Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,994
Christmas Eve 1929: The White House Is On Fire!
There have been two devastating fires since the White House was built in Washington:
The first was in 1812 and due to deliberate arson! During the US-British War, British soldiers burned the building down ...:
A defective electrical line that had heated up or a clogged smoke outlet in the chimney - what it really was was never exactly clarified - a second devastating fire broke out on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1929, in the west wing of the White House in Washington!
One thing is certain: the heat ignited a large pile of old election campaign leaflets that were stored in the attic of the west wing.
In the east wing, the Christmas party is in full swing, which the Hoover couple gives for friends, acquaintances and their children; a band of the Marines is singing Christmas carols when a Secret Service agenda comes in as inconspicuously as possible and President Hoover whispers in the ear, “The executive office is on fire. I want you to get out of the house immediately! "
Which of course he does immediately - with all his guests.
Throughout the night 130 firefighters fight the flames ...:
Only the next morning at 10 o'clock does it say: "Fire out!".
Two firefighters are slightly injured.
The damage is considerable:
Of the "West Wing", only the outer facade of the building could be saved by the extinguishing work, the inside of the building is completely destroyed!
The rest of the White House is also badly damaged, including the President's famous Oval Office ...:
The historic desk in the Oval Office, a gift from Queen Victoria to President "Teddy" Roosevelt, carved from an oak beam from Nelson's flagship "Victory" at Trafalgar, was saved from water and flames by a construction site nearby stole heavy tarpaulin and threw it over the table.
Two Secret Service agents rescue the President's desk chair and the US flag from his office, the President's two personal secretaries, Lawrence Richey and George Akerson, tear out the desk drawers and their contents and rush outside.
At that time the west wing was not yet the seat of the respective first lady and her staff, but contained the hall for press conferences, reporter offices for accredited journalists and other offices for employees of the president.
The next two pictures show President Hoover inspecting the ruined fire ...:
During the night of the tape, the reporters accredited to the White House lose all their equipment and all the documents they had kept in the offices - plus each one a poinsettia plant that President Herbert Hoover presented to each of them shortly before the fire during the last press conference Had given Christmas.
When one examines the documents, one realizes: Nobody has thought of taking out any kind of fire insurance for the "White House" - there is none.
On January 4, 1930, one will be completed - only that does not help in the current case!
So Hoover and his people have to go begging at Congress, so to speak, to get the necessary funds to rebuild.
Part of it is refinanced by making and selling a children's toy made of sheet metal, which is supposed to remind of the fire - also Hovers children got one for Christmas in 1930 ...:
Another edition was published in 2016 - this time by a charitable association. But it is now much more expensive and also more something for adult collectors ...:
On April 14, 1930, the President and his staff were able to move back into the building.
Almost unimaginable in our times, since public works usually proceed with the "rapidity" of continental drift ...
Hoover insists on holding a press conference immediately, which he opens with the following words ...:
“This is a small meeting this morning and I have little news - actually none. I just greet you at the new White House. . . . You will feel more comfortable than me ... "
There have been two devastating fires since the White House was built in Washington:
The first was in 1812 and due to deliberate arson! During the US-British War, British soldiers burned the building down ...:
A defective electrical line that had heated up or a clogged smoke outlet in the chimney - what it really was was never exactly clarified - a second devastating fire broke out on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1929, in the west wing of the White House in Washington!
One thing is certain: the heat ignited a large pile of old election campaign leaflets that were stored in the attic of the west wing.
In the east wing, the Christmas party is in full swing, which the Hoover couple gives for friends, acquaintances and their children; a band of the Marines is singing Christmas carols when a Secret Service agenda comes in as inconspicuously as possible and President Hoover whispers in the ear, “The executive office is on fire. I want you to get out of the house immediately! "
Which of course he does immediately - with all his guests.
Throughout the night 130 firefighters fight the flames ...:
Only the next morning at 10 o'clock does it say: "Fire out!".
Two firefighters are slightly injured.
The damage is considerable:
Of the "West Wing", only the outer facade of the building could be saved by the extinguishing work, the inside of the building is completely destroyed!
The rest of the White House is also badly damaged, including the President's famous Oval Office ...:
The historic desk in the Oval Office, a gift from Queen Victoria to President "Teddy" Roosevelt, carved from an oak beam from Nelson's flagship "Victory" at Trafalgar, was saved from water and flames by a construction site nearby stole heavy tarpaulin and threw it over the table.
Two Secret Service agents rescue the President's desk chair and the US flag from his office, the President's two personal secretaries, Lawrence Richey and George Akerson, tear out the desk drawers and their contents and rush outside.
At that time the west wing was not yet the seat of the respective first lady and her staff, but contained the hall for press conferences, reporter offices for accredited journalists and other offices for employees of the president.
The next two pictures show President Hoover inspecting the ruined fire ...:
During the night of the tape, the reporters accredited to the White House lose all their equipment and all the documents they had kept in the offices - plus each one a poinsettia plant that President Herbert Hoover presented to each of them shortly before the fire during the last press conference Had given Christmas.
When one examines the documents, one realizes: Nobody has thought of taking out any kind of fire insurance for the "White House" - there is none.
On January 4, 1930, one will be completed - only that does not help in the current case!
So Hoover and his people have to go begging at Congress, so to speak, to get the necessary funds to rebuild.
Part of it is refinanced by making and selling a children's toy made of sheet metal, which is supposed to remind of the fire - also Hovers children got one for Christmas in 1930 ...:
Another edition was published in 2016 - this time by a charitable association. But it is now much more expensive and also more something for adult collectors ...:
On April 14, 1930, the President and his staff were able to move back into the building.
Almost unimaginable in our times, since public works usually proceed with the "rapidity" of continental drift ...
Hoover insists on holding a press conference immediately, which he opens with the following words ...:
“This is a small meeting this morning and I have little news - actually none. I just greet you at the new White House. . . . You will feel more comfortable than me ... "
