Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-01
Storm lnterferes With Event Of
Season of Rock Island
Pigeon Club.
TWO HUNDRED BIRDS ENTERED
Released at Cleveland, Ohio-AII AR
rive Behind
Time.

and are considered lost. None of the
birds returned within the time limit
and no prizes were awarded. The
affair would have been the biggest
of the season with favorable weather
conditions.
The society last Friday expressed
200 birds TO Cleveland. Ohio. to be
released at $3.50 Sunday morning.
The time limit agreed upon was :
o'clock Sunday evening, and at that
time not bird was in. 1t was the
last flight of the old birds. and next
Sunday the young ones will be given
their first try-out. The latter will.
of course, be sent only short dis
tance dway at first. The place has
not yet been decided upon.
Club Little Known.
Few societies about the city whose
operations are of so public a nature
are as little known of as the Rock
Island Pigeon club. 1t has been in
existence five years and i'm that time
has sent out thousands of homing
pigeons in all directions. \ similar
organization has been formed i'm Mo-
line and one is contemplated in Dav-
export. The sport is one that has
been transplanted to this country
from Belgium. most of the followers
of il being of that nationality. The
birds were at first imported. but are
now raised here in large numbers.
The rules governing the society and
the sport il has been formed to fur
Their are the same as have been in
vogue for hundreds of years i'm the
old country.
The pigeons are really racers.
They are sent away from home and
released. the object being to see
which will get home first. Hence,
strong fliers and birds with the hom-
ing instinct well developed are i'm de
mand. The flights are managed by
the society and the entry money is
divided into prizes for the winners.
In addition to the Is cents that the
owner i assessed for each bird en-
tered, an additional amount may be
Staked ON any one of particular
promise and the amounts thus put i'm
are classified and given to the win
nerS also. SO il sometimes happens
that the fastest bird, if properly en-
tered. will win respectable sum.
How They Are Conducted.
The officers of the society gather
up the birds and attend to marking
them before they are sent away.
The marking is secretly done so that
the owners shall not know what par
ticular distinguishing feature his
bird shall bear. Then the entire
number is Grated and consigned by
express To the point decided upon.
the club paying all charges out of
the monthly dues of the members.
The agent of the express company
at the town To which they are sent
attends TO the releasing. \ feature
of the arrangements that especially
smacks of old country methods is
the manner of noting the time of the
return of the birds.
1t is always so arranged that the
return will be on a Sunday. Those
having birds entered, when their re
turn is expected. keep close watch.
At each home from which the hom-
ers have been sent out n disinterest-
ed party with a watch which has
been set by the officers of the So
ciety in accordance with the watches
of all the other timekeepers of the
race and sealed TO prevent a change
being made. is stationed. When a
pigeon arrives at his coop it would
naturally be supposed he would be
credited with having made the race.
But not so. He must enter the coop
and the owner must climb up, catch
him and bring him down so that the
timekeeper may examine his marks
and make record of the same.
Then the bird is taken to the head
quarters of the club to be officially
inspected. Thus it often happens
that the owners agility has some
thing to do with the outcome of the
race.
Every Bird Has His Day.
In the spring of the year only the
old birds are sent ont. The distance
of the fight is generally increased
till the young ones are full feathered,
when the old ones are placed on the
retired list and the young ones are
put on the turf. so to speak. They
are used every week for about three
months, when the next Matching is
brought intoiine.
Inc Speeu OF the DiTiS II sumo
thing remarkable. Recently a flight
was made from Valparaiso, Ind, to
this city in the time between and
$3.50 a. IN. When a large flock is re-
leased they will fly to some extent
together, but the homing instinct is
stronger than the desire for COM
pany, and in short time they be
come separated. Winds and other