The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-12

AAAbAAO0S 0O4AAO ~ AAASAA 'ON~
trapped by the falling fabric.
all but four escaped unaided,
and these four were found I'M
injured, though half smoth-
cred, in the folds of cloth.
It was the second time that flight
sponsors and crew had been blasted
their hopes of a new altitude record
for ascent into the outer atmos-
phere.
1t will be impossible to determine
what caused the destruction of the
Inflated balloon until the dew has
dried off and the huge gas bag can
be stretched out and examined,
Capt. Stevens announced after he
surveyed the wrecked balloon.
A complete examination will be
necessary before any announcements
are made as to the cause of the
accident or possible future plans for
a flight. Capt. Stevens said.
Too Much Strain on Top
Although none would be quoted,
it was the general opinion at the
stratosphere bowl that too much
strain had beer placed on the top
fabric of the balloon, causing the
bag to rip open.
A year ago, Explorer I, first craft
of the U. S. Army-National Geo.
graphic Society, crashed to earth in
Nebraska after the gas bag had
ripped under pressure Of expanding
gas at an altitude of about $4,000
feet.
Capt. Albert w. Stevens, flight
commander this year, and Capt.
Orvil Anderson, pilot, were men,
bers of the crew of that Inflated
expedition. They leaped to safety
with p~arachutes. along with Maj.
William Kepner, their commander
on the first flight.
SuddenneSS of Thunder Clap
Today's explosion came with the
suddenness of a thunder-clap.
About 20 of the ground crew, all
Army cavalrymen from FIT. Meade,
who were working beneath the great
bag, which lowered, at the time of
the explosion, some 300 feet into
the air, were caught by the folds Of
white fabric as the bag crumpled.
Had the balloon been inflated
with explosive. inflammable hydro
gen gas, such as was used in last
years attempt, a major disaster I'M
%doubtedly would have occurred.
The explosion came as a completes
surprise. and observers were at a
loss, pending an investigation, to
assign any cause for it. The bag
was inflated. at the time. with only
about 300 900 cubic feet of gas.
Anderson Sheds Tears
Capt. Stevens, in a radio message
sent to the National Geographic So
ciety at Washington, expressed
pleasure that no one had been in
jured in the explosion, but said he
was naturally very disappointed"
Capt. Anderson shed tears of dis
appointment as he aided in the work
Of stripping the fabric from the area
Immediately about the gondola, to
be SUI that no member of the
ground crew had been trapped there.
Until the moment of the explo-
sion the work of imitation, and Of
other preparation for the takeof.
which was to have been made with
the first light Of dawn, had pro-
ceeded without a single hitch, under
perfect Army discipline.
Scene of Confusion
With the explosion, the entire
sheltered bowl, II miles west Of
here in the Black Hills, was thrown
into utter confusion. Army men
tore at the crumpled fabric with
bare hands, as they sought to assure
themselves Of the safety of their
comrades, trapped beneath the fall
ing cloth.
A score Of newspaper men, ad-
mitted into the bowl to cover the
takeoff, forgot typewriters. tele-
phones and telegraph wires as they
hurried to aid those they believed
might be smothered by the falling
bag.
On the rocky rims about the bowl,
thousands who had gathered during
the night to watch the takeoff
shrieked in terror as the explosion
occurred.
They saw puffs of what appeared
to be a smoke rising from the bag,
and for a time many believed that
the gas had been ignited.