The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-10-16

DETAILS CONVERSATION WITH
BLANKENSHIP WHO SAID TIME
WAS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR Ex-
PLORER TO REACH SUMMIT.

New York, Oct. 16.-Four more
affidavits were published today by the
New York Globe in connection with
the investigation of Cooks expedi-
ton to Mount Mckinley. They were
from three more of Cooks party,
Fred Printz, guide; Walter Miller,
photographer, and Samuel Beecher.
Their testimony explains that Cook
and Barrill were alone along to-
gether during the period Cook claims
to have reached the summit. All
three say that Barrill assured them
later that Cooks story was false. The
fourth affidavit was from DR.. John E.
Shore, a physician of LeavenwOrth,
who tells of a conversation with Oscar
F. Blankenship, of the United States
forestry service, in which Blanken-
ship said it was impossible for Cook
to have reached the summit in the
short time Cook and Barrill were alb
sent from camp. Blankenship was
stationed near Mckinley at the time
of Cooks expedition.
DR.. Shores affidavit is as follows:
During the summer of 1907 1 was
with Oscar F.. Blankea-
ship, who told me that while near
Mt Mckinley he knew of DR.. Cooks
alleged ascent of the mountain but
that from his very short absence
from the bunch it was not possible
for him to have made the ascent and
return in that time.
"Blankensip is now forestry
service man at Stehekin. Wash Since
having this conversation I me
Beecher and talked with him abou
the matter He said to me: That
right, but he said they were not say
ing much about the feat, that tf
ascent had never been really made.
The affidavit of Samuel Beecher.
of Peshastin, after describing the
early experience of the party, tells of
a trip which he and several other
members of the expedition took from
their Base camp" He said:
"On July 23 we reached our near
est point to the mountain, the point
being Ia miles from the summit On
this trip we were mapping and TAX
ing observations of the country. At
our last camp the elevation was in
the neighborhood of 5000 feet and
from that point could readily recog-
nize all the pictures shown by DR..
Cook in his magazine articles on the
ascent of the mountain. with the ex-
ception of the pictures shown as be-
ing the summit and the one on page
$50. which are such as might have
been taken at elevations of 5000 or
5000 feet.
Pictures that I recognized could
not have been taken at an elevation
of above 1000 feet.
The point located by Edward Bar
rill as being the point claimed as the
top of Mt Mckinley from my posi-
tion had an apparent elevation of ap-
1000 feet.
From our camp 1 had a view of
nearly the whole route as stated bv
Edward Barrill. l was present at
all times when Mr. Barrill made his
affidavit of even date herewith, and
all the facts stated in his affidavit
covering the period / was with him
are correct.
From my point of view, recog-
nized all the points mentioned by him
and from my knowledge of the con-
ditions as existing there, it would
have been impossible for the climb
Of the mountain to have been made
in the item as claimed by DIR. Cook.
"The reason for my making this
affidavit is not from any personal
animosity or Ill will against DR.. Cook,
but from a sense of justice to the
public