Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-26
SERVICES WERE
FEATURE OF DAY
Religious Gatherings Are Held to Gel
citrate Anniversary Of Birth
OF Christ.
FESTIVALS FOR LITTLE ONES
Programs Are Held, and Tokens Are
Distributed-Bethan Home Child
rem Given Treat.

Christmas was celebrated in many
of the churches of the city with ser
vices yesterday morning and last eve
ming. The churches were all appro-
priately and beautifully decorated in
Christmas greenery and candles and
beautiful and impressive services were
carried out.
AT st. JOseph'S church there were
1000 present at the early morning
mass at o'clock. Seven hundred re-
ceived communion. The Christmas Of
fering amounted to $1,000. In all the
Lutheran and Catholic churches large
congregations were present and lis
tened to musical programs and short
addresses. AT Trinity church the SER
vices beginning with the midnigh.
mass Christmas eve were all well at
tended.
Christmas Festivals Held.
The Spencer Memorial Sunday
school gave the Christmas entertain
ment at the church last evening, the
auditorium and Sunday school rooms
Q being thronged with people. Every one
was given a treat by Santa Claus who
also gave an interesting talk. A nice
program was given. The pupils of the
German Methodist Sunday school cell
ebrated the Christmas festival with a
program and cantata at the church last
evening.
Children Given Treat.
All of the little folks of Bethany
home who are not i'll with the measles
were given genuine Christmas feast
yesterday. There were, % of the in
mates of the home who were able to
partake of the spread and they be-
came the guests of Mr.. and Mrs Char
les McHugh. and dined at the Harper
house. 1t has been an annual custom
of Mr.. and Mrs. McHugh to entertain
the little ones of the home at the holt
day dinner.
At the Watertown hospital there
We're the usual festivities, and the
usual big holiday dinner for the pa
tients. AT the county Jail a special
menu was served, and little more
than the ordinary freedom was allowed
the prisoners for the day.
Dinners Given to Poor.
Thursday afternoon the Salvation
Army distributed so Christmas dinners
to the poor of the city. The baskets
were distributed to holders of tickets
these tickets having been given out to
the different families after careful
investigation of the family circum
stances. The baskets contained all the
necessary provisions for genuine
Christmas feast.
Given Present of Cash.
Several of the large employers in
the city remembered their employees
Thursday with fitting Christmas tok
ems At the Rock Island Sash & Door
Works, where it is an annual custom
to present the employees with some re
membrance, the gift this year was il
the form of cash and several hundred
dollars were given away. At the l.. f
West Gum company there was merry
making at 4: 80 in the afternoon. Mr.
West had distributed post cards bear
ing pictures of Santa Claus, and tn,
message. lust left the north pole. Elk
pect to arrive at the l.. E. West Gun
conlpany's office about 4 80 p. m AnC
at 1870 Santa Claus put in a prope
appearance, and there were remem
ORANGES for every one.
Was General Holiday.
The day was a general holiday in TIL,
city, the banks, public offices, manu-
featuring plants and stores generally
being closed for the entire day.
Holiday hours prevailed at the post