New-York tribune., 1901-12-24
SANTAS BY THOUSANDS.
FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY THEY
CROWD SHOPPING STREETS-THE
HOLIDAY CHEER
HOLIDAY CHEER.

vigor. animation and buoyancy abroad in
the streets yesterday. Go where would. he met
vvacity and light heartedness. The air preg-
nant with cheer, was alive with holiday spirit
that quickened and gladdened.
So It is always in the days that Immediately pre-
cede Christmas. Yesterday seemed to be particu-
larly bright. To be sure the weather disagree
abe-one did not know whethey to bundle up
against rain-but the uncertainty to
what the elements were conspiring detracted not
whit from the exuberance that contagious.
Where did the crowds come from the black
masses of people who walked ten to fifteen abreast
up and down the avenues and streets which border
the great department stores? Thousands of them
were not New-Yorkers: one might judge this by the
way they stared. They came in from New-Jersey
and from the bays of Long Island. In the quiet
forenoon hours they hurried across the rivers.
bringing with them Of restless. open
mouthed children. Other shoppers came down from
the north, from the towns along the Hudson. from
the villages and shore hamlets Of Long Island
Sound. Travelling from every direction from which
the winds blow. they made for the same objective
point, that indeterminate district about Sixth-ave
and Twenty-third-st.. where toys are to be had.
where there tons of picture books and square
yards of and of things to buy without
which Christmas would be robbed Of some OF its
innate charm.
When these converging thousands met there was
great elbowing and pushing that made those OF
small feel Ill at until their minds De-
came absorbed in the things which had to be bought
and carried sent TO their homes.
Later in the morning, when the city itself went
shopping it found sidewalks pre-empted and store
aisles unusually narrow.
visit to the general postof1ce offered convincing
evidence that this is busy for the carriers
as well as purchasers of Christmas gifts. Almost
the entire clerical force working overtime, many
of them remaining until midnight And this despite
the fact that there has been increase of 10 per
cent in regular force, which increase does not
include q large number of emergency men, VINO
yYer engaged December.
THE rush this year is tremendous, sald Jonn
w Tiedemann, assistant superintendent of mails
yesterday. 1.-The mail will exceed the amount
handled last year by more than 10 per cent. The
first Christmas ship the Germanic, which arrived
on December 10. brought q 800 sacks of mail Then
100 tons The Kronzprinz Wilhelm lands SD
sacks to-day, and Christmas Day 1850 bags Of
row our force will be up to their necks with local
distributions
crease, the figures for the three weeks ended az
midnight on Saturday being SIT, ,663 ST. compared
with s6sS for the corresponding period of last
year This Is increase OF sSs 9 H. or ID per cent
Thomas A JarGines, the auditor, said that the
probable receipts of the office for the month would
be than 81 .000,G0G
The express companies also reported a large IN
crease of business. -
The departments of Charities and Correction will
prisoners of those institutions. Seven thousand
eight hundred and eighteen pounds OF chicken, An
pounds of turkey and fifteen barrels OF candies
will contribute to their happiness. Two thousand
pounds of turkey have been provided for the
Tombs, the Workhouse BlackwelPs Island and
the Kings County Penitentiary. There will be
entertainments at Bellevue Hospital and at other
places under the jurisdiction of the Department or
Charities.
hundred and fifty free dinners.
A Christmas celebration will be held under the
Hospital Nos 1T and 179 second-ave.. from to 6
o'clock p. m