The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-07-24
BLAZING AIRSHIP e
DROPS THROUGH
ROOF Of A BANK.
Eleven Persons Killed, rs Injured
by the Crash.
FALLS IN HEART OF CHICAGO
Clerks Of Big institution Trapped in
Their Cages and Burned-Thou-
sands See Gas Bag Burst and
Passengers Leap In Para
ehutes.

sands See Gas Bag Burst and
Passengers Leap In Para
ehutes.
Chicago, July 22.-Eleven were
killed and twenty-five Injured when
gigantic dirigible on It's test flight
caught fire and fell 800 feet crashing
through the glass roof of the Illinois
Trust and Savings bank, Jackson
boulevard and La Sale street shortly
before five o'clock In the afternoon.
Most Of the dead were employees
of the bank, trapped and burned to
death in a whitening rain of fire
caused by the explosion Of the bal
looms gasoline tanks as they bit the
floor Of the bank rotunda, where over
200 bookkeepers and clerks, nearly
all girls were working.
The Dead.
James Carpenter. sixteen years old,
Illinois Trust and Savings messenger
Earl II. Davenport, formerly sport
ing writer on various papers.
Marie Florence Illinois Trust and
g Savings bank employee.
irene Miles, stenOpapher Illinois
f Trust and Savings bank.
Evelyn Meyers, stenographer Illinois
Trust and Savings bank.
Edward Munzner correspondence
clerk at bank.
Carl Otto, telegrapher for the bank.
Joseph Scaulan. bank messenger.
& Henry Buck" Weaver, Warren, O.,
mechanic; occupant Of dirlgible.
Unidentified woman, burned beyond
recognition.
Unidentified woman, so badly
burned Identification almost lmpos-
E slble.
The blimp. owned by the Goodyear
s Tire and Rubber company Of Akron,
o., had been flying about the city for
several hours when the accident oc-
Cured. Thousands witnessed It,
Squirt Of Flame Starts Tragedy.
When approximately 500 feet above
the bank a squirt OF fame was seen to
shoot from the top Of the gas bag
near the center Of the aircraft. The
crowds gathered on the streets Ia
watch the flight saw the great ma
LIchine buckle and culver as II started
on it's fatal plunge.
Four Of IT'S five occupants jumped
and two landed safely In the streets
ms the blmp, ycrItable ball of flame
struck the roof Of the bank with q
crash audible throughout the loop dis
trict
There was nothing to warn the hun
dreds Of employees Of the institution
Of the coming tragedy A shadow
passed over the marble rotunda, where
$50 were busy, and n terrifying crash
followed. The hanks closing hour foi
patrons had passed but the clerk,
were still at work In various depart
rncnts
e.. II seemed according to the Surviv'
ors. that the entire bank was on fire
Rreallng through the iron supports
holding the glass overhead. the fuSll
age OF the blimp, with two heavy
rotary engines and several gasoline
tanks smashed 10 the floor
Tanks Explode Among Bank Workers
Instantly The tanks exploded, sent
toring wave of flaming gasoline over
The workers for q radius Of 80 feet
A panic cnsucd There were only
two exits through which they could
leave The wire cage which surrounded
the rotunda
Men and girls with clothing lamlnl
fought their way through the exits
Girle ou the second floor ran scream
Ing 10 thc window and several jumped
70 The street
In an instant the marble ROUNDS
was cleared except for the dead
whose bodies were buried under IA,
flaming mass. licked to white hoar
by the gasoline hlazc and the dying
who crawlcd fcobly away from N,
scorchIng fire their clothes burn
ing Off.
The intense hea' made rescue worl
mpossibl until after the FIRE depart
mcut arrived ON foarclcycn alarm
call II was 30 minutes before IN,
bodies under the crafts msil0go coul,
be dragged ont. They were burnel
beyond recognition
Meanwhile muhuIanccs from ever
hospital and undertaking establish
mont near tic center OF the city cam,
and The police threw Gordon abou
The place Dozens were found ia hny
been more or less seriously cat by h
shower az glass which preceded tie eN
pIosiou
10000 Watch Work Of Rescue.
The rescue work was watched by
crowd Of 10000 on La Sale street an
Jackson boulevard, while more thol
sends took places Of vantage on IN
buildings neprhy
The cause Of the fire which brougl
The flaming gas bag plunging down
not known None Of the crew cuul
ascribe definite reason. Two theorl,
were offered, however. One was tht
Il spark from The rotary motors. dnl
gerous type 10 he carried under an Fl
fammable gas bag, set the gas afr
The other was that tie balloon WI
overchargcd and the suns rays cause
n ~ expand and hurst. the FIRE ia