Arizona republican., 1909-09-23
His Answers 10 a Series Of
Searching Questions
-
HE SHOWS HIS DIARY
Data and Proof of His Polar
Trip, However, Will Not
Be Made Public Until
It Pleases the Danish
Professors

New York, Sept. 22.-Dr. Cook was
interviewed today by a group of news
papermen in the Waldorf-Astoria
why did you submit your proofs
and data to the university of Coppen-
hagen?" was the first question asked.
The people of Denmark "he replied"
were most kind to me, never doubling
my word or asking me to furnish
proofs of my discovery Immediately.
They were willing to give me a chance
to see civilization again and it was
for this courtesy that / thought IL
was due the people of Denmark and
professors of the university that they
should be the first to make my records
and data, public
To the question, why should it
take two months BEFORE PROOFS of your
claim can be made public" Cook res
ponded: My observations and the
other proofs of my discovery took two
years to complete, and it will be at
least two months before they will be
ready to be given 10 the public. 1 have
promised. and l will keep my word.
that as soon as they are in shape they
will be given to the press , -
Cook refuted the purported inter
view with him in which he was quoted
as saying that he noticed a peculiar
condition of the skyline while at the
pole. He declared that the condition
of the skyline at the pole was no diff
ferent from that at any other north
ern point.
The Doctor was asked if he would
liz -n tnrhn he
returned. His answer was that he did
not see why Peary should be
submit his proofs to cary should be
the person to pass judgment on his
claims. Cook refused 10 say a word
regarding Peary- He said he took an
entirely different route from that fol-
lowed by any other arctic explorer and
did not see signs of any previous eX-
pedition during his dash to the north
pole.
VIII you submit your data and proofs
to the members of the coast and geo.
detic survey?" he was asked.
when the University of Copenhagen
is ready l win submit my proofs to
want to examine them" replied Cook.
any geographical society that may
They will have TO walt until that time. -
The Doctor said the coast ana geo
detic survey has not asked him to
submit his observations
MY expedition was not badly equip
ned" said Cook; we had ten men,
eleven sledges and one hundred and
thirteen dogs. Our sledges were made
Of the best possible material for such
n trip. American Hickory. and the con-
tention that had only one siedge was
a falsehood. l considered my eNpedl-
tion perfectly equipped. We carried
no superfluous matter
Il want to say this, and / cannot
make the announcement any too
strong, said DIR. Cook, lit is not necs-
sary to bring Whitney Into this con-
troversy at all have proofs and
copies of everything Mr.. Whitney has
in his possession and they will all be
made public in good time"
The board of aldermen formally rec
ognized DIR. Cook today as the discov-
erer of the north pole in a resolution
providing for a public reception in his
honor in the aldermanic chambers.
Cook was asked if he would object /
to showing his diary He Immediately |
consented and produced a small note |
book which he showed freely to all. |
1t contained considerably more than |
100000 words He has, besides, three /
other books embracing his observa-
tions and other data.
When requested to say what had
occurred at his meeting with Harry
Whitney, he said he preferred to let
Whitney tell his own story, as Whit
ney was quite unbiased. Some i'm
pOrtant questions were put TO Cook
and replies follow:
Did anything ever occur in the /
life of yourself and Peary that would /
create enmfty2" J
No; nothing that l know Of
Did you ever say anything in
Etah that indicated that you feared
for your life il he got there?"
No"
Would you be willing to meet
Peary in debate when he gets here?"
"As far as I am concerned, the
Peary incident is closed. Mr.. Peary |
is not the dictator of my affairs and
! do not care to say anything further
about him.
What is your opinion of the story
told by the negro, Hensen, of the in
formation he obtained from your two
Eskimos?"
Well. the Eskimos were bound by