The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-03-02

with hydrogen. NOninflammable helium
was the gas used when the Roma,
which was bought from the Italian
government, went on her first trial
flight here last December.
Fatal Change of Plans.
But it had been planned TO send
the shp--the biggest in the world
ON q spring cruise over the country
TO demonstrate its fitness 10 cross the
Atlantic. In its bag had been the
whole available supply of helium in
the United States. Flying officials
wanted that for the spring journey, so
on Saturday they pumped it into tanks
and substituted hydrogen.
The occasion for this last flight that
was to prove so tremendous n blow
to lighter than air flying was Il desire
to test Liberty engines which had been
installed TO replace the Italian motors
that functioned poorly in the cold
which marked the brief trial flight last
December.
In charge of Capt. Dale Mabry, with
full complement of officers and men
craft went aloft from Langley field at
30 in the afternoon. II was just
forty-nine minutes later that 1t lay
in ruins with most OF those who had
gone up in gay holiday mood. with no
suspicion OF what awaited them,
blackened cQrpses.
The whole story was compressed I'm
the last minute or so. In that time
Captain Mabry and Lieut.. Il. G. Burt
at the control wheels, had striven with
every resource OF courage and skill to
negotiate the hopeless task of guiding
the webbing airship to safe landing
despite the broken rudder. Others
trained for swift action in just such
pinches had played their part by hurl-
ing off bag after bag Of sand ballasC
that the unwieldy load might be light
ened. Ii was all of no use. The Roma
was doomed.
Officers Stick to Controls.
She was too far up for those below
to see all that happened. There must
have been fast parked orders, instant
obedience, struggle TO make the
thing obey. The crazy downward
course told how Captain Mabry and
Lieutenant Burt were sticking at her
controls, how they were pitting their
puny strength against tons OF dead
weight when the crippltd machinery
would no longer answer their touch.
There we're long-drawn seconds in
which the watchers below thought
those master air men would win. But
things got worse. Another second and
the air was black with sand bags. Men
fighting for their lives rammed them
through every available port hole, rain
ing instruments and equipment after
them.
Tragedy Is Topic In England.
London, Feb. 22.-News of the de-
struction Of the United States army
dirigible Roma is the feature In Lon
don morning newspapers, which print
long accounts of the tragedy and pic
lures of the airship.
Similarity of the details with those
Of the destruction Of the RIBS at Hull
last summer Is widely remarked. TIL.
Times says that as In the Hull trag.
edy the people Of the United States
and Great Britain join In common
sorrow.
"Thls time the blow has fallen on
America alone but England feels with
her and for her today ne less than she
did when her own sons were num-
bered among the dead"
Regarding the investigation Of the
RIBS disaster. II is understood that the
question OF publication of the air min
istry's report depends upon the admir-
atty, to whom 1t must be referred. The
report has also been communicated to
the United States government, as the
latter's Representatives we've assoct
ated I'm the Investigation