The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-24

SIX HUNDRED ARE CARRIED
AWAY BY EAGER THRoNG.
A Chicken, Butter, Bread, Sauce, Mince
Pie, Beans, Sugar, Coffee, Apples,
Oranges, Potatoes and a War Cry
in Each-People Who Come Afford
an Interesting Study. -.

Surging thru the narrow passage in
front Of the office, rail like pent UP
water thru mill-race, the holders Of
the Salvation, ARMY IS s.sblue: ticksts''
carried off = 4O& baskets Of Christmas
food in. twentysminutes..s ~ .>as,. y
Long before THE appointed hour, 2
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, the crowd
began to gather outside the old city
hall. In spite of locked doors they
worked their way into the building
thru the salvage store and clamored
at the door Of the provincial offices
on the second floor.
The big crowd. was admirably han
died and tho the work was hot there
was no confusion. The baskets were
arranged in orderly rows behind the
rail and each ticket was marked with
the number of persons in the family
of the donee. The chickens were
graded as small, medium. and large
and bird Of the proper size was
handed out to each family.
An Interesting Study.
The people who gathered to receive
the bounty of the people of Mime
apolis distributed thru the Army pre-
| scented an interesting study. Women
predominated and every type was there,
from small girls to old women. There
were women in the slatternly rags of
accustomed poverty, and neatly dressed
women to whom hard times were still
a new experience. The men were
| mostly old and feeble, but among
them were some who showed signs Of
recent illness, while others bore the
| ;cl, Il 81 fo,
work. Some bore the marks Of dissi
patton. For each and all there was the
basket heaped high with good cheer
and the hearty "Merry Christmas, ant
may God bless you'' of the blue clae
officers. -
More interested than the holders o,
the blue tickets, who were certain o.
receiving baskets, were the "whit
tickets" the late Corners who woult
receive baskets if there were any lef
over. Their eagerness as they watche:
their more fortunate fellows bear ava,
their share, their anxious looks as the.
watched the. supply of baskets grow
smaller and smaller and their deligh
as each fresh supply was brough
down from upstairs was pitiful. Fol
tunately there was enough for all an
HeVen after the TICKET holders were &C
commodated enough remained to sur
ply many who had not been counte
on, but who applied for assistance
This work continued late into tn
night.
= Some Choice Ones.
Late in the afternoon basket Q
particularly fine provisions was ser
e up by group Of girls employed in
I department. store. Shortly afterward
$ widow who has family Of five
! support came in and the shop girls
!, donation was given to her.
J, Each basket contained CHECKER
= half pound of butter, a loaf Of brea,
a can of sauce, a mince pie, a bag (
d beans, pound Of sugar, half
3 pound of coffee, apples, oranges, p
). tatoes and copy of the Christm;
r War Cry. Tho the original plan W.
II to distribute 500 of these baskets, tt
final count showed that over 600 ha
8 actually been given out. The tot;
It number Of tickets issued was 512 an
!. about 100 more baskets were di
= tributed.