New-York tribune., 1920-07-22
Dirii gible T alls
5000 Ft. With
Race Observers
tConti1ued from pane one)

tContiaued from pane one)
tore the crowd Of bobbing pleasure
craft around the lightship was directly
below. The two yachts were taclling
back and forth waiting for the signal
10 start. When signal broke out on
the committee tug, bobbing on the
swell below, Lieutenant Evans crawled
back and forth through the airship to
tell his passengers that it meant "rac e
postponed until later at fifteen minute
lntervals.' Back in his seat, he sent
the ship circling over the start. A
moment later another signal showed
on the committee boat
Ballast Goes Overheard
"Wel go down to read it, Evans
called, and the ships head sank slowly
as, as she dove down to 4 lower level
here seemed to be something wrong
when she llattened close down to the
steamers and saillng craft below Evans
and his crew kept looking up TO the bag
above. He pulled and tugged at the
control cords in front of him. and both
motors roared into life again.
Swinging in a great circle, The air
snip began to climb, slowly and with
out the quick response of earlier in
The day. Below white steam puff
from the committee boat marked the
iVe- minute whistle. and as the blimp
rounded toward Rockaway the racers
went over the line on the first out
ward tack.
But the Clio was done with the race.
She was heavy and sullen, and Evans
slgnalled Tor ballast to 90 over. From
both her cockpitS showers Of sand went
Gown. Not word had been spoken.
The roar OF the motors and rush of
ar would have drowned any attempt
at talk
Again the commander called for bal
iaSt overheard. The sand went out in
a stream. Ahead and far below
Rockaway Beach and Jamaica Bay
leaped into view THROUGH the haze. A
shout over the radio phone had told
the men at the station the blimp was
coming. Little figures ran out over
the flying field. On the bay small boats
and launches were scattered about like
chips IN a tub.
Dlin'p Sinks Fast
Evans stared oversize at the 6ala tbon
the rudder swung, and the airshin' now
tipping down by the head and sinking
last, despite her roaring motors and
.he angie or hitting planes, turned out
toward the bay. The commander came
climbing back again.
Throw over your batteries,u he
called TO the radio men, Slashing the
wires with knife, the operator heaved
VIC "Glghty box to the cockpit rail. 1t
weht hartnng down to splash in the
M"tcr' ne surface appeared to be
leaping upward. The shin was dron-
plns tast but there was little sensp-
ton OF falling, save the rush of the
steep slope. N'NN N'" II q
Life preservers!' Evans called above
the dying roar Of the motors nc tbo,.
were cut down. The passengers bepaS
10 struggle out of the parachute har-
ness IN which they had been rugged 70,
safety S sake, and the engineer leaned
..Isl 10 let out all the gasoline in the
TANKS and handed out the jackets.
ROOT by foot the slope of the fall
s'eepened; Then, with final rush, tho
nose nose OF .the big gas bag struck water.
the front end of the car plunged
INTO 1t up to the cockpit rail. bulnv~
!HS Iurch shook her and the gas BAG
went topping 10 one side. But the
tail of the bag was full and the stern
ol the car stltl rode the surface Onlv
Sp!ashln9 wave from the plunge had I
reached any but the forward cockpit
Boats Iiurry to Rescue
a last turn of the starboard pro
oel4er tore 4 glcac no . in tor mo
iabrlc, but the ship was riding with.
cut having even ducked ner ena..nts
under.
caS,osl "Weil' we. were .5,, down said Evans in
-, His crew and passengers obeyed
The shore was only few hundred
yards away. Boats and launches were
nurrylng UP to offer rescue, but be-
Iore they arrived the C-10 had moored
herself against a ragged row Of
Dlles and Evans waved them awav.
"Well wait for our own boats, he
called, and climbed on ihe rocks 70
stare at his snip lying with rudder far
ap In air, nose crumpled and torn and
her car sunk to the first cockpit in the
water
A young naval officer was first to
reach The scene in launch from the
station. s.,s
"I wonder why he didn't put two or
.hree men Off in 'chutes ?" he said, half
20 himself
Because he didn't think OF it
hanks be-" answered the blimp pas
'enger to whom he spoke. The re-
porter had swift vision of being or
Tered to jump over at 1000 feet at
he end of rope. He preferred to
tick by the ship