Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-24
BAND DANCE QUESTION
STIRS UP LONG BEACH
TRUSTEES TAKE OPPOSITE VIEWS
ON PROPOSITION
DeVotees of Terpsichore Refuse Sup
port If Dances Are Prohibited and
Ant-Dancers Refuse Support il
They Are Permitted in Auditorium

Special to The Herald.
LONG BEACH, Nov. 23.-Dr. r. S.
Oakford, member of the local board of
trustees, has returned from a trip to
San Francisco, where he went to at
tend the first session of the state board
of pharmacy, recently appointed by
Gov. Pardee. This morning the doctor
announced that he is i'm favor of a
weekly dance in the new auditorium
for the support of the Donatelli band
Since the completion of the big build
ing serious problem has arisen in the
support of the popular Italian band
now dispensing music in Long Beach,
and numerous plans have been ex-
pressed for the solution of this prob
lem. During this controversy Trustee
Oalford has been in the north and has
had no part in the discussion, but i'm
mediately upon his return has entered
into it heartily. His idea of a weekly
dance in the auditorium has met the
approval of large majority of the
Long Beach people, despite the fact
that Monday night Trustee Emo an
nounced from the rostrum of the
building that there would be no dance
held there, to the great delight of the
citizens who object to the dance. The
dance question in this city is one that
is very nearly as vital as the question
OF band support, and has been threshed
out in mass meeting time and again.
Persons opposed to the dance have an
nounced that they will withdraw their
support from the band should dances
be allowed in the auditorium, while
subscribers to the band fund who are
fond Of dancing have expressed a de-
termination to withdraw their names
should they not be allowed the privi-
lege of dancing in the building. Man
ager Gattone of the band looks upon
the dance as one of his chief sources
of income, but in the sun pavilion,
where the dances have been held since
the destruction of the old pavilion the
crowds at the dances have been grow
ing smaller and smaller, and the pro-
ceeds in consequence have dwndled
until they are alarmingly small, which
fact is taken to mean that the build
ing is not popular. Supporters of the
dance look upon this as a convincing
argument that dancing should be per-
mitted in the new hall in order that the
band may derive all the revenue from
that source possible. Persons favor
ing the dance ask the use of the con-
vention hall one night a week.
Rumors that the Pacific Electric will
soon extend it's Magnolia avenue line
north from Fourteenth street to Hill
street has created a great activity in
real estate circles in that section of
Long Beach.
Want Price to Leave Town
In response to the question, do You
want w. r. Price to leave Long
Beach, propounded at the tabernacle
this afternoon by Mrs. r. o. Bates
during the course of an address on
Price, and his second lecture on ply
chology the entire audience of 1000
women, with but six exceptions, aros
to their feet.
w. r. Price has been a storm center
in Long Beach for a month past and
it is believed that this afternoons talk
by Mrs. Bates has proved the climax
to the storm. He is a lecturer on psy-
chology and has organized society
here with a membership of 200. Yelled
hints as to some of the workings of the
organization, however, set thinking
people to work in the community, with
the result that Price has been attacked
by r. O. Bates and Mrs. Bates, for
mer officers in the society, the Rev
Charles Pease and the Rev. r. H. Kel-
lar and to none of these attacks has ht
replied. His only response to a chal-
lenge from the Rev. e. j. Bulgin was
hurried departure from the city, and
it is now rumored abroad that he will
not return.
Petitions are being circulated on the
streets of Long Beach urging the loca
council to call an election on the an
nexation of Wilmington to Long Beach
There will be a special meeting of tho
city council tomorrow morning at
O'Clock, at which time action will be
taken with regard to this momentous
question. 1t is believed that the an
neXation of Wilmington to Long Beach
will solve the question of the open har-
Dor that has been the subject of SC
much discussion on all sides of late
There has been a fear that Wilmington
would be enabled to incorporate, which
would have thrown the control of the
city to the Southern Pacific and Ban
ming interests. These interests are
avowedly in favor of the closed har-