The sun., 1919-07-23
FOUR THEORIES HELD
IN BLIMP EXPLOSION
Army Officer Thinks Sparks
From Open Exhaust
Fired Gas.
STATE BEGINS INQUIRY
Rubber Co. Officials Held in
Connection With Chicago
Tragedy.

CHICAGO, July 72.--only the theories
the destruction by hre of the dirisibls.
resulting in twelve deaths and injury
TO twenty-eight other persons yesterday.
were ELECTED at the first session OF the
CoronerSs inquiry to-day.
The cause Of the disaster seemed AZ
far from disclosure as at the moment
when name spurted along the gas bag
a. II SCARED above Chicago's sky scrap
ers before plungins down through the
roof Of q bank, spreading fatal flames
among bookkeepers. clerks and stenog-
raphers preparing to end their days
work.
Authorities. however. apparently were
determined TO place responsibility on
some one Assistant States Attorney
James Lowry. in charge Of Interrogation
Of witnesses. declared prosecution was
certain to follow the inquiry, probably
on grounds Of criminal negligence and
carelessness.
At least four theories for the start
OF the IRE were heard to-day.
Pilot John Boettner. who is held. told
the States attorney that spontaneous
combustion probably was the Cause
w. c. Young. chief Of the aeronauticai
forces of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber
Company. owner Of the dirigible, sug-
0ested burning of from the motor
Lieut. Thomas Atkinson, purchasing
agent for the Motor Transport Corps,
Z. 8. A., was inclined to believe leaky
valve was responsible. and that static
electricity caused combustion.
Montford Morrison. q member OF the
Coroner's jury and Q technical expert.
Who examined the broksn motors. sug-
kested that he found al exhausts oBen
and that sparks therefrom may have
tknited the gas bag.
Assistant States Attorney Lowry
asked the Chief of Police to take into
custody two officials of the local ofncers
n the Goodyear company for question
ing. Their names were not divulged.
Seventeen persons, most Of them mechan-
ics Of the company's forces, were Ques-
tioned last night and to-day and sum
inoned for the inquest
The first session Of the Coroner's In
question which State and Federal ON
cials are waiting before taking action
by the refusal Of Pilot Boettner and
his chief. Mr.. Young. to testify. Their
refusal was on the advice or counsel
representing the company.
While local officials asserted RESPONSE
nility for the accident was to be hxed on
ecme one. no evidence developed to show
the company had been negligent. The
Assistant States Attorney called at
tention to q letter said TO have been
nv Mr. Yotiug n his RSRtSt aOt8
urging speed in assembling the machine
here.
Lieut.. Atkinson testified that the Good
year company's balloons bore an excel
lent reputation in the army. The Lieu
tenant, who witnessed the accident from
an automobile. said:
The hydrogen escaping from q leaky
valve and mixing with the air was prob
sbly ignited by static electricity In tho
air do not believe II was possible for
sparks from the exhaust to ignite the
bag"
The Lieutenant testified that he never
had heard Of rotary engines being used
IN dirigibles. understand this was in
the nature OF an experiment From the
experience the pilot had had with the
biimp they apparently were working all
right" he added.
Motors Were borrowed.
AS to the rotary motors however.
Major Clarence Maranviiie, chief OF the
army aircraft force, at the Akron neld,
said last night he had lent them to the
Goodyear Company. He said he UNDER
stood all necessary precautions had been
taken. He also said he did not believe
static electricity had caused the IRE.
While the Coroners double jury. COM
posed of six business men and six techni-
cal experts, was hearing first testimony.
the Corporation Counsers office was en-
gagged In drafting an ordinance regulat-
ting fying over tho city. II has been
advocated that flying over the down
town section or any congssted district
be prohibited. City officisls. including
ths Councils Aviation Commission, de-
sire to foster aerial advancement but
seek TO institute such regulation as win
aid In preventing death and injury to
innocent bystanders In case OF an acct-
dent In the air
The twelfth victim of the calamity
was Milton G. Norton. a photographer
for a morning paper. who died to-day.
Devotion to duty marked his last semi
conscious moment. He was veteran
Newspaper photographer and sought the
assignment to go with the dirigible on
one OF It's early test flights. His para
chute ignited as he ieaped from the
machines gondola and he fell In the
street. AS death approached he muir
INJURED that he hoped his camera ana
plates had not been damaged.
Not all Of the victims Of the tragedy
were out OF danger. hospital advices said.
Funeral services for the dead were being
planned but probably will be held sepa-'
rately.
' The Coroner's inquiry will be resumed
tomorrow morning. By that time Of
ficiais OF the Goodyear Company are ex-
pected to have arrived from Akron.
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