The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-30
Get 10000 PAIRS
Unusual Response to Masonic
Appeal for Old Shoes.
Every Style and Model Collect
ed on Thanksgiving.

well, the Klaxons coaxed 'em
out" said William A. Tinker, general
chairman of the Scottish Rite shoe
drive, in referring to the piles of shoes
that Uttered the sidewalk in front of
the Masonic Temple at the close of
collection Thanksgiving. Car after
car hod come in with tonneau filled
and numbers of old shoes decorating
the top and radiators. Long before
the last car was in the packers in the
basement of the Temple were wading
knee deep in shoes, and less than an
hour after the cars started TO come
in, the supply of packing boxes was
exhausted J. B. DoncysOn, general
secretary, forthwith issued a plea for
the merchants of Topeka to come to
the rescue with their supply of con-
tainers. He asks that the merchants
send down all the boxes on hand and
pile them on the walk in front of the
Temple. The shoes must be packed
ent supply of boxes will hold less than
half of the shoes collected.
In the piles of shoes collected were
seen many pairs of shoes that were
evidently veterans of many a hard
fought athletic battle. One pair of
spiked shoes from a runners feet was
seen, as well as many SCARED heroes
of the gridiron and the diamond.
Most of the athletic shoes were in ex-
cellent condition as their service was
mostly on their armored solos, and the
armor was the only part that showed
hard wear. Baby shoes and man
shoes. but most all lady shoes were
collected, and the lady shoes ran the
gamut of color and use. There were
shoes from the ball room and shoes
from the muddy bottoms, and all
wired securely in pairs and hobnob-
bling in the service of charity.
Little Baby Shoes.
One little pair of red baby shoes,
evidently the keepsake of some fond
mother, were spied perched proudly
on the top of towering pile of bro
gans." These little shoes will never
fulfil their intended distiny, for they
were promptly pounced on by Doncy-
son who declared that hereafter and
forever more the little red shoes will
be enshrined in the temple, and dedi-
Gated to the memory of the charity
of Topeka in the cause of suffering
humanity.
Most of the shoes received were in
an excellent state of repair, some of
them hardly worn at all, some newly
half soled and polished, and some new
er worn at all One consignment of
twenty-five pairs of brand new shoes
was received from the postmaster at
Auburn, and each of these pairs was
accompanied by pair of new, thick
socks. Numberless other pairs were
also found to be stuffed with new
SOCkS Ut SItChlASS or Win dpplGS OF
potatoes.
It was estimated that fully 10000
pairs of disable shoes were collected
and will be of. inestimable value in
saving Belgian feet from freezing this
winter. These shoes represent an
original value of over 100000 and in
their present state are probably worth
well over $1,000
Thank Topeka Donors.
J. B. Doncyson, general secretary of
the Scottish Rite bodies of the Valley
of Topeka, asked that this message
of thanks be- relayed to the citizens
of Topeka who responded to the call:
THE Scottish Rite bodies feel deeply
the trust imposed on them in this
matter and desire to convey their
deepest gratitude to the people of To-
peka for the more than generous re-
Spouse to our call for old shoes. Please
say that the Scottish Rite Mason of
Topeka will bend every effort to prove
themselves equal to the trust imposed
on them as the representatives of the
city at large in the care and shipment
of the contributions"
Doncyson further announced in an
interview this morning that on ac-
count of the numerous people who did
not get their shoes out in time for the
collection, the Scottish Rite is alrea dy
planning another follow-up campaign
to take place some time in the near
future. The Masonic telephone was
| in a constant state of jangling this
morning and it carried almost invari-
ably messages from sound sleepers
who slept thru the inferno of klaxon
blares that heralded the approach of
the old shoe cars. Topekans who
we're missed on e-Thanksgiving trip
may have their contributions packed
with the present shipment by leaving
their old footgear at the temple any
time during the next few days. 9th
ers should inaugurate another search
of the premises to locate any shoes
that may have been overlooked this
( time A date has not been definitely
determined on for the next campaign
for old shoes, but it will be within
the next two months.