New-York tribune., 1919-12-26
$50, 900 Party for Wound.
ed Soldiers and Sailors;
a.. Unknown Friend Remem.
bers 400 at Sing Sing
Santa Uhlizes Old Saloons
Police Hosts to Children;
Bowery So Prosperous
Only 800 at Annual Feast

ings fairly burst yesterday morning
from the rich array Of gifts that ac-
companied the return of tho first real
old-fashioncd Christmas he had expe-
rlenced since the war began.
But the gift giving was one Of the
minor incidents of what probably was
his most satisfactory Yuletide. The
unprecedented list Of rich gifts. of
which John D. Rockefeller's S10O,000,-
900 donation to mankind was the great
est, the numerous generous bonuses
given by corporations to their employ
ces and the careful combing Of the
ity's less fortunate districts by phil
1nthropic workers was but incidental
% the real celebration.
For the Christmas spirit that was so
rvident in the churches and in the
treets permeated every home, found
IS way into the most cheerless cell in
he most remote police station and to
ne bedside of the most tortured pa
lent in the city's hospitals.
All of the prosperity that marked the
Fpproach Of the holidays in the city's
business houses appeared to have been
converted into genuine Christmas cheer
for yesterdays holiday. If the day Of
santa Claus was unnoticed in single
nome or institution in or near the city
{ was not known last night when that
saint of childhood rounded out his du-
les in missions. hotels, prisons and
mansions.
Chcruses Sung in Jail
in the Raymond Street Jail man
bout to 60 to trial for murder led q
horus of male voices in singing
'hristmas songs of by-gone years.
Tears stresmed down the faces of his
iorty fellow singers, many of whom
nave confessed burglary and crimes of
IN even more serious nature.
Every cell in Sing Sing contained
PRESENTS of a personal nature given
ny IAN unknown friend" 1t is gen.
rally supposed that Thomas Mott
Osborne, former warden at the peni-
fentiary and friend of its prisoners,
vas the self appointed Santa who ex-
pended small fortune to send Christ
mas cheer to the 1,40O convicts.
One Of the biggest Of the many
mammoth celebrations Of the day was
brought about when the plant Of the
Robins Dry Dock Company, in Erie
Basin, was turned over to the women
and children of Brooklyn for the day.
More than 5000 children and as many
men and women received presents,
dined and were entertained in the ship
,ompany's plant.
A fund of $4,000 had been raised
for the purpose, half contributed by
the corporation and the rest through
gifts from its employees. The entire
sum was expended for the gifts and
the feast that was enjoyed at yester-
days celebration.
Breakfast and luncheon were served
20 the early corners in the morning,
after which as many as could crowd
INTO the big pipe shop cheered and
laughed at an old-fashioned Punch and
Judy show. Then a forty-foot Amer
ican flag foated out before breeze
from invisible fans and q mountain of
gifts was revealed.
Police Make Children Happy
The city's police brought happiness
TO thousands of children in practically
every district. In many of the sta
tions their giving was we'll organized
SO that the families whose needs were
familiar to them were met with diplo-
matically arranged gifts. In others
patro linen we're the anonymous donors
of little gifts to children or adults.
At the Gates Avenue police station,
which was gaily decorated for the oc-
casion, the Christmas party for the
children of the district was held in the
afternoon. Captain John Sullivan was
IN charge of the distribution, at which
200 children were made happy with
gifts Of shoes, knitted sweaters and
caps.
AT 3 O'Clock in the afternoon Charles
Stengel, supervisor of the Civil Ser
vice Board, opened the celebration with
Rn address, and then the children In
the station Joined in singing "The Star
Spangled Banner" A big tree on one
side of the main assembly room was
lighted and the distribution began.
South Oxford Street, 1000 baskets
were distributed to poor people of
Brooklyn. The Elks and their friends
lad contributed $1,000 for the pur-
pose. The Seawanaka Democratic Club
Of the First Assembly District, at 1O3
Concord Street, under the leadership
of James Brown, had made prepara-
tons to sec that 1000 poor families
wero made glad with Christmas din
ners. and the baskets, including in
their contents half a pound of sugar
each, were handed out by club mem
Eers.
A turkey dinner, with plum duff and
cigars, was the principal event in the
Christmas celebration Of the 900 old
sailors at Sailors Snug Harbor, Staten
Island. A motion picture show was
staged last night
There was an entertainment by. the
various classes, to which relatives and
friends were invited. at the Mount
LorettO Home for Orphans at Pleasant
Plains, where 500 children are cared
for.
A musical entertainment for the 400
patients was given at Sea View Hos
pital. Four Corners. Small gifts were
distributed by workers for welfare or
CARNATIONS. In the United States
Marine Hospital. Stapleton, gifts we're
distributed to the 150 PATIENTS The
Staten Island Elks gave .Eay $50 bas-
kcts, each containing food worth about
$40 Two hundred baskets were dis
tributed by the Richmond County
Democratic Club.
A cheerful Christmas was spent bv
United States General Hospital at Fox
Hills, Staten Island. In the morning
the $50 nurses and $50 doctors made
visits in the various wards, giving
the greetings OF the season TO all the
patients.
Those able to walk ate their turkey
others were served at their cots. A
big Christmas tree on the grounds
was illuminated at night. Approx
nately 100000 was spent. according
o Red Cross official, in cheering
ho oil w fo