Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-12-27
'ALvATl0N ARMYS
CHRISTMAS DINNER
10000 Poor in New York.

ow the Funds Were Gathered, and
How the Dinners Were Dis
trlbuted.
This year, as for several years past,
the Salvation Army in New York city
oerved a Christmas dinner after its
own novel fashion to the poor of the
Hreat city. For several days before
Hhristmas, soldier, man or woman,
b the army uniform, was stationed at
very prominent street corner to
ather the necessary funds. Usually
he soldier had small iron pot sus-
Dended beneath a tripod of uprights
ID camp fashion, the receptacle bear
ing the legend Keep the pot boiling"
zach soldier had a small bell which he
81 she rang continuously, with the en-
treaty to remember the poor. rhe
Man was to give out as many BASKETS
rs possible of uncooked food, each
basket containing the material Tor a
generous dinner for several persons.
low the dinner was served was told
By the New York Times on the day af-
ter Christmas:
Commander Booth-Tucker went to
bed tired but happy last night in the
belief that the Salvation Army mad
brought Christmas cheer to over 20
Doc people at Madison Square Garden
Yesterday, and he expressed his
thanks to the people of this city who
BY contributions during the past three
weeks made this gigantic enterprise
possible. In the forenoon baskets,
each containing material enough for
dinner for five people, were distributed
to 3400 people, who, in a long line,
fled through Madison Square Garden
and hurriedly to their homes. The
baskets were piled on fifty long tables.
At 1 o'clock the Salvation Army
Band began to play, and the doors
were thrown open. Commander
Booth-Tucker jumped on a table in
the centre of the Garden. The first
of the long line to approach him was
a tottering old woman, and the Com
mander gave her a basket and said:
God bless you, and give you a happy
christmas" "Thank you, Sir" she
said. AS she went toward the exit he
directed one of his aides to escort her.
and at the entrance he gave her car
fare and a blessing. The baskets were
then given away at the rate of 1000
per hour, and when the last one was
gone there were several hundred ap-
4 given loaves of bread.
No sooner had the distribution of
baskets been accomplished than the
volunteers of the army began setting
the tables for the huge dinner to 5000
people in the evening. Seventy five
tables were set, each with seats for
30 people. A giant kitchen had been
Established on the Madison avenue
side of the Garden, and here 20 cooks
and helpers had been at work for days
preparing food, ten of whom did moth
ing but peel potatoes for three days.
Commander Booth-Tucker got the
Hull amount of food which he had ask
ed for in his appeal to the people of
New York three weeks ago. This in
cluded 5000 pounds of turkey, 500
pounds of roast meat, rs bushels of
potatoes, $50 quarts of cranberry
+ sauce, rs pounds of cranberry jelly,
BOO pies, $50 gallons of coffee, and
1000 loaves of bread. The 5000 loaves
were supplied free by a bread com
pany of this city. Two hundred wait
ers and mattresses volunteered their
Services.
The diners, who included all sorts
Ind conditions of people, waited pa
tiently in the galleries last evening
until the bugle call gave noClce snOi
after 6 o'clock and the band strucl
|ip a lively air. They were then mar
hailed to their seats. First came
rowd of newsboys, who fell to will
est as soon as the plates, heaped higl
18th turkey, cranberry sauce, ant
egetables, were placed before them
Dme of them dined entirely on pie
hen the band struck up "a Hot Tim
the Old Town" the newsboys STAMP
theiru6eet in measure and whistle
IN. MaAv women were among IN
.ners. Wien all had finished III
rhts in the Garden were turned low
nd a stereoptieon exhibition repre-
renting scenes from the Passion Pa
began. While the exhibition Taste
The band and the large choir rendere
instrumental and vocal music.
From the boxes many promln9
people loked down upon the
Christmas diners, the majorit
whom remained until the end
entertainment.
The outbreak of the re
Venezuela has halted, app
naval demonstration q
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