The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-04-27
A WONDER
Full DEVICE.
New Instrument Used by the
Weather Bureau.
TAKEN IN UPPER AIR BY KITES.
Automatically Registers Atmospher-
ic Conditions Modern PoIor
Research.
TAKEN IN UPPER AIR BY KITES,
INTEREST IN ARTlC EXPLORATION.

WASHINGTON, April 27.-tSpecial. One
of the most remarkable instruments in the
world is new device now being put into
use by the United States wenther bureau
in connection with its efforts to explore
the almost unknown upper strata of the
atmosphere by means of kites. 1t is an
instrument, or rather a combination of in
struments, which notes and automatically
records minute by minute and hour by
hour
First. The temperature of the air.
Second. Pressure of tho atmosphere.
Third.-The humidity of the air.
Fourth. THE direction of the wind.
Fifth.-The force of the wind.
All this is accomplished by this device,
and yet the whole continuance is no larger
than an ordinary loaf of bread and weighs
less than six pounds. That 1t should havo
smnn weight was prerequisite to its sue
oessfui use, as II is to be sent high up into
the air by means of kites. Once elevated,
1t will do it's own work, the delicate and
ingenious Instruments causing pencils to
slide over sheets of paper wound around
drums, thus recording the various data
teresting and important results when It
becomes possible to collate the results of
measurements of the upper air taken stimuli
taneously at a number of stations located
in various parts Of the country.
Professor Willis l.. Moore, the energetic
director of the United States weather bu-
reau, under whose management these ex-
periments are being made, came near 90
ing as member of the Greedy arctic ex-
petition which met with such misfortunes
that only men out of 25 came back alive.
Mr.. Moore was then young subaltern in
the signal service and volunteered to ac-
company Lieutenant Greedy ON his Ill
starred expedition. He was mt first ao-
cepted, but was later left behind on ac-
count of some technicality. At that time
Mr.. Moore never dreamed that some day
he would be at the head of the United
States weather bureau, which WAS later to
be disassociated from the army signal
service, and through series Of develop
ments to become the first weather bureau
of the world in completeness and utility.
A Bath In a snOwdrift.
Another noted Washingtonian who had
narrow escape from service upon an i'll
fated arctic expedition is Professor Alex
nnder Graham Bell, inventor of the tele-
phone and now president of the National
Geographic society Of Washington. Mr.
Bell volunteered to accompany the Jean
nette expedition and came near going. This
expedition, under Commander De Long,
1t will be remem bered lost two-thirds of
Its members by drowning In the Arctic
ocean off the mouth Of the Lena and by
starvation and exposure In its delta
To this day DIR. Bell, who is now one of
the stanchest friends of science In the
United States, is a man of great physical
endurance. 1t Is related of him that a
year or two ago, while at hunting camp
near his summer home in Nova Scotia, no
felt the need OF a bath, and, no other
means of securing one being at hand, he
rushed naked into a snowdrift, and that
without experiencing any III effects from
his chilly plunge
Great interest is felt in Washington in
the coming expedition to the polar regions.
The national capital is the residence of
many scientific men who arc keenly alive
to the benefits which may accrue to knowl-
edge from more perfect information con-
corning the now unknown parts of the arc
tic area. 1t Is not generally appreciated
that In the regions lying about the north
pole there Is an unexplored tract OF more
than 100000 square miles in extent,
equal to the entire area OF the United
States, with Alaska left out.
Scientific men familiar with modern
arctic exploration understand that now
there is much less danger In polar research
than there was even 20 years ago and
much less likelihood OF tragedy resulting
from efforts TO penetrate the desert of ice
In the first place, stanoh, powerful steam
ksA kn old