Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-30
GEORGE w. ANDERSON
President Pennsylvania Railroa
Concert Company

The Pennsylvania Railroad Con-
cert Company, one of Harrisburg s
| youngest and most popular musical
| organizations has just entered upon
/ the fourth year of its career. This
| concert company has been developed
! from a very humble beginning.
of vocalists employed by the Penn
| sylvania Railroad Company in the
various departments, at the solicita-
/ tion of Ira l.. Behney, the originator
| of the idea, met in the file room No.
410 Chestnut street, where they
pledged their support to the PROPOSE
ton. The following persons were
| present: l. l.. Behney, c. n. Jack
son, IL. w. Keitel, j. T.. McMananmy,
! f. r. Neck, j. l.. Carroll, E. II.
Gottschall, r. Il. Bratton and Jacob
Schnader.
This house became the home of
the club for several months where
the music was practiced, the only
instrum entail assistance being the
pitch pipe" The club met on the
evening of March IA, 1916, in the
parlors of the L. p. o. of e., North
Second street, where a permanent
organizati ton was effected and the
name "Pennsylvania Railroad Glee
Club" adopted Following were the
first officers elected:
President, James L. Carroll; vice.
president, e. IL. Gottschall; j. Il.
McManamy; music committee, 1. L.
Behney, H. w. Keitel, c. n. Jackson.
Popular Organization
At first the members appeared in
civilian clothes. Later full dress
suits were adopted. From it's first
appearance on the platform this or
ganization became exceedingly popu-
lar. The harmony of the chorus
is delightful, especially so consider
ing the number of voices engaged;
the tenor, baritone and bass. SOLO
lists possess remarkably brilliant and
musical voices of exceptional range
and fiexibility. In the membership
of this organization are included four
directors of prominent church choirs,
several soloists of exclusive quartet
choirs and the accompanies for the
club is very prominent organist OF
one of the city's best churches.
changed its name from that of the
p. r. r. Glee Club to the "Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Concert Company"
Introducing literary numbers, mono
| logues and sketches which capti-
waited audiences wherever the COM
pany appeared
Since it's organization this COM
pany has given concerts in the fol-
lowing cities and towns: Altoona,
Camp Meade, Md; Camp Colt, Get
tesburg. Camp Hill, Pa; Downing
town, Elizabethtown (where they
have appeared three times at the
Masonic Homes and three times in
the town auditorium), Gap, Colds
boro, Harrisburg Cat eigh-
teen or more events, prominent
among which were their annual con-
cert in Technical High School, con-
sistory, F. & A. NJ; Majestic Theater
where a three days engagement was
| filed, and the rotunda of the State
| Capitol building at the New Years
Day Music Fest); Lewistown, Mid
| dletown, Mt. JOY, Mechanicsburg,
Milroy, Newport. Parkesburg, Port
Royal, Royalton, Thompsontown,
Wiliamsport, Watsontown, and
| York. At many of these places re-
| turn engagem ents were filled and a
number booked to be filed at future
! dates.
Active Members
The following men have been ac-
! lively identified with the organiZa-
ton since its beginning: l. l.. Beh-
ney, II. w. Keitel, c. n. Jackson,
Paul A. Bream. E. +. Meek, Jas. l..
| Carroll, L. II. Gottschall, r. II.
Bratton. Jacob Schnader, ]. E. Nc
Manamy, r. c. Smith, +. S. Bealor,
| C. Fl. Mendenhall, e. r. Miller, d.
II. Zorger. Sr.; DR.. l.. S. Howard, A.
| S. Meyer, w. IL. Byler, E. l.. McNeal,
j. Stewart Black, r. G. Swarner, j.
=. Gibson, w. c. Gibson, T. L..
Sprule, w. F. Schreadley, G. b. An
derson, c. A. Wenrick. G. l.. Matthias,
DR.. j. w. Schaeffer, T.. Il. Latham,
w. f. Nell, a total of thirty-one
men. This number has been de-
creased by transfer, death and re-
signation and to-day the Company
is normal at twenty-one members.
At the annual meeting last week,
these officers were elected:
Presidents Geo. b. Anderson; vice
president, DR.. ]. w. Schaeffer; sec
retary, j. E, McManamy; treasurer,
H. w. Keitel. musical director, Ira
L. Behney; business manager, Frank
S. Bealor; assistant business man.
ayers, DIR. L. S. Howard and Robert
C. Smith. Plans are being perfected
for the presentation of most attrac-
tive programs next season and from
present indications it will be an ex-
ceptionally busy season as number
of engagements have already been
booked.
Credit For Its Success
The success of this popular or
ganization is very largely due to the
courtesy and assistance of the B. p.
o. of Elks, who first rendered the
use of their parlors for its organi-
cation; to the p. r. r. Y. NJ. c. A.,
who, for two years, favored 1t with
the use of the spacious auditorium
with all convenienees; the manage
ment of the Stieff Piano House, who
rendered the use of the third floor
of their handsome building near
Market Square: ana also to the man