New Britain herald., 1924-10-23
TRIP OVER ROCKIES
 IS HARD TEST FOR GIANT SHENANDOAH
Caught in SNirlins Air Cur rents, Great Graft Creaks and
 GToans But Never FalterS
COUNTRYSIDE GLISTENS
 FAR BELOW AERONAUTS

Great Gas Bag PluRges Onward fin
 its Flight Back to Lakchurst, New
 ,Jersey--Gets Lost at One Time
 and Slips Over Boarder Into Mext-
 co-Win Stop nt Fort Worth To-
 night, Then Proceed Homeward
 Aboard the |. S. Shenandoah, Oct. ?S.-(vla Fort Bliss, Texas).-The last of the Rocky Mountain barriers was passed by the U. s. Shenandoah early today. leaving clear course for the retun of the big dirigible 70 her hangar at Lakehurst, N. J.
 Spectacular Sight
 Arizona and the worst of the ockies were left behind when Ro- leo, N. NJ, was reached at e:3o
 clock. The big ship had groaned
 nd strained as 1t drove into the idies whirling over the peaks. The ind currents rushed through the lountain passes like mill races.
 The shaft houses of the copper aines of Bisbee, Arizona were H. minated like summer amusement ark when the big dirigible unex- ,ectedly found herself In a bowl of he Isle mountains over the city at l2.34 a, m. Peaks and mountains eemed to tower around 1t on all rides except the single pass through which 1t had entered the pocket in he rockies. The moon had been a pale crescent and its feeble rays only falntly touched the bottoms of the mountain passes.
 Hit 50 Mile Clip
 The ship sped at fifty miles an our over the ranges of Arizona at n altitude of 6,500 feet. Turning outward at Benson at 1o:40 p. m. tast night, The Shenandoah had fol- owed the railroad southeast towards he Mexican border. After a short tpurt, Bisbee was seen glistening lnder the moonlight and in few minutes had been passed. The lights of the mines. the sketchy outline Of it's two streeas, Tombstone Canyon and Brewery Gulch showed that the ,ity was Bisbee. The nose of the ship was pointed upward until 1t was on a 6,700 foot level and an- ether 175 pound tank of gasoline was dropped through the silken bottom 10 Tighten the load. The Shenandoah turned and was over Naco at 12:6O q. m. another turn with broad swing over the Mexican border and she was again speeding eastward. Douglas and its shelter were passed at 1:27 a. m.
 Very Dramatic Trip
 The return trip across the rockies yas almost as dramatic as the west ard journey. Along the 6SO feet or ne shenandoah's glistening body, on either side of the nine inch cat walk. the big gas bags seemed ready to burst against the network of cord IS the helium expanded in the rari- fled altitude. In the navigating car Commander Lansdowne, captain Of the Shenandoah, Lieuten- mt Commander Hancock, the execu- tive officer, and the officers on watch were straining their eyes into the darkness guiding the ship as 1t sped on it's uncharted course of the air.
 Engines Roar Loudly
 In each of the motor gondolas en- zines were roaring tense to respond like a flash to the signals which might mean tn edifference between destruction or safety. Weary men off duty were sleeping in their hunks. The deafening roar of mot ors lulled the exhausted to sleep and drowned the voices of those awake. Lights fliekered in the distance and keel and men silently and method icaJly sped along the lttle runway gasoline, shifting water ballast or standing by to cut out a iank and throw 1t to the land.
 Radio Talks With Earth
 While the ship sped along be- tween the stars and the lights of the sleeping world below, its radio was lalkinE with unseen ears in Fort Bliss and towns immediately be- heath and others thousands of miles way. When New Mexico was reach- ad the officers who had been on duty over the mountains turned in and Lieutenants Lawrence and Rosenthal took the bridge. The mountain climbing was over and en- zines started making water ballasr. Hachita was passed at 3:1S A. NJ. The course again was along the Mexican border over Columbus and El Paso
 To stop at Fort Worth
 y., r,- rT,-,-z n,A % Tha navy