Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-25
MUSICIANS FOR THE ARMY.
The Inducement That Uncle Sam Holds
Out to Them-SOme Drawbacks,

The following advertisement, says the
New York San, was printed in a news
paper recently:
WANTED-For the United States Army,
w competent band musicians. Apply to
| Superintendent General Recruiting Service,
Army Building, New York city, or in person
or y,letter to the nearest recruiting officer.
Col. Shafter of the First Infantry is
| Superintendent of the General Recruiting
Service. "GoOd musicians are always
wanted in the army" Col. Shafter said.
''but as there are forty-fye bands in the
regular service, with twenty musicians
in each band, and ninety-four vacancies
out of the 900, we thought we would make
an extra effort. l see the advertisement
you have is in English. a funny thing
happened in connection with the adver-
tisement we put into a German news
paper. l wrote it in English, and it was
| translated into German to read that we
wanted whole band. A band master
called on me and offered his entire band.
What we want is 26 comets, 20 clariOnets,
s baritone horns, alto, bass, A slide from
| bones, piccOlOs, D snare drummers, 1
bass drummer, 3 trOmbOnes, and tubas.
Notices to that effect are posted at all the
recruiting stations all over the Union"
"What musicians are the hardest to
get?0
difficult to play, and cOrnet player can
earn good salary anywhere. Clarionets
come next
wv hat inducement can you hold out to
a good musician, one who makes So or
more day to enter the service p
II shouldn't think a musician earning
that amount of money would enlist. One,
thing, musicians seem addicted to marry
ing, and we cannot take married men. 1t
is quiet life usually. When not on duty
the musicians play ball, read in the read
ing room, and out in the Western country
they get mules and a wagon to go fishing
almost whenever they choose to go. The
term of service is five years, and the pay
is from $13 a month for privates to S22 for
the principal musician, the band master
In addition to this, when the musician is
discharged he gets an extra lump sum at
the rate of 81 month for 8 years. service,
s. month for years service, and SO a
month for years. service. Then, when
he is discharged, he receives a days paw
and days ratlons for every twenty miles
he has to travel to get back to the place
where he enlisted. That is a queer old
law coming down from 1912, when it was
supposed that a man would have to walk
home, a0 means Of communication were
few in those days, and it was calculated
that soldier would walk twenty miles
day in making the journey. Besides this,
the discharged musician, if he has been
careful of his uniform, can draw $50 or
more clothing money, which has accumu-
lated to his credit. Then, in the service.
ratiOns, clothing, and medical attendance
are paid for by the government. Alto
gether, careful man, if he doesn't spend
too much money on whisky and tobacco.
will have in five years over 81, 900. EX-
perience shows, however, that he usually
saves from 5000 to 800 in that time. MusI-
clans have no extra duty, as soldiers
have, and when they are asked to do
they make as much fuss as though they
were going to meet the enemy. If they
are injured in the service they, can either
draw pension or go to the Soldiers
Home in Washington. Add to this the
beautiful uniforms that are bought for
them. The extra money for the fuss and
feathers comes out Of the officers pockets.
The government pays only for ordinary
clothing"
''Are musicians at military posts al
lowed to furnish music for balls and
parties and public performances"
''The practice is discouraged but not
forbidden. 1t used to be quite the thing
for military bands to play in public that
way, but occasionally local musical So
cieties sent to Washington bitter COM
plants that the musicians cut under the
market price. They could afford to do it,
of course, as it was clear gain to them.
Several years ago. when my regiment was
in San Antonio, Texas, my band used to
go to the springs and play for money. A
German band complained to Gen. Sher-
man, and he said be couldn't see any
harm in a poor musician picking up an
honest penny. So the thing went on. 1t
is all changed now, and post command
ants are instructed to discourage bands
from playing outside. The fact is, the
men are demoralized by it,"
''Where are the musicians who apply
examined as to their proficiency ?'
''In this neighborhood, on David's
Island. Inland, the officers pick out a good
musician to do the work"