The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-05
AIRSHIP RUINED.
Count ZepRelin's Aerial Craft
Struck by Lightning
Catches Fire and Floats Away
Into Space.
HAD COME TO EARTH
A Second Time i'm Order to Make
Some Repairs.
Several People Injured But the
Count Is Unhurt.

persons were Injured.
Count Zeppelin, however, is safe.
The airship exploded during a
thunder storm at o'clock this after
noon Previous to exploding it burst
into flames. 1t is supposed to have
been struck by lightning. The latest
report from Echterdingen says it is
completely ruined.
The storm blew up unexpectedly. A
nerce gust of wind tore the balloon
from its anchorage. and drove il in a
southwesterly direction for some so
yards. Here the rear end of the great
FABRIC dropped and smok1 and flames
were seen to burst out from one end
to the other. Then in a few seconds
OF name shot upward into the
air. This was followed by the crash
Ing down to the earth of the motors
and frames that had been attached to
the underside of the airship. Several
bystanders were knocked down.
Two causes had conspired to make it
necessary to land the airship at Ech-
terdingen, the overheating of the pts
ton box of the forward motor and the
escape of considerable gas owing to
the fact that the count took the air.
ship to height of about 5000 feet.
The Zeppelin airship had just COM
pleted the most remarkably voyage in
the history of aerial navigation. 1t
left the Lake of Constance yesterday
morning for trip to Mayence and
return. The flight was successful in
a great many ways. The machine re-
sponded to the control of its pilots and
was navigated oven the Lake of Con-
stance, down the valley or the Rhine,
over StrasSburg and several other
cities. and was expected back at its
starting point this morning. 1t suf-
fered an accident last evening, how
ever, and had to come to the surface
of the Rhine for repairs. THESE, how
ever, did not take long and the air.
ship was soon on it's way.
Shortly before o'clock this morn
ing when the machine was expected at
Freidrichafen, its point of departure,
it came down at Echterdingen, hve
miles south of Stuttgart, because the
piston box of one of the motors had
the amount of gas in the balloons had
been reduced as result of sailing in
high attitudes.
Count Zeppelin has devoted his
the development of his airships. The
vessel that was lost today was the
fourth he has constructed.
When his own money had become
exhausted. the German reichstag voted
him s125,o0O to continue further ex-
The German government agreed to
purchase this ship on condition that it
fulfilled certain requirements, the
principal one being that it remain In
the air "a hours and land on terra
firma. This stipulation had not been
fulfilled.
The airship was 443 feet long. with
a diameter of about As feet 1t taper
ed to a blunt point at the bow. while
at the stern were various rudders and
frames used in steering. 1t was fitted
underneath with two Independent plat
forms, each carrying a motor capable
of developing 140 horse power. AS
many as sixteen passengers had been
taken aloft at one time. Sleeping ac
commodations were provided for the
crew and an apparatus was installed
Off the dispatch and receipt of wire
less telegraph messages. The initiating
gas was distributed among 16 square
interior compartments. which were
contained a within the outer ridge
envelope OF aluminium.
The accident to the Zeppelin airship
recalls the end of the French military
airship Patrie in December, 1907.
dirigible balloon in existence. The
Patrie was undergoing repairs to her
machine at Verder. A sudden gust of
wind struck the airship and the 200
men who were holding the guide ropes
were dragged along for several hun
dred yards before they let go. The
balloon then shot up to great height
and disappeared. Five days later the
Patrie came down in Ireland.
Came Down for Repairs.
Friedrichshafen, Aug. 5.-The thou
sands Of people who had waited since
daybreak for the return of Count Yep
pelin's airship from its record breaking
voyage, were greatly disappointed
when it became known shortly after 10
o'clock that the airship had been COM
PEELED to come down at Echterdingen.
The king of Wurtemberg, who was
on Of 1o I,o 20 he.
floating shed to which the balloon was
expected to return, announced person
ally to the people in the launches and
boats swarming around the shed that
the balloon could not be expected back
before tonight or tomorrow morning.
A special train will take three car
loads of gas to Echterdingen. Twenty
carloads are required to fill the giant
balloon. From a reliable source the
information was obtained that de-
fective motor was really responsible
for the landing.
At ID. M yesterday afternoon the
airship rose again from the rapidly
flowing river and scared momentarily
over the spot where her injury had
been repaired. then turned her bows
toward Mayence, where she arrived at
II o'clock and passed over the gas
lighted city almost beyond the view of
the people who had gathered in the
street expecting to witness the passage
of the balloon.
Quickly the. airship left the town be-
hind. soaring onward for short dis
lance then after executing few ma
neuvers, the craft was turned home
ward.
A Long Delay.
Stuttgart, Aug 5.-Count Zeppelin's
airship descended on a plateau near the
village of Echterdinen. five miles south
of this city, shortly before o'clock
this morning, owing to a defect in one
of the motors. After an examination
of the machinery, Count Zeppelin de-
cided to send to tFriedrichshafen for
mechanics to make the necessary re-
pairs and for that reason the craft
probably will be delayed here until s
o'clock this evening. Two companies of
grenadiers have been sent to picket a