Evening star., 1932-12-23
Christmas Cheer Provided
by Express Workers and
Market Dealers.
DISTRIBUTED BY FLEET
OF FIVE STAR TRUCKS
Santa Claus Pays Call Day Ahead
Of Time-Others Promised
Fuel and Clothing.

Santa Claus came a day ahead of
time to the homes Of 258 needy Wash
ington families.
The generosity Of employees of the
Fruit Growers Co. and members of the
New Center Market Dealers AsSocia-
ton, coupled with the cooperation Of
the circulation department Of The Star,
made it possible for Santa to bring
some measure of Christmas cheer today
to unhappy homes in all sections Of the
city and in nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia as we'll
Baskets Of food purchased by en-
ployes Of the express company and
members of the dealers organization
were delivered to 1s1 families by feet
of five of The Stars trucks. Food also
was delivered to As unfortunate fami-
lies in nearby Maryland and Virginia
by express company workers living in
those areas.
Other Necessities Provided.
In addition 80 needy families in and
near the Capital were informed by
representatives of the express company
that some Of the things they lack will
be provided as Yuletide gifts. Fifteen
families were told half ton of coal
would be delivered to their homes today
or tomorrow, eight were promised they
would be supplied with milk every day
for a month, five were assured enough
clothing to meet their requirements,
three were told they would be fur
their gas bill, long overdue, would be
paid Immediately.
Distribution OF Christmas baskets
was begun last year by the market
association. The food is purchased
with funds from the organization
treasury, the ofdcers-Frederick w.
Loetsch, president; Fairfax Oyster, vice
president; Charles johnson, secretary,
and c. Cassard Schroth treasurer
turning the money over to Samuel L.
Mullen, superintendent of the market,
and William H. Souder, auditor. Null
len and Souder purchased the various
articles from dealers In the market.
Each basket contains five pounds OF
potatoes. three pounds Of apples, half
dozen oranges, half q pound of butter,
a pound of lard, q pound Of coffee, .
pound OF beans, pound Of rice, two
pounds OF sugar. either a pudding or .
and head Of cabbage.
Began Six Years Ago.
The express company workers began
distribution of Christmas baskets six
years ago, the idea having been origi-
mated by Walter H. Walker, then an
employe of the concern. Twenty per-
sons contributed ito the first basket
fund. but the number of donations has
increased each year, and the food dis
tributed today was purchased from a
fund raised by 200.
Each of the 200 contributed cents
a week to a Christmas savings fund,
deposited in bank. This money. to-
gether with interest and contributions
from officials of the company, enabled
the committee in charge to purchase
the following articles for each basket:
A box OF oatmeal. jar of jelly, q
box OF salt two pounds of bacon a
pound Of rice, two large cans of milk,
a small can Of baking powder, five
pounds OF navy beans, two cans of corn,
two cans Of peas, two cans Of tomatoes,
eight pounds of smoked shoulder or
ham, a can Of sirup, a box of pancake
flour, five pounds of flour. five pounds
OF sugar, two pounds of coffee. a pound
OF lard. pound OF butter, peck of
white, potatoes, half peck of sweet
potatoes, quarter Of peck of turnips,
quarter of peck Of onions and two
loaves of bread.
All Gifts Investigated.
The families aided through the ex-
press company fund are for the most
part those whose plights have come to
the attention of employees of the con-
Germ. Those supplied with food by the
market association, on the other hand,
were named in list of worthy cases
turned over to The Star by the Com
munlty Chest. Both groups of fami-
lies were thoroughly investigated.
The express company fund is admin
istered by committee of 20 employees,
headed by Cliff Spence. chairman: E.
A. Demarest, secretary, and G. G. Will
son, treasurer.