Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-05-11
WALK TO NORTH POLE
DARING PLAN OF TWO VETERAN
kLONDlKERS
They Will Attempt to Take Stroll
to the Northernmost Point on Earth,
Unhampered by any Heavy Load of
Equipment or Provisions.

"a pau uulQuc III SOuc FeSQcCtS AOT
reaching that coveted place on the
globe-the north pole-was outlined in
the Chicago Daily News recently on
the proposed expedition northward by
two veteran Klondikers-Mark Rum
sey and Harold Sorenson. Together
these men braved. the terrors of the
frozen north in their search for gold
have now determined to utilize the ex-
perience thus gained in making an at
tempt to reach the most northern point
on the earth's surface and plant the
American flag under the north polar
star. Mr.. Rumsey, who is to be the
leader Of this novel expedition, is 45
years old, and in making his attempt
to do what SO many have failed to ac-
complish will carry out a cherished
ambition of his life. His companion,
as his name indicates, is Of Scandina-
Wan blood, which always responds to
the spirit Of perilous adventure.
Discarding the elaborate plans and
preparations of previous explorers of
northern latitudes, Rumsey and Soren-
son will make the entire journey north
ward overland-or rather, overland as
far as possible and elsewhere over ice.
Lieut.. Peary, by his journey Of 1000
miles across the ice cap Of northern
Greenland, may be said to have demon
strated the possibility of the overland
plan Of reaching the pole. 1t is the pur-
pose Of these daring travellers to utilize
the British military posts and forts in
the far northwest as bases for depart
ure and they have been promised hearty
cooperation by British officers. Going
by boat from Seattle to Juneau and
thence across mountains and rivers to
Fort Frances, they will there establish
their first station. The second will be
Fort Simpson, 200 miles farther to the
north. Thence they will cross the Mac
kenzie river and follow the waters of
Lake La Matre to the east, establishing
a station at the headwaters Of the lake
and then going eastward to Fort Enter
prise on Lake Providence, the last out
post station to the northward. From
this point they will proceed in gen.
eral northeastward direction, passing
on their way the Island Of Boothia,
where the magnetic pole is located.
Still swerving nOrthward, they will es-
tablish supply stations as they go until
they reach northern Greenland. From
Cape Kane they expect to go almost
due north to the pole over Ice foes,
their stations and caches Of provisions
being still nearer together as they ap-
proach their goal.
This, as will be seen, is a plan some
what similar to that of Lieut.. Peary's,
but, unlike his, involves no expensive
ship outfit and discards some Of the
regulation supplies for northern explor-
ers. The men who will make the at
tempt to reach the pole by this new
route will rely mainly upon an abun-
dance of fresh provisions forwarded to
them from station to station by relays
Of men, the expedition employing more
assistants for this purpose than any
that have preceded it in the history Of
polar exploration.
Mr.. Rumsey realizes that the plan he
proposes is an arduous one that may re-
uuire, possibly, ten years for its ulti-
mate success. With ample resources
for employing men and forwarding sup
plies the plan seems to be at least as
practical as any that have yet been
proposed, perhaps more so. Its sim
plicity is it's chief strength, and while
some may question the utility Of all
such expeditions, the fact remains that
men will always be found ready to un-
dertake them. That being the case,
Americans will be proud, Of course, If
the flag of the republic should be the
first to be unfurled at the point on the
earth's surface heretofore impregnably