St. Paul daily globe., 1886-02-08
ITs srEvER JUeILEE.
The Harmonic SHcfety Celebrates its
Twenty-fifah Anniversary.

method, the Harmonic society laSJ evening
celebrated its twenty-ffth birthday.
quarter of a century is a great age for any
Minneapolis institution to have attained, for
the CITY itself is but little above that age,
and in the history of the Harmonic society
is written the history of the Flour city.
Twenty-Five years ago. when the West
side was mere hamlet, the Germans met
at the residence of NJ. Ferrant, on First
street north, between Nineteenth and
Twentieth avenues, and organized
the Harmonic society. Their names were
Heinrich Rippe. Anton Grethen. Wilhelm
Lorenz, Alois Knoblanch, Frederick Gus
mer, Cornelius Friedrichs, Michaelius
Pierro, Joseph Meier, Peter Rosbach and
Heinrich Grethen. OF these ten persons.
only four are remaining to participate in
last nights jubilee or silver anniversary.
They were Mr.. Pierro. Anton Grethen, II.
Ripe and Wilhelm LorenZ. The oldest
German organization in Minneapolis, the
Harmonic embraces in its membership all
of the leading Teutons OF the city and
great many native Americans who affiliate
with our German cousins and delight in
their society. From ten, the society has
grown to a membership of 200 and the
possession of the handsome hall. finished
two years ago. at the corner of Second
avenue and South Third street, and wortA
at least 800, 600.
The history of the society, related in
neat pamphlet issued last evening is an
interesting one. For four years after the
first meeting the society met at the houses
of members and rehearsed the music so
dear to the German heart In 1865 the
society purchased the hail on First avenue
north and Second street, which was for
many years the only place of amusement in
81. T.. 4 "a 4 4t,.,,
ent commodious structure erected. AlOs
Knoblanch was the first president, serving
two four-vear terms and two haif-year
terms. Other presidents were as follows:
Peter Raven, DIR. A. Ortman, Henry Os-
wald, John VanderhOock. John Weinard,
Henry Oswald George HUM, q. (. Huber,
Ernst Bochner, Frank Wacks and john
d. Meyer. Most of these served more
than one term and several were three times
chosen. The tTeasurer's books on Jan. 1
showed receipts amounting to S67, ,6SO 4S
and disbursements $50. s68. l5, leaving q
balance of $50, 7G2. 80. The present officers
are as follows:
President-Peter Raven.
Vice observation-disclosures Zeider.
Corresponding Secretary Richard F.
Schmidt.
Financial Secretary-F w Dreger.
Treasurer-Julius Crosse.
Marshal-John y. Noel.
Council-George Huhn, John Wittmer Ed
mund Eichhorn, Frederick Won Scheiegel.
Singing Section Committee-Max Hirsch-
feld and Richard Stempf
Honorary Committee-Dr. A. Ortman.
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
-Four hundred ladies and gentlemen, the
flower of Minneapolis German society. as
sembled in the main auditorium last even
ing, to assist in the quaTter-centennial cele-
bratiOn. Quite a number of invited guests
were present, including several from st.
Paul. At O'clock the long tables were
spread and the first pleasant feature of the
anniversary began. Max Hirschfeld occu-
pied theshead of the central table. and Off
ciated as master of ceremonies and toast
master. When the guests were seated
President Rauen i'm brief address made
them welcome. Chris Bache had prepared
very neat and tempting menu. in the
course of the consumption of which the
toasts were proposed and the responses
made. These were nearly all in German.
but the TeutOnic orator is so expressive
that the few English-speaking guests had
no difficulty in following the thread of the
discourse The venerable DIR. Ortman re-
sponded to the first toast, The Pioneers of
Harmonic, referring most feelingly to the
days gone by, and then assuming jubilant
strain as he dwelled on the pres
ent pleasing prospects of the society.
After this, as after all toasts the DanZ or
chestra in the gallery rendered most delight
full music. Samuel Hill, the rising young
jurst responded to The City of Minneapo-
lis. His German was immaculate, and the
applause which followed him hearty in the
extreme. He traced the history of the city
and that of the society and drew a pretty
parallel. OF course he dilated on the
on the growth and prosperity of Minneap-
oils, attributing not little, and justly, too,
to her German-American population.
G. A. Ebert, who is a natural orator of
great ability, responded to the toast Our
Adopted Country, showing how TIE
Germans had embraced the land of the
free, fostered and encouraged its institu-
tions and yet retained and inculcated the
best of their own ideas and customs The
orchestra played Star Spangled Banner
when he concluded. Vaterland was
ably responded to by R. F.. Schmidt, who
drew several charming pictures of the Rhine
country. and referred most feelingly to the
tender ties which bound every German t.
his native land. The orchestra played ''Dit
Wacht am Rhein," when he concluded anC
the assemblage. with one accord, joined il
the stirring anthem.
HE WAS UNDERSTOOD.
EX-Mayor A. A. AmeS made the first ad
dress in English, but, as he said, he haC
not an auditor but could easily and 1uently
command both languages. German-Ameri
cans was the toast, and the orator paid {
glowing tribute to the sturdy race which
played so well its important part in the his
tory of America and was so inseparably
connected with its institutions. He re-
sented the assertion, sometimes made
that the German race was given
to indulgence, and declared hi
blessed the race as the pioneers of Iiberality
AS physician, he knew they educated
mind and body together; consequently. the,
were long lived. AS examples of this. ht
cited Emperor William, who will be s.
next November; Bismarck, who will bt
II on April l, and Won Moltke, who will
have reached sc on Oct. 26. With tribute
to German energy, thrift and enterprise. h,
closed an address that was received will
hearty cheers.
DR.. A. l.. Hinsch closed the regular pro
gram by tuning his Tyre to the response t.
the toast, 1.-The Ladies'" 1t was graceful
complimentary and humorous, and was re-
ceived with great acclaim. County Attor
ney +. F. Davis was called upon and il
one of the best after dinner speeche
of the evening, paid wei
merited compliment to the Ger
man character. Albert Scheffer OF
ST. Paul was called out and responded il
a witty, graceful speech. A song wa
sung by the pioneer singers of the society
and Mr.. Zuendt, editor of the Herald
closed the table exercises with poem
The guests arose, the floor was cleared. an
with characteristic zest. the pleasures o
the dance were enjoyed until late hour.
Q SHALL WE TOEOGGANt