Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-28

Experiences OF the Agricultural Department
Balloonists.


Prof. II. A. Hazen of the weather bureau and
Mr.. John T. Ellis of the Agricultural Depart
ment went mp in balloon yesterday afternoon.
and after ascending nearly 10000 feet. came
down again safely. The ascension took place
from Camp Arlington. on the Fort Myer
RESERVATION, and the balloon landed over in
Maryland, nine miles or so from the starting
point. The aeronauts went up to make tests of
the relative humidity on the earth's surface and
at various elevations. The experiments were
thoroughly satisfactory. 1t was forty degrees
colder up above than at Camp Arlington.
thousands of people saw the balloon as il
moved above the city, but most of them knew
what II was and what it was doing for The
STAR announced a week ago that a series of
such experiments had been decided upon
Among the scientists who witnessed the ascent
rom the starting point were Gen Dyrenforth,
Or. Littiewood, DIR. Resell and MIR. H. b.
Cannon.
PROF. HAZEN's NARRATIVE
frof. Hazen gave the following account of
the trip to STAR reporter: The recent dry
spell, the driest in the history of the weather
service in this city. afforded a very favorable
opportunity for testing the conditions of the at
moephere during such period. and this
chance was gladly accepted by Gen. Dy-
respects this was the most remarkable balloon
ascension ever made in this country and IT de-
serves special notice. The balloon contained
ii 900 cubic feet and yesterday was inflated
with the purest hydrogen. otherwise it could
not have lifted it's load of about $40 pounds.
The aeronauts were Mr.. John 7. Ellis. who has
already made several ascensions and is very
enthusiastic in his Investigations. and myself.
who have made five ascensions The start was
at $50 and was made only after the most care
full tests by Mr.. easier, to whose painstaking
efforts much of the success of the
exhibition must be attributed. The departure
was from the southeast corner of Arlington and
the course pursued almost due east across the
Potomac. There was at first rapid ascension
to 5000 feet, and then a gradual descent, owing
to possible cooling of the gas, which was
checked by throwing out ballast. At 4:26 the
highest point was reached, 8, 400 feet, and here
there WAS a singular stiffness of the air. the bal
loon remaining poised for seven minutes The
landing was made the farm of Mr.. T.. ID.
Rude. about two miles east of Suitland. and
almost without an appreciate jar. The distance
traversed was little over nine miles.
TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY.
1.-THE observations of temperature and hu-
midity made by both observers as rapidly as
possible were eminently successful There was
gradual diminution in the vapor from the
earth where the dew point was 30.j to the high
est point, with 10. At about 5000 feet the air
was saturated. but this stratum was barely 900
feet thick. All the observations showed a re-
markable dryness in The air. The temperature
OF the air was 1874 at the highest point. or a
diminution of L il 235 feet. This shows a
great cooling d. the ordinary low is Il in 300
feet.
AT all points in the ascension the gas of the
balloon was warmer than the outside air. and
after landing the gas was remarkably cold.
cooler than the air, although according TO