Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-02
THE OLD SHIP PROGRESS
An Interesting Exhibit for the
Great Worlds Fair.
a Brief History of the Thrilling Adven
lures Through Which the Staunch
Old Whaling Vessel Has
Passed.

A most interesting exhibit intended
for the worlds fair has recently arrived
in the city. The Progress" a model
whaling vessel completely fitted as il
ready to start upon one of the many
long voyages it has made in the past, is
now anchored at the wharf in Chicago.
Those who have read of the thrilling
adventures of the whalers will find in
this ship many things of deep interest
Everything is seen in its proper place.
On the sides of the vessel are the whale
boats used in killing the monsters.
There are also harpoons, lances, bomb
lances, guns, charts, compasses, quad
rants and all the adjuncts of the first
class whaling bark.
On the main deck may been seen the
try works, hugh furnaces for melting
the blubber from the whale, and max
ing it into oil. Between decks is located
a museum containing a varied collec-
ton of curiosities, representing the
trophies and experiences of whaling
vessel in nearly half century of active
service in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian
and Arctic oceans. Ambergris, that
costly article, worth four hundred to
five hundred dollars a pound, and
which is the result of whales suffer
ing and serious illness; skeletons Of
marine monsters; an Australian
mummy over five hundred years old; rare
shells; sea fans; horns of the narwhal,
six or seven feet long, of pure ivory;
Esquimau skin boats, and hundreds of
other curios form this remarkable col
lection. Fiji island king, the first
one to visit the interior of this country,
is also on board.
The Progress has been what is
known among seamen as a '1ucly"
ship. Built in 1913 it started on its
first voyage, around Cape Horn to the
Sandwich islands and north to the Arc
tic ocean, in 1914. During the war 1t
was purchased by the United States
government and used as one of the
noted stone fleet to be sunk at the en-
trance to Charleston harbor to prevent
blockade running, but escaped injury.
After the war it was sold to private
parties and fitted out for haling in
the far north. In this field it earned in
two seasons the sum of two hundred
thousand dollars.
Among its adventures which are
worth relating is one that occurred in
the Arctic ocean in 1871. In company
with lnlfIy-clSuG whiting VESSELS, IL
was surrounded with huge icebergs
that hemmed them in on almost every
side. Fearful of being crushed by the
great masses of ice, the captain raised
anchor and set sail, and after five days
of peril, in which the ship was in con-
slant danger, they found themselves in
clear water. The next day five other
ships, sole survivors of the fleet of thirty
eight, came in sight. The following
day a whale boat with the captain and
part of the crew of one of the lost ships
was picked up. They reported the fleet
us crushed in the ice, and the crews in
great danger. A hasty consultation
was held on board the Progress by the
officers of the surviving vessels, and it
was decided to sacrifice the valuable
| cargOcs, and make room for the cast
Always. The work of rescue was at
once begun, and in few days the en-
tire crews and occupants, numbering
twelve hundred and including a num-
Der of women and children, were aboard
these vessels and sailing for home.
For number of years the Progress
| has been laid up at New Bedford, but
recently was bought by Chicago parties.
| 1t was put in perfect order, manned by
old sailors and placed in charge of the
| old captain who had sailed it in many
| Of it's voyages. The boat was lowed to
| Quebec, then to Montreal, and from
there made its way to Chicago by way
| Of bN l.l-