The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-10-15
Daring Aeronauts Are Bound
for Europe and the Flight, It
Was Stated, Was Not Any
Trial Voyage.
RUNNING BEFORE A GALE
BIG sAusAcE-sAAPED GAS GAG 70
JUST AHEAD OF STORM THAT -
SWEEPING NORTH FROM MExl-
CAN GULF.
tAmerican News Service)
BULLETIN,


Atlantic City, Oct 15.-The follow.
ing message from Wellman was re-
ceived at 1870: Still going to sea.
Stopped motors temporarily to rear
range wireless outfit. Now able to
work wireless and motor simultan-
eously." Joseph Salus. president OF tho
syndicate backing Wellman's project.
flashed back the following: Walter
Wellman, aboard dirigible America:
Great work. One of the achievements
of the century. Best wishes. Cos
speed. Please continue to fash pro-
gress." The atmosphere Is tingled
with conflicting electric waves. Every
station and vessel with a wireless ap-
paratus is trying to flash greetings
simultaneously.
Atlantic City. Oct. 15.-Walter Well
man, the aeronaut newspaper cores
pondent, accompanied by a crew OF
six men sailed away from Atlantic
City for Europe in his monster sau-
sage shaped dirigible balloon, Amer
ica." at eight o'clock this morning. It
soon disappeared into the dense fog
but the hum of the powerful motor
could be heard distinctly for q long
time. In two hours the fog had lifted
but the transatlantic aerial hier was
out of sight of the binoculars. At II
o'clock a wireless message was re-
ceived, saying: Headed northeast.
All well on board Machinery work
ing hne Good bye. (Signed) J. Ir-
win" Irwin is wireless operator with
Wellman. The other Ave of the crew
include Chief Engineer Melvin Vani-
man, and two assistants, and Naviga-
tor Murray Simmons. formerly of the
steamship Oceanic. The America" 10
225 feet long, filled with $500 cubic
feet of gas. It's lifting power IL twelve
tons. 1t carries sixteen hundred gal
Ions OF motor fuel, and an ample pro-
vision supply. Fewer than thousand
persons witnessed the start because
the crowd was disheartened by pre-
vious disappointments. but thousands
caught a glimpse before the Amer
ica" finally disappeared from view.
An impressive Sight.
The start of the America" was tre-
mendously impressive. Fully two
hours was consumed in getting the
| big balloon out of its shelter. Women
| and children Of the neighborhood who
left their beds to watch the flight be-
ing pressed into service.
Vaniman took active charge Of the
preparations. Simmons, lashed to q
boatswain's chair. ascended to the top
of hangar and cleared the lashings
of the big balloon. All members OF
the crew. including Wellman. were
dressed in khaki aviation costume. ex-
cept vaniman, who wore an old grey
suit. Two hundred people carried the
equilibriator. containing two thousand
gallons of gasoline for the engine. to
the inlet. where 1t was dropped into
deep water to be afterward attached
to the balloon. The crowd. constantly
augmented in numbers as the news
OF the positive flight spread through
the city, lost It's skepticism when they
saw the big balloon dragged from the
hangar and piloted by men Erasping q
hundred guy ropes.
A life boat containing the wireless
apparatus, was hung beneath the bal
loon. Wellman spent less than ten
seconds bidding his wife and daugh-
ter goodbye and made no theatrical
effort to draw the attention Of the
crowd. He climbed into the car of the
balloon with merely a nod to the
crowd and then ascended on a rope
ladder to the working parts of the bal
loon and stood over the mechaniciana
who had started the machine for q
trial Vaniman was the last man to
climb aboard and had only reached
the underhanging Of the life boat
when his word to cast of" allowed
the balloon to ascend.
Grim Promise Made.
I'VE won't come back until We have
had a try at Europe" said Chief En-
gfneer Vaniman grimly a. he crawled
Into the cabin Of the dirigible.
/ This statement was directed ct the
report that the trip this morning was
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