VIVID STORIES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 121, 15 February 1935, Page 11

VIVID STORIES

Survivors’ Accounts of Macon Disaster BIG AIRSHIP’S FALL Crew Jump Into Sea as Stern Strikes Water EFFICIENT RESCUE WORK By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received February 14, 7 p.m.) Washington, February 13. With the landing of the survivors from the airship Macon, whcih sank yesterday after falling into the sea at San Francisco, vivid stories were told of the disaster, Commander Wiley’s account being most thrilling, despite its terseness. He said a short jar was felt, and inquiry showed that the wheel had slipped out of the elevator man’s hand. The ship took a bow-up inclination and rose, despite every effort, such as dropping ballast and emergency fuel from the after part. The ship continued to rise rapidly, then went right about face. The vessel began to drop from 4000 feet, descending at a rate of 300 feet a minute. Despite dropping all ballast and endeavouring to drop aeroplanes from the aeroplane hangar, the descent continued. The order to abandon ship was given at 1000 feet, and when the stern hit the water with a jar everyone was ordered out of the control car before it was submerged. Everyone jumped and made for the rubber lifeboats. SOS signals were given some time before the flares were also thrown out. A momentary danger arose when flares set fire to floating petrol, but-this burnt out quickly. The rescue was quick and efficient. FAITH IN AIRSHIPS / v Conflicting British Views SUCCESS OF ZEPPELINS London, February 13. Commenting on the Macon disaster, Lieut.-Colonel Moore-Brabazon,, Mil’., said: “Since the RlOl disaster I have abandoned faith in big airships. They are not things to be taken in bad weather. The Zeppelin School of Construction is successful, but everybody else.<s singularly unsuccessful. Everybody seems to try to improve upon Dr. Eckener’s products. Why they fail is difficult to determine.” ■ Commander Sir Dennistoun Burney, one of the leading champions of airships, in an interview on the Macon disaster, said that the use of airships was justified. Developments in design and construction, were worth persevering with. “Take the example,” he said, “of tlie Graf Zeppelin, which has crossed the Atlantic ninety, times and given no trouble.” HALT IN EXPENDITURE Airships in United States (Received February 14. 8.55 p.m.) Washington, February 13. President Roosevelt has announced that he will not recommend expenditure of Federal funds on further lighter than air ships this time, although everyone should be careful not to overstate the importance of the disaster in its relations to future aircraft development.

The President added that he did not think the temporary abandonment of dirigibles would injure the development of helium gas' since experiments promise many other uses for it.