The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-12-28
LOTS OF SWEETS FOR GIRLS
Cash Gifts Are Made ct Many Plants
But Men Hold That Bonuses Paid Dur
ing Year Must Be Christmas Pres
ents Too-Workmen Aid Friends.

1t was happy day for the thousands
of men and women employed IN the big
factories in Kenosha as today the man
ayers of the companies made the
annual Christmas distributions. They
were notable in many cases, but they
were'not Fbig money" gifts but rather
cordial messages of good will attended
with some little remembrance of the
season. In the great factories Of Ke-
nosha this year there has been an al
most constant upward trend of wages
and many of the companies have been
paying bonuses during the year and on
this account the big Christmas distri-
buttons were eliminated. The men,
however, were all we'll satisfied that
they had been pretty well taken care
of during the year.
Several of the companies announced
that such distributions as they would
have to make would be laid over until
the first Of the year.
For the young women employed by
various companies in the city there
was O. perfect shower of sweets. Out
at the plants of the Cooper Underwear
Company and the Black Cat Textiles
Company every young woman employ
ed was given box of candy. Up at
the plant of the Hannahs Manufactur-
ing Company the usual custom was fol
lowed and each employee was given a
Christmas present in gold which repre-,
scented a dollar for each year he had
been in the employ of the COM
pany. In addition there were gifts
for the office men.
The McComber Whyte Rope Company
remembered its men by gifts of money
ranging from five to twenty dollars
dependent on the length of the Service
of the employee. Down at the plant
of the Frank L. Wells Company on
Exchange street, every employee re-
ceived turkey and in addition a
five dollar bill.
AT the plant of the Vincent-Alward
company all of the heads of the de-
partments received gold presents with
Invitations for a dinner to be given by
the company later in the holiday sea-
son. The Wisconsin Macaroni Com
pany, the Kenosha Knitting Company,
the Skidd Manufacturing Company, the
Peter Pirsch Company, all remembered
their employees with gifts of cash.
One of the unique presentations of
the day was at the Speciality Brass
Company where in lieu of money gifts
the management announced that with
the beginning of the new year the
nine hour day would be established
in the plant with ten hour pay. Tt
was one of the most notable distribu-
lions Of the day,
The banks of the city made the usu-
nj distributions of gold coin to their
employees, the amounts being arrang-
I'd in keeping with the number of
years of service of the employees.
In ADDICTION to these gifts there were
distributions announced for the en-
ployees Of the Telegraph and Telephone
companies. The local employees of the
Wisconsin Telephone Company will
share in the distribution of 100000
Wy VIC Au1VAA Cd1 lClSpuOHS COHpduy
and the employees of the Western
Union Telegraph Company will have a
slice OF the great melon that is going
to be cut by this company.
Of course, there were usual gifts of
cigars to men in the big plants, but
most of the companies insisted that
these should not be mentioned as
"Christmas Distributions.
At the Simmons plant the spirit of
Christmas was rampant and many of
the employees instead of receiving
gifts dubbed together and gave gifts
10 members Of the working force who
were less fortunate. Hundreds of dol
lars were raised in collections in the
various departments and these were
hsed TO send Christmas cheer into
homes in the city.
While there was no estimates made
pf the amounts spent for Christmas
gifts In the various factories it is GER
Eain that the total of them ell will be
many thousands of dollars,