Zeppelin

The large Zeppelin Airship supplies the demand for a much faster, more luxurious, more comfortable and more safe long distance transportation. It is not restricted by the geographical limitations of the railway and the steamship. A Zeppelin can go anywhere, in fact the cruising radius of a Zeppelin is only limited by the size of the ship and the amount of fuel it can carry.

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Excerpt:

The world was astounded, particularly his contemporaries, a majority of whom unhesitatingly flooded the grand old man with enthusiastic messages of congratulation. Just as he had worked so devotedly to bringing forth something in which the German people could have faith, so was his faith justified. The public was wildly enthusiastic. Everybody was proud of the accomplishment on German soil and joyfully acclaimed Zeppelin whose lone ideas were now the ideas of a nation. His triumph was not only official but national. His vision was the vision of the people and it was an accomplished fact.

Rarely had there been such national interest shown in any sort of venture as that represented by the vast throngs that gathered from all parts of the empire to witness the start of the official duration flight on August 4th that year. Zeppelin planned to sail the ship down the Rhine Valley toward Mainz and return. He got away on schedule and disappeared in the soft haze, all Germany receiving reports of his progress as the ship appeared for a few moments over a village and then out of sight once more.

But disaster awaited the gallant ship. On the return flight motor trouble caused a forced landing at Echterdingen near Stuttgart.

A storm blew up and the airship was torn from its moorings. As it was being whirled into the air, the entire structure was suddenly enveloped in a solid flame and Zeppelin a few moments later was gazing at the twisted skeleton of his latest efforts.

It was thought then that Zeppelin had built his last airship. He had employed all his own personal resources in that venture, and though the rigid had performed remarkably, even his closest friends could see nothing but failure in further attempts to establish the new science. But they were wrong. Zeppelin had been more successful than he realized. His persistent efforts had continuously improved the rigid type. Each flight was better and more efficient than the ones preceding it. All this had been noted by the people. When it was learned that Count Zeppelin had no funds with which to continue, a popular subscription campaign was started in various sections, with the result that within a few weeks 6,000,000 marks (approximately $1,500,000) had been contributed and turned over to Zeppelin for him to use as he saw fit in carrying on his experiments.

Here indeed was recognition. For the money had come from persons of high and low degree, from huts and palaces. The Zeppelin fund was truly representative of the people. It made the shops and hangar on Lake Constance a popular institution. For the first time in his life the inventor found his airship enterprise on a firm financial basis. With this foundation he was able to increase his shop and laboratory facilities and make important changes in his organization. Instead of being forced to produce something for demonstration flights alone, he was able to concentrate on practical development. His personnel was ably qualified for the new work.

Many of his assistants had been with him since the beginning. His progress had been theirs in the new science of lighter-than-air engineering. Many of these men are still with the Zeppelin organization which retains the original name created by the popular support of the German people.