Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-17
NELLNAN 70 1HE POLE
Explorer Will Make Dash For
the North In Modern
Airship
CROSS VAST uNMAPPED AREA
Important Geographical Results Ex-
pected by Scientists From the Ex-
petition oness Weather Official
Thinks WeIman Will Reach the
North Pole.

geographical exploration journey to
unexplored polar seas north of Alaska
next summer, predicted that Walter
Wellmans fight in an airship toward
the pole would be of great value to
the science Of geography, says the Chi
cago Record Herald. He believes, how
ever, that a weeks sailing through
the northern air currents will not be
long enough to give any comprehensive
meteorological results and says that
practically no geological, geological
and pendulum observations of the kind
ordinarily taken by the scientific in
vestigators on polar expeditions can be
taken from an airship.
Mr.. LefIingwell, who as a research
worker in the department of geology
at the University Of Chicago will go up
for his doctors degree with thesis
on "The Glaciation Of Lake Chelan,
Washington" next spring, was in
charge Of the scientific work in the
first Baldwin Ziegler expedition and
spent the year 1901-O2 in Franz josef
Land.
On the scientific possibilities Of Mr..
Wellman's expedition he said:
even if Mr.. Wellnan does not reach
the pole, he will traverse large I'M
explored area That in itself will make
the expedition worth all the expendi-
ture and risk required. Millions are
spent for telescopes with which to
make maps of Mars, and there are
endless regions Of our own sphere
which are not mapped. One cannot
imagine better way to make geo
graphical Investigations than frosl an
airship car. Those on the Wellman e1-
petition will be able to get birds eye
view of the area traversed. Their view
will not be obstructed by piles Of snow
and ice, as is that. Of men in sledges.
TIE geographical results alone ought to
be enuogh to make the Weilman eSpe-
dition truly great.
ct IL proposed to take meteorolog-
zeal observer along doubt if meteor
illogical results of any value can be OBJ
tanned in weeks stay in the polar
regions. Observations Of wind and
weather have to be made for con-
siderable periMi5z to he sof such value as
to cover a regions condition scientific
ally"
As to the method of transportation
to be adopted by Mr.. Wellman, Mr..
Leffingwell compared the adventure to
starting across the ocean IN the first
steamboat constructed,
eff Santos Dumont first demonstrates
In the temperate zone that he can trav-
.el 700 miles to definite point by
means Of a dirlgible balloon, then Mr.
Wellman will not be taking large
chances" said Mr.. Lefingwell. II am
not an expert in aeronautics, but am
certain that unless they first demon
strate ability to trave! long distance
they will be taking desperate chances.
But If they can do this, then they will
have the very best possible method Of
polar travel. IL they once get an air
ship to the pole there will be no ques-
ton about the return trip. The wind
will blow them back to civilization"
On his expedition Mr.. Lef1ingwell
will share a joint leadership with a
Dane, Captain Ejnar Mikkelsen. The
expense will amount to $4,000. Rev.
G. W. Leffingwell of ST. Mary's school,
Knoxville, ILL.,, father Of the scientific
explorer, has provided half the sum,
and Captain Mikkelsen has raised the
other $4,000. The Royal Geographical
0Dciety Of London has Endorsed the
Leff1ngwell- Mikkelsen plans and offer
ed the use Of equipment from the out
at of the antarctic expedition made in
the Discovery. The expedition will
start in the early summer.
1--WE will explore in the Beaufort |
sea, north Of Alaska, and will go look
ing for land, which it seems certain is
there, but which has never been ex-
plored by geographers." said Mr.. Lef
f1ngwell when interviewed on his plans.
vague reports that there is land in
the Beaufort sea have been brought |
by whalers and Eskimos, and the tidal |
conditions on the shore Of Alaska give /
evidence of such land, but it has never
been seen by those making geograph-
ASdi oluoy. we Sudil slStAI W lOOA AO1
1t by the middle Of May. There will
be four men in the party, all Of whom
have had arctic experience We may
go down the Mackenzie river, sending
out freight by whalers but it is more
likely that we will have our own boat"
Mr.. Leffingwell is thirty-one years
old, strong in physique, having been
prominent in athletics at Trinity and
Chicago and having served as a sea
man on the battleship Oregon in the
Spanish-American war He has spent
three summers making geological in
vestigations in the mountains Of Wy
oming, Colorado and Washington. Part
Of his graduate study was in physics
Major III. B. Hersey, who succeeds
DR.. Wilson in charge of the weather
bureau ut Milwaukee, believes the
Wellman-C Chicago Record Herald expe-
dition, Of which he is to be member,
will reach the north pole, says Mil
waukee dispatch. Major Hersey is
warm friend of Mr.. Wellman and had
4 long talk with him Just before be left
Washington FOR New York to take the
steamer for France.
"Afr. Wellman IS enthusiastic over
he project snh Major Hersey. ut
will be only a s,ail Of about thirty-six
- Poyfr Al CHI t,ArY,1-n Them oh ,1nrhfrnH.