Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-24


Signed w. B. HAzER.
To Lieut. Greeley, St. John.
Your dispatches are most satisfactory and show
your expedition to have been in the highest de-
gree successful in every particular. This fact Is
not affected by the disasters later.
WEST POINT, N. Y, July f7.-The
following dispatch was forwarded by
Secretary Chandler:
Commander ". s. ScbIey, 81 Johns n. F.:
Receive my hearty congratulations and thanks
for yourself and your whole command for Your
prudence. perseverance and courage IN reach
ing our dead and dying countTymen. The
hearts of the American people so out
with great affection to Lieut.. Greeley and the
few survivors of this deadly peril. Care for thsm
unremittingly, and bid them be cheerful and hops
full on account OF what life yet has in store for
them. Preserve tcnderIy tho remains of the he
roic dead Prepare them according to yUrfS
Judgment and bring them home.
W E CHHDr.ER,
Secy OF Navy
WASHINGTON, July I'M. George
KEENAN,, of this city, the well known
Arctic traveller and author, who has
taken an active interest ia the recent
attemps to relieve Lieut.. Greeley's
party, and who went before the Arctic
relief board last spring to urge the OF
| fering of such rewards as would Sc
cure the cooperation of whalerS in
the search, was asked tonight by an
associated press reporter what he
thought of the news just re-
ceived from st. Johns. He
replied it is story of remarkable
| and he1 ole achievement in the field,
followed by disasters due tosincompe-
tence in Washington. If Greeley and
his party had all returned in safety to
the United States as they might have
done had they been properly support
ed, their Arctic record in the point
Of skilfuu management and their
success would have been unparalleled
No other Arctic expedition has ever
spent two consecutive winters and a
part of the third in such high lati-
tudes and achieved such results with
out q casualty or a single case Of Sc
rious sickness. If Lieut.. Greeley had
found at the mouth of Smiths
Sound the shelter and food
which he had right to
expect there, he would probably have
brought his entire party back to the
the United States in perfect health
after three winters spent in the highest
northern latitudes which has ever been
reached and after a series of shedding
campaigns which for boldness and
skillful execution have rarely if ever
been surpassed.
POUGHKIEPsIE, Ky, July 17.-Sec-
rotary Chandler was found at Edward
Kinsley's residence, at West Point
,,oc L., =. F,o,So
acting secretary at Washington re-
lating to the Greeley rescue the same
as it appeared in the early evening
edition. He said he desir ed not to
be interviewed in detail In
reply to questions he said:
have nothing additional to
communicate to the press. The news
is sad, and yet it is fortunate that
some Of the party has been rescued.
It seems they did not begin to die of
starvation until April, as the report
SHOWS they went from January LIST to
April without any deaths. I had
some expectation Of hearing from
them as soon as this. l think the
ships have done remarkably
well to get out so soon. It
is a pity that Lieut. Darlington
did not remain at Littleton Island
after the ProteUs was lost, in accord
ance with instructions, for he would
have been rejoined by the Yantic
with provisions and supplies, and
would have rescued Greeley and his
party entire at Cape Sabine.
ST. JOHNS, n. T., July H.-Op ar
] rival at the anchorage of the relief
I squadron to-day, the associated press
correspondent interviewed Lieut..
| Greeley and other survivors of the
| Arctic colony. The following facts
were disclosed: After passing two
waters at Fort Conger, ia scientific
research, Lieut.. Greeley, with his
whole party intact, broke up their en-
! campmsnt and commenced a south
ward descent. This was accom-
/ plished amid great perils from
gales of wind, ice nips and
other casualties. Cape Sabine
/ having been reached, a temporary
( home was erected, built Of stones and
! covered by the boats sails, which
were brought along by the party.
/ On the 29th Of September winter
quarters we're established at Cape Sa-
bine. The com missariat had become
very meagre and a cache Of provis-
! ions left By the Proteus last year, but
poorly supplemented It. The steam
launch had become fast IL the
/ ice q few weeks previous and had 10 be
/ abandoned during the winter. The
first havoc IN the ranks was early in
Jan, VIXEN one Of the men dropped of
with the scurvv. On April 9th Lieut..
Lockwood and 8Ir. Rice a photograph
er, succumbed after heroic attempt
to secure for their starving comrades
about 200 pounds Of meat supposed to
be cached at a place named Bad Greek
distant about 10 miles from the en-
campment Israel Astron persisted
May 81; Lieut. KIslen died June 1st
and Dr. Pavey, a naturalist slept in
death June 9th. Not one Of the vic