The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-08-31
sltII DlB|G|BtE FLAME
WRECKED. FALLS INTO RIVER
n Americans On Board; Less
Than Ten Survivors,
Say Dispatches


:airship exploded over the River
Humber here, falling into the stream
a mass Of flames, the explosion and
fall bringing death to many Of the
oficers and men on board, among
whom were FIVE American commits
STONED officers and nearly a dozen
other Americans of lesser ranking,
in addition to the regular British
crew.
The American officers on board
the dirigible were Commander Louis
H. Maxfield. Washington, d. c.;
Lieut.. Commander Valentine N.
Bieg of Bryn-Mawr, Pa; Lieut..
Commander, Emory Coil of Marietta,
Ohio; Lieut.. Marcus H. Esterly.
Washington, d. c.; Lieut.. Henry w.
Hoyt, Clearwater, Fla., and Lieut..
Charles G. Little, Newburyport,
Mass.
The number of fatalities has not
yet been definitely ascertained, but
twelve bodies are said to have been
recovered and 1t is believed that not
less than ten on board were saved.
The official report of the accident
follows:
''The ZR-2 was wrecked with heavy
loss this afternoon over the York.
shire coast. Following two terrible
explosions the airship buckled and
fell In flames into the Humber Riv-
err. There were twenty-one Ameri-
cans on board. The ZR-2 had be-
gun her final trial fight on Tuesday
morning and was believed prepared
to land when diaster took place. The
explosion took place as the balloon
was passing over Hull and so terri
Bile was the concussion that many
pedestrians in the streets were
swept from their feet. The shock
from the defamation was felt fifty
miles distant. Seven-thirty tonight
1T was reported that there were on
ly six survivors from the ZR-2.
"The airship was flying at great
height when the disaster overlook
her. She was seen to emerge from
the clouds and as the explosion oc-
Cured broke in two parts, one part
rose in the air and the other fell in
the Humber. The descent of the
falling half was unaccountably slow
considering the weight of the ma
terial."
The accident occurred while the
ZR-2- was on what was intended to
be her final trial trip, before being
turned over by her British builders
to the United States Navy for her
fight across the Atlantic.
The airship set out from Howden
early yesterday, was prevented by
storm from landing last night and
was cruising about today making
further tests before proceeding to
Pulham in Norfolk, where it was
intended to moor her. !
The dirigible was floating easily
over this city shortly after $3.50 o.
clock this afternoon, all being SEEM I
ingly we'll with her, when, accord
ing to survivors, a sharp turn was
given her rudder and she swerved
in toward the Humber. j
Apparently the strain of the turn
was too much for her. Crowds
gathered in the streets Of Hull in
tently watching the movemns Of the
air monster, saw sudden flash and
heard the report of tremendous ex-
plosions, violent enough to shake
the buildings beneath and break
windows in the city store fronts.
Then the airship appeared to
break in two and burst into flames
the crowd beneath meanwhile, run
ming panic-stricken in all directions
to escape the wreck of the falling
monster, which it seemd would drop
directly upon the city.
The fall of the dirigible. howev-
err, was into the river, close to the
shore, and its piers, where it settled
into the water.
Greensboro, KY. Aug. 25.-Grief
stricken by the news of the death Of
her son, Robert Coons, the only Ken
tuckiap in the crew of the Inflated
zR-2, Mrs. Kate Coons of Owens
boro sits in her little flag-decked !
cottage on Walnut Street surround
ID by few intimate friends who
seek to console her News dis
patches have been confirmed by her !
receipt of telegram from the Blu /
reau of Navigation that her son lost /
his life ip>the greatest air tragedy 4.