The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-13

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb IA telegram
received here today from Irkutsk, Siberia
says that Siberian trader named HOuch-
aaref, who is the agent of DIR. Fridt-
JEFF Nansen, the Norwegian explorer who
, sailed in the Fran June "a, 1898, for the
to the effect that Dr. Nansen has reached
the north pole and has found land there
and is now returning towards civiIiza-
tion.
In April last the Figaro of Paris cir
culated a rumor that DR.. Manson had
found the north pole and that it is situ-
ated on chain of mountains. 1t was
then added that he had planted the Nor
wegian flag there. The story was gen
orally regarded as being without found
alton.
On September II, of last year, advices
were received in London from the Danish
trading station of Angmagsalik, on the
east coast of Greenland, that a ship sup
posed to be DR.. Nansen's Fran, had been
sighted at the end OF July, stuck fast in
an ice drift.
Finally, on December 6, a dispatch
from Christiana, Norway, stated that DR..
Nansen's wife received a letter by carrier
pigeon reporting that the expedition was
doing well. As no carrier pigeons were
taken north by the Nansen party this re-
port was evidently incorrect. but it was
published for what it was worth.
DR.. Fridtjef Nanssn is a distinguished
scientist of Norway. and an enthusiastic
believer in the possibility of reaching
the North Pole. He is about 35 years of
age. He entered the university of
: Christiana in 1880. and tive years later
went on a sealing trip to Denmark
straits on the east coast of Greenland in
the Viking. Later in 1882 Nansen was
appointed curator of tho museum at
Bergen, which position he retained un-
til 1888, when he led a small expedition
to Greenland, crossing the southern part
of that portion of the globe
It was probably during this trip that
Nanseu conceived the plan of making
an effort to reach the north pole in yes
sci constructed specially for such an un-
dertaking. In any case after his return
4to Norway, Nansen took the preliminary
steps toward fitting out his expedition
aud the Fran was planned and con-
structed
She is generally cIassed as a throe-
masted sailing schooner, but she had a
lou horse power steam engine in addition
to her sails. Her displacement was g.
GOO tons and her sides were so constructed
as to force all ice meeting the vessel to
pass under her. thus preventing "pinch-
ing "and ''screwing."
The Norwegian parliament allowed
Nansen about $4,000 to fit out his craft.
Aand in addition he was assisted in his
work by many private subscriptions, in
Guiding one of $4,000 from King Oscar.
The Fran was launched October 25,
1892, at Laurwik near Christiana. A
Norwegian paper describing the fitting
out OF the Fran said: Bread is the
principal nOurishment OF Nansen and his
people. The bread is a kind of biscuit,
sarge and round, white and very COM !
pact The ration of each man is to con- |
sist of four biscuits day
1his at least was given out when the /
expedition left Norway.
Silk is used as the most spitabla ms.
terIai Tor tents, as it shuts out the cold |
better than anything else.
Inc cabin Of Nansen's ship. the Fran
Uorward), Is heated By the means of an
English petroleum stove, which CON
-sumes three litres of petroleum per dav
AS the explorer has taken along with him
a sufficient supply of this fuel to Iast
him eight or nine years, there will be no
lack of heating material.
Ths library of the expedition consists
OF 1000 books, half of which are scien
tito works and the other half novels. etc
The crew numb bers twelve men and ali
occupy the cabin, which measures only
1S fest square. There they dwell, eat,
ana work. Ths suits they wear cannot |
% penetrated by water
1ns expedition sailed from Christisna
June "a, 1893. the doctors pian bein1
90 make for the New Siberian isIands