The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-09-16
WELLMAN STILL
SEEKING THE
POLE
Chicago Expedition to Go North
in 1908
AlRSHIP SAILS IN SNOwSTORM
Commander Gave Order to Start For
the North Pole But Gale Wrecked
Balloon.

AhbhNbt GflAs ~ 90 " hlltI we'll
man sailed for Germany today. whence
he Will 30 10 France and begin prep
arations for another attempt TO reach
the pole In 1908.
Wellman, commander OF the Well
man Chicago Record Herald polar eH.
pcdltlon. Interviewed here, said:
"ln our trial trip after the steamer
Express east on the cable holding our
airshlp the America did excellently,
but an increasing wind soon gave US
a hard struggle. and the storm drove
rs toward some high. jagged noun.
tains near the coast. where the airship
would have been destroyed II she
struck. There then cnsued hard
fight between the storm and the mo.
tor. The latter triumphed. aud We
slowly rounded the north end " Foul
island IN the teeth OF the wind. our
confidence la the America had NJ In.
creased In the meanwhile that | gave
orders 10 start for the north pole
The wind, however. Increased 20
twelve miles an hour. and the snow
fen 10 thlckg that we could not see
quarter Of mile. Just then the com.
pass failed 90 act owing 10 defective
construction. We were completely
lost In = snowstorm above the polar
sea and threatened with destruction.
After n brief delil,eratlon we decided
70 try and get back 90 the Express 90
rectify our compass and start again.
IL was Impossible. however. 20 keep
In one direction. and we were again
carried into dangerous proximity OF
the mountains. Yaniman. the engineer.
then made the motor run NJ top speed.
and the America moved n second time
against tho wind. which probably was
blowing fifteen miles an hour. She
circled three times In the teeth o. the
wind. We saw the Express Tor a mo
ment hut Immediately lost her again.
We could have returned 10 the Er.
press n we could have seen where 10
steer. but under the circumstances the
only thing possible was o. try ~ land
With this idea we stopped the motor
and let the America drift over the
glacier 40 the end 81 Foul bay We
used trailer filled with provisions
and n brake rope. Roth act,.i well
and dragged over an Ice wall hun
drcd feet high without damaging the
provisions
After crossing the glacier We open
ed the valve aud landed on the upper
glacier hair n mile inshore. The land.
lax WIS effected 80 successfully that
material weighing nine tons drsc.ndrd
300 fect aud touched the Ice. with no
shock or damage whatever. excepting
several bent tubes and broken wlrrs
The numerous delicate instruments
were not injured The self register.
Ing Paragraphs. mcieorographs aud
manoneiers continued running after
the landing The msutle Of the bal
loon can easily h. repaired
The America was In the air for
three hours aud fifteen minutes and
covered about fifteen miles with her
own machinery. She made three loop. |
against the wind. proving her power /
aud capablllty ~ hcing siecrcl. The |
ascent was successful Ia every respect. |
The America Is from every standpoint
the strongest nlrship aud the most
durable Tor n long journey that has
ever been built
Later IN the same day the Express
found ~ aud fetched the steamer
Frlthjof. with men aud sledgcs. from
the camp. The crew ~ the America
lived for three days comfortably IN the
gondola while the work ~ resculng the
balloon was In progress They could
have lived there for nine months had
II been necessary.
After this successful trip we are all
convinced that the America IN normal
summer weather eau make her way 20
the pole. We all regard this plan ~
rational practicable and feasible. The,
thing can be- done. and what can be
done shall b. done"