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Document identity
localId
170104155
label
Press Release
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
170104155
contentType
document
title
Press Release
citationUrl
collections
President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
White House Files
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imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
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naId
170104155
levelOfDescription
item
productionDates
day
18
logicalDate
1951-05-18
month
5
year
1951
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
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1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
271e5b6cf9d180f6
ocrText
white House
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 18, 1951
The Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion
announced that since the program for distribution of mementos
from the White House started in January 1951, approximately
45,000 requests for application blanks have been received.
The mementos, which consist of pieces of wood, stone,
metal or whole bricks, are offered as shown on the application
blank in thirteen items called "Kits." The material is offered
just as it came from the building without processing of any kind
except cutting or breaking to suitable sizes. No charge is made
for the material, but there is a charge for each Kit to cover the
costs of care, handling and administration. Shipments are made
collect. There are no arrangements for prepayment of shipping
charges and no remittances for that purpose can be accepted. In
general only one Kit will be issued to each applicant. Only
applications on the prescribed form can be considered and each
application must be accompanied by the remittance in the form
specified and in the exact amount for the Kit ordered - no more
and no less. Orders are filled in the order of the receipt of
the applications but the force at work on the distribution is
small and it has not yet caught up with the rush of correspondence
and work that followed announcement of the program.
To date orders have been received for 16,000 Kits. Kit
No. 4, consisting of a small piece of stone and an old square nail,
has been the most popular item, with orders for 2,809. Kit No. 10,
an old brick, and Kit No. 1, enough pine to make a gavel, are
running a close socond and third with 2,773 and 2,548 orders
respectively.
Approximately 11,000 Kits have been delivered. Ship-
ments at present are about a month behind the receipt of orders.
It i.s expected that by the end of May, shipments will be about
current with the orders, except for Kit No. 13, two pioces of
stone to make bookends. It has been necessary to wait until the
stone setter has selected the stone that is to be re-used in the
White House before any of that material can be furnished. A delay
of as much as seventy-fivo days may be encountered before these
Kits em be mailed.
There is still an ample supply of momentos available for
those who desire them. However, the Commission has stated that no
orders should be accepted after June 30, 1951. All orders should
be in by that date. Remittances should not be sent except with a
completed application. Remittances received without the signed
application have to be returned to the sender. To obtain an
application blank, a written request must be made, addressed to
" Souvenirs, Fort Myer, Virginia," giving the name and address.