The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-07-10

William ]. Peters, better known tol
Washington scientists as "Alaskav Pc
ters 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 consdtutionally
for his ice journeys, says Washington
special to the Chicago Tribune
Peters starts in by taking a daily
bath In ice water, wears summer
weieht clothing in the dead Of winter
! and he lives not only without fire. but
upon the food best suited to d 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 a party head.
ed for the gold fields Of Alaska and that
hundreds Of men had persisted from
cold and hunger on the way, while
others arrived sick and worn and poor
III prepared to cope with the rugged
life Of a miner In that frozen country,
he mcthodically began to study the sit
uatlon. 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 la the same way
This theory only partly appl 60
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 lee lie underwent the most
rigorous physical training. The win
ter before he started he wore nothing
more than summer clothing, walked
and rode through the worst and coolest
weather as much as possible, practi-
cally living outdoors by day and sleep
Ing IN freless room with open win
dows at night. He selected a diet as
nearly akin to that of the natives of
Alaska It's possible ana 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 III their
tents and run over the snow to a pond
near By, where a hole had been cut in
the ice. and take quick plunge This
method lac followed out with good re
suits He continued to eschew dain-
ties and the lighter food and lived ike
the natives
As 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 az arrow and at once
tmpresses one with his why. vigorous
constitution.
AS a scientist Mr. Peters is thought
Of in the most serious way by men
much older III the service. lie 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, 1t 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 1T his disposal
were not well adapted to the scientific
work required by the government, Mr..
Peters invented, among other things,
a stenometer for the purpose of de
termining distances over small angles
with the greatest possible accuracy.
He Is a top0grapher, and his work III |
this line as well as his astronomic |
work is highly valued By the scientists
OF the United States and tile old world. |
Mr.. Peters proceeded to map out his |
journey within the arctic circle with
the same uniqneness and precision that |
characterize all he does. lie headed /
straight for the great divide separat
ing the Arctic ocean from the Yukon.
and, reaching the head of the Yukon
river, be utilized canoes he had carried I
on sledges for swift passage down
II the river
When the head Of the Zegler expe
dition wrote to the Geographic society
at Washington for a man to act as as
sistant Mr.. Peters was at once selected
! as the one best suited
There are several scientists under
AIr Peters, and he has charge Of the
meteorological astronomical and other
observations. AS practically the same
conditions obtain which he met i'll 9th. /
er northern trips, it is considered
fair chance that be VIII be the man
first to reach the north pole, ana when
he does he will be able to give the
most practical and scientific informa
ton relative to it.
millions For Krupp's Plant.
The Krunf1 onfnnanv ~ fseffyat,-s, I