Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-07-30
PEARY'S BIC SEND OFF
Thousands Cheer as Explorer
Starts For NoI1l Pole.
EVERYBODY MOST OPTIMISTIC

Netting PARTNER NoTtn-VaSt yuan
titles Of Provisions on Board-Large
Assortment of Useful Presents For
Eskimos.
Undoubtedly every one aboard the
Roosevelt Commander Robert E.
Peary's arctic bound steamer, felt q
thrill as the big weather Eeaten vessel
pulled slowly out of the recreation
pier at the foot of East Twenty-fourth
street New York, the other afternoon
at l o'clock, while from the shore thou
sands of voices gave lusty cheers for
the intrepid explorer as he started on
his third quest for the north pole. As
the ship passed up the stream she was
saluted by three whistles from every
craft that was within sight.
From early morning until sailing
time the crew were rushing about, pill.
ing in as fast MS they could the strange
and miscellaneous cargo that goes to
make up an arctic equipment. That
the crew will not starve is certain to
any one who saw the enormous number
of boxes and bags containing food of
all kinds.
1T amt all salt horse, either" the
Irish chef explained, for we have got
arctic fodder to a science now, and
we can have our spring vegetables
out of thin tins ye see, on Christmas
day at the pole, when we get there.
and it's sure we get there at that"
Every one from Commander Peary
TO the bo's'n are optimistic regarding
the success of the venture. Com
mander Peary said:
This certainly has been splendid
send off. l am deeply grateful for the
honor. We are ready for the trip. l
have done entirely too much work In
that country TO be certain of anything
so I'll not promise anything before
start, except that l am going to put
into it every bit of energy, moral, men.
tai and physical, that I possess.
81 feel confident that in any case l
shall carry the American flag farther
north than ever. Unless the unfore-
seen happens l shall plant the stars
and stripes at the magnetic pole
The Roosevelt has been thoroughly re
paired from her last struggles with
the ice, has been fitted with two new
boilers Of 500 horsepower each, making
her now an ADLER ship as regards
power than she was three years ago.
She is so far as we are able to make
her, equipped TO meet any emergency.
If conditions are no worse in the next
season than they were during the last
voyage l shall hope to accomplish the
object of the expedition and return In
about fifteen months-that is, In Octo-
ber, 1909. l am prepared however.
for a stay of three years"
Huge bouquets of roses and other
flowers filled the cabin in which Com
mander Peary will spend much time
during the next year The cabin is
comfortable and as well furnished as |
similar room on a big ocean liner, and |
1t is far more homelfke. Nor will
there be lacking books to while away
the tedious hours when the Roosevelt
is winter bound In the northern ice
fields, The publishers Of New York
have seen to that. They all Clipped in
to furnish books for the explorer and
his crew. All tom, more than 200 vol
umes have been slowed aboard the
vessel, and they represent almost
every type OF literature and every
large publishing house in New York.
Among the stores on board the
Roosevelt aro 10000 pounds of -four
1900 loaves OF bread, two tons of cod
fish, 200 cases of beans, $500 gallons
Of oil for fuel and lighting, 200 cases
of tomatoes and several hundred of
brown bread.
An important part of the cargo on
the Roosevelt is the large assortment
Of useful presents that Commander
Peary is taking north for his friends
the ESkimOs He knows everybody in
he tribe except the babies born since
his visit, and not Il person has been
forgotten. The presents are all staple
things, for on his first expedition to
the polar regions Commander pearv
found that the Eskimos desired only
those things that We're useful to them.
They cared not for beads, fancy
clothes or toys
Il am taking lot of things for my
,aithful friends up there" said Com
nAnder Peary. Some of them are
presents pure and simple, while the
est will be used in paying them for
he services they render me- 1t would
Ie ridiculous to offer them money.
They have no conception of the unit
" value. | am taking the men such
hings as guns, ammunition. knives.
teel shoes for their sledges, hammers.
latchets and other useful tools. Those
ire the things they desire and prize
he most.
For the women l have large duan-
tiles of needles, thimbleS. scissors and
mirrors. They do not want beads. nor
10 they have any desire for the fancy
hings that the Indians hanker for.
The mirror is the nearest thing to 4
luxury that appeals to them. and I
AVE a sufficient supply on board the
roosevelt to last them for years"
Commander Peary said he would de-
'end absolutely on the game TO be
ound in the arctic for his meat sun
ly. Some of the foods he will carry
With him, in addition to his supply of
tea and pilot biscuit, the
lree staple foods for use In the arctic
re canned vegetables and large sup
ly of canned peaches and pears.
II always see to 1t that every person
'ith me has dessert on Sunday" said
commander Peary, "and that is why |
fnRinlr r1,ne