Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-03-25
DRAWN BY GIGANTIC KITES.
English Experiments with Them as q
Means of LocomOtton.


English Experiments with Them as d
Means OF Locomotton.
About forty years ago mama SCI
in among aeronauts, who believed
that carriages drawn by kites would
supersede railways to considerable
extent. Among those who followed
this fascinating study was DR.. Pocock,
an uncle Of w. q. Grace, the cham
pion cricketer Of England. DR..
POcock made many journeys from
Bristol to London in a little carriage
drawn by a couple of large kites flying
a quarter Of a mile or so in the air,
and he often attained a 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
large as ships mainSail) certain
intrepid John Fahrenheit-no rela-
tion to the famous chemist Of that
name-made several voyages in a
basket, an ordinary wicKer-wCrk af-
fair, sue as used by laundresses, tied
to kite.
On one occasion the kite was
started at Romtord, 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 a brother
Of the kite traveller, the other a gen.
tleman who spent considerable for
tune in experiments of this descrip-
ton. The party waited until suita-
BILE day came, and at length they
arose one morning at o'clock with
the pleasing intelligence that a half
gale was blowing from The west.
Everything had been in readiness for
some time and after a hasty break
fast the kite was unrolled, stretched
on its gigantic bamboo frame, and
held In the roadway by a 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 its human cargo seated
calmly and nonchalantly 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 expedient 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 they
bad coverd a mile in $50.
Three miles out of Chelmsford rain
began to fall in torrents and violent
tugs were felt at the guide ropes. 1t
had been previously arranged that
they should form the signal for an
descent and taking ad-
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 Ifound 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 be 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 violently the Xxi e would slightly
ascend, and so, throwing off their
coats. they tugged with might and
main. In five minutes Fahrenheit
was on terra f1rma 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 ponderous machine would
have caused the violent death of the
occupant of the basket