Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-05-07
HomIng.Plgeon Sea Service.

Young Fritz Uhlenhaut, of No. 1877
Pearl Street, and Captain Nordenhold,
retired German sea Captain, who re-
sides in Brooklyn, have undertaken tho
philanthropic work of establishing a
homing-pigeon ocean service system.
Captain Nordenhold Is an old salt, and
when he sailed over the ocean blue he
usually took several homing-pigeons on
board, and when at some distance out
at sea he sent the birds home with
messages to his friends ashore, telling
them how he Jared. Young Uhlen-
haut is a pigeon-fancier and keeps
about $50 of these carrier birds at his
house. When the Captain suggested
to the young man the idea of establish
ing a homing-pigeon sea service, Mr..
Uhlenhaut's father gave his son every
encouragement, telling him that if he
succeeded in saving the life of even one
sailor OF passenger he would feel far
greater satisfaction than if he won a
hundred prizes in pigeon races. The
young man determined to act upon the
Captains and his fathers suggestions,
and began training his pigeons by send
ing them on steamers going down
South. The Captains of the vessels at
first let the birds loose few miles
from port, and then the distance was
gradually increased. Captain Norden-
hold said yesterday that they intended
TO have birds trained for the ocean
steamer service as well, and he believes
that the birds could be trained to bring
back messages from rs far out as the
Georgia shoals, that are in'65 longitude,
about 800 miles from New York
Should a steamer meet with an an acct
dent and need assistance the birds could
be easily sent back with messages, and
would arrive in few hours. On Mon
day last they sent ten homing-pigeons
by the German steamer Elbe, with a
request to the Captain to let them loose
at five o'clock. BY some mistake or
other they were not let loose until 6:30
o'clock, and were therefore compelled
TO fly about over the sea all night
Early the following morning seven of
the birds returned to their cotes, among
them one that bore message from the
Captain of the steamer. The message
was written on slip of paper that
was tightly rolled up and put into
small quill. and this was fastened
to the pigeons tail. The note stated
at what hour the bird had been
dispatched, and was signed by
the Captain. Three of the birds did
not return, and it was supposed they had
either fallen into the sea during the
night or had been caught by hawks,
with which Long Island abounds. Mr..
'Uhlenhaut said that some time ago one
of his pigeons that had been sent on n
Journey returned with its breast torn.
IL had probably been attacked by some
hawk, but had managed to escape.
The wound healed up and the bird is
now rs well Us ever.
Yesterday ten other birds were sent
by the steamer Sailcr that sailed early
in the afternoon. Mr.. Uhlenhaut
asked the Captain TO let them loose ut
five o'clock, and expected them home
by $50 or six. Atj:30a Times reporter
and young Uhlenhaut were watching
on the roof of the house for the birds
return. Looking toward the east three
tiny specks were seen far in the dis
lance at $40. Rapidly they approached
nearer and nearer, and in another min
ute three pigeons were making a bee
line for the Brooklyn bridge, and then
they circled round and round and final
ly alighted on their cotes. As soon rs
they entered n cage Mr.. Uhlenhaut
caught them. They had come from the
steamer and had the countersign
stamped on their feathers, but they
bore no messages. The reporter waited
until darkness began to set in, and then
Mr. Uhlenhaut, Sr., remarked that per-
haps the remaining seven had not been
let loose until later and hal probably
stopped to rooSt over night somewhere
in Long Island.-N Y. Times.