The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-02-18
SOARING HEAVENWARD
Scientific Kite Flying From the Summit
Of Mount Rainier.
NEXT EXPERIMENT or THE MAZAMAS
An Interesting Account of wash
ington's Great Natural Monument
with Its Glaciers. AniInaiIiGc and
Wonderful scenery,

/
Wonderful scenery.
Kite-hying extraordinary is to be tried
next summer under the auspices of the
United States Weather Bureau. The eX-
| perments will he conducted by the fam
Gus club of mountain climbers calm
themselves the Mazamas-aborigina
term for mountain goats'--Who have
headquarters at Portland, Or. They took
up the idea of their own accord, and
wrote to the Weather Bureau OF Wash
ton for instructions in the art of CON
structing the new-langled cellular kites
which that institution has been employ
| ing of late experimentally. Chief Moore
! was much pleased with the notion, and
has promised all the assistance in his
power The scheme is To fly kites from
recording meteorological instruments at
| tached to them, so as 10 make records OF
the temperature, atmospheric density
and direction and velocity Of air currents
at an elevation of five miles above the
normal surface OF the earth. This will
be the highest altitude, in a sense, ever
reached by man.
Commenting on the undertaking Rene
Bache furnishes the following interesting
account for the Boston Transcript: Mount
Rainier is the highest mountain in the
United States. Its altitude was determin-
ed recently, with great exactness OF
measurement, as li,j25 feet. Its sum
NIT is Just about fifty miles southeast of
the city of Tacoma. All things consider
ed, it is one of the most remarkable peaks
in the world, being quite isolated and
therefore much more impressive TO the
eye. Travellers say it may justly be
named in company with Fusiyama,
Ararat and the most superb SUBMITS OF
the Alps. Above the level of 1000 feet
it is clad in everlasting snow, white gla-
cers on its sides descend $500 feet fur.
Their. II one could look directly down
ward upon the mountain from balloon,
one would see these glaciers extended in
all directions from the central cone like
so many fingers OF gigantic octopus pro-
| jecting into the forests which cIothe the
lower slopes.
"With our kites it ought to be practic-
able to reach level two miles above the
summit of Mount Rainier said Chief
| Moore of the Weather Bureau, recently.
AT all events, there should be no diff
fcuty in flying the kites day after day
at the height OF somewhat over mile,
which would signify an altitude OF about
four miles above the sea. Thus it would
be easy to make comparisons between
thermometers at the sea level and
thermometers carried by the Kite obtain
| ing data which would throw much light
upon the mechanism Of storms passing
over the peak. The energy OF storms,
you must remember, is due almost Hholily
air between Levels. II the atmosphere
were homogenousIy heated, no violent
agitations would he set up in it. In
other words. we would have no storms. -
Strong efforts will be made TO persuade
the next Congress to make Mt. Rainier
national park, with suitable protection
for it's wonderful natural features and for
the rare animals v hich now live upon its
slopes. The animals in particular are
well worth preserving. In bygone age
an arctic climate prevailed oyer the
| North vest, and glaciers covered all the
| heights OF the great Cascade range.
Arctic animals and arctic plants then
| lived throughout the region. As the
climate became milder and the glaciers
melted, the creatures Of the cold climate
were limited IN their range to the dis,
tricts of the shrinking glaciers Thus on
Mt. Rainier today survives "a colony Of
arctic animals and plants which cannot
exist in the temperate climate Of the less
lofty mountains. These arctic forms are
as effectualiy isolated rs shjpwrecked
sailors on an island in mild ocean. There
ia no refuge for them beyond their haunts
of ice-bound cliffs. But even there the
beasts and birds are 10 longer safe from
ruthless sportsmen, and the few sUryiv-
ors must soon be extermnated unless
protected by the Government.
| The principal animal concerned is the
mountain sheep, which must be con-
fused with the big horned mountain goat
Of the Rockies II is harmless, gentle,
easily tanned, and would be very APP
proachable by man if it were not pursued
80 relentlessly. There are several ilocks
OF these sheep on NJ. Rainier, the total
number being less than three hundred
head. Last summer an alleged sports
man attacked the principal flock, num-
herring forty-three old AMI young ones,
snd in two days killed six and wounded
| others. The slaughter was purely wan