Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1910-10-28
A|RSA|P CREW SAFE.
WELLMAN AND COMPANIONS
PICKED UP OFF NORTH CARO-.
LIMA COAST.
SHIP TRENT REsCUEs THEM
After Hours Of Maneuvering Amer
ica's Crew Are Hauled Aboard
Standardization Is Lost-BloWn
Far Out Of its Course.

New York, Oct. 20.-Walter Well
man, who with his crew of five men,
sailed from Atlantic City, N. j., for
Europe in the immense dirigible bal
loon America" on Saturday, October
Is, got back to this city on the Royal
Mail steam packet line steamer Trent
which vessel picked the daring navi-
gators up from the wreck of their air
ship 375 miles of the North Carolina
coast. Barring a few injuries to his
-:ght arm Wellman is in good shape,
as is also the other men who accompa-
MED him.
Mr.. Wellman has reached the con-
clusion that in the present develop
ment of the dirigible the task he I'M
dertook is a hopeless one.
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 a leading part. Both WIRE
less messages practically told the same
story.
Sees signal ct 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 mascot. The Amer
lea was abandoned where the rescue
occurred, in latitude 35.43. longitude
68.18.
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 1t. Then they cast the life
boat of and were afloat 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
| xry9oh Al - orA4v, Tho balloon Viro
less communication was kept up from
this time on between the airship and
the steamer.
Hard to Launch the Boat.
After a council held on the airshir
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 hi
tail of the airship, consisting of tanks
Of gasoline and wooden blocks. threat
ened to capsize the boat as 1t wat
dropped from the balloon into the
water.
This danger was overcome at las
and the task was carried out. In thu
operation the trailer struck Wireless
Operator Jack Irwin and Louis Loud
the engineer, and knocked a small hole
in the side of the lifeboat.
Immediately on being released o
the weight Of the crew and boat, thu
airship shot skyward as the boat sho
downward. A moderate sea was run
ming at the time, and after slight dit
ficulty the crew was taken on boart
with the lifeboat at 1880 a. m.
All members Of the crew are vel
after thrilling experience.
Wellman said that the airship ha,
been blown far out of its course, 81
| khak I'M drrica II