Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-25

tacneS carried from the cabinet room
the cabinet chairs and dumped them on
the rear lawn.
Grant Inspects Building.
Col. Grant after an inspection of the
building said that the main walls are
of brick and had not been harmed. He
was unable to find even a crack.
Standing inside the rotunda with
water over his shoe tops and dripping
from the attic where the flames had
just been extinguished, he pointed out
the chief damage. The roof and attic,
he said, has sustained the greatest
damage. The top floor was mass of
charred embers, he pointed out and
the roof also was in such a condition
that it would probably have to be re-
placed
Although some of the interior walls
are of stucco, he gave the opinion that
some of them had not been damaged
beyond repair The ceiling through the
entire first floor was rNined.
In the attic where the flames ragged
were row upon row of charred Govern
ment pamphlets that had acted as
finder to the flames. 1t was this, to-
gether with the many small rooms and
passageways, that afforded the hremen
their greatest difficulty. AS soon as
the fire would be brought under con-
troll in one place it would eat through
a partition and burst out afresh in an
other room. The fire fighters would
then have to cut their way to the new
blaze.
Windows Act as Drafts.
The small windows prevented water
in great quantity from reaching those
places on the top floor where it was
most badly needed, but acted as drafts
that famed the flames.
Firemen were forced to break the
dome skylight opening to the first floor
in an attempt to get at the fire. They
found, however, that the aperture
from the shaft to the attic was so small
as to be OF little use, so Chief Engineer
George S. Watson directed his men to
attack from the roof. Here they chop
ped holes to allow the escape of smoke
before they could enter.
Chief Watson was notified by tele-
phone from police headquarters and was
out OF his house and speeding to the
scene before the first alarm had rung.
Because of the traffic he did not arrive
until after some of his men.
The first to reach the White House
was Central Battalion Chief G. w. Gill.
Deputy Chief Engineer P. w. Nicholson
also responded on the first alarm and
took charge of the men who were fight
ing the blaze from the rear of the west
wing.
Three More Alarms Follow.
Three more alarms followed in quick
succession and brought to the scene 16
engine companies, 4 truck companies,
the water tower and the rescue squad.
Later a fifth, a special alarm, brought
3 more engine companies.
Chief Gill, with members of No. /
rescue squad, carried hose in through
the front door and up the stairs. Pvt.
Walter G. Clark of 222 Cromwell Ter
race was the first man on the hose line
and the nearest to the hottest point of
the fire. A sudden back draft of smoke
and flames caught him and scorched
his face and clothing. He was carried
downstairs by his comrades and DIR.
John A. Reed, newly appointed police
and fire surgeon, ordered him to Emer-
gency Hospital, where his burns were
found not TO be Of serious nature.
The only other case requiring hos
pitalization occurred when Pvt. William
t. Capps of No. 9 Engine Company of
2314 Eighteenth street was overcome by
smoke while on the roof He was able
to climb down unassisted, but upon
reaching the ground collapsed He, toe,
was taken to Emergency Hospital. He
spent the night in the hospital al
| though physicians there said his condi-
ton was not serious.
Six Narrowly Escape
Six firemen, belonging to No. Is En-
| CINE Company and No. 3 Truck Com
pany, narrowly escaped serious injury
when the ceiling of the Presidents office
! collapsed about them. All were bruised
but after treatment by DR.. Reed and
Commodore w. E. Longfellow, chairman
] M IN nf
Red Cross Chapter, were able to con-
tinue fighting the fire. Commodore
Longfellow, who came to the White
| House as soon as he learned of the fire,
was assisted by his son, Dean Long
fellow.
Fed by the combustible material
stored in the attic, the flames were
plainly visible through the windows
| whsn Chief Gill arrived with the frs
apparatus BY the time Chief Watson
reached the scene they were bursting
through the roof.
/ The second alarm was turned in BY
Chief Gill as soon as he arrived. Chic
Nicholson sounded the third and The
chief engineer sent in the fourth alarm
With that alarm came the water tower
but it was not used.
An American flag and a clock pre-.
sented by the French government were
rescued from the PRESIDENTS ONCE bl
Honorary Deputy Chief Henry G. Stein
who serves with the Fire Department
without pay.
Gets Flag and Clock.
He and Chief Nicholson were stand
ing in the rotunda when he saw the flat
through a rift in the dense smoke. HI
called Nicholson's attention to 1t ant
told him there was also historic clocl
in the room.
Go get them" Chief Nicholson ad
vised, and few minutes later Steil
emerged from the smoke with flag ant
clock.
BY 1890 o'clock Chief Watson an
nounced that the fire was under control
. and shortly before IL o'clock the las
/ visible sparks were extinguished. Mos
; Of the apparatus was ordered back t
the fire houses at this time, but tw
. companies spent the night watching +