Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-05-16
DISASTER HAL IS
OCEANIC FLIGHT
Of BIC BALLOON
Officer Leaps as Giant
Bag Shoots Up; Drops
IS Miles Out.
LACK Of SHELTER CAUSE;
vs.
BRITISH BOAT STANDS BY

ST. Johns, N. F., May I5.-Plans
Of the United States navy for
transatlantic flight by drigible
balloon received a serious jolt, this
afternoon, when the giant Biimp,
C-5, burst from her moorings In a
gale and was swept out TO sea soon
after she had arrived from Montauk
Point, after being in the air continu-
0uSiy for rs hours and As minutes.
The destroyer Edwards set out in
pursuit, with orders to bring the
gas bag down with anti-aircraft
artillery if necessary. but a radio
message received by the cruiser
Chicago, tonight. from an unnamed
British steamship reported the Biimp
in the sea, IS miles out
The steamship said 1t was stand
ing by the dirigibie. The destroyer
Edwards was notified by wireless
OF It's position and started at once
to salvage the airship.
Lieutenant Charles J. Little, of New
bnryport, Mass, who was given charge
of the CD as it arrived here. was
almost carried away while making IN
attempt to deflatc the bag.
Officer Leaps 25 Feet
Seated in the Blimp's nacelle when
she broke away. be seized the rip cord
and gave Il tug which should have
opened UP the envelope and permitted
the gas bag to escape. The cord broke,
however. and Lieutenant Little leaped
from height Of . feet spraining his
ankle.
The escape of the CO followed
six hour struggle BY landing crew Of
400 sailors 10 prevent its injury
when gnsty west winds swept across
its mooring place in Quidividi basin and
began TO swing it about. Several of the
sailors.N clinging to guy ropes. were
thrown down BY the dirigble's final tug,
but none was injured.
Wholly unsheltered on the wind-swept
field. the drigible pitched and bucked.
stripping her bottom Of canvas and then
tearing the bow plates away.
When the wind rose from 30 miles
an hour to 40. the rigging on the nose
pf the nacellc gave way and it was
decided to deflate the envelope Lieu
tenant Little ordered all those working
on the engines to leave. He was endeav-
oring meanwhile to pull the rip-cord and
defate. the envelope. Braced wildly BY
the wind. the gas bag rebounded and
every stay snapped. Lieutenant Little
gave another tug at the rip-cord and it
broke. He leaped from the ship with the
end of the rope in his hald as the big
bag rose and scared Off
Were Awaiting Ocean Order.
The loss Of the Blimp was a dsap-
pointment to Lieutenant Commander
Emery w. Coil and his crew of five.
Despite heavy fog and unfayorable
weather, they had brot the big ship
over 1.300-mile course from Montauk
Point with q performance record which
they were confident would have brot the
Navy department order to attempt the
overseas flight.
The CO it is said. had performed per- !
fectly on the trip and only final author
iZation from Washington. inspection of |
the engines and replenishment Of fuel
and supplies. the aviators had believed |
stood between them and the trans |
Atlantic flight.
Lost Two Hours in Fog.
Regarding the "trip one of the. crew
1T was the toughest ride I've ever
had; but this was due to the bumpy'
condition of the atmosphere, not to the
ship
At times. he continued. the winds
careened the big ship until its engines
stood on end and stopped. but as soon
as the ship righted itself. the motors
went to work
The dirigiblc was lost in the fog for
time. this morning. owe, Avalon PENN
sula on the southeastern point of New
foundland. For two houls she cruised
about seeking the landig field which
was known to the crew only by radio
description. Radio directins received
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