The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-09-13
A WONDERFUL PIGEON.
For Three Years the Daily Companion
of Trainmen.

ei lHtt'l uItll4 ClpllS- lllS ]NAA A~-o
division Of the New Haven road from
this city Of Middleton is the most
wonderful pigeon that ever came to
the notice of bird fanciers within the
borders Of the old Nutmeg State.
For thre. years he has been the
daily companion Of trainmen whc run
on this line and hardly day passes
bit Bill starts in a race with one Of
the passenger trains on the division.
" three years Bill has never failed,
except. during the coldest weather OF
::::; winter, to meet the first passen-
'cr rain from New Haven to this
city when the train reaches East
Hampton at S.51 a. m.
If the train is bit late he sits on
the telegraph pole nearest the station
and looks up and down the track un-
til he spies the smoke Of approach
ing train. Then he gives himself a
shake and prepares for his race to
Lyman viaduct four miles away. Bill
generally takes a handicap in the:
race, but after bird and train are well
under way it is nip and tuck to the
Viaduct station, with Bill generally
winning out, although Charlie Ben
nett, the engineer of the train, does
his best to overtake the train racer.
When Bill succeeds in beating the en-
cineed to the station he perches on a
pole near by where he tries to at
tract the attention Of all those near
by to his prowess. If no attention is
paid to him he does a few tricks, such
as trrmbling, which are bound to make
people sit up and take notice.
When the train pulls out for the
mex station Bill settles down for a
slow fly back home to East Hampton.
Occasionally he fingers at the station
at the Viaduet until time for down
freight and accompanies that back.
This is his daily programme.
Bill, who has come to be the pet Of
all the railroad men hereabouts, was
first noticed about the East Hampton
station three summers ago. His pecu-
liar plumace, which is chocolate col
cred from his bill to the tip Of his
tail attracted the notice Of railroad
men, and they fed him some grain
from one Of the freight trains.
That was just the encouragement
that Bill was looking for; and after
that he was a daily visitor at the sta
ton. One morning he was taking his
breakfast on the back steps Of the
station when he spied an up-traln
drawing into the station. Instead of
being frightened away, Bill at once
began to investigate the big snorting
iron monster resting for a moment in
front of the station. He flew up to
the smokestack, so close that Engin-
eer Bennett was sure he would fall
in, and then paid his compliments to
the cab.
Occasionally he continues his trip
on up to West Chester, three miles
further on, and waits there for a down
train, which he accompanies back
home. Old commuters over the route
watch every morning for Bill, and new
travellers over the route always notice
the chocolate-colored pigeon that joins
the train at East Hampton.
Some months ago Bill had an excit-
ing race for his life with the train
which the travellers that morning have
not forgotten as yet. When Bill
started out for East Hampton those
in the rear car noticed that big hen
hawk was giving chase. Bill, who was
taking it easy, saw the hawk. too.
Engineer Bennett, who was leaning
out Of his cab, spotted the trouble IN
an instant, and let out the steam, and
in less than six seconds it was a race
for life between Bill and the hawk.
Whenever the hawk gained on Bill
and the engine Bill with great clev-
erness would fly close to the windows
Of the car, then suddenly drop into
the bushes to emerge 200 feet beyond
near the engine.
It didn't take many maneuvers OF
this kind to worry the howh. who just
before the train reaci!tA the station.
@ave up he chase. When the train