Evening star., 1914-12-25
Christmas Cheer Bountiful.

Christmas Cheer BounC1lul.
PHILADELPHIA, December 90
Christmas cheer was dispensed here to-
day more bountifully than ever before
in the history of the city. Charitable
organizations WED with each other in
providing substantial repasts for the
poor. while in all institutions special
menus were prepared. Dinners for
5000 furnished by the Volunteers OF
America were eaten IN l,3oO MONIES
while the Salvation Army supplied an
equal number. Secret and fraternal
orders. business mems associations
special organizations of good Fellows
for every child who would otherwise
be unremembered. The post office, the
police department, newspapers and oth-
er agencies had been utilized to dis
cover the needy ones.
Even the dumb animals were remem-
bered. Christmas tree for horses
decorated with equine delicacies, was
erected in the headquarters of the
Women's Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to animals, while catnip and
other dainties were provided for cats
and dogs in the Morris Refuge Home.
Merchants last night expressed salts
faction at the amount of business done
during the past year. The total re.
ceipts were said to have eXceeded 13ls
by hundreds of thousands.
In the suburbs choristers trudgee
through the snow-covered streets marx,
ing the day with the singing of Ole
English carols, and special services
were held in many churches.
Feeding the Chicago Poor.
CHICAGO, December o5.-Christmas
dinners were provided for nearly 2Oo,-
900 persons by Chicago charities today,
according to estimates of officials OF
nrfy an n
baskets. each containing enough food
for five persons, were distributed
Fewer Christmas trees and toys were
distributed than ever before, 1t was
said.
The weather was cold and clear, and
six inches of snow covered the GROUND
Christmas Throughout the Land.
Boston people lit candles in the win
dows of their homes, while groups of
men and women sank on their knees i'll
the snow and sang Christmas carols.
Another old custom was revived in the
sounding of hymns by four trumpeters
from the balcony of the old State
house.
Many cities and towns in Connecticut
held municipal Christmas celebrations.
Illuminated trees on public greens and
the singing of carols by children were
features. At the state prison at Weth-
ersfieid today the prisoners We're treat
ed to q moving picture exhibition tor
the first time in the history of the in
stitution-
UNIQUE Christmas celebration was
held in the Matteawan On " State
Hospital for Criminal Insane. where
$50 male inmates gathered about two
Christmas trees and received more
than a thousand gifts sent by relatives
and friends.
Carols were sung around the com
nunity Christmas tree in Baltimore, in
front of the courthouse, after which
many of the singers visited railroad
stations and sang for travellers Prac-
teal charity was more in evidence
than ever before, and the illumination
of residences was more general
In Kansas City 5000 persons, 1900
being Boy Scouts, played Santa to chill
dren, grown persons, the European war
sufferers, Colorado strike victims and
the city's animals.
\ giant cedar tree with seventy-five
smaller trees around il was the center
of St Louis Christmas celebration,
hundreds of carolers troopins over the
city and singing under every window
where candle was lighted.
That the poor of Indiana polls might
nave reason to remember that today
= Christmas the city's charitab BILE in
stitutions and newspapers collected
large funds. which were used in buy
us iOou, tiotHIHB anu coal lor tne
needy.
Minneapolis revived the European
custom of lighting candles in the win
lows in place Of the annual display of
molly leaves and cedar wreaths
IN Toledo, DnIo, nearly two thousand
children knelt i'll the now around the
municipal tree and prayed that it
might live forever.
Clevelands school children marched
through the streets caroling while the
oand In the public square played
hymns as thousands of people march,
cd around a giant Christmas tree
Mayor Frederick Spiegel of Cincin.
nau distributed gifts to more than
four thousand small boys and girls
gathered around d huge community
Christmas tree
One hundred thousand residents OF
san Francisco gathered H. a public
square 10 sing Christmas carols while
n san quentin pcnItcntiary the
christmas spirit manifested itself in
the release of three prisoners
Trumpeters stationed in Detroit's S
city hall tower announced the be-
Mayor Oscar F. Marx exchanged greet
Ings of the season with Mayor Fred 1.
Howell of Windsor, the Canadian CITY
on the opposite side of the border
Mayor Joseph G. Armstrong pressed q
button and giant Christmas tree
which had been erected in the heart OF
the city of Pittsburgh. near the county
building, became Il mass of vari-coI-
ored lights. with star of Bethlehe m
bursting into radiance over all Thou
sands of persons surrounding the tree
were entertained with band music.
Eight thousand persons Will be served
~ IA af h2u