Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-07-09
EIGHT DIE IN AIR
BALLOON ExPLoDEs 1000 FEET
FROM EARTH; VANIMAN AND
CREW LOSE LIVES.
AMERICAN AVIATRlCE KILLED
Miss Harriet Quimby and Passenger
in MonopIane Plunge Into Bay at
Boston During Exhibition Flight
Spanish Flyer Succum5s.

Atlantic City, N j., July B.
Plunged 1000 feet to earth when the
dirigibile balloon the Akron blew up
In mid-air, Melvin Vaniman, the IA
nous aerial navigator and the four
men OF his crew we're dashed to death
Tuesday. The Akron had been con-
structed for trip across the At
lantic and was the last word in bal
loon construction. The flight over
the meadows began az 7 o'clock, and
1t was just a short time later that
the accident occurred.
Like blazing meteorite the burn
ing balloon dashed earthward, emit
ting clouds Of black smoke. 1t fell
upon Brigantine Beach and rescuers
who dashed two miles across the in
let were unable to give any help.
Besides Melvin Yaniman those on
the Akron were: Calvin Vaniman,
bother of the aeronaut; Fred Elmer,
George Boultin and Alter Gest.
Mrs. Melvin Vaniman saw the dis
She collapsed and is in serious con-
dition.
An hour after the eccident and after
the rescuers had given up all hope OF
finding any of the bodies, the corpse
OF Calvin Vaniman was recovered.
Melvin Vaniman was personally in
charge of the balloon during the
flight and his crew consisted of four
men, including his brother.
After making a search of the beach
about the point where the balloon had
plunged to earth, rescuers took to
boats and began searching the bay in
the hope of find some of the aerial
sailors with the breath of life still In
them.
The body of Calvin Vaniman was
recognized by party in a launch be-
longing to Councilman Harry Cook.
1t was floating in Absecon bay. AL
though bruised it was not burned.
News that "Vaniman has gone up"
spread rapidly and despite the early
hour thousands were soon gathered
upon the beaches and the street
watching the huge cigaT-shaped craft
outlined against the morning sky.
After attaining an altitude Of about
1000 feet the aerial pilot began put
ting his craft through fancy motions.
There was no wind, the air was clear
and conditions were ideal for balloon
ing Taking advantage of this. Vani-
man decided TO show the people on
the beaches some fancy stunts. 1t was
during these evolutions that the. ex-
plosion occurred
One theory was that a leak In the
fuel tank caused an explosion and that
the flames from this set the bag afire
Boston, July 3.-Miss Harriet Quinn
by of New York, the first woman to
win an ayiator's license in America
AMI the first woman to cross the Eng
lish channel in an aeroplane, was In
stantly killed with her passenger, w.
A. P. Willard, manager of the Boston
aviation meet, at Atlantic City on
Monday. when her Bleriot monoplane
fell into Dorchester bay from a height
of thousand feet.
The bodies were driven deep into
the mud on the harbor bottom, and
were extricated with difficulty by men
In launches. The water at that stage
of the tide was only five feet deep.
The horrifying spectacle of two
forms plunging through the air was
witnessed by thousands of spectators
attending the Boston aero meet.
The death of Miss Harriet Quimbly
constitutes the fifth aviation fatality
to woman since the inception Of the
new science. the previous victims be-
ing an unnamed girl at Buda Pest,
June II, 1911; Mile. Denise Moore at
Etampes. July q, 1911; Mile Suzanne
Bernard at Etampes. March 10, 1912
aud Mrs. Julian Clark at Springfield
H., June II, 1912. There were fifteen
fatalities during the month Of June
last. beginning with the death OF
Philip o. Parmalee in Washington on
June 1. On June IL Lieutenant Hazel
hurst and "Al" Welsh were killed at
Washington. and on June 81 Henry
Turner was killed at Hampstead, N. Y
The total number of aviation fatal
tiles since the death OF Lieutenant
Selfridge In September. 1908, is now
1853.
Madrid, July 3-Captain Bayo, the
first Spanish officer to fall victim to
the perils of aviation died Tuesday
from injuries sustained IN his fall or
June 80 when he was executing figure
Fights In mid-alr.