The herald., 1895-02-19
Anniversary OF the Birth of a
Great and Good Man
SCHOOLCHILDREN IN LINE
Elaborate Exercises Held By the People
of His Native Town
A Message From Qaeon Victoria in Remem4
brance of the Bankers 1auy Kind ard
PhilanthropicaI Deeds

Peabody, Mass. Feb. 1s.-The celebra
ton of the one hundredth anniversary OF
the birthday of George Peabody the eel
ebrated London banker and philanthrop-
list, benefactor and memorable citizen,
| occurred in this, his native town,
today, with appropriate ceremonies.
1t was not, however, strictly
local observance, for cablegrams from
Queen Victoria and the Duke of
Devonshire, chairman OF the Peabody
| donation fund, to which Mr.. Peabody
contributed 50, 500 900 for the establish
ment of homes for the deserving poor
of London, gave it a touch OF inter-
national character. The business part of
the town was appropriately decorated.
! Early in the day guests began to arrive,
and when the afternoon meeting was
called to order distinguished citizens OF
many sections of Massachusetts and else
! where were present.
The forenoon exercises, in which about
1000 school children took part, were held
in the Peabody Institute, and addresses
| were delivered by Rev. J. w. Hudson of
! the Unitarian church and Rev. o. S. But
Ter of Georgetown.
| In the afternoon exercises of more
elaborate nature were held in the Town
Hall. Music and addresses comprised the
programme. Hon. Francis II. Appleton,
chairman of the celebration committee,
presided and opened the exercises with
an eloquent address. He was fol-
lowed by General Walcott, the
orator of the day. The celebration
closed with banquet and ball in the
town hall. In opening the exercises Mr..
Appleton referred to the widespread in
fuence of the man in whose memory the
occasion was observed, and read the fol-
lowing cablegrams received from Queen
Victoria and the Duke of Devonshire:
To the Century Committee, Pea body
Mass. On this, the hundredth anniver-
sary of the birth of George Peabody, the
grateful remembrances of him and his
noble bene6cent deeds of charity to this
country are fresh in my heart and that of
my people. (Signed: VICTORIA.
The committee replied as follows:
To Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Victoria
Windsor Castle, England:
The committee desires TO express on be-
half of the town of Peabody it's sincere
thanks to the Queen of England for the
gracious message upon the commemora
ton of the one hundredth anniversary OF
the birth of George Peabody.
The committee is also in receipt of
ablegram from the Duke of Devonshire.
London, Feb. 1S.-In connection with
the Tooth anniversary of the late George
Peabody, the trustees here of the fund
given by Mr.. Peabody for
the erection of dwelling houses for
the working classes in London report
that the total amount of the fund is now
f1, ,114,000, Owing to the benefaction OF
NJ. Peabody II, 300 houses are now occu-
pied by 1000 inmates. The average
rent of the rooms is 2s I'd per week. The
average weekly earnings of the head of
each family among the inmates of the
rooms is OBS Cd.
The Queen and the Duke of Devonshire
have sent cable dispatches to the Mayor of
Peabody appreciative of the virtues OF
Mr.. Peabody.