Tuesday, October 5th, 1926
Washington Post
The airships Shenandoah and Los Angeles began maneuvers off of the East Coast today to test their newly installed aircraft launching equipment. The ships have each been fitted with a “sling” underneath their hulls that can launch and retrieve a fighter plane, specifically a Curtiss F6C-2 fighter. The fighter is equipped with a special hook apparatus on its upper wing which engages the sling. The fighter’s pilot is able to enter the airship and the plane can even be refueled while docked. The carrier Lake Champlain will help to monitor the exercise and act as an emergency landing field if needed. It is reported that both airships will participate in the upcoming naval exercises with Atlantis. The airship Susquehanna , based in San Diego, is also to receive similar modifications during her current refit.
Monday, October 11th, 1926
New York Times
Work began today on a new helium extraction plant near Amarillo, Texas. The new factory is expected to boost production to nearly 100,000,000 cubic feet per year once it is completed late in 1927. In related news, the Shenandoah and Los Angeles completed their first set of trials with their new aircraft carrying capacity. Navy officials report some minor problems were encountered at first, but the tests were generally successful. Both airships have returned to Lakehurst for some further modifications prior to the joint US-Atlantian naval exercises.
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WEAF 660 BULLETIN!!! 1:30 pm Friday, October 29th 1926 New York City
Explosions have rocked the Manhattan financial district for the second time in a decade! Just after noon, at least two delivery trucks, apparently packed with dynamite, exploded within minutes of each other outside the New York Stock Exchange. The blasts appeared far larger than the 1920 blast that killed almost three dozen people. Several large fires are still burning in the area and early reports suggest a tremendous loss of life and severe damage to the exchange building itself and neighboring buildings. Ruptured gas mains are contributing to the fires and water lines in the area are damaged as well, hindering fire fighting efforts. We will have more news as it develops. We now return you to your regular programming.
WEAF 660 BULLETIN!!! 2:45 pm Friday, October 29th 1926 New York City
Reports are coming in from Chicago and Washington DC of attacks similar to the one this afternoon in the Financial District. A wagon detonated outside the Chicago Board of Trade, and a delivery truck exploded outside the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington. There are unconfirmed reports of an explosion in the vicinity of the White House, but no further information is available at this time. Here in New York, chaos reigns at the Stock Exchange as fires still burn and the dead and wounded are being tended to. Mayor Walker has issued a statement calling for calm and asking all New Yorkers to remain where they are for the time being. All bridges and ferries in Manhattan are either closed or are being used to transport injured to hospitals. Commissioner McLaughlin has been quoted as saying that witnesses saw at least two trucks parked in the area just prior to the blasts. He also said a curfew will likely be issued later today for Friday night. Latest reports put the dead at more than fifty, with hundreds of injured. The death toll is expected to rise since many may be trapped in burning buildings. Fire has engulfed part of the Stock Exchange and the fate of those inside, and their financial records, is unknown. More information to follow, we now return you to your regular programming.
WEAF 660 BULLETIN!!! 4:00 pm Friday, October 29th 1926 New York City
The New York Times reports that it has received a claim of responsibility for today’s horrible attacks against financial and governmental buildings across the country. A group calling itself “The American Workers Revolutionary Party” claims the attacks were “a declaration of war against those who would exploit the workers for their own enrichment”. The letter ended with the phrase “For Leon!” That may be a reference to the fact that today marks the 25th anniversary of the execution of Leon Czolgosz, who assassinated President McKinley in Buffalo in 1901. Reports from Chicago and Washington tell of similar scenes of carnage, and there was an explosion near the White House, but the President has not been harmed and the building only suffered minor damage. Several Secret Service agents were reportedly killed when they stopped a truck on Pennsylvania Avenue as it approached the Presidential mansion. Mrs. Coolidge reportedly collapsed from fright, but is reported to be recovering. The White House has announced that the President will issue a statement at 5:30 this afternoon.
WEAF 660 BULLETIN!!! 6:00 pm Friday, October 29th 1926 New York City
President Coolidge, in a statement released a short time ago from the White House, called today’s bombings “the actions of a cowardly cabal of murderers and thugs” and promised that no effort would be spared to hunt down and punish those responsible. Attentions are being directed towards Bolshevist and Anarchist groups, primarily in the Northeastern United States, but Bureau of Investigation Director Hoover has warned all Americans to be on the guard for suspicious activity and President Coolidge has ordered extra protection for potential targets across the country. Here in the Financial District, the largest fires are now under control but the toll of dead and injured continues to rise precipitously. 175 are now known dead, almost 1,000 injured. Chicago reports 65 dead, while Washington reports 39 dead at the Federal Reserve plus at least 8 near the White House. The toll is expected to rise. As expected, a dusk to dawn curfew is in effect tonight in Manhattan. According to witnesses, police have reportedly launched several raids in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx and have taken over a dozen into custody. There has been no comment as of yet from the NYPD.
WEAF 660 BULLETIN!!! 9:00 pm Friday, October 29th 1926 New York City
Commissioner McLaughlin has issued a statement saying that several arrests have been made related to today’s bombings in the Financial District. While refusing to give many details, McLaughlin said that the suspects were known to have ties to Bolshevist and Anarchist organizations. He said that more arrests were expected. Latest reports from the scene of the attack now put the death toll at 285 with 1,400 injured, many with serious burns and shrapnel injuries. It appears that two separate bombs exploded almost simultaneously in front of the Stock Exchange at the corner of Wall and Broad Streets. The trucks apparently were packed with a mix of explosives, probably dynamite, and scrap metal intended to cause maximum loss of life. The Stock Exchange itself has now partially collapsed, hampering efforts to extinguish the fires and recover any victims. Fires in adjacent buildings have been put out. Damage to the J.P. Morgan building is reported to be severe as well. It suffered damage in the unsolved 1920 attack. Lesser damage was done to the Banker’s Trust building and Federal Hall. Today’s attacks may have severe repercussions for the economy. Many records in the NYSE may have been destroyed in the attack and the status of any copies is unknown, especially for smaller companies. Many of the traders and officials who ran the market are dead, injured, or missing.
Needless to say, stay tuned...