The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-07-02

| their eyes from the sickening sight.
and women screamed. The alarm was
given and the inlet soon was black
with boats rushing to aid the men"
Exactly what caused the disaster
may never be known.
Several Theories Of Cause.
That somebody had let too much
free gas into the engines and backed
up the exhaust was the theory or
Chief Black, of the fire department,
who, with his men. assisted in launch-
ing the balloon.
Il had no idea there was anything
wrong until I suddenly saw the smoke
change 10 flame and the entire rear OF
the big gas bag go up as though by
an explosion" he said. I'VE heard
the screams OF the doomed men across
the water. The sight was awful The
big balloon collapsed like bursted
kite" -.F
Another theory OF the cause of the
disaster is that the dangling rope rig
ging dragged into the big propellers.
whipped up against the stern end OF
the balloon and snapped off enough of
the cone TO free the gas. allowing the
vapor to sweep into the engines and
explode
Big Crowd is Saddened.
Three widows of the men killed arc
Mrs. Vaniman. Mrs. Bourtillion and
Mrs. Elmer They gathered in the
Vaniman cottage after the accident.
Outside the cottage there was
crowd of probably ten thousand men.
women and children, all saddened and
downcast, and some in tears over the
oppressive sorrow of ii all. Policemen
on guard around the Vaniman house
kept back the morbid. Every one
seemed to feel deeply the solemnity Of
the moment.
Mrs. Vaniuan Saw Accident.
After Mrs Vaniman recovered con-.
sciousness she said that when her hus-
band left at > o'clock this morning she
had a premonition Of trouble
"Yes, I saw them fall" she said. II
saw one man Jump. Something tells
me IL was my husband. saw him
spread out in the air. fat, as he fell
and then--oh can scarcely speak OF
it-alI grew dark before me. They
were so high in the air. they must have
been a thousand feet. Before I faint
ed 7 now remember the car turned
with one end downward. and It fell to-
wards the sea like cloth. all in string.
I can recall that picture all the rest of
my days. 1t is photographed IN my
mind"
When the beats reached the scene Of
the disaster nothing but remnants Of
the big gas bag we're in the water. The
machinery and heavy car We're sunk
out OF sight. Men poked around with
boat hooks trying 10 find the bodies.
but failed. and decided to postpone ef-
Harriet ouirnby Killed.
Boston. Mass. July Miss Harriet
Quimby cf New York. The first woman
aviator 10 win an aviator's license IN
America ard the first woman 10 cross
the English channel i'm an aeroplape.
was instantly killed with her passen-
ger. w. A. willard. manager of the
Boston aviation meet. az htAntic last
night when her Bleriot monopiane ten
into Dorchester Bay from p height OF
/ 900 feet.
The accident happened when Miss
Quimby and willard were returning
from a trip over Boston harbor 90
Boston light. a distance of 20 miles
IN ell. The flight was made in 20 min
utes The machine. one ~ the latest
models of military monoplancg. circled
the aviation field and SCARED on: over
the yacht club. just outside the avia'
tion grounds.
Heading back into an eight milo
wind, Miss Quimby started 90 vol
plane. The angle was too sharp ana
one of the gusts of wird caught the
tall of the monoplane. throwing the
into a perpendicular position.
Ia