The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-15
CONTEST IS WARM
over PARK MUSIC
Three Bands i'll Competition Tor
Contract to Furnish
the Goods.
TWO ARE FROM MILITARY
Third Proposition From Theatre
Orchestra-Comcs Up
To Morrow Night.

Sweet bells janElins out of tune"
Is the description given by Il member
of the Council Committee on Grounds
and Buildings Of the situation as re-
CARDS hand concerts in tho parks this
summer. The committee will meet to-
morrow night and. in order to shut
of an intcrminablc debate, may in
vitc sealed proposals stating The num-
Der OF concerts. the number of in
StTumcnts and players and the char
actci Of music to he supplied.
Three bands are after the s3,a25 pro-
vidcd by the City Council in the an
nual budget for music in the parks
Chairman Batkins. OF tho Grounds and
buildings Committee, was and is op.
posed TO the item. as was the Com
mittoc OF Finance but the Council
amended the budget ana inserted the
item over the opposition of those WHO
have been trying to Keep separate
the use Of city funds for current cx-
penscS and the appropria tons which
We're for work Of a permanent char
2ctcr
NcverthcIcss there is 10 be music.
as much music as s3,995 will buy-;ind
it is up To the Grounds and Building
Committee 10 make the purchase.
10 Gunrantcc Hand.
ono argument advanced during the
debate was that the appropriation
would hc in the nature of a subsidy
TO one band and SO guarantee the
maintenance in Richmond Of /; high
grade musical aggrc cation. ready 10
be called upon in any time OF parade
or public celebration. There have been
two Struggling bands connected with
the state militia in Richmond, and
the fear is now expressed that so large
a subsidy 10 one will mean the death
OF the othcr-tlat il will mot be able
10 stand the competition with so great
a iandicap
ono applicant for The contract fot
music in the parks is the band Of tile
Richmond Light Infantry Blues, now
claiming 10 he the best organized mu-
steal company In the city. The second
offer comes from Joseph Kcssnich who
is backed by the First Virginia Rcgi-
ment and it cannot he denied that the
work OF tho regiment went far toward
gaining the votes needed for the music
item y third proposition will come
from Professor Stein, who has been
called the head OF the music trust in
Richmond. leader OF the Bijou orchcs-
ira and general director OF the orchcs-
ira at the Academy OF Music
The lIcssnich band is now being or
ganized. The proposed Stein band has
not been organized. but will be com
posed largely OF tho talent now in the
theatre orchcstras.
Unions n fTcnturc.
Professor stein and Professor * css-
mich are union men. and both promise
q strictly union brand of music The
Blues band employs some talent which
II is said cannot exhibit the union
card. Professor stein has no military
rcinforccmcnts, his strong card bcin g
tho brand of music he Will be in Il,
position to furnish Professor Ecss-
Mich formerly led the Bijou orchestra
and promises if he gets the contract
to make his band "a permanent institu-
tion, not summer gathering OF mu-
sicians who will scatter with the first
frost.
Not only is the union feature TO be
made prominent in tho fight. hut judg-
ing BY its action in the employment
OIL playground attendants, the Grounds
ana bindings Committee Will insist
that the musicians he citizens ana
voters. The Grounds ana BuildinEs
Committee has not determined whether
Building inspector Beck or Assistant
city Engineer Fontanc Jones, who has
charge OF parks VIII be assigned to the
duty OF checking up the band concert
from night TO night and seeing that
me various instruments harlnonizc
somebody must see that the city gets
rs moneys worth OF real music