Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-19
Walter WeIIman Not Dis
couraged by Failure
of His Attempt.
BACK in NEW YORK
Engine Disabled and Nearly All
Fuel Thrown Into Sea Be-
fore Rescued.

New York, Oct 19-Walter Well
man and members of his ill-fated trans
Atlantic expedition believe a voyage
In an airship across the Atlantic may
be yet accomplished. Wellman and
party are aboard the steamer Trent.
whose timely arrival proved the saliva
ton of the adventurers. The Trent
will dock this afternoon. While the
object of Wellman's trip was not ac-
complished, he succeeded in creating a
new worlds record for dirigibles, be-
ing 70 hours in the air and covering.
according to WeIlman, 1000 miles over
rough seas.
Further Details Given.
A wireless message this morning
gives further details of the rescue of
the Americas crew at sea. All the
Americas crew consider the rescue the
most exciting incident of the three
days voyage. The Trent bore down at
full speed toward the Americas life
boat, and for a moment it looked as if
it would cut the little craft in two. AS
II was, the Trent passed the lifeboat
SO near as to dangerously rock it, and
ropes thrown from the Trent could not
be held by the Americas crew because
of the rough sea.
Drops HaIH HIiEe Asterm.
The lifeboat dropped half a mile
astern and the steamer turned in its
wake. When the Trent came along
side ropes were thrown, but were drag
ged from the airship's mems hands. A
second attempt was successful and the
boat got close enough to seize and
make fast to the Americas IfeboaI
Then the crew of the America climbed
up the steamers rope ladder and each
was gladly cheered as he was helped
over the rafl.
Caught I'm 3O-MiIe Gale.
Wellman says that after working
well to sea Sunday the dirigible was
caught in a 30-mile northwest blow,
which carried the America clear off its
course. Night came and the equilibTa-
tor kept up an incessant pounding and
threatened to sweep away the lifeboat.
Wellman told the Trent's passen-
gers the course was laid for the
Azores, but the heavy wind made that
impossible. Bermuda was the next
hope of the party. Monday night the
gasoline and damaged machinery were
iettisoned to keep the America aloft.
Early Tuesday morning the rescue
came.
Brought Airship Down.
The Trent was sighted two hours
away and signaled The America was
brought down close to the waves and
the lifeboat released. The weight of
the lifeboat and party removed from
the airship, the America shot up high
in the air and disappeared.
First Attempt Failure.
New York, Oct. 19.-Man's first at
tempt to cross the ocean in an airship
has failed, but Walter Wellman, his
five companions and a kitten. who es-
sayed the voyage, are safe.
The airShip, the giant America, is a
battered derelict. abandoned at sea,
perhaps still in the air, perhaps sunk
beneath the waves with its costly
equipment When deserted it had
probably been in the air y hours. a
new worlds record for dirigibles, and
driven by wind had travelled doubtless /
800 miles. Whether the distance rec /
ord for dirigibles-S7O miles-also has
been broken remains TO be computed. |
Sighted at 4.3O 4. VI.
The airsh;p America was sighted |
ut 4:30 a. m, and wireless commun- |
cation between the Trent and 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 COM /
panions then cast off in the lifeboat /
and were a1oat 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 its wake.
The America then was drifting !
above the waves at speed of 2 /
miles an hour The Trent hove to, !
upon sighting the airship, and spent |
three hours in maneuvering and |
picking up Wellman, Vaniman and |
their assistants.
Tried to Save Ship.
y conference was held by Well
man and his companions aboard the
America as to the best means of get
ting the framework of the ship to
the deck of the Trent.
The best plan, it was decided,
would be 20 launch the Americas
lifeboat. Much danger attended the
launchin and q great deal of time
was con rned owing to the possibil-
tty of lifeboat being upset at
any moment by the long equilibriator