Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-13
D|R|G|bLE EXPL0DES;
FIVE FALL TO DEATH
Daring Aeronaut, Erbsloeh, In
ventor of I|I-Fated Balloon,
One of Those Killed.
BENZINE TANK BURSTS;
ENVELOPE CRUMPLES UP
Every Head Crushed In and Not an
Unbroken Bone.
MOTOR Is BURIED IN EARTH
oondola Torn to Bits-No Life Re
naming in Any One of Crew
When Picked Up by
Observers.
Every Head Crushed In and Not an
Unbroken Bone.
MOTOR Is BURIED IN EARTH

LEICHLINGEN. Rhenish Prussia. July
1s.-The dirigible balloon Erbsloeh. re-
Gently reatted for passenger service.
was destroyed in midair today through
the explosion of a benzine tank. Her In
ventor. Oscar Erbsloeh. and his crew OF
four men dropped to their death
The bodies of the aviators were fright
fully mangled The gondola was torn TO
bits. The motor buried itself beneath the
surface of the ground.
The victims were men we'll known to all
Germans interested in aerial feats Erb-
sloeh gained an international reputation,
when. in 1907. at ST Louis. he won the
international cup in the distance race for
balloons.
His companions were Herr Toelle.
manufacturer of Barmen; two engineers.
Herr Kranz and Herr Hoeppe. and Herr
Spicke. the motorman-
Many Mishaps to Erbs1oeh.
The Erbsloeh was constructed last year
and had had dubious career The first
time it descended it crashed into clump
of trees and it's occupants narrowly es-
caped injury A few days ago. during
trial flight. a propeller was broken
The balloon, of the non-rigid type. had
inst heen made over preparatory to the
establishment of passenger service oe-
tween ElberfeId and nearby points To-
d.x II was inflated for a final test by the
crew.
The ascent was made near Opladen and
during a fog. There were few eyewit-
resses of the accident. According 10
these the start was we'll made
The Erbsloeh rose gracefully. pushing
It's way through the fog to height esti-
mated at atsseveral hundred yards AT this
altitude a series of evolutions was be-
pun To sthe onlookers the airship ap-
Ieared to obey her helm perfectly.
Dirigible Crumples Up.
Suddenly there was loud report. Al
the moment the fore part of the vessel
crunpled up and the gondola was twisted
about until il appeared as though stand
ing on one end.
As the gas escaped from the forward
conpartmeHt the PRIV swayed doWn"ard
For a flash the airship futtered like
wounded bird and then fell swiftly to
earth.
Erbsloeh and his companions were kill
ed the second that they struck the ground
Their heads were battered in and every
limb was broken
An examination of the wreckage show
Cd that the benzine tank had burst. tear
ing to shreds the rubber envelope directly
above il. The destruction OF this enVei-
one caused the bow to collapse Tne
stern compartment was still filled Win
gas when it struck the ground
The death Of Erbsioeh and his crew
with the destruction Of the balloon, FOR
which much had been hoped. Following
closely upon the loss of Count Zep-
pelin's Deutschland. has caused gloom
in aviation circles.
The public had scarcely recovered from
the shock caused by the accidental death
of Charles Stewart Rolls. the English
aviator. when they learned that Evb-
sloeh had been added to the long list
of Germans who had lost their hves
while ballooning. The effect was depress-
Ing.