The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-06-29
HANGING ON
CHRISTMAS Tree
PARTICULARS Of the Thrilling Voyage
Of Airship Which Ended In
It's Being De-
stroyed.
ONE INJURED
passengers Climbed Down From the
Tree Tops to the Ground
BY Means Of Rope
Ladders.

DoSS12A@DoASp, JuuS lS.-COunC
zeppelin's airship, the Deutschland,
had an accident which for a time
promised to be as serious as has yet
befallen the big craft when, with ten
men as a crew and twenty passengers,
It was driven before the wind help
lessly for several hours.
The famous aeronaut's model lies
on top of the Teutoburgian forest,
pierced with pine tree stems, a mass
Of Debated silk and twisted alumni
num- The thirtythree persons aboard
the airship when It rested on the
pines after wild contest with a
storm, escaped uninjured, climbing
down from the wreck on rope lad
der to the treetops.
Herr Colosmann, general manager
Of the airship company; Chief Engi-
neer Duerrs Of the Zeppelin Com
pany and Capt. Kannenberg, who per-
sonally had charge of the crew Of ten,
and twenty newspaper men sailed
nom Dusseldorf at $3.50 o'clock Tues
day morning for three hours excur-
sion. The objective point was Dort-
mund, about thirty-five miles from
Dusseldorf, but high head wind pre-
vailed and an effort was made to
reach Munster, a garrison town, SO
that landing might be made on the
parade ground by the aid of the sol.
diers. 1t was realized it would re-
aure large number OF them to hold
the vast contrivance of silk and metal
against the wind. It was dangerous to
attempt landing In an open field be-
cause OF the storm, as the metal was
likely to pound to pieces.
In the high wind one OF the motors
refused to work and the other two
s re not powerful enough to make
any progress in the game. The air
ship drift swayed in the gusts, and
sometimes leaned to an angle of 40
degrees. All the while the enginemen
were at work repairing the disabled
motor. When this was all done, all
four screws were driven at their full
power, under which, in normal condi-
tons, the airship was capable OF at
tanning q speed Of forty miles an
hour But the helmsman was unable
to keep hts course and the great
craft was swung about at the mercy
Of the winds.
Colesmann did not dare turn the
ship arounds for fear Of overturning,
and decided to drift In the gale, whic.
was blowing at the rate Of fifty
miles an hour toward Osnabruck, also
garrison station.
II he missed that he expected to
continue to Senne.
Suddenly he preceived a whirlwind
coming and ascended to a height OF
nearly 400 feet to avoid the worst of
i, With the whirlwind came heavy
downpour of rain. After half an hour
the Deutschland came down to permit
observations, and it was seen that the
Teutoburgian forest lay below. The
forward motor again stopped, and
Colesmann sent five of the cores
pondents to the aft gondola to bal
anoe the vessel. The Deutschland
sank rapidly, having lost much gas in
the high attitudes. and dragging
along the top Of the dense forest. A
heavy branch of "a tree broke through
the floor OF the cabin amidships
throwing two OF the guests to the
iioor. Other branches ripped through
The gas compartments, and the whole
ereat structure settled down 80 or 4C
'eet from the ground.