A train ticket envelope, card and ticket.

The Hatband of Wilbur Main

The cruise collection of Wilbur Main is unique; he saved many of the booklets and pamphlets that others discarded.   Advertisements, shipboard events, business cards, and train tickets were all things that Wilbur Main retained and brought home with him to share as a detail of his cruise.  

At left is a good example, the envelope, card, and ticket for the train to Tokyo from Yokohama.  In acquiring this collection it is the first time I have seen the envelope these were contained in.  Wilbur saved three copies!
 

This booklet, made for the USS Virginia while at the Jamestown Exposition, is a request for a ship's visitor, Wilbur's Mother, signed by the Executive Officer, Benton Decker., Lieutenant Commander.

Trinidad

The collection contained a single card from Trinidad that shows working digging pitch.

Lima, Peru

Left:  A program from the Bull Fights planned in honor of the fleet's visit.

Right:  An advertising card from a 'European Dispensary in Lima, Peru.

As a Yeoman, Wilbur had a typewriter and was probably involved in writing for the ship's newsletter on a regular basis.  This page to the left is a single page from a longer account of the experiences while in Lima and Callao.  It provides interesting reading of the accounts of a sailor, "We looked about Lima a little while and then started out for lunch.  We went into a respectable looking restaurant and paid nine sole ($4.50 gold) for a 25 cent lunch.  We left in haste, not daring to touch the dessert for fear of not having money enough to pay for it."

select image to read.

California

Page 1, Page 3, Page 5, Page 7, Page 9, Page 11

Page 1, Page 3, Page 5,

Page 7, Page 9

Page 1, Page 2, Page 3,

Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

Left:  A program for the fleet reception of the fleet to Oakland,California.

Center:  A program issued for the fleet's visit to California showing a sailor's life.  The book is illustrated by Karl Lewis and published by H. H. Stratton.

Right:  A program for the Santa Barbara Flower Festival in honor of the fleet's visit.

Left:  The Grand Canyon, June 1908, USS Colorado.  A shipboard publication that has articles from crewmembers.  This copy having a nice description of the fleet moving through the Golden Gate.

Right:  A postcard from Wilbur's friend "CL" in 1906 with the schedule of the Colorado during 1906.  The copy of the 'Grand Canyon' was probably a gift while both ships where in San Francisco.

These three items are associated with the Odd Fellows, of which Wilbur was a member.  At left is a roster of Odd Fellow members onboard the Virginia.  At right is a reception for the Odd Fellows at Oakland.

New Zealand

This booklet created for the fleet's visit provides photographs of the ship captains and the names of all of the officers on the ship.  The opposite of each page has a photograph of the respective ship.  This was unique, the only booklet of this type that I know of showing photos of the captains.

This souvenir book proves the official welcome letter from the city of Auckland and a photo of the cover frame made from wood and gold inlay.

This is the official program issued for the fleet visit to New Zealand.  It contains a complete program, maps, and information about the sights and events of the fleets visit.  Below are the pages of this program.

Card Backs

This group of cards were issued by the Tourist and Health department of the New Zealand and were provided to sailors to mail home.  Many of the cards found from sailors during the cruise are from this set.  At left are the two backs of this series.

Left:  A card mailed home to Wilbur's mother with a picture of the Wanganui River.

Right Upper:  Grafton Road, Auckland, Lower: a photograph of the Auckland Harbor at sunset.