New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-18
U'ELLNAN'S PARTY SAFE.
POLAR EXPEDITION REACHES TROMSOE'
IN NORWAY.
IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES MADE - HARD
SHIPS OF EXPLORERs-L MAY
RE CRIPPLED FOR LIFE.

SHIPS OF EXPLORERS LEADER MAJ
BE CRIPPLED FOR LIFE.
Tromsoc. Norway. Aug. 17.-Waltcr Wellman
and the survivors Of the Polar expedition lea
bv him arrived here this evening on the steamer
Capeua. having successfully completed their eN-
plorations in Franz Josef Land.
Mr. Wellman has discovered important he"
lands and many islands.
The expedition brings a grim story OF Nrcuc
tragedy In the autumn of lN'S an ou'Ios'
called Fort Mckinley was established IN i"u-
tude 81 degrees. 1t was a house built ot ro'NS
and rooted over with walrus hide. TWO NOT
wceians. Paul Bjoervig and Bert Bentzen' 'ne
latter Of whom was with Nansen on the Frah'
remained there
The main party winterad in n canvas coNo''n
hut called Harmsworth House. at Cape I'sc'-
hof on the southern point of Halls Island III
latitude 50 degrees.
About the middle Of February. before the rise
Of the sun to its winter height. Mr.. NeiIman'
with three Norwegians and forty-hve dogs
started north. 1t the earliest sledse Jour
ncy on record in that high latitude
GUARDED HIS DEAD COMRADE.
on reaching Fort Mckinley Mr.. Wcllman
found Bentzen dead but RjoervG, according "
promise. had kept the body in the house steep
ing beside 1t through two months OF A't"c
darkness Notwithstanding his terrible expert
ence the survivor was safe and cheerful
Pushing northward through rough ice and
severe storms. with continuous temperature
for ten days between 40 and 30 degrees below
zero. the party found new lands rorth OF Free
dom Island where Nansen landed in lN''
BY the middle Of March all hands were con
fdent Of reaching latitude 81 or - degrees II
not the Pole itself.
Then began a succession Of disasters Mr..
wellman. while leading the party fell into
snow covered crevasse. seriously injurlng one oi
his legs ard compelling a retreat
Two davs later the party reused at mid
night by an icequake under them due TO pres
sure In few moments many dogs were
crushed and the slcdges destroyed. The mem
bers OF the expedition narrowly escaped with
their lives. though they managed 10 save theIr
sleeping bags and some dogs and provisions
on Mr.. Wollman's condition becoming alarm
ing as inflammation not in. the brave NOT
wcglans dragged him on a sledse by f'r'''
marches nearly two hundred miles TO head1uar-
ters arriving there early last April.
MR.. WELLMAN CRIPPLED.
Mr. Wellman is still lnable to walk. ana VIII
probably he permanently crippled.
Of the expedition explored regions hitherto un-
known. and important scientific work was done
bv Lieutenant Evelyn 3. Baldwin. Or Hofma,
Of Grand Raoids and A. Harlan Of the United
States Coast Survey.
The expedition killed forty-seven bears and
many waruses.
The CapeUa arrived at Cape Togethon. in
search Of the expedition. on July p last on
August she met the Stella Pola, bearing
the expedition headed by Prince Luigi. Duk" or
Abruzzi. which had sailed from ArchanEel 10
reconnoitre Northwestern Franz Josef Land ana
to meet. # possible. the Wellman expedition.
MIR. Welman and his companions found no
trace in Franz Josef Land OF the missing aero
naut Andrte.
The Wellman expedition. headed by Walter Well
man. an American newspaper man. who had AL
ready passed eight months in the Arctic regions.
left Tronsoe on June 2G, 1870, for the purpose *
exploring high atitudes and after stopping al So
lomho'a near Archangcl sailed for Franz JOSEF
Land on the ice steamer Frdtiof, loaded with
scientific instruments, dogs, sedges and provisions
While at Archangel the Governor of that place
refused 10 allow the Frdtiof and a Spanish ship
sail the day. asserting that he feared hos
titcs between the United states and Spain would
cause an outbreak between the crews OF the two
ships although the Spanish vessel was a trader
and the armament OF Mr.. Wellman's steamer con-
sisted only OF a barpopn gun.
on August 20 of last year the Frldtjof arrived at
Tromsoe, Norway and reported that Mr. Weilma1
had landed expedition at Cape Tescthon, esta"-
fishing also a supply house at or near Cape Flora
latitude so
This was tho last definite news regarding the
undertaking, and some anxiety had been felt as
to the fate Of Mr.. Wellman and his associates
Mr.. Weman who is a native Of OHIO. and was
formerly a well known Washington correspondent.
has always been interested IN the literature OF
Arctic exploration. and In 1898 ne attempte! 20
reach the North Pole His ship. the Ragnald Jarl,
was crushed in the ice. In the present expedition
he planned 10 push forward into the northern part
OF Franz Josef Land which mad been explored d.
far north s2 degrees.