The union Democrat. [volume] (Sonora, Calif.) 1854-1946, 1871-12-23
Pigeons. Wonderful Flight.

In September last certain pigeon was her
aided forth as having been let off the deck OF
a vessel near Cape Hatteras, and bearing to
its birth nest at Montclair, message from
| Henry c. Blocker. The distance and speed
said TO have been made by the bird were so
great as to create the gravest doubts as to
whether they hsd really been done. but lately
| the distrust eliminated in downright unbelief
when a second bird was made to perform L.
0O4 statute miles st an average of over 1876
miles an hour, and still third, distance of
1896 statute miles at an average of POP miles
an hour; the last bird, appropriately named
Typhoor," exhausting itself by the effort
and blowing out his last gasp as he reached
his nest.
| These birds all came from Henry c. Bleeck-
er and to Montclair, and at once rush was
made to Montcair to find the consignee pi-
geon man. 1t got to be quite the thing for
the depot hackman to be asked TO drive stran-
gers to Henry c. Bleecker's, and one hack
man is reported to have driven stranger all
day, and to the tune of S25, looking for the
| mythical II. c. B. But alas he was found
| not. AT the Post-Ofice the official was fain
| to confess he knew no such man, and to add
that he wished he did, for letters were accu-
mulating for him, and the box accommoda-
tons for stray letters were getting overcrowd-
ed. At last in Montclair forbearance ceased
to be virtue, and the man who whispered
l.pigeon or H. G. B. to citizen of that town
did it at the risk of his life. But when cele-
brated pigeon fanciers, men of science, and
others of the believing and unbelieving stock,
pretty equally mixed, began to call at the
Daily AdrertiSer, and ask further facts, point
ing to the columns of that paper from which
hid nod hair f,rSf inf fsn ha-
came time for o representative of this paper
to plunge into the pigeon war.
Not at Montclair, but near Whippany, q
small village some five miles north of Norris
town, Harry C. Blocker was found at last,
and proved to be a bright-faced, intelligent
lad of H. the son of farmer. Both Mr..
Blocker and his son willingly gave all the
information in their power, and laughed
heartily at being told of the excitement caused
by II. G. B. and his pigeons.
Mr.. Blocker having determined to send
Harry on SEA voyage, so arranged for him
with Capt. William Bacon of the brigantine
George w. Chase, and on the Sth Of Septem-
Der last that vessel sailed from pier IL, East
River, New York, with Harry on board and
bound for Galveston. With Harry was q
small coop in which were three slate colored
pigeons, perfect models of symmetry and
beauty. These were brought to the vessel by
friend of Harry's father, resident of Mont
clair, who instructed the lad to let off pi-
geon on accomplishing each 500 miles of his
journey. Poor Harry was landsman and
got very sick, but on September 10th, the YES
sci being then beyond Cape Hatteras, he
scrubbed note to his father, fastened it to
his youngest pigeon, and amid the sneers and
ieers of the ships crew placed the bird Tenn
pest on the deck OF the vessel. In On instant
it arose rerpendicularly, and when at on i'm
mense elevation took a direct homeward
course. The Captain would not countenance
such folly as letting fine bird be lost at sea,
and did not see it start, but entered the fact
in the log to please the lad. This bid was
but six months old, was q male, and bad
never had any practicing flights whatever.
During its two days sea voyage it had been
sea-sick, had eaten little, and was thought to
be too weak to fly. Yet it accomplished its
journey with ease and reached its dove-cote
in the quick time given.
On the 18th, the vessel being off Key West,
the female bird, Tornado, was let loose, and
also made direct course, first upward, and
then homeward. This bird was two years old.
and had made short journeys around its neigh
borhood, having also flown from Troy and
Syracuse. Like the first bird, it had been
sick and refused to eat, and again Captain
and crew laughed at the plucky lad who was
so wilfully slaughtering his pets. Yet the
ships log bears the entry, giving latitude and
longitude, with the hour of the start. The
bird flew the l .094 statute miles at an average
speed of 1876 miles per hour, and was in per-
feet condition on reaching home, eating and
drinking freely.
On tbo ko1n han klNo
middle of the Gulf of Mexico and l 500 miles
veteran bird, typhoon, was let loose. This
male bird was three years of age, and had
made several trips, flying last year from Chi
cago. 1t hao not been sick at all, bat had
eaten greedily all the voyage of pieces of
meat and wheat, with bread crumbs and
anything the men fed to it. The crew had
become attached to it, and it was with the
greatest trouble that Blocker persuaded
them to let him release it. They were posi-
tive no bird could reach land, but the lad de-
termined to obey orders and let it go at all
hazards, although in consequence of gale
blowing off the shore he had thought best not
to let the bird go when the vessel was at l.
500 miles distant. Again the entry was
made in the log, the Captain still protesting
against such foolshness. The noble bird
safely accomplished its fearful voyage, but
after alighting at his coop refused food and
soon died of exhaustion, experts saying that
he had been over-fed and was too fat. His
average speed was 202 miles per hour. As
to the question of were these flights accom-
plished, they may now be safely believed,
the testimony of the Captain and his log all
going to prove this. As further proof how
ever, young Blocker is soon to start on
much longer journey. and is to be provided
with large coop of birds. Among these are
to be Tempest and Tornado, the latter of
which is to be let loose at FIVE hundred miles
distance, and the owner is prepared to bet
heavily on his flying the same in under two
hours. Tempest is to fly at 1000 miles and
other birds, $500, 1000, 1,500 and even 81
600. Experts have denied IN toto that bird
can sustain itself in continuous flight, over
500 miles. Typhoon has done it, and more
too, and his owner is confident that he has
others of the same breed, who will still fur
Their Guido him.-Ne,rark Daily Adrertiser.
A man once went to lawyers office and
told n legal gentleman that he had been in