Evening journal., 1908-12-26
SANTA CLAUS AT
THE CITY HALL
It Was a Great Day for the
Many Little Guests Of
the Police
ALL WERE WELL
PROVIDED FOR

Santa Claus paid his annual
visit to the City Hall yesterday. II,
had previously arranged with the
members of the Police Department to
take care of the poor children Of the
city and that his instructions were
well carried out was plain to be seen.
About 1,50O children received gifts Of
candy. fruit nuts and warm clothing,
and a number were presented with
toys
Previous to the treat children wedged
In the City Hall place waiting for
Judge Edwin r. Cochran to hold tho
usual morning session Of police court
When it was adjourned the news went
down the line and the youngsters with
happy faces waited patiently for the
line to start.
At the farthest end Of the court room
stood the magnihcently trimmed tree.
The judges platform, the spectators
place and even the prisoners dock
were filled with persons who had gath
cred to witness the scene. Many Of
them had never seen such a demon
stration. and as the children wended
their way through the court room, with
eyes almost popping from their little
heads, with wonder at the scene, these
spectators could not help but express
the general sentiment which prevailed,
that the police each year accomplish
enc of the most charitable acts, that
Of providing for the poor in such a
lavish way.
WHINE WAS A LARGE ONE.
For nearly two hours the youngsters
continued to pass in one door and out
the other. When they entered the
building they carried nothing but the
door at which they emerged was worth
while watching. Each little one was
provided with a hat or knit cap, pair
of gloves, a pair of stockings, large
bag filed with candies and nuts and a
horn. These gifts filled their arms
and as they came out of the buildins
they scampered off TO their homes.
probably with lengthy tales to unfolo
to their parents of the great tree that
Santa Claus had sent TO the police.
il required a dozen men to carry tho
many bags of candy and other gifts
To the court room and when piled the
heap was as high as a man. A thous
and horns were also stacked and a
half-dozen officers and others, includ
ing the police matrons. who worked So
hard for the success of the affair, form
ed themselves i'm a line, and when the
long column of youngsters began to
move these agents of Santa Claus
handed each child his quota of gifts.
The children were handled in excellent
manner and the line was not once
halted
MORE CANDY WAS ORDERED.
When All the candies and othoi
things had been exhausted there were
| still about fifty more children who mao
failed to receive any sweets. Police
Captain Kane imediately ordered two
more barrels of candy and although
there we're no bags i'm which to put IT,
each child's pockets were filled. The
| boys had many pockets but the girls
were not so fortunate. However. they
managed TO provide some arrangement
TO carry of the sweets.
The public demonstration of the
police treat to the poor was but part
of the charitable work carried out BY
the department. The day before l5t
baskets containing dinners for as many
families were delivered to those who
were most in need Coal clothing and
other necessities of life were also dis
tributed and all told. the work of yes
terday was the best of the kind ever
done by the police They had Sl'SO.
TO spend and no money was ever put
to better use. To be sure $1,000 more
could have been easily used. but what
money there was the persons who CON
tributed it can feel assured that they
participated in a most worthy act o.
charity.
The police extend their thanks to al
who helped to hake this seasons affat
such a splendid success.