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December 1918 in Washington, D.C. "Christmas dinner for horses." That tree looks mighty tasty! Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
Washington Post, Dec 22, 1918Dinner For Horses
Free Feed at Haymarket on Day Before Christmas
Arrangements have been completed for the Christmas dinner for horses to be given by the Washington Animal Rescue League at Twelfth and Little B streets northwest on Tuesday, the day before Christmas. The Haymarket space has been devoted to the equine holiday, and there will be a tree loaded with such delicacies as hay, corn, carrots, and apples. Each horse will get a substantial feed of oats. The drivers will be served with free hot coffee, and there will be music.
The Christmas dinner for horses originated in Washington four years ago, and is now a feature of the holiday in several American cities. The Animal Rescue League works solely for the welfare of animals and has been very successful in enlisting the sympathy of horse owners and drivers in the work of relieving unnecessary suffering.
Tuesday has been fixed for the horses dinner because of the fact that on Christmas day they have done their work and resting in the stable. The league, therefore, has chosen a busy day to reward the horses that have been active in delivering holiday packages. Every driver is invited to get a cup of coffee while his horse is feasting.
Washington Post, Dec 25, 1918Horses Have Free Dinner
The Haymarket, at Twelfth and B streets northwest, was an animated scene yesterday, when market horses were made the guests of a bountiful Christmas dinner. Motion picture photographers were there, and they secured views of the horses helping themselves from a Christmas tree on which were strung corn, carrots, apples, lumps of sugar and other delicacies. Horses have been hard at work delivering Christmas packages were given a chance to pose while partaking of a hearty dinner of oats. Every driver got a cup of hot coffee, but the horses were the real guests of honor.
Several ladies of the Washington Animal Rescue League were in charge of the dinner. They were ably assisted by Boy Scout Christen Davis, of Troop 59, and by Scouts Newman and Atkinson. The two latter furnished music. Portable troughs were carried to the horses in some cases, and they enjoyed their oats in spite of the rain and the busy hauling of trees and turkeys. One or two automobiles were also used in carrying oats to horses at the other markets. In all, it is estimated that several hundred horses received a reward for faithful work they had done to make Christmas happy for humans.
I hope they treated the help as well.
Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.
Glad it's not "Christmas Horses for Dinner."
That tree looks a lot more nicely-shaped than the gigantic cut off ones we've seen in some people's homes. This is a really cute idea, too. I've heard of people doing similar things for birds with berries and seed.
Where was 12th and Little B Streets?
[Just north of B Street (Constitution Avenue) near the current location of the Internal Revenue Service. Little B Street and Ohio Avenue were obliterated by construction of the Federal Triangle complex of government buildings in the 1930s. Click to enlarge. Note the "horse fountains" designated on the map. We can see one to the right in the photo. - Dave]
What a great idea, I love horses and sometimes use them to pull the sleigh while giving the reindeer a break.
I'd love to see this pic in colour, the apples, carrots and corn cobs hanging from the tree must offer a nice contrast and look really interesting.
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