Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-07-03
WIDOWS on -FOUR or THE MEN
SAW THEIR nus
BANDS DIE.
PUFF OF SMOCKE AND
Blaze burst Forth and The Giant
Bug ShriNclcd ana Eel Into
the Atlantic Ocean.

the Atlantic Ocean,
ATLANTIC CITY, n. Jo Suiy g.
Sailing out over the Atlantic ocean
under perfect control. the great air
ship Akron, IN command Of Captain
Melvin Naniman. with a crew Of four
men, exploded while more than 500
feet In the air early today, and shot
down into the waters, tangled mass.
The daring navigator and his COM
panions were carried 10 instant death.
In all the tragic history OF aerial
disasters probably none was as sensa-
tonal as that which destroyed the
most costly air craft ever constructed
In the western hemisphere, Built 10
Withstand the storms Of the Atlantic
ocean and carry at least a dozen men
across the ocean, the Akron went 10
her doom In calm weather. Those
who went down with the big dlrigible
beside the intrepid and cir, broken
Naniman, were:
Calvin Naniman. his younger
brother.
Fred Elmer
George Bourdllion. Of Philadelphia.
Walter 9. Gest, a friend Of Vaniman's
financial backcr.
Two Bodies Recovered.
Up TO sun down. two bodies. those
OF Calvin Naniman and Gest. had been
recovered from the wreokage. which
lies submerged in about ls feet of
water off Brlgantine Beach.
The Akron, which had been inflat-
ed last February with gas manufac-
tured by Vanlman I'm the big hangar
at the inlet. was taken out at six
O'Clock this morning for a test flight
one dash had been made about a
month ago. Defects discovered at that
time were remedled and today's trial
was to prove IL prior TO the attempt
TO cross the ocean. Mrs. Vanimnn
bade her husband farewell at the cot
tage near the hangar at . n. m. and
waited for daybreak TO see her hus-
band sail away.
Tho city authorities had been noti-
fled Of the Intended test. A hundred
firemen and other willing
hands helped in floating the great gas
bag out Of the hangar.
Was Flying Fine.
The launching of the air craft. VAS
accomplished without difficulty.
she sailed away. over
the waters Of Absecon inlet Vanlman
and then sailed down
over the city, and after completing a
few other movements, shaped tho
ships course out to sea.
OFF Brlgantine Beach came the dis.
lster. The thousands who had been
the ship saw a burst OF
flames outlined against the morning
sky, In a few seconds the onlookers
were Mortified TO see the car Of the
balloon detach itself from the bag and
shoot downward into the waters. fol-
owed by the collapse Of the gas bag.
Boats Rushed To Rcscuc.
BY intuition, everybody appeared to
nave realized what had occurred.
Fishermen and yachtmen who were
)ut In the little boats watching the
ship Immediately started to the res
'ue. Soon a hundred boats were
beating their way out over the rough
waters of the inlet bar When the
'irst boats reached the wreck scene,
he rescuers found only the collapsed
gas bag but after a search a sub
merged body which proved to be that
II the younger Naniman, was recov-
red. Divers went down to the wreck
lut. there was little that could be done
Until low tide, when Gests body was
lisentangled and brought to shore.
Four Weeping Widows.
Mrs. Naniman saw the collapse OF
he balloon and its drop into the )
'cean. carrying with II her husband
nd brother-in She swooned.
friends who were with her sent for
physicians and when she recovered.
he talked of her husbands bravery
he wives Of Bourrllllon. Gest and
elmer, who lived near by, also saw
he alrship fall. Neighbors tenderlr
ared for them and later they went .
yer to the Naniman cottage, where ,
distressing scene followed. Men
urned away as the four widows wept
n one another's shoulders
After the first excitement and shock
ad passed, Mrs. Vanlman again coll
lpsed. and later in the day she was
nder the care of a physician. She
'as suffering with frequent faintlng
pels. Her condition is serious
Cause Is Not known.
There are any theories as to the
ause Of the disaster. One is that air s
ot into the gas bag Another is
hat the rays of the sun expanded tho
as and caused the great envelope 70
urst. a third was that flames reach
the gasoline. and a fourth theory
dvanced was that a stray rope caught :
] one Of the propellers, that It was ,
hipped around and striking the gas +
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