Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-29
MAN WITH SILENT
RIFLE WOULD KILL
CITY HALL PIGEONS
Alonzo B. Fox, Self-asserted
Expert Exteminator, Of
fers to Wipe Out Birds.
Praise, But No Job.

Alonzo b. Fox Of Burlington. y. j.,
wants to bring his silent rife" and
belt Of "adamantine cartridges" over to
Philadelphia and open sansuinary war
fare on the pigeons that iutter about
City Hall.
He has written Director Porter placing
his skill as a riheman at the disposal
OF the city. Fox stands ready to Sign
up" with Director Porter in contract
10 shoot every last pigeon that ever
dropped a feather in city Hall court
yard.
This is what Fox told the Director in
the letter.
"a short time ago read an account OF
q suggestion to get rid or the pigeons
around the Public Buildings. While IL is
no small matter to get rid Of them.
would like to offer my services along this
line, and II ii meets with your approval
please let me hear from YOU
when I was a boy Of 16 years ! was
engaged to rid the cathedral at 18th and
Race streets Of this same nuisance, which
cost hundreds of dollars every spring.
Thomas Burns, the iantor at that time,
secured me for this service. My grand
father. who was supervisor of the Water
Department of the 9th District, under
Frederick Graf, and who was a we'll
known citizen of the 10th Ward lived ON
the northwest corner of Goth and SUM
mer streets: his name was Samuel W.
Fox. He secured for me the privilege
OF using my silent rifle on the street
about the church from the lieutenant OF
police at 18th and Filbert streets.
MY agreement with them was that
they furnish the ammunition. give me
free access to their building. pay me 81
frttf L..
the last pigeon, which l did. l killed Of
birds in three weeks ard received sol.
The ball | use Is an adumantinc cart
ridge. and will not destroy the stone on
the buildings and [ will be responsible
for any loss or accidents that may occur
IF you are considering entering into
any agreement, l would he glad to sign
up with you"
THE OFFICIALS ACT.
After reading the letter. Director Porter
recalled what the Society for the Pro-
lection of Cruelty to Animals and few
thousand citizens said when the sug-
gestion to exterminate the pigeons was
made few weeks ago
Then he hustled over to Director Cookies
office and the two cabinet members read
in unison Fox's description Of his
prowess with the rife
Some shooter" said Director Cooke.
II think the pigeons come under the
head of City Property" said Director
Porter tn Director Cooke "ard. i'm that
case it's up to YOU to answer this letter"
Director Cooke being unable TO classify
the pigeons satisfactorily i'm the Public
Safety Department accepted tho commits (
sion and today wrote the following letter |
to Mr. Fox. of Burlington:
1T is very good OF YOU to write n YOU
do under date Of October %, Offering YOUR
assistance in the matter Of exterminatiuc |
the pigeons at the City Hail Your past
record in pigeon shooting, as stated in
your letter shows you TO be some
shooter
ct have no thought, however. To do (
away with the pigeons. on the contrary, |
we are very glad 10 have them with US |
They afford n good deal of amusement
and pleasure 10 people who frequent the /
neighborhood of the city Hall. / am quite /
sure that any move to harass them would |
be resented. In order 10 make these birds I
more comfortable in their occupancy Of /
the City Hail. and 10 make :. unnecessary |
for them 10 nest in the scales Of justice /
and other scUlptured decorations of the !
building, we have recently placed some /
comfortable cotos on the roof.
II your silent rihe-shootnE adaman- /
tine cartrdges-coud be used on certain /
real nusances which we have In Phila- /
delpha, with as much success as IT has /
evidently been used on pigeons. I would .
predict a big use for it,"