Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-10-07
CARRIER PIGEONS
PLAYING BIG part
Fabulous Prices Being Of
fered for Birds for Ser
vice in the War.
lBx Jack Remington.)

dispatch, 10000 carrier pigeons for
use in the national mail service. GRIP
I pied to some extent on account of the
European war. nave been placed at
merit by the-homing. pigeon societies
in Birmingham. England. This re.
calls the fact that no n branch OF
sport in England, n even In some
countries of the continent, is more
popular than that of the pigeon clubs
whose members organize flying COM
petitions that produce enthusiasm and
excitement throughout the summer.
Takes Many Prizes.
Although Manchester has the big
gest flying club. and offers more than
$1,000 q year in prizes. 1t is In the
London district Of Chelsea, n has to
look for the champion pigeon flyer OF
Great Britain. His name is John Will
liam Wright, and his title to fame is
tanned more prizes for pigeon flying
than any other fancier on record. His
birds would fill a railroad car. and if
his gold and silver cups and medals
were melted and turned into coin, he
would be wealthy.
sixty Miles an Hour. .
As president of the 10000 members
Der of what is known in the pigeon
world az the English Federation, he
has . strong voice in the making OF
the rules governing the bird sport.
His feathered pets are the envy Of the
big pigeon. owning world. His white
'chequer bird, Jimmy Bliss, has ac-
complained the extraordinary feat Of
miles an hour. There are. several
birds: in his aviary that JOY ride
through the skies at 900 yards a min
'ute., and often do a journey of a hum
dred miles or so before breakfast.
Several Of his 300 prize birds are
worth from 5000 to $500 each.
Coops Arc Under Guard.
Mr.. Wright Is the only pigeon
breeder; In the world whose coops are
Itact that he has been appointed
pigeon advisor to King George, who
has lofts at. Sandringham and. else
where. has made his fame known far
land near. He Is In much demand as a
pigeon doctor, for he can diagnose the
disease Of those .feathered. racers as
leaaly - q medical man can diagnose
This patient.
Every year. in time Of peace, there
lis q great pigeon race from Bourne
lmouth, q coast resort in the extreme
south Of Britain, to Birmingham,
sometimes known as "Joe Chamber
|lain's town." A special train Is char
tered to take 5000 or 1000 pigeons to
1.-THE starting point.
birds Is termed. is a sight unique and
Rbeautiful. The baskets are opened
simultaneously by q small army Of
helpers; there is q loud whirr of wings
land for a few minutes the sky ts dark
Iened, as the birds hover and hesitate,
IT'LL they get their bearings, filling the
wide space Of the sky with vibrant
life. Before you have realized the
process. the cloud Of wings has distln-
Ntegrated and the pigeons are off on
Htheir o60-mile -cross-country journey.
with prizes to the. value of $4,000 to
be determined by their fight.
In the northern part Of France
pigeon racing Is the most popular
Sunday recreation. The most difficult
annual race is from Biarritz to Rou-
Nbatx, 625.miles, for which the French
government, and minister Of war offer
handsome prizes. So far as the
French are concerned. there is a semi
sctentidc side to the craze for pigeon
ny1ng. Experiments have been made
IN Paris with carrier pigeons as photo
sraphers. A small camera for the
purpose has been devised by DR.. Neu-
ofonner. The French war office re-
device for making photographs of the
Nenemy's positions in the field. This
would not be the first time pigeons
have been used in war, for the history
OF the Franco-Prussian, campaign
shows the birds were used to good
ADVANTAGE, during the siege Of Paris.
"Homtng'' Is a Passion.
In Belgium "homing'' has developed
into a passion, and the races are ac-
companied. by much gambling. Theo-
~retically only owners Of birds takine
part In the races may participate In
the sweepstakes, but friends Of the
owners. by private arrangement, con-
tribute to the pools. The favorite rae
ing course for the Belgian fanciers is
from DAG or Orleans, in France, to
Brussels. The best birds get home ere
nigntfall. II they are released in either
OF the French towns early in the day.