The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-16
C-5 MAY RESUME
FLIGHT SOON
U. S. Navy Dirigible Is Re-
ported Not Badly Dam
aged in Runaway
SPARE PARTS ARE
NOW AT ST. JOHNS
Official Report Says That
the Runaway Was
Unavoidable

Washington, d. c., May l6.-The run
away of the navy dirigible C-5 at St.
Johns yesterday was an unavoidable ac-
cident, due to wind conditions, said the
official account of the incident sent to
the navy department to-day by the air.
ships commander, Lieutenant Comman.
der E. w. Coil
"All possible precautions had been TAX
en- by the landing party" Commander
Coil said
Press dispatches indicating that the
dirigible probably was little damaged
surprised officials and revived hope that
it might be possible to continue the pro-
posed trans Atlantic fight of the C-5
with only few days delay. 1t had
been supposed that she would be 40 dam
aged that only her engines and some
parts of her equipment could be sal
vaged
The fact ia that the airship was in such
condition that the damage might be so
slight that it could be repaired at st.
Johns. Spare engines and some other
parts already are at st. Johns.
Commander Coils report follows:
Navy dirigible C-5 broke adrift at
LAS Greenwich time (3:45 p. m. Allan
tic time) and drifted to sea in a north
easterly direction. Wind velocity ap.
proximately 40 miles an hour strongsin
gusts. No person was injured and none
on board.
"C5 was preparing to rip, due to i'm.
possibility of remaining at mooring. Rip
cord failed, breaking at junction of out.
side patch nose. Bride suspension car
ried away, followed by preventor loop
on nose of car, which permitted mooring
lines to take all strain. These two three.
inch lines parted. Dirigible rose in air
held only BY two forward handling lines
held by men of ground crew. These were
jerked from hands of crew by C-5 rising
crashing and rcbounding into the air.
~. 5. s. Edwards put to sea to follow
.C-5.
Lieutenant G. G. Little in car at time
Of breakaway, but escaped injury by
jumping from n height of 20 feet.
"All possible precautions taken by
landing party. Accident unavoidable
due to wind conditions"
st. Johns, n. H., May l6.-The United
States naval dirigible C-5 said to have
been only slightly damaged when she
broke from her moorings and drifted to
sea yesterday afternoon, was reported in
tow of the destroyer Edwards on the
way back TO port to-day.
Finding of the runaway balloon so
close to shore led aviation officers to be-
lieve that either the craft had assembled
to a great height and burst with the air
pressure against its sides lightened, or
that the pull on the rip cord which
Lieutenant Charles g. Little risked his
life TO operate, was about sufficient
though the cord broke in his hand, TO
start dehation of the gas bag
The Edwards reported by wireless TO
the cruiser Chicago, headquarters of the
temporary American aviation base, that
she had picked up the balloon s5 miles
at sea, where the British cargo steam
ship War Nepegon was standing by,
awaiting the arrival of the rescue vessel
The War Nepegon's captain advised
the Chicago that he discovered the dir
igible ON the water last night while his
vessel was outward bound for British
port.
Marine signal stations here reported a
ship, believed to be the Edwards, pro-
ceeding slowly shoreward 80 miles south
east of ST. Johns. The report Tailed with
the latest information from the Chicago,
which was to the effect that the de-
stroyer was having difficulty in towing
the dirigible. Az her present speed II
was expected that several hours would
elapse before the C-5 was brought into
port