The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-26
The DAY'SEvENTS
Many Christmas Celebra-
tions In Homes and In
stitutions.
THE OoRCORAN DINNER
Windmill Employer Had an
Intellectual and Castro
nonic Feast.

and Christmas cheer to all mis- eihplose'
on Saturday evening For twenty-loul
wears Mr.. Corcoran has never failed TO DC
this. The event of Saturday last was one
of the best arranged of the twenty-four
All have been very pleasing episodes. Ihe
employees gathered as usual, partook u
refreshments. substantial and otherwise
sang songs and gave recitations. But u
was an intellectual as well as a CASTRO
mimic feast, and the participants declared
that they enjoyed the former even more
than the latter. excellent as were potn
features
The decorations were more elaborate
than usual. were artistic and of a National
tone. The entire ceiling Of that portion
of the loft devoted to the festivities was
covered with red, white and blue futed
bands radiating from a circular windmill
fan that formed the centrepiece. The walls
were covered with flags, the American
colors predominating. The Irish flag with
dts green field and golden harp was con-
spicuous Shields and portraits of WASH
ington and naval and military heroes OF
the late war with Spain formed part OIL
the decorations. japanese lanterns were
suspended from frieze Of national colors
A long table extending along the centre
of the banquet hall was draped with
American flags. In its centre was a
pyramid of red boxes containing cram
berries, to be given away with the turkeys
The pyramid was crowned with trio OF
flags, the American, the irish and the
Cuban Two other pyramids formed OF
boxes of fragrant Havanas also decorated
the table A table running the length of
the eastern wall was heaped with recent
ly dressed turkeys, tagged with the names
of those for whom they were intended.
The hall was brilliantly lighted with red.
white and blue incandescent electric lights
artistieally arranged The power for
them had been dragged from the very
winds that drift above the factory through
the medium of the big windmill that
adorned its roof.
A corps of expert volunteer walters
composed of workmen of the factory
served sandwiches of all kinds, even to
sturgeon. boiled eggs and liquid refresh
nenss u every sort They wore gingham
aprons and never for q moment relaxed
their efforts to see that everybody
present was bounteously served.
William o. Corcoran, a son of the pro-
prietor, was POSTMASTER and occupied
seat at the head of the table. The work
men were seated along the sides of the
room. Back of the POSTMASTER sat the
guests, among whom were Mayor
Edward Hoos, ex-Congressman Thomas
McEwan, James Luby, editor of the
Jersey City News Cresswell Nc
Laughlin. Counsellor William H Speer
and Assemblyman Hall. In between the
songs sung by the workmen and the
speeches made by the guests there were
selections from a phonograph operated
at one end of the hall.
At the conclusion of short and witty
speech the POSTMASTER introduced 1.-THE
representative singer and rag time warb-
Ter of the shop" who opened up the ball
with 81 ant Seen No Messenger Boy" A
whistling solo from the phonograph fol-
lowed and brought forth from the toast
master an individual call for refresh
nents. He gave himself away in the re-
mark that Photographic selections
always made him thirsty. John Luther,
introduced as one of "the sweetest
Of young men singers sang a solo,
and James Armstrong of the woodshop
displayed some skill on the violin. John
Sheldon. 'sthe boy fire FIGHTER who re-
Gently put out a fire with hand fire
his thanks to the applause which greeted
him. Peter Verbout vouched for in the
highest words of praise as a singer by
the toast1naster sang 'The Moth and the
Flame" Young Mr.. Corceran applied
very high soundings epithets to all the
singers Of the factory. John White was
introduced as ''the greatest singer of the
age" Robert q. Corcoran led in the an
nuaI chorus of .srhe Band Played On''
The orchestra, by the way, had failed to
put In an appearance, but the crowd
sang on Workman Lutz was introduced
as "a distinguished German professor"
and sang humorous song. Letters of
regret at being unable to be present were
received from Walter T. Owens, Morris
Fanshawe, Civil Engineer Henry D.
Dickinson, the Rev. Father Brady, of ST.
Mary's Church and others.
Then began the intellectual feast Mayor
Hoos was introduced. He said he felt hon.
ored at the invitation to take part in such
Christmas eve festivities. He regretted
having been unable to attend the former
celebrations, but was glad to see such
evidence of close relationship existing be-
tween employer and employees. 1t was a
good lesson. If corporations would only
learn that lesson there would be no such
things as strikes. A factory run on such
principles was a credit, the Mayor said.
TO the city. He said that, as Mayor of
Jersey City, he was exceedingly proud
of such an establishment. Mr.. Corcoran
he declared. was a man of large heart
He had started life as a workman and
he knew how to appreciate and SYN
pathfze with worlnmen. To share profits
with workmen was a wise thing, he said,
for any employer 1t would make any en-
ployer successful I'm his business. The
Mayor said he was glad to be present, and
concluded, laughingly: II want to be pop
ular. you know" This brought down the
house.
Congressman Thomas McEwan was
the next speaker He first paid his re-
spect to Mayor Hoos, and said that
gentleman was like an eagle and was apt
to sore high. Even If the State would not
profit by his election as Governor. he said.
Il would at least leave a vacant chair IN
the Mayors office, and he added That's
what I'm after. The Congressman dis
cussed the problem Of capital and labor.
Il could be easily solved II employers
would only carry out the savior's teaca-