The times., 1897-09-09

morning hy the picturesque vision in the
sky over the Capitol Of flock OF Kites in
all colors. There were seven in all-fiye
yellow ones, Que red and one red, white
and blue. These kites We're the traction
power To take up thousands Of feet into
the air Mr. Eddy's Gamer to photograph
the Capitol and the United States flag.
Yesterday morning the wind was good
and strong, although the atmospheric con-
filions were noE the best for photography.
Mon day the wind was from the west, which
Iaade taxing pictures from the Marine
Hospital root impossible, aS the kite strings
were Drawn away at right angles TO the
north and south lineoor the Capitol
Yesterday nofning the wind was north
east, which pulled the kites about 20 de
srees east OF the Capitol line. The first
kite went up with a rush. II was SIX
feet n diameteri Then another Was at
tached to the original string and then
another and another until five OF the yell
low l,lungers were In the air. The wind
way strong Some of the kites performed
the most curious antics.
They have no tails, which fact appears
to have the same effect on them In a
sudden gust of wind as a banana peel
does On 4 man getting home from a mid
night meeting They darted about in the
most drunken fashion. the particularly
amusing feat being the imitation or d
tumbler pigeon. Then they would dart up
into the air ike g3Id fish from the bottom
of their Jars, embrace each other, kiss
each other, get themselves and ss4eir strings
all tangled up and then all of sudden
float out all right again
After a half hour OF this exhibition
two otter kites, each nine feet in diameter
Were launched. One of them was deep red
ard the other like banner cloth. These
made the pull on the main string twenty
pounds 10 the square inch II was mighty
pretty and mighty funny about this time
scipio Africanus and about 1000 of his
children had heard about it or read about
the coming exhibition in The Times and
they were all on hand.
They were all about in the shade
gaihering good cases OF Indian summer
siff-neck, or as one man said, the next
thing IN Washington VIII be the Kite face" :"
! They gazad and gaZed ana maryeled much,
ana they Insrveled more when a big
Ilnited states flag began to rise over the
| top Of The Marine Hospital.
The flag was 30 by 2. When it started
the lower kites, the red and the red, white
| and hlue. were opposite the Capitol dome.
/ For the flag TO reach that position il was
necessary to let the kites out 800 feet
| higher, aIla they rose beautifully, notwith-
| standing the pull, the string being paid out
by n windlass.
Tie flag rose acove the goddess Of lib
erty about 500 feet, and it was estimated
at that time that the remote yellow kite
was 3 3,00o feet from the top o the Marine
Hospital.
The effect was startling. Thousands
| of people stopped u while, and nearly
| everybody craned his or her neck out oi
| the street cars to observe the unusual
sight. Old Glery was never so high in
| Washington before, although maybe Nc
Clellan did order one of them up in the
| balloons on the other side of the river
from which he took telescope views of the
Johnny Rebs."
At 1890 the flag was hauled in and
| preparations We're made to raise the cam
era, single eHder. the whole apparatus
weighing about three pounds. The wine
| continued good, but not as strong as il
the NOR ming.
1t began to die away when the cameTs
was up about 400 feet, and had reached
point in line east and west over across
the House roof. A t that altitude the snap
snDt was taken by pulling string at
tached to the stop, of which string prob
ably 1,800 feet had I've eli paid out.
The view Will probably include part OF
the Capitol, the Botanical Gardens and {
west view generally. The picture will no
lie exhibited for few days, but it vii
undoubtedly be good one. 1t was taker
st 1880.
Supt. Woods, of the Capitol, is not op
posed to the use of the Capitol roof In TIL
interest OF these scientific experiments
He suggested yesterday that arequest from
Gen. Duffield for the use OF the buildini
would secure what Mr.. Eddy wanted.
The wind continued so favorable durin
the afternoon that Mr.. Eddy was eTable
10 take seven additional views, four o
the Library and three Of the Capitol.