Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-10-16

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The erpcrtm mt p0rcd pcr,cGV mlcc 80,
was not allowed to rise high enough tC
| become visible from the east side OF the
| lake.
The experiment proved perfectly sue
cessful, and proved that the kite in nm or.
binary wind would support bag weigh,
| ing twenty pounds. a pair Of steelyard-
| belonging to the "Sloughi' having cnu,
hled them TO ascertain the exact weight.
II Brian or Baxter had been more iumil
lar with mechanics they would have con.
| sidcrcd, in the construction Of their kite
the weight, The plane surface, the center
! OF gravity the center of the Winds pres
sure, and last but not least, the point at
which the rope should be attached. A
knowledge Of the same science would also
hoyc told them how strong the rope must
be to resist the tension--a very important
point, and one upon which the safety OF
the Observer would mainly depend.
Fortunately the schooncr's lOg-linc,
which measured mt least two thousand feet
would answer the purpose nicely, especial.
" rs kite does not pull very hard even IN
a strong breeze If the point of attachment
Is iudiCously selected. ltwRs consequent.
~ important that this point of attachment
upon which the inclination of the kite aud
consequently its stability mainly depend
ed should be carefully considered. II
was also necessary to divcst the kite of its
magnificent TAIL that having become en-.
trcIy superIlnous greatly to the disgust OF
Dole and COstnr; while to guard against
the dangers of n fall rs much rs possible
In Cusc it should be caused by II break u
the rope or in the frame of the kite, II wa
decided that the rs yusiOn should be made
over the lake, az the horizontal distance
al which the fall would occur was not
likely to be 30 great that good swimmer
would have much difficulty in reaching
the western shore.
When the Kite was finished it presented
GsurIncc of about sixty square yards, in
the form Of an oCtngon. the radius of
which measured nearly fifteen feet and
each of the sides nearly four With its
substantial frame and impervous cover it
would easily lift weight of from one
hundred to one hundred and twenty
pounds,
The Cur intended for the ncronaut was
simply one of those large wicker baskets
used for so many different purposes on
shiphoard. This was deep enough to reach
nearly to the arm pits of n medium-si2cd
boy, largo enough to allow him cOnsidera-
Bile freedom of movement, and sufficiently
open for him to spring out Of 1t quickly IL
need he.
AS ono may suppose, all this work was
not done in one, nor even in two days
Be un on the morning of tho 9Th 1t was
not completed until the morning Of the
Ith, SO the trial was postponed until even
Ing,
There had been no change In the situa-
ton of affairs in the meantime. Though
different members of the little party had
spent hours watching upon the cliff, moth
my OF "A suspicious nature had been ObsCrv-
ed either in the woods nor upon the lake.
No report OF firearms had been heard in
the vicinity of Auckland Inn, nor had any
column of smoke appeared above the hor-
izon.
Brian and his companions consequently
had every reason TO hope that these fclons
| had left the island, but they were still in
doubt as to whether they would be lusti-
fled in reaumug their former habits, The
intended ascension might settle this ques-
ton, however
When Donovan aud Gordon questioned
Brian in regard to the means by which the
aeronaut would give the signal for his re.
turn to earth, Brian answered
"a signal light Is out Of the question, as
there is danger that Il might be seen 10y
! WaOslou, So Baxter and have rcsortcd to
| the following cNpcdicut: A cord of the
same lrngtl, rs the kites rope after being
| FIRST slipped through u lcadcn ring, is to
| ho fastened hy one end to the basket, while
| the othcrwill yomain below in the hands
of some ono of u.s. 1t viii then only be-
.',no4,lrV to let this lcadcn ring slim down
! the cord TO give the signal for lowering the
! kite
"a good idea" remarked Donovan.
An this having been decided, there was
nothing for the boys to do now but test
! their invention The moon would not rise
until about two o'clock IN the morning.
aud fine breeze was blowing from the
Southwest 50 the conditions were cspe
! cially favorable for the ascent,
/ AT nine o'clock the darkness decpcncd
! for some thick clouds had gathered oveI
the almost starlcss sky and no matte,
how high the kite might rise, it nd not
be seen even in the immediate uclghbor
hood of the French Cave
Tho wiudlass brought from the schoou
or had been firmly fastened in the ground
In the middle Of Sport Terrace, and tht
long rope had been carefully coiled SO i
would uurnll smoothly simultaneously
with the cord Intended to give the signal
In the basket Brian had placod bag o
cart& weighing exactly Que hundred an,
thirty pounds, u weight exceeding that o
the heaviest OF his comrades,
Donovan, Baxter, Wilcox aud Webb
stationed themselves near the Kite, whicl
was lying on the ground about Il huudre,
yards from the windlass, Al word from
Brian they were 10 raise It gradually b.
means OF ropes which had been attache,
| ., tha fratua Rripu Gordon Service