Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-03
FIVE BLOWN TO DEATH
AS BALLOON EXPLODES

| Walter Wellman ana Nanlfndn at
: tempted to cross the Atlantic ocean
in October, 1910 but there were many
differences in the construction of the
airship which collapsed. today. The
gas bag was thirty feet longer than
that of the America, but was smaller
in diameter. The dimensions were:
Length of bag. 25S feet; diameter, AZ
feet The bag WAS made of a com
position of rubber and was construct
ed in Ohio.
Beneath this immense cigar shaped
bag was the so-called car, similar in
shape to the Americas, but longer.
perhaps $50 feet long. The bottom
OF the car was composed of round
steel tank, about two feet in diam
eter and about 100 feet long. in this
tank was stored the gasoline, The
car was connected with the gas bag
by steel tubing of light construction
On top of the tank was built a plat
form of two inch boards and on this
rested one one hundred horsepower
motor, two so horsepower motors. one
II horsepower motor and small
dynamo
The 100 horsepower motor was used
for the two forward vertical pro-
| pellers and the other two large mo-
tors for the two pairs of Orentabe
9ropellers. These propellers could be
! turned from the horizontal TO the YER
teal and were to be used to raise
| or lower the airship. The small mo-
| tor and dynamo were used for cleo
| trio lighting and TO furnish power to
| the wireless outfit. Some IF the sup
| plies of the ship were also stored on
| this platform. In the forward end
| of the platform We're the steering
| wheel and gear for controlling the
rudder and the stabiiizing planes fore
and aft.
The sleeping accommodations for
the crew consisted of hammocks
| strung up in the car.
For a week past Vaniman had been
planning to make another flight and
only waited for favorable Winds Last
night conditions appeared satisfactory
and he notified the city authorities
that he probably would make a flight
at sunrise, today. At daybreak the
conditions were still favorable and the
word was given A hundred police
men and firemen We're sent up to the
Inlet to assist in getting the balloon
Tout of the immense hangar. Their
duty was to hold on to the ropes of
the ship as the ship was carried fully
warped out of the big shed. Hundreds
of persons who expected the flight saw
the Akron come out of the hangar for
the last time. The big bag was
brought out without difficulty. Once
clear of the shed. Vaniman jumped
into the ear of the ship where his
other four men had already gone and
he gave the word to ''let go"
Instantly the ship rose. slowly at
first and swaying from end to- end
/ Then she rose rapidly Vaniman APP
lpeared to have complete control and
latter eireling about over the inlet and
lon the mainland. the ships nose was
POINTED out TO sea. The Vancouver
ing of the great air craft constantly
lattracted additional people and the
upper end OF the beach and broad
walk were crowded with people when
the disaster occurred.
An eye witness of the disaster told
this story of what he saw:
When about 100 feet in the air
saw a sudden pugg of smoke from the
forward end of the great gas bag In
a minute it exploded.
TO those who have witnessed the
many flights of Vanman this one
lseemed at the start more successful
than any yet attempted. The crew
Iseemed to have better control than
lever before. Starting out from the
hangar the ship rose slowly from the
lground and passed easily out over the
water of the inlet, grazing the masts
of the fleet of yachts anchored there
"Vaniman and his crew were cheer
ed by number of fishing parties at
the Inlet about to start out for a days
sport. The whistles of fleet of motor
boats sounded a "Godspeed to the
airship and its crew
After getting up about 500 feet the
ship made a complete circle of the
waters of Grassy Bay. Apparently
| Vaniman was making test of the air
4 currents.
| Three of the widows of men killed
in the airship, are Mrs. Vaniman, Mrs.
Bourtillion and Mrs. Elmer They had
| gathered at the yaniman cottage
! across from the hangar. within an
| hour after the accident Outside the
| little cottage was crowd OF probably
10000 persons all downcast and some
| III tears.
Mrs. Vaniman, although she tainted
| on the porch of her little dwelling when
she saw her husband dropping to his
| death. stood the strain better than the
others after she finally became con-
scious. Mrs. Bourtillion and Mrs. Elmer
| cried on Mrs. Vaniman's shoulder. De-
| spite the intensity of the moment, Mrs
Nanman talked of her husband. "He
was so very brave, she said. that
| believed he never knew what fear was
/ never presumed to urge him not TO
| go up for / knew it would not influence
| him.. 1t would be more exact to say
| that he would not even hear what |
| said. He was devoted to his work and
| flights in the air, however, dangerous
| was to him merely an Incident
THE airship passed over the Royal
Palace HOTEL he said, "and then flew
| over the southern section of the city
! BY this time thousands of persons had
| fiocked to the board walk to witness
the flight. Soon after the puff of smoke
was seen the men on the airship were
seen assembled on one side of the
craft, but this provd to be a nipping