Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-02
Zeppelin Makes Wonder
full Airship Flight
Against Strong Winds from
FfiedriChshaten 10 Frankfort.
Has Absolute Command and Proves
That He Can Go Anywhere.

Frankfort. Aug Waiting until the
Wright brothers could show their best
work in favorable weather conditions,
Count Zeppelin Saturday took out his
giant dirigibe airship and in run of
go miles, partly against contrary air
currents, partly in a stiff breeze blow
ing AGAINST him and for while in
bit of windstorm, proved that the
American aeroplane is only a toy COM
pared to his balloon. Zeppelin was
ready for week past, but held off UNI
til the cable told of the Wright flight
oil 10 miles with two men in the ma
chine.
Friday night he announced he would
travel from Friedrichafen to Frank
fort, which is 220 miles on straight
line, and that he would start in any
weather conditions. |Ie explained that
he could go TO any height or keep near
the earth to take advantage of wind
currents and that there would be no
postponement. All the towns along the
line were informed they could conf
IDENTIFY look for the airship and that the
count would come near the tops of the
houses in the main towns in order to
send messages. He carried out his pro-
gram to the letter, steered his balloon
at will and proved that he could have
| left German soil, circled over Eng
| land and returned to any starting point
chosen His feat is regarded as settling
the question of success for this type of
arship. 1t can go anywhere against
| head winds and remain up a day.
The start was made from Friedrichs-
hafen at $40 in the morning, while the
moon was still shining. The count an
| nounced his intention of steering for
| the Frankfort Air Navigation Exhibi-
| ton. The mapped course showed the
distance to be about 220 miles. The
| weather was ideal at the start, and a
| new record was promised. The condi-
lions later encountered precluded such
| a proba biity, however.
| For the first hour the airship made
splendid progress. covering the distance
to Ulm, IS miles. in one hour and 50 min
utes. After passing Ulm the ship ran
into hailstorm and heavy adverse wind
| currents. The motors were working in
good order. but little progress was made.
1.-THE rudders whipped the air to keep the
balloon from being turned back. and the
| strong gusts WlnQ Threw the VeSSel
out of it's intended course. 1t required
mere than five hours to cover the dis
| tance of SIS miles from Ulm to Betting
| helm.
The hardships encountered were told in
a bulletin that was dropped by Colsmann.
the manager of the Zeppelin Building
| Co.. as the dirisible passed over the pa
rade ground at Caunstatt.
I'VE had smooth driving to Ulnl, then
wretched weather Some ballast was
thrown over. l had to go to the forward
eondola to trim the vessel. We made nc
Roadway for % minutes. Now we are
again going smoothly
| AS the balloon reached Frankfort 1T was
90c yards above the city and performed
several difficult maneuvres before at,
tempting a landing. 1t descended in the
| Enclosure marked out and surrounded by
two regiments of infantry. Bands play
| ed. factory whistles blew and 100000 per-
sens cheered unanimously as the Zeppe-
! lin II descended.
| The distance is less than that Travelled
| BY the airship several months ago. from
Erie drichshafen to Bitterfeld and return
but the flight was unique because no &C
cdent occurred and the ship made pro-
gress in spite of the Instantaneous cir
4 cumStanceS.