The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-05-07
Pride Of Reich Is
 Blasted On First Trip
(Contin led from Page D

, Captain Ernest Lehman, second to Eckener in the management of the Zeppelin works, had been in the control cabin. PrusS, if he sur wives, will tell an invaluable story Other American dirigible experts will come here today,
 All these experts hoped that the Hindenburg's end would contribute invaluable information to make .flI- ture zeppelins proof against acci- dent. '''} ?. Fey
 The exact cause of the disaster was not known and may never be known. One thing seemed certain that a spark of electricity set off the Hindenburg's hydrogen gas-one of the most explosive of gases when mixed with. air. This spark might have come from one of, her four Diesel engines swung in gondolas along her sides. Or it might nave came from accumulated static cleo tricity set off when her soggy land- ing ropes touched the ground. E R0sendahPs Report
 Rosendahl early today made this report to his superiors in Washing ton:
 "The airship Hindenburg is total loss from hydrogen fire originating at or near the stern of the ship and in the ship, during the landing operations at the naval air station, Lakehurst, about 6:25 (E.S.To p. nl., Thursday, May G., 1897. The landing was being conducted in the normal manner. The ships manila trail ropes had been dropped to the ground from an altitude of about 200 feet and there connected to corresponding ground ropes used in landing the ship. ..
 About four minutes after the ropes had reen dropped, fire ap- peared in the after part of the ship and worked progressively forward. The ship settled to the ground tail first, and was practically complete ly ablaze for her entire length by the time the ground was reached.
 Although trained naval airship personnel searched the wreckage completely upon sufficient cooling of the structure, no additional bodies were recovered. The search is be- ing continued and will probably be- come more effective with daylight. '
 'It is entirely too early to hazard any guess as to the origin of the fire which destroyed the ship. The cause of the fire and of the con- Sequent loss of the ship will, of course, have to be determined by the Investigating bodies"
 No Property Damage
 Rosendahl explained to his Su- periors that there had been no dam- age to naval property and that "it was not believed that there were other than minor injuries to any navy personnel" He urged the public to stay away from the reser- vation which had been closed ant was being patrolled by soldiers. 4 member of the ground crew diet after the report had been filed.
 In Washington, the en1battled lit tie group in congress and the navy department who have maintained their faith in dirigibles despite thu Macon, the Akron, and the sheaan' doal1 disasters, acknowledged tha their hopes that America woult again build dirigibles for militar. purposes had died in the wreck age of the Hipdenburg. The grea ship and her older and more ia nous sister, the Graf Zeppelin which makes regular commercial runs to South America. had abeel |the chief supports of their argl lments that dirigibles were safe, wer militarily effective, and that thi country had not given them snfa cient trial. Il The Hindenbrrg was the intl ! ldirigible to meet disaster since tn I World War when many Germai zeppeiiDs, ori bombing raids on Lon don and Paris. either were shot |. " 9