The Washington herald., 1908-08-06
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Lhere-were six propellers driven BY the
e5-horsepover motors
II IS not generally known that Count
Zeppelin IS veteran Of the Grand Army
. OF rhe Republic He served through the
American civil war a. cavalry officer
IN the Army ot the Mississippi ia the bri-
gade commanded by Gen Carl Schurz
AT The battle Of Fredericksburg the
youn6 German cavairyrnaa owed his es-
cape from capture 10 q brilliant feat OF
horsen1anship which carried him through
The line Of hayOnets with which he had
been encircled-
1t IS said that Il was IN the Union serv-
Ice that the count made his first balloon
ascension II was IN cautfve balloon
sent I'D 10 observe the Confederate lines
The count was successful and became
enthusiastic over the p0Ssl buities OF bal
looms for military purposes After that
ne made several asCenSi1-s before resign
ing from the boys IN blue
Quite as interesting as the building OF
the great airship by which re has chal-
lenged the admiration OF the world is the
early personal record OF the Count. which
Is full OF adventure in war and OF a
struggle for success in the air against
bitter opposition and at the cost OF
fortune.
The zepPelIns are one OF the oldest
families in Germany, Of the 8Ieckleu-
burg 'JradelL" or aristocracy. They re-
ceived their title OF count early IN the
eighteenth century and were prominent
in al the German wars Of that century
and the next
Born in 1888.
The present count was born In Con
stance In 1s3S. and Of course. began his l
IN the army He was a Heuten- !
ant of cavalry before he was twenty
three Two years later he was detailed I
for observation duty with the Union
Army in the American War OF Rebellion. [
At its close he returned home 10 partici- I
pate in the Austro-Prussian War Of 1866
and also in the war with France in $50. /
PromOtioQ 70 the rank OF general came 4
in 1Ss0. and q short time later when he 4
retired from the army he began to devote /
himself to his absorbing passion. the
solving OF the problem Of aerial naviga-
ton His family fortune OF from S509g g00 I
10 $1,000 was soon spent Some friends.
hinking him crazy, dropped away from
him. and he met many rebuGs from those
he had regarded Is willing and able TO
lelp him carry out his experiments.
But the little German nobIeman. whose
money was gone. whose hair was becom-
nS snow white, but whose nervous en-
'rgy was as great IS ever. continued 20 i
study mechanics. electricity and sail /.
making.
When urged 70 give up his expensive
occupation. he said.
7 intend 10 build a vessel which Will he
-bie TO travel 10 places which cannot be
approached by other means. Ny balloon
must be able to go for days without re-
ewing provision. fuel Sr gas. Il shall
% IN straight line across land and
Tater. from one feet or army 10 anQther
arrying persons and dispatches and per
aPs men for participation in actual war
are II must travel quickly and must
e noninfiammable. and be able to ascend,
ravel. and descend under any ordinary
Often Called Crank. J
The cries Of crank and '-Iunatic" were
7Uder than ever when this statement was I
lade in 1872
The counts friends said he was in his {
otage- He made many enemies by his
and his insistence that he knew !
nat he was striving for could be at S
aimed; but his two sove-eigns. the Kaiser I
nd the King Of Wurttenberg, continued I
D encourage him by expressions Of good
ill II
The governments balloon experts ex-
ressed no belief in his ideas He issued +
ppeals for money. and they met with no
ssponse. No millionaire could be found
ven IN America. who wanted to become
IS patron. q
Disappointment seemed TO spur him on. p
/.