The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-11-08
'EARY REACHES FARTHEST
NORTH.
United States Now Holds Record in
the Pole Contest.
POLAR TRIP RECORDS.

New York, Nov. 3.-The United States
now holds the record of "farthest
north" 81 degrees minutes, or about
201 miles from the north pole. This
feat was accomplished by Commander
Robert e. Peary, of the United States
navy. The intrepid Arctic explorer fail
ed to reach the north pole, as he had
confidently hoped to do with his special
ly constructed vessel, the Roosevelt,
but he penetrated nearer to the pole
than the Duke of AbruzZi's expedition,
which had held the Arctic record, So
degrees and 50 minutes.
| What Commander Peary did and his
experiences during the last year in the
frozen north are rather briefly but GER
tainly wildly summarized in COM
munication received by Herbert L.
Bridgeman, secretary of the Peary
Arctic club:
REACHED HIGH LATITUDE.
This communication follows:
"Hopedale, Labrador, via Twillingate,
Newfoundland, Nov. Herbert &.
Bridgeman: Roosevelt wintered north
coast Grantland, somewhat north Alert
winter quarters. Went north with
sledges February via Heckla and
Columbia. Delayed by open water be-
tween 81 and So degrees. Beyond IS
six days. Gale disrupted ice destroyed
caches, cut off communication with sup
porting bodies and drifted due east.
Reached 81 degrees 6 minutes north
latitude over ice drifting steadily east
ward.
HAD TO EAT DOG.
Returning ate eight dogs. Drifted
eastward, delayed by open water, reach
ed north coast Grantland in straitened
conditions. Killed musk oxen and re-
turned along Greenland coast to ship.
Two supporting parties driven on north
coast Greenland. One rescued by me
in starving conditions. After one
weeks recuperation on the Roosevelt,
lodged west, completing north coast of
Grantland, and reached other land, near
one hundredth meridian. Homeward
voyage, incessant battle with ice
storms and head winds. Roosevelt
magnificent ice fighter and seaboat. Nc
deaths or illness during expedition.
(Signed) PEARY."
BRlDGENIAN is SURPRISED.
After furnishing the Associated Press
the contents of Commander Peary's re
port, Mr.. Bridgeman said that the re
ceipt of any news from the explorer
now was quite surprise to him, be
cause he had supposed it had become
too late in the season for Commando
Peary to send news Of his venture.
Mr.. Bridgeman added that the mes
sage spoke for itself, and that since ht
did not know more of the results o
Commander Pearys effort to reach the
pole than the public did, he could hard
~ comment upon the dispatch.
There was little doubt, however, h,
said, that Commander Peary was coming
home. This seems to be borne out b,
the routine of the dispatch.
Hopedale or Hoffenthal is Moravial
mission station on the east coast o
Labrador. Twillingate is port on tn,
east coast of New Foundland. Nh
Bridgeman said the message was prob
ably mailed by Commander Peary iron
Hopedale to the most accessible cable
point.
START OF LONG JOURNEY.
Commander Peary's polar steamship
the Roosevelt, left New York on he
long journey in search Of the north pol
July 16, 1905. The Roosevelt was bull
in Maine and came down to New Yorl
where she was refitted before starting
The vessel, for which funds were fur
nished by the Arctic club of New Yorl
was designed by Naval Architect Wn
. E. Winant, particularly for Arctic eS
, ploration. She cost about 100000.
The Roosevelt had crew of twent
men under Captain Martlett, Commando
Peary did not go with the ship fror
New York, but joined her later at sgd
ney, Cape Breton, where she took o
coal and additional supplies. TIL
Roosevelt left Sydney July 26. She wa
next reported at Domino, Labrador, Jul
30, from which point she crossed t
Greenland. The vessel was next hear
. from at Etah, north Greenland. Sh
U passed Cape York August Z, and reacf
ed Etah August IS. The expedition
auxiliary steamer. Erik, in the meantim
!: has visited various settlements
l Greenland and secured natives and dog
. for the explorer, and turned them owe
to the Roosevelt on August ID. At Eta
. the Roosevelt overhauled her machiner
took on board the last supply of co;
8 from the Erik, and thence proceede
north with Esquimaux to the number {
twenty-three on board and about e
dogs.
INTIMATES NOT WORRIED.
When nothing had been heard fro
the Roosevelt by last July, friends {
the artistic explorer who had expecte
a message of some kind in May or Jun
hapan to he worried at the long della,