The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-18
LIGHTS AND GIFTS GAL ORE WILL GRACE
 CITY XMAS TREE
Hundreds of Riddles Will be Made Happy When Santa
 Reaches Broad St.

Business and professional men aof Bridgeport are preparing to extend a public greeting to Santa, Claus, on top of the Broad street green, Christmas eve. This will De the occasion of the municipal Christmas tree opening ex7 ercises. From that point at 6 o'clock next Friday night, Santa Claus will begin his tour of thousands of homes.
 For the first tinne, the event will be under the direction of the board of park commissioners this year. The best singers among the 20, 900 school children are now being trained by Miss Cora M Purviance,- supervisor of music. in the public chools, to take part in the exercises. She will have about 300 children who will sing Christmas carols with the Coast. Ar tinery Corps band accompanying. The band will also render a concert, hav- ing contributed it's services gratis
 Men in the employ of the Bridgeport Hydraulic Go. through the courtesy of D. H. Warner, have been tramping through the snow on the watershed of the Hem1ock dam for the largest Christmas tree available, for the past two days. That company will. bring the tree to this city. The Southern New England Telephone Co.,, by the courtesy of w w. Knight local man ager, will set up the big spruce. The United illuminating Go. will furnish the red, white and blue incandescent electric lights. the electricity for the illumination, wiring, etc.
 Presid ent George S.. Hill of the police board has had a conference with Superintendent, Birmingham for a special police detail to#control the traffic regulations. besides the. assist ance of the police department e1ectri- clan, MT. Williams. John A. Leon president of the fire board, whose electrical force is so busy now re- pairing storm damage, has also agreed to lend helping hand
 Public works Director Courtade and his men of his sdepartm ent, will lend assistance. The Rowland Dry Goods4Co., through Manager Parker will contribute generously to "Santy's' bag of gifts and many other merch- ants, whose names will be made pub lie later, are. contribuing.
 The children at the Bridgeport Or phan AsyIun1, the little kiddies from the town farm, the Day Nursery, and a number of co1ared children, will be the special guests of Santa Claus, who will distribute candy. toys, fruit, etc.
 The veterinary hospital of pr. R. D. l Martin. at Elm and Broad streets, has been made headquarters for donations, and the committee in charge hopes l that those who helped out last year and the year before will not wait to be asked but send along their dona- lions to that point. Dr. Martin, Frank T. Abercrombie and the late Sheridan A. I.add worked as citizens commit tee a year ago to make the event the great a success it was
 The old enthusiasm has overtaken Messrs. Abercromfofe and Martin again. and they are hard at work on the details, aiding the committee of the park board. The municipal Christ mas tree has been 8 gratuitous affair in the past and it is surprising, the com nlittee states, how readily every person who helped to make the event successful for the past two years. are so willing to do the same, this