The times., 1899-12-25
GIFTS OF THE SHRINBRS
Members of Almas Temple Send
Provisions TO Poor Families.
A Systematic scheme for Dispensing
Charts at Cirrisimnstidc-Tbc Va
tionni Rifles Armory the Dis
tribUtinG Depot - Eminent High
Priests and Mobiles Act rs Agents.

over q thousand families were made
happy yesterday and their homes bright
ened by Christmas gifts. from members of
me Almas Temple of the Mystic Shrine.
The members of this order established
custom some years ago Of making the day
before Christmas the principal date on
which they dispensed their charity and
for the last four years they have prepared
and distributed hundreds of baskets filled
with. groceries and Christmas yiands 10
the poor families of the District Hun
dreds of dollars have been spent annually
in this manner, and each year the members
Try TO make the extent Of the charity
transcend that of the year before
AS Santa Claus Harry Standiford viii
receive the grateful acknowledgements of
mauy q worthy woman into whose home
be has sent the little bit of Christmas
cheer. He has had charge of the Charity
Committee of the ShTiners ever since it
was formed and he has managed TO make
more out of the materials he received from
his fellow members than any other man
could. Mr.. Standiford assembled his as
sistants in the National Rifles Armory as
early as O'Clock yesterday morning and
set them 10 work packing baskets. Every
available corner Of the room was piled
with these empty receptacles and the piles
in some instances reached as high as the
ceiling
in front Of the hall huge packages and
barrels Of vegetables and turkeys were
waiting TO be empUed. The members Of
the committee set to work and soon had the
baskets ranged over the floor in long lines
with room enough between for them TO
walk. Then others tackled the barrels each
taking an armful of eaJables and going
down the line placed a contribution in
each basket The Shriners thought al
one time. they were gcing 10 be embarrass-
ed with a lack in the variety OF supplies
but this was soon rem5Gied by filing some
baskets with Cne thing. and others with
another. There were three kinds OF bas-
kets distributed this year. the difference
being in the kind of msat put into them.
In some Of the receptacles ham was placed,
in others turkeys,a and In others fresh meat
Each OF them received small bag Of
flour. coffee. sugar hominy candy. and a
supply OF tuTnips potatoes sweet pota-
toes. onions, and ssUsages enough to last
q family of six for week. When filled
the baskets and bags covered The entire
floor o. the lower armGry.
The work of filing the baskets did not
consume half the time or require the labor
-
various contributions About twenty no
bles, eminent scribes all of them. were set
10 work writing OUT the delivery tags and
preparing The lists of beBefciaries. These
men were busy adj day al their task and
did not complete il until almost dark. As
fast as he lists could be made out the bas-
kets were piled into waiting wagons and
hurried of to their various destinations
The wagons We're loaned 10 the order By
f-ralfa 3taF
before the drivers We're allowed to GO A
member Of the shrine accompanied each
wagon 10 see that the baskets were all
properly delivered.
As stated above the distribution Of pro-
visions is an annual occurrence with the
Shriners. The method of distributing the
supplies now in vogue however was not
commenced until four years ago when the
order surpassed all other private charities
by sending out 100 baskets filled with
Christmas cheer. The number gradually
grew, until this year over $500 in cash
was spent in buying supplies which To-
gether with the amount otherwise donated
would have been sufficient 10 stock a we'll
equipped store. over 800 turkeys and 600
hams, ] 600 sacks Of -four. 500 pounds OF
hominy 600 pounds Of sugar. 100 bushels
Of potatoes and turnips. LOCO pounds OF
fresh meat, 100 pounds OF sausage. 600
pounds Of coffee, 30 bushels of onions. 500
squashes, and a quantity Of prepared foods
such as oatmeal and cracked wheat togeth-
er with q large quantity Of candy. were re-
quired to equip all the baskets
Every member OF The order and all the
ministers In the city were called upon 10
furnish the names Of the persons who were
en~itled to receive Or OF tbsse offerings
and the result was that almost 500 names
were presented 10 the committee The
NAMES were assorted. according TO the see
t.CEs Of the city in which the people lived,
and the noble going with The wagon was
given the list which comprised in some in
stances over fOrty-eight names
POieEEa5e Frank H. Thomas presided over
the braLcn Of the order engaged in prepar-
ing the lists and Santa Claus StandIford
had charge OF the distribution department
The members who were busiest in getting
the baskets made up and distributed were
Harry J. MesdeT Charles Brown, J. H.
Hughes A. " Kelly. Edwin y Piiisbury
Frank Sebring. John Ellings- Frank p
Morgan, 6. II Walker James Cissel, VII
liam O3lsrback, William Haley, Louis Ben
rens Louis Kneesse, Edwin 3. Hay, T. b.
Walker, " B. Leissler. George Rea Frank
K. Raymond, Somer Nottingham, and John
Willis.