Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-15
AS WELLMAN TELLS
OF BALLOON WRECK
His Account of the Brief Air.
ship Experiment.
CALLS 1T PERFECT SUCCESS
Was Up Three and a Quarter Hours.
Covered Fifteen Miles.
DEFEATED BY SNOW AND WIND
He Insists, However That the Plan In
Feasible and Will Try Again
Next Year.

BERLIN, September 14.-Walter Well
man. head Of the Wellman- Chicago Record
Herald polar expedition has sent the fol-
lowing cablegram to the Loka Anzeiger
from Tromsoe:
After the steamer Express cast off the
cable the balloon America did excellently,
but an increasing wind soon gave us n
hard struggle, and the storm drove us
toward some high, jagged mountains near
the coast, where the airsh!p would have
been destroyed if she struck There then
ensued hard fight between the storm and
the motor. The latter trumphed, and we
slowly rounded the north end of Foul Is
land in the teeth of the wind Our CON-
hdence in the America had so increased in
the meanwhile that l gave the order to
start for the north pole.
The wind, however, increased to twelve
miles on hour, and the snow fell so thickIv
that we could not see quarter of a mile
'ust theh the compass failed to act owing
10 oefectlVe construction. We were ccn-
pie'ely Iost IN snowstorm above the polar
sea- and threatened with destruction Altar
brief deliberation we decided To try IN GOT
back to the Express to rectify our com
pass and start again. 1t was impossibIe
however, to keep in one direction. and we
were again carried into dangerous proxim-
ity Of the mountains.
Made for the Land.
"Naniman, the engineer then made the
motor run at top speed, and the America
moved second time against the wind.
which probably was blowing fifteen miles
an hour, She circled three times I'm the
teeth, Of the wind. We saw the Express
Tor moment. but Immediately lost her
again. We could have returned to the
Express II we could have seen where to
steer but under the circumstances the onIy
thing possible was to try 10 land with
this idea we stopped the motor and let the
America drift over the glacier. At the end
provisions and a brake rope. Both acted
Wen and dragged over an ice wall 100 feet
high without damaging the provisions
AFTER crossing the glacier we opened tho
mile In shore. The landing was erected
so successfully that material weighing nine
tons descen led 800 feet and touched the ica
win no shock or damage whatever, ex-
wires. The numerous delicate Instruments
were not injured. The self-reg sterine
paragraphs, meteorographs and mano-
meters continued running after the land.
be repaired.
All Back Safe.
The America was in the air for three
hours and fifteen minutes. and covered
about fifteen miles with her own machin-
cry. She made three loops against the
wind. proving her power and capability OF
being steered. The ascent was successful
IN every respect The America is from
every standpoint the strongest airship and
e-most durable for long journey that
ever has been built. She held the gas
splendidly.
Later in the same day the Express
found us. and fetched the steam n Frithtof.
with men and sledges, from the camp The
crew OF the America lived for three days
comfortably in the gondola while the work
or rescu!ng the balloon was in progress
They could have lived there for nine
months had 1t been necessary. The entire
airship, including even part of the gaso-
line. was returned to camp In three days
The balloon hall and the entire outfit
has been made ready for the winter and
three men have been left on guard
tier this successful attempt we are all
convinced that the America in normal
summer weather. can make her way to the
pole. We all regard this plan as rational
practicable and feasible. The thing can bs
done. and what can be done shall be done"