The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-05-16

OF. JOINS, May l0.-Ihe American
naval dirigible C-5, said to have been
only slightly damaged when she
broke from her moorings and drift
ed to sea yesterday afternoon, was
reported in tow of destroyer Ed.
wards on her way back to port to-day.
st. Johns, N. F., May 15.-The
United States navy dirigible C-5, es.
capped from its moorings here this
afternoon, and dropped into the sea
about So miles off shore, according
to radio message received tonight
by the cruiser Chicago from an uni
Identified British steamship. The
steamship said it was standing by the
dirigible. The destroyer Edwards.
which went out In pudsuit OF the
"bltmp' after ii was blown to sea. was
notified by wireless OF Its position and
started at once to salvage the airship.
The loss of the C-5 was peculiarly
disappointing in view of message
received by the department from the
airships commander, filed Just be.
fore the ship broke away, which made
1t obvious that she and her crew
we're ready to proceed without delay
on a direct fight for Europe. The
message as made public by the depart
ment follows
HC-5 arrived safely at st. Johns at
10 a. m. Trip a complete success.
Ready to proceed immediate upon
refueling and a few hours rest for
crew. Whole crew in excellent phys.
ical condition No difficulties with
navigation except when making ST
Johns with adverse winds and yisibil.
ity conditions. Request orders"
Lieutenant Charles q. Little OF
Newburyport, Mass. who was given
charge of the C-5 after her crew had
been bundled off to bed aboard the
cruiser Chicago. was almost carried
away by the fugitive gas bag while
making a nervy attempt to debate It.
Seated in the blimp's nacelle when
she broke away, he seized the rip
cord and gave a tug which should
have opened up the big enyelop and
permitted the gas to escape The
cord broke, however, and Lieutenant
Little realized he would be unable to
bring the ship down, leaped out from
a height OF % feet. His only injury
was a sprailed ankle
The escape Of the C.5 followed a
long struggle by sailors from the
cruiser Chicago to prevent its injury
when gusty winds swept across its
moorings place in Quidiyidi basin and
began tossing 1t about. Several OF the
sailors, clinging to guy ropes, were
thrown down by the dirigible's finaI
Jug, but none we're injured.
A landing crew of 100 men under
the direction of Lieutenant Little had
fought with the gale for control Of
the C-5 for six hours before ii broke
away
Wholly unsheltered on the vino
swept field. the dirigible pitched ant
bucked, stripping her bottom Of can
vas and then tearing the bowplatei
away. Tenders were placed to blum
the shock and the men of the landing
crew rode wildly as they clung t
the car through its oscillations undeI
succeeding gusts Of wind, endeavor
ing to save 1t.
Several of the guy ropes snapped
and we're replaced, but for hours tn,
cables held and It was believed tn,
ship would be saved. The wind ros,
from 30 miles to 40 miles. The land
ing crew was considering letting tn,
blimp ride out the gale at the end o
extended lines when the rigging OF
the nose of the nacelle gave way an,
II was decided TO debate the envelope
Mechanics who were working OF
the engines we're ordered TO abandon
ship and all but Lieutenants Littl
and II. A. d. Preston and Chief Me
chanists Mate J. j. Champion wen
over side. AS the ship continued l.
buck, Lieutenant Little ordered tn
other two to leave. He was endeay
oring, meanwhile, to pull the rip cor
and debate the envelope.
Thrashed wildly by the wind, tn
gas bag rebounded and every sta,
snapped Lieutenant Little gave an
other tug at the rip cord and it broke
lie leaped from the ship with the en-
of the rope In his hand as the big ba
rose and scared off over Kings Hill
northeast of the field and just mort
OF Cuckolds Cove. whence II ha
enter few hours previously.
The dirigible might have bee
saved by starting her engines afte
she had torn herself free but for tn
fact that the mechanics had been II
terruped in their oyerhauling of IN
ship by the storm and the propeller
We're unsecured, so that an attempt I
start the engines would have throw
them off
The leg Of the airship was saved b
Chief Machinists Mate Champion a
he leaned over the side lusi before