
and started for Gardiner, merely touching at
Cathance, and arrived at Gardiner at 10 o'clock
A. M. Put up with Mr. Rogers. He being
away from home it made some difference with
our affairs. Had Town Hail.
Proceeds of concert. ............$ $40
Expenses. .ll.oo.
Out Of funds. Observation-Disclosures. 4S
Jan. 26.-Embarked for Hallowell, and with
out any accident arrived at the Hallowell House
at 81 o'clock A. M. After discharging our load
proceeded to business After some trouble we
obtained the use of Town Hall.
Proceeds Of concert. ..................S2 7.53
Expenses. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1850
Net .SuO3
JAM 27.-Left Hallowell at clock and pro-
ceeded to Augusta, where we were received
with open arms by our friend Hutchins of the
Augusta House, and others, not forgetting S. S.
Brick and Racklyft On inquiry were informed
that through fear of imposition we were refused
the use of Representatives Hail. and as the an
niversary ball of the Augusta Rifle Grays was
to take place that evening we were politely in
vited to postpone our concert and attend the
ball, which we accepted, and splendid ball it
was. We then on Saturday evening gave our
concert at the same hall where the ball was
held, viz, Augusta House Hall During the
performance We were requested by Gen. (Alfred)
Redington and some of our Representative OPP
posers to remain until Monday and they would
| try and get us the use of the House, which they
| effected and in the evening we held forth to a
very large and respectful audience and disap-
pointed the REPS"
Proceeds of the concert. ...............S 63,27
Expenses. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1850
Sunday, 29h.-Attended the Universalist
Church in the afternoon and played in the gal
lery with the choir; and being persuaded by
several gentlemen to go by way of Belfast to
Bangor, we concluded to go, after repeating our
concert at Hallowell by request on Tuesday eve
ming. On said morning we assembled again at
Mr. Hodges; could get no house but the hall
attached to his house. 81 l.}.la .rtf
Proceeds of concert. ,..,...,........S 3.21
Out Of pocket Observation-Disclosures 10.79
The writer distinctly remembers the visit Of
the Band to Augusta. The Augusta Rifle Grays
was the crack company of the Kennebec val
lev and had in its ranks some of the wealthies
and most energetic young men of the Capital
many of whom, now living there, are among
the grey-bearded fathers of the town. 1t had
splendid uniform of grey with black trimming
and the men were armed with the finest rifle
we ever saw. The novel idea, of a mlitar,
band in the singing seats called out an ex
tremely large audience and we shall never for