River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-01-09

inotino tho necessity of writing the messages
However the pigeon might have somellhs -
say about the matter. g
One of the most difficult parts of the work OF
introducing pigeons into the army service was 70
instill info the minds of the officers ana men tue
fact that the pigeons are reliable. That they are
reliable is proved by the experience OVERSEAS
where the birds are retained in forward poslllohs
while any other method whether telephone tele-
graph induction buzzers wireless, W1gWag or run
ner is available and only when everything else
fails, and only the birds remain, then through
barrage gas, and every other OF the nlaDohcai
inventions of war, more than 81 per cent Oh the
messages intrusted to pigeons are safely ana
speedily delivered by them to headquarters.
These messengers are carried to the front IN
especially constructed wicker baskets which can
be carried handy by the soldier intrusted with
their care Back of the lines the pigeons are kept
in either of two kinds of lofts or home, station
ary or movable but the essential feature OF each
is the same. Every effort is made to make each
bird comfortable happy and attached to its home.
This is done most effectively by the method of
feeding as the approach to the birds affection
is through it's stomach, the same as with genus
homo Each loft is equipped with trap through
which the birds taught to enter and leave
without fear. Each time the bird enters the trap
an alarm is automatically rung, notifying the
attendant of the return of the bird that the mes
sage NAV be Immediately obtained and forwarded
to headquarters.
Before the late war if you had told a pigeon
fancier that you could move his pigeon loft as far
as 30 miles and that the pigeons would return to it
swiftly and accurately he would probably have
laughed at you and said something about your
being a novice in the pigeon racing and breeding
game The movable loft is of the advances
in nigeon lore that the war has brought out.
This is very important development, as it is
highly desirable that the lofts always be near to
military headquarters and available for instant
removal with headquarters as conditions may re-
ouire These movable lofts very well con-
structed and are interesting homes for these itin
Grant messengers. They QUILTED with nesting
boxes observation traps, storage space for feed
water and accommodations for one or two at
+andants who are constantly duty. In fact
thav remind one of the circus wagons that travel
with the smaller crcuses about the country.
Another innovation developed was the "owl ex-
nress" There pigeons at the front that
developed the faculty for seeing at night
ond these were called veritable human night owls
In fact they came home much more steadily and
accurately than some of their civilian brethren,
who were wont to be habitual riders of the FOWL
express.
The sport of racing and breeding pigeons is due
n receive an impetus as a civilian sport now that
rhe war is ended, and the progress made under
war conditions should not be allowed to lapse.
thousands of soldiers will have become familiar
with the birds and will have warm regard for
them There will be many who will share the
feelrsg .yf the officer who mentioned IN the
first part of this article IS having been saved by
the pigeons in the battle of Bethuncourt ar3
Dead Mans hill.