The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-09
mile in A Minute.
This Is Speed Maintained by
Army Carrier Pigeons.
Corporal Turns Loose His Birds
in Topeka Today.
FLY BACK TO LEAvEs'aRTH
Signal Section Stationed There
Makes Trial Flights.
Kansas Pigeons VIII Not Be
Taken to France.

Opinion was divided as to what the
object might be but all the passers-by
were united in mu- ual curiosity. One
man, who had an education and was
old enough to know better anyway.
said the city dog catcher had inherit
ed a new up-to-the- minute convey
ance in which to haul stray CANNES
to their destruction but of course he
was wrong. 1t was only Corp. f. w.
Mcdaniel of the pigeon section of the
Fifteenth service company arriving in
Topeka with number of carrier pig
cons from Leavenworth.
Corporal Mcdaniel rode a motor
cycle, to which was attached a Cygnet
rear car, consisting of nicely fin
ished cage about four feet square in
which he carried the pigeons. The
sides of the cage were fitted with
leather curtains which might be let
down at night or whenever needed for
the protection of the birds.
large crowd gathered around the
car where it stood on the sidewalk
near the city building this morning
and watched Corporal Mcdaniel as he
released his remaining pigeons. which
were several in number. This method
was being used by the government, he
explained, TO train the men engaged
in the signal service, as we'll as to
demonstrate to their satisfaction that
the carrier pigeon was a practical
means of communication in war.
Back to Leavenworth.
These pigeons will go right back
to Leavenworth," said the corporal,
finally compelled to cease work on the
car to answer the scores of questions
hurled at him, and if nothing hap
pens will be there about an hour from
now. We don't take pigeons to
Europe. They raise their own over
there. OF course, the only place a
lat -hr, al HI y,,
is home, but he rarely fails to go there.
This emonstration is being made
to show the men the reliability of the
pigeon in emergencies. Suppose an
attacking force advances five or six
miles and finds suddenly that all
means of communication with the rear
is cut off, or that they have not had
time to establish telephone communi-
cation. They write the message, place
it in an aluminium capsule, tie it to
! the birds foot and turn it loose. In
| less than ten minutes, the commander
| knows the predicament of his attack
| ing troops"
Fly Mile a Minute
How fast do they fly he was
asked
They average about a mile a min
ute,' replied the corporal. IF they
have a strong wind to their back. they
| sometimes almost double that speed
The army always has number OF
| these birds right in the trenches, ready
for immediate use. There are men
whose business it is to carry on their
backs wicker baskets containing car
rier pigeons all the time"
| Corporal Mcdaniel left Fort Leav-
| enworth with thirty pigeons and re-
| leased the last of them in Topeka
! about 10 o'clock this morning. Other
! birds had been released at intervals
along the route. Only the finest pedi.
greed pigeons are accepted by the gov.
eminent for carriers. he said, adding
that the birds he had there in the
cage had pedigrees as long as youl
| arm"
Corporal Mcdaniel returned tc
Leavenworth this afternoon. Another
trip which would take him as far a.
Camp Funston and perhaps farther
| would probably be made in the neal
! FIXTURE he said