Music for an Amusement Park

 

The first clue was a hat.
Or to be more specific,
it was an insignia on a hat 
that spelt MEIER.

The next clue was less obvious,
almost hidden,
and not in the hats
but in a reflection. 

The last clue was clear though.
On the bottom border of a small photo
was a handwritten note.

Luna Park  1908

These photos were part of a large collection
that I acquired from a dealer several years ago.
The man seated center in this photo played euphonium
and wore a different hat when he played
in the Washington National Guard.
His name was Orville M. Snyder.
and he appeared in my story from February 2019:
The Band at the Old Campground

 

Orville's gig with the National Guard band only occupied
a couple of weeks in the summer.
During other parts of the year
his bandleader, Prof. Meier, booked various engagements
around the area and this was one of them.

It was 1908 and Meier's Band was playing concerts 
at a new amusement park—
Luna Park in Seattle, Washington. 

Amusement parks have a long, long history that goes back to ancient times. In the 17th century they developed into "pleasure gardens" that borrowed traditional entertainments from wine gardens, spas, market day fairs, Mardi Gras festivals, and wild animal menageries. By the 1900s amusement parks became a big business usually associated with huge expositions that built fantastic wonderlands offering the public a giant spectacle of fun rides on thrilling machines, clever games of chance, exhibits of marvels and oddities from around the world, and endless concessions of irresistible confections and savories. And of course, music was necessary to fill in the soundscape. Luna Park in Seattle had it all.

The first Luna Park opened in 1903 at New York's Coney Island in competition with other amusement parks at this popular seaside resort. The concept came from two showmen Frederic Thompson and Elmer "Skip" Dundy who were at various times both rivals and partners in this new cutthroat entertainment business. Using their experience designing temporary parks at other "world fairs", Thompson and Dundy created a more permanent park that featured a structure they called "A Trip to the Moon". This so-called "dark ride" transported patrons on a guided electric-powered vehicle on an simulated flying trip to the moon, hence Luna. The park also included many other novelty and thrill rides and was brilliantly illuminated at night by thousands of electric lights. 

After their success at Coney Island, Thompson and Dundy and other entrepreneurs began developing new venues around the country that borrowed the "Luna Park" name. In 1903 a second Luna Park opened in Portland, Oregon, followed by another in 1904 in Buffalo, New York. In 1905  there were five new parks in Cleveland; Johnston, PA; Mansfield, OH; and Pittsburgh. Five more new Luna Parks opened in the summer of 1906 including one in Detroit and one in Mexico City. And in 1907 Chicago got a Luna Park and so did Seattle, Washington. 

In this closeup of the previous postcard we can see an arcade sign "Admission Free" which is partly hidden in the background of the photo of Orville Snyder. The small hut behind them marked "Palmistry" is also visible.  This part of the park was called the "Midway" and acted as the central hub for patrons to pass though on their way to the other attractions.

The location was on 12 acres of shoreline in West Seattle called Duwamish Head at the northern tip of Alki Point. One of the developers was Charles I. D. Looff, (1852–1918), a Danish master woodcarver who immigrated to America in 1870 and created a very successful business manufacturing carousels and other amusement rides. In 1876 Looff built his first merry-go-round for a park in Coney Island and was later hired by Thompson and Dundy to build carousels for their parks. He has over 45 carousels around the world credited to his company.

Luna Park, Seattle WA
circa 1907-13
Source: The Internet

As seen in this color postcard, the foundations of Luna Park were constructed on pilings set into a large tidal mud flat in Elliot Bay. West Seattle is separated from Seattle by water so a special tram line and ferry was built to bring patrons (and the bandsmen too) directly to the park entrance. Construction began in the fall of 1906 and amazingly was finished in less than a year to open for the 1907 summer season. 

Seattle WA Star
19 April 1907

The cost for building Luna Park was reported in the Seattle newspapers as $500,000. It featured a "vast concrete natatorium, with tanks for men and women, hot and cold water, salt water, etc.; a big figure-eight roller coaster; a "merry-go-round," entirely different from the old style; the "Canals of Venice," affording a half mile gondola ride; a "shoot the shoots' sliding  290 feet into an artificial lake, and a score of other attractions. A big cafe will be run in connection with the park." The park would also have its own oil-fired electrical generator to power thousands of electric lights and motorized equipment. 

Luna Park, Seattle WA
circa 1907-13
Source: The Internet

The carousel manufacturer Charles Looff had initially planned to send one of his grand carousels to a park in San Francisco. But the Great Earthquake of 1906 squashed that idea and instead Loof decided to build his own Luna Park in Seattle. This postcard shows the reverse viewpoint from the first postcard of the park and in the center is Loof's huge carousel barn which would have been just behind the photographer of the three bandsmen. 

Seattle WA Daily Times
16 May 1907

At the center of the carousel was a marvel of engineering and music. It was called an "Orchestrion" and reputed to cost $12,000. It was essentially a gigantic player-organ, elaborately decorated with ornate woodcarvings, that made music on hundreds of whistle and reed pipes when triggered by a pinned cylinder or music roll mechanism. Judging from the photo published in the Seattle Daily Times this huge machine surely had to be installed first before the rest of the carousel could be assembled. 

Even before the park opened in June 1907 there was a sizable protest from citizens of West Seattle. People objected to the size and location, of course, but their most serious concern was over the park having a large saloon serving alcohol. This would surely lead to it becoming a hangout for an "undesirable class of persons" meaning drunks, prostitutes, and criminals. The protest turned into such strong opposition to the park's liquor license that the residents of West Seattle demanded that their town be annexed by the city of Seattle in the hope that its conservative mayor, a staunch defender of law and order, would better deal with the situation. Two days after Luna Park opened in 1907 Seattle annexed West Seattle. However it also annexed five other towns forcing the mayor to manage so many new obligations that the citizens of West Seattle never got the support they expected.

Seattle WA Star
21 May 1908

In 1908 the big draw for Luna Park was Prof. Davidson who made a balloon accent every afternoon at 3 o'clock. This was reportedly the first flight of any kind made in the Pacific Northwest. It is interesting to note that the Boeing Aircraft Company was founded in Seattle in 1916 by William Boeing. Perhaps he saw Davidson's balloon or Uncle Hiram and his pig.

Luna Park, Seattle WA
circa 1907-13
Source: The Internet

In this postcard we can see the bandshell where musical groups performed and next to it is Prof. Davidson's balloon. Its size looks too small to be a hot air type balloon. I believe all lighter-than-air craft in this era used hydrogen for lift. The professor sensibly tethered his balloon for both safety and practicality. The winds in Puget Sound must have caused a number of delays. 

The band hired to play at Luna Park was Ernest Meier's Military Band. In this large 8" x 5" photo the band is seated in the bandshell with its bandleader standing center. Along the bottom edge is written Luna Park ?.? ?.? 1908.  Orville Snyder sits center right next to the tuba player. There are fifteen bandsmen and all wear the same uniform and hat with a MEIER insignia. 

Seattle Union Record
8 December 1900

According to the 1900 US census, Ernest R. Meier was born in Germany in September 1859 and came to America as a young man in 1876. I found reference to a Meier's Band that played in the late 1880-1890 decades in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, so I suspect he moved to Seattle in around 1899-1900 when the city was beginning a boom in industry. He advertised his band and orchestra regularly, promoting "Music furnished for all occasions, Up-to-date repertoire, Neat uniforms." The orchestra was for indoor dances and probably used a different set of musicians since, for instance there are no euphonium parts in orchestral music. But some of his bandsmen may have played string instruments too as this cross-over talent was a common skill set for many musicians in this era. Meier's "military" band was a type of concert band that used more clarinets and flutes than a brass band. It also usually had at least two horns and a bassoon to add class to the group. Prof. Meier doesn't have a bassoon but there are two horn players seated on the right.

Luna Park, Seattle WA
circa 1907-13
Source: The Internet

In this birds-eye-view colorized photo postcard we get a good view looking north of Luna Park's location on Elliott Bay and Puget Sound. The photographer was on a small hill above the point. The chutes ride is on the left next to the "Canals of Venice" and n the right is the band stand and whirling boat ride. Prof. Davidson's balloon, looking a bit misshapen as if low on gas, floats above the park. The balloon doesn't appear to have a basket like Prof. Marvel's balloon in the Wizard of Oz. It looks like it is just a human body suspended from the balloon's rigging. That's pretty extreme even by our modern standards of thrill rides. 

A second  8" x 5" photo shows the band in a different spot at the park. Along the lower edge is written Luna Park – 08. The bandsmen are the same men with Ernest Meier seated center holding a blackwood baton. Just behind him is Orville Snyder, and 2nd man to his right is the bespectacled bandsman with the brushy mustache who was sitting with Orville on the midway. He holds a piccolo here and in the other photo is on the far left with a blackwood flute. The third man in the midway photo is the lantern-jaw drummer standing on the right here and back center left in the other photo. The clarinetist seated far right is the man I introduced at the beginning whose hat remained in focus allowing me to identify the band.

But the location for this  photo was a bit of a mystery until I saw in the back corner of this odd fake rock formation some letters. "CA??  OF MYSTE???  In several notices for Luna Park there was a mention of "Cave of Mystery" which I presume was a kind of "dark ride"  

Seattle WA Union Record
28 March 1908

Prof. Meier and his bandsmen were members of the Seattle Musicians' Union, a local with the American Federation of Musicians (of which I am also a member). In 1908 it was just one of 29 labor unions in Seattle compiled in a list by the Seattle Union Record newspaper. There were trade unions for all kinds of workers from Bakers, Bartenders, Barbers to Typographical workers, Waiters, and Waitresses. Seattle was then an important city for American labor organizations and musicians were an important part of Seattle's workers. 

_ _ _

When plans for Seattle's Luna Park were announced there was more public concern about the project than just its liquor license. The developers ignored Seattle's construction workers' unions, refusing to negotiate contracts and instead used non-union labor. In June 1907, just before the park was scheduled to open, Seattle's Central Labor Federation put Luna Park on an unfair list and called for a boycott by all its union members. The board of the musicians' union passed a resolution that all musicians were "subject to a fine of $5 for patronizing Luna Park while it is on the unfair list."

Seattle WA Union Record
28 June 1907

The first summer of Luna Park must have been both exciting and frustrating for the many people concerned about this new entertainment venue. The general public was intrigued or dismayed at the very idea of an amusement park. The developers like Charles Looff were mostly interested in bringing in the crowds and making a good return on their investment. How they managed to get this kind of complicated project finished in less than a year is a testimony to skillful planners and an army of workers, even if most of them were non-union. When the park released its notice for the opening of Luna Park on 27 June 1907, "The Nation's Greatest Playground on the Pacific Coast" it proudly listed all the various rides and features. It also prominently announced that Prof. Miner's Military Band would provide two grand concerts daily—afternoon and evening.

Seattle WA Daily Times
23 June 1907

I didn't think "Miner's" band was a misprint of "Meier's" band, as it appeared this way in other newspaper notices that called the group Prof. Miner's concert band or cornet band. The similarity was a strange coincidence that suggested some duplicity on the part of Ernest Meier. But with further research I discovered there was in fact a "Prof." Mark Minor who was both a music teacher and the leader of a boys' band and at one time the conductor of the Seattle Post Office Band. However by the end of the 1907 season the Luna Park management probably noticed that Minor's musicians were no match for the quality of real professional bandsmen. It may have helped that early in 1908 all the trade unions amicably settled their differences with Luna Park, too.

Seattle WA Union Record
28 March1908

In March 1908 the Central Labor Council of Seattle reached an understanding with Luna Park and removed it from the unfair list. I don't know how long this goodwill with unions lasted, but it at least allowed Ernest Meier to secure a steady engagement for his band that summer. 

This small photo of two (though actually three) Meier's bandsmen didn't look like much when it came with the collection I bought. It was very faded and even after correcting the contrast it doesn't look like much. But I'm now pretty certain the man on the left is Orville M. Snyder, the euphonium player in Meier's band, He comrade is the E-flat clarinetist sitting next to Meier in the Cave of Mystery photo. The third man is reflected in the oval mirror and he is the photographer looking down at the camera viewfinder. In the reflection background is Luna Park's big whirling boat ride. Like the other photos this one is annotated in the same handwriting—Luna Park  1908.

The band kept to a strict schedule that likely meant playing several concerts in a day's work. They were not likely to stray far from the bandstand so where is this place with this unusual mirror? Could I find it in any of the photos of Luna Park? Indeed I could but before I reveal where it is I'll give readers a chance to find it in this next image.

Luna Park, Seattle WA
circa 1907-13
Source: The Internet

Did you spot it?
It's at an entrance with three arches
and the sign:
LOST CHILD. 

I'm not certain if this was a security office to collect and protect lost children or instead a weird mirror maze. But I'm certain it was a place some of Meier's bandsmen found shade from Seattle's summertime sun.

As far as I can determine, Ernest Meier and his band left Luna Park before the end of its 1908 season and never got a return engagement. In August most of them were encamped with the Washington National Guard. When the park reopened in 1909 another band took their place.

Seattle WA Daily Times
20 June 1909

By this time the actual manager of Seattle's Luna Park was the Charles Looff's son William Looff and he came up with new ideas to keep the park popular. The balloonist was replaced by a female high diver named Spray who climbed a 60 foot tall tower to dive into a tank of water six foot square. [See my July 2017 story, The Special Swimsuit Edition, to learn why this became a fad in the 1910s]  The rides were still promoted but the big attraction for 1909 was Ostriches! They were trained to drive in harness and do other tricks. [I've met ostriches before and can vouch that they are some nasty mean big birds. Not like pigeons in any way.]  And the band for Luna Park was La Sousa's Clown Band. Not a class act, I think.

Luna Park, Seattle Washington, circa 1910
Source: Wikimedia

The years 1910 to 1912 were a troubled time for Luna Park and for some reason newspapers stopped printing its notices. There had been several tragic accidents at the park which led to costly  lawsuits. A dance hall had opened next to the park that, and just as the West Seattle folk had feared, it brought in a disreputable clientele. Luna Park's owners also got embroiled in business disputes that required expensive litigation. It didn't help that Seattle's mayor and police chief were caught up with scandals and corruption. 

Perhaps the park lost appeal because of its distance from Seattle's center. The trolley line and ferry ride took about 45 minutes, but maybe this was now too long. In this new decade more people were acquiring automobiles and a drive to West Seattle may have introduced disagreeable parking and traffic problems. The only thing at Luna Park that seemed successful with the public was its "Natatorium" where the heated swimming pool let it stay open for much of the year.  

In 1913 hope for Seattle's amusement park seemed renewed when a new manager was brought on board. The rides were expanded and the business bought bigger newspaper ads promoting Luna Park's laughter and fun potential.

Seattle WA Star
6 June 1913

The clown band was replaced by Dicastro's Royal Military Band of 30 soloists. Gone were the balloonists, high divers, and ostriches. Instead an Italian Band got top billing. Admission was free but probably nothing else was. By the end of the 1913 summer season the Seattle public had found other amusements more attractive and Luna Park closed its gates for good. All the ride equipment was disassembled and shipped to other parks or scrapped. Unfortunately I have yet to find the exact date when the business went bust as after 1913 Seattle's newspapers seem to have given up reporting about Luna Park. 

The dance hall, swimming pools and cafe stuck around for several more years. But in April 1931 an arsonist set the Natatorium ablaze and the last remaining structure of Luna Park was destroyed.  

Many years ago, just out of college, I worked a summer at Busch Gardens, a modern amusement park in Williamsburg, Virginia. For this gig I didn't play horn in a band but instead was a member of a small quartet of strolling musicians who played Renaissance wind instruments in the park's fantasy Olde England. We wore "Renaissance" costumes made from heavy upholstery material and played "Elizabethan" and "Shakespearean" era music outdoors in front of Ye Olde Globe Theatre at the parks entrance/exit. It was 7 hours work for a six-day week that rarely attracted much attention as most people arriving at the park were in a hurry to get to the rides and beer hall. And six hours later when people were leaving most were too tired to watch us perform for more than a minute. The only perk of the job was a free pass to ride the roller coasters when our shift ended. That summer I learned a lot about the "art of performing" and about the nature of real "show business".  

So as I discovered more about Seattle's Luna Park, I realized that Orville Snyder and I shared a  similar experiences working in an amusement park. If I had a time machine I'd like to go back to 1908 Seattle and trade stories with Orville and the fellas in Meier's Military Band. And maybe sit in with the band and play my horn as Prof. Davidson made his balloon accension. That would be fun.

The grand carousel that once delighted Seattle children, and adults too, was originally made for a park in San Francisco. Though it had a short life at Luna Park, the carousel was preserved and eventually made its way to Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco where it has been restored and installed at the Children's Creativity Museum. According to another recent video almost all the carousel horses are the original wooden carvings, though now with more durable paintwork, I think. Here's a short video that demonstrates how some fun never gets old. 

* * *

* * *

There is one more story to tell
about this collection of musical photos from Seattle.
It's about the same musicians but a different bandleader.
Stay tuned.

This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday

where everyone is spinning round

and around
and aaround
and aaaround
and aaaaaround
and aaaaaaaaaaaround
and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaround.