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St. Croix Avis, 1921-08-27, page 3

Collection
Newspapers
Sub-shelf
St. Croix Avis
Kind
Newspaper
Island
St. Croix
Date
1921-08-27
Topics
Disaster Recovery
Pages
1
Text
Native Text

for her flight across the Atlantic. The airship set oat from Howden early yes- terday and was prevented by a storm from landing last night and was cruis- ing about today, making further tests, before proceeding to Pulham, Norfolk, where it was intended to moor her. The dirigible was flying easily over this city shortly after 5.30 o’clock this afternoon, all being seemingly well when, accord- ing to survivors, a sharp turn 'vas given her rudder and she swerved in towards the Humber. Apparently the strain on the turn was too much for her. Crowds gathered in the streets of Hull, intent - watching the movement of the air ™or- ster, saw a sudden flash and heard the report of a tremendous explosion vio- lent enough to shake the buildings beneath and break windows in the city stoor fronts. Then the airship appeared to break in two and burst into flames, rhe crowds beneath'meanwhile running panic stricken in all directions to escape the wreck of the flaming monster which seemed would drop directly upon the city The fail of the dirigible, however. …

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SHA-256 c1081c0079f7a4e3c343231c94481db857c6448f66d19aa9bc3438b1702b7008

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Per title, recorded not guessed. St. Croix Avis: Brian 2026-08-22 fair game (ceased 2024). West End News (sn84037548, 1912-1973), Home Journal (sn84037503, 1951-1973), St. Croix Tribune (sn84037536, 1922-1937): Brian 2026-08-23 take. The Daily News of the V.I. (568 pages, 1955-1978): EXCLUDED - publisher active; the Library's clearance is the Library's. Pre-1930 material PD outright.

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for her flight across the Atlantic. The airship set oat from Howden early yes- terday and was prevented by a storm from landing last night and was cruis- ing about today, making further tests, before proceeding to Pulham, Norfolk, where it was intended to moor her. The dirigible was flying easily over this city shortly after 5.30 o’clock this afternoon, all being seemingly well when, accord- ing to survivors, a sharp turn 'vas given her rudder and she swerved in towards the Humber. Apparently the strain on the turn was too much for her. Crowds gathered in the streets of Hull, intent - watching the movement of the air ™or- ster, saw a sudden flash and heard the report of a tremendous explosion vio- lent enough to shake the buildings beneath and break windows in the city stoor fronts. Then the airship appeared to break in two and burst into flames, rhe crowds beneath'meanwhile running panic stricken in all directions to escape the wreck of the flaming monster which seemed would drop directly upon the city The fail of the dirigible, however. was into the river, close to the shore and piers where it settled ia the water. The following British officers are known to have been on board®or the flight. Air Comodore Maitland, Lisut Swan, Lieut. Lirtle, Lieut. Montague and Flight Lieut. Thomas The United States officers on board the dirigible were Commander Maxfield, Washington, Lieut “Jommander Bieg, of Bryn Mawr Pa., Lieut Comman- der Wery Coil of Marrietta, Ohio, Lieut. Esteriy Weshington, Lieut Hoye, Clear Water Florida and Lieut Little Newbury- port. The British losses include the famous veteran Brigadier General E. M. Maitland and all other officers on board except Lieut. Wann, the Commander of the ZR 2. The actual cause of the disaster never may be known. A rumour bas been afloat for some days that the ZR-2 was structurally weak, but this was stoutly denied by all in authority. Thou- sands of spectators witnessed the catas- trophe. When first seen from Hull the 7ZR 2was approaching the city from a southeasterly direction over the Hum- ber towards Hull. She then sailed on an even keel above the city, according to some eyewitnesses, and a huge cloud of dense smoke burst from the tail of the aireraft. It was thought that the ZR 2 was sending out a smoke screen as an exhibition but to the horror of the thousands©f spectators, it was seen that gshe had broken in two and was taking a tremendous nose dive which apparent- ly would bring her down into the throng- ed streets. Then there came a loud explosion and a great crash followed another explosion which was accompan- ied by the breaking of glass in the windows on land. Some spectators as- sert that the airship began to buckle be- fore any flames or explosions were seen or heard. The broken halves of the 7ZR. 2 reached the waters rearly a mile S 1. LG Lk B Y 5 apart. The general opinion of the pub- | lic of Hull is that the Commander of the airship accomplished a remarkable feat of bravery in diverting the descent | of the vessel so that it fell into the ! water instead of the crowded streets. During the fall of the airship 3 mem- | bsrs of the crew were observed making a thrilling parachute Jéscent.o They came | down into the river where they were | rescued by small bnats. All who jump- ed from the failing craft without para- | chutes lost their lives, they had no | e¢hance of escape, for®the water was | covered with burning petrol and the ; heat from the burning wreckage was | so intense that even the rescuers | experienced great difficulty in approach- | ing for some time. Barges, trawlers | and small boats thronged around the de- | bris willing to render any assistance. | The ZR 2 was a sister ship of the famous R 34, thé first dirigible to cross the | Atlantic. The United States Navy was | to pay $2,000,000 for the craft. The ZR | 2 was the largest dirigible ever built. The dimensions being as follows: Length 695 feet. diameter 85 feet, capacity | 2,700,000 cubic teet. Total lifting capaci- | ty 83 tons. The airship was operated by | six engines and she was estimated to | have a cruising speed of 60 miles an | hour, giving a capacity to make an aggre- | gate of 6,000 miles of upinrt~=wnnted flight. She had a capacity for ofiicers | and crew of 42 men. The petrol supply | was 10,900 gallons. It was estimated to have crossed the Atlantic in 72 hours. Lindsay, Ont. Aug. 24th.—Sir Sam Hughes, the former Minister of “hlitia and defence in the Federal Gov., died early this morning at his home here Washington, Aug. 24th.—by a vo.e of 274 to 125 the House yesterday pass- ed the tax revision b'il of 1921 whieh is | intended to reduee the nations tax bur- | dens $818,000,000 by 1923, when all of its provisions become effective. Nine Republicans vored against the measure and three Democrats supported iton a Democratic motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on weys and means, with instructions to eliminate the repeal of the income tax rates above 12 per- cent, 50 Republicans voted with the op- position, but the ~motion was lost 250 to 168. The tax bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee, which will hold additional hearings during the re- cess and will probably makea number of changes. : New York, Aug. 24th.—The raw sugar market was quiet and prices were un- changed at 4.50 for uncontrollzd, with the common holding Cubas at 3% eents cost and freight, equal to 4, 8 for cen- trifugal. No change occurred in re- fined, with fine granulated quoted at 5. 80 to 6. 15. , Dublin, Aug. 24th —The belief was expressed here tonight that the Dail Eireanns answer to the proposals of Mr. Lloyd George for peace in lrelaud will be a refusal of the terms, but that the refusal will be followed with argument seeking to induce Mr. Lloyd George to continue the negotiations. The belief was considered to be substantiated by the fact that two of the Under Secretar- ies from Dublin Castle, Messrs. Cope and McMahon, had a talk today with Messrs. Barton and Duggan, two promi- nent members of the Dail Eireann. The conference lasted several hours and is thought to have concerned the constitu- tion of the truce in the event of the rejection of the Govts. terms. London, Aug, 24th.—A Reuter cable from Melbourne szys that in moving an adjourrmenrt of the Australian Senate to discuss ithe Irish question, Senator Lynch expressed the opinion that Ire- land should accept General Smuts re- commendation of dominion status for the South, with Ulster left out for the present. Senator Lynch dwelt on the importance of the principle to Australia, who, he said, would not survive a mi- nute disassociated from a ‘‘first class’’ navy. He referred sympathetically to Irish national aspirations ;and declared he was brought up to hate the Union Jack as an emblem of |tyranny, but ex- perience has compelled him to recognize it as a guardian of liberty and justice. The moticn was tzlked out. Havana, Cuba, Aug. 24th.- Two per- .ons were slightly injured 1 husiness houses within a radius of halfa block were damaged early this morning when 4+ bomb, hidden in a garbage pan, ex. Jloded near the doorway of a branch of the Banco Espanol on Galiano Street. The. police have made no arrests and ve been urable to assign a motive, NEW YORK, August. 25th 1921. wur, Blendad Clears St. Lawrence I<rand pr. brl. SB.OO. Meal, Kilndried per 100 tbs $1.95 New Season’s Pork per brl. $37.00 Heavy Mess Pork per bbl. $25.4 Sugar---Crystals maximum per 100 lbs. $4.50 Molasses Sugar 89° test, no quotation. Cotton, Middling Upiand, at [.iverpool per ib. 9 28-100 d. mxchange, New York and London, 60 days’ sight $3.66 tixchange New York and l.ondon, sight $3.70 LonNDON, August 25th. 1921. Sugar, Demerara Crystals, per cwt. 445. —bls '* Muscavado per ewt. 355. 0 - 485.0. German Beet 88°¢ r.o.b. no sales White Java sugar cif United Kingdom 235. June shipments, Demerara Rum, per gal. nominal. Trinidad Cocoa, {3ood Middling Red no- minal per ¢ewt 565. 58s. nominal. Cotte gond Medium West Indian Sea Island per lb. 26d. nominal. Bank of England rate of Discount per cent. b4, Consols 473. Three per eent rents in Paris Fes. 56.50.