“If you have not as yet become a guarantor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, will you not aid us by doing so and communicate with Mr. John Ingham, Secretary, 505 Chestnut Street, who will furnish you blanks for that purpose. The guarantee fund covers a period of three years only. “If the orchestra is to be continued, and it would be a disgrace to Philadelphia to allow a fine organization of its kind to slip away from us, two things are necessary: a larger guarantee fund and the support of the public by an increased season sale. The outlook for the latter, we are glad to say, is most encouraging for next season.” * * * * * “Of course, it must be understood, that unless a sufficient guarantee fund be raised, they would not feel justified in continuing the Orchestra indefinitely.” * * * * * “Hoping you will, if you have not already done so, aid us in furthering and maintaining this orchestra, we remain Yours truly, “GEORGE BURNHAM, JR. A. J. CASSATT JOHN H. CONVERSE ECKLEY B. COXE, JR. WM. L. ELKINS MISS MARY K. GIBSON JOHN H. INGHAM OLIVER B. JUDSON EDWARD I. KEFFER C. HARTMAN KUHN EDWARD G. MCCOLLIN THOMAS MCKEAN CLEMENT B. NEWBOLD JAMES W. PAUL, JR. MRS. F. H. ROSENGARTEN RICHARD ROSSMAESSLER EDGAR SCOTT SIMON A. STERN MISS ANNE THOMSON A. VAN RENSSELAER HENRY WHELEN, JR. P. A. B. WIDENER CLEMENT A. GRISCOM” “To the People of Philadelphia: 1903 “The management of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, at the end of the third season of concerts, feel that they may now claim that they have fulfilled their original promise to supply the community with an orchestra of the first class. There are but three other orchestras of this rank in the country, those of Boston, Chicago and Pittsburg. “A great orchestra is as much a civic institution as a great library or art museum. It is the backbone of the whole musical organism. No large city can afford to be without one.” * * * * * “The artistic success of the past season is unquestioned, the work of the orchestra under Mr. Scheel, a leader admittedly second to none in the country, received flattering comment wherever it has been heard, both at home and in other cities, New York especially envying us the possession of an orchestra of the first rank.” * * * * * “The deficit is practically the same as that of the preceding season, viz: sixty-eight to seventy thousand dollars. While this is a large sum, it compares favorably with the deficits of the three other large orchestras of the country during their initial seasons, and is not a cause for discouragement.”