Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-06
AlHOulI DLUHN VI
Count zeppelin's Dirigible Takes Fir
and is Destroyed.
STORMS TEAR IT FROM Mo0RINGs
As ii Rises il Breaks Into Flames and
Disappears.
SEVERAL PERSONS ARE HURT
Machine Had Stopped at Echterdinger
for Repairs.
GRIEF AT FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
SEVERAL PERSONS ARE HURT
lRrEF AT FREDRICHsHAFEN
News of Disaster Creates Consterns-
tion Among Holiday Crowd
Gathered 90 welcome
Count Home.

STUTTGART. Aug. 5.-During storm
today the Zeppelin airship broke away
from its mooIings, took fire and disap- .
peared in the air.
Several persons were injured Count
Zeppelin, however, is safe.
1t appears that the airship exploded dur
ing a thunder storm at o'clock this after
noon. Previous TO exploding 1t burst into
flames. 1t is supposed 70 have been struck
by lightning. The latest report from
Fchterdingen says It is completely ruined.
The airship descended on plateau near
the village OF Echterdingen. five miles south
of this city. shortly before o'clock this
morning, owing to a defect In one OF the
motors.
The storm blew up unexpectedly. fierce
gust of wind tore the balloon from It's an
chorage and drove It in southwesteriy
direction for some fifty yards. Here the
rear end OF the great fabric dropped and
smoke and flames were seen to burst out
from one end to the other, Then in few
seconds came the explosion and great coll
umns of flame shot upward into the air
This was followed by the crashing down
to the earth of the motors and frames that
| had been attached TO the under side of the
arship. Several bystanders were knocked
down.
Two causes had conspired to make II nee
| essary to land the airship at EchterdnEen,
| the overheating of the piston box OF the
| forward motor and the escape OF consid-
erable gas owing to the fact that the count
took the airship' to a height OF about tOS
| feet. rl
| ConsternatiOn ut FriedrichEhRfen.
| FRIEDRICHsHAFEN, Aug. 6.-rhe news
that Count Zeppelin's airship exploded at
Echterdingen and was a total wreck came
lana
for the reception of the famous aeronaut
at Friedrichshafen. Tens Of thousands OF
| people had come from all parts OF Germany
to witness the return of the count from his
| remarkable voyage, and they were walking
| along the lakeshore making merry in an
| ticipation of the forthcoming Jolllfcation.
Since early morning automobiles and car
riages had been coming into town and
| speeding through the streets, whilst peas
ants from the surrounding country cled IN
their picturesque Sunday clothes gaSed IN
amazement at the unwonted scene and the
gally decorated houses in the park.
| In front Of the principal hotel the mil
itar,- band was just on the point of begin
ming its concert when at o'clock a man
rushed excitedly from the office OF a local
newspaper and affixed telegram on the
blackboard at the entrance to the building.
news, expecting TO hear that the airship
had left Echterdingen on It's way here.
One man began to read the message aloud.
Suddenly he stopped as II he could not be-
lieve the news, then ne cried out in loud
voice: THE balloon has burned up! The
balloon has burned up"
This intelligence Travelled like wildfire
down the main street. Some people would
not believe It and declared that It was
bad Joke but the doubters were soon ST.
fenced by the pitifu expressions on the
faces of the employees Of Count Zeppelin,
who ran about with CONSERVATION.
Count Reported safe.
Many cheers went up from the dense
crowd congregated around the offices OF
the count and the people demanded to know
IL he was safe They were told he was, but
the latest bulletin from Echterdingen said
that four men had been badly burned.
May be some rascal set the balloon on
fire" some one volunteered excitedlt and
this probability was discussed for some mo-
ments. Throughout the crowd there were
frequent expressions OF sorrow over the
I'll luck of Count Zeppelin in the loss Of his
magnificent airship.
Just then the counts daughter arrived In
her carriage. She was still in ignorance OF
the hapless end of her fathers voyage and
OF the blasting, at least for time, Of his
greatest ambition. hush fell over the
masses as the countess alighted and In
wonderment at their strange attitude to-
ward her she went inside her fathers office.
soonafterward through open window
she was heard to cry, 'Thot will XIII
him"
This was followed by an outburst OF sob
bing and the people who had been lettering
about the building silently moved away
some distance to get beyond hearing OF her
: distressful cries.
The next message received from thS
scene of the disaster said that a thunder
storm had upset a quantity OF benEins
: which ignited and caused a great explosion
! and that Me great airship was destroyed.
After reading this bullatin the people
4, moved in long lines down the streets OF
the toSyn toward the railway stations and
] the steamship docks along the lake front
; while automobiles scurried off In all d.
: rections, some OF them even heading for
EchterIngen. The music OF the bands was
J hushed and the musicians silently packed
away their instruments, while the villagers
Immediately began taking down the fiagG
and festoons which had been hung in honor
OF the expected Homecoming OF the daring
, aeronaut and his wonderful invention.
Balloon Houses Favored.
WASHINGTON, Aug S.-To the officers
y OF the signal corps OF the United States
army who are about 10 begin experiments
, with dirigfble balloons and alrships the
y news OF the loss Of Count Zeppelln's air
I ship comes home with almost tragic force,
. and genuine regret is expressed on every
hand over the counts misfortune,
a Brgadier General Allen, the chief signal
: officer OF the army. who has been watch
: ing the operations OF Count Zeppelin
a closely. said today that to his mind the
a accident Illustrated more than anything
z else the necessity for having balloon houses
d for the protection Of airships when they
o are on the ground. With their enormous
!. area OF canvas and no protection thsy are.
= he said. In constant danger. Thsg are as