Evening star., 1924-01-18
SURE SHENANDOAH
CAN FLY TO POLE
SkepticaI Officers Doubts
Removed by Remarkably
Successful Flight in Storm.
FACED DISASTER ONCE
Ship Dropped to Six Feet of Ground
When Released-Presence of
Mind Saved Her.
FACED DISASTER ONCE
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
L4AKEHURST, January 18.-Even
the skeptics have been converted.
The Shenandoah's remarkably sue
cessful flight against one of the most
severe gales that ever struck the At
lantic coast, despite the fact that her
nose was torn away and she was
otherwise battered, has won for her
the commmendation OF those naval
officers who were inclined to doubt
the practicability of building ships
of her type and size.
That battle of Wednesday night and
Thursday morning in a seventy-two-
mile wind which carried her to Staten
Island before she could be turned
about has convinced virtually every
one at the naval air station that the
Shenandoah could negotiate success
fully the planned trip TO the north
pole.
Most of them were inclined to re-
frain from talking for publication on
the polar flight. They pointed out
that Washington officials would have
to decide whether the trip would be
made. There was evident gratihcatlon
when it was learned that Secretary
predicted that the accident to the
Shenandoah would not prevent the
proposed flight.
No Such Gale I'm Arctics.
Lieut. Commander NJ. r. Pierce,
who was in command of the Shenan-
6oah on her wild flight, said he did
not believe any such gale as Wednes-
day nights would be encountered on
a flight to the Arctic.
He pointed out that in flying to the
pole there would be chosen season
normally free from storms Most Of
cially, that. the ship easily could
stand any wind that might strike
her in the north.
Capt. Anton Heinen. German Zep-
pelin expert, already had expressed
the opinion that the ship could
weather any storm.
Echoes OF the praise for the cool
and quick work of Capt. Heinen and
the other officers and men aboard
when she was set adrift resounded
over the station today. a fact that
had not been known generally until
last night was the topic of consider
able gossip. This was tn assertion
that the Shenandoah, when that one
great gust of wind tore her from her
mooring mast, started to the ground
and was only about six feet from the
earth when she started to rise again
and float away.
Leaped for Levers.
Three officers, Capt. Heinen. Conn
mander Pierce and Lieut.. L. II. Kin
caid. leaped for the levers that re-
thousand pounds of water and thus
averted an ignoble end for the pride
Of the Navy. Had their instincts
failed them in that critical moment
the giant ship probably would have
crashed to the ground, huddled
heap of ruins
Just before the craft broke away a
discussion had been held aboard her
as to the advisability Of setting her
adrift. y j.. : ..,-'-' - e.
I'VE had been expecting several
heavy gusts" Lieut. Commander Pierce
told the Associated Press. Suddenly
heavy swell Of air struck US and
the ship gave a. wrench. There was a
rumbling sound just before she broke
rapidly to the ground. and Capt Hell
nen called to let go the water bal
last. Lieut.. Kincaid, Capt. Heinen and
l grabbed all the ballast pulls and
let go everything-5,000 pounds of
signal to start the engines" BY this
time the ship had started drifting
rapidly. he said, and was well away
from the station.
although there was only one man
in each engine car" he continued,
we got them started quickly. The
ship was heavy and
hard to handle. Just then Lieut..
MAYER. the construction officer. re-
ported the upper part of the after
fin had buckled and that the entire
bow was torn off, and. that bags l9
and 20 had lost their gas
We let go three emergency fuel
tanks, containing 700 pounds of fuel
oil, and moved aft every availab BILE
weight in the ship. This corrected the
trend, and by that time we had the ship
under fairly good control"
Laid Up for Repairs.
Immediately after the conclusion
OF an official investigation today of
the damage, the helium gas will be
Withdrawn from her cells and the
huge craft; will be stored UP for re-
pairs, 1t was announced at the air
station. 80.
This beginning of preparations for
the proposed north polar flight will
include removal of most of the outer
covering, which will be replaced with
new; removal of the control car
which houses No motor, and the in
stalling of a new control car, which
will contain living quarters for the
crew and especially built for the
polar trip. There will, be no motor
in this new control car, the giant
craft being expected to make the
Arctic cruise on FIVE motors.
LAUDED By PRESIDENT.