Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19
ZEPPELIN LANDING
MADE WITH EASE
Dr.. Eckener Praises Work of
French Sailors and
Soldiers.
BY COUNT MONTGELAs.

OF the Editorial staff of Vossische Zeitune.
BY Gable to The Star and the New York
Times.
TOULON. May 18.-With three of her
motors out of commission, the Graf
Zeppelin found progress northward
along the Rhone Valley impossible
against the strong head winds Comdr.
Eckener therefore radioed to the project
or Toulon his intention to land on the
Cuers Airdrome. and when we arrived
there we found big staff Of workmen
and 600 soldiers under the direction Of
Capt. Hamon, prepared to aid our land
ing.
The weather was ideal. The wind had
subsidized and the airport was flooded
with moonlight The landing was effect
ed with ease and neither the passengers
nor the dirigible suffered. The cargo
also remained intact. Shortly after the
ship was hauled down 1t was dragged
into the hangar and made fast.
Immediately after landing DR.. Eckener
expressed his thanks to Capt. Hamon
for the efficient and comprehensive aid.
declaring that the speed and precision
with which the big dirigible was made
fast filled him with admiration.
The passengers then were subjected
to usual customs ceremonies, after
which they were allowed to depart for
Toulon.
Only One Motor Functioring.
Our first intimation that something
was wrong with the Graf zeppelin'S
progress came shortly before O'Clock
Friday afternoon, when the dirigible's
shadow indicated we were not making
progress, Suddenly We observed a dis
patch pouch being dropped from the
airship, which Is not allowed in France.
We promptly inferred that 1t must be
a signal of distress. then learned
one motor was still functioning and that
We presently would be forced to make
an emergency landing.
1t was our intention to signal Lyon,
which presently promised relief from
Valence, but meanwhile we drifted to
the left of Valence to seek a quiet air
strata In the smaller Rhone Valley Of
Drome.
There was no CONSERVATION among
the passengers. They rather were in
clined to view the situation in an adj
venturesome spirit. including Mrs.
Pierce of New York. Most of US were
concerned for the safety OF the ship.
The smaller Rhone Valley afforded no
ton We were heading for the French
Alps, so DR.. Eckner steered back in
the direction of Valence. dropped
a pouch containing press dispatches
overheard, but observed 1t landed in a
clover field near village. That very
we were appraised of the
French governments offer of assistance
and were directed to head for the air
droine at Cuers. near Toulon. AS one
OF the impaired motors began again
to buzz and We had the helping rear
wind We reached the airport easily
and a quick landing was made.
Our. arrival at Cuers was unfor-
gettable. The journalists sat with their
typewriters on their knees among the
passengers and wrote We wrote all the
time, hoping to be able to drop reports
while the passengers were looking out
windows at the cities below. They were
all eagerness as We came down to land.
In front Of the navigation cabin sat
Mrs. Pierce. tense. but very quiet. She
said she was sorry for DR.. Eckener and
the nice poor officers and the beautiful
ship"
Receipt Of Instructions, Luck.
DR.. Eckener and the crew remained
on the dirigible overnight.
Through the breakdown of three mo-
tors our facilities for wirelessinv be-
came severely impaired Receipt of the
French official instructions to land at
Cuers must be described as q piece of
sheer luck. as we had temporarily pulled
IN our antenna in expectation of hur-
rled landing and were therefore without
facilities for recovering bulletins from
land. We had barely replaced our an
tenna when we picked up the French
governments instructions.
The French authorities offered DR..
DR.. Eckener 1000 cubic meters of gas to
enable him to refill the Graf Zeppelin
DR.: Eckener will leave for Friedrichs-
hafen tonight to investigate the posi-
bility OF replacing the defective motors
and will then decide whether he will fiy
the airship back to her home port or
proceed directly to the United States.
DR.. Eckener was entertained tonight
by the German consul-general at
and will depart tomorrow for
Two motors are under
way from Friedrichshafen and will be
installed in the Graf Zeppelin. DR..
Eckener invited six French naval Off
GERS to fly with the Zeppelin to Fried
Many of the passengers
have already departed
When the intention to land was dis
closed 1t was again the American lady.
Mrs. Pierce, who had to be reused from
sleep and who found q sentence fitting
the situation by calmly remarking, "Oh.
how exciting, this is very exciting" She
did not say this like a naive child. but
courageous In full apprehension of the
situation.
,coPySprlg4hPs in the United States by the
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