The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-25


The office employees, from one end of
the Delaware and LaCkawanna railroad
to the other. were very much interest
ed I'm the outcome of a little ceremony
that was scheduled to take place in
the Office of the president of the road,
Samuel Sloan. at II o'clock yesterday
morning said the New York sun Of
yesterday Months ago some of the Cler-
iCal force of the road recalled that on
Christmas Day Mr.. Sloan would be 50
years old. They thought it would be a
graceful act on the part of all the Of
fee employees Of the road If they should
clnb together and buy Mr.. Sloan a
birthday and Christmas present. The
idea took, and this committee was APP
pointed to decide upon what form the
nift should take. to collect subscrip-
tions and to make the presentation: II.
{. Hicks, head of the freight depart
incnt, chairman; w. f. Holwill. J. B.
Marston, a. II. Schwarz, S, b. Foley.
A. c. Salisbury, y. II. Storrs. q, f..
Zinpel and G. \. Holden. son of the
vice president of the road, Edwin r.
Holden. Young Mr.. Holden was treas
urer
The committee decided to get solid
gold tea service of seven pieces on a
solid gold tray Tiffany & Co. took the
commission for the work. Ii was COM
pl,ted on Monday and Vice President
Holden was chosen to make the pre-
sentation Yesterday.
HE WAS NOTIFIED.
Thesa details having been arranged.
il was thought best not to take the
venerable president entirely by sur
prise, so his son. Samuel Sloan, jr.,
was asked TO inform his father on
Wednesday night that the pres nta-
ton was to take place next morning.
Young Mr. Sloan did as requested and
he was quite taken aback by his fa
ther's reception of the news. The old
gentleman said:
What do they want to give me a
present for? I've done nothing to de-
serve anything like this. If ! had there
would be some sense i'm the thing. They
can't afford to do this. / don't want
it, and, what's more, you can so back
and tell those who sent you here that |
won't accept it,"
This was a sumner and young Mr.
Sloan concluded to let his father sleep
over the matter and tackle him again
before he went downtown yesterday
morning. a nights rest had made no
difference in Mr.. Sloan's determination
not to ac,cpt the gift. Finding this
out, the son consulted Mr. Holden. The
vice president said he'd fix it all right
and Immediately repaired to the pres
IL y.
fix it. He labored a long time with
Mr. Sloan, but the latter wouldn't be
taken into receiving the present.
Coming out of the presidents Office,
Mr. Holden called the committee to-
gcther and told them what Mr. Sloan
had said. The committee didn't know
what to do. Finally some one suggest
ed that when Mr.. Sloan went out to
luncheon the service be carried into his
office and set upon his desk with a card
telling the purpose of the present and
from whom it came.
THAT won't do" one Of the commit
tee is quoted as saying. "You can't
drive the old man an inch. and he'd
just send it back"
MIR. SLOAN CONSENTED.
Somebody else suggested that the s-r-
vice be sent to Mr.. Sloan's home. This
was also thought inadvisable, and at
length it was decided to let the matter
rest for a few hours. Mr.. Holden prom
ised to see Mr.. Sloan again in the
meantime. He did so. one or two 9TH
er officers of the company put I'm a
word, and finally Mr. Sloan was pre-
vailed upon to accent the gift The
pres ntatiOn took place In his Office at
4! o'clock, Mr.. Holden making the pre-
sentatiOn speech. Mr. Sloan tried to
reply but a frog in his throat, or
something else. made it impossible for
him to say much more than Thank
",u
After the presentation had been made
it was learned that the real reason for
MI Sloan's objection to accepting the
Gift was that he felt that the majority
! of those who had contributed to It
could i'll afford to do so. He is quoted
rs saving:
81 have been told that this present
cost thousands 81 dollars. That is all
V"iT well, but "hi,e the acceptance of
il would make this the most memor-
! 2ble Christmas arI birthday of my life,
'l' NlN'H VI HI'tlSlS VI SlSleIS 81 some
| of my boys may have to go without,
their Christmas that those boys might
Civ mo mine, That's all wrong, and
| | won't have it,"
The service included besides the
! tray, coffe7 pot, a teapot, a chocolate
! pot, cream pitcher, a sugar bowl
! and spoOnholder. All the pieces were
IN ANTIQUE oak case about four feet
| long and three feet high. The service
| cost litlls more than $4,000.
! UuIEn "a Tuc m .No ~,