The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-08
MONSTER WHALE
TOWED INTO
TAMPA
Required a Tug to Tow Mammoth
Animal Into POrt-VaIue Of
Several Hundred Dollars.

The Tampa Tribune of last Sunday
contained the following:
The auxiliary fishing boat Ger
trude j., from Key West, arrived in
port late yesterday afternoon, having
the queerest tow that has been seen
in these waters in many a day-if
ever before.
That a big whale should be found
in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico,
many leagues from the usual watery
habitat of this species of fish, is so
remarkable that many would not be-
lieve the story until they had gone
to the river front and seen the mon
ster with their own eyes.
It was, nevertheless, a real whale that
the Gertrude J. towed into this har-
Dor yesterday afternOOn-and no
small one, at that. The ''big one"
measured % feet in length and has
sufficient capacity to have swallowed
whole Municipal Ownership AssO-
citation of latterIday Jonahs.
How It Was Caught.
Capt. Alonzo, Of the Gertrude J.
called at the Tribune office last
night and told the story of the cap
ture of the whale, which, he claims,
is the first on record in the Gulf of
Mexico. The vessel, which is a
largo combination sail and steam
| fishing boat, has been cruising off
this coast for a week, catching prin-
! cipally snappers.
Friday morning early John Everett
one Of the crew Of the Gertrude J.
-Tc aosl hal. V,aftoey nff ~
mont Key. The big fellow was NOV.
ing in circles, causing great commO-
ton. There was such CONSERVATION
among the men on board the vessel
as none could recall having ever
heard of whale this far south.
Capt. Alonzo has had some expert
ence as a whaler, out of New Bed
ford, Mass. having been one of the
crew of a whaling vessel hailing
from that port for four years. He
has assisted in the capture of many
OF these monsters Of the deep and he
speedily decided that he would make
an effort to get this one.
A boat was manned and the three
harpoons which form a part of the
equipment Of the Gertrude j. were
brought into Fequisltion. The whale
was no easy capture, and It was fouI
hours before the first haTpoon was
driven home into its thick hide. An
other hour was required to bring the
monster into subm sion and, as il
was entirely too large to haul OF
board the vessel, It was decided tC
tow It into port
A Heavy. Tow.
The whale proved a rather unwiel
| dy tow, but a tow-fne was soon rig
ged and the Gertrude J., using hel
full steam power, put out for Tampa
reaching here, after very slow pro
gress, at p. m.
But Capt. Alonzo and his men real
lied that there was good money II
such large and healthy specimen
and they persevered until, with th'
assistance Of a number Of men pick
: ed I'D along the docks, they haC
beached the whale near the foot o
Franklin Street, in the Garrison. l
required the combined efforts Of six
teen men to get the heavy and un
/. wieldy carcass on shore.
; Today the operation of dissectini
the big fellow will be begun in orde
/ tn get the valuable blubber Captain
: Alonzo estimates that several hun
J dred dollars will be netted from hi
capture which he regards as mucl
{ better than any number Of snappers
, The news Of the strange arriva
was circulated extensively on tht
, streets late in the afternoon and las
night. and many went to the garri
J son to see it