Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-07-04
REACHING INTO THE UNKNOW N
The North Pole May Be Reached in Two
Years-South Polar Expedition

1t Will not be surprising If the North
Pole is reached within the next two years.
If fortune has smiled on Mr.. Peary, he
may already have planted his flag there.
Ever since Nansen stood as near the pole
as New York is from Boston, no Arctic
authority has doubted that the long
sought prize is attainablc. 1t is a ques-
ton merely OF 4 masterful leader, plenty
OF dogs. and three square meals IA day.
AS sure as the sun rises, we shall know
what Is really at the northern apex OF the
world. 1t may be only a waste Of i,e-
covered sea: but the truth. howeN or
dreary, will be golden treasure compare d
with the dross Of Symmes Hole, or the
yarn evolved by Howgate from Eskimo
legends OF north polar denizens living I'M
der genial sun and making clocks and
other New England knickknacks.
There is a revival of interest in polar
research. Four Arctic expeditions are
now in the field or will soon reach it; one
or two more are quite certain to follow
neat season. The carefully planned Brit
lsh and German expeditions to Antarctic
waters, fitted out at an expense of about
10000. will soon be on ,heir way. and will
reach their destination late next fall,
when the Antarctic summer begins. Two
more expeditions are preparing to take
part in south polar work. but it is I'M
certain II they will be ready to enter the
, held this season. 1t is doubtful II there
was ever more money invested in polar
/ enterprises at one time except during the
search tor Sir John Franklin, than at the
present moment. The reason for this is
that there are stll prizes to be won worth
seeking: and explorers think the chances
of winning them have increased many
fold In view OF the great improvements in
methods and equipments that have shown
brilliant results in the work of Nansen,
Peary, and the Duke of the AbruzZi.
IlN. al .stt, of
Illinois, who has had Arctic experience in
Greenland and Franz Josef Land, has at
tracted much attention, because unlimited
resources have been placed at his disposal
by MIR. William Zeigler OF New York, who
desires to promote the discovery OF the
pole His base of operations. which he
expects to reach this summer in staunCh
Dundee whaler which he purchased and
| reChristened the America, will be the east
side OF Franz Josef Land, where he may
easily be reached every year by an aux
Hilary steamer which will accompany him
this season. He will also have the adj
vantage there OF plentiful supply of
Arctic game in the region where Jackson
killed ninety-seven bears. where walrns
and seal abound and where birds includ-
ing geese, are In enormous numbers. EN-
plorers have learned to relish the polar
bear, hut the tough coarse flesh Of the
walrus is not yet popular article OF food.
the north moving currents, and apparent
ly does not expect to make a high north
ms on his steamer, He will depend upon
dos power to take him to the pole. and
no three explorers ever took north so
large a supply OF this commodity, lie in
vested 5000 In 400 Siberian dogs which
are warranted to keep HE from becoming
| monotonous on the good ship America,
His base will probably be farther south
| than that Of Peary. and thus far, not so
favorable; but he relies upon his dogs and
his very large food supplies to hold out
| for the journey to and from his ship.
Baldwin has with him an excellent scien-
tihc stan and OUTFIT and everything that
| experience could suggest or money buy
| to enhance the prospects of success has
| been supplied by the liberal promoter OF
Mr., Baldwin's project,
The most interesting OF the discoveries
| to he made around the South Pole will be
| the determination OF the question whether
there Is really n large continent at the
| southern apex of the world. Some OF the
leading authorities believe II is there, and
| that we are not likely to be much longer
| In the dark about II. DR., John Murray.
among others. has expressed the view.
merely coniectwal. Of course, that the