The Washington herald., 1919-05-16
Lieut.. Little Jumps from
Car to Safety When
Great ''Blimp'' Starts
Runaway Career Over
Ocean Wastes, After
Wonderful Flight from
Montauk Point to New
foundland.
BULLETIN.
st. Johns. N. F.. May 15.-The
C-5 has been captured.

Trepassey. N. F.. May 15.-This has
been day Of disappointments for the
intrepid Yankee flyers who would
conquer the air route from the Amer
lean to the European continent.
The seaplanes NC-1 and NC-3 made
an unsuccessful attempt to hop on
here for the 1.sOo-mile journey to the
Azores. while at ST. Johns ''blimp"
C-0. their dirigible comrade, broke
away from its moorings and, driven
by a twenty-mile westerly wind, is
tonight steering aimlessly into the
Nastness Somewhere over the sea, {"
with no human hand to steer her
Alright or bring her back.
Fast little America ndestroyers
hunted the truant airship. prepared
to shoot her down at sight.
In the breakaway of the C-5 at st.
Johns. three accidents occurred, one
OF which may result in the death of
a boy named Kavanaugh, Is, who
sustained an injury to the brain
when struck by one of the swapping
ropes.
Lieut.. Little. who was in the air.
ships car at the time 1t broke away,
came near being carried away to a
terrible fate. He jumped just in
time. but sustained a sprained ankle.
n boy named O'Donnell. also Is, had
his right leg broken by the same
rope that struck Kavanaugh on tl,e
head.
This series OF mishaps was offset
somewhat. however. by the sudden
arrival here of the NC-4. sister plane
of the awo craft that tried unsucces-
fully to get away at the appointed
time. an hour before sundown. She
came whirring on just about the
time the two others were taxing from
their moorings. her propeIlers rattling
vigorously as IL they meant to say:
Tugs mt Its MoorinEs.
The C-J was moored in the open
and had been Juggling at the ropes in
a strong westerly wind all day as IL
impatient to get away. crew or no
crew o.
The ground crew made every effort
to ease her. but to no avail. The inn
petuous semi-Zep snapped her ropes
and of she blew.
Lieut.. Little. in charge of the ground
party, was in the car when the air.
ship broke loose. He had to iumn
for his safety. and escaped INJURIES.
The C-5 landed on PleasantviJle
field at go a. m.. New York time
after a flight of 1 200 miles in % hours
and 10 minutes from Montauk Point,
L. 1. Sailing at a rate of 20 miles
an hour, the ''Blump" made a spIen-
did landing from a height of loo
feet.
Strikes Rain and Fog.
The crew after landing said that
the trip was uneventfuI until they
struck a belt of rain and fog ncar
st. Pierre. Then the fight agains:
the wind began. The dirisible was
driven to the northwest over the
interior beyond PIacentia Bay and
for two hours she strove to find hel
position
Finally she got in touch by wire
less with the cruiser Chicago al
St. Johns. She was instructed tc
find whitbourne. which was just a
short distance from her position
From this point she made her way
steadily to st. Johns, where she
was first sighted by the signal sta
tion at the entrance to the harbor.
Coming up the coast steadily. she
circIed around the signal tower and
entered through Quidi vidi. a cleft
in the HILLS. and made for the oil
field. According to British and
Newfoundland airmen, her landing
was the most perfect they had ever
seen. Steadily and with precision
the huge ship landed. like a toy bal.
loon
Greeted by Thousands.
Thousands of the inhabitants greet.
ed the arrival of the dirigible At q
signal a gun was fired at Cabot tower
on signal Hill. She soon became Wis.
ible against the blue, cloudless west.
ern sky. The field at Pleasantvills
was a scene somewhat similar to that
of a racing or regatta day, for the
crowds came in cabs and automo.
blles.
Governor Sir Alexander Harris, at.
tended by Maj. Parridge, of the Roya
Air Force. official starter of the Brit.
ish transatlantic flights. witnessed
the arrival and rendered his heartiest
congratulations to the airmen fol
their pfucky and successful flight
Rear Admiral Spencer 8. Wood anc
officers and men of the cruiser Chi.
cago gave the American airmen q
rousing reception:
Lieut.. Comdr. Coil. commanding tn.
C-5. gave great credit to Lieut.. Camp.
hell and Lieut. Lawrence. Both ,oi
them, though air sick" and weary
stuck to their posts. The men were
eIated by their trip.