Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-09-01
GIANT AMERICAN
A|RSA|P ExPL0DES
Many Killed and Injured When
ZR-2 Blows Up High in Air
Over English City.
ONLY few ARE SAVED
Wreck Of British Built Air Craft, De.
signed to Fly Across Atlantic to
Home Port, Lies In Humber
River a Complete Wreck.

River a Complete wreck.
London-Ths giant airship ZR-2,
purchased by the United States from
Great Britain, exploded over the city
of Hull, late Wednesday.
Approximately SO persons were on
board, including the crew.
The airship is wreck in the Hum
Der river and two bodies and a num-
Der Of injured men taken from the
water Immediately after the catastro.
phe. !
The airship was passing over Hull
in fine style when suddenly it was seen
to break in two. Instantly there were
terrific explosions and the airship
burst into flames and commenced to
descend. Three parachutes at once
left the ZR-2. ....
Minnesotan on Casualty List.
Following are the names of the
Americans who were lost on the ZR-2:
Commander Louis H. Maxfield, St.
Paul, Mimi: Lieut.. Emory Coll, 232
Third street, Marietta, Ohio; Lieut..
Valentine N. Bieg, Bryn Mawr, Pa:
Lieut.. Henry w. Hoyt, Clearwater,
Fla; Lieut.. Charles G. Little, New.
muryport, Mass; Lieut.. Marcus H. Els.
terly, 219 T street, Washington, D. c.;
Chief Rigger G. I. Altar, Denver. Colo;
Chief Rigger Maurice Lay, Greensboro,
N. c.; AID Petit, Dickens City, Texas;
Robert Coone, Greensboro, KY; L. E.
Crowel, Fort Wayne, Ind; J. T. Han
cock, Shields, Mich; William julius,
Sedalia, Mo-; A. L. Loftin, Lake
Charles. La; w. J. Steele, cambridge,
Ind; George WEIGH, Elgin, Ill.
Crash Menaces Spectators.
+ AS the explosion occurred, specta-
tors dashed panic-stricken in all d:rec
tions for fear of being enveloped by
the wreckage, which fell just over the
Victoria Pier. The explosion occurred
at $40 p. m.
Two dead and a number of injured
were landed from the river and con-
veyed to the Hull infirmary immediate.
ly after the crash. -s
Descend In Parachute.
Burning fragments of the airship
belched dense columns of smoke and
fame which extended for hundreds of
fet along the surface of the water.
Il Eye witnesses saw at least four men
descend from the burning airship by
parachutes. Three men were seen
hanging from one parachute.
Tugs and other craft of all kinds put
Off from the shore for rescue work i'm.
mediately after the disaster was wit.
messed. simultaneously corps of
ambulances dashed to the pier and
took injured members of the crew to
the infirmary as they were landed.
1t was while the ZR-2 was cruising
over Hull that she was seen to emerge
from the clouds and suddenly break
in two. One portion appeared to rise
in the air. The other descended ow-
ly and fell into the Humber. One ex-
plosion occurred as the ship was fall
ing and another after it touched the
water. The wreckage foated on the
water about 200 yards from the River
side quay and continued to burn.
so on Board.
The ZR2 was nearing the conclusion
Of trial trip undertaken in prepare
tion for the transatlantic trip to
America
The explosion occurred after the ma
chine had been in the air many hours
1t had Just signalled that speed trial
would be ATTEMPTED before descend ng
at 1870.
The machine was carrying about so
men,, some British, under whose direc-
ton 1t had been built, others, the
Americans who were being trained in
her management for the trip to the
United States.
There had been vogue rumors that
the airship was not behaving in an
altogether satisfactory manner and
that there were some defects in he.
fabric.
The trial trip was begun after the
reports had been circulated.
1t was said that some of the metal
framework was weakened and that
she s"rumped" in the middle. 1t was
also said some reinforcements had to
he made hecause Of that defect