New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-16
WELLMAN A MAN OF NERVE
Had Thrilling Experiences When
Seeking the Pole.
AIRSHIP WRECKED TWICE
Announcement That Peary Had
Reached Goal Led Him to
Abandon Trip.

Walter WeIIman first attracted attention
70 himself as an explorer when he discov-
cred the landing place Of Christopher Co
lumbus on Waiting Island (san Salvador).
in the Bahamas. and set I'D a monument
there Next he turned his attention to the
north. and in 1894 led an expedition up
northeast OF Spitzbergen to latitude 81 de-
grees- For a long time nothing was heard
of him. and he was believed 10 be lost. bIt
at last he res ppeared with a record OF sue
cessful discovery He followed this I'D IN
1889 by leading a party into Franz
Josef Land and discovering several new
islands
In the spring OF 1915 began. under the au-
spices Of The Chicago Record-HeraId.T his
series or abortive attempts to reach the
North Pole by airship. He built big
dirigible balloon. the America. IN which he
hoped to mike the distance between spitz-
bergen and the North Pole. The airsnip
was put together in Paris. and from there
| transported to Danes Island. Spitzbergen-
| On September OF the following year the
America started up through Sweerenburs
Sound in tow Of steamer. After an hours
! sail the boat cut loose. and the airship
/ headed north. driven by her own motors
I
1 however, when a wind and snow storm
struck it from the northwest
! The steering apparatus gave out at the
first blast. and the dirigible. utterly help
! less, turned and drtfted southeast toward
/ CoUI Bay, where the ships party lost sight
| of It A rescue band set out at once. and
/ finally found the aeronauts two miles and a
| half from the coast, stranded on a glacier
1 but uniniured. The envelope of the gas
bag had been torn by contact with the ice
but the car and most of the equipment
rwere saved
! But Wellman was still convinced that ar
air craft could reach the pole and began
| at once to plan another attempt. He re-
/ built and strengthened the America. and
/ on August ID of last year the big flyer cast
/ loose again from her Spftzbergen anchor
age This time she was rnanHUvred fol-
some time. that there might be no fata
defect in her gear TO be discovered after
the real start. Everything seemed 20 BE-
in perfect condition. So after little Il
headed north at twenty-five miles An hour
This time the elements were favorable
and for some thirty-two miles all went
smoothly Then. without warning, the
leather guide rope. TO which was attached
one thousand pounds of provisions. broke
away. and the second attempt was at ar
end The airship was approaching III.
Spitzbergen ice pack at the time ant
Wellman managed 20 land without injury
To any Of the party. The steamer Fran
brought the wreck and it's crew back u
the starting point. The America wa
badly damaged, though WeIlnan assures
the press that her parts were sound AM
that he would have her repaired at one
and make another attempt
Then came the announcement that Com
goal and Wellman gave up his ambition
When it was announced last July tina
the polar explorer would attempt 10 eros
the Atlantic in his ill-starred aircraft III
general public and aeronautica1 expert
as we'll were inclined to scott It wa
pointed out that the polar voyage so IA
as mere distance was concerned was no
so formidable. The route 10 the pole from
Wellman's starting point and back again
: would involve a sustained voyage Of onI-
six hundred miles. The distance involve,
in his present feat may be from thirty
five hundred TO four thousand miles, al
lowing for the probable deviattOns from
its course 10 which a balloon would b.
subject IN the air currents Of the opeI
ocean The record for sustained dirigi
BILE fight is now thirty-seven hours and
distance OF $50 miles. made by Count Yep
peIin. It is not believed by aeronautica
authorities generally that the WeIlmal
dirigibIe has greater staying power thar
the Zeppelin.
Walter Wellnan is ffty-two years old
He was born in Mentor. Ohio He began
life as a newspaper man. or rather news
paper boy. for he was still a yOungstel
when he started TO run a weekly in SUIT
ton. Neb. At the age Of twenty-five he es
tabIished The Cincinnati Evening Post
In 1884 he became Washington correspond
ent Of The Chicago Herald and later
OF THE Chicago Record Herald.