The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-24
SANTA CLAUS GEbDES
He Will Aid Many Deserving
But INDECENT Families.
DISTRIBUTION By THE COUNTY
WILL BE MADE TODAY.
q Busy Week at the Commissioners
ofice-Many Appeals Received
From the Aged and Poor-Some
of the More Interesting Cases
Christmas at the Infirmary.

There will be joy in the homes OF
many poor families today.
Commissioner Geddes will make his
annual distribution of Christmas din
ners to about 40 of the most worthy
indigent families in the city. The par
GELS which Will give Christmas a touch
of reality in these 40 novels where
crusts Of bread and potatoes are con-
sidered delicacies all the year round
will each contain a chicken, one pound
of tea, rs cents worth of sugar, 70
cents worth of rice, one pound of but
ter and 10 cents worth of candy to the
little ones. There will be no toys for
the children, it is true, but good meal
Will in a large measure compensate Tor
county who otherwise have a natural
aversion to askinS aid.
The week at the commissioners OF
flce has been busy one TO Mr. GeddeS,
who looks after the pauper department
The benches in the waiting rooms have
been filled with applicants for aid, all
ages being represented, from the little
golden curly head of TO the old and
decrepid, whose hair has grown white
during almost century of winters. All
came TO ask the county for something
with which to appeaSe hunger and
Withstand the cold. OF course the pros
pect of cold and cherries Christmas
drove many to seek help from the
county who otherwise have a national
aversion for asking aid.
One case directly in point was an old
man bent with the age of fourscore and
six, who called upon the commissioners
yesterday. He said he was living with
his daughter, a widow having four
children. There was not a bit of food
in the house to eat and not any fuel
even 10 make a fire. The caller, though
able to walk, was practically paralyzed
in the upper part of the body and his
food had TO be given to him like baby,
being unable TO lift his hands to his
mouth. The entire family was depend
ent upon the mother, who has been
taking in washing.
Mr.. Geddes synipathized with the old
man and offered TO place him at the in
Urinary, where he could. be made more
comfortable. ITO the poorhouse?" and
the callers face assumed a worried ex-
preston. NO, l would rather starVe
than go to the poorhouse. l would not
beg nOw-I'll take it ali back. I'd rather
go home and starve.'
The case was investigated. and the
condition found to be exactly as de-
scribed by the old gentleman, and aid
was dispatched. This is but one of the
numerous cases where people actually
prefer starving to begging.
But on the other hand, there are
many who seek to impose upon the
good nature of the commissioner. For
example, lazy husbands often send
their wives, who are usually clad very
scantily, to ask for few dollars with
which to buy coal, when the money in
reality is wanted for whisky. But none
of these are successful. The board
Heeps q record of all worthy families,
and no money or provisions are sent
out without a thorough investigation.
Superintendent Lambert of the
county infirmary will serve the in
mates with an elaborate turkey dinner
tomorrow. The good people of the city
have remembered the old folks. and
there have been sent out boxes filled
with good things to eat, caps for the
old men and trinkets for the women.