, 1896-12-01
WEATHER BUREAU KITES.



Moore, in his annual report. has de-
voted a interesting chapter to the re-
view of kite experiments. He says:
o one occasion an altitude of
1000 feet was attained, and but 5000
feet of wire was placed out from the
reel. This is believed to be the great
est height attained by any expert,
menter with kites. 1t was found that
both the form and body of the kite and
the action of the forces that affected it
demand a much fuller analytical m
sideration than they had hitherto re-
ceived. From the results of the kite
work thus far it has been demonstrat-
ed That for readily attaining eleva-
tons exceeding. say. 1000 feet. wind
hour must prevail. it has been shown
hat one or two kites of the improved
forms. produced as a result of weather
bureau Investigations, suffice for reach.
ing elevations of from 5000 to 1000
feet, depending upon the force and
steadiness of the winds and the load
carried.
There appears to remain but n
other means of exposing meteorolOgi-
cal Instruments at approximately fixed
points in free air-namely, by the use
of devices sustained by the action OF
propellers. which either lift the appar-
atus directly or give it a spirally as
cending or descending motion. Many
devices of this character have been
proposed by ingenious inventors. and
several models of small size have
proved that the desired effects on a
large scale are within the range of
possibilities.
THE frequency with which kites
may be successfully employed for
reaching high elevations will no doubt
be greatly increased as the kite is
brought to a more perfect state of con-
struction and the art of its manage
ment more completely developed.
There must always be, however. times
when the upper air observations can
no: be obtained by such means. Cap
tive balloons, which have been so re-
peatedly tried for military purposes,
prove to be of little value for reaching
lofty elevations. From the great
mount of surface which must neces-
sarily be exposed it results that the
balloon if blown away far from the
zenith point over its anchorage by
even moderately strong winds. Com
bi%natiOns of the balloon and kite have
also been tried. This, in turn. pos
sesses but little advantage over the
balloon alone, and in many respects is
inferior to the kite. Free balloons
may reach greater elevations. but they
drift with the current of air and their
return is uncertain. Perfect appli-
ances of this character will prove of
such value to meteorology that their
development requires a share Of the
attention to be given to the greater
problems Of securing neurological OBJ
s%ervations in the free afr
TRIED TO MURDER HIS FAMILY.
San Jose. Cal. Nov. 30.-P. J. Kelly,
a local jeweler, and his wife are ia
tally wounded. and one of his children
has a bullet in her arm. a result OF
kelly's wild jealousy, which influenced
him to attempt the murder of his wife
and two young children. He called
the members of the family from their
rooms above his store today, and, lock-
ing all the doors, seized his wife and
tried to cut her throat with a razor.
began shooting at her and at the chill.
dren. One child fell with a bullet
through her arm, and Mrs. Kelly
dropped with two bullets through her
body.
Meanwhile the women and children
were screaming murder and calling
for help. A crowd soon gathered out
side the store. which is on the lead.
ing business street of the city. Police
men tried vainly to break down the
doors. The police fred at Kelly
through the glass. but the bullets were
ineffective. After returning their fire
Kelly shot himself twice in the head.
Physicians say that both father and
mother will die from their wounds,
but the little girl will recover.
FATHER KILLE DBY HIS SON.
Stratton. Neb.. Nov. 3d.. w. Bur-
ney was shot and killed by his 17-year-
old son today. The deed was provok-
ed by the elder Burney, who threaten
ed the Life of the youth. The tragedy
occurred at the family residence and
in the presence of the wife OF the VIC
tim.
Burney, who had been on a spree
since election, procured a rifle, and,
repairing to his home. demanded that
Mrs. Burney call the kid" as the time
had come when he must shoot both OF
them. The young man happened to be
in an adjoining room and, overhearine
the conversation, came out, only to be
confronted by his father, who pointed
the gun at him. Before the father
could fire the son shot him.
II Is a fixed and immutable law that
to have good sound health, one must
have pure. rich and abundant blood.
There Is no shorter nor surer route
than by a course of DeWitt's Sarsapa-