The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-06

average sresd for the whaie Journey
OF over Los yards per minute, and sur
passing al previous records
The other noted bird referred to Is
the king Of all hossing pigeons Ia the
United States, black cssecsered cock
known as Rex. This bird IS well
manned. for rs IrzasS resent performance
has indeed stamped him king OF all
hurslers- In 1850 he aew eco miles over
. southwest course. In 1881 he few 500
miles In 1882 he took part IN the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS race for The
Item" lao-nsle trophy. when stroag
favorable wind met the birds and plle-
nonlsasl speed was made by the Lead
erS. In this race Rex hoaled before the
arrival OF the watcher or timer. and
when found in the loft was able IL
CLAIM "a speed or less yards per minute
for the entire icarney OF 100 miles. RE
was then shipped 10 Chicago 10 take
part IN the race from the Worlds fair
grounds. IN which the best birds Of
The country took part. there being up
wards Of f,aao birds entered frsga the
cities OF Philadelphia, Newark. Brook
lyn, New York and Baltimore. Rex
Won this great race, which was under
the Words fair management, with
some time 10 spare. securing so cash
prize. = gold medal and the first d.
piosna. He WAS at this time owned by
Fred Prinz. OF Philadelphia, 600 miles
from Chicago in an air line.
Use In Military Service.
Much has been said and a great deal
written about the speed, endurance and
reliability Of the hoTiing pigeon as a
carrier OF messages both for business
and pleasure: and this bird has demon
straIed its usefulness IN this respect.
As a valuable adjunct in military ope-
rGtions their usefulness is undisputesi.
Their use for the rapid transmission Of
dispatches during the naval review OF
TIE past spring WAS widely published.
but their most important achievement
was in 1870. when they kept the out
SIDE world in touch with Paris, though
all other means OF sending communion
tons to the besieged city were cut of
or destroyed. Since then hoEning
pigeons have not been ignored by any
progressive military nation. and all
the great European military powers
have organized and perfected pigeon
service for the speedy conveyance of
important intelligence. Even our own
war department last June issued a cir
cular requesting every breeder OF hom-
ing pigeons TN the United States to
send 10 the department a list of the
number OF birds kept and locality of
the loft, etc.
Efsa4sfs Eroy,x Ri
Tt has been naooted question to
what altitude a ho1ning pigeon will fly.
and various experiments have been
made by taking pigeons up in balloon
ascenslons and liherating them at diff
ferent heights as the balloon ascends.
AS a result OF these experiments the
statement has gone forth and is quite
generally accepted as a. fact that a
pigeon cannot sustain itself nor will It
attempt flight at greater height than
800 rods 4,950 feeO from the surface OF
the earth
This has been disproved in more than
one instance within the past six
months by birds liberated on Mount
Rainier. During the month of July.
1894, Maj. +. $. Ingraiiam took with
btsi HOitlr SxANtixAG PieCoAfE> tli otAC W Ills
exploring expeditions to this mount
ain, and at an altitude OF 1o.5oo feet a
bird was liberated. While the per-
Torrance was not altogether satisfac-
tory ON this occasion. the bird gus-
tanned Itself and flight was accom-
pliSiled.
Brought News From tho Explorers.
A more recent experiment, with re-
suits that speak for themselves, was
accomplished by the party sent out by
the Seattle acknowledgements under
Maj, Z. S. Ingrailam To investigate the
reported volcanic eruptions that took
place on Mount Rainier. This party
took with them for the purpose of mes
aenger carriers seven trusty horning
pigeons. The most notable fight on
this expedition was from an altitude
ON tho side of Noun. Rainier OF $500
feet. From this great altitude the bird
had no apparent difficulty In making
its ascension and circles. which seem
% be a necessary preliminary before
determining its course and starting on
the honaeward journey. The message
that this bird carried from an altitude
of $500 feet was delivered at IT'S home
loft, some fifty miles distant from
Mount Rainier, in but little over two
hours after the message was written,
and reported In the rost-Intelligencer
the next morning. bringing the start
ling news that Mount Rainier was
smoking and steaming Thus 1t was
proven by this flight that pigeons can
make successful journeys from much
greater attitudes than they are gener-
ally credited with. 1t Ia now the inten-
tion to continue the experiment with
these birds fr,om higher attitudes. ard
those persons in the best poastlon to
form an opinion say that they believe
successful flights can be obtained from
the very top OF Mount Rainier. nearly
1900 feet above the sea.