The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-12
Steamer Roosevelt Badly Dam
aged in Northern Ice Fields
and Will Not Arrive in New
York Until Repairs Are Made
COMMANDER is CERTAIN
HE REACHED NORTH POLE
Declares Cooks ESkimOS Told
Him the Doctor Scarcely
Ever Went Out of Sight of
Land During His Trip,
CURIOS ABOARD THE SHIP

St. Johns, n. F, Sept. L.-According to
Captain Nelson of the fishing steamer
Taft, which arrived here tonight from
Battle Harbor Labrador, Commander
Peary's steamer Roosevelt was badly
damaged by ice in the north and may not
get to North Sydney before Sept. 3. The
Roosevelt struck a rock while entering
Battle Harbor and was fast for six hours,
but was not seriously damaged by this
accident.
The Taft was in Battle Harbor last
Wednesday when the Roosevelt arrived
from Indian HarbOr. The Roosevelt put
in to take on supply OF coal and also
to give Commander Ptery an opportunity
to send details Of his far northern trip
TO the United States.
Certain He Got There.
While the Roosevelt was stranded Cap
tain Nielsen went aboard 60 offer his
der Peary and Captain Bartlett, who de-
cided that they would be able to work
the steamer free at high water. Captain
Nielsen says that Commander Peaiy and
Captain Bartlett showed him over the
ship and told him that the pole had been
reached. When Captain Nielsen asked
Peary if he was certain he had found the
pole the commander declared I got there;
you may rest assured of that"
When the commander Of the Taft asked
Peary what he thought of DR.. Cook S
I
mos had assured him that Cook scarcely
went out of sight of land. Captain Nell
sen says that Peary appeared to be thor
Oughly convinced of his own success and
Nielsen declared tonight that he fully be-
Heved Peary's report.
Ship Badly Battered.
Nielsen said that the Roosevelt was
badly battered and that her hull showed
the bruises made by Jagged pieces of ice.
he said the Oakum was dropping from
her seams when she reached Battle Har-
Dor and that Peary engaged twenty men
there to assist the crew in giving the
ship complete overhauling, cleaning and
painting. He also said that when ne left
Battle HarbOT yesterday II was the in
tentiOn of Peary and Bartlett to run the
Roosevelt to ASSN harbor. where she
would remain for ten or twelve days, so
that the men would not be hampered in
tnelf work by stormy weather. Captain
Nielsen said that the expedition expected
TO reach Sydney about Sept. p.
Well but Looked Tired.
The crew Of the Roosevelt are all we'll.
but look thin and tired and according to
Captain Nielsen the most worn looking
member of the expedition is Commander
Peary himself. Nielsen was informed that
the Feary party underwent severe hard
ships in the final stages of the dash to
the pole. The expedition encountered
blizzards and according to Captain Neil
sen was Obliged to kill dogs for food.
PROFESSOR Marvin. was drowned and an
Eskimo was lost. The party journeyed
over 800 miles on sledges over fair ice
conditions, although at one time Peary
and several Of his men had a narrow Is
cape from being carried away by break
up of an ice flOe. The Roosevelt was
moOred in latitude $3.50 during the winter
Curious Sight Aboard Ship.
Captain Nielsen said that the rigging of
the Roosevelt presented a curious sight
About forty musk OK heads and heads
OF reindeer were suspended to yard arms
There are twelve dogs, the last of nearly
200 taken pOleward.
Above the deck house are kennels con-
tanning foxes and other animals which
Commander Peary is taking to the United
States in the hold of the vessel is a
large supply of skins and furs. a number
of Eskimo skeletons and bones of strange
animals.
When the ship reached Battle Harbor
her bunkers held only five tons of coal
At that place she took on board sixty
tons. The crew and explorers are dressed
in semi-Arctic attire. All were very auxi-
Gus to hear news Of the outside world.