The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-10-19
WIRELESS IS SILENT,
Unable to Get In Touch With
Aviators of WeIlman's S Airship.

Just Before Sailing on Saturday The
Americas Crew Decided That If the
Ocean Voyage to Europe Was I'm.
practicable They Would Imr edia.e-
ly Return to Atlantic city-All the
High Power Wireless Stations Work
ing strenuously to Get In Touch
With the America.
Atlantic City, n. j., Oct. 1S.-As-
sured that Walter Wellman and his
crew aboard the airship America, be-
lieved to be at least a thousand miles
from this city. will decide today
whether 10 start the dash toward Eu-
rope, or to return to this city, family
and friends of the men OH board
and managers of the expedition are
awaiting what they expect to be the
most important messages to be re-
ceived from the America before her
final success or fate is decided.
Gathered together at the Hotel Chal-
fonte, Mrs. Wellman, her daughters.
Mrs. Vaniman, wife Of the chief en-.
gineer of the expedition; Joseph w.
Salus, president of the local syndt
cate which backed Wellman; A. T.
Bell, secretary of the company; Har-
Iy B. Cook of the Seadside, its treas
urer, and a dozeL partisans OF Well
man await hour by hour the expected
decision.
Waiting Anxiously For Word.
Not a word has yet been received.
but the anxious watchers believe that
something win be heard from the
America in a few hours.
Definite information concerning the
course, policy and probable action OF
the Americas crew, decided upon
within a half hour before tn, America
sailed on Saturday morning, was CIV
en- out for the first time last night.
"Mr. Wellman and mis- men will re-
turn to this city the moment they
decide that the ocean voyage is i'm
practicable" declared Leroy Cham
berlain, son-in-law of the leader Of the
expedition and Mr. Wellman's secre-
tary-manager. $50 far as we decide BY
study of the maps and charts which
we have, the America has reached the
point where 1t can be definitely de-
cided whether there is chance to
reach Europe.
ut is almost safe to say that this
decision is being reached now, or will
he reached within the next few
hours by he men aboard the America,
I'VE will. of course, have no means
Of knowing what the decision is until
we hear something from the America,
but We have the greatest faith that
Mr.. Wellman and his men will attempt
the desperate air trip to Europe
According to Mr.. Chamberlain the
latest reports from the America sup
port the belief that the big balloon
and its crew is following the exact
course laid out by Mr.. Wellman and
Engineer Vanimam days before the
anal departure was decided upon.
UNLESS something has happened to
the America, or we hear of change
in the plans within the next few hours.
we will be almost able to follow the
theoretical course Of the balloon by
day and night" said Chamberlain. "At
nightfall Of today, | believe that the
America Is OFF st. Pierre, Newfound'
land, and had turned towards the east
almost directly in the transatlantic
steamship lane.
1--WE have no means of verifying
this, as yet. but are confident that
some wireless message showing our
calculations to be correct will reach
some wireless point in the country
soon."
Nothing since the startling news of
Sunday morning that Wellman and
bis men had really left the city has
created such a sensation as the an
nouncement that the final dash for
Europe would probably be decided
upon.
ftOtel guests anu COJJdSeIS, WIN are
becoming widely excited over the pos
sibility Of the Wellman crew really un'
dertaking tho 1000 mile ocean fight,
are demanding the latest bulletins
from newspaper and telegraph offices.
Trying 10 Get Into Communication.
Bob" Miller. local wireless oper-
ators. who for two days was the sole
connecting link Of information be-
tween the America and u anxious
watchers on shore, is still attempting
to get into communication with the
balloon crew. He has spoken tC at
least score of vessels, but has been
unable to secure even the slightest
message concerning the America.
81 have asked the highest power
stations TO attempt to speak to the
America he said last night. "lf
there is any chance of getting word
from them we will do it. While it is
extremely difficult to segregate the
weak messages which are proDably
being sent ont by the crew through
the light plant of the America, we
hope to hear something that will re-
lieve the anxiety of Mrs. Wellman
and the other women before morning.