Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-10-08
TO CARRY NAIL.
Novel Proposition to Utilize HON.
ing Pigeons.
VIII Bring in >Letters From
Steamships Ear Out at Sea-

THmail letter on the ocean far ont
of sight of land seems almost an I'M
possibility. but it will be an every day
occurrence when the newest proposed
feature of the postal service is in oper-
atipn-
t. homing pigeon is the medium by
which this is to be accomplished.
Louis Beebe OF Millville, n. j., pro-
poses to train a number of these pig
cons SO perfectly that they will bring
letters from an ocean steamship to the
land In one-tenth the time In which
the vessel itself could bring them, If
1t tried its best
Mr.. Beebe' scheme is an elaborate
one. He would establish pigeon sta
tions all along the Atlantic coast, from
which birds wou be taken to the
steamships. Then, when freighted
with letters, th1 pigeons start on their
homeward journey. hey would fly di
rectly to the stations from which they
we're taken, and the men in charge
of the stations would promptly for
ward the. letters.
That the idea is practical has been
] shown by tests made recently. Some
time ago a pigeon that has been
trained for the purpose was taken
aboard the steamship Waesland- by
Miss Nellie Lamborn, passenger.
The bird taken was called the Sea
Gull, and is two-year-old black
checker that had never been trained
until this year. The bird was liberated
from the Waeslnnd 1T miles off Cape
May, \. J. The missive attached to
the homer WAS addressed to Mrs.
Haines, No. 1904 r zee street, Philadel-
phia The bird reached Millvllle safe
ly, and the letter was forwarded from
there by mail. Overland this would
not have been considered great fly,
but over water it is looked upon as a
wonderful performance. BY those
| who nave examined the birds now
being trained at Millville, they are
looked npon as perfect specimens of
stheir kind.
The homins pigeon is frequently
aud wrongfully confused with the car
rier pigeon. The best blooded homer,
such as the Sea Gull, that made the
recent trip at first sight has the ap-
pearance, to those nninitlated, Of the
ordinary pigeon. Upon closer in
spection, however, it is plainly seen
that the bird has bearing which
possess the brilliant coloring of some
of the other members Of the pigeon
that in the trim symmetrical bulld,
close, hard feathering, and the ath-
letic appearance good birds always
possess.
Quite close to the lofts IN which the
homers for the ocean mail service Are
being educated, there are number O.
carrier pigeons, but they are very diff
ferent in appearance from the homers.
They have greater length Of leg
neck and head, with enormous wart
lilo xrottIaS or,up1 tho ewes and oy
the beak.
1t it thoroughly understood by Mr.
Beebe that flying over the sea is on,
of the most severe tests to which
homer can be subjected, for over th
water they cannot see any familia
landmark to 60 by. They must d e
pend wholly upon their instinct or IN
tellecs, or whatever II ls, to guild
them home.
} In regard to tue coast station b.
favors, Mr. Pa-be believes that loft
could be secured IN the MAJ lorlty 0
seaport towns and fortresses He
: making every effort to induce ia
United States Governmeu, give hl
idea practical test, with the view 0
adopting il. 1t would not, be SAYS
1uv,ew Of the rcsults that would b
achieved, be q, all expensIve.-Ne e'
; York journal.