Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-04-18
WALTER WELLMAh
VISITS MADISON
CALLS ON RELATIVES BEFORE
STARTING FOR NORTH POLE.
COURAGE NOT WANTING
Tells of Plans and Extensive Prepa.
rations-Airsh.p TO Be Used Is a
Monster Capable of Lifting 1000
Pounds-LeaVes for East on Oar
ing Mission.
Madison April II.

Madison, April ~.
Walter Wellman arrived in Madi-
son last night for a short visit With
his mother and the family of his
brother, Arthur W. Wellman. 32I
West Wilson street He leaves this
afternoon for New York, where ne
viii complete plans so far as they
can be completed in this country, for
his Arctic trip, and sails from London
and Paris about two weeks hence
Soon after arriving in the French
capital he will assemble his apparat-
US and supplies and ship to Hammer
fest. Norway, on his way to Splitter
gen, where viii be built the base
from which he will conduct his polar
operations. Two trips of his ship
viii be necessary TO carry his stock
of supplies from Hammerfest to the
point selected for the base farther
north on the coast of Spitzbergen.
When seen last night Mr.. Wellman
said:
4 am conscious OF the hard physi-
cal work ahead of me. having been
twice over the ice for many, many
miles. or previous trips. It is not a
summer vacation, for when it comes
to carrying a seldge over a hummock
/ or crevasse, I have to take a hand the
same as the men with me. But we
/ expect to do little carrying; we hope
I the airship will act right and that
we may be favored with friendly
winds so that We shall not have to
come TO earth for any considerable
pat of the journey. There are only
500 miles to be covered from the
place selected for our permanent
base to the pole, aud conditions ia
voring, We ought 10 make this in a
comparatively short period of time.
The trick may easily be turned, al
/ though I fully realize the effects of
adverse conditions and the many dan
gers attending US every hour we are
in that latitude"
Sue 4 extensive preparations as Mr..
Wellnan has made for his trip have
never before been attempted. His
airs nip is a monster-the balloon Do
ing 164 feet in length and 521a in
! its greatest diameter. 1t is cigar
Snapped and when charged with hydro
gen has a lifting power of 10000
! pounds. In the car that swings be
low this great bag are three gasoline
engines. TWO 70 operate the propeller,
with registered power Of S0-horse,
and a small one to work the airpump
Of Eve horsepower. A supply of s.
/ 500 pounds Of gasoline is carried IN
the airship to operate these engines.
| Then there will be three motor
sledges, to use in case of accident.
/ These motor sledges are new in Arc
/ tic explorations and will be used in
/ the place of dogs for carrying or
/ hauling supplies. Each motor some.
what resembles a motorcycle, built to
carry two men. and hauls a line oil
/ sledges, The two riders can carry
| the machine over cravesses and num-
mocks Much time can thus be
/ saved, as the dog trains seldom make
more than two miles an hour. while
/ the motors are expected to cover 10
miles in the same time. In addition
to all this machinery and the men to
operate it, together with supplies, the
airship carries a steel boat row beng
| built in Salem, Ohio.
At the permanent base quite a town
will be built to house the IS men
who are to accompany Mr. Wellman.
| Here a substantial gas apparatus will
be constructed with which to initiate
the balloon. And to provide gas for
the great bag is an undertaking. The
cargo carried out from France will in
clude 100 tons OF sulphuric acid and
65 tons Of iron filings, from which
gas can be produced for two infa-
! tons.
1t is not certain that the attempt
VIII be made this summer After
! the apparatus and supplies are land
ed, the town built and all other prep
arations made. the airship will be
tested in the cold of the Arctic re-
| gions; but by the time all this has
been accomplished the season may
have advanced too far for the dash
to be made In that event the party
viii return to Paris and wait year.
What is done must be undertaken dur.
| ing the month of July, Winter be-
gins the last of August and Mr.. Well
man thinks 1t not advisable TO start
on the northward trip later than mid
| summer