The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-17
NOVEL USE FOR HOMERS
Sneed of Birds Will Be Pitted
Against the Craft OF a
Monster.
WILL FLY FROM FARALL0N.
AS Soon as the Swanhilda Is Sighted
the Naws Will Be- Winged to
This City.
WILL FLY FROM FARALLoN.

This morning there will start for sea on
the pilot boat Lady Mine, otherwise
known as the bar boat, cote OF doves, or
homing pigeons, their destination oelng
the FaraIIone Islands. Their mission Is
un ique-for they have missIon-one OF
Importance, and of singular and timely
interest. They are sent out TO do some
thing unparalleled in history.
Journeying toward San Francisco on
the four masted ship Swanhilda, Frank
Butler is, supposedly, approaching Crisis
in his life Reputed to be the most afro
cious of all modern murderers, public an
ticipation has by him been put on edge,
and there is much anxiety to learn as
early as possible of the first ap-
pearance of the Swanhilda. Strangely
enough, and beyond all probable chance
of failure, the gentlest OF all animate
things, dove, will bring in the earliest
news of the coming of the most ferocious
murderer. 1t is for this purpose that the
homing pigeons will to-day go out on the
Lady Mine, which will make a trip to the
Farallones for the sole purpose of carry
ing them.
Mixed in with the generally grewsome
flavor which attends this exciting man
hunt on the high sea is something OF ro-
nance in the com bination of methods of
communication for the purpose in hand
when considered in the light of the pecu-
liar circumstances attending.
Foremost among the birds to be carried
to the Farallones as message bearer is
Daisy, which is supposed after many tests
OF speed to be with very little doubt the
most rapid homing pigeon on the Pacific
Coast. 1t has won laurels by flying from
Fresno and all intermediate points and
from Oroville and all intermediate points
| to the lofts OF A. Carlisle in Berkeley.
| Strong of wing and remarkably sagacious,
Daisy was selected to bring the first mes
sage ever sent from the Farallones to San
| Francisco by wing power. Consequently
| Dsisy knows the way and has proved its
great reliability.
Now when the Swanhilda comes boom
| ing along the first place from which she
will be seen is the Farallones. High above
! the surface of the surrounding ocean rises
| the lighthouse, the base of which is be-
tween 300 and AGO feet above the sea level.
at the lighthouse there is powerful tele-
scope, with which OBJECTS coming to the
horizon line can be made out clearly.
The Swanhilda Is of peculiar rig. The
nautical eve could easily distinguish her
| ton of her has been sent forward to the
| Faralones, so that she cannot we'll be mis-
taken for any other vessel whenever she
may loom into view.
From the lighthouse a telephone line
leads down to the houses in which the
ighthouse-keepers and their families live
and the line is also connected with the
schoolhouse in which Daisy Annette
Doud, who recently went to the Farallones,
oficiates as schoolteacher. So when the
observed at the lighthouse sees the Swan
hilda, which in all probability will be
earlier than any other person near the
| California coast line, he will be able 10
signal the fact instantaneously to Miss
Doud, who, already practiced in the flying
of pigeons, will hold herself alert to dis
patch Daisy in few seconds to this City.
The dovecote recently established by
a. Carlisle at the Farallones for the benefit
of shipping and the weather bureau is
only few steps from Farallones school
house. In this dovecote the fifty pigeons
to be taken out on the Lady Nine to-day
will be placed before tonight. The Sec
ond that Miss Doud hears the message
over the telephone from the lighthouse
she will run to the dovecote, and in five