Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-11-19
CITY CHRISTMAS TREE
THRILLED NEW YORK
The Christmas Joy Had Far
Reaching Effect.
THE REAL CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.
With No Hope Of Gain Ten thousand
Stood for Hours-Csrols Sung
in Various Tongues.
Part II.

1 GdTL IL.
Nobody was lured tc the square by
the hope that gifts were TO be dis
| tributed from the tree. Nearly all
of those who stooo about were of the
fairly well-to-do class, and hundreds
Of them had their arms full of pack
ages for the folks at home. They
were jolly and happy and made it
plain that they had strolled into
Madison Square to find some little
re spite from the modern commercial
spirit of Christmas eve.
With two intermissions of one
hour each, the program lasted until
midnight, AMI the tree remained
lighted till dawn. 1t will be lighted
every evening for one week from
today. A quartet composed of Miss
Eva Emmett Wyckoff, Miss Elizabeth
Sherman Clark, Ludwig Hess and
Frederic GuntheI rendered several
carols, all from TIE traditional songs
of England, France and Germany,
with others whose ancestry and origin
never have been traced, and songs by
each Of the singers composing the
quartet.
The management of the unique
Christmas-eve entertainment kept the
names carefully guarded, except TO
say that Mrs. j. B. r. Herreshoff was
responsible for the ide a and that the
only expense incurred was for the
erection of the tree. The tree itself
was furnished by the Adirondack
Club, was transported free by the
railroad, lighted free by the New
York Edison Company and the solo
lists and other artists asked nothing
for services.
A happy feature, quietly carried
out, was supplied by corps of un-
costumed Santa Clauses, who went
thr jugh the crowd seeking whom they
might help. There were thin-taced
children among the thousands and
thin-clad women and overt oatless
men, and every one of these departed
the richer for some quickly passe d
bill or bundle of warm clothing, or
perhaps just a card telling them
where to come for more substantial
cheer or for work.
A woman in rich furs found two
little waits on the edge of the throng.
STOPPING, she talked softly with
them a moment. Then she took each
by the hand and led them across the
park to her auto on Madison avenue.
"Who are you?" reporter asked as
che tucked the youngsters in among
the warm lap robes. "Just Mrs.
Santa Claus, " she said with a smile.
Then to the chauffeur "Home -"
There were thousands there. of
course, who couldn't work Aladdin
wonders, but there was not one in
all the throng who forgot in the
course of the music TO smile at his
stranger neighbor and wish him good
luck and merry Christmas. There
was not one out who was not for the
time carried away by the beauty of
the music who did not forget work.a-
day care and join in the happiness
that kept folk standing in the cold
from 5 O'Clock until the band had
played its last brassy gre citing at mid
night.
The spirit of the gigantic Christ
mas tree was radiated throughout the
city, and q conservative estimate
says that no less than 800. 600 per-
sons felt its presence. 1t was mani
tested in many ways, some of them
never before attempted. The Nav
York Association for Improving the
Condition of the Poor distributed
food, clothing, toys and other gifts
to 30, 600 homes. Donations received
at the various bTanchts of the asso-
citation were sent to the Home Hos
pital. Sea Breeze Hospital, the Caro-
line Rest, at Hartsdale, and hundreds
of destitute families throughout the
city.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Vanderbilt
distributed turkeys and miscellane-
Gus gittJ to the employees on their
estate at Oakdaie, L. j., and to the
servants in their own house and
dozens of others followed their lead.
The caddies and servants at the Oak
dale Golf Club were the guests of
Charles A. Finley, president of the
Etna National Bank, at a Christmas
dinner in the afternoon, and Sheriff
Julius Hamburger acted as Santa
Claus TO the employees of his office.
The Christmas spirit broke up the
dignity of the Stock Exchange early
IN the afternoon. Brokers gave over
trading and organized snow battles
in Broad street, breaking dp the
efforts of the curb traders and making
a general holiday all around. There
also was JOY fire headquarters whe n
Joseph johnson, Fire Commissioner
promoted and appoined seventy-one
men to positions in the department