The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-22
WELLMAN'S START
IS d. 'ASTROUS
American M s Trouble In
Trial to he. CT Pole
BALLOON FAILS TO WORK
Start is Made Without Much Trouble
But Winds Cause Trip To Be
bandoned-WelIman Will
Try Again.
BALLOON FAILS TO WORK

Camp Wellman. Danish Isles, Spitzber-
gen, August Is, via Christiana, August
21.-The attempt of Walter Wellman to
cross the north pole in an airship, which
began and ended today, marked his sec
ond failure in this hazardous undertaking.
Wellman had been waiting anxiously for
a favorable turn of the winds and all day
yesterday watched for an abatement of
the strong southwest gale.
At o'clock this morning he decided
that the hour had arrived to make a start
The enormous airship was taken out of
its shed and Wellman, Melvin vaniman
and Loud and Popoff, took their places in
the car.
Vanimann, who was the chief engineer
of the expedition, gave orders to the
workmen to cut loose the balloon at a
quarter after 10 o'clock 1t was lifted by
strong gust of wind, barely cleared the
shed and leaped into the air. One motor
was started Immediately. The ship swung
out over the bay with Wellman holding
her steering wheel. The problem then
was to get clear of the narrow bay sur
rounded by high mountains, where the
cross currents of winds harassed the
craft. Wellman first tried to reach the
open ocean through the east strait, but
strong puff of wind from that source
brought the America near the rocks In
avoiding them the ship described a circle
in an endeavor to pass out of the west
strait. Here it again met another strong
wind current. The America was brought
around in another circle and the course
then set for Steerenburg, the America
passing directly over the place with the
guide rope end just trailing.
Wellman and Vanimann were delighted
with the action of the big airship.
Sailing Northward.
A quarter of an hour after the start
was made they We're sailing over the
open water and steering north ward.
Wellman went to the navigation table
and began his log book, turning over
the steering wheel to Popoff. The mo.
tor was running in surprisingly easy
fashion
The spectacle was marvellous" said
Fopoff in relating his experience, "as
we looked down upon the sea over
which the long guide rope trailed its
way. Eastward were the great snow
covered mountains and glaciers and
northward was the limitless sea of ice,
just coming into view. Wellman calmly
took notes of course distance and time.
Vaniman came up from the engine room
and smiled at Wellman, who shouted
above the roar of the motor and screws:
BY George, we are started anyway
What's the course? shouted Vani-
man.
True north | replied
I'VE were all happy believing we
had at last overcome all obstacles r
started on our long
voyage.
But misfortune was close at hand.
At noon Wellman, who was looking
over the side, cried out:
my God! Look at that!
THE guide rope was falling. 1t had
parted near the upper end.
Shoots Into the Clouds.
Relieved of over a thousand pounds
of weight, the ship rose rapidly into
the clouds, a mile over the sea. At a
great height we met a strong current
of wind.
1.-THE motor was still running smoothly
and we were travelling 81 miles an hour
northeast. Land was disappearing 10 the
south.
"wellman left the bridge and went for
ward to consult vaniman. They agreed
that the loss OF the guide rope which
destroyed the vertical equilibrium OF the