The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-15
Tells of the Per
ilous j Journey Of His
Airship in a Storm.
DRIVEN BY WIND
UPON UMTAIM.S
The Airship America, Lost in
Binding Storm Above Polar
Sea and Threatened With
Destruction, Is Finally
Landed Without In
jury to Wellman.

BERLIN. September 14.-Walter
Wellman, head of the Wellman Record
Herald polar expedition, has sent the
following cablegram to the Lokal
Anzeiger from Tromsoe:
After the steamer Express cast Oft
the cable the balloon America did ex-
cellently, but an increasing wind soon
gave us a hard struggle and the storm
drove us toward some Jagged noun
tains near the coast, where the airship
would have been destroyed IL she
struck. There then ensued hard
fight between the storm and the motor.
The latter triumphed. and we slowly
rounded the north end of Foul Island
in the teeth OF the wind. Our conf
dence In the America had so Increased
in the meanwhile that gave the order
to start for the North Pole. <.
THE wind, however. Increased to
twelve miles an hour and the snow fell
SO thickly that we could not see a
quarter of a mile. Just then the com
pass failed to act owing to defective
construction. We were completely lost
in snowstorm above the Polar Sea
and threatened with destruction. After
a brief deliberation we decided to try
to get back to the Express TO rectify
our COUlpdSS anu etdl h5dii
At Mercy of Winds.
at was impossible, however. to keep
| in ono direction. and we were again
| carried into. dangerous proximity TO
| the mountains. Vaniman, 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 per hour She
4 In, ha teeth of the
| wind. We saw the Express for a mo-
ment. but Immediately lost her again
| Wa could have returned to the Express
| n we could have seen where to steer
4 hut under the circumstances the only
| thtne possible was to land. With TIL!
1 idea we stopped the motor and let TN
/ {Arnerfca drift over the glacier
4 the end of Foul Bay we used traiiel
/ filled with provisions and "a brake
rome. Both acted well snd DRAGGED
| over mn ice wall one hundred feet hisf
| without damaging the provisions.
Landed Upon a Glacier.
.After crossing the glacier we opened
| tho valve and landed on the uppe
| glacier, half mile in shore. me iand
| ing was effected SO successfully ina
material weighing nine tons descende'
| three hundred feet and toached the lc
\ with no shock or damage whatese. ~
sxcentine several bent tubes and broker
u,,res The numerous delicate instru
vents were not injured. The seif
registering Paragraphs, meteorosraph
ands manometers continued running
aftar the landing. The mantle or IN
halIoon can easily be repaired.
i .vrhe America was In the air 10
+hraa hours and fifteen minutes an
cnvered about fifteen miles with ne
own machinery. She made three loop
j ,against the wind. proving her Po"e
4 ND canability OF being steered.
% an,ha ascent was successful in ever
.I.ant the airship proving most dura
';hIe for a long journey that ever 10 &c,
baen huilt. She held the gas splei'
) Ididly. p..c,ed.
.1ater in the same day the express
: fo,nd us and fetched the stealns ~,
Erithioff, with men and sleds. IRON, -, -
ANN The crew of the America i've
: tar' three days comfortably In the got
l aoia while the work Of rescuing IN
{ Ihoi,oon was in progress. They coul
, t,ane lived there for nine months. ma
, , ~ it' hoen necessary. The entire outh
! I|;ncluding even g part of the gasoien
: was returned to camp in three day!
. THE balloon and the entire outht ma
, lbeens made ready for the winter. an
: three men have been LETT on guaro.
"After this successful attempt we al
convinced that the America IN norm;
the 5pole. We all regard this plan
rational. practicable and feasible. II
: thing can he done. and what can
= loneS shall be DONE"