Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-17
L. S. Dirigible CO
ErpiOGes; Fire Hurt

Continued from rage "nc
Sergeant August i. AIDlerut, 'cg
broken.
Sergeant Harry B.les. leg broken.
Ben Baines, newspaper man Of san
Antonio, arm broken and possible Ill
ternal injuries.
Major Ii. \. Strauss. commander ii
I'll" craft, was slightly hurt one Of his
legs being wrenchcd. II" Is able to be-
up md prepare n detailed report to the
commanding officers here.
Others Aboard
Among the other persons On board.
some Of whom sustained bruises. were
Captnin Jcffry Montague, Captain N"l-
son Walker, Lieutenant q. A. Audrr-
son, ;. Deauc WaSson, reporter, HouS-
ton Chronicle; y. +. Holden, +. D.
Alexander and Samuel Cardcnas. san
Antonio newspNpermrn.
When the explosion occurred the
dristbe was being taken from the
hangar preparatory to n flight over the
city before leaving for Washington.
The big gas bag split as the dirigible
struck the hangar door. Passengers
heard the kissing Of the gas Us it
escaped from the bag md q few mo-
mcnts later the gas from some un-
known cause. possibly friction, became
. ignited, going up in fash
Police alnbulances and emergency
cars rushed 70 the sccne q few moments
after the report came and doctors left
the city immediately for the scene of the
accident.
Crowds See Accident
Crowds stood around the door and
outside when the CO was unleashed.
and raised slightly above the floor on the
hangar. At the first sign Of danger they
scattered in all directions.
Ben Bainr>, reporter for the San
Antonio Light. who was a passenger.
though badly injured, was true to his
neWspaper instinct. and tclephoncd the
first account Of the accident to reach
this city. He then was taken to the
Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Lying on cot at the hospital
swathed In bandages with q broken arm
and possibilities Of internal injuries,
Batues later tod Of the accident. He
had been thrown to the concrete floor
and in addition to broken bones, had
been shocked and stunned. He WAS
taken TO the hospital by woman who
had driven to tie field TO see thr
ascent.
I'VE were being towed ont Of the
hangar for the flight. he said. "Muiur
II. y. Strauss, commander, was stand
Ing In front and the rest Of US were
seated in the car.
Wind Sways Airsnp
".\s the nose of the ship came out.iGe
Of the hangar | noticed II sway 4 little
with the wind. AZ the ship was brought
farther OUT Il rare"ncd to one side.
Some OF US rose in our seats. How
ever. as the ship was little more than
half way out, the wind caught it with
full! force and carried 1t over 10 tho
west side II the entrance Of the hangar.
1t then sway"H back. People under rs
were running TO get clear Of the ship.
"As the wind let the big bag 90 1t
dropped the bottom Of the cor, scrap
tng the tloor. Then q puff Of wind
caught Us ard seeing the car swinging
m"nar!ngly toward the west door, ! de-
ciLei to jump.
Il lighted on my feet, bat the force
Of the fall was TOO great and fell ~
III" floor. turned and saw the big ship
rent and heard the Kissing Of ga.
Others We're jumping and those on the
floor made wild scramble for safety
Hurled 10 Floor
I'm the midst Of this excitement there
must have been another rent in the
bag, for the force Of the escaping gas
threw mr violently u th" floor. ! rose
10 rum bur had taken no more than
three steps, when ! was again hurled 20
;he floor Then came the explosion. |
was knocked down by some ore runn!n1
from the scene.
"The big bag was nass Of Aamrs
We ran out IN front Of the hangar. All
Of the others must have got away from
the bag before the explosion came, al
though many were hurt in jumping or
being hurled 70 the flDor.
'pnndemOniun reiYurd among tEr
hundreds Of spectators who were at tie
field, but army officers and enlisted
men quickly rushed the more Seriously
injured 20 the emergency dressing sta
tinp ut tho fold -