Evening star., 1916-12-24
BIG ARRAY OF. GIFTS
FORD. c. SOLDIERS
Christmas Cheer Provided
With Money Contributed by
Citizens of Washington.
MANY PACKAGES BY MAIL
BY J. CROSBY MCCARTHY,
Stan Correspondent.


SAN ANTONIO. Tex, December 20
A big. "roomy" bath towel. two handker-
chiefs tube of tooth paste. toothbrush
and holder, shaving stick. box of candy.
two cigars, package of cigarettes, bag of
smoking tobacco, pencil and a box OF
2 safety matches.
These are the gifts which every enlisted
man and officer in the Sd District Regi-
ment and Troop A is to receive tomor-
= row morning in the name of the citizens
of Washington. They were purchased
with money contributed through The Star
by the people of the National Capital as
a means of bringing Christmas cheer to
the District militiamen and to show ap-
probation of the patriotism displayed by
the men. The pro rata share of each man
and officer amounted to about 81 cents.
and with this money articles were bought
in wholesale lots. which have a retail
value of about Sl51
The money contributed by the citi
zens of Washington not only purchas
ed these presents. but also has made
1t possible for the District militiamen
to have prettier Christmas tree than
what otherwise would have been the
case.
Surplus Fund for Decorations.
Finding that a balance of several
dollars still remained after the rounds
of the wholesale establishments had
been completed, the representatives of
The Star with the District troops who
attended to the purchase Of the gifts
1f -och;r rtay
turned this money over to Chaplain
Arthur L. Smith of the Sd District In
fantry to be used in buying the decora-
tions. These will be placed on cedar
tree. which has been set up in the Y. NJ.
&. A. building adjoining the Sd Regi-
ment camp, where an entertainment ap-
propriate to the occasion is to be held
this evening.
Since about noon today detail of
men has been at work preparing the in
dividual packages of gifts which each
District militiaman is to receive and
larger force will be set to work to-
morrow morning in order to get the
task finished by evening. About 1.150
individual packages must be prepared.
Tomorrow night they will be distribut
ed to the various companies in ac
cordance with their enrolment and the
following morning the militiamen will
find them on the table when they re-
spond to the breakfast call.
Work of Issuing Gifts.
The supplies of gifts are being is
sued from hospital tent where the
cases of articles were received upon
being delivered to camp and the prep
aration of the individual packages is
being done in an unused mess hall
nearby. As soon as the packages for
one company have been completed
those for another are started
A guard has been stationed at both
places to prevent any raids the
storehouses of good things.
One great packing case. which was
delivered to camp this morning con-
tanned 100 dozen handkerchiefs. There
were two automobile truckloads of
Turkish towels The cigarettes, which
the militiamen are to receive, could
not be packed in a trunk. Nearly
twenty-three hundred cigars is another
item. Several large trunks would be
needed to accommodate the tooth paste
and shaving soap the militiamen are to
receive The candy purchased with a
portion of the money contributed
through The Star is not all the District
militiamen are to receive. for today
more than a thousand pounds IL candy
furnished by the relief association
composed OF wives of officers of the
District militia arrived in camp and
capt Chase. the supply officer. has
made plans for it's distribution tomor-
row.
In both mail deliveries today great
quantities of gifts for the District mi
Htiamen have been received. OF these
none was more interesting than a small
Norway pine tree fully decorated and
WIN more than score of presents
hanging from its branches, which Chap
lain Smith received from his wife and
family in Connecticut. IT was incased
In a barrel and it arrived here in per-
fect condition.
Provisional Ambulance Company.
Announcement was made this after
noon OF the formation of a provisional
ambulance company. composed of de-
tails from the District regiment and
from the Mississippi and West Virginia
regiments Lieut.. Francis Gibb, ser
geant and four enlisted men Of the
sanitary troop and two men from each
Of the companies of the Sd District In
fantry have been detached to serve
with this new command. which is to
- MI "a vacancy caused by the withdra wal
OF d Wisconsin ambulance company.
Service with the new company will
last as long as the District troops re-
main at this camp. The cooks of the
Sd regiment and of Troop A are busy
preparing the edibles which the mill
tiarnen are to have for Christmas din
ner- The government has made its
usual allowance of pound of turkey
Tor each man, and other things which
go 70 make UP a real Christmas din
ner are being purchased with company