The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-21
TO REACH THE POLE.
The NEW PLAN LIEUTENANT PEARy
HOPES TO TRY.
american Geographical Society Awards
the Cuilum Medal to the Famous Eek.
piorer-He Explains to Them His Ideas
For New Expedition.

The chief feature of the annual meet.
ing OF the American Geographical soci-
ely at New York the other evening was
the presentation of the Cullum geo.
graphical medal TO r. f. Peary. G. E.,
u D n. The occasion called out large
attendance. and when Mr. Peary came
upon the stage he was received with
generous applause
President Charles p Daily, in brief
address. said that the late General Cul.
lum who left 800 600 TO the society
for building bequeathed a further
sum 10 be known as the Cullum geo.
graphical medal fund for a gold medal
| 10 be given 10 those who should render
most distinguished services TO geograph.
zeal science and particularly to Ameri.
can citizens
The society council had decided that
this, the first medal. should be awarded
10 Mr.. Peary for having established the
insularlty of Greenland an accomplish
ment of more than ordinary importance
10 the history of arctic discoveries
1t was decided said Judge DAILY.
that you were entitled 10 il above all
| others. with one exception. and thar ex.
ception was Mrs Peary The audience
/ applauded this sentiment
Mr. Peary, upon receiving the medal,
expressed his thanks for the high honor
the society had conferred upon him He
told of visit he paid 10 the late Gen.
eral Cullum prior to his departure for
the north i'll 1890. General Cullum
wished him all good fortune on his trip
to Greenland and said, when you get
back, | shall be i'll Greenwood " When
the explorer returned, he asked where
General Cullum was. The answer was
''In Greenwood "
Mr.. Peary devoted most of his re-
marks to outlining plan for reaching
the north pole He said the pole was
certain soon to be reached, as it is now
only question of time and money. His
own expedition had convinced him that,
from "a sufficient depot of provisions
and equipment in the latitude of indie
pendence bay, the pole is attainable "
He believed that the results of his own
expeditions, together with those of Nam
sen and Jackson, show that there is left
but one practical route by which to at.
tain the north pole. and that is the route
through Smith sound and along the
northwest coast of Greenland Mr.. Peary
explained the objects and plan of the
proposed work in part as follows:
1.-The conquest Of the north pole, the
complete delimitation of the Greenland
archipelago, the last Of the circumpolar
island groups, and the elimination from
our maps of the unknown area between
the eighty-fourth parallel and the pole
are important geographical desiderata.
This work can be accomplished without
risk Of life or health. 1t can be done at
a comparatively small cost
my plan is to raise a fund sufficient
to insure the continuation of the work
of exploration for ten years if necessary,
say $50, 900, and deposit in trust COM
pany, purchase ship, give her mini
mum crew, load with concentrated pro-
visions. proceed to Whale sound, take on
board several picked families of my
faithful Eskimos, with their tents, ca.
I noes, dogs, etc. force way through
Robson channel TO Sherard Osborne
ford or farther and land people and
stores, then send the ship back
''As soon as the freezing of the ice in
the great fiords of the northwest coast
would permit sledge travel the work of
! advancing supplies uortheastward along
the coast would be commenced, taking
comparatively short stages and light
loads so that the trips could be quickly
made AS soon rs the supplies had been
advanced the first stage the party itself
would move forward, leaving cache
behind. and as they would be following
Eskimo customs and living in snow
houses this could easily be done.
"Then the second stage Of advance
would be taken up and the work carried
on until the departure of the sun. Each
Of the brilliant winter moons Of the po-
lar night would afford opportunities for
continuing it, so that early spring should
find the party and the bulk of its sup,
plies located at the northern terminus OF
the north Greenland archipelago, proba.
bly, not far from the eighty fifth paral'
lei, with caches behind it at each prom
inent headland
From this point, when the proper
time came. with picked dogs, the light
est possible equipment and two of the
best of the Eskimos. tho dash for the
pole would be attempted, with strong
probabilities Of a successful termina'
ton.
"Should the first season be unfavor-
able as regards ice conditions, it could
be devoted to detailed survey of the
archipelago itself and reconnaissance
Of the east coast as far south as possible
and the northern journey reserved for
the following season or the next.
Each succeeding summer the ship
would attempt to establish communities
tion with the party's base, succeeding
probably every other year at first, then
with increasing experience, every year,
and keep up its supply Of food, dogs and
Eskimos until the objects OF the expedi'
ton were accomplished.
SHOULD the ship be unsuccessful In
the passage of Robson channel the first
year, the party would land at Hayes
| sonnd and devote the first year to ex.