The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-07-05
AVIATOR AND ENTIRE CREW
PLUNGED TO WATERY GRAVE
Big Dirigible Balloon Akron Shatter'
cd by Explosion of Gas Bag and
Blown to Atoms.

cd by Explosion or GaS bag ana
Blown to Atoms
Atlantic City, N. j., July 2.-Whlle
three thousand spectators stood too
startled to utter single sound, the
big dirigible balloon Akron was shat
tered by the explosion of the gas bag
and blown to atoms at 6.3S this morn
ing, half mile from shore over Alb
secon Inlet. Melvin Vaniman, who
ha0 built the airship with the Idea
of flying across the Atlantic ocean;
Calvin Vaniman, his younger brother;
Fred Elmer, Waiter Guest and George
Bourtillion, his crew, were instantly
killed.
No trace of their bodies has been
discovered.
The dirigible was sailing at height
of LOCO feet and had been in the air
since 6.15 o'clock when the accident
occurred. She was a quarter OF a
mile south of Brigantine Beach, which
is across the inlet from this city. The
huge envelope, containing thousands
jof cubic feet of gas, was rent by the
terrific force Of the explosion proba-
blv/ caused by expansion from the
suns rays. -.e~-~-
Burst Near Middle.
1t burst near the middle. A mass
of flames hid the ship from view. For
space of possibly ten seconds the
hals million dirigible was invisible,
while the air about the spot where
she had been lowering seemed to be
all flames. The fire dissipated and
then the ships outline against the
SUNRISE was seen to fall like plum
met. First the understructure, or car
in which were penned the unfortunate
men held in by meshwork put on
after the second trip of the balloon,
three weeks ago, unable to escape,
broke away from the envelope. 1t
up-ended, the bow turning downward.
Directly above, twisting in a long spi-
raj. was the gas bag, a smoking mass
| of Subber and silk with flames shoot
ing out from a dozen sections as it
collapsed. 1t futtered a moment and
then streaked down after the car.
In the descent something which ap-
peared to be the body of a man shot
out to the left of the wreckage and
hit the water before the rest of the
descending mass. 1t was reported that
was the headless body of Calvin Vani-
man.
One. Body Recovered.
At 500. o'clock a. IN. message was
relayed ashore from rescuers that this
body had been recovered. With it came
the statement from Captain Lambert
Parker, of the Absecon federal life
saving crew that this was true and
that the other four members of the
crew were entangled in the wreckage
beyond reach for the present, in 18
feet of water Efforts are to be made
to drag them to the surface.
Thousands of persons from every
part of the resort are gathered along
the inlet, boardwalk and above the
Vaniman cottage and just above the
haneer at the inlet where Mrs. Vani-
man has collapsed and is unconscious
from the shock. A physician is in at
tendance The greatest excitement
prevailed for time. Boats are dart
ing out from the inlet and along the
shores of the thoroughfare aud beach.
Police reserves who helped to launch
the craft which sailed along grace
fully until the accident occurred, ken.
the crowds from about the Vaniman
vile.
The fight this morning was me
second that the ill-fated ..IrshiD haG
taken this year.
CONnITJnN or. COTTON e1e