Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-25
"A DIE IN CRASH
Continued from Page One)

this was stoutly denied by all in au-
thority.
Tens of thousands of spectators
saw several men climb outside the
balloon and drop from the falling
machine. which was enveloped in
smoke. and others jump into the
Humber as the crippled craft came
over the water AS the dirisible
struck. the wreckage above water was
burning and there was slight chance
for any of the men caught inside to
escape.
Tugs Immediately put out into the
stream and brought ashore the hve
survivors, who were taken in ambu-
lances to hospitals.
Among these there was the Ameri-
can quartermaster, y. O. Walker who
died soon after reaching the hospital,
from burns he had received.
Lieutenant Little also was rescued
from the debris alive. but succumbed
to his injuries on reaching the in
frmary.
A rescue tug pulled another Ameri-
can out of the water. He was dead
Inside his coat was the name Com
mauder Maxfeld." Early reports that
Lieutenant Easterly had been saved
proved false.
One member of the rescuing party
said that when they got alongside the
burning airship the pilot of the tug
asked for volunteers to board one part
that still was almost intact. Jumping
upcn the wreckage. the rescuers rip
ped open part of the fabric, while
parts of the debris were pulled away
Iy means Of ropes The task was haz-
ardous because one of the balloonets
vas still filed with gas and anotehr
explosion was feared.
Among the wreckage an American
naval man was seen hanging by his
coat to a girder in the frame of the
airship. 1t was believed lie was dead
owing to the peculiar position of the
body, which was not recovered. An
other rescuer said one man was hang
ing to the tail of the ship, apparently
dninj ured, while another was found
floating in the water. Both of them
were saved. While the rescuerS were
al work the balloon began to turn over
and the rescue party had to return to
the tug
When first seen from Hull the ZR-2
was approaching the city. coming from
southeasterIy direction. When sail
ing on an even keel above the city,
according to some eyewitnesses, huge
cloud of dense smoke burst from the
tail of the aircraft. To the horror of
thousands of spectators. II was seen
that she had broken in two aDd was
taking tremendous nose dive which
apparently would bring her down into
The thronged streets.
Then there came a loud explosion
and q great clash, followed by an
other explosion. which was accom-
panied by the breaking of glass in
the windows on land. The concus-
sion was so great that it wrecked
windows over an area of about a
mile square.
Some spectators asserted that the
airship began to buckle before any
fame or explosion was seen or
heard. The broken halves of the
ZR-2 reached the water nearly a
mile apart. The general opinion of
the public of Hull is that the COM
mander of the airship accomplish
ed a remarkable feat of bravery in
diverting the descent of the vessel
SO that it fell into the water instead
of the crowded streets.
1t was a moment of terror for the
populace when the disaster oc-
Cured. People in the streets rush
ed madly to cover, fearing that the
massive wreck would fall upon and
crush them. The terror. however,
gave way to horror as the wreck
plunged into the middle of the river.
During the fall of the airship
three members of the crew were OBJ
served making a thrilling parachute
descent They came down into the
river. where they were rescued by
small boats All who jumped with
out parachutes from the falling
craft lost their lives.
They had no chance for escape.
for the water was covered with
burning gasoline and the heat from
the burning wreckage was so intense
that even the rescuers experienced
the greatest difficulty in approach
ing for some time. Barges, trawlers
and small boats thronged around
the debris willing to render any pos
sible assistance.
Immediately after the disaster
telephone messages came from dis
tances of 50 miles reporting that the
people had felt an earthquake shock.
The ZR-2, which was a sister shin
of the famous R-34. the first dirigible
to cross the Atlantic. was on her
final test trip prior to being accepted
by the United States navy and taken
across the Atlantic by an American
crew. She was sos feet long and was
built to carry a crew Of thirty. Her
speed was estimated at 20 miles an
hour. The American navy was to paw
two million dollars for the craft.
Among those on board the airsbip
were Mr. Warren. superintendent of
the works, where she was built. and
Flight Officers Wicks and Matheson.