New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23
CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS.
THE STREETS THRoNGED WITH SHOPPERS.
HEAvILY-LADEN TRAINS LEAVE THE DEPoTs-GRAND
STREET AT NIGHT.

HEAvILY-LADEN TRAINS LEAVE THE DEPoTs-GKAND
STREET AT NIGHT.
The near approach of Christmas was made
apparent everywhere in the streets yesterday
Large crowds OF busting, laughing, merry people,
laden with parcels and bundles OF all sorts ana
sizes who iostled one another good-naturedly on
the slippery sidewalks, not been seen for many
day. FOurteenthst, from Union Square 10 s4th-a'er
almost impossible for several hours IN tue hter-
noon, and along Sixthave and Broadway ana the eng
thOroughfares there great streams OF people surs
to and fro The stores crowded overlooking and
only persevcrng could force their way through Car
rages seghs force and at such crossings
that &C Twenty hlrd-st. and Fifthave. the hand
some policemen had almost more than they couia 40
TO pilot their fair charges safely over pedestrians
thronged Fifh-ave and braved tho cutting wnds eA-
changing greetings with another and with persons
who drove by Glimpses through many window shOwed
signs of decoration the mstetoe and the holly blend
ing together charmingy. Twgs OF mistetoe with
branches adorned the dresses OF many OF the
lady promenaders.
NIGHT IN THE HUB OF THE Fast sIDE
Grandt on Saturday night has always been one OF the
sights Of NewYork but on the Saturday before Christ
Gralds about eight o'clock becomes the Hub of the
whole East side Last night the street from the Bowery
to the river filled with women and children,
who we're all happy and all spending money They could
not help themselves The business part OF Grads was
successOn of honey pots aud the flies Of humanity were
bound 10 come to them The honeypot with me sweetest
aE Dd baz1 s IG ES T was 81" Rey The place oc
cupes nearly an entire block; and IA az ,o 1ne
meu converted into gigantic bazaar Nearly every
dy In Grandst were either in 'front.' OF Rdleys going
to kidley's coming from Ridley's.
Outside the store was great I'd, attracted by the
electric arc lights and people wond stand and gaze and
get I'm the way OF everybody else Within the DOORS
there such "A of hustle such hum OF voices
such glitter OF high cOOrs, that the childrens heads
selves until they mounted to the tr floor and found
themselves in the presence OF m.hty multitude 81
styles Of beauty few dressed In the highest style
o: the fashion. but the majority were in costume that
thing that the widest female imagination could dream Of
in the way OF fancygoods dolmans pushes, brocades
hats, feathers, linen, etc.
CROWDS DEPARTING FROM THE CITY.
At the Grand Central Depot the pressure holiday travel
made it-ef felt the hours passed the meridian After
O'Clock there deepening excitement aud bolster
hafharous confusion. The cabbies werc clustered
thcky than usual along the Fony-seconds frOnt
Peep through glass doors discovered all the long
eun throng There trains but ali were extra
or moe sections Everybody was n "A royal hum0r.
baggage nasIers smashed wildly and benignanlly
the chl aud the deepening tnrong "a poured into the
depot- secme: glowing with goodwill Mostly the Pa5-
all Of bundles, parcels aud packages, reputable
disrcputable-n snuggcd goodies OF the bl0ulons
inevitable turkey with toes turned up patnieh
sImiIinc way, was seen All the outlying world
md hcen p-fiirug i'm New York and the inuumerabe
blzaars must nave eAp,ilenced llN'ly Itpe,o,n. ~
II il wonderful how many parcels dainty lady OF gen
tcman can manage To carry AT htlStnts "ot iS, va
Iarcin and the New Haven all seemed choked TO Their
mos, ohdng capacity and where the paIcei' bihIles'
packages and addenda All unexplained ys-
tery The .rcat ghodoogwdys opened and yaWned ior
tue rapidly sccrcdng trains Ike vast suce-waJS hinder
ing swollen stream; hnd set the stream KEPT Iheus
the gate oors. uurrlcycd NJ It's tremendous congestion
Officials fnr the moment bland ANA bcaunug; ana
tickets were dispensed with smhnz ubdn'ly Olu JACOB
Mcudrl. toe window of Bis package cdh"o III tue
Nrwaycn depot, seemed buried IA MS deposits u rust
parcels, bnt ir ul-ho" Nl-Igt anu "lhnlls ooobuJ
OF courtesy dulcct suc aud all over M goWLlhhed
sp,ctaclr- seemed like prr-cntment OF biS heorhc
The Ncw-York Central Railroad Company WIN make
%rrin. he Indays Thr reduced ticket. Will De sold
December -. - and - and 80 and 81 1883 ana on
Thursday after NcNIear- similar low rates nave Oeeh
| made Dy the West shore road
special tram the Long Island Railroad VIII leave
Hunters point this morning with $500 turkeys one Tor
each emIluye ON tue road
1IlE STRAIN UPoN TIE EMPRESS COMPANIES.
The facilities VI the express companies aud the
temper OF their employees for the Last few days have
been nut TO severe test in handling the number Of ho
day packages delivered TO them. But although the men
have been working night and day with little sleep, they
| have preserved a womb rful amount Of good nature
Nearly all the companies have been compelled to employ
wherever they could be found AZ the office OF the amer
lean Express Company, Mr. Berry the general agent s'ld
ycstcriay that. usual customers presented bandbOIes
cd win glass and Othcr htitie things when thcy
assured the clerks hah been sary Pc9,I re Ia' nau
Label fragile" prepared which saved the CLERKS from
| ansScTing many questions, and made the customers
| feel happy when they saw II pasted ON hrlr
lackages' The uptown offices OF this company
| were hllcd with parce' aud the freight house at
Madisun-aye and Forty eighthrt was crowded Al the
office Of Wclls Fargo Coz the superintendent sai mat
The Increase IN the number OF packages going To Europe
larger than usual aud tnat there was 'onsderSole
| pressure turir lines IN the Nost
william IlOcy, superintendent OF the Adams company
at the East Twenty thirdst was doing the Ia or
Of the clerks. IL sad that his company would prODaOy
receive \ 900 packages yc-tcray, aud that they Wod
all be distributed before Tuesday morning On Ffuhyi
! $50 turkeys were distributed To the employees.
Erasus WInan. president OF the staten Island RAILWAY
and Ferry Company Las ordered that large turkey At
married employees OF the company me nlnLle men WIN
| About / 100 pounds OF turkey will be required.
RAILROAD INTERESTS.