The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-08-08
ZEPPELIN kIRSAIP
is DESTROYED
Motor Exploded Setting Fire
to the Gas Bag.
IS A COMPLETE WRECK

Gust OF Wind Struck Alrship WnHo
Nnehored Near Stuttgart ans Art,-
Raising Il Fifty Feet tie wach.oe
Crashes to the Earth. wher Motor
Exploded - Fire Quickly Shattered
the Craft Beyond Repair - Co1ot
zeppeiio Is Heart-6roken-se>era;
Men Were Surt.
Echte rdircen. Arg. s.-A dramatic
. emo came ro Count Zeppelas n,ns-
awaited endurance iiyht iu llS r. n
srer tuis.ole balloon. ana the pg0al
arahin which VAS calang p'l.v
thr.esh the air a@l ourisfanc.rg uur
sr.nr automobiles lies in pn open
l.Il near here. mass OF twisted uSa-
less metal A chapter ot accidents Or
e-..uei - bad moods of nature ana
thc failure -of mechanical appliances
.a~hincd. was responsible Cor the ul-
timely eni of the balloon. thc r.-hts
Ht which lsvc held the attention OF
mo world. a-l for blasting tte nwa.-
lions ci its inventor Count Irrpclu
Tac count. almost heart broken ans
unable longer % endure the sieht OF
bis shattered craft has lett 1y trarn
-or Frielrichshafcn.
Tao airship hal left Nackenh..u
tAe scene OF ils first mishap. and o,e-
1.--t had visited Mayence ans le-l.
cu the homeward journey Mis-
fortune overlook 10 soon after It's L,-
parture and IL vas found thar the
front motor vas working badly OWNS
GO TIRE fusins OF metal In the groove
10 which the piston rod ran
over EChtertingen Count Zeppelin
decided 20 land. The cuglrecrs imme-
diately set ABOUT making repairs %
t-c balloon. which rode az anchor i1
the centre of a large force OF military.
watch had been called out o. Keep
the crowds away. Count Zeppol.1
1 ent 20 ucighboring inn for lunch
eon. He was away somewhat over two
hours and was destined o. see only tie
wreck 10 his airship when b. returned.
over 10000 persons crowded arouuI
Che airship.
The balloon swayed % and fro. some
times raising a few feet from the
rrount a formidable gust Of wind
struck The airship hroadwise. At frst
Che craft heeled over. and then h.r
BOWS rose In the air. carrying WIKI
them a number OF soldiers holding the
ropes After poislns FOR a moment at
height of fifty feet the airship came
crashing 90 the ground. With a th.n-
ierous report the forward motor ok.
plodcd From the bows OF the balloon
shot forth a iivif fame. while .-.-.
The rear escaped thick clouds of l.a.k
smoke. which caused the entire st-u.
fure to disappear from the yiew of th.
thousands OF spectators When tho air.
cleared the balloon was seen iglue ia
ln open fe.i on high plateau with
Only The ragged tangled strips az the|
aluminium envelope sim remaln.nr
The metal stays and bands and ror-
lons oi the motors We're strewn about
n pieces like old iron. and blackeuef
wltl smoke and scorched.
Officers rushed forward am frra
that several soldiers had been hurt
Ire four euc.neers who were "a tta|
-1rward platform Of the airship had es-
capped death. but were suffering from
Injuries
Count Zeppelin was Immediately
sent for. When be- arrived ana saw the
hopeless wreck he broke down. HIS
head was bowed on his chest and tears
were streaming from his eyes as he|
stood in an attitude OF despair Oh frrrt
% tae shattered mammoth aerop.ane.
An explanation OF the accident b.|
experts IS that probably one ol the
laHoonettes OF which the immense on.
Ve.ope was constructed. burst. an
spark from the motor ignitei the cas
wien the balloon was carried into The
air