The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-05-12
NOW
HEADING FOR
LANDING FIELD
AIRsHIP NORGE IS SECOND
AIRCRAFT IN HISTORY TO
MAKE FLIGHT OVER NORTH
POLE

NEW 1Okh, May lZ.-Ihe
air1hip Norge, second aircraft in
/. history to fly over the North Pole,
was on its way to a landing field
al Nome, Alaska, today, the forty
fifth birthday of Lincoln Els
worth, one of the expeditions
leaders.
The great balloon duplicated
within three days the feat of the
three-engined airplane "Miss Jose
phine Ford, commanded by
Lieutenant Commander Richard
+. Byrd, with the difference that
Commander Byrd returned to
Kings Bay, Spitzbergen, a 1000
mile nonstop flight, while the
Norge continues a 1000 mile
journey toward Nome.
Road Amundsen, commander
Of the third expedition to reach
the North Pole and the first hui
man being to reach South Pole,
wired yesterday to Ralph Lomen,
Norwegian consul at Nome, to
have 100 men ready to lower the
dirigibIe.
The Norge left Spitzbergen at
10 a. nj. Norwegian time. or a a.
m. eastern standard time, Tues
day. and sailed over the pole with
the II members of its crew at
a. m. today, Norwegion time, or.
seven o'clock last night, eastern
STANDARD time.
The news reached the New
Yerk Times and st. Louis Globe
Democrat by radio in the first
message ever received from the
North Pole. The papers gave out
the news at 1904 a. m. eastern
standard time, today.
Commander Byrd saw the Norge
off but remained at Kings Bay to
prepare, in the words of Lieut..
Alton N. Parker, of his party, to
investigate every foot of real es-
tate near the pole for Uncle
Sam"
Twenty-Five men have now
seen the North Pole-six in the
Peary expedition, Commander
Byrd and his pilot, Floyd Bennett,
and IL on the Norge. The Norge
reached the pole in 10 hours from
Kings Bay, Commander Byrd re-
quired Is hours and So minutes
70 go to the pole and back to
Kings Bay in his airplane, and
Peary, using dog sleds, took eight
months for the trip to the pole
and back to civilization.
Approximate Speed
The Norge travelled at approxi-
mately fifty miles an hour, and
it was estimated that if she kept
tins pace, should reach Point Bar
row, en- route to Nome, at 10 p.
m. tonight. eastern standard time.
Staffansen, Canadian explorer,
now living in New York, expressed
delight today that the Byrd and
Ellsworth and Amundsen expedi-
tons were realizing prophesy
Of his made three years ago, that
airships and dirigibles flying over
the top of the world, would open
the shortest and most practicable
routes between the eastern and
western hemispheres.
The Norge is 34s feet long, was
inflated with 10000 cubic meters
Of hydrogen at Kings Bay, and
loaded with 5000 Kilograms of
benzine fuel. Its best speed is 81
miles an hour. It was built in
1923 by the State Airship Factory
at Rome as the MIL for the
Italian air service.
Italy awaited news from the
final hop with the religious calm
with which one awaits the divine
browning Of all human endeavors. Z
Amundsen, who is one of Nor
ways national heroes, was beaten
to the North Pole by Robert E.
peary. He set out for the South
Pole by dog sled, reaching it De-
cemher IA. 1911, beating four
rival expeditions from as many
countries. Roald Amundsen last
year made the first attempt to
reach the North Pole By airplane
but failed.
Ellsworth met Amundsen In
1924. when he paid for three air.
planes Amundsen had ordered in
Italy. He accompanied the Nor
wegian on his polar dash last year
and was made second in command
Of the Norge expedition.
wiekless Oil Stoves. One. Two