Evening journal., 1921-08-25
SHOCKED over
LOSSOF AIRSHIP
Lakehurst Navy Force Re-
ceive News of IRIS
Wreck With Gloom
COMMANDER UNABLE
TO EXPLAIN CAUSE

LAKEHURST. n. j., Aug. 25.-I
Omcers and men OF the great naval
air station established here around
the worlds largest hanger to receive
the ZR-2 were hard at work per-
fecting themselvs in methods OF
landing the great dirigible when word
was flashed to them of the catastrophe
in England.
Through the 14.000-acre camp COW
cred with buildings, work came in
stantly to a standstill, and It was
some time before the men responded
to the call of naval discipline and
went slowly back to their tasks.
There was no effort 10 conceal the
shock and disappointment OF every
body in the camp.
Commander Frank Taylor Evans
son Of Fighting Bob" Evans. who
is in charge OF the camp. has been
making a record in getting things
ship-shape against al kinds OF OBJ
stacles. was out in the field superin-
tending some of the last-minute
touches to the great hangar when an
orderly came running up with the
news that he was wanted at once in
his office.
There the commander and group
OF his subordinate officers got the
news by telephone from a press as
sociation that the zR-2, the worlds
largest airship. had been destroyed.
How about the officers and
cfew?" asked the commander. Were
they saved7"
At first Il was impossible to give
anv detailed information on this
point. Tho commander got in touch
with washington Immediately and
IRON that time the wires we're kept
.busv between the naval air station.
the department at Washington ana
other points from which informa-
ton could be obtained.
Calls From Relatives.
Within an hour. officers were busy
answering calls from frightened
relatives OF officers and men in the
rroup OF 80 Americans sent over
bv the Navy Department TO bring
lhe zR-2 back to this country, some
~ whom have been in England since
ihe start Of work on the diriglDie'
Commander Evans and his asso-
riates gave these relatives what COM
fort they could and urged them 10
wait for definite news.
Il hardly know what to say said
Commander Evans. "A thing IKE
this is so terrible in its cost OF lives
and so bitterly Disappointing 70 the
natural ambitions of all officers and
men OF the American Navy 40 see
their country take the lead In the
conouest Of the air that It leaves
one speeches..
MAG OF the officers in the grour
sent abroad were my dear friends
classmates and associates. so tha
this Is a real and personal shoci
10 me. / have had no Official in
formation as to who was saved. Nj,
last information was that the zR-'
carried 40 men at the time Of the
accident. or this number, we un
T. derstand. 21 we're Americans.
I'm all there we're 3s in the grouI
Of men and officers sent abroad L
bring the ZR-2 home. but some o
them did not go on the trial triI
that has ended so disastrously. TIT
&. full crew of the ship was to be abou
40 men.
IT cannot talk in detail about thu
possible causes that led up to th'
crash. for have not had sufhcien
Information about It. We know
here. Of course. that the ship ha'
had a slight accident some time ago
and that some OF the frames buckle'
and had to be Strengthened an'
strengthened. whether that had any
thing TO do with the end It Is i'm
possible for me TO say.
MAY, Buid Another Ship.
From what I have heard. how
ever. / would say that there will b
little material salvage from the zR-2
and she cannot be rebuilt. II is al
ways possible that the navy ma
order a new one built. in which tn
destruction Of the zR-2 will serve a
an object lesson in what to avoid
That is a matter for the department
to decide.
I'VE will. OF course, go on her