The Prescott daily news., 1910-10-20
STATES INTENTION TO AGAIN AT TEMPT TO CROSS ATLANTIC
 IN DIRlGlBLE.
ADVENTURE IS THRILLING
Rescue by Steamer Trent Came at Time Gas Bag Had Only About
 Twenty Hours More to Float.

New York, Oct. 20.-Walter Well. man, first captain of an airship to be wrecked at sea, awakened on the steamer Trent, more determined than ever to be the pioneer in pioting a balloon across the ocean. Standing with his shipmates in the dining sa- loon of the Bermuda liner which saved the party from terrible hard ship, if not death, while east of Cape Hatteras, he insisted a sky voyage to Europe was possible.
 Will Try Feat Again.
 T am going across the Atlantic in a dirigible balloon. Far from dishearten- ing me, this failure has only spurred me to higher ambitions.
 "It was our equilibrator that dis abled the America. That was the one fatal error, despite the fact that the plan had worked out well at the time made my first attempt at the North Pole
 Tt will have to be a new type of dirigible that will be used but even while the America was drifting, help less and nearly a total wreck, above the waters of the Atlantic, Vaniman and myself were talking over what was needed. We know and intend get ting busy as soon as possible"
 Ever since they were transferred from the lifeboat to the Trent, We'll man and his party have been over whelmed with congratulations over their narrow escape. While inclined to minimize the actual danger, J. Mur- ray Simons, former junior officer of the Oceanic, who was the navigating officer of the America, admitted that if they had missed the Trent the en- tire party would probably have been drowned.
 Had Drifted for Hours.
 The dirigible, utterly disabled, had been drifting for hours, and could have kept in the air not more than 20 hours longer. That length of time, however, would have brought them into the zone of the cyclone which has been creating such havoc off the Caribbean. and it would have been difficult task to have kept the heavy lifeboat afoat in the storm.
 "I had been able to make an obser- vation at noon on Monday and another later in the afternoon" said simon, and | know approximately where we were. | also knew we were in the direct track of the Trent, so l was not particularly worried l had the Morse lantern planted in good shape, in case we pioAe1 or up in the dark ness. and also told Irwin to save his remaining storage power for the wire less when the time came.
 pawn was breasins, however, when we picked up the Trent, and she was most welcome picture in the distance Her lookouts' eyes were very sharp, as our very first s nal was answered and we then signaled her to stand by, as we were in need of aid.
 Irwin then got in touch with the wireless operator on the Trent, and from that time on the work of picking us up was but a matter of seaman shin. and Captain Downs of the Trent has nothing to learn on that score.
 After all hands had dropped into the lifeboat which swung below the America I jabbed a hole in the gas bag and as the gas escaped we dropped. just as we had planned. The dirigible. released of the weight shot skyward.
 After we were landed on the deck of the Trent we could see what was left of our airship floating off to the westward at speed of about 25 miles an hour"
 Americas Fate in Doubt.
 The fate of the America is in doubt. If is not known whether it is still drifting on the sea or has been whipped onto land by the storm rag inc along the southern coast.
 Wellman not only exceeded the old record for the length of time aloft, but covered more distance than any other man. It is not believed, how ever. that he has broken the record for non-dirigible balloons, which is HIP miles.