Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-21
WELLMAN CONFIDENT
TRIP ACROSS OCEAN
WILL YET De MADE
Daring Newspaper Man Sue
CeedS in Establishing a New
Worlds Record for Sustain
ed Flight in Dirigible Balloon

Gu TIYIll III vi ISlUlc DdilUUil
NEW YORK, Oct. 19.-The steamer
Trent which rescued Walter Wellman
and his party from the dirigible balloon
America yesterday at sea and which
was held up by fog outside Sandy Hook
all the forenoon, made her way into
the harbor this afternoon and reached
quarantine at $3.50 o'clock.
NEW YORK. Oct 19.-Walter Well
man, and the members of his i'll fated
dirlgible balloon America, who were
rescued from impending danger east
of Cape Hatteras yesterday, believe that
a voyage in an airship across the At
lantic may be yet accomplished.
The Wellman party are aboard the
steamship Trent, whose timely arrival
proved the salvation of the adventures
A heavy fog held back the Trent this
morning and at o'clock she was about
20 miles cast of Sandy Hook The
Trent will dock this afternoon.
While the object of Wellmans VEN
turesome trip was not accomplished he
succeeded in creating a new worlds
record for dirigibles, being 70 hours In
man a thousand miles over rough seas.
Shortly after 9 o'clock the Trent came
to anchor below Sandy Hook because
of the heavy fog.
A wireless message was received this
morning through the United wireless
system from Operator Ginsburg, of the
Steamer Trent, giving further details
of the rescue OF the Americas crew at
sea. The message was as follows:
Steamer Trent. $50 miles southeast
of Sandy Hook: The crew of the
America, after resting all night, are
feeling none the worse for the thrilling
experience From what 1 cap gather
in conversation with Irwin (the wire
less operator of the America) the most
exciting moment of the three days was
after the launching of the America s
life boat The Trent bore down, full
speed, upon the small boat.
A NARROWING MOMENT.
Irwin declares for the moment 1t
looked as if she would be cut in half.
The Trent appeared to him the size of
the Singer building and he was pre-
pared to jump overheard and swim
clear of the propeller. Fortunately this
was unnecessary.
The Trent passed the life boat great
Iy rocking her. A rope was thrown
could not hold on owing to rough seas.
The Trent cleared the life boat, which
dropped half a mile astern. AS the big
steamer turned in her wake to return
to the life boat it was seen. the air
ships men had gotten out two oars and
were struggling to keep her head up
to the sea.
I'VE were now along side the craft
Again lines were thrown, but were
dragged from the airshipmens hands
In hanging to the rope Mr.. Wellmans
little finger was badly cut. Again the
maneuver was repeated, this time with
success. Loud, Simon and Irwin were
straining on two oars. The ship was
brought close enough to make fast the
Americas boat Two ropes were
thrown from the steamer Trent The
crew of the America climped up the
rope ladder and each was cheered as
he was helped over the rail
80 ended one of the most thrilling
and daring feats in the annals of the
sea.
(Signed) LOUIS GINSBURG.
Wireless Operator
Steamer Trent"
EQUILIBERATOR WORKED BADLY.
Wellman says that after working
we'll to sea on Sunday the dirigible was
caught in a 30-mile northwest blow
which carried the America clear off her
course. Night came and the equilibra-
tor jerked and bumped over the waves,
threatening the America with constant
destruction. The crew were calm, but
greatly exhausted and one after the
other went to sleep expecting to wake
up in the sea. Every effort was CEN
tered on keeping the America afloat
and gasoline was tossed overheard. The
equilibrator kept up its incessant pound
ing. Wellman told the Trent's passen-
gers that course was laid for the
Azores but a. veering wind made it i'm
possible to reach the island with re-
duced gasoline. Bermuda was the next
hope CT the party. On Monday night
more gasoline and some damaged ma
chinery were thrown overheard to keep
the America afloat.
The following morning the Trent
was sighted two hours away. The life
boat was successfully launched. The
life boat was struck a glancing blow
by the equilibrator which nearly cap
sized it.
The weight of the life boat and the
party removed from the airship, the
America shot up high in the air and
disappeared quickly in the distance.
The loss Of the dirigible was witness
ed without regret, according to Mr..
wellman, as it could never have been