New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-08-07
SYMPATHY FOR ZEPPELIN.
Expressed by Emperor - Money
forthcoming for Nee 4rship.

Friedrichshafen. Aug 6.-The King of Wjrtem-
berg called Zeppelin at his hotel here to-
day and conveyed TO the aeronaut the personal re-
gret Of Emperor William the destruction yes
terday of the counts airship at Echterdingen. The
Emperor telegraphed:
have heard with the deepest regret Of the de-
struction OF your balloon by storm, and 1 wish
fortune. all the more since 1 and all Germany
thought We had every reason TO believe We could
congratulate you on the glorious reahzation OF your
splendid. epochmaking achievement Nevertheless,
what you nave accompllsheq must De fecogTt El
as of the highest order. and this must be comfort
you in this catastrophe
Count Zeppelin later replied to Emperor William
follows:
to lou vii esdIy devote myself to your wishes
and those Of the German people and continue the
construction Of alrshlps
Berlin. Aug 6-In addition to the government
grant of sl25pa TO Count Zeppelin for the construc
ton Of another airsh1p. it appears probable that
even q greater will he given TO the count for
the construction of new dirigibe, the model
Of the one that was destroyed yesterday. and for
extensive experiments with new ideas. The ma
tional pride has made the work Of Count Zeppelin
its own and almost every city in the empire has
opened public subscriptions 10 raise money for the
count
a national committee has been formed at Stuff
CART under the presidency of Prince Hohen-
lohe-Langenbourg, 70 raise a public subscription
for Count Zeppelin. Already more than $4,000
has been raised and the promises received reach
double this amount
The subscription list Of the Berlin Bourse totals
over S25 cor. Senator Possehl, of Lubbock, and the
Essen Mine Company each have given similar
and anonymous subscriber TO the fund at
Heidelberg has contributed 5000. The total Of
the list which is being circulated Cologne has
reached $500. of which amount the City Council
voted $3.50. From every city in the empire comes
the announcement Of the opening of subscription
lists for Count Zeppelin.
Echterdingen. Aug "a visit to the spot where
the Zeppelin arslip only two days ago the master
Of the air. lies hopeless wreck would have
saddening and depressing effect any one who
had witnessed the hight OF what was once the
II nearly perfect balloon Vet constructed The
huge aerial machine had been torn asunder by
workmen in the night and twisted sheets Of alumni
were heaped in tangled masses along the
highway. Only narrow streak of burned grass
marks the spot where the airship made its descent
yesterday morning. Some OF the delicate and com
plicated machinery seems to ne perfectly good and
even the instruments for the taking Of photo
graIhc views in course Of fight escaped 7estruc-
ton in the explosion
Everything Of value that might be used again
has been either removed &c place of safety or
is under guard The ground, however is Uttered
with remnants Of half burned balloon cloth and
splinters of wood and aluminium. = The two gon-
dolas that were suspended beneath the car are
practically intact, and the forward motor still
in order when il tried to-day. The piles Of
gas tubes sent down tC rene'v the gas supply have
friedrichshafen- Conspicuous at the scene of the
disaster stands forth the enormous bow OF head of
the airship with its huge buttonlike centrepiece.
This has not been at all damaged. Close by is the
trunk Of tree split 20 the roots. To this the air
ship was tied when the catastrophe occurred. It
seems that the head of the airship was broken off
clean from the main body II is evident also that
the gas could not have ignited at this end Of the
car. as otherwise the head would have been de-
stnoEed
Only Of the machinists who witnessed the
explosion yesterday could be found at the scene
to-day. He said the disaster was inexplicable
Neither motor was working the time and there
was neither light nor fire anywhere the bal
loon. How it occurred said this man. is an
unfathomable mystery" One theory is that the
conclusion TO which the airshp was subjected by
the wliriwind caused the self-ignition Of the hy-
6roeen gas Some Of the eyewitnesses are inclined
70 blame the military authorities for the loss OF
the airship. II seems that when the whirlwind
came sweeping over the field hundreds Of persons
rushed the Gordon Of soldiers. prompted by the
desire hold the airship the ground by the
guide rope. but the officers gave orders that the
crowd be driven back and not permitted to ap-
proach. = few minutes later the huge body struck
the ground with fun force and the explosion oc-
Cured. The devastation wrought in neighboring
cornhelds an1 fruit gardens illustrates forciby the
power OF the whiriWind that wrecked the ship.
in spite of the precautions Of the troops or
guard. some persons managed to-day TO get hold
OF small pieces Of wet and partly burned balloon
cloth, which they carried away. One young man
sped of in an automobile fourishing piece OF
aluminium tubing yard long. highly pleased with
this souvenir Of the destruction Of the balloon
The photographers also were chased away by the
soldiers. the count having desire that his mis-
fortune should become the subject picture post
cards One ms.. however, successful in TAX
ing two views He was apprehended and brought
M before the commanding general of the Stuttgart
garrison Who in the middle of the field and sur
rounded By numerous mounted staff. was per
sonaIly conducting the salvage operations. The
photographed was asked TO give up his spoil, and
in reply he handed soldier two negatives of nc
value retaining the good plates concealed in hi:
Dar1,.stadt Aug 6-The government OF Hesse
has decided TO a commemorative stone at tbs
scene Of The s.ssasger 10 Count Zeppen's airshp.