The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-04

MEET DEATH

STETTIN. Germany. April 3-The
made an ascension here ,hls afternoon
German balloon PommcrD. which
ended in a disaster In the Baltic sea,
under most troGic circumstances.
Three mon lost their lives, including
the radical member OF the ReichstaS,
Werner Hugo Del Brueck.
Herr Del Brueck and another Nom
ber Of the party were drowned. a
third occupant of the car was picked
up unconscious and died from his In
1uries while the fourth was rescued In
serious condition.
The Pommcrn, carrying Del Brueck
who was acting as pilot. banker.
Herr Sommelhardt. an architect, Herr
Benduhn and man named Helm. as
cended early in the afternoon at the
gas works. The wind at the time
was blowing a hurricane and the Pom
mem broke away before she had been
completely ballasted.
The chapter of accidents began i'm
medintely. the balloon collidcd with
telegraph wires which broke, amost
overturning tho basket. II dashed
against the roof OF ncighboring fac
tory. destroying the smokestack. With
the basked swoying wildly and half of
IT'S ropes cut, the balloon scared to
a great altitude and disappeared in
the clouds al terrific speed. Thou
sands Of on-lookcrs including q de-
tachment OF soldiers which had as
sisted in the ascent, ran along the
roads. expecting the basket TO break
away. The balloon. however, was not
seen again until II reached Swim
munde, thirty-six miles northwest Of
Stettin over which 1t passed. at a
height OF 5000 feet in the direction
OF the sea. Tugs followed in its wake
and one OF them, which had out-dis-
tanced the others, was almost direct
ly under 1t when suddenly the bal
loon fell into the sea The tug start
ed TO the spot quickly but the work
OF rescue was difficult
Already Del Brueck and Bcndhun
had disappeared. but Sommelhardt
and Helm were cllnglng to the ropes
and they were dragged aboard the
vessel.
Describes Experience.
Describing their terrible expert
cnces, Herr Sommelhardt, when he
had been somewhat revived said:
Our collision with the Telegraph
lines and the factory roos had the
most horrible consequences. Del
Brueck sustained a broken leg and
hun had an arm and leg fractured.
Helm received bad contuSionS Of the
head | was knocked senseless but
recovered In a moment to find | had
a crushed knee and Ghost. The net
work around the envelope was torn
in such a manner that we feared ev-
cry second the gas bag would slip
out and we would crash to the earth
from a height of 5000 feet. TO which
we had ascended Ike a flash
Del Brueck in spite OF his awful
vainly endeayored 10 open
the valve, the cord of which had be-
come entangled We knew not what
to do but merel awaited our fate. In
the meantime we passed over Swine
al a great altitude and soon
found ourselves above the sea. VIC
thought possibl We might land In
Sweden. but the balloon was cnught
in a rain cloud which drove up down
until We were within $50 feet OF wa
-er. Del Brucck was suffering agony
but he succeeded In pulling the rIpp-
ing cord and We fell into the water
like a log All managed to get clear
Of the basket ]. with Helm. swan
and caught hold OF the network, but
Del Brueck and Bendhun sank. I
no more until / found
myself in the boat which rescued us."
Helm died soon after being taken
on the tug and Del Brueck's body was
washed ashore this evening