Old Fabric Caused Airship Wreck

from Popular Mechanics (1908)

The Rupture Shows Clearly

[p.567] It is now believed that the cause of the wreck of the Morrell mammoth airship at Oakland was some poor material used in the bag. In order to save on material a quantity of old cloth formerly used in a smaller balloon was sewed in with the new. A case of new wine in old bottles. When the strain came, as the weight was borne by the bag, the weak portion was cut through by a guy rope supporting the second engine. When once the rip started, there was no checking it. The illustration from a hitherto unpublished photograph shows the first engine on the ground and the second engine with its operators coming down. The rupture is clear shown, and a close examination reveals people and objects [p.568] on the ground level beyond, that can be seen through the V-shaped opening like a directoire gown on a large scale.

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Text & photo from Popular Mechanics (Sep 1908), 10, No. 9, 567-568 (source) .

See also:

Huge Dirigible Balloon Collapses - first article on Morrell's Airship Collapse in Popular Mechanics (Jul 1908).
Falling With a Wrecked Airship - second article on Morrell's Airship Collapse in Popular Mechanics (Aug 1908).
23 May - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Morrell's Airship Collapse.
Booklist for Airships History

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