The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-25
HooverS UnmindfuI of Ruins
of Executive Offices De-
Stroyed by Flames.
WEST WING is WRECKED
President to Take Tempo
rary Quarters; Confusion
Is AVerted.
BY JOSEPH II. BAIRD
United Press staff Correspondent

united EreSS stan correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25. - The
White House Sparkled with Christ
mas cheer today as President Hoo
yer and his family celebrated the
holiday season, unmindful of the
charred ruins of the executive
offices adjoining, wrecked by a
Christmas eve fire.
AS in millions of homes through
out the nation, the spirit of Christ
mas occupied the entire executive
mansion, excluding governmental
worries and minimizing thoughts of
the disastrous blaze, which for a
time Tuesday night threatened the
days festivities.
The five, believed due to faulty
wiring or a defective flue, started
shortly before 8 O'Clock in the west
wing of the mansion, which houses
the executive Offices. Before 1t was
under control it had wrecked nearly
all of the wing.
Orders Lively Tune
Less than a hundred yards away
the President and Mrs. Hoover were
entertaining children at a Christ
mas eve party. The first intima-
ton of danger came when the
President was called from the room
and informed his offices were ablaze.
The Presidents immediate
thought was for the children.
Learning the party was not threat
ened, he ordered the Marine band
to start lively tune to divert the
children'S attention from the con-
fusion.
The ceiling of the Office fell in
and crushed the executive desk.
and water soaked a number of files
containing papers of minor impor-
tance. Throughout the remainder
OF the wing, damage was so great
as to indicate the necessity of COM
plete remodeling.
May Use Study
1t will be necessary for the Presi-
dent to assume temporary executive
quarters elsewhere while this work
is being done. 1t was too early to-
day to determine what he will do.
but he may use his private study in
the White House temporarily quar-
tering his staff in the state depart-
ment building across the street.
The Hoovers, however, declined
to allow the fire to spoil their
Christmas festivities. Early TODAY
the family met about the private
tree on the second floor. to open
presents and exchange greetings.
The remainder of the days pro-
gram will be carried out as planned.
The immediate family and a few
close friends will gather around the
dinner table for turkey feast.
Little ceremony was included in
the plans for the day. AS there were
no services at the Friends meeting
house, where the President attends
church, the family spent the day at
home.
Papers Are Saved
Another children's party, this one,
for the families of cabinet members
and their immediate aids, was
planned for the afternoon,
Accompanied by his son Allan
nome from Harvard university. he
went directly to his office. Allan
entered alone and began saving
valuable papers. He was Joined by
flremen and together they succeeded
In removing all documents of i'm
portance.
The fire, believed to have started
In the basement of the executive
offices, spread to the attic and de-
8troyed many papers stored there.
Most Of these, however, were
duplicated elsewhere and their loss
was not considered great.
F1remen succeeded in holding the
blaze in check after a brief fight
and it never threatened the White
House itself. The battle. however.
necessitated flooding the entire
wing, and the resulting water dam
age riyaled that of the fire.
The President, after supervising
removal Of papers from his office.
retired to the roof of the mansion.
to watch the progress of the blaze.
He was joined later by Mrs. Hoover.
who had carried the party to most
satisfactorily conclusion, despite the
confusion.