Evening journal., 1912-07-02
IN The United preas.

by Inc united lrcbt.
ATLANTIC CITY. n. j.. July o.
Melvin Naniman. his brother Calvin
Nanimsn, Fred Elmer George Boultion
and Walter Guest were killed at $50
o'clock this morning by the explosion Of
the dirgible balloon Akron which burst
while two thousand feet in the air The
men fell into nine feet OF water in an in
let a half mile from shore.
Watched by more than a thousand
people, the Nanimans and their three
helpers took tho big balloon from the
hanger for a tryout preparatory TO Mel
vim Naniman's proposed trans Atlantic
fight, and for several minutes the diri-
rblc dartcd about over tho Thorough
fare apparently in excellent condition
and perfect control.
Then Naniman pointed her nose up
ward and rose slowly until the Akron
was nearly half a mile above the earth.
Apparently then a warm stratum of air
was encountered. for suddenly the big
bag exploded. and the framework with
the five men dartcd TO the earth like a
plummet.
Sitting on the porch OF the Vani-
man cottage az the inlet were tho
MANiN vi WAANAu NunAUNuM MMN RNhT
tillion, Gost and Elmer. Calvin Nani-
man was the only member Of the
crew unmarried These women saw
the men toppled out of the basket and
fall 1000 feet into the water. Mrs
Vaniman tainted.
Men among the spectators rushed for.
ward while women screamed and some
tainted, but the Akron fell far out on
the water.
Naniman recently has been making nu
mcrous secret experiments with an in
torior air bag, by which he expected &c
control the rising and lowering of th'
balloon. His plan was to pump air int
the interior bag which would expan'
and thereby compress the gas within thu
balloon. Naniman was positive that hl
had solved the problem Of aerial naviga
tion. Il is believed by many that h
had equipped the Akron with this uey
device and that IFS operation may haN
caused the accident. Naniman talked i
fpuhhc, but usually acted secretly whei
he had experiments 10 make.
Thought He Had Conquered.
~ am perfectly certain this invention
combined with a new woven steel wir
fabric, viii solve the problem of the air,
said Naniman few days ago. "W
will soon see much wonderful improve
ncnt and the public win realize tn
truth Of my contontion-tha the al
must be conquered by the dirigible AM
not by the acroplane.
Il am positively certain that | cal
make the trans Atlantic fight. ] hav
made countless Improvements in m.
balloons since the Wellman flight
probably will not attempt the flight un
ltil I can construct a new balloon but
cannot say about that. The Akron i
the finest balloon in the world as sh
4 flies today
Naniman, who acted as the chief on
! giueer of the Walter Wellman flight
which ended disastrously had held
strong ambition ever since TO succeed
where Wellman failed. Nsniman gsinel
much fame from the Wellman flight
4 II Is believed here that Naniman on
deavored TO use his new interior sir-bsl
J control. with the result that he and hi
! four companions lost their lives. Whei
two thousand feet high the balloon wa
seen 10 descend gradually but this wa
not sufficiently surprising 10 attrac
special attention until IL was recalled
after the explosion
i II is supposed that Nsniman pumpei