The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-24
ONLY TEN SAVED,
CAPTAIN is ONE
Part of Huge Balloon Seen
Floating Away.
Other Half, Ablaze, Fell Into
River Humber.
ITS FRAMEWORK WAS WEAK
Was Preparing to Land When
Accident Occurred.
Main Girder Failed to Stand
Strain, Says Survivor.
IT'S FRAMEWORK WAS WEAK

London, Aug. 24-Au of the
twenty-one American officers and
men. composing the crew that was 10
have brought the ZR-2 to this coun-
try, perished, it is feared, when the
monster airship. after two terrific ex-
plosions, believed to have been due -
a defective girder, plunged from a
height of 1000 feet into the Humer
river at Hull, England, shortly before
o'clock this evening.
Official accounts of the disaster put
the number of survivors at ten, while
another version stated that only two
were saved both Englishmen. There
were altogether fifty-one men aboard
the giant aircruiser. Not word had
been received up TO a late hour this
evening of a single American having
escaped and the fear became general
that the entire American honor
crew. was wiped out by the disaster.
The number of fatalities has not yet
been definitely ascertained but twelve
bodies are said to have been recovered
and it is believed that not less than
ten on board were saved.
Air Commodore Maitland. who
made the trip IN the dirigible, was
among the survivors.
The badly burned body of Ensign
Marcus Esterly. radio officer. was
conveyed to the morgue. Esterly's
home was in Washington.
Explosion Was Terrific
The explosion took place as the
dirig.ble was passing over Hull and 50
violent vas the conclusion that many
pedestrians in the streets of Hull were
swept from their feet. The shock of
the detonations was felt at Ghimsby.
fifty miles distant.
At 1920 o'clock, it was reported
the ZR-2.
At Great Height.
The airsh.p was flying at great
height when the disaster overlook her.
She was seen to emerge from the
clouds and as the explosion occurred
broke in two parts.
One part rose in the air and the
other fell into the Humber. The de-
scent of the falling half was unac-
countably slow, considering the weight
of the material
Captain Is Rescued.
A message from Hull received
shortly before p. m. said the air
ships captain had been rescued. Some
bodies, the message added, had been
recovered.
Tugs and other craft of all kinds
put off from the shore for rescue work
Immediately the disaster was wit
messed. simultaneously a corps OF
ambulances dashed to the pier and
took injured members of the crew tC
the infirmary as they were landed.
Survivor Tells Story.
One of the survivors, H. Bateman
formerly of Halifax, gave the follow
ing version of the disaster:
Il was taking photographs of the
rudder for experimental purposes
when the ship teak sudden turn tc
the right. One os The main girder.
failed to stand the ztrain."
Thousands os persons in Hull who
were watching this flight of the dirigi.
BILE. saw the disaster. They stooc
horror-stricken in the streets as theS
heard che blast. Then a sheet of fire
leaped upward from the craft TIL,
ship ouckled and began falling, leav.
ing aehind q sheet of flame and cloud.
of tnick smoke.
The first explosion took place a
5:45 o'clock. followed immediately
afterwa-d by another. The spectator.
or land who were watching the air
craft. ran pell nell in every director
when the accident occurred, fearing G
rain OF debris
Framework Was Weak
a London dispatch of Sunday last
quoted the Observer as asserting tina
during The first trial of the ZR-2, q
tendency Of the giant dtrigibIe tC
hump" developed and that an inspec-
tion revealed ;ne fact that certain
girders had bent and that lattice work
mas been buckled under the strains
Remedial measures we're taken, the
newspaper NAld. including considera biz
reinforcsm snt II the -.Ts- Iework alons
TaHch ~ re aiysniF'S :e--sti,.
- f.dsItio8 % t;I4 G:r-ct;;ral trou
e.: .ae Observer asssr;st. me ZR-.
CONTINUED on page six.I