Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-23
BLAINE AND CLEVELAND on
WINGS.
A Presidential Race in which Carrier
Pigeons Contest for High Honnrs.

A Presidential Race in which Carrier
Pigeons Contest for High Honars.
Eesc YORK Herald, July sf.
II tell you that there Cleveland's a daisy
from DaisyvilIe. He just takes the cake
as flyer. He's as clean cut as whistle
and to see him work them wings Of his is
just beautiful-beau-ti-ful. Bet you six
to four on Cleveland
ssGive us a rest with your Cleveland.
Blaine's the bird fur me. He takes the
course like a bullet from a musket and
shoots through the air like a streak OF
creased lightning. What's yer betf"
''Six TO four on Cleveland"
ssTake YER"
"Bet yer five to five on Hendricks"
s.Done.''
"Bet yer five more"
SsDOne."
Such were the EXPLANATIONS which went
up from a crowd OF persons who were
gathered in front of a sporting house at
the northeast corner Of West Twenty
second street and Seventh avenue yester-
day afternoon, and who bad assembled to
witness a great Presidential race, to be
contested over as fair field as ever ex-
listed and under conditions which adj
mitted of no favor. This race was between
carrier pigeons. respectively named
Cleveland and Blaine, and Hendricks and
Logan. The course was from the sporting
house to the residence of the birds owner,
Mr.. A. &. Butts, of East Orange, n. J..
THE START.
The start was eagerly awaited by SEINE
two hundred people and muscular bull
dog with the countenahce Of Tammany
Hall heller and the teeth of buzz saw.
At 1880 the rival candidates for first
honOrs in pigeondom life were brought
out. Cleveland was a gray checkered
bird, with soft, gaZelle-like eyes and
gracefully curved neck. Blaine was a
blue pigeon, with a white sprinkled head
which gave dignity to his appearance,b but
In whose ewes there was twinkle Sug-
gestive of latent rascality. The appear
ance Of the two birds was signal for re-
newed Outburst of partisan feeling from
the spectators.
An instant later the birds were loosed.
They rose high in air and swept around
in graceful circles. while determining
upon their course. On the same second
they both made up their minds and darted
forward in the direction of the North
river. Blame, with no batch of Muliigan
letters or unsayOry records anent certain
guanO steals to weigh him down, shot
through the clear summer air with light
ming speed. Cleveland, son of Albright,
king among carrier pigeons, who had
ward in a way which showed him to be
worthy of his descent. Onward they
flew. the blue slightly ahead of the gray.
As this was perceived great shout went
up from the Blaine partisaus, and the
vicious looking bull dog, evidently a
Blaine supporter. allowed his stumpy tail
to almost wag him off his legs. The cries
grew louder.
THE RACE.
$50 it, Blainel Blaine winsl Blaine!
Blaine! Blaine! Hurrah! Cleyeland's
beat"
was he? With three or four quivers of
the body, accompanied by as many mighty
wing claps, the gray bird pressed for
ward and came up even with the white
headed Blaine. For an instant they
swept onward, the gray beside the blue,
and then both were lost to sight in the dis
lance
Hendricks, a red-checkered bird, and
Logan. a copper cOlOred pigeon, were next
brought out. Logan had somewhat the
better of the start, but Hendricks was
very close behind as the birds passed out
of sight. Tammany Hall and Ben Butler,
as also number of other pairs, were then
started on races. The length Of the
course is estimated at fourteen miles.
THE FINISH.
TWENTY-FIVE minutes later the crowd
gathered in front of Mr.. Butts residence
at East Orange saw black spot appear
in the distance. Was the dark spOt the
Democratic or was 1t the Republican
bird! Less than a minute later this ques-
ton was settled, as blue bodied bird,
with a white head, came onward, swift
as a lightning flash, swooped down on the
croft and shot straight as an arrow under
the bob wire. A hoarse shout of delight
went up from the Blaine men. Two
minutes later the defeated gray check
cred bird passed under the wire. Time
Blaine, % minutes; Cleveland, % min
utes.
But interest was quickly withdrawn
from the winning bird, as Hendricks and
Logan, side by side, rushing like meteors
through the ether, appeared from beyond
the horizon. Onward the birds came,
racing calamity neck to neck. Nearer
and nearer they drew, and yet neither
seemed to gain an inch of advantage.
Down on the croft they shot, still neck to
neck. But upon reaching the bob wire
Logan hesitated in passing under. Hem
bricks, however, shot past like a flash,
thus winning the race. Time y minutes.
The race between Tammany and Ben
Butler was won by the former. Time
Tammany 2s minutes, Ben Butler 80 min
ntpC