The Monroe journal., 1921-08-26
MAMMOTH U. S. DIRIGIBLE
COLLAPSES ON TEST FLIGHT
Onl, Five Men oi the Forty Nine ON
Beard known To Have Been saved
Great ship Descended on Fire
GREENSBORO MAN AMONG LOST

tsA AaN : met NsdtA Auua. IN tlt col
lapse oI the great diiisible ZR-.
over the city OF Hull.
4 Every one OF the Americans on
board the Inflated craft persisted. a.
tar as could be ascertained al mid
night tonight.
4 Only five of the A. who wers
making the trip in the dirigible prior
TO the vessel being turned over to thu
nited States navy are known 10 have
bt,a saved. Maurice Lay. a Greens
bo.0. y. {. man. chic, boatswain' :
mate was among those lost.
The British losses included the IA
nous air veteran. Brigadier General
+. NJ. Maitland, and all the other OF
ticers on board. except Lieutenant
Wann.
Afloat 81 Hours.
Starting from Howden Tuesday
morning on a test flight to Pulham,
the big aircraft had been afloat for
"a hours, at times in bad weather
and was returning to the Pulham
airdrome at the time of the disaster,
which constitutes the most terrible OF
| It's KIM III peace times.
The ZR-2 which was a sister ship
of the famous R-3i, the first dirigi-
be TO cross the Atlantic. was on her
final test trip prior TO being accept
ed by the United States navy and
taken across the Atlantic by an Amer
lean crew especially trained for that
purpose. She was 695 feet long and
was built TO carry crew OF thrifty.
Her speed was estimated at 20 miles
an hour. The American navy was TO
pay $4,000 600 for the craft.
While flying about 1000 feet over
Hull, spectators saw the ZR-2 SEEM
insly buckle amidship and plunge
down over the city and into
Humber river. One theory of the
cause of the disaster is that while
the ships rudders were being tested
the giant ship took a sharp turn.
which caused her frame work to
buckle. and that the explosion of a
gasoline tank completed the tragedy
of the air. The actual cause, how
ever may never be known. A rumor
had been afloat for some days that
the ZR2 was structurally weak, but
this was stoutly denied by all in
authority.
Tens OF thousands of spectators
saw several men climb outside the
balloon and drop from the falling
mass, which was enveloped in smoke.
and others jump into the Humber.
as the crippled craft came over the
water. AS the dirigible struck the
wreckage above the water was burn
Ing and there was slight chance for
any of the men caught inside TO es-
cape.
survivors Brought Ashore.
Tugs Immediately put out into the
stream and brought ashore the five
survivors who were taken in ambu-
lances TO hospitals. Among these was
the American quartcrmaster, y. o..
Walker, who died soon after reach
Ing the hospital from burns he had
received. Lieutenant Little also was
rescued from the debris alive. but
succumbed to his Injuries on reaching
the hospital.
A rescue tug pulled another Ameri-
can out of the water. He was dead
Inside of his coat was the name
Commander Maxfield. Early re-
ports were to the effect that Lieu
tenant Esterly had been saved. Tn
happily this report proved to be with
out foundation.
One member of the rescueing party
said that when they got alongside
the burning airship the pilot asked
for volunteers to board one part that
still was almost intact. Jumping upon
the wreckage, the rescuers ripped |
open part OF the fabric while parts Of |
the debris was pulled away by means |
Of ropes. The task was a hazardous /
one because one of the balloons |
was still filled with gas and another
explosion was feared.
What Spectators Witnessed
Among the wreckago an American
naval man was to be seen hanging
)y his coat to a girder in the frame OF
he airship. II was believed he was
lead. owing to the peculiar position
If his body. which was not recovered.
rescuer said that one was
on the tail of the ship, APP
'arently uninjured while another
vas found floating in the water, Both
II them were saved While the res
uers were at work the balloon began
o turn over and the rescue party had
o return To the tug.
When first seen from Hull the
ire was approaching the city. COM
ng from southeasterly direction
ver the Humber toward Hull. When
ailing on an even keel above the city.
ccording to some eye witnesses. a
uge cloud of dense smoke burst
rom the tail OF the aircraft. II was
bought the ZR-2 was sending out a
moke screen as an exhibition but,
D the horror OF thousands of specta-
ors. il was seen that she had broken
nto and was taking a tremendous ,
ose dive which apparently would ,
ring her down into the thronged
t-eets
Populace Mortified
Then there came a loud explosion
nd a great crash. followed by anoth-
r explosion. which was accompanied
Y the breaking of glass in windows /,
n land. the whole being reminiscent !