The Washington herald., 1913-09-21
American Tells Of Pleasant
Aerial Voyage on Zeppelin
Dirigible, Victoria Luise.
Many Tourists Patrons.

| NuolAy AOuI 1918 i dlE OliSs
! The recent disasters to the German
navy Zeppelin dirigibles and the repeti-
tion of previous accident by which
soldiers have been carried up into the
air and then dashed 10 death. after
clinging vsinly to mooring ropes hang
ing down from one of those mighty ships
of the air. recalled to an American who
has recently returned from Berlin his
| trip up into the air In the Zeppelin
dirigible Victoria Luise, according to the
New York Evening Post.
I In this ship such well-known people as
President Lowell of Harvard University
end Lillian Russell have also voyaged
this summer. For months past the Vic
toria Luise has been making two trips
day from her station below Potsdam,
on the Havel River.
Trips Depend on Weather.
Whenever the weather permits. she
takes UP her crowd of tourists for trip
of an hour to an hour and a half, and then
takes another load for longer trip Of
from two TO two and a half hours. the
fares being SIS for the short ride and
so for the longer.
In telling Of his experiences, the travel
Ter said:
I'VE drove from Potsdam for the bal
loon harbor whence twice each day
Count Zeppelin's mighty dirigible fares
upward into regions ethereal-not long
drive nor uninteresting scenically, for
part of II lay in a fine park, but II may
be doubted IL we took much account OF
anything save the matter lying ahead.
This may be regarded as evidence that
We were prospective passengers OF the
good ship Victoria Luise, an adventure
the anticipation of which filled US with
mixed emotions Not dread-oh, no, moth
ing approaching that But-well. we were
neophytes. assume indifference though
We did. a designation which suffices to
explain our state of mind.
Air Trip. Most Common.
You see. in the United States. almost
everywhere in fact. outside of Germany,
flights into the air are solely for the
daring, for those who go aloft at a round
price in fragile structures OF wood, metal,
and canvas-go aloft with their necks
for sale, a the saying is. Here in the
vicinage OF Potsdam journeys into the
blue are as steamboat trips to Coney Is
land-commonplace, IL enjoyabIe-a nov
city. which so far as TeutOns and their
dirigibles were concerned. was long ago
relegated to the fixed classification of
things established. Our company at least
was comprised altogether Of aliens.
There was The Doctor. a German-Ameri-
can saloonkeeper from the Pacific Coast;
four or five students in Berlin from the
Argentine: a Frenchman: but mainly
North and South Americans. as usually.
we were informed, was the case
The saloonkeeper glanced ahead we
rounded a turn in the road. and pointed
with short. thick forefnger.
We'll, he spoke with a half-high,
there's the joint. all right
Following his gaze We saw in the dis
tance the brick-and-steel buiIding-which
by reason of our familiarity with pic
torial postal cards in Berlin and posters.
We recognized as the abiding places of
the balloons, the scene of our intended
departure skyward.
Yes, there it is the saloonkeeper
continued. just waitin' for a bunch OF
chumps that want TO join the angels
There it is. sure enough, smiled |
the Doctor.
Noise of PrOpcIIers.
As We came nearer a portentous roar |
ing sound smote our ears. They were |
starting the prOpellers, the doctor ex-
planned, and then, rolling upon the open |
field along the placid River Havel-
whereon the 'haTbor' stands-we passed |
hundreds Of German soldiers in working !
garb who regarded US as We alighted in |
front of lit very much, h seemed, as /
working members of an esoteric lodge !
might view a band of nOvices advancing !
for initiation.
Aviation watchmen led us without |
formality into the waiting room for pas
sengers. passing on the way the Offices |
of the company as well as an apartment |
reserved, so the sign on the door read.
for the navigating officers We sat for /
a while in silence while the roaring con-
tinued. waxed louder, trifie impressed.
it may be. by the strange situation. The
saloonkeeper laughed and nudged the
doctor.
Kind of like we was candidates for
the electric chair-eh2''
Bot the suspense did not last long A
ine-looking officer appeared in the door
way and led us back to the hall where
the airship was beginning to Tug at It's
ropes, for they were taking on .he heavy
bags of sand which hung from the k..e!.
and as We approached some of The water
ballast came pouring out. The frea. ship
itself rested upon two trucks or fat ,ars
resting on a track. The rrbin for pas
sengers is in the center Of the great cigar
shaped airShip amidship. and at either
end hung the gondoias which contain the
gasoline engines that afford the motive
power. But as to what else there was in
these gondOlas which are suspended from
the keel so that you have to climb a short
wire ladder to get up into the passage
way under the gas-bag through what may
be called the keel of the ship, cannot
tell For the minute We approached them
the attendants carefully shooed US of
and led us to the ladder by which we
climbed to the door Of the cabin, to find
ourselves in the little pantry from which
the steward serves the drinks and cold
viands at double Ritz-Carlton prices mol ;
fire and no smoking are allowed on board
Some additional passengers were per-
mitted to enter the gondolas, but they
were young officers in the full service
dress Of the Kaiser's army. and as they
entered they wrapped their long cIoaks |
about them, just as the pilots and the |
working crew wore leather Jackets. gog-
giles, and some even the helmets so IA
miliar in the pictures Of aviators.
Fine-LookinE Officers.
"Fine-looking men were the pilots and
the officers Of the German Airship Navi- s
cation Company. which navigates these
vessels. They were lean, athletic, with '
bronZed faces and the clean-cut stamp Of
men accustomed to grave responsibility. ]
and in the pink of physical trim. The
officials wore blue yachting caps. The I
habit of command was obviously theirs, J
and the soldiers obeyed their lightest
word as il they had been their own off,
GERS. We seated ourselves and waited,
taking in quickly the spacious and COM
cabin with sixteen wicker chairs, !
1k,,Ie