Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-04
Explosion Ends Greatest and
Most Costly Dirigible Ever
Built in America.
CREW OF FIVE LOSE LIVES
Vaniman Was Making = Last
Test of the Akron Prior to
Atteinpt to Gross the At.
lantic Ocean.

Atlantic City, N. j., July p s5aiiing
out over the Atlantic ocean under perfect
control and In view Of several thousand
interested persona the great a!rship
with q crew Of four men. exploded while
Akron, commanded by Melvin Vaniman
more than SO feet in the AR early to-
day and shot down into the water
tangled mass, carrying to their death
the daring navigator and his companions.
Death is believed to have come instantly
To the five mon.
In all the tragic history OF disasters
10 airehps Of aeroplanes probably none
wag az sensational az that which brought
20 on eud the greatest and most costly
air craft ever constructed on tho west
ern hemisphere Euilt 70 withstand the
storms of the Atlantic and to carry at
least a dozen men across tho ocean TO
Europe, the Akron went to her doom
in calm weather. Those who went down
with the big dirigible beside Van!man,
who already had had one thrilling ex
perience in an airship on the ocean,
were: Calvin vaniman. his younger
brother; Fred Elmer; George Bourrillion,
Walter Q. Gest. Il friend of Vaniman's
financial hacker
Up TO shutdown two bodies. those of
Calvin and Bourrillon. had been re-
covered from the wreckage which lies In
about IS feet of water off Brigantine
beach
TRIP TO TEST THE LIGHT.
The Akron. which had been inflated last
February with gas manufactured by
Varman in the big hangar at the inlet.
was taken out shortly after 600 a. m for
test of the light. one of the lights had
already been made about month ago
and defects discovered at that time were
rcmedied and to-day's trial was to have
been among the last prior TO the attempt
to CROSS the Atlantic. Mrs. Vaniman bid
ner husband goodbye at their little cot
tage near the hangar at 900 a. m. and
waited for daybreak to see him sail
away.
The city authorities had been notified Of
the intended test and q hundred policemen
firemen and other willing helpers assisted
IN floating the big ship which sailed
gracefully away Over the waters of
Absecon inlet Waniman manoeuvred her
end then sailed down over the city and
after completing a few other movements
shaped the ships course out to sea.
When n half mile off Brigantine
| beach. the thousands of spectators
| who had been watching the ship. saw
| burst of flames outlined against the
| morning sky. In n few seconds they
were Mortified to see the car Of the
balloon detach itself from the bag
ana shoot downward into the water
| followed by the collapsed gas bag
TWO BODIES RECOVERED.
Fishermen and yachtsmen. who were
out In their boats watching the saip,
Immediately started to the rescue.
When the first boats reachs the scene
of the wreck the rescuers found only
the collapsed gas bag. AMI after a
search submerged body which
| proved to be that of the younger Want
man was recovered. Divers went
down to the wreck but there was lit :
tie that could be done until low tide.
when Bourrillion's body was taken
from the wreckage and brought to
shore.
| Mrs. Naniman saw the collapse Of the
balloon and its drop into the ocean carry
| ing WIFI IL nor nlSottIl ana Drotner'ln-
| law She fell in a faint. Friends who
were with her sent for physicians and
| when she recovered she talked of her hus.
| hands bravery. The wives OF Bourrill!on
and Gest and Elmer. who lived nearby
also saw the disaster from their homes
Later they went over to the Vanimar
| cottage. where q most distressing scene
| followed, Men turned away as the -four
widows wept on one another's shoulders
After the first excitement and shock had
passed. Mrs Vaniman again collapsed and
her condition Is serious
There are many theories as to the cause
! Of the disaster On Is that air got into
the gas bag Another that the rays OF
the morning sun expanded the gas and
caused the great envelope to burst.