Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-24
EVE OF CHRISTMAS.
THE GLORIOUS FESTIVAL AND AC-
COMPLAINING PLEASURES NEAR.
Streets Crowded with Busy shoppers-Mail
and Espress-Dinner Mt the Aims
house-Msny Presentations.

| II there Ia one thing about the American
people that will refute the charge that
they live simply TO make money it is the
! universal celebration Of Christmas.
For days past men, women, and children
without number have been hurrying to
| TO and fro with smiles on their faces and
| bundles in their arms. out of Richmopd's
| s.. 900 inhabitants il il safeto say that there
are not 5000 who have Lot in the past week
acted as conveyers Of some package large
| or small.
And herein lies the beauty of the whole
observance. Out Of the vast throng there
was not one but who was bent on bringing
pleasure-not TO himself-but to some one
else.
CROWDED STREETS.
Main and Broad streets have had more
people on them during the last two days
than ever before known at similar time
of the year.
Many of them were on looking bent
more OF them were purchasers.
Trade has been splendid; everybody has
| done well, and one merchant actually COM
| planned to q Dispatch representative Mon
day night because he had already sold
nearly all his stock.
EATABLEs.
Provisions Of all kinds are not 90 high as
| il was thought they would be. The tenn
perature to-day and tonight Will OF |
course have much 20 do with the price of
fowls. Should the pleasant weather OF the |
past two days continue Il is safe to say that |
turkeys will roost not quite so high-twen- |
ty cents per pound-as they did Yesterday. |
Both markets will be open until O'Clock |
tonight. and as usual will be closed to- |
morrow.
MAIL FACILITIES.
At the post-office Observation-Disclosures was |
booming The stamp-window was be |
sieged all day long with people having |
seasonable packages and letters 10 send |
off. Often the line of waters extended |
ont into the street. The parcels predomi- |
mated by q large majority. Huge rolling |
trunks on wheels were used as receptacle |
for these. a few minutes would suffice to fill |
one of these. when it was speedily removed |
and another wheeled into its place. by |
this means on an average CT about ten |
minutes after the bundle was " dropped |
in the slot" it would be in the mailbag |
ready for transportation.
WILLING WORKERS.
The men worked with will, and at dark |
last night Postmaster Russell said the work |
in the rear of the Office was as well up a. II |
usually is on dull summer day.
Mr.. Russell sent an application TO wash
ington some time ago asking that he be al
lowed extra help in and outside tho Office |
10 facilitate the handling Of the Christmas
mail. Ia answer TO this he received per-
mission from the department TO employ |
three extra carriers. and circular IRON
the postmaster-G General thanking the men |
for the good work done by them III the |
past and asking them 10 strain point and
DO "A little better now and try to make out !
without extra help.
Postmaster Russell told the men be WAS |
sorry he had TO work them so hard, but he |
supposed they must be content TO feed oil /
of Mr. Wanamaker's compliments"
THE EXPRESS PEOPLE.
The number of packages being handled |
by the express companies this year Is truly |
startling.
The Southern Express Company has |
opened a branch Office IN the building for
merly occupied by Mol Hose Company on /
Tenth street. They have a number OF ex-
ira men and wagons III service, ana even
then they are compelled to work nearly all
night.
Pretty much the same st ate of affairs ex-
lists, at the Baltimore and Ohio Express
Office.
THE SCHOOLS.
Richmond College practically closed its
wear YESTERDAY. The faculty has declared !
q three days recess. But few of the stu
dents will put in an appearance until the
full Christmas week and New ear are
over The institution bore deserted look
last night, most of its inhabitants having
made their way homeward. -,
The public schools close to-day and VIII
remain so until January 9th, by which time
il is probable that the scholars viii have
forgotten good part of what they have
learned 50 far this session.
Most of the private schools closed yes
terday and viii not reopen until next Mon
Jav ar perhapg after New Years.
CHRISTMAS DoISGs AT Y. MICA.
Open house will be kept all day Christ
mas and an attractive programme Will be /
arranged and refreshments served. All /
young men. especially those away from \
home, are cordially invited TO be present. /
The "yule-log" will be burning and |
pleasant time assured all those who can be \
present. You are invited. Come.
A BouYTEoUs DINNER AT TIE ALMsHoUsH. |
The inmates Of the city nlmshouse Will \
have a bounteous dinner served them to-
morrow, and Christmas Will be an occasion I
for merriment and happiness with both old 1
and young in this institution. This meal /
will be furnished at the expense OF the /
CITY and was ordered by the Council Com
mittee on Relief of the Poor.
CHURCH OF THE COVENANT.
Christmas services will be held az the /
Church of the Covenant, on west Grace 4
street, at half-past 9 o'clock tomorrow
morning. The sermon will be preached by /
the pastor, Rev. j. Calvin Stewart.
GIFTS TO RICHMOND COLLEGE.
Christmas-times bring gifts not to indi-
viduals alone. Richmond College received /
on Yesterday a present from Mrs. James 1
Thomas of a handsomely-m terres- /
trial globe which cost SEVERAL hundred dol |
lars. The librarian has received notice of 4
the arrival in New York of a portrait of
Rev George B. Taylor, ID. d., OF Rome,
Italy. for the college library. This IL the |
gift Of DR.. John IL. Eager and other friends.
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR THE coNUoTs.
AT this season of the year the guards and
attaches of the penitentiary are kept quite
busy receiving Christmas boxes and pres
ents that are sent the convicts by their
friends and relations who love them stu
" with all their faults"
Each box has to be carefully searched so
that nothing of O contraband character
may reach the cells of the unfortunate
criminals. 70 the class of forbidden
goods all liquors belong and many are the
"ticklers" that are kept away from the
prisoners. Quite frequently. too, saws and
tools to aid them In escaping are found
among the articles, so that everv package
has 10 be carefully looked into. From
Christmas-eve until New Years day nearly
two hundred of these boxes are sent every
wear to the convicts by their friends.
SECRETARY SIGHTED.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Robert =. Rich
ardson, secretary of the Virginia state In
surance Company, was reminded OF the
near approach of Christmas In an agreea-
ble manner. the employees OF the com
pany, desiring TO keen him keen;sightedf for
their interests as well as for those OF the
company's, presented him with hanu-
some pair of gold e-glasses.
VULCAN RoS-woRKs.
Christmas at the Vulcan Iron-Works be-
,an Yesterday afternoon when Mr.. c. ID.
Dnke. manager,of the rolling mil. !. was pre-
1epted with heavy gold set ring 10y the |
men under him. The presentation speech
was made by Mr. L. l.. Rowe.
MIR. G. w. Warrington, boss roller OF the
came mill. was presented with gold
headed walking cane.
Mr. u. l.. Rowe. who made the presenta-
,;an sneech in each instance, was the re- |
c;,;ant of a handsome double Masonic |