The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-22
DISASTER OF
"BLIMP" FIRE
INVESTIGATED
BY OFFICIALS
robe Responsibility for
Tragedy Resulting When
Dirigible Crashed Through
Chicago Bank Building.
II PERSONS KILLED
(By Associated Press)


for the explosion and collapse of the
dirigible which crashed through the
roof of the Illinois Trust and Savings
bank yesterday afternoon killing elev-
en- persons and injuring % others.
United States District Attorney Chas.
F. Clyne also assigned an assistant
United States attorney to attend the
coroner's inquest set for today.
Seventeen employees of the Goodyear
Tire and Rubber company of Akron,
O., owners of the airship, have been
detained pending a decision as to
whether charges of criminal careless
ness shall be filed against them.
Among those detained are Jack
Boettner, pilot of the dirigible who es-
capped by jumping with a parachute,
and w. C. Young in charge of the
aeronautic department of the Good
year company.
Girl Workers Injured.
OF the eleven dead, nine were en-
ployes of the bank and two being pas
sengers in the airship. Five persons
were in the airship at the time of the
accident, and three escaped. When
the balloon crashed through the sky
light of the bank at five o'clock more
than 200 employees. mostly girls, were
at work
The balloon with it's five passengers
was making It's maiden trip above the
city in the interest of an amusement
park. According to witnesses, squirt
of flame appeared at the stern, above
the engine. In a moment there was a
puff of smoke and the flames at
tackled the big egg-shaped gas bag.
Almost simultaneously four para
chutes leaped from the airship. Three
got clear of the burning craft but the
fourth was caught in the falling bal
loon and burned. It's passenger Carl
Weaver, mechanic of Akron, plunging
to death. Earl Davenport, publicity
man for the amisement park and one
time a sporting writer did not jump
from the machine. His body was
hurled through the bank roof and
burned to a crisp.
Harry Wacker, Akron. Ohio, chief
mechanic of the dirigible, was one of
those who came down alive. His back
was broken, however, and he is not
expected to live.
Milton G. Norton, a photographer
employed on a morning newspaper.
also landed, but in doing so his legs
were broken, and his condition is crit
ical.
"A. DocIIuSI, C1tll1du pllOt, w DIS tll6
only member Of the iu-fated airship to
land without injury.
Two Hundred In Bank
Five of the nine killed in the bank
were women employees, three were
men and one a boy. There were but
two exits in the iron cage in the cen
ter of the bank and as the Wreckage
of the balloon crashed through the
sky-light to the floor there was no
time for the employees to escape. The
tanks exploded and the interior of the
bank was sprinkled with gasoline,
which quickly ignited, burning the en-
ployes to death. More than 200 per-
sons were in the bank at the time Of
the accident.
Boettner, the pilot, who was at po-
lice headquarters today said: GAS
we neared State street, felt the ma
chine buckle and there was a tremor
throughout the fusilage. ! knew some
thing had happened and saw the
flames licking the bag. I shouted for
all to jump, and leaped out of the
car" State street is three blocks
from where the airship fell
F. ]. Cooper, assistant cashier of
the bank left his desk a few minutes
before the burning balloon. crashed
through the roof to put some records
away. THE body of a man, so badly
burned and mangled that l could not
tell at first that 1t was a man at all,
came hurtling through the air and fell
at my feet said Mr.. Cooper. Then
there was an outburst Of terrified
screaming from the rallied off space
where the girls worked and every
thing in their space seemed to be a
mass Of flames.
Damage Loss $4,000
When the first shock was over, the
men employees quickly manned the
emergency fire hoses and turned them
on the burning mass and soon had the
fire under control, and had managed
to extr1cate many of the injured from
the wreckage."
Il don't see how we can blame any.
one for this most regrettable acci
dent" he said. "It was one of the
things that no one could have fore
seen or forestalled"
Mr.. Mitchell said he would have le
gal Representatives at the investiga
uon today for the purpose of taking
steps to prevent any accident of this
kind in the future. 1T Is for the
safety Of the jeople,' he said Il will
place this matter before the bankers
committee and other interests to see
J If some step cannot be taken to pre-
; vent such accidents. l do not thlnl
flying should be done over a large city
unless really necessary"
| The corporation council today be
gan the work Of drafting an ordinance
regulating the operation of aircraf
above the city.
Major Clarence Maranville, chief O
the army aircraft division at Akrol
field, who witnessed the accident, ha
, sent a report to the War department
i at Washington.
"Deplorable as it is, believe ther
is an explanation, said Major Maran
/ Vile. Il saw the assembled bag be
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