The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-07
COOK BARELY ESCAPES.
Explorer Is Nearly Crushed in Mob
of Admirers at St. Louis.

ST. Louis, Oct. THE appearance
of DIR. Frederick A. Cook, polar ex-
plorer, and Mrs. Cook in the Midway
of the union station here late yester-
day turned crowd of 10000 order
ly centennial week visitors into a
mob, each member of which tried to
pat the explorer on the back. The
result was a crush in which the ex
plorer his wife and the reception COM
mittee narrowly escaped personal in
jury.
The experiences of his search for the
pole did not test the courage of Doctor
Cook more than the, reception given
him upon his arrival at the union sta
tion this afternoon, when a crowd, esti-
mated at more than ten thousand per-
sons all tried to shake hands with the
explorer at once. Only the efforts of a
few policemen, aided by members of
the reception committee. saved Doctor
Cook from injury. For time 1t SEEM
ed that no human power could release
him from the compact mass thai
crowded around him. Officers kept
their heads and their GOODNESS prevent
ed panic They had to nght every
inch of the way, however, before finally
lifting the explorer into waiting
motor car.
The cheering and welcome to DR..
Cook began fifteen miles from the
city. He stood on the rear platform
of the train and bowed his acknow-
ledgment.
Last night he delivered his illus
trated lecture at the Coliseum.
He told of the horrors and of the
tortures of his dash to the North Pole
to an audience that crowded the Coli |
scum. While across the canvas played
the pictures of the icy north, the great
hall was filled with an exotic atmos- !
phere of warmth and cheer that con- |
trasted wildly. In the explorers nos
trils was the soft perfume of thou
sand roses worn by women in the
boxes and upon the arena floor.
Long before the hour announced for |
the lecture the great hall was crowded. |
The steps outside were thronged and
the roadways On each side were crowd
ed with vehicles of every description.
Reference to Peary Applauded.
DR.. Cook talks like a man who was
accustomed to doing things rather |
than glibly telling about them.
Little human-interest incidents |
were not plentiful but when they |
came, the audience was quick to |
grasp the opportunity to applaud. |
First of these was the reference to |
other Arctic explorers by whose ex-
perience he had prohted. In this list |
he includes Peary, and this recogni- !
tion of his rival was quickly applaud |
ed.
Then came the statement that his
expedition was not operated by the |
s'poIar trust and that to the financing |
given by John R. Bradley was due it's /
success. This was another signal for
applause. The only other indirect /
reference made to Peary was when /
the doctor described the scene at the |
pole and naively remarked that he !
found there nothing he could nail a
flag to. Outside of these, there was
no reference to his rival.
In referring to his two Eskimo COM
panions the doctor showed his greatest
enthusiasm of the evening. He warm
ed up for the first time in telling of
the courage and loyalty of the two
bows that went with him and showed /
his only sign of pathos when he mar
rated the only time during the trip
when they weakened and one of them.
sick for his hut at home and fearful
of starvation, said to the other: 'It is
we'll to die-beyond is impossible
''I want you to know these boys,
said Dr. Cook, growing confidential |
ed telling of how the faithfulness of
the two had never failed.
Doubts Swept Away.
Little points of doubt that have
a risen in the minds of those who have
followed the polar controversy day by
6av were brushed aside in the person.
All. telling of the narrative.
THE one query as to what kept him
go long in getting back after the pole
rad been reached was very easily un-
derstood when he had told of being
currents in this dead sea of ice, neces-
stating a tragic struggle to get back
~ Annotok The most stirring incident
~ the story was his telling of how
Sa had secreted three cartridges to be
,,sed when it became actually necessary
ond how one of these killed the bear
that kept them from starving to death.
when the story reached the point where
tho dog sleds were abandoned for the
heat and the emaciated d0uSl