New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-26
A FEAST FOR THOUSANDS.
SALVATION ARMY's DINNER AT MADISON
SQUARE GARDEN.
BASKETS. EACH CONTAINING ENOUGH FUN
FIVE DISTRIBUTED TO THREE THOU
SAND TWO HUNDRED, AND FIVE
THOUSAND FED AT TABLES.

10
by the Salvation Army In the morning the army
gave awav dinners hacked IN baskets to more than
three thousand families while in the evening nearly
FIVE thousand people OF all degrees OF poverty anu
I'll luck and OF all ages were fed at long tanes.
Although the dinner was not served until
o'clock. the doors were thrown open soon ai'e'
o'clock in order that the waiting crowd might not
be compelled TO spend the intervening time s'a"u
ing in the cold As early noon they began 10
arrive and when At length they were admitted 10
the Garden they filed quietly and without crushihs
to seats in the galleries, where they were 'oiu u
sit until the call cor dinner was sounded
Throughout the afternoon they continued to come
until by G o'clock there more than hVe tnou-
sand in the hall Music was provided to while away
the time and the great throng OF hungry men ana
women sat patiently and quietly, save for an occa-
sional "HaIelujah" which once started. was taken
up all sides.
FEASTING AN ARMY.
The scene when they were seated at the 'aoies
was one OF unusual animation. stretched i'o"'
end TO end OF the great building were the 'hoies'
covered with clean white paper with chan iO
each diner instead OF the long benches "nch az
usually found at this kind OF affairs 10 eaSh
nereon was supplied turkey or meat, steamins
vegetables hot coffee and plum pudding anu '"e
ardor with which these good things were at'acheu
sufficiently demonstrated that there were so"e
people in this city yesterday to wnom "'i
cooked and bounteous Christmas uih"ei
eodscnd The wants of the people were attended
q. ~, mora than two hundred officers Of the Sal
walton Army who FASTENED to and fro, SERVING
deftlv and quickly for 1t required CELEBRITY 10 ieeu
so great multitude. $3.50 ,
over all the rnyriads OF electric lights shone ana
tho Army's band played spirited tunes composer
AS It was Of more than score OF instr ''0
hand was nevertheless not strong enough 10 uro"n
the music. as to the many 1t undoubtedly seemeu'
~ the clatter Of dishes and plates. In the boxes
and the seats behind were several hunoreus ot
well dressed people, men and women WIN "''p -
% augment the dinner fund by paying Tor the
privilege OF seeing army or less ior'uhd'e'' N'H
ditioned people eat. Although most OF the suee''
~ the Army were OF the poorest types they III
oirdod a largo number of men who were warmly
ord resnectably clothed and who obviously hau
temporarily fallen on hard times
MINERS IN BASKETS DISTRIBUTED.
t,ours before daylight corps of two hundred ana
af,v roembers OF the Army was at work preparing
for the feast which to begin at IL CLOCK WIZ"
the distribution OF three thousand t"o mum
dred baskets. each OF which contained sup
ply OF wholesome Christmas food suniclehI
for Ave people Two hours before the time
set for the baskets to be given away there was
a long line Of people waiting at the entrances 70
tho buiIdng The Army went Systematically 10
work in order TO find the most deserving OF the
moor Information obtained through HI 'he
various charitable and phlanthropic institutions
in the city and to those recommended as worthy
OF the basket of food tickets were Issued ny the
Army authorities No one could get basket with
ont having one OF those tickets. That some
semhance of order might be kept while the dis
trbuton Of the three thousand two hundred baskets
was carried on 1t was arranged that all
should enter the Garden by the Fourth-ave' en-
trance From there they passed along the side
of the building to the rows OF seats on the Twenty
NIL cd
the bounteously filed baskets The line OF people
passed behind the arena boxes presented their
tickets received their baskets and passed out
through the Twenty-sxth-st door into the street.
Fully two-thrds of those who received baskets
were women.
Preparations for the gift Of the three thousand
two hundred baskets and for the big dinner 10 be
served in the evening had been going on for the
last ten days Some Of the larger purchases in
cuded 1900 pounds Of turkey 800 pounds OF
chicken. 80 geese. 30 ducks, 1000 pounds OF pork
and mutton 1000 pounds Of sucking pig 125 barrels
OF potatoes 100 barrels OF mixed vegetables turnips,
carrots onions and beets and 400 enormous plum
in the gallery OF the Garden big ranges that
had been temporarily placed there 80
streamers of holly and wreaths Of mistletoe. Over
the Twentysixth-st. door was huge silken banner.
which was the seasons greeting, Merry Christ
mas" At the Twenty -seventh-st. entrance was a
similar banner. bearing the words Happy New
Year" At the Madson-ave. door was one which
bore the word Welcome and over the Fourth-ave.
door hung banner larger than either Of the others,
which the sentence, Praise God. from
whom all blessings how."
GREETED BY MRS. BOOTH-TUCKER.
Mrs Booth-Tucker took charge OF the dlstribu-
ton OF the baskets. To each one as she handed
a basket Mrs Booth-Tucker spoke Merry
Christmas and God bless you" For each one
she had a smile and a word OF encouragement. and
to each she held out small gloved hand For
nearly two hours she stood in line holding a
happy reception Near the last she became tired.
but. throwing back the front Of her long blue
ulster, she continued in her work of sending forth
Christmas tidings until the long line had gone.
BY o'clock the line OF people waiting to re-
ceve baskets Of provisions, had been practically
exhausted There were still about four hundred
baskets left at that time. although as many tickets
had been given out rs there We're eas sRe NAN
The strict rule that tickets must be presented was
aeir u ro idn bassets were given out later 10
people considered worthy Of help.
After the dinner in the evening, which has been
described stereoptcon exhibition of the Passion
Play shown on large screen suspended
over the heads OF the diners. Adlutant lewis SAID
about s. Co., all Of which had been contributed with
the exception Of about 500 squad S OF forty rb 2o
tieh-st station. kept order and directed the move
ments OF the crowds.
GENEROUS RESPONSE TO APPEALS.
Commander Booth-Tucker. in commenting on the
accomplishment OF the Salvation Army in provid-
ing Christmas dinner for so many people. said
10 Tribune reporter yesterday afternoon:
The Salvation Army has been happy TO be the
agent for the generosity OF New-York City TO its
poorer and less fortunate brethren, and In the ma
jority Of cases. not less deserving citizens. our
Christmas spread has been simply for the float
ing hobo" classes. but for really deserving
poor We have striven for weeks to take that
they should be the special recipients OF NewYork's
generosity. When the prodgal hobo came home
he received a welcome from his father.
but how much more should society give n kindly
reception at a season like this 70 those who. in
large measure. through circumstances absolutely
beyond their control, dependent upon their
more fortunate brothers and sisters for making
their Christmas happy. There IL another point TO
which | would like to draw attention That is
that the readers OF The Tribune who have helped
10 supply these dinners need not have the least
fear that their generosity will tend 10 pauperze the
poor. As n RUE. never give anything without
an equivalent either In work cash, and this IS
thoroughly understood. but when Christmas comes
/ would no more think OF making poor man pay
r.allA rtn. a. -