The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-07-02
SPECTATORS ARE STARTLED ~
sUOpeNESs OF EXPLOSION.

wrong. until suddenly saw the smoke |
change to flame and then the entire rear
end Of the bag melt into fire. Probably
the gasoline tank went next. but after |
the first flash and before the roar OF the
explosion came to our ears. only chaotic |
hams and wreckags biotted against the
shy.
1T seemed to me heard the
Screens OF the doomed mon. but this
was probsbiy only Imagination. as
death happily must have come to
them instantly.
For few seconds the air where
the great dirigible had been seemed
TO be on fire. The understructure OF
the airship tore away from the bias
Ing mass above and decendsd like a
plummst to the waves below. I'M
aginsd I saw q body falling clear and
sinking faster than the WORKING plat
form, but this may have been part OF
the engine. The heavy masses simply
went down In . blur. Above. the bag,
eth containing some unexpioded gas.
: nuttered for q while like . 1.-Two thing.
then curled up IN smoke and fire and
strsaksd down through the air."
AeRoNAUre' WIVES WITNESS
/; .rttG%N. OtATH FROM SHORE.
: For several minUtes following the
explosion. scarcely q sound was heard
% shore. Then hysterical women
broke the silence and men rushed about
the beach yelling commands. Mrs.
Melvin Vaniman and the wives OF two
members Of the crew had been wit
-
tAs vanman cottage. They were Just
xoing down the porch steps to mingle
/, with . thronE Of women. when the
nash came. Mrs. Vaniman staggered
1 back and seized the rail of the porch.
Her cheeks blanehsd and she seemed
shout 70 swoon. BY an heroic effort
! she mastered herself and rushed for.
I ward end Joined tho men. who were
1 ordering boats sent out to the wreck
! age. She begged to be taken out In
oas OF the boa&s. but a friend OF her
husband dissuaded her and she was
ed back to the cottage.
a. T. Bell. secretary Of the Ameri.
can Exhibition Company. Walter Grail.
olnciAl photographer OF the Vaniman
4 sntsrp. lss. and Councilman Cook were
The hrst to put out from the beach In
motorboat. AZ the news OF the
tragedy swept over Atlantic City. thou
), bands came by motor and boat and on
feot to Brigantine Beach. The water
was soon black with 4 fleet Of craft
riding out TO where the water was
dotted with the debris OF the ainship.
Before o'clock II was estimated fully
fifty thousand people were congrrgated
along the wharfs of the inlet and on
the boardwalk near the inlet. All ousl-
ness was suspended for the greater
part OF the morning.
BODIES 90 DOWN WITH THE
3 WREcKAoE OF AlRsHlP.
u Councilman Cooks motorbost was the
, first craft to arrive at the floating
mass of wreckaGe. The body OF Calvin
vaniman was recovered by the crew
o. . fishing boat. II was caught fast
y the rear Of the tangled and twisted
working platform OF the airship. Sew
erAl men In bathing suits went over
board and swan down toward the bot
I tom. Ono of them reported seeing 4
body. covered by a mass of TWISTED
q wire. near a spot where the engin,
! was buried In the mud.
y Further In toward shore. noated what
\ was left OF the burned and shattered "a.
4 bag. II seemed to have been rent oper
v aamost in the middle. by n CASH that ex
J, tended about one hundred feet.
Tor Q week. vaniman had been plan
4 aing TO make a Night ana had wa!teS
! only for favorable winds. Last night
/ conditions appeared satisfactory and h,
: notified the city authorities he proba bl,
4 veuid make a flight at sunrise to-day
~ daybreak, the conditions were -tll
favorable and the word was given.
hundred policemen ana nrsmen wer
cent TO the inlet to assist In getting tn
balloon out OF the immense hangar
Their duty was 10 hold on the ropes o
The ship as she was carefully warpe
cut Of che big shed.
rttNoN0 GEES START OF Ale
chips LAST FATAL TRIP.
Hundreds Of persons who expecte
IT, hisht saw the Akron come on Il
hangar for the last time. Tho operatio
was . simple one ana the big bag WI
brought out without difficulty. The Ia
Icon once clear Of the shed. vAnima
Jumped into tho car. where his 9TH
four men already had gone. and
save the word 10 "iet 60" Instant
the ship ross. slowly at frst ana swa.
Ing from end to END. Then she roi
rapidly.
vauimsn appeared to have compile
esntrol. and after eirclins about oy
the inlet and on the mainland the ship
~ vas poinssd out 10 o. The M