The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-10-19
] WILL TRY AGAIN TO
CROSS OCEAN IN BALLOON


lance. Our very first signal was on
swered and we then signaled her TO
stand by as We were In need OF aid.
Irwin then got into touch with the
wireless operator on the Trent and
from that time ON the work Of picking
us up was but matter OF seaman
ship. and Capt. Downs. Of the Trent,
has nothing to learn on that score.
After all hands had dropped into
the lifeboat which swung below the
America. jabbed hole In the gas
bag and as the gas escaped we
dropped into the ocean. When within
a few feet OF the water the ropes were
cut and the lifeboat dropped just as
we had planned, The dirigible. re-
leased Of the weight, shot skyward.
After We were landed on the deck or
the Trent we could see what was left
of our airship floating OF 10 the west.
ward at a speed OF about % miles an
hour"
The airship America was sighted at
4:30 a. m, Tuesday, and wireless
communication between the Trent
and the airship was begun immediate
ly. In abandoning their craft the crew
OF the America lowered themselves
into their lifeboat, which swung be-
meath the gas bag. Wellman and his
companions then cast OF In the life
boat and were ahoat on the waves.
Takes Three Hours TO Effect Rescue.
Daylight was rapidly approaching
when the airship and the steamer
came In sight Of each other. BY wire
less the America asked the steamship
TO follow in the wake Of the airship.
The America was then drifting above
the wages at a speed OF IL miles an
hour. The Trent hove to upon sight
ing the airship and spent three hours
in all maneuvering and picking up
Wellman, Vaniman and their as
sistants.
A conference was held between
Wellman and his companions aboard
the America as to the best means OF
getting from the frame work OF the
airship to the deck Of the Trent. The
best means, Ii was decided, would be
to launch the Americas life boat.
Much danger attended the launching
and a great deal Of time was consum-
ed owing to the possibility OF the life
boat being upset any moment by the
long eQuilibrator OF the balloon-a
string Of small tanks OF gasoline
hanging in links from the America
and trailing in the waves.
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 strike
Operator Jack Irwin and Louis Loud,
- h. .;ata M atp hnx,
were lowering themselves. They were
not seriously injured.
AIrship Shoots Skyward.
The equilibrator at one time swung
against the frail life boat OF canvas
and mahogany seneer violently
enough to knock hole In the side OF
the life boat. 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 life boat was taking
the water. The sea that was running
at the time was moderate and the
aeronauts had very little difficulty In
reaching the Trent and boarding that
steamship. AT 1880 o'clock a. m,
three hours after the steamship had
sighted the America and within few
minutes of II IL hours from the time
the airship had left the Atlantic lily
beach Wellman, his companions and
the life boat we're hauled aboard the
Trent. The balloon. now a speck In the
sky, was left to the winds, to founder
in the Atlantic when her gas had es-
capped.
None of the aeronauts was found
to have suffered seriously from his
adventures. Wireless telegraphy,
which first helped In live saving at
sea when the steamship Republic suf.
fered a collision a year ago last win
ter. yesterday for the first time
played an important part In an aero
nautical rescue. During the earliest
hours the Morse lamp signaling was
also brought into play In communicat-
ing between the America and the
Trent, the signals leading to the rescue
being exchanged by the Morse lamp
method.
Sets Worlds Record.
Although wellman had been blown
far from his course by the winds, that
began TO come out OF the northwest
Sunday night. thereby making his au-
nounced plans futile. the flight estab-