Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-07
LARGE CASH PRIZES
FOR PIGEON RACES
Washington Federation t.
Make It's Contests Real
Sporting Events.

For twenty years the Washington fed
Grafton OF racing pigeon fanciers has
welded a powerful influence in the
pigeon flying fraternity: and its increas-
ing age only tends to add to its prestige.
1t has been only few years back when
the foreign as well as the american fancy
were electrified by the very successful
flights across the Allegheny mountains,
before that time thought impossible.
winding up a series OF successful races
with wonderful flight from Napaness.
Ind. This town is situated but eighty
miles from Chicago. and OF the seventy
birds released there June g. 1908, ten OF
them were home before night. the drst
arriving In less than twelve hours after
the start. There was no gale behind
these game racers to make the journey an
easy one, but was the combined result
of breeders art. scientific training. and
splendid club management. Comparing
this wonderful record to that OF the fast
est express passenger service between
Chicago and Washington, the latter pales
into insignifcance:
Following these successful flights the
probabilities of interstate racing among
the lofts located on the Atlantic coast
found root in the fertile brain OF a MEM
successful races of the Atlantic combine
from Midland and Sudbury, Canada, re-
suited In the distribution of the best
prizes racing pigeon fanciers In America
races are to the pigeon racer what the
worlds series is to base ball and the
Yaie-Harvard game Is to foot ball, and
are classic events that are looked for
ward to from year to year.
But these wonderful successes were
only stimulants to further effort and last
month the American Racing Pigeon
Union. another great institution, and also
the result Of the ideas Of a member OF
the Washington Federation, was intro
duced to the American fancy. and today,
after but a short months existence, its
membership exceeds the sum total of all
other national bodies combined. The
reason for It's wonderful success Is an
hundreds of dollars profit are made on the
sale Of seamless bands. reverts into prize
fund instead CT paying for large sa aries
to officers. Thus it is expected that be-
tween $50 and $1,000 will be distributed
to members OF the union the first year
of it's existence at a lesser figure than
fanciers have been accustomed to pay
Ing .-..
The twenty-frst annual meeting OF the
Washington Federation took place yes
terday, when a good attendance Of mem.
bers listened attentively to the reports Of
officers and committees. The election Of
officers resulted in the following: Presi-
dent. w. ]. Toy: first vice president. d.
G.. Buscall: second vice president. A. G..
Thomas: secretary-treasurer w. r Dis
nler. After thorough discussion 1t was
resolved to make the future races Of the
society actual races in every sense OF
the word. Each member is expected to
enter in the races only such pigeons as
he feels reasonably certain will race well,
reserving the others for a series of train
ing flights which will also ne conducted
In the eight races no less than 500 will
be distributed. and in addition thereto
the fan:iers will cou,pete for the prizes
~ the atlantic Combine and America :,
Racing. Pigeon Union. Several ex-mem-
hers have been made acquainted with the
new Innovation and have expressed
themselves as heartily In favor thereof
Not few have promised their re.entry
into the hyine fraternity. and when the
eeason Of fatf Is inaueurated the! strong,
est array Of pigeon racers that has ever
sraced any club will he found In the
ranks Of the Washington Federation.
facing pigeon tanciers who desire to
/ learn more OF the prospects need only
ner at 1s47 Columbia road