In the winter of 1891-92 the Ninth Separate Company of Whitehall organized among its members a military band. The 20 pieces consisted of five cornets, two clarinets, three tenors, three altos, one saxophone, one baritone, one tuba, snare drum, bass drum and cymbals.
Professor W.W. Howe of the high school was the director and N.L. Mclntyle the leader. Twenty-one members of the company composed this new organization whose instruments were from Charles Missenharter’s.
About the same time an orchestra was formed under the leadership of Prof. L.E. Cantz of Saratoga and Minneapolis. Among the fine soloists were N.L. McIntyre clarinet; C.E. Pond, cornet, George Noyes, drums, xylophone and traps. The orchestra had 16 pieces: first violin, second violin, viola, violocello, bass, flute, first clarinet, second clarinet, first cornet, second cornet, two French horns, trombone, xylophone, drums and piano The orchestra was connected with the military band of 20 pieces of Prof. Howe, director and N.L. McIntyre, leader
On 23 February 1892 the Ninth Separate Company Military Band gave a concert in Music Hall (over the Butcher Block) followed by a dance at the armory (Anderson Hall.)
The papers reported that the band had added much to its reputation and that people hoped arrangements could be made for a series of open air concerts during the summer months. In answer to the many suggestions, a new band stand was erected through sub-scription on Williams street south of the footbridge on the east side of Wood creek. Al-though the band stand has been written about in this column, it can bear repeating, especially since its replica is planned for Whitehall through the action of a committee of the Urban Cultural Park System through a federal grant. Whitehall was chosen one of the 14 pilot projects in the state for such a statewide park system.
The construction of the band stand was watched with much interest and approval, and admiration, was heard on every hand. The east bank of the creek was graded and terraced and made attractive. The stand was octagonal in shape. It was mounted on 21 supports so that the floor was nearly level with the street. From each corner rose turned pillars of wood supporting a low steeple roof surmounted by a wooden sphere. A neat railing extended around the base of the structure while under the eaves were attractive trimmings in scroll saw work The stand was ceiled over head, the lowest point in the ceiling being in the center from which an arc light was later suspended by Mr. Mc Laughlin. The gold band on the top of the band stand was gilded by John Blinn. He fur-nished the material and did the work. At least two weeks would have to pass before the weather would be warm enough to permit an open air concert with comfort to performers and audience.
The first band concert given by the Ninth Military Band was held on 20 May, 1892. It was a successful one in all respects except the weather. That was too cold for comfort. The program for the first concert included these numbers:
March, Battle of Magenta, Marie; overture, Murmurings of the Forest, Beuillon; patrol, Guard Mount, Rollinson; concert waltzes, Danube Waves, lvanouvici; song and dance, My Darling, Laurendau; medley, Dudes of 1883, Myrellire; national air, Yankee Doodle Air, Rollinson.
The second band concert was given on 27 May. It was interfered with by weather. It rained during the afternoon and was damp and drizzly at 8 o’clock in the evening, but despite the dreary outlook the band gave its program as advertised. It was so cold and damp; however, they did not lose any unnecessary time. The program of the first concert was repeated with two additional numbers:
Schottische, Golden Hours; Rollinson; Medley, The Humors of Donnybrook,
Prendeville.
On the following Monday the band was to appear in parade for Memorial Day but the stormy weather prevented. The third concert was a success but was accompanied with some discomfort by the youths’ disorderliness, which will be described later.
Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – October 2, 1980
