Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-06-12

quer rs adrersaries Of sweden. Den
mark-Ho-.a23 and Russia. In regard TO
America-wel. that was a different
thing. Il would be much more difficult
to win against the fusillade Of dollars.
At least i was probable that the mys-
ferrous society must have enough money
on hand 70 90 on in their work. There
fore. the highest bidding. which Nigh!
come TO millions, was between America
and England.
As soon as the European delegates
had landed public opinion became moro
excited. The most singular stories were
printed in the newspapers. False the
cries were established, based on the
purchase Of the North Pole. What was
the society going TO do with it? And
what could they do with il? Nothing;
or perhaps ii was all done to corner the
iceberg market. There was even Jour
nal in Paris, the Figaro, which upheld
this curious idea. hut for this il would
be necessary to pass south of the S4th
parallel
Be it as it may, however, the dele
gates, who had avoided each other dur
ing their passage over the Atlantic, be-
came more and more associated after
having arrived in Baltimore. Here is
the reason: Since his arrival each one
had tried 70 open communications with
the North Polar Practical Association
separately, unknown 10 the other. That
which they wished TO know were the
motives hidden at the bottom Of this af-
fair and what profit the society hoped to
make out Of the sale. Now, until the
present time nothing indicated that the
society had opened an Office at Balti-
more. No Office, no employees. All that
could be learned was: For information,
address only William ;. Forster, High
street, Baltimore" And it did not look
as though the honest consignee of cod
fish knew any more in this respect than
the lowest street porter of the city.
The delegates could, therefore, learn
nothing from him. They were accord
ingly compelled to rely upon the more
or less absurd guesses of the public at
large. Was the secret of the society GO
ing to be kept impenetrable as long as
| il did not make it known itself2 This
was the question. Without doubt il did
notseem inclined to give any information
on the subject until the purchase had
been made. Therefore, il came that the
delegates finished by seeing and meet
ing each other; they made visits TO each
other, and finally came in close commu-
niration with each other, perhaps with
| the idea OF making front against the
common enemy, or, otherwise, the
American company. And SO it hap
pened that one evening they we're all
together in the Hotel Wellesley, in the
suite occupied by Major Donellan and his
secretary, Dean Toodrink, holding a
conference. In fact. this tendency 10 a
common understanding was principally
due to the advice of Colonel Bors
Karkof, the best diplomat known. At
first the conversation was directed TO
the commercial and industrial conse-
quences which the society pretended to
gain by the purchase of the Arctic do
main. Prof. Jan Harald asked If any
one had been able TO gain any informa-
ton on that point All finally agreed
that they had tried TO get information
from Mr. William 5. Forster, to whom all
letters should be addressed
Il have failed, said Eric Baldenak.
And have not succeeded" added
Jacques Jansen.
I'm regard to myself answered Dean
Toodrink, when / presented myself at
the store in High street in the name Of
Major Donellan found large man in
black clothes. wearing high hat with
white apron, which was short enough
to show his high boots. When ! asked
him for information in the matter he in
formed me that the South Star had ar
rived with a full cargo from Newfound-
land and that he was ready to furnish
me with a fresh stock az Goldfish on ac-
count of Messrs Ardronell Il Co"
And, answered the former counsel
Or of the Dutch Indies, always a little
skeptical. 1T would be much better to
buy load of Goldfish than to throw ones
money into the ice water OF the North. :"
This is not at all the question says
Major Donellan, with short and high
voice. "'rhe question is not the Goldfish,
but the Polar region"
americans OdELV W sldlA On blcir
heads said Dean Toodrink, laughing
at his own remark. That will make
them catch cold, finally said Colonel
Karkof The question IS not there,
said Major Donellan. One thing only
is certain, that for some reason or an
other, America, represented hy the y. P.
P. A. (remark the word practically,
wants to buy a surface OF 407 square
miles around the North Pole, a surface
which is actually (remark the word 'ac-
tually9 pierced by the 64th degree of
latitude
I'VE know it, Major Donellan, and
much more, said Jan Harald but
1877
-
NTH AE.s