New-York tribune., 1909-06-01
THEZEPPELIN WRECKED
IIRSHIP BADLY D1NIGED
LITTER RECORD FLIGHT.
Collision 7citk Tree Near Tim Il
Distance of $50 IHiles C0rcred
an THirty-SeTen Hours.

Cioppinger. May 31.-After covering a dis
tance of about 80 miles in thirty-seven hours
Count Zeppeiin's airship. its return trip
from Bitterfeld TO Friedrichshafen. came to
grief to-day in an open field near this town.
which lies between Tim and Stuttgart In
nanpuvring for landing the airshjp came into
contact with a tree. and its position Tonight is
very dangerous
The damage 10 the ship is much more serious
than was at first thought A cursory eXamina-
ton directly after the accident showed that the
envelope had been torn. and it was thought that
the injury. could be repaired and that the vessel
would proceed tonight 4 more careful exami-
nation however. disclosed the fact that the
prov was broken. and that considerable time
must elapse before the journey could he con
tnued.
When the accident occurred Count Zeppelin
Was landing for the purpose Of replenishirg has
supply OF benzine. which was nearly exhausted
The motors had been stopped. and the airshp
WAS nearing the ground on meadow, when a
sudden strong puff Of wind drove the prov out
Of its course against pear tree smashing th1
prov almost up to the front Of the gondoa and
crushing the aluminium stays into a shap-less
mass which became inextrcably enmeshed IN
the branches. Nearly a hundred feet Of the en-
veIope and frame destroyed.
Count Zeppelin Immediately came 10 'Op-
1,iraen In an automobile and telegraphed to Tim
for pioneers and to Friedrichshafen FOR work
men to make repairs. After resting for several
hours al a hotel he returned in the evening 10
the scene of the accident going from there by
automobile to Friedrichshafen He will returH
here tomorrow morning
Temporary repairs are being made to enable
the airship 10 proceed Friedrchshafen. Per
manent repairs probably will require six weeks
in order to get the ship to Manzell. new
PROV. much shorter than the original one, will
he constructed, without the vertical steering
pIapes. No one was injured in the accidenr,
but Count Zeppelin is much depressed over the
mishap.
The position OF the craft is extremely unfa-
vorable. the ground being very hily- The bow
rests on the ground. while the stern is about
sixtv-fve feet in the air. strong breeze
snrang I'D toward evening, causing anxiety for
tba safety OF the airship, which il was feared
,vouid be. wrecked IF d storm should come up
during the night
After considerable labor and with the assist
, ,pce of some of those who had gathered at the
so.,e ~ the accident Count Zeppelin able
10 shift the position of his airshlp little ana
tb,,s give better protection from the wind. That
the collision was a heavy one is indicated by
the broken and bent strips of aluminium lying
.ro,,t the ground and the half split branches
dapgIinq from the tree trunk Great crowds
con aseer,ob bled. and It became almos: impossi-
HE for vehicles TO pass along the public nigh
,. W7orknen have been ordered from
F1riedrichshafen.
The count explained here this morning that
he did not continue to Berlin from Bitterfeld
last night because the airship had lost some gas
a,d he thought It wiser TO start on the return
trip to Friedrichshafen.