The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-28
DID AN)REE FIND /?
There are Sober Explorers
Who Believe He Did
AND WILL SOON RETURN
From the North Pole--0nly a
Matter of Food.

New York, Feb. Z--Explorer GiiOeE IL
the Journal says
Is Franz Josef Land TO be the future
rendezvous of all lost. strayed and missing
explorers of the North Pole?
1t certainly seems 10 be the consensus OF
opinion among those whose experience or
study entities their views 10 respeettul
consideration that. as il was Nansen' :
first objective point on his way southwark
from his fartherest north, so il will prove
10 be the first station, or resting place.
toward which Andree turned MS weary
footsteps upon his return from the Nortn
Pole; that is, II he really did reach that
goal of his ambition; the point where lati-
tude ceases and all meridians Of longitude
converge; where there Is no north no
west. no east-indeed, no direction but
south.
Never since the middle OF the present
century, when Sir John Franklin failed 70
return with his expedition that went out
on the Erebus and Terror in search Of the
northwest passage. has there been such
deep and widespread interest in any party
Of explorers as is now felt in Andree and
his two intrepid companions, Fraenckel
and Strindburg. who left Danes Island
near Spitzbergen, July II, 1897. to endeavor
TO reach the North Pole in a balloon, es-
pecially constructed and equipped for this
voyage upon the most advanced scientific
principles.
Ever since the big airship sailed away on
its course It has been quite the thing for
70 at ~
10 say. They are gone. sure enough, and
nothing will ever be heard Of them" But
quite as many people-and those Of ex-
actly the same class-made similar pre-
dictions concerning Nansen. and yet, with
in a very few days of the date upon which
he told his wife to look for his return
home, that splendid Norseman landed on
the northern coast of his northern coun-
try and after a record-breaking voyage
of six days from Franz Josef Land. where
he had spent some time with Frederick
expedition, getting rid of personal dirt
deposit. resulting from his wonderful ice
journey and take on a little flesh from
the good cheer at Jackson's winter camp
on Cane Flora.
No matter what others said concerning
Nansen's plan and outfit on the Fram-and
even before he sailed both were literally
and severely criticised-his own faith was
never shaken. The result proved that his
faith was well-founded. So. too. was II
with Andree. But the adverse criticisms
of his air-ship and his general prepare
lions rolled away from him ike water
10 l. II.
now no reason 70 believe that Andree is
lost than there was that Nansen was lost
at the time he was cheerfully piodding
along and n king the greatest polar jour
ney that was ever made. and the carping
critics were still insisting that he never
would be heard of again.
Barring accidents. it is more than Likely
that Andree accomplished his purposed
voyage to the Pole in the way he ex-
pected, and that he is now well along on
his homeward voyage. He may be heard
from any time this Summer or Fall. Franz
Josef Land extends further north than
any known land, and he would probably
endeavOr TO make that his first station.
unless he saw some other group Of IS
lands between that archipelago and the
North Pole on his outward trip. This is
doubtful though. because when far mort n
OF Franz Josef Land hansen found the
depth of the sea constantly increasing,
which would seem to indicate that he was
not approaching any land masses in that
direction. That Franz Josef Land ex-
tends so far north is the reason why stu
dents Of Arctic lore recommend a thorough
h. g. ~ ~
missing explorers. Another reason Is the
lands accessibility, as il is possible q
reach It with vessel any Summer. II also
has been and Is a favorite starting point
for search parties bound toward the
North Pole. and Andree would reasonably
expect 10 meet some expedition there OF
find food stored for the use Of future
travellers that would be Of geat benefit
to him and probably assure his safe re-
turn 10 the civilized world. where multi
tudes are waiting TO give the daring *
plOrers such a welcome as has never be
fore been accorded any human being or
this planet. All this is possible, provided
10 serious accidents have marred the
travellers programme. But that accidents
do sometimes occur to balloons and bal
Ioonists IS a well-known fact.
A newspaper comTade. VINO had done a
great deal Of bauooning for the paper Wiz
which he was connected. once tod M
that there was really no danger IN trave.
ling In a balloon; that il was In trying q
make a landing that the trouble usual,
occurred. This was much Ike the mar
who found little danger IN jumping from
the top OF a house. bgt discovered thai q
was in alighting that the element OF dar.
ger must be considered.
Il would be well just now 70 conside1
what are the principal dangers 20 Be- en-
countsred BY Andree and Ms companion,
IN making either a forced or intentiora
landing The worst that could harper
would be 20 come down in an open SCI
far from shore. Their condition the'
would be we.l-niga hopeless But whG,
their course vas toward the north s. va,
not likely that they would fad large
stretches % open water Wherever hu-
man beings have beer travelling 81 Ia
highest lstituGes see and land prevail
broken BY Occasional po'ynias. or ope,
wafer leads that Andres Is-y is full
prepared % overcome To b. sure thr1
might he blown Fl a heavy gale = Win
against tai aumn1ocks q ice. - sgsinE-
\ rocky coast. and come 20 grief OF los
tasir stores. Their airship, however. q
provided With a long rope thst trails over
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