The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
THE MAY FESTIVAL FUND
CITIZENS sTREET-RAILROAD COM
PANY sUBsCRIBEs $1,000.
Guaranty This Year VIII BE Double
that of 1s07--Arranging
for Artists.

The directors of the May Festival Assoc
citation have thus far made no strenuous
efforts to establish the guarantee fund for
the festival next May, but they have been
surprised at the readiness with which
business men have subscribed where they
have already been solicited. The largest
fund ever raised before has not exceeded
$4,000. The new fund already exceeds
$13,500, and the directors will not begin a
systematic canvass till after the holidays.
1t is the intention to double the fund for
1898. and by having it reach $1,000 decrease
the per cent. of the assessment in the event
there is a deficit.
Yesterday Mr.. w. j. Turner of the Citi-
zens' Street-railroad Company, called on
President Beveridge, of the festival associa-
ton, and placed the name of the company
on the guarantee list for 1,000 The COM
pany had been solicited by letter, at the
same time letters were sent out to others.
1t responded by subscribing twice as much
as the festival association suggested. Mr..
Turner himself takes a keen interest in mu-
steal affairs, and made several valuable
suggestions to President Beveridge in re-
gard to artists He thought the May fes-
tival was a great event for Indianapolis,
and one that is doing much to bring the
city forward among other prominent cities
of the country.
Heretofore the largest subscription to the
guarantee fund was $780, and there were
only three of these. Colonel Eli Lilly, with
his characteristic public spirit, has usually
started the paper with the top-notch figure
This year Colonel Lilly boosted the figure
to $500, and the festival association found
there were a. number of other well-known
men willing to stand shoulder to shoulder
with Colonel Lilly. Thus far dozen have
subscribed $500 each, and as there are sew
eral more to go on the directors will not
make this list public till it is completed. No
subscriptions, and few of the old guarantors
nave been approached. The commercial
bodies have taken an active interest in the
festival, and have appointed committees to
assist the festival board.
The board has been in correspondence
with artists, and will have the best Of those
In this country next May. Provisional con-
tracts have been entered into with several
or these. The chorus rehearSalS are pro-
crossing very favorably. Mr.. Van der
Stucken will conduct the rehearsal at the
high school hall next Monday evening. He
is gratified at the material which he has
before him this year, and on account of the
early start and his acquaintance with the
singers last year he expects much greater
results at the 1898 festival. The programme
will be much more attractive than that of
1897. The Grieg work is one of the most i'm
presSive ever presented at an American fes-
tival. The indianapolis festival will also
have the honor OF presenting for the first
time in America one of Peter BenoitS
works. This is by special arrangement with
the composer, made by Mr.. Van der Stucken
while he was in Europe last year Benoit
composed the children'S cantata which was
sung with such success at last years fes-
tiVal.