Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-10-19
WELLMAN BEATEN,
YET HAS HOPES


CONTINUED from F1rst
lire. Bermuda was the next hope of the
party. On Monday night more gasoline
and some damaged machinery were jet
tisoned to keep the America af1oat.
Early Tuesday morning rescue came.
The Trent was sighted two hours away
and signaled. The lifeboat was sue
cessfully launched, Captain Fnniman
~cleverly bringing the America dow
close to the waves, while Simon directed
the release Of the lifeboat. The Iifeboat
was struck q glancing blow by the
equilibrator, which nearly capsized it.
The weight of the lifeboat n the
party removed from the airship, the
America shot up high in the air and
disappeared quickly In the distance.
EauIIIbrator A Mistake.
The loss of the dirigible was wit
messed without regret, according to
Mr.. Wellman, as IL could never have
been used again. having been weak
ened by the constant jerking of the
equilibrator. Wellman believes that
the feat of crossing the Atlantic in a
gasbag may be accomplished. but that
q larger and stronger air craft will
have to be built. Wellman says the
equilibrator was the mistake of the
eX pedition.
The dime and manner of Wellman's
rescue was told by the Trent's wireless
operator and Commander Down in the
following paragraphs:
"On board steamship Trent, 18th.
Airship began to lose gas after leaving
Atlantic City and had to throw more
gasoline overheard to keep above the
water. When practically all gasoline
was gone the America began to drift.
The airship crew knew that the Trent
was due from Cuba and had left Ber-
muda on Monday. They kept a sharp
lookout for The Trent.
sighting the Trent.
when they saw the Trent's lights
before dawn this morning the crews
joy was dampened by the thought that
they would have to seek assistance
lust as the airship was about to break
the worlds record for endurance fight
by a balloon. If they could nave re-
manned in the air until 500 O'Clock,
half an hour after they came aboard
the Trent, they would have equallsd
the worlds record Of seventy-two
hours.
when the America was abandoned
she still had gas enough aboard to keep
her afloat at least t~wenty-four hours
longer. The crew was glad to get
aboard the Trent nevertheless, as they
had begun to fear that they would not
reach home again. Navigator Simons.
OF the America, took several photos
of the airship from the deck of the
Trent before the airship disappeared.
The Trent's first sight of the airship
was during the dim dawn and showed
the America 20 the southeast. On ac-
count of the light the airship was mag
nifed in appearance. The airship be-
gan communications with the Trent by
Morse code, although from the Ameri-
cas- own code enough words could be
distinguished to show her need for help.
But the problem of getting along
side was new in marine tactics, The
Trent feared to get close to the air
ship because of danger of hitting the
Americas car. There was also the
danger of her engines and of setting
the gasoline afire, and so putting both
the steamship and the balloon in peril.
After first communications wireless
was found more practical and was
used. Tried several times to hand line
to airship, but could not. All that
time we were SO close to America we
IOuia lain EASILY Will &Oiii
mander of Trent m~egaphoned. Finally
Wellman decided to take to the life
boat. Lifeboat was landed safely in
water, while Trent stood by with buoys
and lifeboats.
Abandoning the Airship.
"'The airship America was sighted at
1870 a. M. and wireless communication
between the Trent n the airship was
begun Immediately, In abandoning
their craft the crew of the America
lowered themselves into their lifeboat
which swung beneath the gas bag.
Wellman and his companions then cast
off in the lifeboat and were afioat on
the waves.
Daylight was rapidly approaching
when the airship and the steamer came
In sight of each other, BY wireless the
America asked the steamship to follow
in the wake of the airship. The Amer
lea was then drifting above the waves
at a speed OF twelve miles an hour. The
Trent hove to upon sighting h airship
and spent three hours in all maneuver-
ing and picking up Wellman, Vaniman
and their assistants.
"A conference was held between
Wellman and his companions aboard
1 NtiS LII itu ao W Nv { h1at9 vi
getting from the framework of the, air
ship to the deck of the Trent. The bes.
means, it was declared, would be to
launch the Americas lifeboat. Much
danger attended the launching and a
great deal of time was consumed owing
to the possibility of the lifeboat being
upset at any moment by the long
equilibrator of the bailoon-a string OF
small tanks of gasoline hanging in
links from the America and the railing
In the waves.
L%ifebOat Launched.
After careful preparations. the life
boat was lowered and launched. While
the launching was under way, how
ever, the brisk wind caused the equili-
orator to sway violently and to strike
Operator Jack Irwin and Louis Loud,
one of the assistant engineers, as they
were lowering themselves. They were
not seriously injured. The equilibra-
tor at one time wun against the frail
lifeboat of canvas and mahogany We
neer violently enough to knock a hole
In the side OF the boat. The hole was
too small to cause serious trouble. \
Upon being free of the weight OF
the crew the airship Immediately shot
skyward as the lifeboat vas taking
! the water, The sea hat was running