Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-27
EARLY SUPPORT
FOR SANTA FUND
Thomas w. Clark First Con-
tributor and George Wag-
ner Asks 10 Names.
NONE TO BE OVERLOOKED
Same Thorough Plan as Adopted a
Year Ago to Be FOIlowed-An
Can Lend Assistance.

Thomas W. Clark, manager of the
Rock Island John Gately store. is the
first contributor to The Argus Santa
Claus fund. His dollar was received
yesterday. Il don't know of any more
worthy undertaking by a newspaper"
Mr.. Clark said. NO man can deny an
appeal that involves the happiness of
children. There are many poor fam
lilies in Rock Island where there are
little ones for whom it is barely pos
sible for the provider to buy food and
fuel In these homes the Christmas
toy is unknown. 1t strikes me that
here in our city. as elsewhere over
this prosperous land, the more for
tunately situated have an obligation at
the Christmas season, and The Argus
IS showing an easy way of fulfilling
it."
George Wagner. Eighteenth avenue
and Twenty-second street, is the first
citizen to ill out one of The Argus
Santa Claus fund blanks. 1t came
from him this morning. Mr.. Wagner
requests that he be furnished the
names of 10 poor children, whom he
and the members of his family wish
to personally provide with Christmas
toys. With Christmas two months
away, there are somewhere in the city
10 little ones who are already assured
of a realization of a dream that they
probably never hoped OF materializa-
ton
Is Second Year.
The Santa Claus fund was estab-
hnI %I,% 4Iy,,n ,
is believed every poor family in the
city was remembered; at least an eff
tort was made TO reach them through
every known agency. There is a deli
cacy attendant urOn such a work.
Parents are proud. and a father or
mother will be III most extreme cir
cumstances before permitting it to be
known that they are unable to do for
their offspring at the Christmas sea
son as the neighbors do for theirs.
Accordingly, The Argus has endeav-
ored to conceal as far as possible the
names of the benefciaries of its Santa
Claus fund. The plan adopted is to
entrust the securing of names, ages
and addresses to the charity organiza-
lions of the city. Miss Dina Ramser
with The Argus a year ago, and she
has been asked 10 serve again in the
same capacity. The aid of the visit
Ing nurse and the officers of the Asso- /
ciated Charities is asked also.
Two ways of Helping.
A blank printed daily in The Argus
can be mailed to this Office. The sign
err of the coupon has but to give his or
her address and indicate the number
of children he or she desires to pro
vide toys for The names will be sup
piled by The Argus. Thus the only
ones knowing the identity of those
benefited are The Argus and the per
son buying the gifts. Where the one
aiding in the cause does not care to
assume the responsibility, there is Of
fered the choice of mailing COntribu-
lions Of money to The Argus Santa
Claus fund. A receipt is returned for
the amount, the money is placed in the
bank and a week before Christmas a
committee, in possession of the names
of the little~ones who have not been
taken care of, goes on a purchasing
tour. and the day preceding Christ
mas the presents are delivered to the
various homes about the city. 4 year
ago two vehicles were kept busy an
entire day delivering gifts bought with
The Argus Santa Claus funds.
The Argus did not intend that there
should be such an early response to /
the poor childrens Christmas appeal; |
rather had it desired simply TO remind t
that public of its annual obligation TO |
these unfortunates, but since the peo-
pie apparently are anxious to fall in |