Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-19
Miss Babb Hopes to He|p
Discover North Pole.
She will Stick to Com. Peary
Through Snow and Ice.


Norway, Me-. June 1s.-Love for adj
| venture and a desire to be the first
woman to reach the North Pole has
| caused Miss Mamie Babb to abandon
school teaching, to sail, she says, with
Lieutenant Commander Robert E.
Peary.
From the peak Of the explorers new
steamer will float an American flag
presented to Miss Babb by her pupils
at the little school at North Harps-
| well.
| what danger can there be in such
| Journey" she asks when the perils OF
| the Arctic trip were pointed out to her
| by relatives who are opposed to her
| going. mo one need have fears for our
safety. 1 shall be the first woman to
reach the pole, because l know Mr..
Peary will find it this time"
| Mrs. Peary and her daughter, Marie,
| II years old, will also be on the Roose-
Welt, but they will return home when
the steamer arrives at the point where
| relief supply stations are to be estab-
| lished. Miss Babb says she will stick to
| the ship until the end. IF the men can
stand the trip 1 guess I can she says.
Miss Eabb is 80 years old, tall and
handsome. For several years she has
lived with an uncle and aunt at West
brook, who are greatly averse to the
| trip she is about to take. They believe
! that she will be much better off if she
attends to school teaching and leaves
the hunt for the pole to Peary and his
party of Eskimos.
Miss Babb has always been a friend
| of Mrs. Peary, and as stenographer has
done much of Lieut.. Peary's clerical
| work. She has read much about the
frozen regions. She has prepared maps
and routes for the coming trip and all
have been approved by Mr.. Peary when
submitted to him for examination.
When Peary came to Maine, last
year, to make arrangements with the
shipyards for the construction of the
Roosevelt he called upon Miss Babb
and explained to her in great detail
what he intended to do on his next
dash to the pole. Invariably any
changes in the itinerary which Miss
made We're needed by Peary, who sub
United the revised details to the Arctic
Club of North American which is fl
nancing the forthcoming trip.
The officials of that organization I'M
hesitatingly put their 80. K" on the
plans, but to the present day they are
not aware that most Of the details ar
ranged are those favored by the Maine
school teacher.
After Peary's second attempt to reach
the pole failed he abandoned the pro-
ject. thinking that it would be impossi-
Ele to get another leave of absence
from the secretary of the navy. Miss
Rabh counseled against his resolves,
and taking the matter in her own
hands, obtained the secretary's con-
sent for another leave.
Then it was that Miss Babb began to
think what a fine journey the voyage
would be for a woman to make. She
talked with her relatives and when she
had gained the opinion of several per
sons she fatty told Peary that she in
tended to make the trip with him if
quarters could be fixed up for her
the Roosevelt If not she was going
anyhow.
Il shall come back in two years. she
said, when the pupils asked her if she
ever again teach their school, land when
] open school again here I'll tell you all
about the trip, about the Eskimos and the
funny looking dogs what queer clothing
we had to wear while in the north. and
just how it feels to be the first woman to
reach the north pole
Miss Babb went to her home in West
brook, today, and began preparations TO
leave on the TIP. She will sail from here
next week for New York, where the
Roosevelt will be tied up until July l.
She will look after the installation of the
wireless telegraph apparatus, and will
operate the instrument while in the Arctic
regions. Much of the data concerning the
trip and all the pictures of interesting
points visited along the line will be her
work, as well as all the press matter con-
corning the expedition.
Miss Babb was born in Sebago. Her
mother died in a hospital at Portland 10
years ago just as Miss Babb was finish
ing her education. Compelled to forsake
school and earn her own living the young
woman went to the home of her uncle and
aunt at Westbrook
The adventurous young woman has had
made an entire outfit of clothing suitable
for use in the Arctic regions even 10 sew
eral pairs of snow shoes.