The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-07-18

them broke as it struck the water a powerful
blow.
Then the whole airship, every vestige of it,
even to the tip of its beautiful white tail, disap-
peared beneath the surface of the river.
Suddenly the soldier on the houseboat came to
life and shouted a ommand A boat was tied at
the stern, and into this a squad of workmen
threw themselves, and pulled Off for the scene OF
the disaster. Then the airship foated to the
surface, and Mr.. Manly's head bobbed up.
There was half a smile on his face, but no
sign of fear, although he was not yet saved.
Entangled in the wreckage, his lifebelt did him
but little service. However, he managed to hold
himself up until the first boat to reach the spot
came up, when he was hauled aboard, none the
worse for his ducking.
The official explanation of the failure was that
the front outpost caught in its support on the
launching apparatus and was not released in time
to give free fight, as intended, but caused the
front of the machine to be dragged downward.
bending the outpost and causing the aeroplane to
plunge into the water.
Discouraged, but not disheartened, Mr.. Mnnly
took the wrecked machine back to Washington.
1t was growing late in the year. The available
fund of money was about exhausted, and 1t was
realized that unless a better showing could be
made there would be no more funds forthcoming
from congress. Workmen we're set to the task
of getting the aeroplane ready for another flight
before winter set in.
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not damaged, other delicate portions were so bad
ly injured that two months were required for the
repairs to be made, and 1t was not until Deem
Der 8 that everything was in readiness for an
other flight. Despite the lateness of the season,
Mr.. Manly determined to make one more effort to
prove that the Langley aeroplane would fly.
1t was bitterly cold, and there was ice on the
river when, on the afternoon of December s, be-
tween four and FIVE o'clock, the houseboat was
towed from her berth at one of the wharves at
Washington to Arsenal point, where the eastern
branch enters the Potomac. Here was a space
barely sufficient for the requirements OF the avia-
tor In his extremity.
The engine worked perfectly as the propellers
we're set in motion, But again the launching
apparatus was at fault, This time the rear guy
post seemed to catch, bringing the rudder, or tail,
down on the superstructure. AS the aeroplane,
looking ghostly in the deepening night, shot over
the edge of the houseboat, her nose pointed to-
ward the arsenal, there was a grinding noise.
The rear wings collapsed, the whole machine
plunged downward, and Mr.. Manly for the sec
ond time was carried beneath the waves.
This time his escape was narrower than 1t had
been at Whitewater in October. In the darkness
and confusion his location was lost sight of. and
while men looked for him In small boats he re-
NAMED beneath the water tangled in the wreck
age, stunned. and with his head cut open. He
was found just in the nick OF time, taken aboard
the houseboat and resuscitated. 'f (
The workmen toiled until midnight In the icy
waters recovering the wrecked airship, twice
saved from the waters OF the Potomac. The aero
drome was finally taken to the Smithsonian shops,
where 1t was partially repaired. 1t has been
stored there until its recent removal to Ham
mondsport for its third attempt at flying.