The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-13
NORTH POLE RUM0R
Dr.. hansen Said to Have
Found 1t and Plenty
of Land There.
SOMEWHAT AMBIGUOUS AUTHORITY
The Explorer and His Expedi-
tion-The Yarn via
Siberia.
SOMEWHAT AMBIGUOUS AUTHORITY
BIZ Cable to The United Press.

~f
despatch from Irkutak, Siberia. says that
a Siberian trader named Kouchnareff,
who is. acting in the capacity of agent
for DR.. Manson, the Arctic explorer,
has Informed the Project of Kolymsk
Manson has reached the North Pole,
now on his way back.
DIR. Fridhof Nansen steamed out of the
harbor OF Christsania on his little 500
in his own mind that he had a 5aat un-
der him that was to carry him to the
North Pole. He was prepared for a FIVE
years Journey. A large part OF this
time ne expected to pass in a mastery
inactivity, allowing the Fran, embedded
fast in the ice. carried northward by the
currents. TO work out the solution of
the problem still unsolved after centuries
OF effort. DR.. Nansen had with him
eleven stout fellows.
The last letter received from the ex-
was then at the south end of Nova Fem
bla. In that letter he spoke of certain
provision depots that had been made for
him. He said that he didn't expect to
Jeanette expedition had found such
stores on the New Siberian Islands he
would not have met with SO sad a fate.
The last news from Nansen was in the
third week of the same month, when he
was reported as having pushed through
4ugor Strait into the Kara Sea.
BY DR.. Nansen's orders dogs were COL
leeted for him at the mouth of the
Olenek River, Siberia. He did not stop
FOR them He had with him, however,
thirty-four Siberian sledge dogs.
Whicn met his ship at Yugor Strait. AS
ne did not stop at these new Siberian
Islands he was probably caught in the
ice soon after he entered Arctic waters
and carried north.
DR., NanSen is a man of striking narSon-
atty. He is thirty-fve years old, of
great physical development and stands
well above SIX feet in height. His fea-
lures are of the pure Scandinavian type.
The lines of his mouth are expressive of
great determination and resolution. His
greatest feat hitherto has been a trip
across Greenland. This was made in
Dr.. Nansen thus describes the vessel
ed in the spring of 1S9S:-ssThe hull has
been shaped like a shallow wide u. or
perhaps it would be better to call it a
seinicircie. as there are no straight lines
except near the bulwarks. 1t will thus
be seen that the vessel would be gradu-
ally lifted by the pressure on her sides,
and the bottom being more or less fat,
would be able to rest on the ice with
out oppling over like a vessel of ordin-
80 feet, and depth from deck TO keel,
II feet. With her heavy cargo she will be
about SOC tons dead weight. The hell is
Very very strong drtiys' At ei'i the points 81 oa exposed aad to
pressure from the ice, her sides are from
thirty to thirty-two inches thick. The
posed OF a thick layer of green heart,
a very hard American wood. having al
oily and slippery surface Her engines,
w VIA w engin @aae a 9y T triple pFn e%S % sion
and 100 indicated horse power DR..
Nansen said hat he and his pasty ex-
pected to stick to the ship. only leaving
ii to make short exploring or hunting
excursions.
the Fram-whicn translates forward
has a speed of but six miles an hour.
and uses 81 tons Of coal a day. Every
thing was done to provide a snug and
comfortable saloon and cabins. Her car
and cargo. Her equipment and provisions
weighed only seventy tons
The Fran carried 80 tons of coal and
other fuel, petroleum for heating pur-
poses and alcohol for cooking. Nansen
lighted her by electricity. He expected
to drive his electric motor either by 9
rTindElil or a treadmili worked by four
men.
The ship carried six very strong boats.
fully equipped for Arctic exploration. n
sledges of the same construction as the
lard. Each of these boats is deeked.
Each is 20 feet long, 9 feet broad. and
50 large that the whole crew of u can
I've in il. DR.. Nansen's y men include
a staff Of scientific experts.
Not an Arctic authority in England or
America Endorsed Nansen's plan for ex-
DlorlnS the pOlar DaSln. NOtWflAStdnd-
ing his fact, the Royal Geographical so-t
ciety of England gave him a considerable
sum of money to help him carry out his
project. Over $4,000 was raised for him
in Norway His enthusiasm and sublime
faith in himself We're irresistible.
After a lecture delivered by him short
" before he started he made many con-
verts- His theories appealed to his hear.
ers. Many doubling Thonases changed
their minds after hearing him. If the
others had little confidence in the ulti-
mate result of the voyage, he still had
their best wishes. DR.. Nansen thought
that the Jeanette expedition was the
only one nat hit upon the correct theory
10 gain the object in view. The explorer
said shortly before he started
The jeanette drifted for two years in
Siberian Islands. Three years after the
ship had gone down to the north of these
there were found a number of objects
on the drift ice near JulianEchaab, on
the southwest coast of Greenland. which.
from unquestionable marks, must have
belonged to the sunken vessel and been
frozen in the ice"
Among these were a list of the stores
with Commander Belongs " sigma
ture; a list of the writing of the Jean
nette's boats and various articles of
wearing apparel belonging to the men
hind them when they took to thSir boats.
1t was argued from this that an unknown
current had borne them across the Arctic
Ocean from Behring Straits to Green
land; that there was a comparatively
short and direct course across the Arctic
Ocean by way Of the North Pole; that
nature had supplied the means of COM
munication. however uncertain it might
be