Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-24

geographical NcenSe to start Tor the
pole. Now gentlemen, to the large
public that may be a mystery, but you
who know will appreciate that no ex-
plorer can start and say that he will
reach the pole. Many good men have
tried before. all have failed. All who
understand the problem know that sue
cess is but barely possible when every
conceivable circumstance is fayorable.
Il Is only necessary to make arlnouce-
ment that an expedition enbarks for
the pole to start an undesirable bonn
bast and flourish of trumpets. This 1
chose to, escape. Mr.. John r. Bradley
furnished the funds. I shaped the
rdestiny of the expedition. For the
time being the business concerned us
only. believed then as 1 believe now
that if we succeeded there would be
time enough to fly the banner of vic
tory. You are here tonight-Mr. Brad
ley is here and 1 am here We have
come together to celebrate that vic
tory.
Nov, gentlemen, / appeal to you as
explorers and as men, am 1 bound to
appeal to anybody, to any man. to any
body of men, for license to look for
the pole?
Another criticism is the charge Of
our insufficient equipment. We have
met this. You know that he had every
possible aid to success in sledge trav-
cling. A big ship is no advantage. An
army of white men, who at best are
novices, is a distinct hindrance, while
a cumbersome luxury of equipment is
fatal to progress. We chose to live a
life as simple as that of Adam and<wc
forced the strands of human encur-
ance to scientific limits. If you will
reach the pole there is no other way.
For our simple needs. Mr.. Bradley
furnished sufficient funds. We ware
not overburnened with the usual aids
to pleasure and comfort. But did not
start for that purpose
Nov, as to the excitement of the
press to force things of their own
picking from important records into
print-in reply to this have taken the
stand that have already given a tam
gible account Of our journey. 1t is as
complete as the preliminary reports Of
any previous explorer. The data, the
observations, the record, are of exactly
the same character. Heretofore such
evidence has been taken with faith and
the complete record was not expected
to appear for years, whereas we agree
to deliver all within few months.
"Now, gentlemen, about the pole. We
arrived April 81, 1908. We discovered
new land along the one hundred and
second meridian between the eighty
fourth and the eighty-fifth parallel.
Beyond this there was absolutely no
life and no land The ice was in large,
heavy fields, with few pressure lines.
The drift was south Of east, the wind
was south Of west. Clear weather gave
good regular observations nearly every
day. These observations, combined with
those at the pole on the 21st and 22d
Of April, are sufficient to guarantee our
claim. When taken in connection with
the general record you do not require
this. shall see that this and all the
other records shall come to you in due
course of events.
'sThe report Of this polar success has
come with a sudden force. but In the
present enthusiasm we must not forget
the fathers Of the art of polaf travel.
There is glory enough for all. There is
enough to go to the graves of the dead
and to the heads Of the living.
| MANY are here tonight. The names
are too numerous to mention. Special
mention for honors must be made of
Greedy, Schley, Melville, Peary, Fiala,
Nansen, Abruzzi, Cagni. Sverdrup,
Amundsen, Nordenskjoid and number
of English and other explorers"