The Dolores star., 1914-07-17

them broke as il struck the water a powerful
blow.
Then the whole airship. every vestise Of II.
the tip of It's beautiful white tail. disap-
peared beneath the surface OF the river.
Suddenly the soldier the houseboat came to
life and shouted a command boat tied al
the stern. and into this squad Of vorkmen
threw themselves, and pulled on for the OF
the disaster. Then the sirship 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
Entangied In the wreckage. his lifebelt did him
bet 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 that
the front ruypost caught In It's support on the
launching apparatus and Was not released In time
To give free flight. 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.. Manly
took the wrecked machine back to Washington.
II WIS growing late In the year. The available
fund Of money about exhausted. and IL was
realized that unless a better showing could be
made there would be no more funds forthcoming
from congress- workmen were set to the task
OF getting the aeropiane ready for another flight
before winter set In.
Although the main frame ana the engine Were
not damaged. other delicate portions were 80 bad
iy injured that two months were required for the
repairs to be made. and II was not until Decem-
Der s that everything was In readiness for an.
other flight. Despite the iateness 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 s. be-
tween four and Ave o'clock, the houseboat was
towed from her berth at one OF the wharves ut
Washington 10 Arsenal point. where the eastern
branch enters the Potomac. Here was . space
barely sufhcient for the requirements OF the avia
tor in his extremity.
The engine worked perfectly ~ the propellers
were 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 supcrstructure Al the aeroplAne
looking ghostly In the deepening night shot over
III. edge Of tho houseboat. her nose pointed to
ward the arsenal. there was grinding noise
The rear wings collapsed the whole machine
plunged downward. and Mr.. Manly for tho sec
ond time was carried beneath the waves.
This time his escape vas narrower than II had
been a whitewater In October In the darkness
and coususion his location was lost sight o. and
while u,ea looked Tor him In small boats he 70
NAMED beneath the water tangled In the wreck
are, stunned. and with his hea1 cut open. III
was found Just IN the nick Of time. taken aboard
the houssboaf and sssuscitated..
The voekmsn toiled until midnight In the icy
vatesv recovering the. WRECKED airship. twics
saved nom the waters Of the Potomac The asso
droms vas Aaaily taken 70 he smlthsonlAn shops
whore Il was pastially repalrs1. u has beef
stared thseo until its receat removal 10 Han
moaasosss sss ~ third attempt u ayhs