The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-10-20
WELLMAN RESCUED;
@ BALLOON IS LOST
Daring Navigator and Crew
Picked Up by Steamer.
DRIVEN TO SOUTH BY GALE
Aeronauts Come to Grief About 375
Miles East Of North Carolina
After Being Caught
In Storm.

|
New York, Oct. Especial: The
steamship Trent is anchored off Sandy
Hook unable to enter the harbor be-
cause OF the dense fog. Mrs. Well
man is at the dock ready to meet her
husband. and a score of theatrical
agents are on hand armed with blank
contracts for vaudeville appearances,
lectures and other engagements.
On Board the Steamer Trent in the
Atlantic Ocean by Wireless to New
York, Oct. 19.-Special: Wellman
and party are safe on board the Trent
on their way 10 New York and already
Wellman is making plans for the con-
structing OF a new type OF dirigibie
balloon with which he will again at.
tempt to sail to Europe. The acct
dent which stopped the flight of the
America was the disabling OF the mo-
tors and the balloon drifted with the
wind. Had they not been rescued
when they were they would have drift
ed into the southern hurricane.
New York, Oct. 19.-The attempt Of
the Wellman airship America to cross
the Atlantic ocean came to a thrilling
and disastrous close when the British
mail steamer Trent picked up Well
man and his crew from the wreck OF
the airship 375 miles off the North
| Carolina coast.
News of the rescue came in two
wireless messages from Capt. Down
of the Trent. one reporting to the
company agents here and another in
forming the New York Times Of the
result Of the expedition in which 1t
! had taken leading part. Both wire
less messages practically told the
same story "a 4. e.
Sees Signals Of Distress.
Captain Down reported that at five
O'Clock Tuesday morning he first
sighted the airship. Signals OF dis
tress and calls for help were given.
| For three hours the Trent Unanswered
in the heavy sea to get alongside OF
Wellman and his wrecked companions.
The entire party finally was taken
aboard, even to the cat. which was
taken along as a mascot. The Amer
lea was abandoned where the rescue
occurred, in latitude 35.43, longitude
6S18.
| President Taft sent a telegram from
Ellis island to the navy department
in Washington giving the department
authority to act in the Wellman mat
ter. The president asked that an in
quiry be made as to the situation
and that whatever assistance was nee
essary be rendered.
Thrilling Story by Wireless.
The following story Of the rescue
of Wellman and his crew was sent
from the steamer Trent:
In abandoning their craft the crew
of the airship America lowered them
selves into the lifeboat which swung
beneath It, Then they cast the life
boat off and were afioat on the sea.
The airship. relieved of the weight Of
the lifeboat. shot high into the air
and was blown away rapidly. The
transfer OF the Wellman party from
the lifeboat to the Trent was made
with great difficulty.
At 4:30 a. m. the Trent sighted the
airship America and wireless COM
munication was established immedi-
ately. Irwin, the operator on the air
ship. informed Ginsburg. operator on
the Trent. that the Americas crew
wished to abandon the balloon. Wire
| less communication was kept np from
this time on between the airship and
the steamer.
Hard to Launch the Boat.
After a council held on the airshlp
It was decided that the best means of
rescue was to launch the lifeboat.
But this was such a hazardous under
! taking that much time elapsed before
the maneuvering was executed, as the
! tail of the airship. consisting Of tanks
az gasoline and wooden blocks, threat.
ened to caDsize the boat as 1t was
dropned from the balloon into the
water.
This danger was overcome at last
and the task was carried out. In the
oneratiou, the trailer struck Wireless
! Generator Jack Irwin and Louis Loud.
the engineer. end knocked a small hole
! In the eide OF the lifebOat
f.. Balloon Shoots skyward.
Immediately on be.ng released Of
the weight OF the crew and boat. the
lo'rOh'n shot skyward as the boat shot
downward A moderate sea was run
inire at the time and after slight dn-
en'rv tn" c~Aw was taken on board
i with NO nsohnat NJ 1880 a. m.
! AN rcr,hors OF the crew are we'll
! nftcr" Unwilling evnerience.
\ Wclhr"r sold that the airship had
ecGr h'cwn fer ontsof It's course. 50
.tthat z ~as tnadyisable to proceed.
\ to'. h.artle City Saturday.
The departure from Atlantic City