Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-01
Music LOVERS HAIL
S25O,OOO GIFT FOR
CTTY'S ORCHESTRA
Contribution Conditional on
Present Guarantors Raising
$500,000 In Next Five
Years
WOULD WIPE OUT DEFICIT

Philadelphia patrons OF music weIcon
the announcement that friend of th
PHILADELPHIA Orchestra, who desires to re
main unknown, his identity being disclosed
only TO the board OF directors, has offered
70 pay the deficit for the next FIVE years
provided the present guarantors in that
time shall raise an edownent fund OF
100000. The amount the donor will have
TO pay probably will approximate s250,0O0
While the Immediate. purpose Of the gift
ts TO put the orchestra on firm financial
basis and relieve all guarantors and Off
GERS OF the responsibility Of facing a deficit
that runs into many thousands of dollars
annually, the ultimate purpose of the donor
Is to make II possible for the orchestra to
become the foremost symphonic orEaniga-
tion In the United States II not in the
The offer was announced at N mating
Of the suarantors Of the orchestra held in
the Bellevue- Stratford yesterday. The
proposition first was submitted about three
weels ago and has received the indorse-
Fnant OF the guarantors and directors.
RTcoRD-BREAKINa MEETING
. Yesterdays meeting was the largest in
the history of the orchestra. More than 200
were present, including Leopold StokowskI
Alexander Van Rensselaer,, E r. Stotes-
bury and Andrew Wheeler. Great enthusi-
asm prevailed when Mr.. Van Rensselaer,
read the statement from the board of di-
rectors outlining the offer and it's condi-
tions. He asked all the guarantors TO in
crease their individual subscriptions and
work to raise 100000 each year SO that
the 100000 would be obtained at the end
OF five years. when the maintenance of the
anonymous donor will cease.
Following the statement, copies of which
han been given to those present with blanks
for subscriptions, many gunrantors re-
sponded with pledges of larger amounts.
Many offered to double their usual SUBJ
scriptions, and virtually every one gave as
surances that his subscription would be
substantially increased. The average
amount Of money given by the guarantors
has been about S5S,000 yearly The sue
cess Of the plan means that this amount |
must be increased to 100000 each year |
tor the next five years, when the orchestra
VIII have an endowment fund which will |
maintain 1t as permanent institution.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF OFFER.
The statement, which was read by Alex
nnder Van Rensselaer,, president of the Phil
ndelphia Orchestra Association, is as fol-
lows =
"A friend of the Philadelphia Orchestra,
who desires to remain unknown, has most |
generously offered to contribute an amount |
sufficient to make up any deficit between
the receipts and expenses of the orchestra
for each of FIVE years. beginning with the
season OF 1016-17. The money value of this
offer may be estimated by reference to the
deficit for the last five years ending with
the season of 1915-16, which deficit in each
OF these past years was made up by the
guRranters and amounted to a total pay
ment by them of S225,gU8.50. The condi-
tions under which this muniflcent gift be-
comes available are as follows:
'That an endowment fund shall now
be established, the income from which
shall be Immediately available for the
support of the orchestra.
THAT the endowment fund shall uti-
mately amount to not less than $780,
600, of,which at least 500, 900 shall be
contributed In each OF the next FIVE
years
That the guarantors shall consent to
the use OF their subscriptions for the
endowment fund in case the sue
CESS of the plan proposed insures the
payment of the contribution offered by
the unnamed donor for use in discharge
OF the current usual annual deficit.
THAT there shall be such an increase
In the amount pledged, either through
larger subscriptions from the present
guarantors or by the addition of new
subscribers TO the fund, as will insure
the receipt OF at least 100000 in each
Of the next five years.
That our conductor, Leopold Stokow-
SKI shall extend his present contract to
cover the period Of five years.
'As the guarantee fund for 1866 was
IN excess of $4,000, it has seemed reason
ABLY possible TO your board of directors,
with your cooperation, to comply with the
conditions of the gift offered.
For. the orchestra itself the success of
the plan will secure permanent and reliable
support To the guarantors 1t offers not
only what must be, after SO many years :
OF patient waiting, the fruition of their fond
est hopes but also final emancipation from
the necessity Tor the constantly recurring
annual contributions imposed upon them
fer so many years by their Iiberality and !
love OF music. '
''Will you not therefore, make such an !
Increase In your subscription to the guar .
Antee fund as will assist I'm obtaining the
larger result which we are aiming to at
TAIN and also will you not obtain at least
ono additional guarantor?"
Following this Mr.. Van Rensselaer, urged | |
uppn the members the necessity of comply @
Ing with the conditions that the plan offered a
BY the donor1materialize. d
sToTEsBURY APPROVES PLAN. r
Z. T. stotesbury signiAed his approval of I
the plan and announced his Intention 10 I
help Mr. Stokowsh declared his willing
hess to cancel his former contract and re-
new It for ftve more years, but also voiced
bis WISH that the guarantors might succeed
n raising the sum imposed by the condi-
lions e+ y
II WAS also announced that the doror ?
would inset the deficit. regardless Of the I
Inanner IN which the orchestra should he I
rondncted. It might give one MAILER syn- I
phDuy, TWO Mailer symphonieB or IL might J
DO whatever II pleased The guarantea ~ /
paying the deficit places no restriction On z
sltheF Mr.. stokowsid or the management. Y
Arthur hudson, manager OF the orchestra /
vas confident OF the raising OF the endoyy-
nent There was pledged at this after I
noon's meeting from $4,000 to 10000" '
be said, we have $4,000 left from last :