Show THE BRASS BAND an authentic account ol 01 its organization ITS an accomplished musician and an old resident of ogden heard from EDITOR HERALD in you issue of february ath I 1 read a biographical sketch of alio brass band as having been organized since 1855 and at present under alie leadership of mr john A boyle with your kind indulgence through the columns of your paper for the benefit of the old band members and particularly for the public enlightenment I 1 will biye you the true story of alic organization in 1861 in cardiff wales I 1 organ iced a brass band of ten instruments the following arc the names of the members win bugli A pugh T K thomas II 11 II ancock william gibbons dan wm evans jas wilkes wm davios and G packman these young men did not know anything ab ut music or playing instruments we practiced practised two nights a week and in about six or nine months they were able to in public about this this time mr that line cornet player joined the band he and I 1 had deen together in a band for eight years in 1862 we took a trip to bristol england and played in the zoological gardens boys could play pretty well and in the fall of the same year air C W west biehs op of ogden city cama to cardiff and the members of the church gave an entertainment in which the band took part west was well pleased and said he would like very much if the band was in ogden next day he came to my lionso 10 find out my opinion about tho band emigrating to utah as there wa no brass band in ogden we called a meeting to talk the matter over resulting in all agreeing to go except two from that time we took extra anxiety in studying music until june ath 1863 when we left cardiff for london and shipped on board alie ship amazon on a future trip was burned on reaching new yo rk there were several gun boats in alie harbor it being the time of the southern rebellion and when we began playing other bands began also in a short lime a boat with officers and men pulled alongside alons side of our ship one of alie party asked for ho leader of the band on introducing myself lie said he was told ws were from london on being informed lie offered us a position oh board one of the ahins but aa we were going to utah we refused his offer walli thanks landing in new york we took train to st joseph from there wo went up the river missouri to omaha making many friends at the several stopping points at omaha my little daughter died suddenly while at this place we were engaged to play and I 1 think we stayed eight or nine days on the ath of august we started to brofas the plains mr thomas kicks ot logan cily was our captain with mr miles II 11 jones his assistant gehad a good time at forts kearney laramie La three of sweetwater bridger and on the riving it each a vocal and instrumental entertainment we arrived in salt lake city on october ard 3rd 1863 and next day went to ogden with that portion of the company boidi north beaded by our band and air II 11 D spragues fife and drum band the only band in ogden at that time everything went well we had found homes and bottled down to business bishop 0 W west made a proposition to call the band paik anians brass band lie it the proper name aa I 1 was the father of it it was my wish however to call at the brass band thus it was and it maintains its name up till to day the only men in ogden nt that time who could play brass instruments that I 1 know anything rubout were mr thomas emmett and mr richard douglass and they joined the band soon after its arrival I 1 also took other young men le adline them music and the methods of playing instruments st their names are mr charlea CN arlea E baker mr W J II ancock mr anye mr john I 1 hart mr wm bearce mr john A boyle mr douglass Don glass mr and air james burrup color bearer these were my pupils at that time A bout li lifear year after mr Barker and mr samuel hurt joined lie band in the spring of t bishop west spoke to 1 about sending east for new insl eight or nine pieces I 1 caw from the price list of american instruments they wore very oppens vc and not very good according to ay iy estimate I 1 proposed to bishop we t to send to mr george Q cannon alro wi in england at the time to allt mr henry Di stoos establishment in london which ho did and under my instructions alio llio instruments in ogden the same year and they proved to be a fine set secured new arat claes instruments st tho next thing to get was a uniform of course times were different then to what they are now but determined to accomplish our deserea des irea we all kimt to work a will getting up a good pro of vocal and music we started out to the battlements to concerts mr joseph tyrrell gave his own time si nd the use of a alno apan mr james alao cave khenso oan span of mailea und ho handled the lines in fine style goliff through dry creek canyon between box elder and cache alley lie capsized us all out of alio clod nu tho enow getting the sled into position and till in aa he supposed a volca called from under the ah jem leold on till wo get up jt wan bugli and thomas crawling out of the snow they took their places iu tho sled and nil joined in a good inn rail and the dexl minute wo were on the move again we nearly all the northern towns andret with great success I 1 think wo received on one trip about seven or eight hundred dollars I 1 have been in the same business many times but I 1 must say with respect to the leopla of utah at that time that I 1 could not have been treated belter I 1 never was that I 1 remember I 1 shall ever cherish it as ft happy time in the history of my life and the kindness and attention I 1 received will always remain green in my memory As soon as the business of the trip was bottled bishop west and I 1 went to salt lake city and selected the material for the band uniform we pave it to mr clive tailor I 1 think eighteen suits in all coats and pants costing at that time about eight hundred dollars we visited salt lake city at the october conference 1865 playing in the theater during its term thereby making for ourselves a good impression the newspapers apolo in the highest terms of myself and the band we went again in with the same result I 1 waa alao braily engaged teaching bands at kaysville Kays ville plain city becham city and richmond until 1868 when my wife was taken sick and I 1 moved to salt lake city to have her properly treated and cared for dr young prest brigham youngs brother attended her and under his care she recovered remained in salt lake city until 1870 while there I 1 worked some at my trade and organized the tenth ward band I 1 sent to air diston london for another set of instruments I 1 taught this band until I 1 went to california with mr Ca circus returning to salt lake city in the winter I 1 played in the theater at tha ball on the opening of the utah central railway early next spring I 1 returned to california making my home in where I 1 still reside I 1 shall be very glad to visit ogden at the earli est opportunity to see my good old friends once more enclosed you will find a picture of the old ogden brass band the first band uniformed in utah also a newspaper that will give you nn idea of what I 1 have dono since I 1 came to san jose respectfully yours GEO SAS JOSE CAL march |