Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-11
POOR SIGNALS
Continued from page onel

messages which reached Paris from
points along the route. followed the
valley of the river Rhone to the
Mediterranean coast. He kept so
closely 10 the winding river that il
was thought that bad visibility pre-
vented him from sighting other
landmarks and thus reducing his
mileage.
The commanders wisdom in pick
ing the southern route was empha-
sized by weather reports from the
Atlantic coas of France. Tempests
were raging at L'Orient and other
points on the shores Of Brittany
and Vendee. compelling all fishing
boats to run for shelter. More thar.
so OF these vessels took refuge in
the Ice Of Belle Isle. Conditions
were much calmer tver the Mediter-
ranean.
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany
Oct. 11.-(PJ-Graf Zeppelin, Ger
many's huge new dirigible. flew
westward today at an average speed
Of 50 miles ar hour with passengers
and mail for America.
Sixty persons were aboard-a crew
Of 30 ard 20 passengers, among them
Lady Grace Drummond Hay Of Eng
land.
Or. Hugo Eckener. builder and
commander Of the airship, hoped to
bring the airship down at L~akehurst.
n. j., some 500 miles away, Sunday
morning.
Taking off from Friedrichshafen at
s a. m, the airship headed toward
the Atlantic where heavy storms
were reported 10 be prevalent and
because Of this it was likely to fol-
low a route by way of the Azores.
Two hours after her departure. she
was passing over northern France.
Start is Efficient
Despite feverish excitement which
had prevailed around the hangers in
the last few days. the dirigible got
away with clocklike precision and
with less fuss at the start than il
takes to get a transatlantic liner
away from her pier.
At a shouted order the airship's
hawsers were attached by pulleys to
running blocks on either side. The
huge craft was dragged slowly and
steadily out Of the hangar.
Within two minutes after il was
free Of the hangar the hawsers we're
detached and W hundred stalwart
workmen who had been hanging to
the lower gunwale let 20. The Graf
Zeppelin Immediately assembled al
most perpendicularly 10 an elevation
of about $50 feet. The nose was
pointed upward and the airship rose
higher as it circled low over Fried
richshafen.
To be in U. s. Sunday
Finally it headed westward over
Lake Constance and in three minutes
the craft had disappeared from view
on what was hoped to be the third
east TO west flight across the Atlantic
in a lighter than air craft.
Before climbing into the ship, DR..
Eckener said:
Il expect to reach New York Sun
day morning. The iast weather re-
ports, dated ? a. m, speak Of heavy
storms. Under these circumstances
Of course II is impossible to deter
mine the exact route in advance. IN
general. however. | can say we will
stick TO the southern course flying
over France and then heading south
ward TO avoid n depression which is
moving to and fro between New
foundland and Ireland. The northern
route Is out OF the question"
Two stewards were aboard 20 look
after the needs Of the inner man on
the trip. There was plenty Of provi-
sions, including veal. pork, chickens,
sausages, eggs, vegetables, fruit
candies, tea. coffee, cocoa, mineral
waters, beer. wine and s~chnapps.
When the American prohibition zone
is reached forbidden liquors will not
be thrown overheard but the man
agement will have it placed under
seal by customs officials at Lake
hurst.