Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-26

came in the shape of a substantial dinner.
which was furnished through the Central Union
Mission. They were houses of poverty, If not
In all cases of dire destiiution. and the day
was certainly one Of thanksgiving and rejoic-
ing, for 1t should be known that even here at
the nations capital, there are families where
full and complete meal is not an event Of every
day occurrence. There was no need that any
family at all deserving and worthy OF help should
be without a dinner today. As far as the efforts
OF the Union Mission were effective in reaching
such cases there Was no home neglected today.
WEEKS OF PREPARATION.
For several weeks past the mission has made
preparations for giving their annual dinner to
those in need of such gift Three years ago
the experiment was tried of supplying dinners
at the homes instead of giving "A public dinner
The facilities enjoyed by the mission for find
ing out the families most in need Of help are very
complete, and the practical methods adopted Of
distributing the food have been 80 thoroughly
appreciated by the public that the annual APP
peals of the mission for contributions meet
with generous response. Last year over 500
IN money was received. while this year the con-
tributions have come pouring IN until the
money alone amounted to over 81 900. and in
addition there were stacks of clothing and
quantities of provisions received. The mem
bers of the board of directors of the mission
were confident that they could rely on the sup
port OF the people of the city, and several days
ago they made arrangements to buy turkeys
and chickens by the Wholesale.
COOKING THE TURKEYS AND CHICKENS.
Then the fowls were sent to Mrs. Martin, the
proprietor of the Temple Cafe, who had them
prepared for cooking. From this point the
hundreds of turkeys and chickens were dis
trlbuted around among the different hotels
where the experts who preside over the great
cooking ranges took them in charge, and when
they were done to a turn and were enyeloped
In an atmosphere that il calculated to make the
lips of the average man fairly water they
were sent TO the rooms of the mission.
Here the great room in the
third story was filed with long tables ready
for their reception. Besides the turkeys and
chickens there were any number of piles Of
brown paper parcels-great towering noun
tains of good things which usually attend a
turkey when he adorns a dinner table. There
were potatoes and tutter and sugar and coffee
and apples and oranges, and there were even
pies. That upper room was 80 filled with good
things that hints and suggestions of what it
contained came floating down in delicious
whiffs that tickled the nose and impaired a
Thanksgiving odor to the entire building.
THE TRAMPs AND DEAD BKATs LEFT.
The tramps knew all about If, and so did the
entire class of dead beats who always manage
to put in an appearance when people are busy
with charitable thoughts and are intent on
making others happy. But the managers of
the Union Mission, while they do not consider
any case entirely hopeless and extend kindly
reception to all have no notion Of giving
Thanksgiving dinners to the undeserving. The
money they spend is contributed literally by
the public. because of the belief that il is ex-
pended judiciously and supplies the wants of
the needy. That is the aim of the managers of
the mission and ii is believed that they sue
ceed.
DIVIDING Up THE DINNERS.
All day yesterday and the day before the
members of the board of directors and their
wives were busily engaged in dividing the i'm
mense mass into dinners. This was accom-
plished in a very expeditions manner. Large
paper bags were obtained and each bag repre-
serted family and into it placed that
family's dinner. If 1t WAS family of three
persons, dinner for three was furnished and
the same was done In the case of a family Of
thirteen. Every name on the list known
to some member of the board or to some one
known by the board and when an application
came in, if nothing was known Of the family
then visitor was detained to make q personal
inspection. In this way the percentage Of i'm
position. which the feeding of a multitude on
such an extensive scale generally involves was
reduced to a minimum.
In the opinion of Mr. Hitchcock the chair
man of the board, all the families supplied
with dinners are deserving. and he is confident
that this commendable charity is administered
with but very slight loss.
PROBABLY FOUR HUNDRED FAMILIES SUPPLIED
Yesterday over 200 families were supplied
and today by / o'clock perhaps an equal num-
Der in addition had received their Thanksgiv-
ing dinner cooked and prepared for the table
1t was hard work. but there were willing hands
and that made the progress rapid. Some filed
the bags. while others kept list Of the names
and wrote out the tags that were placed on
each bag. A number Of express wagons
were kept busy going to all parts of
the city and delivering the bags at
the houses. Mr.. James II. Hitchcock.
the chairman of the board, was engaged
looking over applicationsas they were received,
Mrs. Z. u. Bailey kept the list Of the families
and checked off the bags, while Mrs. n. A. Rob-
bins had general charge of the room where the
bags were being filled. She was assisted by
Mr.. and Mrs. Swartout, Mrs. Geo. w. Wheeler
Mr. and Mrs. o. B. Brown. Mr.. and Mrs. w. c.
Tyler, Mr. e. ID. Bailey, Mrs. Geo. W. Havell,
Mr.. and Mrs. W. L. Paxson. The missionary
of the board. Mr.. W. c. Michael, and his wife
were giving their efficient aid, while Mr.. Geo.
W. Wheeler, as usual, was lending a helping
hand wherever the need the greatest.
There were others who gave their assistance.
and il is safe to say that in consequence OF this
energetic work over 400 families will today eat
a good square meal The mission workers
know how much good this charity is doing. as
they have continual testimonies to tina effect.
ONE woMAN's GRATITUDE.
This morning while the ladies were hard at
work a woman came in the room and with
great burst of tears literally embraced Mrs.
Bailey as she told her that the dinner which
was sent to her house yesterday was the first
meal she and her family had eaten for thirty
six hours. She had come to tell the ladies how
gratitied she was for the aid which had been
sent to the family 30 opportunely. 1t may be
taken for granted that after this episode all
worked with greater earnestness.
The members OF the board are especially
gratified with the hearty response which their
appeal for funds. food and clothing elected
from the public. Contributions came in from
all classes. The children of the public schools
interested themselves. The girls belonging to
two grades in the Seaton building, the pupils Of
the Central High School. the clerks in the gov
ernment departments, especially those in the
Office Of the sixth auditor, the workingmen in
the navy yard, business men and citizens gen.
orally gave with q willingness and hcartineo
that is especially gratifying.
FURTHER GOOD TO BE DONE.
II is not expected that all the money contrib
uted viii be needed to supply Thanksgiving
dinners but the balance viii be used in buying
coal and in supplying other wants of the poor
people with whom the mission workers come in
contact. The gifts Of clothing will be found
very useful in supplying those who desire 70
reform their lives and to become respectable
citizens- A decent suit Of clothes 10 pometimes