Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-11

II ~
- With everything against him
IN the way of wind and
weather. with trains that re.
FUSED 70 go and boats missed:
with stopping to rescue a widow
from the funeral pyre in India and
ner servant from marauding Sioux In
the United States; with having to
purn the wooden superstructlire OF his
unal ship for fuel. and at the end
winning when he thought ne had lost /.
because Of the day he had gained IN
going around the earth TO the East
Phileaa FogE had won his bet and
ctrcuTi1na vigated the globe In so days.
But the renowned and ticfioral gen.
tlenlan OF Jules Verne's famous novel
had done more than he contemplated.
His race took place In 11T2. and was
much discussed az literary Effort Il
at the time but little credenco placed
M N any ,s,. ones ability 70 translate &
said nothing ana bided his time. And
In 1883 the lsaven began TO work.
There was at that time q young
woman working on New York news.
paper whose real name was Elizabeth
Cochrafle. but who wrote under the
pseudonym Of Nellie Bly," Her Job
seems TO have beer. that of an early
sob sister. although she .antedated
have q fresh idea TO give her editor
for some new and startling story. She
had spent Ten Daysin q Mad House
to see for her public how the insane
were treated. She had posed as
servant, and In various other roles.
But her great idea came when she
thought Of Phileas Fogg. as M. Verne
had known some one would some day
do, and decided she would try to beat
his record.
Her editors thought she couldn't
do 1t. being feminine and needing
much baggage and an equal amount
too sure herself, but she was de.
termined to try. Finally they let her,
60, and she tells about her experiences
in a forgotten Victorian volume that
Is almost &c exciting as the Eighty
Days"
First. abe had dress made BY Il
New York tailor on one days notice
that should serve as her only trav-
cling wardrobe--she had made UP her
mind to prove that woman could
travel light as well as any man. And
then she put into her one bag such
an amount Of equipment as merits
attention. Compare It. please. with q
1925 OUTFIT Two travelling caps, three
wells, q pair Of slippers, q complete
set OF toilet articles. an inkstand.
pens, pencils and copy paper. needles
and thread, dressing gown, q tennis
blazer, small flask and drinking
cup, several complete changes OF un-
derwear three petticoats to set).
plenty Of handkerchiefs and fresh
ruchings, q jar OF cold cream (which,
she admits. was the bane Of her exist.
ence), and q silk blouse. She carried
waterproof It must have been IA
remarkable bag. n
Nellie Bly, left New York the morn.
Ing Of November IA, 1889. at 9:40:30
am. Her route. not including q hasty
side trip to Amiens to see M. and
Nine Verne, at their request, lay by
way Of London, Calair, Brindisi. Port
Said, Ismailia, Suez, Alden, Colombo,
Penang, Singapore, Hcligkong Yoke.
hama, San Francisco and New York
again.
With the exception of minor incon.
veniences OF travelling. she had no
adventures. except that she missed
two boats, and had 70 walt In Colombo,
Hong Kong ana Yokaharna. each, 1--WE
days Tor her connections.
In Eongkong, grotchy steamship
lcornpany's ofiicer told her she was al.
ready beaten, as another woman was
racing her. and had already left on
the boat that had sailed three days
earlier. But Nellie refused to admit
! she was racing any one except Phileas
. FOgg, and as nothing more Is heard OF
1.-THE dark horse, she was evidently
either. a fiction, or else dropped out of
the race.
The real excitement of Miss Bly,
began when she left Yokohama on
m American vessel Every one was
with her now, because It began to be
realized that perhaps she was going
10 make the goal after all The Chief
Engineer Of the oceanic wrote over
the engines:
For Nellie Bly,
Wen win Of dieI
January 20, 800.
And iii spite 81 storms nearly the
entire way across the Pacific. they
save the ship Ill the speed II could
stand
The morning they reached the Col.
den Gate. a tug signaled and took
Nellie or before the Oceanic docked.
and she was told that = special train
Twas waiting tor her. The deputy
Ecollector of the port of San Francisco,
Ifhe inspector Of custoElae, the Quafan-
lfirle oficer and the superintendent Of
Ifhe q. and 0s Steamship line had sat
Iup the entire night hekcre waiting 70
Iese thai rc 1inllke -
So SKI