Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-07-03

getting the balloon out of the inn
mrnfr hangar Their duty was tu nod
60 The ropps uf the ship as fhe was
carefully warped out of the hlr shed,
Hundreds of persons who witnessed
the fight raW the Akron come out ~
thr hangar Tor the last tlmc. The up-
erttiun was simple ono and the hls
ls,g was brought uut without difll-
Guilty once clear of the shed, Nanl-
man jumped into Tho car ~ The ship
where his other four men had al
ready gone and he gave the word,
4 Dot gu' and Instantly the hlg ship
roso slowly nj first ana swaying from
end to end Then she rose rapidly.
NauIman appeared 10 have complete
control and after circIing about over
the inlet and on the mainland. tho
ships nose was pointed out 90 sea
The mancuyerlngH of the great air
craft constantly attracted additional
people ana the upper end ~ the beach
and board walk were crowded when
the disaster occurred.
An eye witness ~ the disaster told
This story of what he saw
when about 600 feet In he air.
saw sudden puff of smoke from
thr forward end OF the gas bag. In
minute II exploded.
"ro those who have witnessed tho
many flights Of NannHn ms ono
seemed az the start more successful
thln any yet attempted The crew
seemed to have better control Than
over before Starting out from the
hangar the ship rose slowly from the
ground and passed easily out over tho
water of the inlet grazing the mnsts
of the fleet uf Wchts anchored there.
"Nunlman and his crew we're cheer
ed hy number ~ fishing parties al
the inlet about 10 start out for a
days sport Thc Whistles of 10 fleet
Of mutprhoats sounded 'Godspecd
to the Mrship and its crew.
After getting up about 800 feet
the fleet made q complete circle ~
the waters Of Grassy Bay. Apparently
b Naulman was making test of the air
currents
The mrship passed over the Royal
Palace hotel and then flew over the
southern section of the city. By this
time the word had quickly spread that
the ship was IN the air ana thousands
of residents and visitors flocked 20
the board walk 10 witness thr fight
Soon after the puff Of smoke was
seen the men on the alrship were
seen ~ gather together on one side
~ the craft but this proved 20 be "a
uppu.g Of the entire right side OF the
hir gas envelope. The spectators
however. did not realize that anything
had happened until suddenly the huge
bag WAS seen 10 buckle from the two
eAircme ends forming a perfect 'l.
There was no report, but Immediately
the bag fell toward the ocean with
frphtml velocity.
"Thc bodies of the five men could
hc plainly seen pluuging through the
Of air from the great height their bodies
turning over and over again before
they sank In the sea. just Oft the outer
har and not far from can buoy
From the board walk abreast from
the Iifc saving station II looked as II
thc now limp gas bag and It's metal
frame work covered their bodies.
.'Nlcn ON the. board walk turned
their eyes from the sckcning sight
. ana women screamed one man who
Z appeared 10 grasp the situation, made
4 dash for the Royal Palace hotel /,
telephone for help. large launch
ON the way to the fishing grounds
started TO blow whistle TO attract
the attention uf the other boats ano
ln short time the inlet waters Wer,
hack with boats rushing TO the alc
Of the men,"
, VanIman. because OF his genial dis.
position. had endeared himself TO tn,
citizens Of Atlantic city and his un-
timely end caused universal sorrow
here. To IA reporter who recently In
tcrViewed him he expressed the great
est confidence in the ability of th'
% Akron TO make good on all that wai
3 claimed for 1t. lie was keenly aware
of the dangerous nature OF the ga'
. used for Initiating the bag, but h'
u felt that il was safe from explosion
! as no flame could reach IT.
u one theory of the cause of the eN
i ploslon is that gasoline used for op
~ Grating the engines exploded ana II
turn communicated to the gas IN th'
balloon.
g Vaniman had recently tested an en-
:, urely new material for the gas pal
u Of his balloon reinforced with WIZ
> and Naniman claimed that with II n
- could construct a balloon that Woul
neither expand nor contract thu
producing diriglble that would b
absolutely under control of the en-
glnes and steering apparatus.
- On his last two trips, Naniman dis
vi penscd with the services of his wire
OF less telegraph operator and had ro
u moved the apparatus, thus giving III
a,Es crew additional room in the work
I'm ing quarters.
he THAT somebody had let too niue
Il free gas into the engines and hacke
ss up the exhaust, was the theory
so chief Black, Of the fire department
~ who was on hand with his men,
M help in launching the balloon. l ha
rs no idea there was anything wron
ng until | suddenly saw the smok
Ok chance to flame and saw the entiI
Al rear end of the big gas bag go up
.I though by explosion" ne said,
LS we heard the screams OF IN
Nm doomed men across the water, IN
M sight was awful. The big halloo
'w dipped down 10y the stern and startt
a toward the earth at a terrific speed
w. turned my head away but n
- screams of the crowd forced me
- turn back and ! saw the big balloo
collapse like a bursted kite and dive
down toward the water
Another theory for the cause of tf
disaster is that dangling rope of IN
uggiug dragged into the big prope
lcrs., whipped up against the ster
end of the balloon and snapped o
enough of the cone to free the ga
I|aluWing the vapor to creep INTO u
engines and explode.
Three of the widows % the me
IkiupB I'm the Rirship are Mrs. Van