The Washington times., 1924-11-26
BIGGEST ON
SWINGING
LADDER
Only Tiny Rung Between Him
and Death 1000 Feet Be-
loW-The Trip in Detail
BY LLOYD LEHRBAS,
(EmternatierEaA News service staff Cor.
Respondent ~ Board the Los Angeles
on Its First Flight in America.l

Dy LAOAU AEANDA0s
(NnternatiewA News service Staff Cor
on Its First Flight in America.l
BE aboard at $50 a. m.
sharp"
And in accordance with Com
mander Jacob R. Klein's orders
at Midnight / had hastyi cup
OF coffee at A o'clock yesterday
morning and then trudgsd over
the boys of New Jersey in the
shivering b.acIness just before
dawn from the only hotes in the
little village Of Lakehurst to the
gigantic hangar two miles away.
Encased in fur-lined flying
suit and outfitted with helmet and
big fur gloves, l walked through
the hangar between the great
dark shape that was the Shenan-
dOah, another monster of the air,
and the ZR-3, and climbed aboard
the big compartment that hung
from beneath the huge gas-bag.
Others to Cast Off.
Inside it looked like a Pullman
car with every possible convenience,
including a kitchenette, Mushrooms,
radio room and promenade.
Not much time for inspection
then, however, for it was necessary
to weigh In" process involving
adjusting the number Of people ON
board the air liner with the balance
OF the dirigible.
And then 500 sailors, round white
hats cleaning from above their
fur-lined flying togs, caught hold
Of the ropes and side ratings and
eased the big ship out of the
hangar delicate operation be-
cause winds. blowing across the
hangar doors. had kept the dirigi-
BILE from coming out for three days.
Outside, with the human anchors
keeping the straining air liner on
earth, we hung suspended for
three hours while the first rays of
the morning sun expanded the
helium gaa-being used for the first
time in the German built dirigible-
and then Commander Klein's orders,
Cast Off,
Placed at Station
To properly balance the ship in
getting away, Commander Klein
ordered me to station 90" back
inside the gigantic bag, stwo-thirds
of the way Of it's $50 feet, with
just a footing on a narrow .cats-
walk" in the maze of duralumin
Orders, crossing and criss.crossing
wires, in the heart of the fourteen
enormous circular gas cells.
There had nothing to do but
stand still with nothing between
me and the earth below, fatty slip.
ping away and taking ON the char
acteristics of relief map, but one
layer of cotton cloth and several
layers of aluminium paint.
After five minutes in the prison
After five minutes in the prison
lined with gold-beater's skin 1 eau.
ttously walked forward along the
narrow girder until 1 reached the
1etnglass opening looking down to one
OF the five suspended engine-cars
that were driving the liner through
the air. The earth was already 700
or 500 feet below us.
The really big thrill in riding the
Qlr1glDle comes when you climb
down the tiny ladder that leads to
the little engine cars, suspended
from the big gas.bag like do-dads.
There you have a footing on a
metal ladder just big enough for
your feet-and nothing but sky be-
tween you and eternity. It's a
sure cure for ennui.
Drops 500 Feet.
The control car compartment was
q luxurious Pullman in comparison
with nothing to do but sit on a
well upholstered seat, hang my
head out of the window, and watch
the panorama of countryside
checker-boarded in the first rays of
the haZy sunrise.
An hour after taking off we swung
over, Philadelphia at about 1000
feet but Just before reaching the
Navy Yard the air, which had been
quite bumpy, suddenly gave us a
800 foot drop. and Commander Klein
pulled the elevator levers and
EOomed up to 1000 feet to escape the