Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 261, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1911 — FORM TOMATO LINE Evanston Has Procession That Gets Vegetables Free. [ARTICLE]

FORM TOMATO LINE

Evanston Has Procession That

Gets Vegetables Free.

Col. Henry M. Kidder Is the Giver and He Also Contributes Flowers From His Garden —Hospital One of Beneficiaries.

Chicago.—Evanston has no “bread line,” for there is no Institution to which the poor may line up with baskets as they do every night around a certain group of Chicago restaurants maintained by a charitable management that gives away, bushels of bread and cake and roils at the day’s close. Evanston has, though, and it is even more unique, is a “tomato line.” Col. Henry M. Kidder is the owner of r “farm” which distributes tomatoes gratis. So far as he knows his Is the only recognized and regularly operated free tomato dispensary extant Its beneficiaries number scores of families of the poor of Evanston proper and North Evanston, besides many less impecunious ones who accept gifts from the distributer In consideration of his plea that the vegetables will spoil on the vines unless housewives contrive to convert large quantities into pickle, piccalilli, catchup, chill sauce and allied concoctions. As a result of his invitation there are daily pilgrimages to that quarter of North Evanston where the Kidder homestead is situated, and children form a large proportion of the basket Bearers who go to get the tomatoes. A charity hospital for convalescents in North Evanston also shares bountifully in the distribution. Colonel Kidder supplies the hospital with flowers also, and almost every little girl who goes with her basket for tomatoes re-

turns wih a bunch of fresh cut posies as well. Colonel Kidder Is over seventy years of age. Erect, white haired and wearing a goatee, he would be set down anywhere as a “Kaintucky colonel of the old school, suh.” He is a southerner in appearance and manner only, though, for he was reared In Evanston and his Rev. Dr. Kidder, a professor in the Garrett Biblical institute, was one of the pioneers of the north shore town.