The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-10-01
AIRSHIP DISASTER
TOLD NAVAL COURT
Lieutenant Anderson for the First
Time Gives Expert Details of
Shenandoah Crssh-

Lakehurst, N. J. That
the great airship Shenandoah held
true to her course in the face of
gathering clouds in which the respons-
IDLE officers aboard believed there
Iurked no menace for the craft, was
disclosed today before the naval court
of inquiry here by Lieutenant Joseph
B. Anderson, weather expert aboard
the ship.
Describing the clouds as of much the
same appearance as those which had
covered the airship throughout the
night of September 2-3, Lieutenant
Anderson said there was nothing that
showed severe storm in the forma-
ton and that when the ship began her
first ascent no concern was caused to
the officers in charge. In a few min
utes, however, it came home to ali
that the craft was in the worst storm
she had ever encountered.
Even when the airship began her
first rapid ascent before she was
wrecked those in charge felt no con-
Germ for her safety and thought she
would weather that condition as she
had similar situations on previous
flights, Lieutenant Anderson declared,
So certain we're the officers that there
was nothing dangerous ahead that the
vessel was turned back to her orig
inal course after she had been turned
to the southwark when the clouds
first were noticed
Grave Situation Realized.
Shortly after the ascent began,
Lieutenant Anderson continued, Eve
realized we were in stronger currents
than we had thought, for they were
unableNto check the rise by means OF
the motors and elevators"
Commander Lansdowne Immediately
sent Anderson into the ship from the
control car with orders for the officers
to stand by the automatic valves. After
explaining the ships situation to
these officers, Anderson returned to
the control car to find that the Shen-
andoah still was rising from one to
two meters and then was up between
1000 and 5000 feet.
"At this time," continued Anderson,
VIM w ob GCAA4ltS Lux LklE lISL llIh0 LIS
story Of the wreck, Captain Lans-
down, after hasty conference with
several of the officers on watch, or
dered the maneuvering valves opened
With gas being exhausted through
maneuvering and automatic valves
the captain began taking steps for
the descent which we knew must soon
follow, SO he directed me to go into the
keel and pass the word to stand by the
slip tanks.
"After l had delivered the captains
orders | started to return to the con-
troll car. When l got to the ladder
and started down / was surprised to
see that the gas bags, which had been
full, and very tight when / entered
the keel, were now flabby at the bot
tom.
st is my recollection that we con-
tinued to descend to about $500 feet
and the course had changed to the
south, but we were still making prac-
tically no Roadway over the ground
During this descent the captain had
ordered water ballast discharged.
Trouble Increases.
after the ship had been checked in
its fall, it was then on an even keel
without unusual vibration. 1t re-
manned at that altitude a short period
probably minute or so. During this
period a general discussion was held
as to the best means for getting away
from the storm.
"Then began another rapid ascent
and the elevators and engines were
again ordered to correct this. 1t was
then that first learned that engine
trouble had developed, doubtless due
to the angle at which the ship had
been flying.
Gas I recall, the ship rose rapidly
to about $500 feet, during which time
the rudderman was having great dill
fculty holding the ship on its course
AS near as l can remember, it was
about $500 feet when the ship, which
was being held down by the nose at 9
considerable angle, suddenly nosed
over Immediately following this
nosing down the ship started tc
nose up rapidly, when there was g
grinding and wrenching of the Orders
which told US Immediately that the
ship was breaking about midship and
at the same time there was a momen-
tary Earring or shaking of the control
car. Some one said, there she goes!
/ felt the ship start to fall rapidly Sc
1 turned to the ladder and started fol
the keel; Colonel Hall had just pre-
coded me"
Lieutenant Anderson then described
how Orders and wires gave way as the
bow of the ship broke away and began
to free balloon.