The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-12
PIGEONS FOR WAR.
PHlLAoELPHiANS WOULD OFFER
THEIR BIRDS TO THE NAVY.

OF Utilizing the Birds.
give thousand birds, all trained and
experienced fiiers could and would be
placed at the disposal of the United
States government by Philadelphians in
the event of war between this country
and Spain-that is, if the government
would accept them"
The speaker was one of the best
known raisers and trainers of homing
pigeons in the United States. In chat
with reporter the other afternoon he
told a whole lot of interesting things in
connection with homing or carrier pi-
geons and the service they could render
TO the United States in war with an.
other nation.
"Of course You will understand that
1t is only in naval engagement, he
said, THAT the birds would be valuable.
In land battles the telegraph and the
field telephone would furnish more rapid
means of transmitting messages. But
on the sea, where it is likely that most
of the fighting between this country and
Spain will be done, if any is done at
all, electricity cannot be used for rea-
sons which are obvious. Still, it is often
just as important that quick communi-
cation be had with the shore and with
the naval officials at Washington dur
ing battle between the warships as be-
tween regiments of land fighters.
"Philadelphians have paid more at.
tention perhaps TO the raising and train
ing of homing pigeons than the people
of any other one locality in the country.
AS result there are at least 30, 600
birds of various ages and i'll various
stages of development and training own
ed in the city today. OF this number at
least 10, 600 are fit to be put to work
carrying war messages, and 5000,
have not the least doubt, would be Of
fered free to the navy department the
minute it became known that they
would be used.
''Some of these birds hold champion
ship records for long distance flights,
and all Of them are good ones. Take the
loft owned by w. S. Torkington, Jr.,
of West Philadelphia, for instance Mr..
Torkington, by the way, wrote to Sec
rotary Long only few days ago offer
ing the pick of his fliers to the govern
ment. Included in the number are birds
that have won the West Philadelphia
district championships at 200, 800 and
400 miles, and one that finished second
in the 500 mile race. His loft is bred
principally from Kingston and Twi-
light, two of the most famous breeders
-, q. IL.
turn over TO Secretary Long could be
depended upon to bring home every
time the messages with which they
were intrusted.
CHARLES II. Jones of Clifton Heights,
the racing secretary of the National AS
ISOLATION Of Homing Pigeon Fanciers,
is another whose loft of long distance
fiers would be turned over to the gov
eminent. He has 1875 or more birds.
Arthur MoGinn, the we'll known con-
tractor, has also offered 100 of his 200
f1iers TO the government, one of them
being the celebrated Gainesville, the
homer that finished second in the world
famed race in which the winner flew
GA miles between sunrise and sunset.
The loft of Connel 81 Sloan, located in
West Philadelphia, would furnish 90
first class birds, the most celebrated be-
ing the winner of the 500 mile West
Philadelphia district race last year. But
the list could be extended indefinitely"
The method of utilizing the pigeons
by the navy would be extremely simple.
Cots of birds would be carried ON board
each Of the warships, one cot from each
city or town with which it might be-
come desirable TO communicate. These
could be coast or inland cities, although
the former would be preferable, as all
communications could be forwarded
from them to Washington by wire upon
the arrival Of the message bearing birds
more rapidly than the pigeons them
selves could make the trip.
Before or after a battle, or even dur
ing an engagement, should the COM
mander of ship OF of the fleet want to
send word to the national capital or to
any other place, he would simply cause
the message to be written on the light
paper that is used for the purpose and
fastened to the tail feathers of the bird
whose home loft was in the town near
est to the place for which the message
was destined. Once given its liberty,
the intelligent and home loving flier
would do the rest. During war with
Spain it is probable that majority of
the most important naval engagements
would be fought within $50 miles of
the Florida coast. Under such circum-
stances, two hours from the time bird
was liberated from warship ii could
be in Key West or Jacksonville, and
three minutes later it's message would
be in Washington.
A war with Spain would certainly
furnish an opportunity to determine
their practical worth for war purposes,
and fanciers all over the country are
sparing no efforts to induce the govern.
ment to give the birds trial. Philadel-
phia is in the lead, and it is practically
a foregone conclusion that the first of
the fliers used will come from Philadel.
phia lofts. -Philadelphia Inquirer
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