The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-16
All. young heroes, safe In in,n1or-
tnl youth rs those of Homer, You ut
least carried your ideal hence unfair
ntshcd! II Is locked for you beyond
mott, or rust in the treasure cl,um-
Der of Dcath.-GOwelI.
WHY THE NORTH POLE STILL
WAITS FOR WALTER

Walter Wellman's abandonment OF
his so-called dash for the Pole is
rapidly reaching the distinction of an
annual feature. Along about May the
proceedings begin. In that pleasant
season of the year, Walter hobs ,Ip at
some port with n horrfic, Scandi-
knavish name, Tromsoe and Trondhiem.
we believe being among his favorites.
Spitzbergen, as well as we understand
ii polar program comes later. Then
commence the glowing cables. at
thirty-nine cents word. more or less,
TO the Chicago paper which pays the
freight for Walter.
Everything is going magnificently.
Preparations are being rushed forward
al astonishing speed The start is tc
be made in six weeks. No expedition
was ever better fitted out or more
certain of success. so-and-so. the
well known Arctic authority, says tina:
If Walter doesn't find the Pole this
trip, IT viii be because there isn't any
Pole there TO find.
Then in July-and this, maybe, is
where Spitzbergen comes in-appears
the first tiny rift within the lutte.
Something goes wrong. The ton of
pemmican fails to show up; tile Arctic
dogs siclSen and die; the food for the
cache is embezzled in transit; the
ships doctor elopes with tie ships
=.
anyway 1t takes time. The start is
now set for August, and the cables
develop a tinge of pessimism. How
ever. the work is still being rushed, the
men are all loyal. Walter is on the
Job night and, day, etc, etc.
In August ,.he 'froubles-an duly
cabled at great .expense-largely in
crease. There is. nearly always. "a
long run of misfortunes." Serious
things happen. The third assistant
scullion falls overheard and is eaten
by whales; the pemrnican. arrived by
this time, turns out to be the noto-
rious '9s model, unfit for Arctic work.
news comes that IL is very cold In the
Northern seas this year, several people
having been frostbitten there the week
before. The season is now getting ad-
vanced, and 1t seems doubtful whether
1t will be advisable to make the at
tempt this year. Still, while there is
life. etc.
Then in September comes the sharp.
sudden and disastrous climax which we
had all been anticipating since May
The airship, sent up on her trial trip,
behaves scandaloualy, turns -four
somcrsaults at an elevation Chastity
computed by Walterp Of COL metres
and blows her jlbboom six miles dear
into spitzbergen hll, of course, is over
Mr.. WellmL, HES himself back tc
Tromsoe and solemnly announces, as
We read in the daily press of Septcm.
her 18th, that his annual almost-trir
TO the Pole has been "dehnitely
abandoned for this year"
A stngle-minded. earnest ana intel.
ligent attempt at exploration IS worth,
Of all serious mems respect. Bur, really
have Mr.. Wellman's performances thu
right to be considered as such? Coulf
he not profit, even . little. BY hi,
rather spectacular fiasco Of a mas
year? Gould he not make perfect hi
plans and his preparations before h,
fell so eagerly to blowing his horn
Must dash for the Pole" inevitably
be slapdash?