The San Francisco call., 1909-06-01
AIRSHIP HITS
TREE AT END OF
$50 MILE SAIL
Count ZeppeIin's Aerial Craft
Sustains Serious Injury
in Germany
Vessels Prov Smashed In.
Covering Torn and 1t Is in
Danger of a Storm
Record of 81 Hours in Air Is
Made, but Inventor Is
Disappointed

W oErTINGEN, Nay s1.-After Gov
y ering a distance of about $50
- miles in 81 hours Count zeppe-
lins airship on its return trip from
Bitterfeld TO Friedrichshafen came to
grief in an open field near here today.
In maueuvering for q landing the
airship came in contact with a tree
and its position tonight was very dan
Eerous The damage 10 the ship is
much more serious than AT hrst
thought. A cursory examination direct
" after the accident showed that the
envelope had been torn and it was
thought that the injury could be re-
paired and that the vessel would pro-
ceed tonight. A more careful exami-
nation, however. disclosed that the
prov was broken and that considerable
time must eIapse before the journey
could be continued.
Storm May Wreck Ship
The position OF the craft was con-
xidered extremely unfavorable, the
ground being very hilly. The bow rest
ed on the ground with the stern about
65 feet IN the air. A strong breeze
sprsng Up toward evening, causing
no little anxiety for the safety of the
sirship. which il was feared would
be wrecked should a storm come up
during the night
After considerable labor and with
s-s azsssssnoe OF some ef those who
Rad eathered at the scene OF the acci-
dent. Count Zeppelin was able TO shift
the position OF his airship a little. and
mas give better protection from the
wind. That the collision was heavy
is indicated by the broken and bent
strips OF aluminium lying about the
ground and the half split branches
} dangling from the trunk of the trees.
Enormous crows soon assembled and
Il became almost impossible for We
hicles to pass along the public high
ways.
Was Landing for Benzine
When the accident occurred Count
Zeppelin was landing for the purpose
of replenishing his supply of benzine,
which was nearly exhausted. The
motors already had stopped and the
airship was nearing the ground on
meadow when sudden strong puff of
wind drove the prov out Of its course
and against a pear tree.
It struck with crash. smashing the
prov almost up TO the front of the
gondola and crushing the aluminium
stays into . shapeless mass, which be-
came inextricably enmeshed in the
branches. Nearly 100 feet of the en-
veiope and frame were destroyed
Count Zeppelin Immediately came to
Goettingen in an automobile and tele-
graphed TO Friedrichshafen for work
men to make repairs. After resting for
several hours at a hotel he returned
in the evening to the scene of the ac-
cident. proceeding thence by automo-
bile to Friedrichshafen. He will re-
turn here tomorrow morning.
Permanent repairs probably viii re-
auire six weeks in order to get the
ship 10 Manzell A new prov. much
shorter than the original. viii be con-
structed without the vertical steering
Spanes. No one was injured in the acci-
Sent. but It greatly depressed Count
Zeppelin.
Would Make Trials Here
WASHINGTON. May s1.-oncers Of
the signal corps who have conducted
the aeronautical tests for the govern
ment were encouraged by the reports
that it viii arouse public interest in
the United States to support a suitable
appropriation for aeronauticaI work