The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-08-19

xH4NHgaA~u5rsVs ~ teasA& -osaetS%i Observation-Disclosures
SKETCH OF MARINE RAND
Some Interesting Facts ConeeFniaK
the Great Band Which Is to Play
1t the Corn Palace.
On the very recent trip Of Sec
rotary Ness to Washington to COM
plete the arrangements for the COM
ing of the United States Marine band
to play the engagement during the
entire week Of the corn palace, Sept.
% to Oct. 2, the Washington Evening
Star took occasion in its last Saturday
evenings isue to feature the Marine
bands trip to Mitchell, publishing
q picture of the band as 1t was in
1906, and also giving an interesting
sketch of the band since the day of
its organization as such, July IL,
1898. 1t is reproduced as follows:
Desiring to hear the band of the
United States Marine Corps, the citi-
zens CT Mitchell, S. D., recently pc
titiones the Secretary of the Navy to
allow e organization to give con
certs II a celebration to be held in
that city from September % to Oct.
2. The permission was granted.
Citizens Of %Pittsburg, Pa, also asked
that the band be allowed to play at
a celebration in that city from Oct.
II to I23, inclusive, and it has been
decided to approve that request. also.
lnlview of the fact that the Marine
Band is classed as one of the best
musical organizations in the world,
and that many of the western resi-
dents of this country have never had
an opportunity to hear it play, the
citizens of Mitchell, knowing there
will be a large attendance of western
ers in that city during the coming
corn palace took the action stated.
The members of the band have been
granted furlough from September 81
to October 2. so that they can take
the western trip. William H. Santel-
mann, the leader, will be in charge.
The Marine Band came into ex-
istence July II, 1898, when by an
act of Congress approved by Presi-
dent John Adams for establishing and
organizing a Marine Corps, provision
was made for sixteen fifers, mi to be
%appointed drum or fife major by the
commandant Of the corps. This drum
and fife corps acted in the capacity
of a marine band, until Lieut.. Col.
Archibald Henderson of the Marine
brought to this country from
NAPLES, Italy, thirteen Italian must
cians, who were enlisted as drummers
land filters at the marine barracks in
this city for musical service. These
italian musicians played band instru-
ments, and they formed what was
.,lreally the nucleus of the splendid Or
tS~anlZaL1On OF LOQay.
) Open-Air Concerts in 1854.
There is no record of the band
having performed other than ordinary
routine military duty until 1854, in
u which year open-air concerts at the
White House and Capitol, grounds
were inaugurated. The band was
then under the leadership of Francis
Scala. In 1856 Congress voted extra
} compensation to the members of the
band for those open-air concerts.
These concerts grew in public favor
to such an extent that Col. John Har-
ris. commandant of the Marine Corps
{ Recommended to Congress that the or
ganization, which up to that time
| had been officially known as the fife
! land drum corps, be rated as a band,
that provision be made for a princi-
pal musician and thirty members.
Recognizing the advisability of
improving the organization which
FURNISHED music at the official funct-
ions in the White House and at the
national and international affairs in
general, Congress approved the rec
Concentration of Col. Harris and July
!, Is, 1861, President Lincoln affixed
/, his signature to an act that markel
. the recognition by law of the first
band in the United States military
service.
Francis Scala, the first leader, re-
tired from the service December -.
i 1871, and the following day Henry
Fries vas appointed principal musi-
clan, serving in that capacity until
, his discharge, August %, 1873. Louis
!, Schneider was then made principal
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