Arizona republican., 1896-10-27
MR. WISE'S NARROW ESCAPE.
Kites Break As He Prepares to
 Ascend.
An Experime mt at Governors Island With Man-CarryinR Kites Which Might Have Ended Disastrously- The Principle involved.

NEW YORK, Oct. 26.-Lieutenant H. D. Wise, stationed at Governors is land, who has been perimenting with man-carrying kites for use in recon noitering and signaling in field work, had a morrow escape from being the victim of his own experiments yester- day.
 The ki.es used by Lieutenant Wise, which are a modification of liar graves kites, are flown three at time, one beyond another, tandem fashion, on the same line. Dummies have heretofore been used to test their car rying power The lieutenant decided to make an ascent himself Two of Hhe kites had a spread of ninety square feet each of cloth, and one twenty yfour square feet.
 They were ranged in a TOW on the ground, one end tilted up. to catch the, l air when pulled upon. The cord was a half inch rope, which was attached to windlass to take the strain. Be tween the kites and the windlass eight men were stationed to give the kites ! their sl art and to regulate the paying out of the cord or cable.
 Attached to the cable, about foot below the lowest kite, was a pulley, from which was riggad a boatswain's s chair, one end of line through the pulley block being attached to the chair and the other being left free. The purpose of this was to enable the ob- server to take his seat after the kites had been raised to a point where they would be steady. The pulley rope was 2,500 feet long and capable of sustain ing a weight of 900 pounds, while the kites were planned to lift a weight of 1869 pounds. The lieutenant weighs about 19O pounds
 iAs the kites were raised, the chair was held down on the ground, while the other end of the rope was played out along with the kite cable, until the kites had obtained a height of 200 feet They were then held taut, and the chair and lanyard were carried to 8 point immediately benea h lthem.
 The lieutenant seated himself in the chair and was abouk to make the fret end fast, after which the kites were t6 be permitted to ascend, carrying the observer up with them. Just at thai moment there was a stacking of khe cable, the pulley fell to the ground anG the kites, tumbling and diving, grad ually settled to a point back of For Columbus just south of Castle William
 They were recovered, and on exam ination it was found that the bean forming the central spine of the low est kite had broken, and the kite itseit was torn all to pieces. This had re leased the cable and pulley.
 'sNo on was hurt," Lieutenant Wis. said afterward- ''It mighE have beer a serious accident, but fortunately th4 spine of the lower, kite broke before had clamped the pulley cord which wa, to take me up, and while I was stil on the ground.
 ''I was very cautious, and did no wish to rise before I had made sur that the kites were secure. I have no the slightest doubt that the kites wouli have taken me as high as any mal would desire to go. I cannot speal of the kites or their construction, a you know thaS as an officer of the arm I am not at liberty to do so''
 | t1uiS ulduutS Ol ulIe hIueS, WHICH ar made of Norway pine and are brace 7 with wire, form the outlines of a par allelopipedon, and the cloth, which i
 a sail cloth, is wrapped about eithe .. end, the central porfion being oper
 Raised end on to the wind, these con
 trivances called kites act as aero
 planes, the cables being made fast t
 the interior bracing a little forward (
 the center. lieutenant Wise has bee
 at work perfecting them for som
 time, carrying his operations into tn night, when the whereabouts of tn
 flyers was indicates by lanterns at
 tached ito them.