Evening star., 1937-05-07

now solid mass Of flame, it, terrified,
occupants shrieking.
The stories Of the tragedy were al
the same.
"A binding nash," said Herbert
OIaughlin Of Chicago. = survivor.
"A noise that sounded like bullets
coming out Of the gondolas," said
Robert seelig, a photographer on the
ground. Il saw the ship Just sink
down and the flames 60 through it."
The disaster, writing fiery finis to
the Hindenburg's $4,000 miles of safe
transit across the Atlantic, was the
frst major wreck to involve a lighter
than-air ship carrying paying passen-
gers
All other crashes, in the 7S years
since Count Zeppelin began the use
OF dirigibles, involved military or naval
craft.
Curious humanity, in long untiring
streams Of thousands, poured into
Lakehurst throughout the night and
early morning, eager to gaze In awe on
the scene.
The determined crowds abandoned
their cars and pressed forward on foot,
through wood, swamps and thickets, to
the spot where lay the fused, skeleton
lied giroers Of the colossus of the
skies.
At the big gate, 4 half mile from
the hangar, throngs nilled in the
darkness Of early dawn, probing with
flashlights, peering futilely for a sign
Of flames, bemoaning the long way
back.
Navy men patrolled the high fence,
which many agile spectators had
climbed before the keep out" lines
were formed
Others, undismayed by the guards,
trudged mile around to the unfenced
section behind the hangar. Immedi-
ately more patrol lines were set up.
In the Zeppelin Co.'S once, beside
the hangar, a score of Germans, grim
and nervous, conversed. An officer
with his head swathed in crimson
stained bandages roared thick German
into a telephone
Eleven times, a truck backed up to
the hangar. Each time it brought
another charred body.
Graphic descriptions OF the disaster
came fl ON eye witnesses.
All was serene on the ground and
ship when suddenly flames burst from
the Zeppelin's tail" said DR.. Carl A.
Gesswern Of Matawan. Her rear
half puffed up and burned then the
front bulged out and burst into
flames. In less than a minute she was
on the ground, dropping like debated
parachute"
As the flaming mass plunged down.
ward, there rose cry to the ground
crew: Run for your lives"
The first bewilderment gone, they
ran back to the blazing, still exploding
wreckage.
The Navy boys grimly dove into
the flames like dogs after rabbits" +"
said officials. lauding their rescue
work.
The passengers and crew, those
that were not trapped in the blazing
belly, sought escape.
Threw Sons Out Window.
Mrs. Herman Doehner of Mexico
City( told Point Pleasant Hospital
aides that she and two sons were in
the dining room when the first blast
occurred. She threw her sons out
OF the window and then. with the ship
6 feet off the ground, jumped her
self. A daughter also escaped. but
her husband was not reported in the
early survival list.
I landed on my stomach and
craWled 80 or 40 yards to escape the
flames Philip Mangone of New York
said in Paul Kimball Hospital.
Theories came from various sources
on the cause Of the disaster, such .,
had stricken down lighter-than-ail
craft, but officials hurrying to the
scene to make the inquiry said it va.
too early" to try to fx the reason.
F. w. Won Meister, vice president OF
the American Zeppelin Transport Co.
general United States agents for the
German Zeppelin Transport Co., the
Hindenburgs owners, said the rain
may have created . spark Of static