The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-17
PIGEON RACES.
More Than 1000 Birds in One Event
Sixty Miles an Hour.


SIXTY Miles an Hour.
To find pigeon flights classed under
aeronautics is a surprise to the uninit-
lated, but that is the way It is done
by the American Magazine of Aero
nautlcs, which ought to know.
1t describes pigeon fight as "the
first aeronautic event at Jamestown.
II was race OF SOC pigeons to Wash
ington, d. G. Before leaving the ex-
position grounds the pigeons circled
twice and then disappeared In the di-
rection of their homing station. Some
of the birds were not racers, and the
fastest birds hung back with the slow
est. The speed was about forty-five
miles an hour.
A remarkable feature of this and
a succeeding race to New York and
Philadelphia was that the Washing.
ton pigeons flew to the west of a
grand stand that was directly north
of the releasing point, and the New
York and Philadelphia pigeons flew
to the east of 1t, correctly selecting
the direction for 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 few under it's roof.
Only half a dozen birds were nom
plussed by the broad expanse of
water of Hampton Roads and Chesa-
peake Bay and turned back. The
others without hesitancy went on
toward the point from which they
were brought in closed crates in ex-
press cars.
The next event was the pigeon race
In which 2300 birds from New York
and Philadelphia took part. The
birds were all thoroughbreds and the
race was exceptionally successful.
The same favorable weather condi-
tions prevailed and the release occu-
pied barely four seconds from the
time the lids were thrown open until
the last pigeon left the crates.
The pigeon coops were arranged in
complete circle upon the backs of
benches about three feet above
ground. The birds, when released at
11.15 a. M, rose in a gigantic col
umn and the sound caused by the
violent beating of their wings was
one not easily forgotten by those
above whose heads the whirling pyra-
mid of pigeons rose. An idea of the
swiftness OF their wing beat may be
gained when 1t is said that cameras
which were able to depict a running
horse sharp and distinct showed but
a blur Of the moving wings of many
of the birds. This lot of pigeons
without ,hesitancy and without cir
cling took line straight to a 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 Phil
adelphia in the early afternoon. They
travelled at the rate of fifty-nine and
fraction miles an hour. There was
slightly superior speed in rate of
travel by the New York over the
Philadelphia birds, which is believed
| to be due to the fact that all the
pigeons followed the Atlantic sea-
COooI iihC anu IudJ luS Il IlllduSlpuld
birds turned inward 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 fronts ends swung outward.
Opening the entire top gave a quicker
release, while the pigeon fanciers in
favor of front end opening claimed
that in allowing the birds to rise en-
masse there was danger of their beat
ing their wings against each other
and fracturing pinion. The ques-
tion was not settled by the race, as
the point arose too late to take def
mite notes on the matter.