The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-22

Norfolk. Feb. %. - Completely
wrecked by fire and explosion, the
Roma. the worlds largest semi-rigid
airship. the pride of the American air
service had yielded up today the last
of the dead of the disaster which over
took her yesterday while maneuvering
over Hampton Roads and sent her
hurtling downward to crash into the
network of high power electric wires
that wrought her destruction.
81 Bodies Identified.
Recovery of the last body fixed the
toll of the disaster-the greatest in
the history Of American aeronautics-
at "a dead, eight injured and three
practically unhurt. OF the dead thir-
ty-two had been identified altho many
Of the bodies of those caught in the
were burned, blackened and charred
almost beyond recognition.
These dead included some of the
air services most gallant officers and
men, the list containing the names of
Major John ThorneIl, commander of
the ship at her christening in Wash
ingtOn last December and Captain
Dale Mabry. her con- mander during
yesterdays i'll fated flight.
Inquiry Board Appointed.
Air service men from Langley field,
the home station of the craft. began
shortly after dawn today the clearfng &
up of the wreckage of the warped and
blistered skeleton and at the same
tioie separations began for the Off
cial inquiry. Mai Gen. Mason NJ.
Patrick. chief OF the air service, who
came here by airplane yesterday as
soon as word of the disaster was
flashed to Washington, made a per-
sonal inspection of the wreck during
the night and ordered an immediate
iHyeStigat lion.
Appointment of a board of INJURY
headed by Maj. Davenport johnson to
inquire into the Roma disaster was
announced today by the army air
service. Other members are Majors
Jonn Fl. Joue1t and Joseph T. Nc
Marry.
Bag May Have Been Rotten.
Officers at Langley field still were
at a loss to account for the mishap
that caused the ships rudder to tilt
and thereby rendered the 410 foot
craft to become unmanageable.
Possibility developed. however, that
the inquiry would take notice of re-
ports that the bag of the Roma, con-
structed in Italy, was rotten, altho Of
fiCers at the field declined to discuss
such reports. In connection with the
Forthcoming inquiry these develop
mepts. some officers said, had been
established definitely.
Some Definite Conclusions.
First. That the left rudder of the
Roma gave way when she was less
than half a mile from where she went
down near the army base fire station.
Second That there was no fire on
the ship until after the tilt began as a
result of the right hand side of the
rudder going into an almost vertical
position.
Third. That the craft became un-
manageable as she swooped over the
base reservation narrowly missing a
l50-foot smoke stack of the central
heating plant.
Fourth. That the immediate cause
Of the explosion with such force as to
wreck the ertire craft and set her on
fire was contact with a net of 2.2OO.
volt high power electric wires less
than one hundred feet from where the
Roma crashed into a pile of debris.
Fifth. That the liberty motors
which were being tested, were not re-
sponsible for the disaster unless some
thing more tangible should be learned
than appeared today
What Broke Controls?
The point which the army board of
investigation which will be organized
today will decide is what caused the
IIdder supports to give way. There
10,