The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-05-19
Apprehension Grows
as No Word Comes
of Lost Plane.
GALE SWEEPING SEAS
High Waves Running and
Vessels Are Keeping
Up Search.
NC.4 READY FOR LAST LEG
Commander Read and
Crew Still at Horta Wait
ing Time to Fly.
THE NC-1 IS BADLY DAMAGED
Lower Planes Broken and
Portion ls Carried
Away by Wind.
THE NC-l IS BADLY DAMAGED

wAsHfNGTON. MAY ls--Appre-
hcnsion az to the safety of COM
mAndcr John " Towers and his
crew Of four men,, who In the sea .
plane NC.9 have been lost at sea
for more than 40 hours. had begun
tonight to displhce the feeling OF
confidence among naval officials
that the trans Atlantic 'fllers soon
would he found by searching VeH-
sels g
No word had been received from
tho NC.3 since b;i6 o'clock yester-
day morning. when Commando
Towers reported that his plane the
flagship OF the squadron. was of
her course some 800 miles from the
island Of Fayal. Azores Dispatched
from Rear Admiral jackson. aboard
the 4. X II. Melville. at Ponta del
Gada, Azores. tonight said gale
was sweeping the seas northwest Of
the Azores and tina, aigh waves
wer, running
Look for Lost tlicr-.
with the NC-A at Hofta, groomed
and ready for tho next log OF the
trans Atlantic flight and the crew of
the NC-l safely aboard the cruiser
| Columbia at Horta, the navy with
It's vast force OF vessels collected 10
aid In the trans Atlantic flight was
bending Its energies to the finding
OF tho lost fliers.
Two battieshlps. the Florida and
the Texas. and nearly y score OF Dc
stroyers were securing the sea over
wide area all day today and to-
night The fog which forced the
NC 10 tn open sea when within "a
few short miles OF Corvo hcadland
had been dissipated by strong west
erly winds this morning. which In
creased 10 a gale by y. m, and
whipped up a nasty. choppy sea, the
most mcnaciDg condition possible
for scaplane riding on the sur
face or the ocean Messages re-
ceived from Rear Admiral Jackson
tonight telling Of the damage to the
NCs1 caused by the heavy seas run
ming at the time the plane was found
served To Increase apprehension felt
for the safety Of the crew of tho
NC-3.
NC.i Damaged
'rhe lower planes OF the NC-i were
badly damaged. one pontoon was en-
tlrely carried away for the right
wing was badly broken. the left wing
ribs were damaged and the elevn-
tors were smashed.
Naval vessels standing by IN an
effort TO salvage tho big boat report
ed to the department the seas were
running so high that IL was I'M
possible TO save IT, II was pointed
out that only good fortune could
possibly save the NC-3 from even
more serious damage, since II Is
h ndicappcd by the extra weight OF
its crew
Using Coroyo island as an oprrat-
ing base. the screen of hattleships
aud troycrs were sweeping west.
ward In great seml-circle in an
effort To catch sight OF the NC-3 or
pick up radio distress signals The
high winds and heavy seas prevail
ing made the wurl. OF the rescue
party most difficult.
Expect Better Conditions.
The main element of hope In the
5 tuation az viewed by naval officials
tonight was the fact that the weath-
or forecasts predicted diminishing
winds and abated seas late In tho
night and Monday morning. II was
thought that II Commander Towers
frail craft could successfully ride
out the gale until morning that the
probability OF rescue would he great
~ increased. since u veritlhls swarm
OF destroyers and other naval rrsft
Ncre being concentrated over the
area 20 tho northwest ot the Azores
Zach ~ the sctp'lucs carried sur
ficient food and water fpr six days
when tho squadron lrn Tropassey
bay.
The mrmhcr> OF the crow ~ the
NC-J. IN idaif.uu % Commander
Towers al. con w4ndcr II. 4
T. ,htrdsnn Lieutenant n. y Me
cuuuurh Lieutenant Commander
4 y Lavender ana Machri l.. II.
Moore,