The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-03-16

which is very near the S0th parallel-that
point of latitude so far north that many
explorers have never reached and few
have ever passed it-headquarters will
be established, and then the party will
steam to the edge of the great ice pack
about degree farther north. After
landing is effected the steamer will re-
turn to Danes island, and about the 10th
or 18th of May the dash for the pole will
begin.
That marvellous new metal, alumni
MUM, has been utilized in the construc-
ton of sledges, boats and other appara-
tus, and thus equipped with far lighter
paraphernalia than any previous explor-
er, Mr.. Wellman expects to be able to
push on north at the rate Of from 10 to
90 miles per day. AS he will have about
900 miles to travel before the pole is
reached, he expects to either reach the
goal or a point very near it in so days.
He will then return to the edge of the
pack in 90 days more, his steamer will
then pick him up and he will return
home.
Has Carefully Studied the Problem.
Mr.. Wellman has carefully studied
the great problem before him and ex-
poets to profit by the knowledge gained
by previous explorers who have travers-
ed the pack and to avoid their mistakes.
His early start is for the purpose Of get
ting far north before the pack begins its
drift toward the south. Away back in
1927 Sir Edward Perry pushed on north
ward over the pack at the rate of from
| 10 to 20 miles per day. but his heavy
equipage compelled him to break his
loads into parts and pass from five to
seven times over the same road.
Other explorers, handicapped with old
time sledges and boats, have been COM
PEELED to progress in the same slow man.
ner, but MIR. Wellman believes that with
his light aluminium outfit retracing his
steps will be unnecessary and that every
mile travelled will take him a mile far
ther toward the pole. At the start the
drift of the ice pack will not be against
him, and when he returns later in the
season it will assist him in his homeward
journey.
Mr. Wellman carries with him his alu-
minimum boats and sledges-the first ever
built in America-and tests have demon
strated that they are by far the ightest
and at the@ame time the very strongest
boats and sledges of their size that the
world has ever seen. The entire equip
ment of the party of Il will be about
6, 800 pounds, and as 10 hardy draft dogs
will assist in carrying it, the average
weight per man and dog will be about
100 pounds.
/ Strictly , Newspaper Expedition.
One novel feature of Mr.. WelIman's
scheme of exploration is that it is strictly
a newspaper expedition, and if Mr..
Wellman's plans are carried sout the
world will be appraised of his progress
| toward the pole, something that has
never before been done IN the case OF
any previous polar expedition. Members
of his party will b sent back from time
to time to the edge Of the ice pack with
letters describing the progress OF the ex'
petition and the discoveries made by the
/ explorers. At the edge OF the ice pack
| the dispatches viii be taken on board
Kr. WeIlman's steamer, which viii re
turn to Norway, whence the world vii
receive the news.
Whether Mr.. Wellman3s dash fer the
| pole will be successful or not remains tc
seen, but If his novel plan Is even partly
carried out he viii succeed IN reaching {
degree of latitude farther north than tla
reached by any previous explorer. Witt
WellInan, Peary, Nensen and possibly
jackson In quest Of tine pole this year, i
seems highly probable that 1894 VII
| mark the solution a the frozen norshi
fascinating mystery