Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-04-29
DRAWN BY GIGANTIC KITES.
English Experiments with Them as n
Means of Locomotion.


Eaeiish Experiments with Them \
Means of Bocomotion.
About forty years ago a mania set
in among aeronauts,. who believed
that carriages drawn by kites would
supersede railways to a considerable
extent. Among those who followed
this fascinating study was DR.. Pocock,
an uncle of W. G. Grace, the cham
pion cricketer of England. Dr.
PocOck made many journeys from
Bristol to London in little carriage
drawn by couple of large kites flying
quarter of mile or so in the air.
and he often attained speed of fully
twenty miles an hour 1t was
thought, too, that kites would super.
sede sails for ships, and, in fact, for
some time scientific England went
kite mad. In order to thoroughly
understand the action of these
gigantic kites (some of them were as
iarge as ships mainsaiD certain
intrepid john Fahrenheit-no rela-
ton to the famous chemist of that
name-made several voyages in a
basket, an ordinary wicker-wCrk af-
fair, sue as Jrsed-by laundresses, tied
to kite.
On one occasion the kite was
started at Romford, in Essex. 1t
was attached to pony chase, which
was so constructed as TO be easily
steered by means of handles, such as
those on old-fashioned tricycles. In
the chairs sat two men, one brother
OF the kite traveller, the other gen.
tleman who spent a considerable for
tune in experiments of this descrip-
tion. The party waited until suita-
BILE day came, and at length they
arose one morning at 4 o'clock with
the pleasing intelligence that half
gale was blowing from The west
Everything had been in readiness for
come time, and after hasty break
fast the kite was unrolled, stretched
on its gigantic bamboo frame, and
held IN the roadway by couple OF
laborerS
Fahrenheit seated himself in the
basket, The three stout lines with
which the kite was held and con-
trolled were carefully examined, and
after considerable maneuvering the
enormous spread Of canvas was waited
upward with it's human cargo seated
calmly and nonchalanty in the
basket For long time it looked as
though the kite would not ascend
properly and the lines frequently
hung slack, but at $3.50 the wind had
increased to such an extent that it
was thought expedent to 'pay out"
more line. and the three travellers
seated themselves in the chaise, which
began to move along the main road
at brisk pace. Once in motion the
speed increased, and the difficulty in
steering the chaise and looking after
the guide ropes was so great that it
was thought expedient to bring the
experiment TO hasty conclusion.
This, however was easier said than
done. AS they passed a milestone
they determined to time their speed
and found to their surprise that thoY
had coverd a m lie in $50
uiCO luilCS UuU VI OutIIuSlOTu Tdlu
began to fall in torrents and violent
tugs were felt at the guide ropes. 1t
had been prev .Ously arranged that
they should form the signal for an
immediate descent and taking adj
vantage OF somewhat steep incline,
when the rate Of progression would
naturally be diminished, the brakes
were applied Fahrenheit was OBJ
served making violent signals with
his hands and the kite was found to
be falling with alarming rapidity. So
great, indeed had the speed become
that it was evident Fahrenheit's doom
was sealed unless some immediate
effort could lie made to stop the fall.
Mr.. McLennan and his two assistants
thereupon promptly determined to
take the only possible step which
could save him BY pulling in the
ropes VIC emily the XII e would slightly
ascend, and so throwing off their
coats, they tagged with might and
main. In five minutes Fahrenheit
was on terra firma.~ 1t appeared that
the rain had thoroughly soaked the
canvas and added pounds to the
weight OF the kite, causing it to fall,
Had not prompt measures been
taken there can be but little doubt
that the DonderOus machine would
have caused the violent death of the
a 4