The morning call., 1894-03-24
QUITE DESTITUTE.
Musicians of the Iowa
State Band.
CANNOT OBTAIN LODGINGS.
Some of Them Walk the Streets
Hungry.
THEY ARE TOO PROUD TO BEG.
Salaries of the Eastern Bandsmen
Have Not Been Paid-Why They
Do Not Prosecute.
THEY ARE TOO PROUD TO BEG.

0u expect 10 De SITaDueU sometimes
on the road. but to be left destitute. with
money coming IN, is the strangest thing l
ever heard OIL"
1t was member of the Iowa Band who
made this discOnsolate remark yesterday
in the hearing of CALL reporter. Sew
eral other bandsmen were standing around.
looking anxious and foriOrn, as if the pro-
batlon through which they are going was
beginning to tell upon their nerves and
spirit.
Its an awful thing to be without money
in a strange place." said one bright, intel
ligent-looking young fellow, and he added,
Il for one feel ashamed to beg for any
more board on credit, and they made us
resign from the musicia ns' unions before
they brought US out or the union would
have looked after US. As it is we are des-
titnte ald most OF US are W ithout a friend" :"
SIS there any actual want among the
Iowa musicians ?" asked the reporter.
"Want? reiterated one youth. bitterly
''Some of the men are starving. | met one
of the fellows about. an hour ago and be
told me he bad not tasted food since
Wednesday. he had been turned out of
his lodging. and be knew no one here TO
give him credit. Another man went home
TO his room the other night and found it
had been let to one If Sousa's band
Sousa'S men get their salaries and can paw
their room rent-he had not paid his, and
had to walk out into the stree, having no.
where else to 60"
What will become of the men who have
been living at the Bay District House P"
asked one Of the musicians of the assembly
generally.
There was silence for few minutes, and
then one of the bandsmen hazarded: 81
near most of them have nowhere else to go !;
but surely MIR. de Young will sign tina
check to-day. When the $1,000 owing 10 us
is paid I'D there Will De enough TO give us
Tree transportation home"
1t was pathetic To see the eagerness with
which these poor fellows, whose salaries
had not been paid for weeks, clung to the
belief that check for S2200 still owing to
the band for It's services out at the fair,
was In the dlrector-generaPs hands, only
awaiting his signature TO be paid to their
agent. Anderson. They might not get the
salaries owing t. them for their work at
the fair; they did not expect even % per
cent of the money due. but they did hope
and expect to have transportation home.
In reply to he question why they had
no. oarnisheed the money, in order 10
insure /, coming to them, they replied that
visibility of doing so, but had been told it
would be necessary to raise $500 bonds.
AND how were We to get bonds for 800
cents even ," added one of their mum Der.
I'VE know no one here to vouch for u.s."
There's another thing we have done" {"
said The man, lowering his voice and
glanciDg around as though he feared the
agent, Anderson, might be within ear
shot I'VE signed paper promising not
TO bring any suit against the band. No, we
got nothing in return but a verbal promise
to divide the money that was still coming
to the band. But what could we DO? We
were glad to accept any proposition. We
are helpless and fIiendless out here"
How did your affairs get into such con-
fusion 2" was asked.
1--WE came out here with Phinney as
general manager and Anderson as agent"
said one of The men. Anderson got the
contract made out in his OVID name, but
for the first month Phinney got some, at
least. OF the money that was paid by the
executive committee"
There was precious little of it came to
us. though, interposed another musician
"Phinney used good share of il to pay
debts the band owed back East-Defore
many of us joined it. After the first month
Anderson had all the money; anyway il
never came to US. Lately Anderson
offered TO pay PhiDney to retire. Half a
dozen propositions have been made TO him
IL,
under the baton of q another conductor
he has always refused though. Once the
whole band went down and intervie W ed
him. Anderson promised to paw all sala-
ries up TO date and give Phinney $50 a
month if be would retire. But he always
refused. and we clung TO Anderson because
II was our last hope"
We have had hard time between the
two," said another man. 'Phinney would
warn US against Anderson, and Anderson
would abuse Phinney, but we never got
our salaries, and that was the main point
to u.s."
wv hen we get back to Des Moines we
are going to give concert aud explain the
whole thing to the audience" exclaimed
one boy Indignantly.
Yes. when we get back" echoed the
other men sadly.
The Iowa musicians were mistaken as to
the amount due, although they were not
mistaken as to the fact that some was
owing. On Thursday the executive COM
mittee paid $500 to Gus Uni, treasurer of
the Iowa State Band, and Yesterday 1885
was paid, so that. if the treasurer paws
IL out pro rata, as promised, there will be
enough to take the destitute bandsmen
East, sadder, but 10 doubt wiser men.