The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-16
NAVY D|R|G|BLE
BELIEVED LOST
Was Swept Out to Sea Yes
terday and Cannot Be
Found
WAS REPORTED
IS MILES AT SEA
Searching Destroyer Unable to Locate
Her-Wind Tore Balloon From Its
Moorings Yesterday-Narrow Es-
cape for officer.


Moorings Yesterday-Narrow Es-
cape for officer.
TREPASSEY, n. f., May l6 The ma
Wy dirigible C-5 which was swept to sea
yesterday is now believed to have been
lost The destroyer Edwards which went
in pursuit reported by wireless today that
she had been unable to find her and was
returning The merchant steamer which
had previously reported that she was
standing by the balloon subsequently sent
message that she was unable to stand
by longer and was proceeding on her way.
ST. JOHNS, n. r., May 16-The
United States naval dirigble CO said
to have been only slightly damaged
when she broke from her moorings and
driftcd to sea yesterday afternoon, was
in tow Of the destroyer Edwards today
on the way back to port.
The Edwards reported by wireless to
the cruiser Chicago, headquarters of the
temporary American aviation base, that
she had picked up the balloon 50 miles
at sea where the British cargo steam
ShApA W u -NtllSOui was olduuluS "
awaiting the arrival of the rescue yes
sell The War Netigon cited the dirig-
ible on the water last night
Lieut. Charles G.. Little of Newburv-
port, Mass, who was given charge of
the CO after her crew had been bundled
off to bed aboard the cruiser Chicago,
was almost carried away by the fugi-
tive gas bag yesterday while making a
uervy attempt to debate it.
Seated in the "blimp So nacelle when
she broke away, he seized the rip cord
and gave tug which should have
opened up the big envelope and per-
mitted the gas to escape. The cord
broke, however, and Lieut.. Little re-
alizing he would be unable to bring the
ship down, leaped out from a height
of % feet His only injury was a
sprained ankle.
The escape of the CO followed a
long struggle by sailors from the
cruiser Chicago to prevent its injury
when gusty west winds swept across Its
mooring place in Quidividi basin and
began to swing it about. Several
of the sailors, clinging to guy ropes
were thrown down by the dirigible s
final tug, but none were injured.
landing crew of 100 men under
fought with the gale for control of the
Go for six hours before it broke away
Wholly unsheltered on the wind
swept field, the dirigible pitched anC
bucked, stripping her bottom of can
vas and then tearing the bowplateS
away. Tenders were placed to blunt
the shock and the men of the landing
crew rode wildly as they chung to the
car through its oscillations under sue
cessivc gusts of wind, endcavoring t
save il.
Several of the guy ropes snapped
and were replaced, but for hours tn
cables held and it was believed tn
ship would be saved. Then the wint
rose from 80 miles an hour to 40. TIL
landing crew was considering lettin
the blimp ride out the gale at the en-
of extended lines when the rigging o
the nose Of the nacelle gave way an
it was decided to debate the envelop,
Mechanics who were working on tn
engines were ordered TO abandon shi
and all but Lieuts. Little and r. A.
Preston and Chief Machinist s Mate
j. Champion went over side. As IL
ship continued to buck, Lieut.. Ii
tie ordered the other two to leave. II
was cndCavoring meanwhile, to pu
the rip cord and debate the envelop
Thrashed wildly by the wind, Il
gas bag rcboundod and every sta
snapped. Lieut.. Little gave anoth
tug at the rip cord and it broke. I
leaped from The ship with the end
the rope in his hand as the big b;
rose and scared off over Kings Hi
northeast Of the field and just nor
of Cuckholds Cove, whence it had c
tered few hours previously.