Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-25
MISUNDERSTANDING.
i4Ow THE MERRY FESTIVAL
WILL BE CELEBRATED.


Christmas Eve-HOw the Busy World
Gets Ready for the Glad Holiday
What will be Done To-day In the
Churches and at the Firesides.
Christmas eve in Savannah for 1884
had all the hustle and joyousness of its
predecessors and probably more of the
wOnted business stir and activity Of for
mer years. On all sides there were happy
faces and busy purchasers. The streels
were crowded. The stores were thronged'
GOOd-natured and parcel-laden pedestri-
ans iostIed each other on the sidewalks
and on the muddy street crossings, ana
there was a general feeling OF good lei
IovvshfD and Christmas cheer everywhere.
All these signs indicated that the day IN
savannah viii! be a very happy one.
The shop keepers stated that tney had
trade. and business during the evening
| was good everywhere The exceedingly
| Iargp number of purchasers was accounted
for bv the fact that many persons, partl-
culaTly ladies. had been kept at nome
during the day by the lowering aspect OF
the weather, and came out at night When
il showed a tendency to clear up. Many
Of the stores were decorated with
| Christmas evergreens. and being bril-
liantlv lighted, presented handsome APP
Dearanca with their displays of hand
some goods. and a thousand and one
articles suitable for gifts. The supply OF
attractions for the little ones was the
| largest. There were big dolls and little
dolls. wagons and VelOcipedes, lead
soldiers and tin horns, and other things
which delight the hearts Of young America
on Christmas morning.
One Of the ridiculous features of the
day occurred early in the evening in front
/ of Willy 4 Clarke'G, where mimic MISS
Kringle with a very red face and avery
white beard stood in secOnd-st0ry win
dow, and threw down into the street at
| intervals dolls and balls, etc, for the
| street urchins TO scramble for. The mud
was deep in the streets, but this did not
| lessen the ardOF Of the eager contestants
! for a prize. All got their clothes muddy,
| some got their heads cracked and few
/ got Wat they were scrambling for.
ItA 5 a busy day in the market, where
( the MaIs were packed with turkeys and
| geesS and chickens. The market closed,
| however. at the usual hour, and will
/ be Open again at O'Clock this morn
/ inc. Heretofore it has been usual
1 on Christmas eve for the market to be
! omen Gs late as on Saturday nights. The
/ booths around the market did a thriving
! business, and an old e0lCTed man with
! load of evergreens for Christmas trees
A BUSY DAY AT THE POST OFFICE.
! One Of the busiest places yesterday was
at the post ONCE. But for the constant
application and Oyer-wOrk of the force,
| the office would have literally OVer-run
| with business and the mailing department
hl ed from roof to ceiling with letters and
packages.
.sHow long has this thing been going
Ong' asked News reporter, VINO was
Witnessing the dispatch OF mail when the
carriers came il last evening, of Assistant
Postmaster McLaws.
sit has been a rush all week. We
never had such heavy business. At one
time Yesterday there were lO3 registered
packages on the clerks desk, and we sent
out five sacks and three pouches contain
ing mail where we usually send one. A day
or two ago "A money orders were issued.
At certain times Of the day we usually do
not have much mail matter in the post
Office Since the rush began we have
been crowded at all times. The average
sale of stamps has amounted to $3.50
day. This Is equivalent to about $4,000
pieces Of mail matter going out OF the
post office. Probably as much more is
being received. We have been working
with a short force of clerks, but every
thing is going on smoothly. 1t is rather
bard on the carriers. Where they made
one trip before they have now been max
ing five trips on one delivery"
1t is estimated that from 1,S00 to 1000
packages and pieces of mail haVe been
sent out from Savannah daily over the
usual business. The large majority are
Christmas cards, and if many people are
disappointed at the nOn-delivery of their
cords at the other end they must not COM
plain. They have been dropping in their
cards in sealed envelopes with only
I-cent stamp on them.
AT THE EXPRESS OFFICE.
The business of the Southern Express
Company this week has been 30 per cent.
heavier than Christmas business hereto
fore. The rush began in earnest on Dec.
-. Yesterday it was exceedingly lively.
Every train going out had two or three eX-
press cars attached. and these were loaded.
The cOmpany's eight wagons in Savannah
were kept busy and were unable to meet
the demand, and a number of extra
wagons had to De put on. Agent Cooper
was kept on the 90, and through his
efficient management all matter vas dis
patched on time. 1t is stated that the
number of smaller packages going North
a few days ago was much larger than
usual. It was hard to tell yesterday
whether there were more little packages
than big ones. They were numerous and
of all kinds, from a barrel OF whisky to
a tiny package, from parlOr organ
10 a bird cage with canary
bird in it. Many suspicious
looking demijOhns were being shipped.
Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue
Wilson stated that that Office had been
kept very busy lately supplying the de-
mand for wholesale liquor dealers stamps,
which probably explains what was inside
the demijOhns.
SUSPENSION OF BUSINESS.
The day being a legal holiday the city
and government offices will be closed,
except the post Office, whereSunday hours
will be observed. The custom house Will
be closed in all departments. The banks |
and exchanges will also be closed and
business generally Will be suspended.
The public schools were formally closed |
for the holiday vacation and will not re-
open until Jan. .. The County |
Treasurer was busy all day paying of |
the teachers at the superintendent Of |
fee. The private schools were also |
closed, and the school children will have |
a fOrtnighGs rest from their studies and |
the teachers the duties of the school |
room. The stores and business houses, |
many of them. will remain open during |
the morning and will close at noon. The |
market Will be open as usual.
GOOD ORDER IN THE STREETS.
The crowds in the evening began to |
grow less by 10 O'clock, and by IL the /
purchasers, the boys and those who were |
out for the night 10 stay. The city. so |
far as any disturbances were concerned. |
was unusually quiet and orderly. Up to u |
O'Clock only a few arrests had been made /
by the police, and most of these were for
violation Of the fireworks ordinance.
As the city clock struck u,
and before the last stroke had
died away. the cracking and banging of
peppers and bombs, the screeching and
yelling and blowing of horns broke out
atresh and the day was officially ushered /
in. The small boys bOnfires were burn
ing all over the southern part of the city,
and the piles Of barrels in back yards and
sheds for to-day give promise of a lively
blaze tonight. The holiday Will be gen.
orally observed by everybody, young and
old. IL is not supposed that the
merchant will present his bills to-day,
nor the bankers his drafts, nor the sheriff
his summOnses. The world does not know
how much happiness for a day is afforded
by these exemptions. 1t saves the trouble
of getting out of town or even putting on
an OvercOat and starting toward the de-
pot in order to reach home by back
street,