San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-09-06
THE SAENGERFEST.
KERRVILLES SINGING T0URNA-
MENT WAS A SUCCESS.
The Hospitable Little Mountain City
Enjoys Gay and Festive Week and
Entertains Throngs of Visitors.

The annual "Mountain League
saengerfest, held at Kerrville on
the End and Bird inst, is now
one of the past celebrations, but
the memory Of which will long
linger in the minds OF those
who participated in the same.
The train on the Arkansas Pass
railway on last Wednesday was
crowded with strong contingent
of San Antonians, which was still
augmented at Boerne, Comfort and
other way stations, arriving at
Kerrville, found the city pand
and a large concourse OF people
with the local singing societies at
the depot; hasty and cordial
greeting, then falling in line with
Carl Beck's band in the lead the
march to and through the Noun
tain city began, leading through
and under, beautifully decorated
"arches of honor" in the main
streets to the 'testal hall" in the
Schreiner building, where sump-
uous lunch and refresh ments were
served. During the march anvils
were fired and expressions Of re-
joicings and glad faces
were to be heard and seen
every. where in the crowded
streets. The Mountain City had put
on holiday attire in the way OF
general decoration Of residences
and business houses. County
Judge w. w. Burnett welcomed
the visitors in the name of the
city and surrendered the keys in a
brief address, after which the
speaker Of the day, Mr.. VIM.
Goodman addressed the assem- bled
guests and citizens in highly
eulogistic manner, and having spe-
cial references to the traditions OF
the old ancestral times Of the
Fatherland. The love for music
and song, for, said the speaker,
music is the science OF all sciences,
in music only are contained the
universally accepted and under
stood expressions of joy and grief
by all humanity alike, and to
nourish this, is our sacred mission.
The concert took place on Wednes-
day evening and a fine program
was rendered. German.folk lore
mingled with tho heroic and pa
triotic song Of "Our Country" and
the band of Herr Carl Beck gave
the finish with intonations from
the classics.
There were singing societies aud
representatives present as follows:
Maennerchor from Boerne, Lieder-
taiel, Frohsinn (miXed chorus),
and Teutonia from Comfort, Con-
cordia from Fredericksburg, the
Concordia of KerrvIlle, delega-
tions from Sisterdale and Lucken.
bach, while San Antonio was rep
resented by the Lassalle Maenner-
Choir and quartette from the
Fro hsinn.
The mixed chorus of Kerrville
deserves special mention, as quite
a number OF it's lady members are
Americans, who have mastered the
German language for no other
cause than to be able to sing Ger
man songs in the original langu-
age of its composers. In this they
have been ably assisted by Prof.
Ed. Schmidt, who was also the
chief musical director of the festi-
val. y
AS an example of the enthu-
siasm with which the people Of
Kerrville aided in the celebration
it can only be stated that a guar
antee fund OF $500 had been Sc
cured, and with this all expenses
had actually been paid before the
celebration began.
Mr.. f. Bass ("basso profundo"?),
OF the Lone Star brewery,
was on hand as a matter
OF course, and presented a "baby
tuning fork" OF huge proper
tions to Mr.. Ed. Schmidt, as an ac-
acknowledgement for his indefatiga-
BILE energy in bringing about this
celebration, while Mr.. r. Schwet-
helm the local agent OF the Brewery
has the thanks of the San Antonio
delegation for his genial services
as pilot to the classic banks OF the
Guadalupe.
Next year there will be a "rursl
migratory" to Saltrillo CONVERSE
and the regular" Mountain League"
will celebrate at Comfort in the
fall of 1898. II. B.