Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-11
LOOKING FOR GIFTS.
The Business Streets Given Up to the
Holiday Shoppers.
STORES WERE OVERcROwDgD.
Merchants Are Enjoying the Best Trade
for Years.
RARE CHANCE FOR THE CHARITABLE

Fifth avenue, SmithfeId street, Wood
and Sixth streets and the other business
thoroughfares were almost entirely given
up yesterday to women who with their lit
tie ones crowded along on what seemed to
be the first inspection of the holiday goods
displayed in the shop windows.
The weather was simply delightful The
sun burned out In all its glory and 1t
brought with it the Christmas crowds who
took possession of streets as we'll as the
stores The sidewalks, especially on the
narrow thoroughfares, were nearly unpas-
sable, and the man who was in hurry was
forced to the street. The generous spirit of
old Santa Claus pervaded the minds and
kind hearts Of the people in the stores and
they were buying with a vengeance. In
this respect this holiday season il different
from previous ones, for people usually put
off the buying of their presents until the
last possible moment
shopkeepers Confused.
The storekeepers were hardly able to
manape the crowds that thronged their
places and the busidess done yesterday, the
shopkeepers think, justihes their saying
that the amount of money which will be
expended this year for Christmas purchases
will equal, if not exceed, that of any other
year, notwithstanding the great drawback
that business had on account of the lsbor
troubles.
The charitable societies are making
preparations to enliven the homes Of the
many poor families of the cities. The
Society for the Improvement of the Poor,
in its various branch Offices, 10 awaiting
the incoming of the Christmas donations
and broken toys, damaged dolls, etc. Mrs.
Tucker, the manager of the Oakland branch,
speaking in this connection yesterday, said;
''You would be surprised at what we
accomplish with little glue and .
little more artfulness. We receive
dolls sometimes without heads, then
again without legs and arms, but We
always manage to have an array OF bright
looking toys and dolls which give Joy to the
hundreds of poor little children, who other
wise would not know what Christmas il
Don't Want Much.
"We are glad to receive anything, no
matter how damaged, SO long a. there is
something to work on, so mothers who have
lot of broken playthings stored away in
bACAL RAkLCbb w uOb hSON w sAAhA sASV sAOy
are too badly smashed to be sent to US
Even little broken piece of tinsel may
fash q ray of joy into some poor child's
life. Our Thanksgiving offerings were far
from satisfactory, and we hope this Christ
mas tide may bring forth more generous
donations-eTen of the things that are Of
no use to those who have them. b.
"In many cases people do not give these
little odds and ends to our charitable socie-
ties simply because they have no means of
getting the things to headquarters. We
have provided for such cases and If any
person who has something for US will only
take the trouble to drop US postal card,
we will have our push cart call for them
and save the donors great deal Of trouble.
People should be careful to leave the pack
ages so that one man can get them, ~ the
large field we have to cover does not make
it an easy matter for our wagon to get
around the second time"