The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-26
WHALES AT EXPOSITION
Atlantic, Biseay or Eight Whales May
be Elk hibited in Hampton Roads.
by w. H. Brightly

Only a short distance out in the At
lantic ocean from Cape Charles and
Cape Henry that guard the entrance
to Hampton Roads and Chesapeake
bay, schools of whales may be seen by
passengers on almost any Atlantic
liner or other ship that passes. They
are Of the Atlantic or Biscay, or right
whale species and often venture SO
close TO a vessel that they could east
ly be harpooned. They grow to an
enormous size, some of them beins
fully 60 feet long.
And, now comes the latest thing in
the form of an application for a con-
cession at the jamestown EXPOSITION
to exhibit two or three large whales.
This latter day Barnum proposes to
build a stockade in Hampton Roads
abuttlng on the exposition grounds,
that Will inciose about ten acres, buid
a broad walk on the top of the heavy
plling, that visitors may enter at one
gate walk around the corral and pass
out at another gate. in this stockade
A. PAOkOHNo W 4A1Q4 1cOA Two UE IQTGe
large whales for the OBLIGATION Of the
visitors as they pass around the SEMI
circle.
This is certainly something that has
never been attempted before at any
exposition. First, because the whaLes
could not have been taken to previous
Gxpositions alive if they had been
caught and IF fh0u ho1 hoo- o-,-Aki
and taken to the expositions they coul
have been kept alive for want Of
their native salt water. in this case |
however, the leviatian of the deep can
not only be landed within the stockauel
or heavy piling in Hampton Roads
containing about ten acres of their a,-
cuSomed salt water, but may disport!
themselves in plain view of ~yisItorsl
without any serious Inconvenience t0l
themselves. |
When asked how he was going toi
get the whalves, the promoter glibiyI
remarked: That's easy. | shall Simply
charter a powerful sea-gOing tug, rig
up a drum near the stern Of the vese,
1t with a donkey (engine) by
friction gear II run onto the drum q
thousand or two feet of the best ropel
used IN harpooning whales, except thai
instead OF a harpOon on the end of Il
VIII V a lasso. ! will then run
into a shoal or school of whales
select the one I want and daIly with
11m till | get the vesse. close enougbi
and swish will go the larrfat over the :
"hales mead and tighten UP. Of %coursel
he whale at this new sensation WHY
to run away and I will give himi
Lack tor a few seconds when Y WIN,
gradually put on the brake, making the !
'ull for him harder and harder till heI
tired OF the sport and SACKS IN !
r turns about. AS soon as there isl
ny slack in the rope, / will take Il, ]
p by the donkey and the tug will be {
lgnaled TO 50 ahead slOwIv II the I
male comes along all right, well and
Vd, but II he gets O~bStrepProus and :
oes TO run away again, II: let him a
un and slack him up as before. When L
q Is nnally tired out as he will soon q
= eo VIA come alc7S ,%.c..: into '
Roads ana into tho sIucbade,, u
mere ne VIII be ;u:1al .Gc,s ana the a
closed, the larriat removed S
there you have it" v
1t certainly would be a novelty ina, c
:" exposition Wis - s..!4 miss see "
lg. 1t now seeGls thai the only thine 7
the way or tlis nL..': n -actiu. is II
curing tn" L 1IaI site and # is t:
that may be arranged in time o
T h opening OF the exposition, AprtI o.
!.
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