The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-22
AMUNDSEN COMES
To MINNEAPOLIS
FAMOUS NORWEGIAN EXPLORER
IS TO VISIT CITY.
Brother of the Man Who First Sailed
the Northwest Passage as Guest Of
Harry Randall and Tells Of the Cap
tain's Voyage Thru the Arctic Chan
nels. =

Gustav Amundsen, fresh from Chris
tiania, Norway. brother of the re-
doubtable sailor who has recently trav
ersed the northwest passage, arrived
in Minneapolis today on his way to
Seattle and thence to Sitka, to meet
the famous captain and his equally
famous Gjoa, the eighty-ton sloop in
which he made the passage. In Mime.
apolis Mr.. Amundsen is a guest: Of
of the family, who will accompany him
to Sitka. They will leave Sunday
evening. The Gjoa is expected in
Sitka in about fortnight.
Captain Roald Amundsen, or Rvald,
as it is in Norwegian, is an Arctic
mariner by inclination, education and
special training, according to his bro
ther. He is 81 years old, master
sailor by profession, and to his knowl-
edge of the sea and seafaring life he
has added knowledge Of medicine and
special training in natural science &C
! ouired in the best Norwegian universi-
| ties. He has been in the far north be-
fore, and he was mate on the Belgian
South pole expedition which penetrated
far into the forbidding ice mountains
of the antarctic seas.
Aided by Nansen.
The voyage around the northern
points of North America had long been
a hobby with Captain Amundsen. HIS
family encouraged him and it was
mainly thru the assistance of his I'M
mediate relatives that he was able tc
purchase the vessel and to provide the
necessary scientific apparatus for the
| trip. He was also materially helped IN
a moral and practical way by Nansen
that other famous Norwegian Arctl'
explorer. :. 7oo,
The little vessel was designed as
sailer. but a petroleum engine capable
of developing fifteen horsepower wa wa
provided as auxiliary power. That ~
fle engine was found most servlceab!l
in forcing the vessel thru passages II
the ice when the winds were contrar.
or not blowing. The crew at the star
numbered seven men, but one OF tnen
Gustav Wiki, magnetic observer ole'
before the voyage was ended.
months at King William s island, a
near as possible to the location OF Tn
magnetic north pole. The time wa
EMPLOYED in making observations an
in Scientific research and experiments
The vessel on its way passed the monu
ment which marks the spot where tn
ill-fated Franklin expedition made 1t
CAPTAIN Amundsen will spend som
time at Sitka correcting his lnstru
ments and perfecting his calculations
I It's essential that such work be don
as far north as possible: After tina
is done he will be ready to fly tn
homeward pennant.
Coming to Minneapolis.
The Gioa will be left at Seattle an
Captain Amundsen and his brother an
Minneapolis friend will travel overlan
, to Minneapolis and thence on to MOI
way. Aside from the personal sati:
, faction Of having made the dltf1cu]
passage and added vastly to tn
worlds store of scientific knowledge
Captain Amundsen will probably prof
to the extent of 100000 at the hand
of the British government. Nearl
!. seventy-fve years ago the BRITISH pa
lament offered reward of $4,000
to the navigator who would first accom-
plish the northwest passage. At tha
time, before the advent of steam ve
sells, the northwest passage was deeme
of more commercial Importance tina
now, particularly to. Great Britain wit
it's string Of colonies encircling tn
world. The prize was never earne
; until Amundsen completed the passag
but it was never taken down. Pr,
sumably the British government wi
be as good as its word, even after th
lapse Of three-quarters Of century.