The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-08-23
D|RIC|bLE TAKES OFF
INATTEMPY
STORMS OF PACIFIC
Commander Hopes to Conquer
Western Ocean for First
Time by Air
DELAYED By HEAD WINDS
More Than 5000 Miles Lie
: Ahead Of Craft; Eckener
Expects 100 Hours

Tokyo, Aug. ~ (SatofdayD.-tAD
The world d-voyaging dirigible Graf
Zeppelin radioed here ut .. m.
today III .. m. eastern standard
time, Friday that she was ap-
proximately 600 miles almost due
east Of the Kasumigaura naval
base. near here, from which she
started at 3:13 p. m. yesterday.
Kasumigaura. Japan. Aug. 23.-tR
Turning its nose eastward for the
first flight Of an airship over the Pa
cific ocean the Graf Zeppelin,
mighty German air liner. left here
at 3:l3 p. m. u:l3 a. m. E. s. I'd for
Los Angeles.
For hours q north wind which made
removal from the hangar dangerous
had delayed the giant dirigible and
at noon adverse weather reports were
received which made it seem prob
able departure would have to be post
poned until Saturday.
Shortly after noon the north wind
died down. In view Of the unexpect-
ed Improvement in weather condi-
tions DR.. Hugo Eckener, master. or
iered passengers aboard and had the
yround crew take its place prepara-
tory to loosing the craft into the air.
Heads Northeast
The dirigible was drawn from the
hangar and ut 3:13 p. M. was re-
leased into the air. It made directly
for the northeast and in seven min
utes had disappeared In the direction
Of che open Pacific. ~
Ahead Of the Graf lay course Of
some $40 miles which DR.. Eckener
expected to cover In close to 100
hours, a schedule which, II adhered
to. would bring the Zeppelin to Los
Angeles at 2:13 q. M, Pacific time
Tuesday (5:l3 q. m. E. S. IT,
It was easily possible the Zeppelin
would exceed this and arrive at Los
Angeles in tho cool of sundown Mon
day evening.
The course. broadly speaking. lay
northeastward from here to south Of
the Aleutian islands, where the turn
southeastward toward Seattle, WASH,
would be made. From Seattle 1t was
planned to cruise southwark along
the Pacific coast to Los Angels. DR..
Eckener made 1t plain, however, he
would vary his itinerary according to
the weather conditions he encoun-
tered.
From Los Angeles DR.. Eckencr
planned to fly $500 miles to Lake.
hurst, N. J.. completing the round the
world trip he began there Wednesday
,aieI,t A,ir = at 10.l0 n m Arrival
at Lakehurst should be, If two or
three days are spent at Los Angeles
Tor refueling and the like. some time
soward the end Of next week.
UNAVOIDABLE WEATHER
CONDITIONS DEVELOPING
San Francisco. Aug. 23.-F)-A
weather report indicating unfavorable
weather conditions were developing
over the great circle route, the an
nounced course Of the Graf Zeppelin
as she left Tokyo was broadcast to
DR.: Hugo Eckener, commander Of the
air liner. by the United States weather
bureau here today.
Virtually ever Pacific coast wire-
less station from Pribilof islands In
the Bering sea to San Francisco lis
tened all night for the dirigible's
wireless without result and three sta
tions called her almost continuously
without getting any answer. Oper.
ators expressed the belief that elec-
trical disturbances between the Graf
Zeppelin and the Pacific coast may
have prevented contact.