Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-09-16
NEITHER DID HE TELL GREEN
LANDERs HIS RIVAL WAS DEAD
AS HAD BEEN GIVEN OUT BY A
DANISH REPORT.
TELLS OF FLAGS
PLANTED AT POLE
PENNANT GIVEN HIM BY WIFE,
AND NAVY LEAGUE AND FRA
TERNITY EMRLEMS HoIsTED;
RECORDS BURIED IN ICE.

Battle Harbor, Lab. Sept. Is
(via wireless to Cape Bay )--Peary
conversed further today with repres-
entatives of the Associated Press re-
garding his journey to the north pole
He spoke particularly of the flags he
raised at the pole and the records he
left there. Peary said that when he
reached the pole the first flag he
hoisted was silken American emblem
presented him by his wife fifteen
years ago. He had carried this flag on
all his expeditions north, leaving a
piece of it at the highest point he at
tanned. Large remnants were raised
and left at the pole. The explorer then
raised flags Of the navy league. Of the
delta kappa epsilon fraternity, and
the flag of peace Tent poles and snow
lances were used as flagstaffs. Peary
then enclosed the documents concern
ing this trip in box and buried 1t In
the ice.
Did Not Steal Supplies.
Peary today received cablegram
asking him to make statement re-
garding the report from Danish
source that he had posted notice on
the Greenland coast to the effect that
Cook was dead, making this notice a
pretext for appropriating Cooks sup
plies The explorer said to the Asso-
ciated Press that he knew nothing of
this, that it evidently was a newspa-
per publication. Referring to the re-
ception being planned for him when
he reaches home, Peary asked the AS
sociated Press to publish the follow
ing:
From such fragmentary reports as
have received I am more touched,
gratifled and honored than can say
at the way thu public has treated my
work"
Knew Cook Would Claim It.
Commander Peary yesterday after
neon answered number of questions
asked him by the Associated Press
agent:
Were you surprised on returning.
to learn that DR.. Cook had reported
reaching the pole or had anything
happened before you returned to
cause you to anticipate this event?"
Il heard In New York that DR.. Cook
was going to bring the pole back" re-
piled the commander.
'Is 1t true that you opened letters
or documents having reference to
this point?"
mo-" he responded emphatically.
Purple Snow Fields.
What life Is there to be found at
the north pole? Are there birds,
fishes or animals there?"
when | was there 1t was not the
season for birds or animals" he re-
piled
| Speaking about the unexplored area
in the polar regious, Commander
Peary said that there were 100000
square miles OF unknown territory be-
tween the pole and Behring straits
previous to his expedition. He had
not yet figured out how much that
quantity was reduced.
AS with regard to the purple snow
fields at the pole, the hummocks and
crevices approaching the pole, Com.
mander Peary said:
"That is q range Of information
do not care to fmpaTt now.''
''What was the thickness of the ice
and the temperature Of the atmos.
phere?"
, 81 had no means of measuring the
ice, which was heavy I do not care to
tell the temperature"
Bearing on the Cook controversy
!, Commander Peary was asked:
"Are the Eskimos who were with
; DIR. Cook in his dash to the pole on
, your ship?"
Saw Cooks Eskimos.
mo, but I talked with them"
: ''Have you heard that any Eskimos
! were ever at the pole before yours?
;, mo, never. No inducement that
! could be offered them would tempt
them out on that sea OF Ice. with the
ice breaking and danger of being car
ried away"
"Why did you not have a white wit
; ness at the pole?"
: Because after a lifetime of effor;
g 7 dearly wanted the honor for my
b self"
kk:w.aeoh, rrau, Nn:,,w