$1 Up

When Manhattan's Metropolitan Opera was put on a permanent basis in 1892, the Metropolitan Opera House was bought for $1,425,000 by 35 members of New York's swankest families. From them the Opera Company leased the building to produce its operas in. In payment for this lease the Company allowed its 35 landlords to occupy the 35 first-tier boxes of the Opera House (the "Diamond Horseshoe") at an annual assessment that reached a high last year of $4,500 a box.

Realistically facing changed conditions in wealth, society and musical appreciation, J. P. Morgan last December advised the Metropolitan Opera Company to buy the Opera House from its socialite landlords and surrender the Diamond Horseshoe to the plebs.

Last January the Met board of directors decided to take Mr. Morgan's advice. They launched a public campaign for contributions to help buy the Opera House, for $1,000,000. Within a month their drive had netted $300,371, including $70,000 from Manhattan's opulent Juilliard Foundation. Small contributions of $1 up, from miners, sailors, truck drivers, waiters and music critics, were expected to produce $300,000. A gift of $10,000 came from Switzerland. Last week ex-King Alphonso of Spain, mindful of the time when the Met had raised $50,000 at a benefit for the University City of Madrid, promised a fat check. Total at week's end: $465,061. Chiefly responsible: Mrs. August Belmont, noble of voice and mien; handsome George A. Sloan, who married a Rockefeller and combines business with public service.

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