The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-24
WALL STREET
PROVIDES SANTA
CLAUSE FUND
SALVATION ARMY Will
FEED 25,oO0 PEOPLE


NEW YORK, Dec. "a New York
awoke from Its slunbers this morn.
Ing with the Christmas spirit fairly
sizzling and will go TO bed tonight
worn out but happy. after one Of sthes
heaviest shopping days In the history
of the city. Merchants have been too
busy TO cc'lne theirsreceipts, but one
and all agree that they have had "a (
good d I'. The great final rush CONF
lnenced this afternoon and will spfos.
abiy be the wee sma' hours OF Christ.
mas morning before the tired and
weary clerks will have an opportnn.
ity to1rest. The usual outburst of
ante. Christmas revelry began 4 to-day
and the streets are filed with good.
natmredS iustiine thrones.
The New York public has given lit.
tie sign to-iay of any financial ne
cessity for stinting It's purchases. In
front Of the great shops and depart.
mcnt stores where people OF wealth
do their shopping the carriages block
the thoroughfares: Along Broadway
and the Bowery and TIL shopping cen.
ters 81 the East Sidey q ped est iiasis
throng so thickly that itss at times d
pears that he,yasts crowd will be able !
to disentagle itself. Chinatown is
having It's "C1ismasr shopping too.
alice samee C'ifstine, and the Orier.
tails are preparing for q great celebra-
ton. The shops Of Mott and sPellS u
streets are thronged with white GUS
toners, who are buying idols and SYM
bols Of the religion Of Confucuis ami
Buddha and other heather cnrlos gas 4
expressions, Of Christmas ntimerts.
New Workers. who have relatives
and friends "up State or down East
or "out West have not foreottenS
them. and the postofflce and the ex-l
press offices are blockaded with pack.
ages and parcels in consequence.
In spite OF the money stringency
and the fact that this has been afyeaea
of big expenses and small profits 10 &
Wall street. the Indications are that
the Christmas fund In the financial
district Will be almost as large as In
cther more prosperous years. While
1t is not expected that any OF the
large banking houses will give their
clerks a bonus of 100 per cent, as 4
they did in 1901. 1T Is reported that
several Of them, at least, will give =
their employees present of half a
years salary. Many Of the banks,
however, make It a rule never to dis.
tribute more than 10 per cent, hon.
uses. By far the largest portion of
the Wall street Santa Claus fund Is
apportioned among the employees Of
the great banking houses and the 1arg.
~ etaot, hroI.oro oa a m, hut n a -, 49,
sengeri boys, elevator runners and
the host OF other employees have not
been forgotten and to-day are srecety.
ing pocketsfuls Of jlngllng coins, IT.
Is estimated that the total amount dis.
tributed by the rich bankers and
brokers OF Wall street will reach at 4
least $4,000. 900. In 1901 the high wa;
ter mark OF Christmas benefic icences was
reached In the financial district, ng-
gregating s3,500 900. That year. how.
ever, Wall street was fairly reeking
with money, and 1t has not been 80
prosperous since.
The pot boiled smerrily for the Sal.
walton Army to-day and as a result Its 4
Christmas feast for the poor will uI.
donbtedly be pronounced; Z; success.
Plans for the distribution were cons.
pleted by the officers In ~ command
this afternoon. All the food has been
or collected and early TO.
morrow morning the distribution OF
baskets will commence tAfterward
the army's guests are to be served az 2
200 great tables. It Is estimated that
25,0OO persons will be fed by the army
in Greater New York tomorrow Tho /
Volunteers OF America, who have had8
their collectors on the streets I'm SAM
Ia Clause costume, wifi feed 10. .o6Sy
more, and the Bowery mission and
other charitable organizatio lions will ex-
;unu puu sseIsmoq eql 10 spursnoqi
6unu o. 6lIlu,Idsog 10 pusq am PuSt
cry of the metropolis. 2;
Jack ashore is being looked after
by several bodies interested IN his
welfare. and, whether broke or flush.
will have feat fIt for Father Nep-
tune. On Ellis Island the detained
immigrants, hundreds OF them, viii
have turkey dinner, a Christmas tree
with presents for everybody and an
entertainment to cheer them In their
exile. SEs