Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1908-08-06
DENIX ARIZONA, THURSDAY MORNING. AUGUST

the scene of the disaster said a
thunderstorm had upset a quantity
of benzine which ignited and caused
"a great explosion and the great air
ship was destroyed.
After reading the bulletin the peo-
pie moved in lines down the streets
of the town toward the railroad sta
tion and steamship docks along the
lake front while automobiles scurried
off all directions some even heading
for Echterdingen. The music of the
bands was hushed and the musicians
silently packed away their instru-
ments while the villagers Immediate
ly began taking down the flags and
festoons which had been hung in
honor of the expected Homecoming
of the daring aeronaut with his
wonderful invention.
A chapter of accidents occasioned
by mad moods of nature and fail
ure of mechanical appliances COM
bined We're responsible for the un-
timely end of the balloon the flights
of which had held the attention of
the world, and for the blasting of
the ambition of the inventor, Count
Zeppelin. The count, almost broken
hearted and unable longer to en-
dure the sight of his shattered craft,
left Echterdingen by train for Fried
richshafen.
The airship left Nackenseim the
scene of the first mishap overnight,
visited Mayence and had begun the
homeward journey when misfortune
overlook it. Soon after its depart
ure it was found that the front mo-
tor was working badly owing to the
fusing of the metal in the groove
in which the piston rod ran. This
was caused by friction. Consequent
ly Count Zeppelin was compelled to
rely on one motor on the rear plat
form throughout the night which
considerably reduced the speed Dur
ing the night he made an ascent of
nearly 5000 feet, losing considerable
quantity of gas. This deprived the
balloon of some buoyancy.
over Echterdingen Count Zeppelin
decided to land Although this was
the first time such a maneuver was
attempted with a rigid balloon, the
landing was effected easily and
smoothly one of the steel wire stays
being broken the engineers immedi-
ately set about making repairs to
the balloon which rode at anchor in
the center of a large force Of military
which had been called out to keep
the crowds away.
Count Zeppelin telegraphed to
Friedrichshafen for more gas cylin-
ders and then went to a neighboring
inn for lunch.
He was away over two hours and
destined to see the wreck of the air
ship when he returned. Local rail-
road companies ran special trains to
convey the curious sightseers to the
spot, while pedestrians, automobiles
and wagons loaded with peasants
also flocked the vicinity. 1t is esti-
mated that the crowd around the
monarch of the air numbered nearly
forty thousand persons.
At 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon a
wind suddenly sprang up and some
weather wise bystanders called the
attention of the officers to the fact
that a storm was brewing and ad-
vised the officers to secure the bal
loon but their warnings were un-
needed. The balloon swayed to and
fro, sometimes rising q few feet from
the ground.
At 2: 5S p. m. a formidable gust of
wind struck the airship broadside.
At first the craft keeled over and the
bows rose in the air. carrying with
them number of soldiers holding
the ropes. After pOising for a mo-
ment at a height of fifty feet, it rose
above a cluster of fruit trees. The
impact uprooted them. The airship
returned to. earth more suddenly than
it rose and came srusning to the
ground. With a thunderous report,
the forward motor exploded
From the bows of the balloon shot
forth livid flames, while from the
rear escaped thick clouds of black
smoke which caused the entire struc-
ture to disappear from the view of
the thousands of spectators. When
the lar cleared the balloon was soon
lying on an open field on a high
plateau with only ragged and tangled
strips of the aluminium envelope still
remaining. The metal stays and
portions of the motors were strung
about in pieces like old irsn, blacken-
ed with smoke and scorched.
Officers rushed forward and found
that several soldiers had been hurt.
Four engineers on the forward plat
form escaped death but they are suf-
fering from injuries. They were tax
en- to a hospital. The men tried
when the balloon broke away to
couple up the motors and so ascend
beyond danger. But in this they
were unsuccessful.
Count Zeppelin was Immediately
sent for. When he arrived and saw
the hopeless wreck he broke down.
His head was bowed on his chest
and tears were streaming down his
cheeks as he stood In an attitude of
despair in front of the shattered
mammoth aeroplane. Then friends
induced him to enter a motor car
and return to Stuttgart whence he
left by train for Friedrichschafen.
An explanation of the accident by
experts is that possibly one balloon
cts, of which the immense balloon
was constructed, burst and a spark
from the motor ignited the gas
when the balloon was carried itno
the air.
Count Zannalina'c capratary cold