Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-09-02
Eighteen Members of American
Crew on the ZR-2 Perish in
Disaster at Hull, Eng. !
BURNING AIRCRAFT
PLUNGES INTO RIVER
Machine Breaks in Two After ExpIo-
sion and Falls in Fiames-Victims
Burned to Death-Arship Was
Ready for Long Flight to United
States-Was Valued at 100000.

SkdkCS-- w 40 saia~A - Y~tSS~s~~S'
London. Aug. 26.-The great dirig-l
BILE ZR-2, which began trial hight
on Tuesday morning, was wrecked Dyl
an explosion and fell into the Humber
river on Wednesday evening. The air.
ship was valued at $2,0OO,OO0. Eight .
cen of the twenty-one Americans VINO
We're to pilot her across the Atlantic
to the United States, are believed to-
have persisted.
Of the 40 officers and enlisted men
In the huge dirigible'S crew, Is OF
whom were British, all but six lost
their lives when the ship explodedl
over the city of Hull at six o'clock In
the evening.
Twelve bodies have been recovered,
among them that Of Commander
Louis I'll. Maxfeld of Washington, ID.
c., who was in command OF the ZR-z.
Cause of Blast Unknown.
Air Commodore Maitland OF thel
British air forces, who piloted the
dirigible and was Britain's foremost
pilot, also was killed.
None of the six survivors has been.
able to advance theory of the cause
of the disaster. The ZR-2 had been
In the air 80 hours on her trial tight
The dirigible was floating easily over
Hull in plain sight Of thousands or
people on the streets, when suddenly
the crowds saw a flash and heard q
tremendous explosion.
Ship Plunges into River.
The conclusion shook buildings and,
broke windows in Hull. The airshlp
burst into flames and appeared to
break in two. While the panic-stricken
populace rushed to and fro to escape
the. debris, the 700-foot bag, laden
with heavy engines, great gasoline
tanks and cabin equipment, plunged,
burning, into the river.
AS it touched the water, another
explosion occurred. Many Of the VIC
tins were burned to death after the
balloon fell. Eyewitnesses saw at
least four men leap In parachutes.
The six rescued were all delirious.
Describes Disaster.
A description Of the ZR-2 disaster
was given by James Phipson OF Birm-
ingham, an eyewitness.
IT was just opposite Victoria pier
when it happened" said Phipson.
could see the propellers turning
slowly as the ship disappeared into
q cloud bank. After two or three mo
ments she emerged again and l was
almost struck dumb to see the airshlp
break in two pieces.
Airship Breaks in Two.
"The airship seemed to stand stlll
for second or two as the two pieces
gradually broke apart, descending
slowly, the nose portion at first seem
ingly under control.
"Then l saw portions OF the gon-
dolas falling away. The nose portion
fell on a mud bank in the Humber,
which was at low tide. After bury
ing its nose in the sand that portion
of the ship continued to burn fercely.
"There was no sign of any one on
that part of the ship.
"The tail end fell In the middle or
tbe river half mile away and was
also blazing. IT
Three Drop in Parachute.
"When the nose landed there were
two further explosions. The gasoline
tanks burst with the impact.
ST saw three parachutes leave the
front part of the ship as it broke. 1t
looked to me as IL three men were
hanging to one of the parachutes,
but / could not see where they landed.
GAS far as I know only two men sur
yived. They were Mechanic Bateman
and Jieut. A. III. Wann, who COM
manded the ship. / saw Lieutenant
Esterly's body taken away. 1t was
all burned and charred. Wann was
terribly injured, but Bateman was able
to walk. Both Wann and Bateman
were rescued from the wreckage In
the Humber"
Planned Flight to U. S.
The ZR-2 was to have left Pullman
for the United States within ten or
twelve days.
The dirigible cost s2,O0O,000 In ad-
dition the United States government
expended s4,OOO,OO0 in the construc-
tion Of huge hangar near Lakehurst.
N. J.. and in sending crew to Eng
land TO bring the dirigible home.
More than a month ago girder OF
the ZR-2 buckled on a trial trip, and
the ship was laid up for repairs.
Frequent delays since then have in
terfered with intended flights.