The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-24

expedltion emharks for the pole to
start and undesirable bombast and
flourish Of trumpets. This chose to es-
cape. Mr.. John r. Bradley furnished
the funds. I shaped the destiny of the
expedition. For the time being the
business concerned us only. be-
lieved then, as believe now, that IL
we succeeded there would be time
enough to fly the banner of victory.
You are here today-Mr. Bradley is
here. and I am here. We have come
together to celebrate that victory.
Now. gentlemen, I appeal to you
as explorers and as men. Am I
bound to appeal to anybody, to any
man, to any body Of men-for a
license to look for the North Pole?
Equipment Charge.
Another criticism is the charge Of
our insufficient equipment. We have
met this. You know that we had
every possible aid to success in sledge
travelling. A big ship is no advant-
age. An army Of white men, who at
best are novices. Is a distinct hind
rance, while a cumbersome luxury of
equipment Is fatal to progress. We
chose to live life as simple as that
OF Adam and we forced the strands of
human endurance to scientific limits.
1t you will reach the pole there is no
other way. For our simple needs Mr..
Bardley furnished sufficient funds.
We were not overburdened with the
usual aids to pleasure and comfort.
but did not start for that purpose.
Now. as to the excitement of the
press to force things of their own
picking from important records into
print. In reply to this l have taken
the stand that have already given a
tangible account OF our Journey. 1t is
as complete as the preliminary re-
ports of any previous explorer. The
data, the observations, the record, are
OF exactly the same character. Here
to fore such evidence has been taken
with faith and the complete record
was not expected to appear for years,
whereas we agree to deliver all with
in few months.
At the Pole.
Nov, gentlemen, about the pole.
We arrived April 81. 1908. We dis
covered new land along the 102nd
meridian between the Saith and the
85th parallel. Beyond this there was
absolutely no life and no land. The
ice was In large, heavy fields with
few pressure lines. The drift was
south Of east, the wind was south Of
west. Clear weather gave good reg
ular observations nearly every day.
These observations. combined with
those at the pole .on the 21st and 22nd
of April, are sufficient to guarantee
our claim. When taken in connection
with the general record, you do not
require this. I can see that, but this
and all the other records will come
to you In the due. course Of events.
II cannot sit down without ac-
knowledging to you and to the living
Arctic explorers, my debt Of gratitude
for their valuable assistance. The re-
port Of this polar success has come
with sudden force, but in the pres
ent enthusiasm We must not forget
the fathers of the art of polar travel.
There is glory enough for all. There
is enough to go to the graves Of the
dead and to. the heads of the living.
MANY are here today. The names
are too numerous to mention. Spe-
cial mention for honors must be made
to Greedy, Schley, Melville, Peary,
Fiala, Nansen. Abruzzi, Cagni, Sverd-
rup, Amundsen, Nordenskjold and a
number OF. English and other explor-
ers."