The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-10-20
WELLMANRESCUED.
Grew of Balloon Picked
Up by Steamer.
AlRSHIP ABANDONED AT SEA
Liner Trent Sighted Gas Bag $40
Miles East of Norfolk, Va, and
After Three Hours Manoeu-
wiring Saved Crew.

AAAANA 80 W @ANAeH
wiring Saved Crew.
New York. oct. 19.-Walter Well
man and his five companions, who last
Saturday morning sailed from Atlantic
City in the diriglble balloon America
In an attempt to fly to Europe along
the northern steamship route. we're
picked up at sea Tuesday morning by
the Royal Mail Packet company's
steamship Trent, Captain c. E. Down,
bound for New York via the Bermu'
das, at a point about 375 miles east OF
Norfolk, Va, and about 25O miles
northwest OF Bermuda.
The America. after a record flight
for iirigibles of about seventy hours.
was sighted close TO the water in dis
tress and was abandoned by Wellman
and his crew. all Of whom sought
safety aboard the Trent with the help
OF the dirigible's lifeboat
The message announcing the rescue
Of the aeronauts reached the United
Wireless station and was addressed to
Sanderson & Son and signed by Cap
tain Down, OF the Trent. The message
said.
Message Reporting Rescue.
AT 5 a. IN. Tuesday sighted Well
mans alrship America III distress. Sig
nailed by Morse code that she required
assistance and help. After three hours
of maneuyering and fresh winds blow
Ing. got Wellman with his entire crew
and cat. Were hauled safely on board.
All are well. The America was aban-
doned in latitude 35.43 north longitude
6SlS west. d. DOWN, Master.
Shortly after this message arrived
one was received by the Marconi com
pany in New York, which was ad.
dressed to the Marconi people and
signed by Jack Irwin. the wireless OPP
orator. who sailed with Wellman on
board the dlrlglble This second mes
sage. which shows that Irwin was as
anxious about his wireless apparatus
as the rest had been about the cat,
read
Rescued by Trent. All we'll In
struments saved Arrange to meet
ship and take instruments over Wire
less played important part in rescue
The Trent began to come into the
wireless zone OF New York as the az
ternoon progressed thereby permit
ting the local wireless operators to
learn a more detailed story OF the res
cue. Soon New York had learned by
wireless messages sent here by Oper-
ator Glnsburg, OF the Trent, the time
and manner Of the rescue, which was
as follows
The Airship Sighted.
"The airship America was sighted
at 40 a. m, and wireless cOmmuni-
cation between the Trent and the air
ship was begun Immediately. In aben-
doning their craft the crew OF the
America lowered themselves into their
lifeboat, which swung beneath the gas
bag. Wellman and his companions then
cast of in the lifeboat and were ahoat
on the waves Daylight was rapidly ap-
preaching when the airship and the
setamer came in sight OF each other.
By wireless the America asked the
steamship to follow in the wake Of the
alrship. The America was then drift
ing above the waves at a speed OF
twelve miles an hour. The Trent hove
to upon sighting the airship and spent
three hours In maneuyering and pick.
ing up wellman. vaniman and their
assistants.
"A conference was held between
Welman and his companions aboard
the America as to the best means OF
getting from the framework Of the air
ship to the deck OF the Trent The
best means, It was decided, would be
to launch the Americas lifeboat. Much
danger attended the launching, and
great deal of time was consumed ow-
ing to the possibility OF the lifeboat
being upset any moment by the long
eQullibrator OF the balloon-a string
Of small tanks OF gasoline hanging in
links from the America.
Arship Lifeboat 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 Toud,
one of the assistant engineers. as they
were lowering themselves. They were
not seriously injured. The equilibrator
at one time swung against the frail
llfeboat OF canvass and mahogany We
neer violently enough to knock hole
in the side of the lifeboat. 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 was taking the
water. The sea that was running at
the time was moderate and the aero
nauts had very little difficulty in
reaching the Trent and boarding the
steamship. At 100 a. m. three hours
after the steamship had sighted the
America and within a few minutes Of
seventy-one and half hours from the
time the airship bad left the Atlantic
City beach, Wellman, his companions
and the lifeboat were hauled aboard
the Trent. The balloon, now a speck