The First Whitehorse "Big Band" - 1908

The Weekly STAR Friday May 22, 1908.

HOME GROWN BAND

No More Musical Talent Imported For Celebrations.

For the first time in the history of Whitehorse, music for her annual celebration will be furnished this year entirely by home talent, our own silver cornet band of eighteen pieces.

While R. Unsworth is really the father of the Whitehorse Band, he having raised the money with which the first instruments were purchased a year or more ago, it was not until J.P. Whitney stepped forward from darkness into light and was persuaded to "work up his lip" and take the leadership, that the band was ever in reality an organization.

Never did greater success crow the interest of a band leader than have attended those of Mr. Whitney. Latent talent has been discovered and developed, a burning interest has been instilled into the individual members until today, if Leader Whitney would call a practice for 5 o'clock in the morning, every member of the band would be there. The result of this active interest has been that the boys have all mastered their various instruments and are now able to play anything in the music line that is put in front of them.

Tomorrow will be the initial appearance of the band before strangers, but that the aggregation will reflect great credit on themselves as well as on the town which is justly proud of its band, is certain. The following is the "lineup" of the band as it will appear in public tomorrow:

J.P. Whitney, cornet; E.B. Fendel, cornet; J.R. Alguire, cornet; Wm. Vey, cornet; T.L. McRae, clarinet; E.J. Hamacher, piccolo; C. Wilson, alto; Geo. Walker, alto; Wm. Robison, alto; Wm. Dickinson, alto; M. Watson, trombone; Eli Hume, trombone; F. Langholtz, baritone; G.B. Edwards, euphonium; J.B. Barrager, base drum; W. Watson, snare drum; L. Estrada, snare drum.

The Skagway band will also be here tomorrow and while in town the expenses of the members will be paid by the home band.

Skagway Alaskan, reprinted in the STAR May 29, 1908

VERY PRETTY INDEED

It was a pretty spectacle - those two youthful bands vying with each other over at Whitehorse the other day. The Whitehorse band, with its great number of instruments and heavy basses played like veterans, reflecting great credit upon themselves as well as their competent and painstaking leader and instructor.