The log cabin Democrat., 1921-08-25
ONE AMERICAN IS
 ADMINISTRATORS
DIVERS EXPLORING RUINS
Salvage Work Follows Greatest Peace Time Aerial Disaster-Maxfields
 Body Discovered.
tBy the Associated Press)

iNoiiuoii, mug. O. Ile NlCllulS, both American and British, of the disaster to the dirigible ZR-2, will be accorded a great public funeral, it was announced today.
 The British air ministry is making plans for the funeral of the unfor- tunate officers and men, it was stated. tBy the Associated Press) Hull, England, Aug. 25.-Divers began at dawn today to explore the fire-twisted wreckage of the giant dirigible, ZR-2, which late yesterday afternoon exploded while in flight over this city and fell into the Hum bert river, carrying with her more than 40 of her crew.
 Only one American, Norman Walk CT, rigger, survives from among the 11 Americans who were aboard the ill-fated vessel
 The British survivors of the disas- ter include Flight Lieutenants A. H. Wann and Ernest Davis, Airman s. Batman, a scientific assistant, and W oiCSi OIIti: d lIitCldlllC.
 Experts here are still at loss to account for the cause of this, the greatest peace e-time aerial disaster in history.
 Men engaged in the salvage work today reported that a body, which is believed to be that of Commander Louis H. Maxfeld, in charge of the American contingent aboard the diri- gible, was found several miles below the city of Hull.
 Only five men of the 49 who were making the trial trip in the dirigible prior to the vessel being turned over to the United States navy are known to have been saved.
 The American officers who started the trip included Commander Louis II. Maxfield, Lieutenant Commander Emory Coil, Lieutenant Henry w. Hoyt, Lieutenant Marcus H. Esterly, Lieutenant Commander Valentine N. Bieg and Lieutenant Charles G. Little. The American enlisted men who went up with the craft from Howden were C. l. Aller, Robert Coons, l.. E.. Crowell, J. T. Hancock, William Ju- lius, M. Lay, A. L. Loftin, A. l. Pet | tit, W. J. Steele, N. o. Walker and George Welsh.
 The British losses include the fla nous air veteran, Brigadier General E. M. Maitland, and all the other of- ticers on board, except Lieutenant Wann, the commander of the ZR-2.
 Starting from Howden Tuesday morning on test flight to Pullman, the big aircraft had been afoat for 34 hours, at times in bad weather, and was returning to the Putnam airdrome at the time of the disaster, which constitutes the most terrible of it's kind in peace times.
 While flying about 1000 feet over hull, spectators saw the ZR-2 seem- ingly buckle amdships and plunge downward over the city and into the Humber river. One theory of the cause of the disaster is that while the ships rudders were being tested the giant craft took a sharp turn which caused her framework to buckle and that the explosion of gasoline tank completed the tragedy. The actual cause, however, never may be known. A rumor had been af1oat for some days that the ZR-2 was structurally weak, but this was stoutly denied by all in authority.
 Tens of thousands of spectators saw several men climb outside the balloon and drop from the falling mass, which was enveloped in smoke. and others jumped into the Humber as the crip- pied craft came over the water. AS the dirigible struck the wreckage above water was burning and there was slight chance for any of the men |caught inside to escape.