The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-03-03

Eottef endeF way much IN advance
of the kite flying activities since the
equipment OF the signal service az
Fort Omaha for producing hydro
gen gas for mutations has been
placed by the war department at
the service OF the weather bureau
lt has been necessary 10 install
complete Matchmaking plant. how
ever. and this has been done on q
forty-acre farm secured for the pur-
pose about twenty miles west of
Omaha.
The tract is high. level and free
from timber. In the very center OF
IL has been erected revolving reel
house not unlike the revolving room
of an astronomical observatory.
This structure can be turned. there
fore. with the wind. and the reel SO
placed in best position to play out
and wind in the miles of fine piano
wire which the government kite
cord. Electricity has been called TO
the assistance OF the weather bu-
reaus's experts, and win operate the
reel, since, by eleetricaliy-driven
mechanism any desired speed can
easily and quickly be attained. To
furnish the needed power for this
III s.f
the welI-equipped carpenter shop
In which the scores of kites
will be manufactured, the govern
ment is installing an electric gem
Grating plant driven by gasoline mo-
tor. aud il Is only the setting 40
of this machinery that is lacking 90
bring the new plant 20 completion.
When kite-flying operations are
gotten under way they viii not he
confined. as is the small boys sport.
TO the blnstary months OF spring. bat
viii extend through the seasons year
In and year out. Box kites will be
used and they will be sent aloft n
teams OF from six to nine. new
kite being attached whenever the
weight oil the wire begins to drag
In the first kite are placed the in
strumepts. the carrying of which
aioft Is the object of the whole elabo-
rate plan, and all OF the operations
are carried on within IL, These in
struments weigh between two and
three pounds aud by elockwork re-
cord on a revolving cylinder varia-
tions in air pressure. temperature,
humidity and wind velocity. Such
records secured in the past have
been invaluable TO the weather bu
reau In various ways, and with the
improved facilities In more impor-
tant area even more valuable results
are looked for.
While kites furnish an easy and
inexpensive means for the making
OF observations Ia the first few
miles above the earth's surface. they
cannot reach the really high aiti-
tudes. In exploring the great ex-
panse OF the atmosphere far above
the highest point to which man has
ever ben on mountain peak or In
aircraft. the scientists OF the wealth
er bureau nave made use of what has
the appearance OF an overgrown toy
balloon OF the sort dear to the hearts
OF children Tue devices, called
sounding balloons. are made Of the
purest thin rubber obtainaele and
hen inflated with hydrogen gas
are round and about a yard and a
half in diameter. When released
with recording instrument attach
ed the balloons shoot rapidly upward
and reach surprising attitudes. The
record. something over twenty miles
above sea level. was made In the
summer OF 1913 In southern Cali
fornia.
The limit of the upward journey -
practically set b ytne quality OF. the
rubber. for the .bsiocn gradually ex-
ponds as il rises. until Al It's highest
point il Is seyerai yards In diameter
The up~ard drift ard the expansion
60 on until the eleetic liEuit of the
rubber is reached. when the balloon
httrstr Then small parachute