Evening journal., 1889-12-30
USING CARRIER PIGEONS.
HOW A WALL STREET BROKER KEEPS
POSTED ON FLUCTUATIONS.

phone and Telegraph.
One day friend Of mine, ChicSgo bust
ness man. came 10 visit me at my farm down
in New Jersey GLOW do you find the time
to give to this place,r said he a few moments
after his arrival, ''to say nothing Of the leis-
ure one should have to enjoy itl should
think it would be impossible for a busy stock
broker Do you have private wire 70 Wall
streetls' Having been often asked the same
questions before held my peace. Ia little
while we went out Of doors 10 look at the live
stock. had pair hitched up TO a double
buggy, and. with my Chicago friend at my
side, was soon jogging around the track have
made 10 exercise my horses on.
We are at the far side Of the track when one
of the stablemen comes on a run from among
the buildings and waves something in his
hand. quicken the pace OF the horses and
in an instant we are where he stands. He steps
20 my side and hands me a small slip Of paper
folded up very compactly. / unroll the slip
and read the writing which is crowded on its
surface. Then, turning to my friend;
"Prices have not changed since morning,
and my manager says that the market is very
dull. That slip has just been one hour in com
ing from my Office in New street, rs it a
telegramf' queries my companion. "No."
"Then how did il get heren "By carrier
pigeon, and with that l signal TO the horses
and weare once more spinning swiftly around
the track
FAILURES AT FIRST.
About five years ago | bought my farm,
Chetolah, In North Branch township, Somer-
set county, ~ J. 1t is about forty miles by
the Jersey Central road from Communipaw.
The railroad depot, where there is also a tele-
graph station, is about two and half miles
from the house.
To spend my Sundays there, with an odd
day now and then thrown ia, or perhaps a
few days at time when summer dullness
settled on the market, seemed the best that
could be hoped for. But, once tasted, country
life presented thousand charms and attrac-
tions that had not been dreamt Of The chief
objection to bestowing a more liberal share
OF my time on it was that OF keeping up com
munication with the ''street" It was com
paratively easy to get kilograms from the
farm TO my New York residence, but the
more important messages from Wall street
which would keep me advised OF the condition
OF the market or Of any sudden development
that might require my presence or action
wereexasperatingly slow in reaching me.
Then the more or less amiahle young ladies
who snccessivey had charge Of the teegraphic
Department Qf the station had an unaccount-
able habss Of going home for lunch just as an
Important message Was about 10 come over
the wires. At this juncture the idea sug-
grsted itself to try carrier pigeons. / had
taken So .-se interest " tAs performances Of
fae<e remarkable birds The distance from
INV office. close by the Stock Exchange, 20
the farm is about forty-three miles. Birds
were constantly making longer journeys than
that. II seemed like a good plan and It was
forthwith put into execution.
A dozen birds or 50 were accordingly pur-
chased from fancier in New York and in
stalled in a loft over tho barn. My first essay
at employing carrier pigeons was unsuccess-
full After they had become presumably &c
customed TO their new home they were taken
snccessively 70 town and let loose, but only a
few ever came back. The majority may haYt
returned to their original home gunnefs may
have picked them or or prospects of food and
rest may have seduced them into consortini
with plebeian pigeons. In Short the specula
ton wore adecidedly bearish appearance,
AT this point unexpected assistance wa
rendered me. Ono of my best friends.in Wal
street was that prince Of sportsmen and stool
operators. the latc Charles i. Woerishoifer
to whom had confded my difficulties as
/ pigeon fancier. He knew Of a famous hreei
/ OF carrier birds somewhere IN Germany. j
a short time five pairs OF males were brough
across the Atlantic and domiciied IN the cote
had rugged up for my birds From thes'
with some admixture of strains Of the bes
carriers to be found in this country, my pre-.
ent efficient little corps OF messengers al
descended.
now IT Is DONE.
Better luck attended this experiment, bt
It required care and patience. The cote WI
arrniened so that it would be attractive
the birds. Constant efforts had TO be MAJ
80 as TO test and educate them. They wei
taken some distance from home and let fly
a flock, all arriving safely. Then they we
tested separately, first on short distance
then on increasing lengths In this way Il
strong and capable birds we're separated fro
the weak and uncertain ones. AT length q
, flock was weeded out and those that remaini
J can now be depended on TO perform the
q duty satisfactorily.
AS young birds are bred they are expel
5 mented with and only admitted to the sele
e band if they show the proper ability and
stinct This is the origin OF the Wall Sire
-Erial Messenger company Qimitedl.
practice il Is simple enough. A hamper wi
several Of the birds is kept at my office Tn
+ are only fed or watered sufficiently to Ike
+ them In condition while 50 detained. Sprin
, summer and autumn, when not in town
u feel that / can with perfect security a
serenity stay at the farm or take train
a town early ia the afternoon. II quotatic
change, or il message Of any kind has
be sent 70 me- it is written on pad OF ve
thin paper. The blanks are printed with
n names Of stocks, 50 that quotations can
Q readily jotted down.
r. Folded up into narrow strip, this
q wrapped with light wire TO the tail featl
IN Of the bird. Then, let loose from one Of
windows, the intelligent creature rises
above the roofs Of the surrounding buildin
and, with perhaps preliminary circle
ld SO, strikes out across the Hudson, over Jer
y, City. and steers straight course to its c
n among the hills Of Somerset The maze
re telegraph wires that surrounds the Stock
IT change sometimes offer a temptation to S
and rest awhile before starting ON the j.
ney But this, with the older and '
trained birds, is rare AS a rule they
- form their mission with a celebrity and
"a -. patch that would put the district messen
~ ~ service to the blush.
Va They can be relied upon 10 make the
tance in an hour, and this time is rarely
ceeded save by a young or inexperieu
bird. Stones and guns in the hands Of
AND and fools sometimes cause unaccounti
disappearances. But, on the whole, the
stinct that draws the bird to its home cai
- depended on. The detentions OF accid
-, are no greater than would be the case wi