New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-25
VOLUNTEERS FEED MANY
BaIIington Booth and Aids Give
600 Baskets to Poor.
CROWDS LONG IN THE LINE
Man Who Provides Wrapping
Paper and String Is Reward
ed at End of Distribution.

In his haste to visit the infinite number
OF homes at which he must call each year
Santa Claus may have overlooked num-
Der OF poor families as he made his rounds
in New York last night. and, realizing that
such might be the case, Darlington Booth
and the Volunteers Of America yesterday
afternoon took II upon themselves 10 see
that Yuletide cheer IN the form OF hearty
dinner at least. would be found IN more
than six hundred homes to-day. A store
a. M 163 West 18th street was the dis
tributing depot and a throng OF eager
women and children gathered about Jhc
doors waiting for the real Santa Claus
not the NEUROLOGICAL old man, who IS prone
10 ignore the tenement disricts-to appear
Those families whose names appear on
the hooks of the Volunteers Of America
had been informed by letter that basket
~ food would be given TO them az the ad-
dresa IN West 29rn street between the
bours of and o'clock IN the afternoon.
org before the stated time. and even as
carly as O'Clock in the morning the
ticket holders were gathered about the
buuding BY noon the line stretched IRON
No 1s2-a few doors OF Seventh avenue-to
-,,.b ovenue and around the corner halI
way TO Goth street.
II ras necessary 10 oDen the doors fun
,,,,,- cartier than had been intended. and
as each ticket holder stepped Ior"aIu D"'
l,,gton Rooth handed him basket coz
tanning enough food to PROVIDE tdiIl!Is
with several hearty meals. Inc contents
of the baskets. which varied according 10
the size of the family. we're maze UP oi
from four 10 six pounds or beei' pouhu
nj rice a like amount or raisins. max
mound package OF tea, some turnips. pota-
toes candy. oranges and tWo-pound loai
Of bread
After the first hundred baskets had been
given OFT. the commander was forced TO
leave I'm order that he might MI an en-
gaeement elsewhere. and his place was
taker bv William label who, behind the
n bled white whiskers OF old Santa Claus.
continued the distribution till the long line
had melted away and only a group OF those
who we're depending upon a surplus OF
good things was left And they did not
wait in vain. for as long as there was a
basket the needy applicants were sent away
rejoicing
Throughout the distribution a man who
said his name was William Spitloh, Of no
particular address. stood in front OF the
door and gave each person a large sheet Of
paper and cord with which 20 wrap Up
the basket The paper had been given 20
him. he said. and his services be volun-
teered. When the end Of the large supply OF
baskets was in sight he was asked II he
could use one Having no means Of cook
ing the food. he was doubtful. until be sud
denly remembered that be knew Of a family
to whom IL would boz a welcome gift. After
ne had given out his last sheet Of wrapping
paper he disappeared with his basket
James J. Keppel, a star officer OF the Vol
unteers Of America, was present while the
food was being given away. lie is the orig
inator OF the idea OF giving the uncooked
ba sket dinner 10 poor families, and as the
last of them was given away he said that IN
the twelve years In which he had been dis
tributing such gifts the number OF poor
applying for them had never been so large
He added that instead Of decreasing, as
many were led 20 believe. poverty had never
been 40 apparent in New York as at the
present time.