Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-08-08
ZEPPELIN AIRSHIP
IS DESTROYED
Motor Exploded Setting Fire
TO the Gas Bag.
IS A COMPLETE WRECK

Gust Of Wind Struck Airship While
Anchored Near Stuttgart. and After
Raising II Fifty Feet the Machine
Crashed to the Earth, When Motor
Exploded - Fire Quickly Shattered
the Craft Beyond Repair - Count
Zeppelin Is Observation-Disclosures
Men Were Hurt.
Echterdingen. Aug. Ga dramatic
end came to Count Zeppelin's long
awaited endurance flight In his mon
ster dirigible balloon. and the proud
airship which was cutting rapidly
through the air and understanding pur.
suing automobiles. lies In an open
field near here, a mass OF twisted, use.
less metal A chapter OF accidents. oc.
casioned by bad moods OF nature and
the failure OF mechanical appliances
combined was responsible for the un-
kIiHtie tnu VI tuG WV hAHhhS
OF which have held the attention Of
the world. and for blasting the ambi-
tons of its inventor. Count Zeppelin.
The count. almost heart.brOken and
unable longer to endure the sight OF
his shattered craft. has left by train
for Friedrichshafen.
The airship had left Nackenheim.
the scene OF its first mishap and over
night had visited Mayence and begun
on the homeward Journey Mis-.
fortune overlook IL soon after its de-
parture and 1t was found that the
front motor was working badly owing
to the fusing OF metal in the groove
in which the piston rod ran
over Echterdingen Count Zeppelin
decided to land The engineers imme-
diately set about making repairs to
the balloon. which rode at anchor in
the centre of large force OF military.
which had been called out to keep
the crowds away. Count Zeppelin
went to a neighboriEg inn for lunch
con. He was away somewhat over two
hours and was destined to see only the
wreck OF his airship when he returned.
over 10000 persons crowded around
the arship.
The balloon swayed to and fro. some
times raising a few feet from the
ground. formidable gust OF wind
struck the airship broadwise. At first
the craft heeled over and then her
t.. al.
them a number OF soldiers holding the
ropes After posing for moment at
height OF fifty feet. the airship came
crashing to the ground With a thun.
derous report the forward motor eX-
ploded. From the bows of the balloon
shot forth "A liyid flame. while from
the rear escaped thick clouds OF black
smoke. which caused the entire struc-
ture 10 disappear from the view OF the
thousands OF spectators. When the air
cleared the balloon was seen lying in
an open field on high plateau. with
only the ragged. tangled strips of the
aluminium envelope still remaining
The metal stays and bands and por.
tons of the motors were strewn about
In pieces like old iron. and blackened
with smoke and scorched
Officers rushed forward and found
that several soldiers had been hurt
The four engineers who were on the
forward platform of the airship had es.
capped death. but were suffering from
injuries.
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 from his eyes as he
stood in an attitude OF despair in front
of the shattered mammoth aeroplane
An explanation OF the accident by
experts is that probably one of the
balloonettes. OF which the immense en-
velope was constructed. burst. and
spark from the motor ignited the gas
when the balloon was carried into the
mir