FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



117 



Citizens' P. R. R. Prize, Best Setter Dog, Edw. Seegar. 

 Citizens' P. R R. Prize, best Pointer Dog, Patrick fianlon. 

 P. A. and M. R. R. Prize, best Maltese Cat, Chas. Eaton. 

 Payette Farmers' Club Prize, best pair Toulouse Geese, S. 



H. Cook. 

 R. S. Cook Prize, largest Lt. B. Hen, R. S. Cook. 

 Mrs. F. H. Eaton Prize, best pair Aylesbury Ducks, A. A. 



Miller. 

 C. B. Elben Prize, best pair Black African Bantams, C. B. 



Elben. 

 Wm. Means Prize, best Partridge Cochin Fowls, G. W. 



Evans. 

 Robert Henderson Prize, best trio Dorking Fowls, Robert 



Henderson. 

 Robert Henderson Prize, best trio Seabright Bantams, Robert 



Henderson. 

 Robert Henderson Prize, best pair Ferrets, Robt. Henderson. 

 A. Fulton's Sons' Prize, best trio Plymouth Rocks, E. S. 



Isom. 



THE WONDERFUL ESCAPE OF A DOG FROM 

 THE CHICAGO FIRE. 



One day Dan and I visited the Security Bank, on Ran- 

 dolph street. We did not go to see the bank simply, but to 

 take a look at the safety vaults connected with the bank, 

 which are probably as thoroughly fire and burglar proof, as 

 anything can be. 



We entered quite a large office, where a solemn-looking 

 police officer was guarding the entrance to the vault. The 

 ponderous steel doors with their iugenious combination 

 locks were swung back, and nothing but an iron grating 

 was before the entrance, so that although we might not en- 

 ter, he could see within. Doors, entrances to little safes, 

 lined each side of the vault. These safes, which are made 

 of heavy steel plates, can be hired for a reasonable sum. The 

 lessee holds the only key, so that he has absolute control of 

 his own safe ; but he is never allowed to enter, except in the 

 presence of an officer. The vaults, themselves, are of solid 

 masonry, with a lining made of six half inch steel plates, 

 firmly bolted together. Up stairs is a vault for diamonds, 

 but no visitor is ever allowed there. We descended the 

 basement, where the vaults are used for the reception of 

 valuables or trunks. The officer followed us. We viewed 

 the massive stone- work. It appeared firm enough to with- 

 stand the force of an avalanche. 



" Where is the place where that dog was?" asked Dan. 



"In there," replied the officer, pointing through an open 

 door. 



I looked in but saw nothing except the bare stone cell. 



"What dog?" I inquired. 



So Dan told me the story : 



"Fidelity is a large Newfoundland dog, who helps guard 

 the bank at night. Tou know that ail this part of the city 

 was burned in the great fire. The Sherman House was the 

 next building to this. The bank did not have as many 

 vaults then as now, but these down here were just the same. 

 The fire swept on, destroying everything in its way. Of 

 course, as none who valued his life would .stay here, the 

 building was deserted by all human beings. In that terrible 

 hour, when the madness of the flame seemed beyond human 

 control, it was not strange that Fidelity should have been 

 forgotten. 



"The building fell, and received the additional weight of 

 the prostrate Sherman House. For two days the mass of 

 burning ruins was untouched. The proprietors of the bank 

 scarcely dared hope for the safety even of their property. 

 When the ruins had cooled sufficiently to admit of an exam- 



ination, they were gradually removed. And, strange as it 

 may seem, not only were the valuables found in a perfect 

 condition, but in the remotest corner of that vault, was dis- 

 covered, alive and well, the dog Fidelity. When he began 

 to feel the heat of the fire, he crept into an unoccupied vault 

 whose door was fortunately open, and lived there without 

 food or drink, under tons of red hot matter, for the whole 

 time. He was not hurt in the least, with the exception of 

 his feet being slightly scorched. 



" You may believe that the officers of the bank rewarded 

 him, as best they could. He is at home now, but if it were 

 evening, you might see him at his usual post, wearing a 

 silver collar, bearing the name 'Fidelity,' and the date of 

 his remarkable escape." 



This is no fancy sketch, but a veritable fact, and you may 

 learn the proof of it any day, by stepping into the Security 

 Bank, on Randolph street, Chicago.— Everett Monthly. 



SOME NOTES ON PIGEONS. 



Previous to my settlement in good Old England, I had 

 the pleasure of visiting a portion of Asia Minor, European 

 Turkey, Spain, Italy, Austria, Egypt, Belgium, France, and 

 the United States. In every town one of my first inquiries 

 was, "Are there any pigeon dealers here?" And whether 

 there were or not, I made out what sort of interesting speci- 

 mens there were, and now from my observations give my 

 conclusions. 



In every one of the named countries existed once, and in 

 most yet exist, the common sorts of half-bred pigeons, of 

 several colors. In the warmest countries, as in the case of 

 the wild birds also, the pigeons are most improved ; for ex- 

 ample, there are in Africa specimens of all sorts, and of all 

 the distinct varieties exhibited in England. I observed, in 

 general, that wherever cultivation or importation introduced 

 the moderate and short-beaked varieties, the long-beaked 

 sorts have disappeared gradually, and I believe I am correct 

 in saying that the same is the case in this country. So far 

 as I am informed, once the principal breed was the worthy 

 Carrier, in its several degrees, and the most beautiful Almond 

 Tumbler, and nearly every fancier kept some form of the 

 Carrier race. The introduction of the several short-beaked 

 varieties has limited the Carrier fancy considerably, which 

 I am very sorry to see, as I consider the English Carrier 

 ought always to be preserved, as a contrast to the modern 

 introduction. The principal reason of this apparent trans- 

 formation I believe to be public opinion, and this is also the 

 conclusion from my inquiries in other countries. I say 



