New-York tribune., 1913-12-25
CHRISTMAS MERRY
FOR CITY'S POOR
Charities in Mighty Band
To-day Feed Multitude
i'm Seasons Name.
SALVATION ARMY
GIANT OF SANTAS
Dinners and Gifts for ThrOngS OF
Needy Will Make Day the
Busiest Of the Year.

Time. arc lsTI iUIE FgJI. ana lHNN'. De-
tight. but that portion of the k~u-.c
family which works Tor the salvation
Army is going 20 bc buster than ever. D.
will iced 100 people moro than last year
right here in Sew York to-day. and 1000"
more. j., rs estimated. iu th, entire cOgr-
try
That means that more than roo" IN
habltants Of these United Stat's viii re-
ceive their Christmas dinners from the
hards Of the soldiers OF salvation. ror-
rcscntativc OF the Army said y"stcrda"
that approximately ono million needy poo
pie would be given free meals to-day 10y
the charitable organizations Of thc cour
try. \ brief use Of arithmetic viii show
that the Salvation Army "lonc shoulders
two-fftha OF the enormous burden.
Tho main depot Of the Army Santas iu
this city will 30 ~ tire ON Regiment Ar
moiy. I'm West l+th street. opposite the
national headquarters. Men from tho
Army's industrial homes invaded the
arrpory AT { O'Clock YESTERDAY morning
and began the work OF transforming the
great barn into a bower Of beauty BN
late afternoon two Christmas trees had
grown 10 the height of 90 feet a. the
western end OF the armory floor each
made up Of l20 smaller trees. Between
the trees vast table was erected 10 hold
the 800 presents which Will be given 70
the children who come 30 the Christmas
party this afternoon.
Arrry's Bounty for City's Poor.
Al the other end Of the floor. under
meath the frowning disappearing gun and
mortar. the soldiers OF peace have buiit
long boards 10 hold the baskets Of food
10 be distributed 10 the ,rty's poor this
morning When the doors open at 10
o'clock there will be 500 Of the baskets
nilod about the guns. each holding meal
sufficient for six people. All the officers
OF the Army spent the entire nlght last
night filing the baskets. much 81 inc
time under the personal SUPERVISION pl
Miss Evangeline Booth commander "i
the Army in this country
The food arrived AZ ,he armory Ncst'r-
dav i'm great carloads, and was piled up
i'm prcparation for the nights work.
There we're huge heaps u chickens, bread'
pie. potatocs. tea. coffee, sugar. carr"ts
and inuumerablc cans Of soup, WlIE anu
baked bcans There were also bread anu
fruit I'm abundance. Rcslocs the fool
there will be 500 parcels of clothing uIr-
tributed to-day. and u lag OF hicKcs WIZ
be on hand TO provide earfarcs FOR those
who appear too weak to walk.
After the chlldrens entertainment H'
the afternoon the cadets from the traIh
ing school. under Rrigadicr William an
drews will march up 10 Madison square.
where they Will distribute 1900 cups o.
coffee, accompanied by 1850 irankfurteTs'
to the chilly ones gathered around tho
Christmas tree there.
Miss Booth is assisted m her work Oi
supervision by Colonel William II. Pcart,
general secretary. and Colonel f.. j.
Parker. social secretary OF the Army IN
this country.
rhe Volunteers Of America have found
collecting hard this year. and Colone
j. J Keppel. who is in charge Of their
Christmas fund, had no hesitation in say
| ing yesterday that this was the reason
why they would be unable to feed ans
more needy ones thfs year than they did