AMERICAN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1929, Page 5

AMERICAN ITEMS

FIRE AT WASHINGTON.

EXECUTIVE OFFICES DAMAGED

[United Press Association.—lly Electric

Telegraph.—Copyright.]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24

President Hoover to-niglit stood on the roof of u low White House wing and watched a fire which seriously damaged the remodelled executive offices. f The outbreak was presumed, to lie' due to a short-circuited electric wiring while the President and Mrs Hoover were entertaining the children of the secretaries. Half an hour after the fire - began, dense clouds of smoke were pouring from the<structurc, while the entire building, including the President’s office, was thoroughly soaked with streams of water which were poured on the fire. Two secretaries dashed into President Hoover’s office through the dense smoke and rescued all the President’s papers and personal belongings. It is. believed that important records were destroyed. , SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION. NEW YORK, Dec. 24. A message from Philadelphia states that Eldridge it. Johnson, a trustee of the University of Pennslyvania, announced the commencement of the construction of a 1400 tons yacht which will be provided with complete laboratories,, scientific equipment, seaplanes, dredges, etc., with which he intends to cruise from New Zealand to New Guinea in the hope of finding at least one island not yet located. The yacht will be 265 feet long and will carry a crew of 35, hesides 20 scientists. The activities will centre about Easter Island and other sections of Oceania. PRESIDENT IRIGQYEN ATTEMPT TO SHOOT HIM FAILS. BUENOS AYRES, Dec. 24. A would-be assassin fired three shots at President Irigoyen, as the latter left his residence and entered an automobile to go to Government House. All the shots went wide, after which th© President’s bodyguard drew 1 their revolvers and shot the assailant dead. SEARCH FOR EILSON. WASHINGTON, Dec. 26. The Soviet Government to-day formally 'notified Chairman jßorah of the Senate Foreign Nations Committee,: it was organising an aeroplane expedition’to search for Eilson. under the command of Simon Shestakoff. the recent Moscow-New York flier. Two planes ■ at Providence Bay will participate. OTTAWA, Dec, 26. '.X ten thousand Toot peak in the Hdckies near Bainf was named Mt. Ishbel, after Ishbel MacDonald.