Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1907 — WELLMAN POLAR TRIP FAILS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WELLMAN POLAR TRIP FAILS.

kirship IsWrecked and Plan tb Pole Abandoned for Thia Year. Walter Wellman on Friday arrived at Tromsoe, Norway, on board the Frithjof from Spitsbergen on his way home. lie aiuiounced that he had definitely abandoned for this year, after a disastrous trial of his airship, the proposed attempt to reach the North Pole. World-wide interest had been excited in Wellman's proposed trip. , Mr. Wellman’s plans were as simple as they were spectacular and scientific.; With two picked companions he purposed, to' sail in his airship from Spitzbergen to the North Pole, a distance as the crow flies of 618 miles. The airship was a dirigible balloon, modeled on the best lines known to French balloon makers. It bore a steel car 115 feet long, which would contain the three explorers, their outfit of meteorological and navigation instruments and a kennel of twenty-nine Alaskan sledge dogs with sledges. In case of

mishap to the airship or unfavorable winds, the .men" purposed to abandon the America and take to the sledges for the remainder of the way. With winds in their favor and the airship standing the strain well they figured that the trip to the pole could be made in three days. With ordinary delays, but still sticking to the airship, it might take Them twenty days. Forced to abandon the America, their trip might last (three months. They had provisions for 275 days. Starting from Spitzbergen, they figured that they would have to travel 1,236 sea miles to the pole and. back to their base; to the pole and thence to Alaska, the trip would cover 1,750 sea miles; to the pole and thence to Northern Norway, 1,740 miles; to the pole and thence to Northern Siberia, an average of 1,500 miles; to the pole and thence as far south as human habitations In Canada, 2,440 miles. The airship made an ascent Sept' 2 in a strong northeasterly wind, which drove it southeastward over the land. It W’as found necessary to cut the balloon adrift from the other parts of the airship, but it was recovered after two days’ search.

WALTER WELLMAN.