The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-24
.D.,L.&W .BoYSTo SAM SLOAN
GIFT OF 4 GOLD Tea SET THAT He
DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE

Feared the wives. Mothers. apd Sisters sr
soue Of Thorn Might Renember This Christ-
mas apd sis EiEhtieth Birthday less Pleas
antiy Than He-nut the Heys Prevailed.
The office employees, from one end Of the
Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad to the
other, were very much interested In the out
como OF q little ceremony that was scheduled TO
take place in the Office Of the President Of tho
road, Samuel Sloan, at IL o'clock yesterday
morning. Months ago some OF the clerical force
Of the road recalled that on Christmas Day MI.
Sloan would DO so years old. They thought 1t
would be a graceful act on the part of all tho
Office employees OF tho road IL they should club
together and buy Mr.. Sloan a birthday and
Christmas present. The idea took, and this
committee was appointed to decide upon what
form the gift should take, to collect subscrip-
tions and to make tho presentation: II. g. Hicks,
head Of the freight department, Chairman; w.
+. HOW'LL, j, u. Marston, A. II. Schwarx, 8. B.
Foley. A. G. Salisbury, A. II. Storrs, 9. 4. Zip
pei and @. A. Holden, son Of the vice-President
Of tho road. Edwin r. Holden. Young MT.
Holden was treasurer.
Tho committee decided to'get q solid gold tea
service Of seven pieces on o solid gold tray.
Tiffany g. Co. took the commission for tho work.
It was completed on Monday and Vioe-Presi-
dent Holden was chosen to make tho presenta-
ton yesterday.
These details having been arranged, IL was
thought best not to take the venerable Presi.
dent entirely by surprise, SO his son, Samuel
Sloan, Jr,. was asked to inform his father on
Wednesday night that the presentation was to
take place next morning. Young Mr.. Sloan did
as requested and no was quite taken aback BY
his fathSrs Exception OF the nows' The old
What do they want to give mo a present
fHr, t hEe f 4 sn nSSt iheso t, %oS dSsf ss ,o% anys sSn,s
don't want il. and. what's more, you can go
S MSn;t 9 SSae tell III those who sent you here that 1
This was q sumner, and young Mr.. sloan
ter and tackle him again before. he went down.
f @NGa y yo d;,asE.n morning. m e., 4 s,dndigghs nights o rest had
tho tRlSH so a1t e6 s1 afisssdPlM 1hf a SD; f'FFSS e Sis sS,f Ssf:
dent, said he'd FIX II al! right, and Immediately
Holden couldn't Ak it. He labored q long time
with Mr.. sloan. but tho latter wouldn't DO talked
Nne Coming nfGs:v, oat 'o Of P tEs Presidents office, Mr..
Them what Mr.. Sloan had said The committee
s SuSa ea0M that tn When 10 M a. s flanail Sen st~ out ot to
luncheon the service be carried into his office
purpose OF the present and from whom it came.
That won't do" ono of the committee is
HHEst an fn Ssay snd he'if just G send ! It aF bsSk .H' OLD
ses ssm tn BODY ~ else s1o sgggeiSt omI that r the service J s, be
thought lnadyisable. and at length 1t was de-
cided TO let the matter res. for q few hours.
Mr.. Holden. promised to see Mr.. Sloan again in
the mean time. He did SO. One or two other
officers of the company put in a word, and
finally Mr.. Sloan was prevailed upon to accept
the gift. The presentatiop took place in his
sentation speech. Mr.. Sloan tried to reply,
but a frog In his throat, or something else.
than "Thank you"
After the presentation had been made 1t was
learned that tho real reason for Mr.. Sloan's OBJ
lection to accepting the gift was, that he felt
that the majority OF those who had contributed
to It could Ill afford to do SO. He is quoted as
saying:
'Ihave been told that this precent cost thou.
sands Of dollars. That is all very well, but
while the acceptance. of 1t would make this the
most memorable Christmas and birthday of my
life. tn wives or mothers OF sisters Of some Of
mas that those boys might give me- mine.
Tho service included, besides the tray. a cot.
fee pot, a teapot, a chocolate pot, q cream
AZ the PIECES were in an antique oak case %,
service cost a little moro than $40, 600.