The Kite Equipment of the Arlington Observatory

Extract

Just outside of the city, about a mile from the old Lee home, at Arlington, Va., the Weather Bureau has established a kite farm, and is making experiments in the use of kites for weather observations. This aerial observation station is one of sixteen under the direction of the Bureau. Others are located at Cincinnati, Omaha, Topeka, Knoxville, Pierre S. D., Duluth, Cleveland, Cairo Ill., Sault de St. Marie, and Little Rock. Professor C. F. Marvin, who is in charge of this work, believes that valuable results can be obtained by the kite observation system, and Has invented a number of devices for handling and managing the immense kites used at the Arlington station. One drawback to the use of kites has been the difficulty of controlling the big seven-foot affairs employed to carry the observing and recording instruments used in meteorological work. To cope with this difficulty Professor Marvin has built a new kite controlling machine, which makes it possible for one person standing before the reel to have within reach all the controlling handles, and to read the dials showing the amount of line run out, the pulling power of the kite, its elevation, distance, and electric connections.