Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-07-14
Great ErbsIohe Difigib Ie
Wrecked in Midair by Ex-
pIosion Of Gasoline Tank
Thousand Feet Above Ground,
NONE SURVIVE TO TELL
TRAGIC TALE OF DISASTER
Victims MutiIated Beyond Des-
cription; Tangled Mass Of
Debris Sole Remains of Once
Proud Passenger Alrship,
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Leichlingen. Rhenish Prussia. July
ls.-Falling through space distance
of nearly 1000 feet, Oscar Erbslohe.
aeronaut and inventor, winner Of tho
International balloon race held in
America in 1907, and four compan-
ions were dashed to death today in
field near opladen
The others killed were Herr Toeile,
a manufacturer Of Barman. engineers
Hoppe ana Kranz, and the motorman.
Spicke.
Only peasants saw the tragic end
OF the flight Of the dirgible balloon.
lirbslohe, which. after d series OF un-
fortunate accidents since its con
struction a year ago, had recently been
fitted for passenger service. They
had observed the balloon a short time
before as 1t swung gracefully in the
air soon il disappeared IN tho fog
and shortly loud explosion was
heard and a crumpled mass fell to
the earth,
So terrible was The force of the
iall the gondoia was smashed to
pieces. the motor was buried deep in
the sod, while the five men we're
crushed and torn almost beyond de-
scriptIon.
Experts who examined the wreckage
afterwards declared that the henzine
tank had burst. The rubber envelope
had been torn to shreds ana the bow
collapsed Nearby was found sad
memento of the disastrous trip. II
was leaf from the note book of
Engineer Hoppe, containing q short
record OF the journey. There were
only Few words:
Departed Hall 500; ascended air
1903; thick fog northward Cannot see
earth; sun breaks through heavy fog
below us, elevatlng planes sloped
altitude $50 meters (91s
foeD et 9:14"
This Is the sole record of the last
voyage OF the Erbslohe. other de-
tails win never be learned. Peasants
near the scene OF the catastrophe say
they heard the propellers working.
They fired revolvers in order to in
llcate 20 the neronauts, then hidden
In the fog. that they We're In the
1eighborhood Of houses. Then the
explosion occurred and they saw the
broken mass hurtling downward.
The craft was non-rigid. l75 feet In
ength and 29 feet in diameter The
war department recently purchased
me Of Erbslohes balloons II was at
irst believed the bursting Of the bag
vas due TO the expansion of gas by
he warm sunshine The victims
we're frightfully torn by the fall.
Later il was ascertaincd that the
,ccident was caused by the explos-
on of the benzine tank. The balloon
ecently had been refit;ed for pas
enger service II was constructed
ast year and had a dubious career.
The first time IL descended IL crash
ID into a clump OF trees and the oe-
upants had narrow escape from
injury A few days ago during
rial flight the propeller blade was
.roken II was intended that the
alloon DE used ia passenger service
etween Elberfeld and nearby points.
The ballon was inflated for the
lnal test today and made good
tart. rising through the fog to
eight of several hundred yards
here series OF revolutions were be
un suddenly there was loud re-
ort and the forepart of the vessel
rumpled up. The prov swayed
downward, the airship fluttcred mo-
neut and then came swiftly 10 the
arth Erhslohe and his companions
fere Killed instantly. their heads be-
ng battered in ana every limb bro
en-.