New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22
POLAR AIRSHIP BURSTS
MR. UELLM1N AND PARTY
ESCAPE INJURY.
Balloon Becomes Tnm0nageoble
Soon after Start from Spit
bergen-No Trip This Year.

Dergfn-NO Trip lh'S ear
Camp Wellman, Spitzbereen. Aug Is tNta
Hammerfest, Aug. 21)-Walter Wellnnan's sec
ond attempt 70 sail the North Pole in
balloon has resulted in failure The big dirigihle
balloon America, in which Mr.. Welman and his
party of three started on their perious flight, to-
dsy met mishap after it had gone about
thirty-tyo miles from the starting point Mr
Wellman and his party succeeded in making
landing without injury 70 any member. and re
turned 20 This point on board the steamer Fran.
which also towAd in the disabled balloon
After 4 long preparation and waiting for
favorable weather Mr. Wellnan decided early
this morning 70 make the start Everything
had been in readiness for some time. and only
The final details remained 10 be carried out
II Ia O'Clock in the morning when the
great airship was brought out Of its shed and
the explorers took their places in the car When
the anchors We're cast loose the airship ascended
beautifully. the engines were set in motion. and
everything seemed 10 work to perfection. The
hig air craft was manpuvred for some time, and
answered the holm perfectly. Then its head was
. turned northward. and IL set out AZ a speed Of
twenty-five miles hour.
Suddenly. after having covered some thirty
two miles and when everything seemed 70 be
going splen6idy, the leather guide rope, to
which was attached a thousand pounds of pro-
visiCns and stores, broke away. The accident
occurred just the airship was nearing tn.
pack ice of North Spitzbergen,
Released from this great weight, the airship
shot upward at terrific pace until it at
great height above the clouds The pilots
/ ceeded. however. in bringing the balloon down
near the earth, turned her about and set out ~
fight their way southwark against a strong wind
AIRsHIp LOWERED To WATER.
The airship proceeded slowly southwark TO
the edge Of the pack ice. where tho steamer
Fran was anchored After much difficulty
tow rope was taken aboard the Fran. which
started immediately to tow the airship TO Spitz-
bergen. The strain was so great however. that
it threatened to tear the 10 pieces and Mr.
Wellman finally decided bring the arshp
down, to the water, This was effected without
mshap, and the car rested on the sea until all tho
members of the crew. the dogs and the scientific
instruments could be transferred aboard the
Fran. A fresh start was then made and the
America towed back the landing stage,
within short distance of the point where the
start was made. ..--t-
Just the arship reached the landing stage
and everything looked favorable for it's rescue
without serious damage a sudden gust of wind
caught the big Inflated bag broadside and
snatched away frorS-its tow ltnes- 1t was
carried cereenins over rough ice hummocks for
some distance and then exploded All the scat
tered parts of the airship were subsequently re-
covered. but the damage great to pre-
clude any further attempt to fly over the pole
this year
Mr. Wellman will return TO Norway next eek.
He says that the airship was not seriously dam
aged and can be repaired. but that another at
tempt this year is impossible He is enlarging
the balloon house TO accommodate longer and
more powerful ship for future use.
Walter Wellman made the following statement
with regard 10 his unsuccessful attempt of yes
terday to sail for the North Pole:
Had not the guide rope broken we had an
excellent chance of reaching the pole We GER
tainly made good start with favora BILE weather
The guide rope of the same material weight
and workmanship the so severely tested
on the trial trip two years ago. Therefore its
breaking was amazing. The cause was a weak
spot in the leather undetected and unsuspected
The America demonstrated her strength
speed and addptahi1ity to this work In return
ing to Spitzbergen made mistake In not
placing enough confidence in ship and
engines. Had We not. through overcaution,
given the tow line TO the Fran. 7 believe we
could have landed the America sa fe in her house
For some time it my intention TO attempt
this, and made eight miles an hour against
The wind toward the camp.
At last the motor worked uncertainty. be
cause the equilibrium. of the ship had been up
set and thus deranged the gasoIene supply This
led 10 the unfortunate decision to try towing
The descent 10 the surface of the ocean was not
accidental but deliberate, in order TO insure the
saving of the instruments and other valua bles
Had the ship not broken up while landing
We would have tried another voyage this month
with a new guide rope. Notwithstanding one
mshap following. fast upon the heels Of an
other
II do not give up the fight. but hope to recon-
struct the America. enlarged and improved and
try again, taking advantage of all our somewhat
varied and extensive experience MY faith in
the practicability of the project is in no wise
diminished Throughout the voyage even in
the most irving moments in the clouds and in
the rolling seas, my three comrades proved cool
headed and efficient. Ny thanks TO them and
to the equally brave officers and sailors of the
Norwegian ship Fran ="