Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-07-14
MANY KILLED
in AERO WRECK
SIXTEEN AUTOMOBILES BURN
ED DAMAGE 100000

the left wing of departing Martin
bonner became disabled and throwing
the great aircraft out of it's course,
caused it to crash into row of auto
mobiles occupied by spectators, wreck
ing the airplane, exploding tanks of
gasoline and completely destroying
the aerial craft and sixteen automo-
biles.
The scene that followed beggars de-
scription Occupants of the automo-
biles dashed from the cars with cloth
ing burning. Cries of agony arose
from every side. Many ran hitfer and
thither, living torches. Others, too
badly injured to move, were rescued
from the burning cars and rushed to
the Glendale hospital. Spectators out
of the range Of the accident pluckily
fastened to the rescue Of the injured
andsucceeded in extinguishing the
flames in which they were engulfed.
Early reports were that the death
list would reach score: that in addi-
ton to the five known dead many 9TH
ers were cremated beneath the burn
ing airplane and automobiles, but this
was later found 10 be an exaggeration.
The Moundsville fire department
and apparatus from the Wheeling fire
department were hurried to the scene,
and succeeded in extinguishing the
fire that had adj but completely con-
sumed the big bomber and sixteen
automobiles.
The cause of the accident has not
been ascertained. The big bomber,
which had arrived from Cleveland
earlier, fresh from the hands of its
makers, was piloted by Lieutenants G..
r. McIver and E. H. Dunton. After
a stop at Langin field for fuel supplies
the two aviators essayed to ascend
from the south end of the flying field.
They reached height of only 80 feet
from the ground when the left motor
stopped, resulting in swinging the
machine sharply to the left toward
the Ohio river bank where many auto
mobiles were parked, crowded with
spectators.
Missing a house, where 1000 pounds
of dynamite was stored, the airplane
crashed into the line of automobiles.
The airplane was wrecked, it's tank
exploded, and the fire spreading in
every direction, brought in its train
death or injury to many. The pilots
had attempted to throw the big air.
plane in the river and their lack of
success cost the lives of five and injury
to nearly fifty.
, Sixteen automobiles were burned
before the flames could be extinguish-
ed. Most of those killed or injured
were trapped in the burning automo-
biles. Bravery of the first order was
displayed by Carl V. Miller former
United States army aviator and Ser
geant Ray Duley of the aviation SER
vice, who dashed into the flames and
rescued Lieutenants Dunton and Nc
liver from the wrecked airplane be-
fore they were seriously hunt.
Off For Visit
The plane was starting for Langley
field, Virginia, when the tragedy in
tervened.
Both tanks of the plane exploded
and the 800 gallons of burning gaso-
line was hurled on all sides, carrying
death and injury to the helpless spec
tators in its path.
The report that not sufficient space
had been given for the ascent of the
bomber was denied later. But for the
fact that the left hand motor stopped
the accident would not have occurred
Every physician in Moundsville was
summoned, as well as many from
Wheeling and other nearby towns.
One Of the bumpers of the Wheeling
fire department made a record run,
only to be completely wrecked as it
was entering the aviation field.
The monetary loss of the disaster
at Langin yesterday afternoon will
reach 100000. The Martin bomber
which crashed into a fleet of sixteen
automobiles, causing the death of five
persons and injury of fifty persons,
cost the United States government
$4,000. The bomber was completely
destroyed, together with the sixteen
automobiles.
1t is estimated that the loss to the
owners of the 16 cars will be close
to $4,000. The car owners with but
two exceptions were Moundsville peo-
pie. One car came from eastern Ohio
and the other from the interior of
Marshall county.