Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-05-22
ASSISTANT TO FIALA.
Facts About ALASKA" Peters,
Who May Find North Pole.
WELL TRAINED FOR ARCTIC WORK
Scientist Chosen For ZieEler Expe-
dition Can stand Hardships and Is
Original In His Methods of Pre-
pairing For Trips TO the Far North.
Takes Daily Ice Water Baths.

Seo ahu
Original In His Method. of Pre-
pairing For Trips TO the Far North.
Takes Daily Ice Water Baths.
William ]. Peters, better known to
Washington scientists as Alaska Pc
tiers on account of his numerous
and perilous trips into the most north
ern part Of that country, who has been
selected as scientific assistant to Cap
tain Anthony Fiala, who heads the
Ziegler expedition in search of the
north pole, became famous all over the
United States by his unique methods
of preparing himself constitutionally
for his ice journeys, says Washington
special to the Chicago Tribune.
Peters starts in by taking a daily
bath In ice water, wears summer
weight clothing In the dead of winter,
and he lives not only without fire, but
upon the food best suited TO life of
constant exposure.
Mr.. Peters is original in his methods
of exploration, and he completely fas-
cinated Captain Fiala with his COM
mon sense plans for reaching the north
pole. His theory is that the failure Of
former expeditions is attributable to
the fact that the material side of the
Journey was not sufficiently studied
out before starting.
When Mr.. Peters knew some years
ago that he was to lead party head
ed for the gold fields of Alaska and that
hundreds Of men had perished from
cold and hunger on the way, while
others arrived sick and worn and poor
ly prepared to cope with the rugged
| life of miner in that frozen country,
he methodically began to study the sit
uation. His plan was TO learn all that
was possible about the food, clothing
and habits Of the people In the land of
| ice and snow and as nearly as possible
train himself In the same way.
This theory only partly applied to
| Alaska, for little was known of the
customs and habits Of the Eskimo ex-
cept the meager stories brought by
naval officers and whaling vessels.
So his study was incomplete until he
was thrown among the natives them
selves With this knowledge Mr.. Pc
ters' second trip was comparatively
| easy, and before he started for the land
| Of snow and ice he underwent the most
rigorous physical training. The win
| ter before he started he wore nothing
more than summer clothing, walked
nd fhrnnuh hn nd npIInSf
weather as much as possible. practi-
cally living outdoors by day and sleep
ing IN a fireless room with open win
dows at night He selected diet as
nearly akin to that of the natives of
Alaska as possible and lived the most
simple and regular life.
He found his training of the greatest
possible advantage but he did not stop
with this. One of the customs of the
natives of Alaska was to strip in their
tents and run over the snow to pond
near by, where hole had been cut in
the ice, and take quick plunge. This
method he followed out with good re-
suits. He continued to eschew dain-
ties and the lighter food and lived like
| the natives.
AS a result Of this simple, rugged life
Mr.. Peters probably Is the best equip
| ped man in the United States for an
arctic journey. He is of slender build
| and straight as an arrow and at once
impresses one with his wiry, vigorous
constitution.
Ap lot Nr DnfnrS 10 fhn,1ohf
of in the most serious way by men
much older in the service. He has been
In the employment of the geological
survey for twenty years and for at
least ten years has been looked to for
his share in the discovery relative to
the north pole, it frequently being said
that he was the man for whom the
honor waited.
Finding in his exploration Of the
Arctic ocean through northern Alaska
that the instruments at his disposal
were not well adapted to the scientific
work required by the government, Mr.
Peters invented, among other things,
stenometer for the purpose Of de-
termining distances over small angles
with the greatest possible accuracy.
He is a topographer, and his work in
this line as well as his astronomic
work is highly valued by the scientists
of the United States and the old world.
Mr.. Peters proceeded to map out his
journey within the arctic circle with
the same uniqueness and precision that
characterize all he does. He headed
straight for the great divide separat-
ing the Arctic ocean from the Yukon,
and. reaching the head Of the Yukon
river, he utilized canoes he had carried
on sledges for a swift passage down
the river
When the head of the Ziegler expe-
dition wrote to the Geographic society
at Washington for man to act as as
sistant Mr.. Peters was at once selected
as the one best suited.
There are several scientists under
Mr. Peters, and he has charge of the
meteorological, astronomical and other
observations. AS practically the same
conditions obtain which he met in 9th
er northern trips, 1t is considered a
fair chance that he will be the man
first to reach the north pole, and when
he does he will be able to give the
most practical and scientific mforma-
tion relative to it.