The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-07-11
BIRIGIBLE BURST
KILLING IT'S CREW

ATLANTIC CITY. Special-The big
diriSible Akron, built by Melvin Va
niman, for trip across the Atlantic
Ocean, blew up Tuesday while
LYME over the Meadows. and the i've
occupants of the balloon lost their
lives. The dead body of Calvin Vans-
man, brother Of the commander Of
the aerial craft. was recovered in
the inlet, badly bruised, but not
burned.
The balloon was moving at an altI-
;uoe OF about 1000 feet when fhe
explosion occurred.
These on the ground. who were
Watching the fight. saw the great
black balloon suddenly burst into
flames Clouds of smoke rolled up-
ward.
The frame crumpled up and the re-
mains or the dirigible shot eartnward.
antine Beach.
A rescue party left at once for the
scene. They reported upon their ar
rival that they could not find any hu-
They believed that the men were
thrown into the ocean.
Rescuers who dashed two miles
across the inlet found no trace OF tha
men who had been in the balloon.
Besides Naniman. those on The 1-es-
sci were Calvin Vaninan. brofber -
the commander; Fred Elmer. George
Boultin and Walter Gest.
Gest was a passenger.
Mrs. Melvin Naniman saw the dis
aster from the porch of her home. She
collapsed and is in a serious condifion
An hour after the accident and after
the rescuers had given up all hone ~
IiitUInS any OF the bodies the corpse
VI lawn Naniman was recovered.
Nanlman was personally in CHARGE
or the balloon during the fight
me night over the Meadows began
/ time loo StOck ana II was j1st short
Like a blazing meteorite the burninr
] oo%%S uaShed eastward, emitting clouds
tine Beach but ali the nfs ? re
: tIT1LIffVed to have lost thetA<p Is IN the
News that the .'vaniman had aone
! up spread rapidly. and des1ite the
I ea.5y hour thousands were soon gath-
| ereh upon the beaches and on the
streets watching the huge csaa,- eha ned
cralt Outlined against the morning sky
al cater attaining an altitude of about
\OVO Zee the aerial pilot began pulling,
/ fsNcraft through fancy motors. Thers
was Nyind, the air ear and con-
: !: s.: ~ IS. IS:
/ evolutions n. took
place.
circle, swinging through 4 Hz<kl
the grace OF a swallow S
lV,OgO spectators saw spult
smoke smudge the sky from
[
after part OF the balloon shot - H.
as though propelled from a BIAS
qSrneath- The smoke became sis -
| lanes enveloped the after Sect
the frame work. Those in the br
could be seen clinging desperafe IA - s.
the struts. Suddenly the balloon -.
earthWard with sickenina speed
IN her wake was a thick ira
Flames billowed for many yart
hlnd the blazing plummet. III -
MANY on the ground were sfclxe17< Il
Dy the sight. CHER SLACK OF the Il
department. a man hardened to II "a i,
OF distress and excitement, was nor r.
ably upset. - =
We heard the screams OF the a
ed men Tor two miles across the " III
II was awful. I tried TO keen M ~, IS, ~:
turned away, but the shrioks .5' -
frantic spectators about me cor
me against my Will TO look I'D n Il
Akron. 81
About $4,000 had been ST
balloon preparing her for 49, I.
was constructed along the lines of
Wellman's famous dirigible in which
ne made an unsuccessful attempt 10
cross the Atlantic. Naniman was Well
mans chief engineer
The theory advanced for the acct
dent is that a leak in the fuel tank
caused the explosion and set the bag
afire.