Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-05


in the air could easily have outdis-
tanced a car of this power Allowing
for the time lost in maneuvering, the
airship was proceeding at the rate of
about thirty miles an hour. The news
of the demrture of the airship from
Lake Constance and the direction it
was taking during the first hours had
been telegraphed and telephoned over
the country and as it progressed the
spectators were more numerous. The
greetings we're enthusiastic. At Stein
the Rhine valley widens considerably,
forming the lake of zell
With this expanse in front of it the
airship rose first came down again to
an altitude of about 1000 feet and con-
tinued at that height until it again
re-entered the Rhine valley, not far
from the famous castle of Hohenwiel.
This stronghold, unconquered for a
thousand years until the coming of
Napoleon, today was a mute witness
Of the marvellous achievement of a
Napoleon of the air. over the old
feudal castle the airship swept silently
and speedily, and its boat and turrets
flashed their greetings to the intrepid
sailors of the air above.
There was faint wind from the
northwest in the beginning which was
apparently quite powerless to influence
either the speed of the airship or its
course. This wind later changed and
blew from the southeast, from which
direction it was helpful to the navi-
gators.
At Stein it was seen that the air
ship was quickening its pace con-
siderably, going at the rate of prob
ably thirty-seven miles an hour. In
the forward gondola are five men and
in the after gondola three members
of the crew. One of the men, after
the airsip passed Hokenweil, was seen
to ascend a ladder and disappear in
the great body of the ship.
Disappears Behind Mountains
The ship quickly disappeared be-
hind the mountains, putting an inn
passable barrier between herself and
a pursuing automobile. Five minutes
later it was possible to sight her
again for an instant floating smooth
ly along With silent stateliness full
in keeping with the tranquility of a
most beautiful summer day.
At Schaafshausen every point of
vantage was taken. The whole city
turned out to give the airship welcome.
The surrounding hills were crowd
ed and the roofs of the houses were
covered with enthusiastic spectators.
Hats, ,handkerchiefs and hands were
waved in mad welcome and the old
fortress at Schaafshausen rendered
greeting from its guns. This was the
signal prearranged to announce to the
citizens the advent of the airship. The
terrace-like streets afforded a fine
view of the progress of the ship. The
local band had been playing as high
up in the air as possible, on rocky
precipice overlooking the railroad sta
tion, and it played as long as the
airship was in sight. AS the long
car sped over the city to the drum
ming of its motors the people ac-
claimed it with a mighty shout.
Some Laugh, Some Weep
He's coming!'' He's here!" they
cried. The had witnessed an epoch
making flight and comment on the
wonder of the performance was heard
on all sides.
The people congratulated each
other, strangers speaking with stran-
gers, and all acclaiming the wonder
they had seen. The airship swung
over the falls of the Rhine and from
the abyss nature itself sent up a tre-
mendous, laundering welcome to the
man who had conquered the air.
Besides the roar of the mighty falls,
the shouted greetings of the people
who crowded the roofs and streets of
Laufen were puny. Numbers of tour
lists crowded windows and grounds of
the Schweiserhof, the great hotel
f1anks the falls of the Rhine, to wit
ness the spectacular fight. The ef-
feet of this flight on some of the peo-
pie that witnessed it was remarkable.
Some laughed wildly and APPARENTLY
without control; others raised their
voices in effectual cries of encourage
ment; others wept, and still others
gazed mutely at the apparition in the
air
AS the airship turned bend in the
river beyond Laufen, an old, feeble,
white of beard and wrinlSled of face
man was crawling painfully to the
top of a hill. He reached the crest
all out of breath just in time to see
it disappear.
"Ah, I have seen It," he exclaimed.
He struggled to follow on in the direc-
tion the ship had taken.
His steps were uncertain, he tot
tered, and the tears were streaming
down his face.
AS the airship continued its impos-
ing progress along the Rhine, shouts
of welcome resounded from one shore
to the other from hill to valley, from
village ito town, and found an echo
from all parts of the German en-
pire.