The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-12
ROehr Suggests Booklets for
Distribution on Trains.
Let People Know We Have In
strument Here.
is BIGGEST IN THE WEST
just Learned 1t Is La ger Than
Temple Organ.
Musician Has Plan to Pay Off
All Indebtedness.

That attractive booklets should be
distributed among the passengers OIL
incoming trains letting them know
that Topeka can boast of having the
largest concert organ between oceans,
is one Of several excellent suggestions
made by w. F. RCehr, the organist.
Mr.. Rcehr favors the plan of having
a noon day cafe a the Auditorium for
a week where the people could go TO
hear the great organ played.
1T is a new thing" said he, "and 1t
seems to ME that any legitimate way
to create interest so that it will be pos
sibIe to place the organ free OF debt IN
order taat the city will get the full
benefit from the instrument. is a good
thing 1 have a plan for raising mon
ey, that I'd rather not give out until
the details have been worked out.
Largest Organ in West.
ut is generally supposed that the
Tabernacle organ in Salt Lake City is
larger than the local instrument, but
AIR. Mcclellan, the orGanist for the
Mormon choir when in Topeka told me
This makes the organ the largest in
the United States with the exception
of the Orgnn at Ocean Grove, N. J.,
which was made for the Worlds Far
at st. Louis The largest organ in the
world is in the town hall, Sidney, Aus
traia.
I'VE don't want TO play second fiddle
any mora. AS long IS we have money
advantage CT the opportunity Of adj
vertising Topeka in a musical way and
especially as having the largest con-
cert organ between the oceans
when the traveller goes west. with
in SO miles of Salt Lake City, booklets
are passed around giving a description
of the organ in the tabernacle, and II
is generally known by musicians and
tourists that one of the features of the
town is 70 hear Mr.. Mcclellan give one
Of his famous afternoon organ recitAls
to which all visitors are invited
"As the Commercial club has already
shown a disposition to advertise To-
peka in connection with the pipe organ
and large and roony Auditorium. no
better plan could be found than that of
placing interesting booklets in the
hands of the passengers of the incom-
ing trains. and by advertising the
given in the Auditorium, in the hotel
Hobbies.
IF for any reason a sufficient fund
cannot be procured at once for the
purpose of keeping the organ in perfect
condition and aso for the remunera-
ton of a competent organist, the
amount for defraying the expenses
could be raised by subscription from
the various merchants who are inter-
ested in bringing customers to the city |
These recitais could be held every
afternoon through regular busy seasons |
when the shopping is usually heavy.
Associations Good Showing.
THE cost of the organ including the
interest on the investment and the cost
of maintenance amounts to about $1S.-
600. although the purchase price was
S12 600. The Indebtedness is now but
IS, 600. a very satisfactory showing. In
the last five or six years the Organ as
ISOLATION has been trying to raise
money to pay off the debt Some of the
most remarkable attractions have been
brought here and Topeka music lovers
have had the opportunity of hearing
famous artists and splendid instrument
tai organizations, and while some of
those entertainments vera renunera-
tive to the association others were
more or less failures from a financial
standpoint
I'VE have had number of fine
organists from the east, including
ten or fifteen recitals on the great
organ. From a financial standpoint
the organ recitals have not been profit
able taking them as a whole. While
1t viii be always interesting to lovers
of music to have the great musicians
stop off here on their recital tours, it
has been proven that the geniuses are
expensive, and that for some years to
come Topeka will not patronize ar
lists or this class to a sufficient extent
to cover expenses. Consequently for !
the present the organ should be made |
a feature for the entertainment of it's
visitors during conventions and reli- |
gious meetings and for the entertain |
rnent by recftalS given by home artists |
of which there will always be four or
i've good ones, ready to give their serv- |
ices In this way the people will be- |
come more interested in the organ and |
later It will probably pay to bring the