Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-06-26

the popula ton of Evanston and large
number of the people of Chicago and
the towns around the upper end of
Lake Michigan have become interested
in watching for Mr.. Harbert's kites, as
well for air ships.
The progress of his experiments led
him irresistably to the conclusion that
kites might be put to practical use in
carrying messages across large bodies
of water, and his later trials have been
the working out of that theory. To
take the place of the reel from which
the line was paid out on land, and by
which the kite was steadied he designed
"a float, or drag, for the water, which
would at once carry the end of the line
and steer the kite. He watched for sew
-eral weeks for west wind to carry his
Kites across Lake Michigan, but it re-
fused to come. Weary of waiting, he at
length started two sets of kites from
Evanston Monday, April &c. Attached
ito each set was the following request
ito the finder at the end of their jour
neys:
To the Finder-Will you please fill out the
blanks on the Enclosed postal card, stating
when and where you found this, and post
1t at your earliest convenience. The re-
turn of this kite IS Ii, net e8pe.Gitsq d Epr
SAMUEL MERWYN.
Mr.. Merwyn is a young man who has
been associated with Mr.. Harbert in his
experiments. The kites were set adrift
from Evanston about ten o'clock in the
forenoon. A strong wind was blowing
from the northeast. 1t would not be
supposed that the circumstances were
favorable to sending a kite away from
the shore, but by an arrangement of the
float which will be explained later, this
;el, -
kites sailed away toward the south
with their drags in tow. Later in the
day, one of them was found on a point
of the lake shore near the suburb of
Buena park. The other went toward
South Chicago.
Experiments have been made by the
zife saving service in sailing kites be-
fore the wind from wrecked vessels to
the shore, but, so far as can be learned,
this is the first attempt to send
kite in a direction oblique to the
wind. This feat was accomplished by
a device at once simple and effective. A
float was made of two timbers IL feet
hong, united by two pieces of plank
Two lines were attached to this float,
and the string of the kite made fast
to these lines in such way that it
pulled the float in an oblique direction
to the string. 1t is the same principle
on which a canal boat is kept away
from the bank of the canal by attach
ing the tow line back of the middle. A
glance at the diagram will explain it.
A board nailed to one of the timbers
acted as a lee board and kept the float
in the proper direction. In this man.
,ner the kite was kept in a direction
-oblique to the wind and driven forward
like a sail boat at an angle to the lake
shore.
The kites were perhaps 1000 feet
above the floats. Mr.. Harbert's kites
themselves bear little resemblance to q
boys kite, except in flying in the air.
In the evolution of the scientific kite
the tail long ago disappeared, never to
return. 1t is made in various hollow
or, in technical terms, cellular
forms. Mr.. Harbert's kites are tri-
angular prisms of sticks and cloth,
about IL feet in length. About
two-thirds of the frame is COW
sered with the cloth, leaving va
cant space in the middle. He has found
this to be the best form for a light
wind, although square box" kites are
said to be superior for high winds. Pine
or whitewood is used for the frames
and white or colored cotton cloth for
the covering. The sides are four to
five feet wide. Silk is considered the
best covering. but it is an expensive
material as is or 16 yards are necessary
for single kite. After the frame has