The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
TRANSATLANTIC AIR SHIP LANDS IN MUD Trouble With the Gas Bag
 Causes Fall THE WIRELESS IS USED Business in Atlantic City Suspended While Huge Air Craft Makes
 Trial Flight-Spectators
 Are Impressed
THE WIRELESS IS USED

AlldIlllC 1llss NONtlllDSA A-S%A, ing a trial flight, today over Atlantic City meadows between here and the mainland, the airship Akron, built to make trip across the Atlantic ocean, Is marooned on a mud flat seven miles out In Grassy bay Trouble with the imitation of the gas bag made the big aircraft act badly after flying about for an hour, and she finally came down in the meadows.
 The airship Akron, under command of Melvin Vaniman, left the hangar at $50 a. m. today for trial flight over the city and ocean.
 The big dirigible, which has been spe- cially built for a flight across the At lantic to Europe, rose about 300 feet as it left the hangar and sailed out over Absecon inlet at the upper end of Att lantie City In a northeasterly direction. Animan appeared to have perfect con- trol of the Akron.
 For a few minutes the great bag cir eled around over the inlet. It appeared to observers to be travelling at express train speed. After satisfying himself that his machinery was in good working or der Vaniman essayed "a dip.' It was seen that he had the same control that the operator of an aeroplane exercises As soon as the balloon was over the water Jack Irwin, the wireless oper- ator on board dropped his ground wire into the breakers and sent his first mes- sage. It read: Its cold, but things are going great"
 Sails Smoothly
 Leaving the inlet the airship shaped her course down the beach, and after sailing along smoothly at a height of about 300 feet for mile, Vaniman turned the air craft inland and floated over the city.
 Notice that Vaniman would make flight at the earliest possible moment today had been announced last evening, and people began to gather at the han gar at daybreak. This crowd grew to several thousand at $50, when the ascent was made
 Business in Atlantic City was practi- cally suspended while the craft was in the air. The siren of a nearby ice plant announced the departure from the ham, gar and this brought everybody into the streets. There was much enthusiasm as the Akron sailed majestically over the high buildings. Whistles were blown and the crowds cheered. Following the air ship through the streets were many au- tomobiles.
 Vaniman was at the hangar tinkering with the air ship before daylight.
 The morning was misty and there was some delay in starting. Finally shortly after o'clock, he held a consultation with the crew.
 Boys. if you are with me, I'll try It. said Vaniman.
 "We are with you,'' came the reply in chorus, and then the final preparations were completed.
 City firemen and policemen were sent for to help get the bulky airship out of the hangar. When they arrived each was instructed to hold fast to long, thin ropes attached to the gas bag. the great can vas front of the hangar was drawn aside like a curtain and the crowd cheered.
 In the meantime the crew had climbed aboard. The first member of the crew placed in the ship was Trent the Nal tese cat which went up with the America rom here last year and was rescued along with the crew by the steamer Trent. The airship went up without her life or the hydro-elevator. which will take the place of the equilibrator. which was a feature of the America. Only small supply of gasoline was in the tank for the flight.
 The Akron carried two pairs of pro- pellers but on the flight across the ocean she will carry three pairs. The gas bag is 25O feet long or about 30 feet longer than the America.
 After leaving the beach at a 40 miles an hour speed, the airship swooped over the city hall and later darted back to- ward the inlet. The big craft hovered in the vicinity of the hangar for a few minutes, then went across the meadows where 1t gave the mainland treat, sail ing as far as Absecon, where it maneu- vered for some minutes. and then pro- ceeded to a point over Pleasantville, five miles from Atlantic City, where it landed.
 The location of the landing after sail ing from Pleasantville was such as to make 1t impossible to get quick informa- tion as to the trouble. At 12:40 the ball loon began to move again and appeared to be in tow of a dredge. The bottom of the ship barely cleared the meadow grass. The trouble seemed to have been with the gas bag.