The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-08-06

them broke as II struck the water a powerful
blow.
Then the whole airship. every vestige of It.
even 10 the tip OF It's beautiful white tail. disap-
peared beneath the surface OF the river.
Suddenly the soldier on the houseboat came TO
life and shouted n nina A boat was tied Mt
the stern. and into this n squad Of workmen
threw themselves. and pulled of for the scene OF
tho disaster, Then the airship foated TO the
surface. and Mr.. Manly's head bobbed up.
There was half II 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 flight, 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 dlsheartened, Mr.. Manly
took the wrecked machine back to Washington.
II was growing late In the year. The available
fund Of money was about exhausted. and II was
realized that unless n better showing could be
made there would be no more funds forthcoming
from congress. Workmen were set To the task
of getting the a~eroplane ready for another flight
before winter set in,
AAih A"1 lNaNlA lallb Hbi Wv hNAt' Nfi'
not damaged. other delicate portions were so bad
ly injured that two months were required for the
repairs to be made, and II was not until Deem
her s tina, 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.
II was bitterly cold, and there was ice on the
river when, on the afternoon Of December 8, be-
tween four and five o'clock. the household 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
were set In motion. hut again the launching
apparatus was at fault. This time tho 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 downwar and MIR. Manly for the sec
ond time was carried beneath the waves.
This time his escape was narrower than II had
been ut 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.
Tie 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 10 the Smithsonian shops
where II was Partially repaired. IL has beer
stored there until its recent removal TO Ham
mondsport for It's third attempt at Aging.