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JGVENING LEDGER-PHILADI3LP1LIA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21. 1015,
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FATHER PENN SMILES
A HAPPY SMILE THIS
CHRISTMAS SEASON
"Work IS Plentiful, Bread Line
Disappears and Few Except
Beggars, Are With
out Jobs
ONLY 20,000 NEED HELP
Individual Cases of Misery Aro Re
lieved by Generosity of Thankful
Workers
Father Tcnn, with his pockets lined
with sufficient money to take him com
fortably through the holiday season,
vlawa the arrival of Christmas with
more cheer and optimism than was the
case last year.
For there are thousands now working
In the City of Brotherly Love who were
Jobless with the coming of the holidays
last year; thousands to whom Santa
Claus came In the ruIsc of the proverbial
wolf, and who had a hard enough time
either to buy or Kct a Christmas dinner
for the family, let alono toys for tho
kiddles.
But It Is different this year. Factories
that were working only during- tho
regular hours last year are wonting over
time, and those plants that were on part
time are resuming their regular stand
ard, and few skilled workmen are seek
ing Jobs and tho number of unskilled or
semi-skilled Jobless has been reduced to
three-fourths.
That means that 20,000 (perhaps moro
or perhaps have as many, tho estimates
vary) will need to bo cared for next Sat
urday by Phlladelnhlans who are able and
more than willing to holp the unfortunate.
But tho significance of Just how well off
this city Is this Christmas Is shown by
the fact that the Inasmuch Mission has
abolished Its bread lino for tho reason, as
the superintendent, George Long, puts It,
"Thero Isn't any use for one." Not only
that, but the mission Ib receiving more
colls for labor than It can fill. Tho 300 or
tnoro men who ore living thero all havo
good Jobs.
DREAD LIKE IS GONE.
One year ago tho great number of Job
less caused Mrs. George W. Chllds Drexet
to establish a bread lino at tho Inasmuch
Mission, by which hundreds were dally
given something to cat (some admittedly
lived by means of this): ono year ago the
Emergency Aid Committee, realizing the
condition, met It squarely ond spent $200,
000 improving things; ono year ago Frank
lin Square, pulso of the stream of unem
ployed, was dotted at night with a horde
of men dozing on the benches with news
papers to protect them from the cold.
The Emorgency Aid Commltteo Is fair
ly busy, only through broadening tho
Bcopo of its activities, whllo Franklin
Square, except for tho theatrical peoplo
coming and going, looks as deserted as
tho Phillies' baseball park In the middle
of January.
True, there aro still beggars. But this
condition, omclals of the charity organi
zations explain. Is always with us. Tho
mendicants aro included In tho Jobless;
somo of them are skilled In trades and
could get a Job and rcduco tho number
of unemployed If they would let "booze"
alone. For It has been said that if all
the 20,000 Jobless men were Bkllled work
men the majority of them would bo
working hard and drawing good money
in their pay envelopes.
SOME PITIABLE CASES
Those rases of the persons without Jobs
are Just as bad as they were last year
Individually, but collectively they fall
short of last year's misery, In that there
aro fewer people out of worlc In Ken
sington some charity organizations report
tho same number of applications for free
Christmas dinners ns there was last year,
but tho average throughout town Is less,
much less. Charles S. Calwcll, president
of the Corn Exchange National Bank,
places the Kensington condition partially
to the lark of dyestuffs, which aro neces
sary to keep the mills humming.
Tho appeal of the Jobless 1 per cent,
here Is being answered by the other 99
per cent., and has been for the last few
weeks. So, after tho plum pudding has
been eaten, Father Penn may lean back
and smoke a cigar with the satisfaction
that comes only from having done a kind
act, and having dono It thoroughly.
THE DAYS OF REAL SPORT
FIRE IN MINE; 12 STRICKEN
Black Damp Works Through Caves
and Overcomes Victims
WILKES-BARRE. Dee. 21,-Flro Is
again raging In the Red Ash mine at
Georgetown, and scores of men have been
set to work to fight the flames, niack
damp, generated by tho Are, working Its
way through caves, overcame John Her
an, his wife and eight children. Sirs.
Daniel Thomas and Mrs. Maurice Dyes
were also overcome by the black damp.
The Are started last week and officials
believed they had it checked after five
days of fighting. Yesterday tho fire broke
through the barrier which separates the
Red Ash mine from the Lehigh Valley
Coal Company's mine In Georgetown. The
Lehigh Valley sent a large force of Its
workmen to the scene to aid In fighting
the blaze.
The homes of a dozen families are In
danger from fire and cave. There Is also
great danger from the black damp, which
works Its way through crevices into cel
lars and Into homes.
HUGE AMOUNT OF N. J.
PROPERTY UNTAXED
Values Exempt Reach Stupen
dous Total of $243,-946,009.97
TRENTON, Dec. 21. The value of
property In New Jersey exempted from
taxation this year reached the enormous
total of 243,946,000.97 A larger figure than
at any time in the history of tho State;
and even with this very largo total, the
State Board of Taxes and Assessments In
Its annual report to Governor Fielder to
day expresses the belief that It doei not
nearly represent the full valuation of this
class of property.
In listing exempt property there Is no
tax depending upon the valuation, there
fore no gain or loss can result to any
taxing district or owner by reason of tho
values arrived at by the assessors. Tho
board, therefore, expresses the belief that
It Is reasonable to Infer that In many
cases an approximate rather than a caro
fully determined valuation has been made
to answer for this clnss of property. Tho
attention of tho assessors has been given
to that class of property upon which
public revenues are raised, with tho re
sult that If any class of property Is
slighted In mnklng the valuation It Is
that which under tho law is exempt from
taxation,
It Is tho opinion of the board that the
valuation oven of exempt property should
i '-nri' nt true value, as this course
would Indicate tho extent to which tho
SANTA CLAUS TO VISIT
CURTIS JUNIOR CLUB
WITH PACK TONIGHT
John J. Barnum, Fire Marshal
at Big Publishing Plant,
Will Make Young
Workers Happy
GIFTS FOR EMPLOYES
Girls' Organizations Plan to Cheer
Invalids and Poor
Families
Tho blue uniform ho wears as fire
marshal of tho Curtis Publishing Com
pany building will bo laid asldo tonight
by John J. Barnum for another uniform
of red with white trimmings. Ills ordinar
ily smooth face will bo decorated with a
whlto beard and his black hair will be
covered with a wig of snow white.
For tho Umo being he will not bo the
fire marshal who Insists on rigidly enforc
ing tho flro laws of tho building. Instead
ho will bo Santa Claui.
Almost 200 boys, between the ages of
14 and 16, will profit by the good deeds of
this Santa ClauB. He will have an enor
mous pack on his back, filled with tho
gifts that bring Joy to tho hearts of boys
nt this season of tho year. Tho gifts will
come from tho Curtis Publishing Com
pany and aro especially for the members
of tho Curtis Junior Club.
They will meet at the conclusion of
work today In tho rooms of tho club.
While they dine nt a little banquet vhlch
Is provided for them every month, but
which this tlmo will have a special holi
day atmosphere and significance. They
will alt In the shadow of a big Christmas
tree all decorated with candles and trin
kets and sparkling electric lights. And
when they get through with the dinner
Santa Claus with proceed to make them
happy.
ENJOYS HIS JOB.
Barnum, the Santa Claus of the occa
sion. Is something of an institution nt the I
Curtis Bulldlnir. Although n crrnwn tnnn I
now he docs not forget that once he ran
errands, as a boy, for Cyrus II. K. Cur
tis, and ho has a warm spot In his heart
for the boys now employed in tho build
ing, many of whom aro helping to sup
port families. Ho has been acting as
Santa Claus for six years, and ho enjoys
giving away tho gifts as much as the
boys enjoy receiving them. The members
of the Junior club will stay In the rooms.
playing gamps, until 9 o'clock Then they
will put the treasured bundles under their
arms and trudge homeward
Tho affair tonight will bo tho beginning
of the Christmas celobratloni In the Cur
tis Building. These boys will not be the
only ones made to remember that Christ
mas Is at hand. Every cmployo who has
not been lato or absent during tho year
will receive a gift.
Thero will be S06 prizes ns rewards for
the faithful. For those who havo been
neither lato nor absent about 130 per
sonswill be given palntlngH or sets of
books or subscriptions to magazines.
Many havo chosen books books by such
nuthors, too, ns Shakespeare, Stevenson,
and Victor Hugo. Thero nro 2T who havo
selected Bibles and 15 who hac chosen
dictionaries.
Then thero will be 630 who cither havo
never been lnte or who have never been
absent. They, too, will recclvo prlzcB,
only their gifts will be of n nature not
qulto so elaborate as for the 130 with tho
perfect score.
GIRLS HELP INVALIDS.
Tho young women In tho employ of the
publishing company will demonstrate that
Christmas Is a tlmo to give as well as
receive.
For a year 100 girls havo been paying 5
cents n week toward tho support of a
little 4-year-old tuberculnr boy In a sani
tarium In Atlantic City, and this year
another group of 100 will start to support
a llttlo 5-year-old girl who also has
tuberculosis of tho spine, and is in tho
samo Institution. This club is known os
tho Elizabeth Club, in honor of tho little
Invalid they aro supporting. Tho club
caring for tho boy Is known as tho Bollso
Club.
Tho Independence Square Chapter of
tho College Settlement will demonstrate
that It Is moro blessed to glvo than re
ceive by giving six poor families a
Christmas dinner. They will meet Thurs
day night to fill tho stockings for theso
poor fotk nnd, lncldcntnlly, have a llttlo
merry chat over their dinner themselves.
Still another club of girls, tho Santa
Onus Club, composed of workers In tho
nursery, will provide. Christmas dinners
for six poor families.
City Employes to Get Their Pay
City employes, who have been afraid
they would not receive their pay before
Christmas, and who had been consider
ing tho Moating of a temporary loan to
stay them over tho holiday season, are
breathing much more freely today. They
are to get their cash In time to buy
turkey, trees and candy for tho "kiddles."
There was much rejoicing around tho
City Hnll and among tho workmen In
other parts of the city when announce
ment was made today that they would
receive their pay earlier than usual.
Wonderful Lunches
Lcn Ard's Is such a good place
to eat the service Is so prompt
and perfect and the food so
wholosomo and palatable that
11 is nircauy nu inauiuuuii.
BREAKFAST
25c
who havo tried It. SPECIAL
CLUB BREAKFASTS. 23c.
LUNCHEON
offers you tho greatest choice ol
well-prcparod dishes and sand
wiches. DINNER 50c
Is tho very best sovon-courso
meal that has ever been offered
In Philadelphia at noe.
Let's
Ealat
Len Ard's Tz
1010 CHESTNUT ST.
mtr"'
I eweiers
To-Night
lers Since 1837
Watches Diamonds
Jewelry
C.R.Smith 8 Jon
Markat Jf. at 18th
SZ
H
D
f
Men's Toilet Cases
A real good-looking case
with real ebony brush, good
grade of fittings just the
thing for a man's grip.
Priced $10.00
M?
1112 Chestnut St.
owners of taxable property aro contri
buting to tho public expense on behalf of
that which is exempt. It Is the Inten
tion of tho board to instruct all assessors
that exempt lands and tho improvements
thereon must bo separately listed and
valued as Is the case with ratable prop
erty, and each building separately desig
nated according to its use, which, In most
cases, would definitely Indicate whether
tho assessors have been correct In ex
empting them.
Tho board feels that an Institution may
bo In ono of tho exempt classes, nnd yet
not all of Its buildings on a given tract
might como within tho exempting provi
sions of the law. Tho report also pblnts
out that In the case of public property
this accurate listing and valuation would
show the full value of tho exempt hold
ings of the taxing district or county.
Chestnut Street Grade Crossings to Go
Qrndo crossings on tho Chestnut Hill
branch of tho Pennsylvania Railroad are
soon to bo abolished, tho city ond tho
railroad bearing tho expense of the work
Jointly. Chief Webster hs a- ""!?
for the preliminary work of ."jl
total Involved In Kfi'ltl
grade crossings will bo 7onJi1i
ders wero! R, P BenMs lir?'!
Kerrlck,, IS79; F. DBuckTull
SANTY, FIND PAPA, ASKS CftjJ
Pitiable Request of Little Girl D
......wo iw ratner jl
BALTIMORE, Dee. 21D.. 1
Claus find lost fathers IjmH
Shegoguo. 491 South street . P. T
Ohio, evidently thinks w n,,
leuer nns occn received by a i" "
today: u locl m
"Akron, Ohio, Dec. 8 n., . J
am' writing to seo If you eonM ."
nana and tell him t i.-..iiou,d Mn
present. J
everybody.
I. .. ..
uiieu ic.ii.1, i inauo a Vnh i
and tell him I would ,"?
it. My mother said sJnu N
body. He did not write J S
vfiir.i. i mniin n l . u n
eve I would hear from him Z'
His namo Is Frank ShegoZ. S?fi
a dentist when ho works, t vM l'
sisters. Good-bye, Santy'
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!Eh'c' Ijookcaso doors are all glasi
. nothing obscures tho choice
bindings or hides the titles. Tlja
line lines anu proportions ol tab
furniture aro unmarred by door
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scctionally at the top or to the side. J
The Music Cabinets arrange your Disc Records,
rlayer Kolls, bhect Music, etc., so you can hnu
any Piece instantly.
IViis remarkable offer is a method we aro
using to introduce these new MACEY Clear
Vision DustlcsB Door Cabinets.
Chairs,
Tables
Office
Equipment
Lafferty-Macey Co.
1 ARCH STf
(Afaceih
Cui
StiIubi
811-13 ARCH STREET
FUinf
Daricei'
Tratuftr,
Suppliu
JI
H HUM W im y p. fcl jr w.'ij-.vv y ,-awf IT ' .7 m
liiif
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I I IJ
Hall Clocks
with movable moon dial at $18 make hand
some Christmas gifts. The clock illustrated is
a high-grade, 8-day clock, run with chains and
weights. It strikes on the hour, a .
fine Cathedral gong. Other models Sn()(l
with chimes in tall cases up to. . . . ?JJJ
BREITINGER'S
CLOCK STORE
37 and 39 North 9th Street
jdtfJ
Great Christmas
Gifts
This $25. Bag $15
18-Inch Oriental Buffalo In
Brown and Black. Hand
sewed and leather-lined.
Traveling Baga 5 to J76.
SHfflEHUMFw
BPCI r-35
Kr&$3&& Iya iiiisiB. aiiK H
No. 80 $5.00
Pin Seal Hand Bag. Inside
frame and mirror, silk lined.
Different kinds 2 to J50.
Full-sized
$35 Wardrobe Trunk $20.
Vulcanized fibre In and out.
Strong and sightly. Wardrobe
Trunks ?15 to J85.
No. 109 $17,50
15-lneh KnglUb. Morocco Fit
ted Bag with io Parisian.
Ivory Fittings. Fitted Bags
J10 to W9. f
$&l-
WIm '
w TMflliPV iWilflB
Hv 'SSL r4uJBLuftl'Vf -jm
lfllft
Ctifiiftint.lt.
No. 110 $25.00
Crepe Grain Cowhide, silk,
lined, overnight case with 12
fittings. Fitted Cases (15 to
Next Sunday Punky Dunk Again !
The big, funny friend of the children has his second great adventure.
What a happy hour the little folk will have making a real book
and reading the wonderful tale of "Punky Dunk and the Goldfish."
Free With Next Sunday's
n
PUBLIC
(C$3iyvfji'3ft?'LyS "Kht7 t5
LEDGER
va
Parents everywhere have praised this new ne.wspaper feature for
little people because it presents in happy, smiling vein clean-cut
stories and illustrations that make lasting impressions on childhood
memories.
Punky Dunk stories differ en
tirely from anything ever
given to children by newspa
pers. They are not coarsely
written, badly drawn comics
or cutouts; but real, ready-to-fold
books of 32 pages,
illustrated in six colors and
printed on good paper. They
are just the sort of books you
want in the children's library.
Make certain that
the little people in
your house receive
every Punky Dunk
story. One way of
making certain is
to order the news
dealer to leave The
Sunday Public
Ledger regularly at
your door.
W ' ' '---"" ..n ............- -. -,,.. ... . .. 411. wt l 1 1 ffMMI