The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-22

Long after dark tonight. many hours nfter the fall, the ship was stiil mass Of flames from end to end of her 40 foot mass. The fire- fed on tho million cubic feet of Eas which had disfended the great haE for the flight, and made all attempts Ht rescue work futile.
 Barely n dozen of those aboard were picked mp alive, and one If thcsc died on the way to the hos- pItaI. All who survived escaped by jumping. The others, penned in the hull of tho fallen bag, were burned to death.
 The flames were finally brought into submission by three fire depart ments, who fought them with chem icals Then derricks began picking , up the wreckage. which consisted of scarcely more than the aluminum framework of the six Liberty motors of the once proud ship of the air. Within the wreckage lay the bodies, practically chsrred- beyond recogni- ton. But before the night had passed 33 bodies had been removed, accounting for the last of those wn2 were known to have taken flight n the fatal voyage.
 Accounts of survivors and of eye witnesses as to what had happened l appeared to agree tonight that the huge kite-like structure of the stern rudder. itself as large as d bombing plane. had slipped to one side as the Roma flew a thousand feet above the army base.
 MnkinE Trial Flight
 Sho was making trial flight with new battery of liberty motors. They were installed 10 replace 1fai- ian engines bought with her in Italy but which have not proved satisfae- tory. Installation was completed at Langley field two weeks ago.
 Ii was just before D. m. when those below at the Hampton Roads base, their attention caught by the t approaehnR thunder of the SIX nfo- tors. looked Up to see thc Roma dif down from her straight flight.
 The ship nosed down steepIy. As she came closer it was seen thnt her crew were huriing out | snnd ballast from the ports in
 the fragile fabric that formed
 the covering of the space be- tween her keel and back the Iiy-
 ing and operating quarters of
 the ship. The dipping blunt nose of the bag did not respond. On the ship came. unchecked in her glide earthward. head first.
 
 her the few hundred feet that
 would bnvc dropped her into the waters "f the bay and compHra
 tive safety.
 Below ran the double wires Of high power electric line carrying 4 sSO0 volt current. The Roma's nose. shod with it's aluminium guard, thrust into the wires. broke them as the ship flattened 10 earth and rolled over and the next moment came tns noise as of an explosion. and the flames burst out along the hull space.
 There was a rush of men 10 the rescue from the army post and the navy base beyond. Just as the Roma neared the wires two men were seen to leap from high up in her slantinS hull. As the stricken. flaming monster writhed in her first death agony, ten more dropped from doors or ports or through holes they tore in the fabric sides that enclosed them. Some leaped from the platform where the engines stood. far out from the hull.
 So swift was the flare of the gas flame that rescuers were driven back before It's terrific heat.
 They watched heIplessly ms the
 great bag shriveied in the fierce
 blaze of the liberated gas. The Homa was a wall or flame city
 block long and until thcussnds
 of gallons of chemicnis and water
 hnd checked them, It was impos-
 sibIe to reach the comrades
 manEled and dead In that fiery
 furnncc.
 The ship left no passenger list be- hind her when she set out for brief trial run from Langley. She is known to have carried many officers and n
 (CoatInued From Page Tws.)