The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-12
Yep PASSES MADEIRA;
FAR OUT OF COURSE TO
MISS ATLANTIC STORMS
People of Island Cheer Big
Air Liner on Trip to
United States.
TAKES SOUTHERN ROUTE
Slowed Speed May Not Put
DirigibIe in New York
Before Monday.

RB Uiitcd Press
The dirigible Graf Zeppelin,
flying far out of her course to
avoid a storm north of the
Azores, made steady progress
toward the United States this
afternoon across the south At
lantic.
The dirigible passed Madeira, 40
miles off the northwestern coast Of
Africa, during the morning. She
was sighted from Funchal, Madeira,
at $3.50 a. m. (E. S. IT,, and
maneuvered over the city, spending
an appreciable time over the island,
which is thirty-tive miles long.
Because of the storm, the dirigible
was expected to continue her south
ern course, probably continuing to
the United States by way of Ber-
muda and up the Atlantic coast to
Lakehurst, N. j., her destination.
1t was uncertain that she would
pass over the Azores, not only be-
cause of the troubled weather to
the north, but also because it would
mean a wide northward detour in
stead of straight line to Bermuda.
The Azores are about 300 to 900
miles due northwest of Madeira.
Cheered by Island
The Graf Zeppelin was cheered
by the people of Madeira and the
passengers waved greetings from the
cabin windows.
When the Graf Zeppelin reached
Madeira, she had covered 1900
miles from Friedrichshafen, Ger
many, which she left Thursday. 1t
took the dirigible approximately
thirty hours to make the journey,
or an average speed of about sixty
three miles an hour.
The British steamer Gymeric re-
ported at 6 a. m. (E. S. T.) that she
had sighted the Graf Zeppelin at Z
degrees west and 35 north. That is a
point about thirty miles off the
northwest coast of Africa and
about 400 miles from Madeira.
Previous to the report from the
Gymeric, the Graf Zeppelin was
last officially sighted at Castellon.
on the east coast of Spain. Even at
a slow speed she would have passed
beyond Gibraltar by this time, and
since she kept reporting all well,
there appeared little double that she
was over the Atlantic.
Arrive Sunday or Monday
The Graf Zeppelin apparently
avoided passing directly over Gib.'
raltar, but cut across the strait or
the tip of Africa to the south of il.
At 1920 a. m. she notified the
Gibraltar wireless station that she
was passing that vicinity, the wire
less station at Lisbon announced.
The distance from Funchal to the
United States is 3,1893 miles. If
the dirigible averages sixty miles an
hour across the ocean, she should
make the distance in fifty-three
hours, putting her in New York
Sunday afternoon or Sunday night.
Adverse winds might delay her
until late Sunday night or early
Monday morning.
1t was said today that thirty-six
steamers were on the tranS-Atlan-
tic routes, but most of them are on
the northern course-far north of
the route the Graf Zeppelin is ex-
pected to take.
When the Graf Zeppelin left
Friederichshafen, Dr. Eckener ex-
pected to make the fight in about
seventy hours.
However, the machine was fueled
for almost twice that amount and
one Spanish aeronautical official
said there was sufficient fuel aboard
for a trip half way around the
world and that thus, there was no
reason Tor fear If the speed was
greatly diminished.
Plenty of Provisions
There are plenty of provisions
aboard the Graf Zeppelin for the
added hours which the flight will
require. Thousands of pounds of
food were stored away in the
pantries to be prepared in the elec-
trio kitchen for serving on this
fight. Choice veals, sausages and
fresh vegetables and fruits we're
stored away. The menu arranged
was as completes as any offered on
the transatlantic steamship lines.
Thus there was little chance of
any of the passengers-some of
whom paid as high as $4,000 for the
honor OF making this first flight
suffering.