Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-10
BOUND For THE NORTH POLE.
Colonel 0ilder's Preparations for the
Expected start

N
Colonel 0ilder's Preparations for the
Expected Start.
From the New York Star.
my plan is to sail for the Arctic waters on
July 10 On board the schooner Era, which
leaves New London on that date, Capt. Titus In
command" said Col. Glider, the Arctic ex.
plorer, At the Hotel Victoria yesterday morn.
ing. Zone OF the most harassing duties Of q
man In my position" continued the colonel. sis
to dispose OF the hundreds of applications
which come to me every day, either by letter
or In person, begging me to permit the apph
cants to 60 with me to the north. They con.
stitute unique and highly interesting class OF
literature In themselves, these letters. The
missives come from every grade OF life, from
both sexes, all ages, and each one seemingly
having an Independent and original motive
a young girl announces her readiness to Inn
peru ner ME Ia my service, and states, having
smut out from her young heart all ideas OF SEN
1menr sue is prepared to become q second Ida
pfeifter or Mile. Time in the cause Of explora.
across this letter, "Regretfuiiy declined, with
tnanks," and my secretary penned most
nesutiful and poetic response. Then l have a
letter nom man in the far west who says that
ne is '.tough," who disdains to use the capital
l, and has general contempt for the usual
arrangement OF nouns verbs and SO on. He Is
Wiling 70 pay handsomely for the privilege OF
going with me; but, alas! it is not such as he
that want with me within the Arctic circle.
An embryo orator and clergyman writes from
western fennsylvania that he would undergo
any hardship with me to reach the great ice
oerg region, TO there cultivate his voice in the
land OF echoes and re-echocs. Desirable as 1t
would be to have a cooked and primed man to
let on his fireworks at the North Pole, felt
constrained to say no. Again. there Is a poet
from Nashville, Tenn, vino wishes to go up to
study Arctic scenery, and, by way OF showing
nls dexterlty as versifier, has sent me an cpl
tapn to be used in case OF necessity.
You have variety At least"
"ies, that is So. But beyond that have a
great many serious and practical letters, and II
would astonish the public if could lit the veil
number Of really valuable men are anxious to
go on this hazardous journey. 1t shows one
thing at least, and that is that the love OF adj
venture and exploration is not yet dead in
mankind"
How numerous, then, will be your party?"
This gentleman and myself said Colonel
Glider introducing MIR. Griffith.
Mr.. Griffith is about thirty wears old, of fine
physique. evident good nature, and quite capa-
Die OF more than average endurance. His
powers have been tested In pedestrian tours
over central and southern Europe, and In
northern Africa. In general character, tenn
permanent and ambition he is d born COM
panion 10 Glider. They are happily mated for
the Journey they are To set out upon together.
II see, Colonel, by the aspect OF your rooms
you are gathering in large supply OF lnstru-
ments?"
"Yes. Many come to me from all quarters as
gifts, and of course they are very acceptable,
and shall go to the high l,titudes 1l the foiar
regions laden with souvenirs to be LETT at the
axis OF the earth if succeed in reaching that
desirable point
"Then you don't deny that this is your aim?"
"That is indeed my only aim. know many
have gone north with the statement that they
would labor in the interests OF science, that the
Pole was only an incidental factor ana all That;
but with me proclai IN no such intent. MY
sole and paramount idea is to get as high north
as >. ssibie, ana 10 tais end shall bend every
energy and talent"
".Aud do You unu the interest in the discovery
OF the Pole active a> i, has beei?
doubtless many have thought that there
has been useless waste vi lie aud effort In the
attempt to solve the only great geographical
problem yet unsettled, but some one mas got 10
do il, and ii can only be done by making the
attem pt wuatev Ell it may cost. Whatever may
be said Of my enterprise it will be carried out
on lines drawn from the best practical eApe.
rience OF all of the great Arctic naNlgators OF
our time Who have ventured on the ice and left
their ships"
"Ihen, with you, it is u Journey over the ice?"
THAT is it precisely. When ! reach Fort
viii IND supplies for twenty live men, let there
by Lieut.. Greeiy, good ior one year; or, to put
~ otherwise, sufficient for one man for twenty
five years. Or for two for twelve and one-haf
years. From this point, crossing to the west
shore OF Greenland, expect, by rapid and con-
tihuous sieage journeys, I" push due north as
nearly as may be, and cover the distance OF less
than 400 miles to the Pole in less than a
months travel
"tlow long will it take you to reach Fort Con-
ger?"
about a year, and there l shall winter. Then
shall push my way to q northeasterly direc-
ton and seek to make my point OF departure at
tue spot where Lieut.. Lockwood was forced to
turn hack ward, or at latitude S3 degrees ID
minutes, within $3.50 miles of the pole. You
will thus perceive that unless l stumble on
open water the polar problem is not, after all
such q wonderful thing to solve"
ION leaving New London what is your first
des tinatiOn?"
"We will go to Cumberland Sound, where
must select and ga Their my party OF natives, for
/ would not trust the native Greenianders on
sucn an expedition. Then it is possible that
catch one OF the steam wnalers which go nigh
up into Smiths sound. 1t Is necessary Tor me
to take one OF these craft with my party, and
my return, although an apparent retreat, would
be in tact all advance, These craft are engaged
in seal LShing from the middle OF March until
the end oil April. Then they start BaIlin' s
bay and Smiths sound; and it Is to them that l
must look for transport.'
''Uf course it would be better to have q
schooner o. your own?'
Certainly, Tut the public-spirited citizen has
not yet turned up to tender one. With q tair
tic ice, reach the highest latitude atioat possi-
bic, and Immediately begin my over-ice jour
ney."
Capt. Titus, with whom Col. Glider sails, has
made twenty-seven voH ages within the Arctic
circle, and thinks .aat the present journey will
its iullillment. lie knew Col. Glider i'll the
nortn, and has every confidence in his success.
The colonel carries with him SILK United
States flag, made by the hand OF Mrs. Chief
Justice Day. Il headquarters stapdard 10y Mrs.
Helen Chadwick, OF No. 80 west 18th street,
club.
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