The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-10-07
l|RSH|P TRIP
TO NORTH POLE,
Features Of Walter WeIIman's
Latest Attempt In His DiriuibIe.
PROVISIONS TAKEN FOR A YEAR

expiersr Expected TO Make the Tri
In Pour Or Five Days n Successful
Fsed Fs- the Expedition IL Carries
In Special Guide Ropes.
For several years Walter Wellman
Z Chicago newspaper man and maka
Uine writer who recently left Spitz
bergen. Norway. In his dirigible bal
locu bound for the north pole. hal
been working TO carry out his BELLE
that the north pole can be discovered
b an airship. He has made two
expeditions by riedge and boat into
The polar regions and Is we'll acquaiDt
"a with conditions there. His airsnlp
theory grew out Of his experience and
his study OF the progress Of aero
nautics. After two years OF preparn-
tiou his dirigible balloon. the America,
ifst arcended from Danes Island.
epitxbergen. on Sept. ?. 1907. carrying
Mr.. WeIlman and two assistants. TO
make = dash for the pole A furious
storm made progress Impossible. and
the party descended safely on gIa-
cier.
Nh First Hunt For the Pole.
The initial expedition Of Mr.. Well
man In quest OF the pole was made In
1874 by sledge and boat from Spitz-
bergen He reached latitude 81 de-
erees. His second trip was made by
the sane means In 1859. when he
penetrated TO latitude So degrees north.
Then Mr.. Wellman turned his atten-
ton to the airshlp problem. NJ. Louis
GODDARD. French expert. was given
an order 10 construct the largest and
strongest dirigibe balloon In existence.
With the exception OF the Zeppelin
craft, no airship OF the balloon type
has ever been constructed so large as
the America.
SHIPPED northward from France In
the early summer OF 1905. the Amer
ica reached Spitzbergen early In July.
II was found 10 have 80 many defects
that II Was sent back TO n. Godard's
shops TO be reconstructed. In the fol-
lowing summer II again reached Danes
island.
Gales and the work of perfectIng the
6stxils OF the airship delayed Mr.. Well
man until Sept. 2. when the ascent
was made. Owing TO the lateness Of
the season no other attempt was pos
Bible In 1907. The America has since
been In storage. The infiating Of 1t
Degan on July 81.
Escaped Disaster Three Times.
In september. 1907. the storm bore
be airship three times toward the
but each time the Amer
|cA. by means OF its motor power. was
lbie TO make circle and escape lm-
pending disaster. Finally Mr.. Well
nan concluded II was useless to con-
inue 70 hazardous a journey. and a
,e0cent WIS effected on a glacier half
! mile from the sea. The aIrship had
,een In the air three hours and quar-
~. and Its motor machinery never
topped until rhe order wns given to
top II. Mr.. Wsllman's companions at
hat time were Melvin vanlman Of
,aris. who was chief engineer OF the
america. and Felix Rosenberg OF Chi
ago. who WAS navigator.
Mr. Weliman left New York on May
2 Of this year for spltzbergen. where
= has been engaged IN completing his
separations for the start he IL now
aid TO have made few days ago.
ac estimates that under favorable
coalitions the pole can BE- reached
rom Spitxbergen In from two to nve
avs.
Mr.. Wellmap estimated that his air
Aip America would hold 22,iooo cubic
~ Of gas capable Of lifting 10000
oands and retaining its buoyancy for
airty days. His ship and equipment
'~igh 1000 pounds aud bis cargo sp-
rcximately 5000.
Wsllnsn's Companions.
He has with him Melvin Vanlman, a
Dung American. who Is his right hand
Ian and has figured much In con-
mental theoretical neronautics the
lst year. and u third person whose
anne Is not known Ia New York.
The explorer had planned TO carry
500 pounds OF gasoline, food and
her supplies. enough 10 last year;
complete shedding OUTFIT. large life
,at and wireless telegraph apparatus
The steel car is ii5 feet long. = feet
Eh, 3 feet wide and shaped like "a
Its keel Is II tank containing Ills
Hons OF gasoline. The ninety horse
'wer motor drives two twin screw
'opellers made Of Steel eleven and
fe-hnif feet In diameter.
The car Is divided into fourteen sec
ons OF eight feet each. One holds
Re navigating deck. another the motor
I'd machinery. and the third * where ;
n crew sleeps aud eats Food is
lrried In specially constructed guide
pes. The hams. bacon. butter and |
-ead stuffed into long leather tubes.
Z inches thick. serve the purpose of
.eping The craft within reasonable
stance Of the ground.
The airship Is made of several thick
.ssrs Of fabric. two of cotton and one
silk. which gives the greatest pos
bic strength 10 the envelope in pro-