Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-11-22
1000 PIGEONS
IN ONE CONTEST
Homers Released at jamestown
Make Return at Rate OF %
Miles Per Hour.

To find pigeon flights classed under
Reronautics IS a surprise to the un-
itiated, but that is the way 1t is lone
by the American Magazine of Aeron-
autics, which ought to know.
Ii describes a pigeon flight as the
first "aeronautic event AT jamestown.
1t was a race of 500 pigeons to Wash
ington, d. c. Before leaving the eX-
position grounds the pigeons circled
twice n then disappeared in he d.
rection of their homing station. Some
of the birds were not racers and the
fastest birds hung back with he
slowest. The speed was about forty
five miles an hour.
\ remarkable feature of this and a
succeeding race 10 New York and Phil
aGelphia was that the Washington
pigeons flew to the west of n grand
stand that was directly north of the
releasing point, and the New York n
Philadelphia pigeons flew to the east
of it, correctly selecting the direction
of their homeward flight to an exact
degree in the points of the compass,
although when they passed the stand
the birds were flying SO low that some
flew under it's roof.
Only half a dozen birds were non
plussed by The broad eXpanse of wa
ter OF Hampton Roads and Chesapeake
bay and turned back. The others with
u IiNSNN1lASy NF-lAA "a NoNoLN Nv
points from which they were brought
in closed crates in express cars
The next event was the pigeon race
in which $500 birds from New YORK
and Philadelphia took part. The birds
we4e all thoroughbreds and the race
was exceptionally successful. The
same favorable weather conditions
prevailed and the release occupied
barely four seconds from the time
the lids We're thrown open until the.
last pigeon left the crates.
Actions on Release.
The pigeon CoopS were arranged in
A complete circle upon the backs of
benches about three feet above ground.
The birds when released at HIS a.. m.,.
rose in a gigantic column and the
sound caused by the violent beating OF
their wings was one not easily for
gotten by those above whose heads
the whirling pyramid Of pigeons rose.
An idea of the swiftness of their wing
beat may be gained when IL is said
that cameras that We're able to depict
A running horse sharp and distinct,
showed but a blu of the moving wings
Of many Of the birds This lot Of pig
cons without hesitancy and without
circling took a line straight To Il point
north by east and disappeared before
the spectators could fully grasp that
the event was over on the exposition
grounds.
The birds made remarkably fast time
and reached New York and Philadel-
phia in the early afternoon They
Travelled at the rate OF fifty and
d fraction miles an hour There was
a slightly superior speed in rate OF
travel by the New York over the Phil
adelphia birds, which is believed TO be
lue to the fact that all the pigeons
followed the Atlantic seacoast line and
that the Philadelphia birds turned in
ward when opposite that city, while
the New York birds kept on the ocean
front TO New York city.
There was considerable discussion
among the pigeon fanciers present at
the release on the exposition grounds
as to which crates were best. those
whose tops opened upward, or those
whose front ends swung outward.
Opening the entire top gave a quicker
release, while the pigeon fanciers in
favor Of a front end opening claimed
that in allowing the birds TO rise Ell
masse there was danger of their beat
ing their wings against each other and
fractuTing a piniOn. The question was
not settled by the race as the point
arose too late to take definite notes
on the matter.