Nellie Bly departs on her around-the-world journey (1889)

Nellie Bly departed New York on November 14, 1889, to attempt a record-breaking circumnavigation inspired by Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg. The journey, organized by the New York World, aimed to beat the 80-day benchmark established in Verne's 1872 novel. Bly boarded the steamer Augusta Victoria with minimal notice, launching a venture that would capture public imagination through a reader guessing contest.

Episodes

Background and detail

Literary Inspiration. The expedition was rooted in Jules Verne's 1872 novel Around the World in Eighty Days, which featured the fictional character Phileas Fogg. Bly proposed turning this fiction into fact for the first time, aiming to beat the 80-day record. Verne, a French novelist known for his adventure series, had established the benchmark that Bly sought to surpass through actual travel.

New York World and Stunt Reporting. Bly worked for Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, where she had previously pioneered investigative journalism through undercover reporting. Her earlier work in 1887 helped define the era of 'stunt' or 'detective' reporting. The World organized a 'Nellie Bly Guessing Match' to sustain reader interest, asking participants to estimate her arrival time to the second for prizes.

The Departure. On November 14, 1889, at 9:40 a.m., Bly boarded the Augusta Victoria, a steamer of the Hamburg America Line. She had given her editor only two days' notice. The journey covered 24,898 miles, with an initial goal of finishing in 75 days, though the ultimate aim was to beat Verne's fictional 80-day record.

People involved

Sources

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