Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-29
EDWARD BOX BUYS
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.
REAL ESTATE RITMOR
Non-Paying Property Reported
Sold-New Owner Plans Home
for Music and Literary In
terests of CITY
CHANGES TO BE MADE

Tho Academy Of Music has hoo, cola
to Edward Box, vice president ,r H..
Curtis Publishing Company. accorcinr
to rumors in real estate and musical cir.
cles. From one source II was learpod ,,..
Mr. Box bought the property for himser,
! There was another report that he was tbo
representative OF syndicate.
MIR. BolS Is one Of the board or diro,,,..
OF the Philadelphia Orchestra and II ~
said that the chief purpose Of Tho r,,,
chase was TO make the Academy fts nor
manent home and also the centre for ,bo
literary. musical and civic interests ~
the city. VI
Information was obtained that the ner.
owner or owners would heautlfy tho i,
terror Of tho house and make a nur,bor
of improvements In keeping with nro.
ent-day necessities improvements nn
the stage and In the lighting nrrangs'
mcnts also will he made
Dr. George Fnlcs Baker is n, nroso,,
the largest owner of stock In the AcaJs
emy of Music and he represents an os-
tate which also holds many shares IA
Is these holdings which represent tho ma
jority of the stock that Is reported to
have been sold ~
1t Is understood that the purchaso b,,
been made with no Thought of financial
return. Since 1875 the present stock bns
not paid dividend and 1t Is said that thn
building cannot be made to paw This
has been realized. II Is said. by Mr.. Rok
who bought tho Academy purely from
civic standpoint.
II is also his desire, 1t s said. to givc
permanent home to the orchestra as.
recognition of its merit as one Of TIA
foremost musical organizations I'm tina
country.
As the orchestras OF Boston. Chicago
and New York have permanent halls in
those cities, it Is believed that PhIladel-
phia, 1t is believed that PHILADELPHIA
phia, should be abreast of the times in
this respect.
When seen concerning the reported
sale DR.. Baker Satd: 81 have coptrnI
of the stock I'm the Academy but | d.,
not wish to discuss any reported transfer
of the Academy now. When [ d., I
will be very glad to inform the pubic.
Mr.. Box when questioned concerning
the subject. said:
81 think such a report is pretty hard
on Doctor Baker, as the largest owner
of the Academy of Music Here is a man
who owns or controls splendid niece
of property, and suddenly reports say he
doesn't own II and that another man
does. Why don't you ask Doctor Baker
whether he owns the Academy or | do?
He ought to know.
THE Academy of Music is, as I under
stand IT,, a stock corporation, and any,
question of sale of the property would
have to be submitted to the board of dl-
rectors. l think any member of that
board will say that no proposition from
me, either directly or indirectly, has ever
been submitted to the board. Then how
could | have bought it?
II do not deny that it would be a splen-
did thing If the Philadelphia Orchestra
could have permanent home. 1t should
have The Boston symphony Orchestra
has; so has the Chicago Symphony Or
chestra, and plans are under way for
home in New York for the Philharmonic
Orchestra. 1t is a shame that our own
orohestra should be without ',s WV E-,'>~,
and I'll be glad to be one of number
of Philadelphia men to make this possl-
BILE. But as for my buying the Academy
myself for the orchestra, that's dream"