Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-02

AERIAL ACCIDENT I.
Dh;gible Balloon Akron Explodes
Early Today at Atlantic
City.
FIVE sMEN AkE KILLED
AerOnauts Two Thousand Feet in Air
When Accident Occurs-FalI into
AbsecOn Inlet.

Atlantic City, n. j., July Mel
vim Vaniman, his brother Ca:~in Vani-
man, Fred Elmer, George Boultion
and Walter Guest were killed at $3.50
today by the explosion of the dirigi-
bic balloon Akron, which burst while
two tn usand feet in the air.
The men fell into three fathoms
of water and the bodies had not been
recovered two hours afterwards.
Watched by more than a thousand
people, the Vanimans and their three
helpers took the big balloon from the
hangar for tryout preparatory to
Melvin Vaniman's proposed trans-At-
lantic flight, and for several minutes
the derigibc darted about over the
thoroughfare apparently in excellent
condition and perfect fit.
Then Faniman started her nose up
ward and rose slowly until the Akron
was nearly half mile above the
earth. Apparently then a warm
stratem Of air was encountered, for
suddenly the big bag exploded, and
the frame work with the five men dart
ed to earth like plummet. Men
among the spectators rushed forward,
while women screamed and some faint
ed, but the Akron fell far out on the
water.
Vaniman recently has been making
numerous secret experiments with an
interior air bag, by which he expect
ed to control the rising and lowering
Of The balloon VaniTan was positive
that he had soled the problem of aeri-
al navigation. 1t is believed by many
that he had equipped the Akron with
this new device and that its operation
may have caused the accident.
1t is believed that Vaniman endeav-
ored to use his new interior alr-bag
control with the result that he and
his companions all lost their lives.
When two thousand feet high the bal
loon was seen to descend gradually,
but this was not sufficiently surpris-
ng to attract special attention until
if was recalled after the explosion. 1t
is supposed that Vaniman pumped air
into the interior bag, compresslng the
gas which already was affected by the
air conditions in that altitude. Inc
pressure in this way was so great
that the big envelope gave way.
It had been reported last evening
that Vaniman would fly early today
and for that reason many persons
were on the lookout when the big derl-
oible took the air at six o'clock. 1t
was a beautiful sight as she mounted
the atmosphere easily and gracefully
under perfect control.
After circing to the 2,OOO teet lev
81 Vaniman cruised about for re"
minutes. Then the balloon started 70
descend a minute later the watchers
saw the great envelope suddenly part
IN = moment the whole airshlp was
nnveloped in fame and with flashing
fame. roaring upward, the balloon
with it's passengers dropped earth
ward.
II fell rapidly and long before any
one could reach the scene the podies
Of Vaniman and his companions haa
,,oor submerged in an inlet about nan
. milo from the base ball park. Inc
wafer in the inlet was about nine fee1
deep. What remained of the burning
bap and the framework, fell on 'he
frn men and crushed them INTO the
wafer 1t is believed probable tna'
they lost conscious ,ess, however, De-
fore they hit the water
The point where the balloon Ie'' -
about half q mile from the hea'est
solid ground. Rescuers immediately
went out in boats but had difficulty
getting at the bodies, which were eVl-
IDENTIFY still under the Akron's ira"iS
One BODY was taken out at nine O.,
clock hut it was badly burned and mar
pled so that it could not be ldentI'
fed at the time. It was taken into
boat and started for the city,
That one man leaped from the big
dirigible and that another man tel
TO the ground hanging over the Oa
looms side was the declaration o.
Thomas Tobin, of Philadelphia, an eye