Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-22
GAS TANK FALLS
THROUGH BANK :
WRECkINC
It COMPLETELY
Seven Persons Meet Death In
side the Financial Institution
When Explosion of Tank
Occurs,
THREE KILLED WHEN
BIG BLIMP COLLAPSES
Two Out of Five Persons in
the DirigibIe ESCapei Three
Perish When ParaChuteS
Catch Fire,

OOlOll | ~ u
ray NosNlNo JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrRE)
Chicago, July 21.--Ten persons
were killed and twenty-five injured
when a large dirigble on its test
flight caught fire and fell 500 feet,
crashing through the glass roof of the
Illinois Trust & Savings bank. Jackson
boulevard and LaSal!e street, at
o'clock this afternoon. The most of
the dead were employees of the bank,
trapped and burned to death in a fire
caused by the explosion of the bal
looms gasoline tanks as they hit tho
floor of the bank rotunda, where
more than zoo bookkeepers and
clerks. nearly all girls. were working
The balloon, owned by the Good
year Tire and Rubber Company of
Akron, O.. had been flying above the
city for several hours when the acci-
dent occurred.
Falls About 500 Feet.
When approximately soc feet above
the bank squirt of flame was seen
to shoot from the top of the gas bag
near the center of the aircraft. The
crowds gathered on the streets to
watch the flight saw the machine
buckle and quiver as it started on its
fatal plunge.
Four OF its five occupants jumped,
and two landed safely in the streets as
the blimp, ball of flame, struck the
roof of the bank with n crash audible
throughout the down town district
There was nothing to warn the hun
dreds Of employees Of the institution OF
the coming tragedy A shadow over
the marble rotunda, where $50 were
busy and "A crash followed. The banks
closing hour for patrons had passed
but the clerks were still at work.
Smashcs Through Roof
1t seemed, according to the surviv-
ors that tho entire bank was on fire.
Breaking through the iron supports
holding the glass overhead. the fusel-
age of the balloon, with two heavy
rotary engines and several gasoline
tanks, smashed to the floor.
Instantly the tanks exploded, scat
tering a wave of flaming gasoline over
the workers for radius of fifty feet
a panic onsued. There were only two
exits through which they could leave
the wire cage which surrounded the
rotunda.
Men and girls with clothing flaming
fought theiy way through the exits
Girls on the second floor ran scream
ing to the window and several jumped
to the street
In an instant the rotunda was clear
ed except for the dead whose bodies
were buried under the mass and the
dying, who crawled away from the
scorchng fire. their clothes burning.
Rescue Work Difficult,
The intense heat made rescue work
difficult until after the fire depart
| Il 1.t,r ,tY,tt
before the bodies under the crafts
| fusilage could be dragged out. They
were burned beyond recognition.
Meanwhile ambulances from every
hospital and undertaking establish
ment near the center of the city
came, and the police threw a Gordon
about the place. Dozens were found to
have been more or less cut by the
shower Of glass which preceded the
explosion.
The cause of the fire which brought
the flaming gas bag down is not defi-
nitely known. None of the crew
could ascribe a definite reason.
Two theories were offered. One
was that spark from the rotary mo-
tors set the gas afire. The other was
that the balloon was overcharged and
the suns rays caused it to expand and
burst, the fire following the contact
of the gas with sparks in the mo-
tor.
1t was intended to charge the bag
with a pure mixture of hydrogen gas
which is not inflammab BILE It was con-
jectured, however, that a. quantity Of
oxygen became mixed in the charg-
ing process rendering u highly ex-
plosive combination.
When Jack Boettner, an employe
of the rubber company and pilot of
the craft saw the flicker of flame he
| shouted a warning to the other pas
sengers and jumped from the fusil-
age.
Protected by Parachutes.
All were protected by a parachute
attached to their bodies by belts.
Henry Weaver and Harry Wacker,
mechanicians, followed. L. II. Norton,
| a photographer for a morning paper
was the last to leap. Earl H. Daven-
port, publicity agent for an amuse-
ment park, did not get out. His body
struck the roof of the bank and
burned to a crisp. Weaver's parachute
was ablaZe and he was overtaken by
the flaming balloon and carried down
to death.
Boettner and wacker landed prac-
tically unhurt Norton suffered
broken legs and severe internal in
jurieS.
The other dead were crushed and
burned in the rotunda of the bank.
The central portion of the bank
was wrecked and it was an hour be-
fore the fire could be eXtinguished.
Was Experimental Device.
The airshio was an experimental
device, modelled after army plans and
| it had been planned to make a trip