The San Francisco call., 1908-05-24
Confined from Page rs, Column 2


hopelessly entangled in the nets were
the members of the crew. Their cries
for aid and their screams OF agony
brought the maddened crowd TO itself
and hundreds who had fed in terror
moment before returned TO rescue the
injured.
Short work was made Of the expen-
sive balloon. Clasp knives had free play
and the little that remained intact of
the airship was soon in shreds
Half q dozen causes are given for the
accident any one of which would have
been sufficient for the disastrous re-
suits. The primal cause, however, was
the bursting of the balloon containing
500 600 cubic feet OF Illuminating gas.
The whole. according to experts and
even to the most casual observers was
A monumental blunder from start TO
finish. an erratic eadeavor born from
what was evidently ignorance of the
entire subject. There was no order,
no rule Chaos marked the ascent from
its inception Leadership was lost In
turmoil. Orders could not be heard.
No system of signals had been ar
ranged. In disorder II aseended ana
the result was but what had been
freely phophesied by every man who
had given the attempt the slightest
attention.
J. A. Morrell. tre inventor. is the
same man who attempted TO build an
airship in San Francisco a short time
ago. but whose operations here were
cut short by trouble from the ranks
of the stockholders in his concern.
PLANNED TO VIEW FLEET
On leaving San Francisco he went
10 Berkeley and there. with the aid
Of Miss kearn OF this city, started his
second airship. His original intention
was to make the flight during the
presence of the feet and put TO shame
the war balloon sent up by a local
newspaper. 1t was then arranged that
- men should make the flight, but
the airship was not completed in time
and the ascension was postponed until
10 o'clock yesterday morning
The plans had been kept secret the
intention of the inventor being TO sail
over san Francisco and surprise the
community. Few knew of it. but when
the mammoth balloon began TO NIL with
gas and could be observed by the
neighborhood thousands of persons
went TO the spot TO wonder at the
strange phenomenon. The word was
quickly passed and before the airshfp
was ready to rise IL was surrounded
by throng which packed every square
foot Of available space
Though scheduled to rise at 10
o'clock In the morning, it was not until
11:45 a. m. that IL was ready to make
the start. The preliminary arrange
rnents were rushed through in the ut
most confusion The assistants did not
seem TO know what was required of
them. men squabbled and argued, and
through il all moved Morrell, the in
ventor, storming. ordering and making
vain endeavor to bring about
Quietude.
His first trouble was with the three
photographers. Each of them claimed
that he had been granted the ex-
elusive rights 10 make the trip and
before the balloon was half filed with
fer into the law courts and making
MorreIl settle. As each of the three
men were bent upon going, Morrell had
his hands full. threatening them with
arrest and ordering them off the
grounds.
STEPS Upon COYRADE
To add 20 his difficulties. while walk
ing from one end of the airship to the
other NorreH stepped upon the form of
Captain Penfoid. an Australian aero
maui. wrapped UP in a bundle of canvas.
Between Penfold and Morrell there
seemed to be some sort of personal diff
ference and a wordy battle Immediately
ensued The inventor ordered the aero
1aut of the airship. but the latter re-
fused to leave. Morreli stormed and
Penfold thundered replies. The assist
ants squa billed raucous voices shouted
themselves hoarse and amid the din,
confusion and turmoil the airship start
ed to rise
Had il not been for the serious re-
suits the whole would have been opera
boufe. The only signal which had been
arranged was for the engines to start
when the inventor dropped his hat
Difficulty was met at the start The
helpers holding the guy ropes holding
down the bow Of the machine did not
release their end with sufficient rapid
ity. Or, perhaps, those releasing the
stern were too premature. Whatever
the trouble the airship rose in a lop-
sided manner. the stern higher than the
bow Morren from his station IN the
middle OF the vessel, waved his hat
1rantically for the men at the bow to
let go more slack. but what he said
was drowned in the cheers of the crowd
watching him
At the cheers the inventor was lost in
the man and Morrel ceased his orders
10 bow thrice TO the plaudits from be-
low. This but increased the furor.
Men cheered. women waved handker-
chiefs and the crowd poured in from
Gil directions. rendering the air with
bravos, their delighted shouts.
CREW SHRIEKs IN FEAR
But the cheers could not save the
ehip. The stern rose higher and higher
lt was then seen that a fateful error
had been made in not pumping in
sufficient amount OF gas into the bal
loon and also in not having compart-
ments- The gas rose to one end of the
balloon and the airship instead Of ris-
ing gracefully swiftly turned until 1t
was perpendicular, bow down near the
earth and stern up For few seconds
3t hung there, but even then the crowd
below did not seem TO be aware of the
danger. Not so with the crew in the
airship- They recognized their prediea-
ment and from score of throats there.
broke forth shrieks of fear
Morrell threw his hat from him for
the engines to revolve, but the engi-
neers were ciinging to the rigging
above them. entwinfng themselves in
the network, holding on as best they
could. What mattered Morrell and his
signals now? Above. below and around
them was death II was a case OF each
man for himself One valve tender lost
his head and. grasping the rigging
above him. gave vent to bellowings of
horrer. Pandemonium reigned
The Inventor pointed for the crew to
Chamber toward the top Of the balloon
in an effort to regain it's balance, but
those who could follow out his orders