Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-17
PEARY AGAIN TALKS.
ton taken at the pole and by whom? p
CONTINUED from Page One.)

There were several observations,
he replied. And l took them all my
SELF They all agreed. You must I'M
derstand that the pole is theoretical
point, without length, breadth or thick
ness. It's actual location depends upon
the accuracy of the instruments en-
ployed and the conditions under which
the observations are taken"
You have stated, Commander Peary,
that a copy of your records and polar
observations was wrapped in a piece of
a silk American flag and deposited IN
an ice cavity at the pole; did any per-
son witness this act?'
To this question Commander Peary
declined to make any answer at pres
ent.
Continuing Commander Peary Said
that DR.. Cook was expected by the
| world 10 submit to an impartial
tribunal, or board of arbitration, re-
vised and authentic signed statement
of his alleged discovery of the pole.
DR.. Cook soon would reach the United
States, Commander Peary said, and he
| was glad at the prospect of the mat
ter being submitted for consideration
at an early date. 1t should be done
| it was done, the commander declared
he was prepared to turn over to the
| board of arbitration, to the public and
to scientific bodies an array of testi-
mony which would disprove DIR. Cooks
claims for all time
The explorer said that he had stated
in private message to a friend that
DR.. Cook had given the world gold
brick" This message had been al
lowed to leak out and while he would
have preferred a more elegant ex-
preston, he was willing now to let
these words stand because they were
at least emphatic. The explorer said
also that he would turn over to Il
competent tribunal and the public GER
titled copies of his own observations
made on his trip to the pole, with all
other information bearing thereon.
Peary does not care to exhibit these
records at the present time for the
reason that the information contained
therein, if divulged in advance of the
placing on file of DR.. Cooks author
lied and definite statement, might be
of advantage to the Cook partisans
1t is rumOred here that Commander
y
statements and that a portion of his
document was prepared as long ago
as the early months of 1908, when let
tiers were received from DR.. Cook, in
Greenland, giving notice that he in
tended making a dash for the pole.
Asked how Harry Whitney happen
ed to remain in the north. Commander
Peary said Whitney was one of a
party of spOrtsmen who went as pas
sengers on board the steamer Erik.
The party included Whitney, W. Nor
ton of New York, a man named Harm
ed and G. j. Crafts of Washington,
who came for the purpose of taking
magnetic observations for Dr. Bauer,
head of the department of terrestrial
magnetism of the Carnegie Institute
at Washington. At Etah, where it was
determined to land a party and sup
plies for the relief of DIR. Cook, par
ticularly in view of the fact that Ru-
dolph Francke was being invalided
home, Whitney asked if he might re-
main on the station to hunt walrus
and polar bears in the spring and make
trip to Ellesmere Land with Esqui-
maux after musk oxen. This was de-
o'''
the contingency of the Roosevelt not
coming down from the north in the
summer of 1909, in which event he
would be obliged to remain in the Arc
tic for two years. Mr.. Whitney made
arrangements for a ship to come up
for him this summer.
while L am not in a position to go
into the details of the plans in regard
to this relief ship" Commander Peary
continued, Il was informed by Whit
ney and Norton that the general pro-
pOsal was that Norton should get up
another party of sportsmen and that
this party who We're to be Whitney's
friends or relatives, should pick him
up. Whitney had no doubt as to this
ship coming North and when the
Roosevelt was sighted by Esquimaux
at Etah Aug. IL last, Whitney started
out at once in salboat for the Roose-
welt under the impression that she was
his ship.
LAS matter of fact the party of
spOrtsmen did not materialZe, but the
relief vessel Jeanne was sent north to
bring Whitney back. On her arrival
Whitney was transferred from the
Roosevelt to the Jeane and he is now
probably engaged in hunting bears
somewhere on the west side of Baffin
Bay or Davis Strait"
Asked if DR.. Cook was aware that
Whitney expected a ship and what his
reasons could have been for not re-
turning to the United States on. that
vessel, if he wanted to go back Com
mander Peary said he did not know.
He explained that Whitney might have
expected his ship at Etah about Octo-
Der. If the Jeanne had returned at
once after taking Whitney on board,
the commander continued, she would
have reached Sydney, Aug. Is or 20
last.
Asked how DR.. Cook had made his
way from Etah to South Greenland,
Commander Peary replied that he
probably travelled by dogs and sledges
south and across Melville Bay.
All the members of Commander
Peary's party agree that the far north
has mysterious fascination for them
and they say they would like to go
back. They ascribe Peary's determine
ton to reach the North pole partly
1 l. $3.50