Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-09-15
COOKS ARCTIC EXPEDITION,
Revelations 10 Connection with The
Sinking Of The Miranda.
The Crew Was Intoxicated, says PRO.
lessor wright - NJ Reliable
Charts on Hoard

OnERLGN, o., Sept. li-Pfofcsa0r q.
tfcdeuck Wright, the eminent geOlo-
gist, has Just returned auu today made
statement whish will cause surprise
among people Interested Ia the auCctss
OF the Cook expedition OF which De
was a member. IL Will be remember.
cd tho expedition was brought " "a
sudden termination by the sinking Of
the steamer Miranda.
Professor Wright makes the state
mrnt that during the night OF tho
ttofm nearly oil VI this crew OF the ~.
lated ship we're benstly drunk. Hu
also makes the assertion thst In chang
Ing the passengers from tue Miranda
TO the Rigul that one boat hand was
hustled over tue gnngway by the seat
ui his tfOuiers. The Miranda met with
an accident week previous, but tho
damage 10 her hull was undet-os.
timatcd. This night, under n nigh
aeai sue spfang a leak. During tho
three hours the Rlg,l was attempting
10 lay to the Miranda, the excited and
mutinOuH crew broke Into tho i0fecastlu,
where the liquor was stored, taking
the liquor anu holding high riot. They
be amu 10 reckless they even Struggled
bottles Of whisky uuder their clothes
while In therfiblo peril Of crossing be-
tween the two ships.
Professor Wight stated that Ia his
opiuion tLe officers OF the boat were Ia
no wise responsible for this strange
condition OF Affairs, but that It was
human nature for men OF this class,
Ia SUCH position, 10 act hs they dil.
lie says the Miranda would unuOubt-
UllN NUa
sober.
DENIED ny DH, COOK.
NEW YOml, Sept. l4.-Dr. Cook,
who engineofod the Miranda expedi.
ton 10 Greenland, was today shown n
dispatch from OUerlin, o., saying
many OF tho crew oi the steamer
Miranda were drank ut the time she
was abandoned, anu that this reef on
which the vessel struck was plainly
marked on the chart, He said;
"While It IL true some Of the crow
Of tho steamer were intoxicated at
times, nobody was under the influence
OF liquor at the time she struck the
r5cks. All the Intoxicating liquors on
hoard the Miranda were lUcKed up
and In charge OF the steward. am
confident ho never gave any member
Of the crew anything to drink, anu did
not abuse his trust.
"On this second night out on sur 70.
turn home about 800 miles of the
coast Of Greenland, the Miranda blew
lhtoo blasts OF her whistles, which was
tho signal OF distress previously agreed
upon. IL was then decided 10 Aban-
dOu the steamer, but the crew were
not transferred until three hours after.
wards.
"BefoTe the transfer had been'eiieuted
the crew broke into tue lockers con,
tanning the spirits and besides dtinE.
log n liberal quantity, stuffed their
pockets with bottles OF liquor. when
they reached tue schooner some VI
them were very much intoxicated
Hut the point which 1 wish 10 make IA
that nobody ON the Miranda was in-
toxicated al tho tune she etTuek the
rect.
"ln regard 10 the Abatement OF Pro.
iotsot Wright that the reef on winch
the Mifanua struck was plainly marked
on the chart, | wish 10 say lac Il some
what mistaken. The only charts II
the coast that are Oblainable hre the
United states Photographed and tue
British charts. NeitHer Of these gives
the position Of the reef. The Danish
charts, however, which are really the
property OF the Danish Trading com.
pany, gives the position Of tue reel
Unfortunately we did not have these
Danish charts or the accident would
not have happened"