The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-10
AIRSHIP ROUSES
CHEER UP TOWN
Big Crowd Of "RubbernecksY
Runs, Shouts, Then Com
pares Notes.
COP FORGETS PRISONER
Dirigible Flies Low Enough
to Be Seen in Detail by
Broadway Throng.
COP FORGETs PRISONER

All that part Of New York that was
awake and could get into the street.
or on top Of a building. or stick its
head out OF a window. "rubbered" with
much enthusiasm at tho big British
dirigiole last night around o'clock.
The R-s4 first appeared IN The Bronx
about five minutes to and from then
on her progress down town provoked
one craning neck and exclamation af-
ter another.
Searchlights in Times Square and
along the upper shores OF the East and
Hudson rivers picked her up almost
but the lights further down town. even
including the big lights on the Sperry
Building in Brooklyn. had great diff
ficulty in locating her. Spectators
watching from many OF the big down
| town buildings saw the bl!mp when
she lowered over Times Square long
before the downtown lights had her in
their beams.
The spectacle OF the big ship created
u sensation in Times Square and the
neighboring district. In at least one
instance she caused a policeman to
! lose a prisoner. This was in Second
avenue near Fifty-tnird street, where
a man went into q restaurant and or
dered a meal and then refused to pay
! for II. policeman was called and
vas about to take the man TO jail when
some one yelled:
Here comes the blimp!'
| Policeman, prisoner, walters, every
/ body. rushed TO the street. and in the eX-
| element the prisoner escaped.
The big airship came into the view OF
the Times Square crowd about one
o'clock. and at ia she seemed to be
just over Times Square She was flying
! low enough for the crowd to be able TO
sec her three gondolas and details OF
the machine, and what looked like
flashes OF electricity gave the impression
that her wireless was working. She had
three lights, one at either end and an
other In the centre OF the big gas bag
Above the Times Square district she few
low and slowly over the Columbia Thea
tire building. then hovered for two or
three moments directly over Longacre
Square. in tho full glow of the search.
light on the roof OF the Times building
Broadway was Janmed with specta-
tors, who had learned of her coming
through tho early editions OF the news.
papers, and as she hove into view the
crowd set up "a yell and all the ehauf-
feurs honked their horns. the stree,
car motormen changed their bells. the
elevated railroad engineers blew theii
whistles and everybody greeted tho biz
ship with as much noise as possible
Finally the diriGible turned and went
east and with hor stern downward Il
looked TO the crowd as II she were Eoins
to fall into Fifth avenue.
So strongly was this believed that six
OF seven hundred people deserted Broad.
way and ran like mad through Forty.
sixth street so that they might be on
hand to grab a souvenir. But lnstea &C
OF falling the R-34 continued sereneiy
on her course, turning northeast, circiinI
over the RitI-Csriton Hotel, where the
wife Of ono OF the officers OF the crew
Is staying. and then vanished from
: sight.
She was out OF sight OF the Broadway
crowds IN about fifteen minutes after
she frst appeared. but Broadway wa,
still talking about her at daylight this
morning. The principal topic OF conver
sation was that the big dirigible with
the silver beams OF the sesrchlights play
ing. upon her looked like a monster hss
laziiy swimming IN dim waters. But al
the ex-soldiers painted the town with
"reminiscences OF the time when the,
lay In bitches and dugouts and watched
searchlights trying TO pick up German
balloons and planes that were ever try.
inE to drop Fmbs on them