The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-26
THOUSANDS OF THE
POOR FED IN
NEW YORK
Christmas Spirit Revealed in
Big City.
A GOOD DINNER FOR ASKING
Salvation Army and Many Philanthropy
lists Combine to See That None
Go Hungry.

NEW YORK, Dec. 26.-"Hit the line !,
of trouble hard. Fight square. Don't
give up, and you'll beat that old maid,
In the end" This was the
gist of Timothy d. Sullivan's brief
speech to the 1880 guests at big
Tins" annual Christmas dinner Ana
It was great feast-5,000 pounds OF
turkey, washed down by beer and COZ
fee, a pipe and tobacco and pair OF
shoes thrown In for good measure
That's the Sullivan way.
"Big Tim" was aided In receiving by
Little Tim" and Sheriff Elect big
Tom" Foley. The place was 20' bow
cry, the rooms OF the Timothy d. Sulli-
van association, and the time an hour
before noon. Three hundred at a time
Toasted at the heavily laden table.
While they ate, Miss Amy Carrolfs or
chestra played tunes the Bowery likes
best.
Further up, at the head Of the Bow
cry, Cooper square, the Salvation Army
and the Volunteers Of America spread
wide the mantle Of charity and with
feryent God bless you" sent away
thousands Of the poor heavily laden
with basket containing good Christ
mas dinner. The Salvation Army took
possession of the old Sixty-ninth Regi-
ment armory. and across the way at
their headquarters were the Volunteers
Of America.
More than 1000 families were sup
piled by the Salvation Army ut an esu-
mated cost Of $4,000, while the Volun-
tesrs Of America looked after the
wants Of as many more.
Long before 10 o'clock, the hour set
by Commander Eva Booth of the Sal
walton Army for the distribution of the
dinner baskets, piled mountains high
there were $4,000 Of them-in the large
drill room of the old armory, the hold
ers Of tickets began to form in line.
A big squad Of policemen were on
hand to preserve order and prevent
confusion. They had no trouble in
handling the great crowd.
The line circlsd the armory again ana
again and extended far down In Sew
enth street. Young andold were pres
emit The little mother and the aged
parent patiently awaited the opening
of the wide doors at the Seventh street
entrance. Nor was there any murmur
Of dissent when big bluecoated po-
liceman would carefully escort an old
or infirm person to the head of the
double line. "They can't stand 1t as
well rs you younger folk" was the
only explanation. 1t went without
question.
Az Commander Booth said "None
need 70 without food today. God bless
tho people Of New York for their grea,
charity to the poor. That is my pray
er."
And 1t was echoed fervently by each
individual of the $4,000 who were
made happy by the generosity OF Fa
Their Knickerbooker's more fortunate
children.
Each basket contained FIVE pount
chicken, a can Of soup, potatoes, tur
nips, oranges, tea and coffee. A large
oerps Of assistants aided Commander
Booth, who personally handed to eacl
applicant his or her basket, and II
quick survey noticed that clothing wa
threadbare check was given 10
warmer covering to be selected iron
hundreds of bundles at another part o
the room. Then at the door were sew
eral uniformed members with bags 0
nickels-car fare for the very young
the old and infrm.
During the distribution the star
band played music and made the min
utes of waiting appear very brief.
was noon before the good work wa
over, and then Commander Booth hui
ried over to Brooklyn, where, In seve
places, Christmas trees laden VIII
gifts for the little ones had been pro
vided.
Even the stately transatlantic liner
unbent their dignity and accepted tn
good natured challenge from the mos
disreputable tramp" Down at III
Battery Captain Davy Roach or III
tight tug Il. M. Timmins made his al
nual distribution to his employees
Ave dollar gold pieces of the sam
weight and fineness of those that I'll
employees of Central park receive
from the hand of Mrs. Russell sag
On Ellis island 1000 immigrants in
babel of tongues thanked Miss Hele
Gould for their first merry Christine
In America. There was Il toy Tor G
cry child and pink carnation II
each adult.
The Christmas spirit Invaded Il
penal institutions, where real "hom'
dinners were served. 1t found Its WI
into the Tombs, where Harry Tha
furnished cigars for the keepers, han
kerchiefs for the matrons and smok
and chocolates for his fellow prise
crs. II blocked the streets at a hu
dred points, where left over stocks
millinery and toys We're given aw'
and big policemen nearly lost th'
minds In frantic efforts to keep t
blissfully Indifferent tots from benea