The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-12-11
NEvER cLIMeER Mr. MCKINLEY
Prof. Parker Says Cook Knows Moth
ing of Mountaineering.

/
Portland, Me-, Dec. 9.-The Lewis
ton Evening Journal published an in
terview with Prof Herschel c. Par
ker of Columbia university in which
he gives his reasons in detail for
branding Frederick A. Cooks story of
his ascent of Mount Mckinley as
false.
Prof Parker was in that city visit
ing and the interview is signed by l..
c. Bateman, newspaper man and
friend. In beginning his story Prof.
Parker says:
1T is with profound regret that
feel obliged to impeach the manhood
and honor of a personal friend. Moth
ing but stern necessity would prompt
me to do this, but this is case
where truth and justice as well as
science and civilization compel the
step Dr. Frederick Cook never
made the ascent of Mount Mckinley
as he has claimed"
He then reviews their joint at
tempt to climb the mountain and its
failure. Continuing he says:
Then we made an agreement to
return home and prepare for another
attempt the following year from the
| Yukon side of the mountain Russell
Porter, the topographer, was left to
make a map of the country south
west of the mountain, a packer was
left with the horse until the return
of hunting party, while the rest Of
us including Cook and myself, took
the boat back TO Tyonik on the coast
of Alaska.
MY experience with Cook had de-
monstrated that he knew nothing
about mountain climbing and had no
scientific training. All the measure
ments and care of the two hypsome
tiers fell to me. In fact l was in full
, charge of the expedition, as Cook
seemed to realize his own total in
competence for such work.
1T was in the middle of August
when we parted His last words to
me were that he simply wanted to
look over some of the nearby glaciers
, came home and you may Judge OF
my surprise when one month later he
telegraphed that he had reached the
summit of Mount Mckinley.
In proof of this startling asser-
ton he offered nothing whatever.
The statement was an impossibility
on its face and for this ! will give the
proof.
when his report came he said
that he had remained two weeks to
fix up his boat after ! had left and
had then reorganized the party for
the ascent of the mountain.
Now let us see how he reorgan-
lied the party First he sent Printz
and Miller back up the Yentna on a
hunting trip. The naturalist of the
party, Browne, who was my intimate
friend be sent off in a different direc-
tion with one of the assistant pack
ers. Beecher was sent OFF in still
another direction on a hunting trip,
leaving only Barrill with himself
Funny was to organize an expedition
of that nature wasn't it?
When Cook sent my friend Browne
away he declared positively that he
was only going to remain short
time to hunt and examine the glaci-
ers. This was the same story that
he had told me. Now listen. At the
same time he sent the following mes
sage to Editor Bridgeman of the
Brooklyn Standard Union.
We are making our final prepa
rations / will telegraph you if any
thing important happens.
Now if this telegram to Bridge
man meant anything it must have
meant that he was preparing to as
cend the mountain. And remember
that all this time he had been telling
the rest of us that he was going to
stay a short time to hunt and exam
inc the glaciers on the Chulitna riv-
err.
THAT isn't the worst of it. He had
been sending away all the best men
on hunting trips while making these
final preparations. In fact he retain
ed only the assistant packer, Edward
Barrill and one prospector that he
had picked up in Alaska A curious
way to prepare for a mighty under
taking, truly.
with these two men Cook remain
ed on the Chulitna river for two
weeks fixing up his boat and in two
weeks more he returned to his party
and reported that he had reached the
summit of Mount Mckinley by the
northeastern ridge.
In his book he says that in going
up the Chulitna river he picked out
several different routes over the
northeastern ridge and by one Of
these reached the summit.
THE impossibility of this lies in
the fact that he was from fifteen to
twenty miles further away from the
mountain and 1900 feet lower while
in the boat than we had been when
examining the ridge with our glasses
from the peaks.
The nearest point to the mountain
at which he could have been while in
the boat was forty miles and at an
elevation of only 1000 feet above the
sea. On the peaks we had been at
an elevation of 5000 feet and with
our glasses could sweep the entire
ridge There was no possible route
that way. The statement of Cook
was absurd on its face.
when Dr. Cook was questioned as