Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-01
CARRIER PIGEONS.

Some Very Remarkable Flights Of the
Birds.
So many wild statements are made
as to the speed Of a carrier pigeon
| that 1t Is interesting to learn how
fast 1t can actually travel under the
most favorable conditions, says the
st. Louis Globe-Democrat. On a re-
100000 birds were tossed in compe-
| titions In various parts Of England.
and some Of these feathered athletes
raced to London from Retford and
Branston, journeys Of 127 and 115
miles. respectively. The conditions
were ideal; the weather was beauti-
fully clear and a fresh wind was
blowing to help the birds on their
way; and yet under such favorable
circumstances few of the birds at
tanned a speed of mile in minute,
which in these days of swift loco
motion is beginning to be considered
comparatively slow.
Better times were made not long
ago when 1000 pigeons were tossed
at Templecombe, to race to London.
Assisted by a southwest wind, they
travelled so rapidly that many Of
them had reached their cotes some
time before their owners even
thought of looking for them. One
bird actually covered 108 miles in
ninety-four minutes, maintaining
throughout the long journey a speed
Of nearly sixty-nine miles an hour;
another did equally we'll by travelling
to Chelsea to the average rate of
2,01S yards a minute, while one bird
out of every ten exceeded sixty miles
an hour.
A very remarkable journey, which
illustrates the endurance and courage
Of a pigeon, was made some time
ago by a bird called Silver Queen,
belonging to a member Of the HON.
ing club Of South Pittsburg. On Au-
gust Z, 1900, this bird, with several
others, was liberated from the roof
of the Brown Palace hotel, Denver,
in the presence Of a large gathering
Of people interested. The pigeons.
when released, made several circles
in the air. then all Of them flew east
| ".
days later, when a letter, dated Au-
gust IL, reached the Pittsburg club
from Henry Homeyer Of Zickrick
county, S. D.. saying that a carrier
pigeon rived at his place that af-
ternoon, just after the last Of several
terrific hailstorms had cleared away.
Mr.. Homeyer fed and watered the
bird, which, afterwards identified as
Silver Queen, resumed its flight as
though quite refreshed.
Three weeks more passed, and cs
no further news of any one OF the
| five birds was received they were
given up as lost. But on September
| 6 Mr.. Albert Greb Of Pittsburg, the
owner of Silver Queen, while In mis-
loft early in the morning was as
tonished at seeing his bird perch hP-
on the window sill. She had thus
accomplished a flight Of 100 miles
within a period Of thirty days, during
which she passed through many most
severe storms Of hail. rain and Wind.
| in a magnificently successful effort to
reach her home and mate.
Belgium was for sometime the
scene Of a daily race between a pig
con and a train which travels be-
tween Liege and Waremme, Of which
the Meouse, a leading Belgium news
paper, gives the following account:
The train starts at 9.5S a. m, and
a crowd gathers daily to see the
pigeon go with 1t. The bird wheels
around the station while the passen-
gers are taking their seats, and as
soon as the whistle Is blown and the
Journey begins 1t takes up position
little behind the engine, and there
| 1t flies surrounded by the moist,
though warm steam, which 1t evil
IDENTIFY enjoys.
"It retains this position even while
the train is passing through tunnels,
and apparently Is not incommoded In
the least by the warm vapor. When
the train reaches its destination the
bird flies swiftly along the railroad
track back to Liege, where 1t arrives
about 11.30 o'clock. This pigeon was
born at the railway station in Liege.
and consequently Is familiar with
trf ms, smoke and steam"