Elizabeth Cochran is hired by the "Pittsburgh Dispatch" and adopts the pen name 'Nellie Bly', derived from the Stephen Foster song 'Nelly Bly'. Her initial assignments focus on issues affecting women and the working class.

Nellie Bly writes extensively about the lives of working women in Pittsburgh factories, including the harsh conditions and low wages they endure. She also reports on social injustices and advocates for reform.

Frustrated by the limitations placed on her reporting by the "Pittsburgh Dispatch", which increasingly confines her to 'women's topics' like fashion and gardening, Nellie Bly decides to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Nellie Bly leaves the "Pittsburgh Dispatch", determined to pursue more ambitious and impactful journalistic projects. She sets her sights on New York City and a career at a major newspaper.