The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-12-01
BIG SUCCESS
Donation Day. YeSter-
terday at the Memo
rial Hospital
OVER 5000
OVER 5000
Hundreds of People Attended the
Public Reception Yesterday After
noon-MOney Donations Beyond
Expectancy Handsome Building
Presented Il Brilliant Sight-Sweet
Music and a Delicious Repast We're
Enjoyed by the Visitors.

grand public institution, the
James Walker Memorial Hospital,
which stands as a great haven of hope
for the sick. no matter how lowly he
Or she may be, yesterday experienced
its first Donation Day" The expert
ence was a delightful one. for the Will
mingtOn public showed unstinted inter-
est in the event and by such interest
contributed generously of money to aid
the success of the hospital. The event
was consequently a most profitable one:
in fact. taking into consideration that
st was the initial One its success in this
direction went beyond the expected
mark. Contributions were received to
h amount of S65O.25. and even that
sum would, no doubt, have been ex-
ceeded by many dollars but for the
disagreeableness of the weather, which
was not confined to rain but extended
TO u bitter c~oIdness.
But these monetary contributions
Were not all of the donations, for the
merchants of the city made gifts of SUI
gar, coffee, tea, jelly and other
groceries. which not only enabled the
serving of delicious refreshments to the
public during the delightful reception.
but we'll stocked the storeroom of the
hospital. Then there were donations of
drugs and other pharmacy articles.
Fol- all the donations the board of di-
Tectors of the institution and the good
and loyal women of the city. TO whose
untiring and jealous efforts the crown
Of success is largely due, are duly
grateful.
PUBLIC RECEPTION.
The feature of the day was. as had
been announced, the public reception,
which lasted from , o'clock in the az
ternoon until 6 o'clock. During that
time fully five hundred ladies and gem
tlemen braved the elements and attend
ed. Each was heartily welcomed by
president Walter c.. MacRae and
the other directors and DR.. Joseph Ak
erman. superintendent of the institu-
ton. They were delightfully."- entertain
ed in various ways and were also per-
united to inspect the practical side of
the hospital. This sight to la was
a revelation, as it made them c~OZnizant
for the first time of the elaborate and
n~p-tO-date nature of the hospital. From
the very basement, where are located the
large heating plant, modern laundry.
superb culinary department, etc, to
the third floor, where the really mag
nificent operating room, equipped with
costly appurtenances n appointments,
IS located, the visitors were escorted
and everything fully and Interestingly
explained.
a charming beVy of young ladies at
tended the visitors on the first floor
and served them with a tOOthsOme
luncheon.
In the coy and handsomely furnished
parlOrs a delightful musicale was rem
dered during the afternoon, some of
WilmingtOn's most accomplished vocal
lists and musicians being the Dartici-
pants.
For the reception the hospital had
been deity and beautifully decorated,
Smilax, carnations, chrysanthemums.
and handsome pot plants being display
ed in prOfusing. and when the twilight
hour was at hand the building was
flooded with light from many incandeS-
cent electric Iamps.This made the scene
q truly brilliant II e.