The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-12-17
Ladies Who Managed Chair
ty Pageant Last Year
Announce Plans.
MAYOR TO HELP THEM
CHOOSE THE BEST SITE
A. NJ. Tinsley Donates Bethlehem
Star and Major HOuck the
Tree For Fete.

| be planted in the Court House Park,
which will be decorated and ilIumin-
ated every Christmas, beginning this
year. This was the announcement
made yesterday afternoon by COM
mittee of ladies whose efforts made
the Municipal Christmas tree, origin
ated by The Tribune. such a marked
success last year.
This decision was reached yester-
day after the ladies called on Mayor
Rage and obtained his views. The
executive heartily approved of the
suggestion and said that the city will
bear the cost Of Illuminating the tree
this Christmas.
A. NJ. Tinsley, manager of the Utili-
ties Company, yesterday Informed the
ladies that he would repair the huge
Bethlehem Star, which was placed in
the top of the Christmas tree last
year. This star, brilliantly illumin-
ated with colored electric bulbs last
Christmas, made the most Spectacular
spectacle ever witnessed in this city.
The tree was literally ablazc with
lights, which had been arranged by a
corps of electric workmen at the ex-
pense of Mr.. Tinsley. The tree will
be similarly Illuminated this year, but
no presents will be distributed.
Major Giboney Houck, who assisted
materially in the success Of the charity
pageant last year, will donate a large
cedar tree, which is to be planted in
Court House Park. The committee of
ladies with Mayor Rage will select a
site for the tree within the next few
days, and the tree will be planted by
Robert L. Caldwell, the well-knOwn
nurseryman.
More than $700 was donated to the
Christmas Tree Fund last year. and
after all of the expenses had been
paid, there was a balance of about $40,
which was deposited in a bank to the
credit of the Christmas Tree Fund.
This sum will be used to defray the
expenses Of planting the Christmas
tree in the park
The tree will serve double pur-
pose. While ii will commemorate the
Yuletide each Christmas, it will also
serve as a lasting memorial to the
giant charity pageant of last year.
The event, which was celebrated on
Christmas eve, was the most elaborate
undertaking OF its kind ever planned
in a southern Missouri city.
Hundreds Of children were given
presents at the tree and every poor
family was presented with basket
of turkey, bread and butter, fruits,
candy and nuts Every basket con-
tanned enough food to supply a family
of six or eight for one whole day.
DR.. Ivan Lee Holt made a canvass
of the city in search of families who
were n need. Every one Of these
was the recipient of bOuntiful basket
of Christmas food, either on Christ
mas eve or on the following morning.
After the hundreds of families had
been cared for, about one dozen bas-
kets were left. These were sent to
poor families where there was sick
ness, making two baskets to every
family.
1t was the first time in the history
of Cape Giradeau when it was official
ly known that no family in the city
was without big Christmas dinner.
In compiling the report of the dona-
tions to the Christmas Tree Fund, the
ladies unintentionally failed to men,
ton the bakers and coal dealers. In
addition to the baskets sent out by
the Christmas Tree Committee, the |
various bakers sent baskets of bread |
and cakes to the needy families and |
the coal and fuel dealers sent large
sacks of coal.
The report of the Christmas Tree
follows:
Amount on hand, Dec. "a .S675.55 |
Amount received from Mr..
H. I