Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-05-11
Falls Into River Off Little
Hunting Creek This
Morning
TWO MEN ARE KILLED
Survivors Brought to alexandria
Hospital-Accident Caused by
Breaking Of Propeller
Alexandria

Two men are believed to have
drowned in the Potomac, two are in
the Alexandria Hospital, suffering
from severe burns and bruises about
the body and head and from shock and
the fifth Washington newspaper
man, was badly bruised and hurt IN
an accident shortly before eight
o'clock this morning when one of the
big Curtis hydro-aeroplanes fell into
the Potomac river, at the mouth OF
Little Hunting Creek, just above Mt.
Vernon, and opposite Bryant's Polnt'
Md.
l.. v. Crantz, one of the oldest en-
ployees Of the Curtis Aeronautlcai
company, and Charles A. Good, a
student, are missing; Thomas Nc
Cauley, the pilot of the machine and
l.. P. Utter, the machinist, are IN
the Alexandria Hospital, and Mayo
Dudley, a reporter of the Washing
ton Star, is at his home in Washing
ton.
The five passengers left the Wash
ineton Navy Yard for Newport News
shortly after seven O'Clock this morn
ing in the big air ship which bore
the number H-lO. 1t was modelled af-
ter the american" the trans-At-
lantic flyer built for Roderick Wana-
maker, and Sis one of the biggest air.
ships in existence. Recently in test
in Newport News it carried IL pas
sengers on a trial flight. The ma
chine had flown without difficulties OF
any kind from Newport News to
Washington on Monday making the
trim of 12O miles in less than three
hours. It was owned by the Atlantic
Coast Aeronautical Station.
According to the, incoherent stories
of McCauley and Utter and from per-
cons who saw the accident from the
river banks, the machine was flying
Mt an altitude of between so and 6o
feet when the accident occurred. 1t
was making a speed of 40 miles an
hour. McCauley apd Utter say they
can remember nothing about it. They
heard crash and the next they
knew they were being pulled out OF
the water.
A woman who lives near Riverside
said that she heard loud explosion
and saw something fly from the ma
chine and strike the water. Immedi-
ately the big ariship darted down.
ward. but covered distance of per-
hans 100 feet before it struck the
surface of the water with a tremen-
dous crash.
The aviators say that the accident
was undoubtedly caused by the break
ing of a propeller or as they express.
ed it the machine "threw propeller
The tug, "John Miller" with two
sand scows in tow, was making tol
the mouth of the creek when tht
crew saw the accident. The tow was
cast off and the tug headed for the
machine which was drifting with the
tide. McCauley, Utter and Dudley
were hauled from the water but ne
trace was found of Crantz or Good
A half hour was spent in cruising
about in the vicinity looking for thu
two men and in overhauling th'
wrecked plane in an effort to see i
the men were entangled in the ma
chine but no trace of them could b
found.
The tug then put in for Miller
brick yard where the wounded mel
were landed and from there the.
were taken to the riverside station
of the Washington-Virginia Railway
McCauley and Utter were placed o
the milk train which was just abou
to leave and were brought to the, Al
esandria Hospital where their wound
were treated by DR.. NJ. D. Delaney
Their injuries are not regarded a
serious.
Dudley who was bruised about tn
BODY and had both eyes practicall
closed and though suffering grea
main took the passenger train fs
Washington. He was almost cor
pletely blinded by the time he reac