The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-20
THIS KITE is A KING
1t Is % Feet High and Said to Be
the Largest in Existence.
IT WILL LIFT UP A MAN
Covered With Drilling and Held by
Thick Rope Center-Bands n.
Markle Of South Bethlehem,
Pa. Is Its Designer.

The largest kite in the world has just
been successfully flown by It's designer
u builder. w III. Markle OF South
Bpt1lehem. Pa. This king Of kites rep
r-sents the result of the thought and
study Of years. It, dimensions are 25x25
feet.
~ the Eddy pattern. that famous
fashion OF kite with which wonders
have been accomplished within the last
few years. il catches the breezes az cas-
lily a. the sails Of a racing yacht. rising
gracefully and maintaining an almost
motionless position in the air.
Practical results were what AR. Mar
kle hoped 10 attain when he commenced
10 plan the kite. and 20 II Is far from
being a piaything. IL was. in fact, in
tended for the purpose 81 taking photo
graphs and temperatures at different
heights. IN this way carrying out the
idea NJ Mr.. Eddy regarding photographs
and the plan II Prof. Willis Moore,
chief signal officer. az 10 weather obser-
yatiouS.
The sticks used in the manufacture OF
the kite are OF white pine. 5x2 inches at
the cross. tapering to two inches at the
base. At each corner Of the kite are
two-'nCh screw eyes. made especially for
the purpose to which they are devoted.
To these screw eyes are secured the
four corners u the cloth which covers
the skeleton Of the huge kite. for natu-
rally IL would not be possible to follow
the old fashioned method and use paper
in making a kite Of this sort.
The covering or sail of the kite Is OF
the material known as drilling. both
stout and strong. and when put TO such
a use as his possesses nearly as much
strength and resistance To the wind as
the stout canvas that forms the sails
Of the ships that travel over water. This
sail il sewed on the bias. as IL were. and
a rope passes along It's edges. being re-
tanned in position by loops placed az
regular distances. These loops are made
fast. by means Of separate ropes, to the
screw eyes in the frame. the frame De-
ing bolted together at the cross with an
eye bolt. This makes the task of taking
the kite apart IN easy one. something
very necessary in the case OF this sort
Of n monster.
The center bands are made OF rope
three-eights Of an inch thick with heavy
harness snaps at the ends which are
hooked in the center eye bolt at the
cross and screw eyes in the corners.
when Mr.. Markle made the first trial
Of the kite $500 feet OF silver lake sash
cord were used TO keep IL captive. but
the strain on this cord proved too great
To withstand a heavy air current. and
IL became necessary to substitute the
highest grade MANILA rope three
eighths inch thick. This rope stood the
| strain OF "A nlkn Ninu dtfhil dbtf- III ~
strong breeze the pull of the kite. &C
cording to careful tests. was found 70
be from 400 to 600 pounds.
The raising of this kite. although APP
parently difficult. is a very easy mat
ter. With the assistance OF a Few mer
the sticks and canvas are put together
and the flying bands and rope attached
Next the flying rope is securely hitched
to a tree. the slack in the rope beint
nearly all taken out.
This kite is then laid fiat on the
ground with the top towards the poin'
Of fastening and In a fair breeze th'
kite Is lifted up a little at the top. so a.
to catch the air current. Ii does this
very quickly. strengthening up like
thing Of life and rising with the wind
as though anxious 10 be as 0bliging a:
possible.
In order 10 counter act any tendency
of fitting sideways. guide ropes are at.
tached 10 the sides which can be usee
To balance the kite until a favorable
breeze Is available. when the kite OF IL
own accord and without any assistance
rises rapidly into midair.
The general angle at which the kit
sails is about so or so degrees.
The lifting power OF the kite Is great
er than might be imagined. as was evi
denced the other day when a maj
weighing i65 pounds was carried up int
the air and held suspended there unit
it was possible to bring the monste
back To the ground again. The way tn
kite performed this feat was evidence
sufficient TO all present hat much NOR
in the same line might easily be accom-
plished by IL.
While at present this Il the larges
kite in existence. Il is Mr.. Markets In
tenti1n TO construct three kites mucl
larger. He believes he has discovers
a principle of kite building hitherto un
knOwn. a principle which, he says. ma,
make him famous and materially ad
vance the possibilities in the kite fiyinl
line.