New-York tribune., 1909-09-11
BATTLE OVER THE POLE
PEARY-COOK PARTISANS
ISSUE STATEMENTS.
affirmation and Denial That Com
mander Took Brooklyn Mans
Provisions.

ST. Johns, N F. Sept. 1O.-Commander Rob
ert E. Peary is expected to sail from Battle
Harbor. Labrador. where he put in last Wednes-
day. for North Sydney, c. B.. tomorrow. The
Roosevelt was at Battle Harbor late to-day, and
the wireless station at that point still work
ing overtime on Peary's detailed account of his
Far Northern Journey 1t is understood that
Peary's long stay at that point was not solely
for the purpose of coaling. but was decided on
as stopping place where the commander could
send the account of his trip.
1t is not known here what time Commander
Peary expects to reach North Sydney. but
mariners acquainted with the Roosevelt do not
look for her appearance at the Cape Breton
port before next Monday or Tuesday. Much
will depend the weather conditions IN the
Strait of Belle Isle and on the state of the YES
sells machinery
Unless II is necessary to put into Blanc Sa J.
blon for fresh coal supply Commander Peary
will probably not stop at any port until he
reaches North Sydney
The Peary-Cook controversy is of intense in
terest throughout Newfoundland. Captain
Moses Bartlett, of Brigus. who commanded DR..
Cooks schooner John r. Bradley, which was
fitted out at Gloucester. Mass. in 1907 issued
a public statement follows:
DR.. Cook is correct in stating that Peary took
his provisions after the steamer Erik returned
70 Brigus last fall Three of her crew who be-
longed to Brigus told me that when Peary ar
rived at Etah that summer he took possession
OF all the stores had left there the previous
fall for Cook against the latter's return from
the north. These men say they helped to move
the stuff from where left it. The men are now
on the Labrador coast This supply consisted of
two dOry loads of stores food and kerosene
which our crew piled on the beach and then
placed the dories over, bottom UP, piling stones
around and above them to make a cache. At
AnnatOok. thirty miles north, where Cook land
ed, had previously put ashore two years sup
Mi for C0OIr 1H five tons Of hor CAv,r
vessel. the John R Bradley. was laden With
stores and ten tons of hard coal When Cook
landed we gave him half the coal and the stores
except what we required TO bring us home Cook
could not steal Peary's provisions because Peary
had none on any part of the coast, having used
up all the provisions left there by previous ex-
petitions in his 19O5-'O6 trip.
When seen tonight Richard Pike. chief en-
gineer of the steamer Erik. which served as an
auxiliary vessel for Commander Peary last year
by conveying stores and coal to Etah TO sup
plenent those on the Roosevelt said that Peary
did not take Cooks provisions they
put on board of Peary's ship, Pike said:
Peary left two men of the Roosevelt. the
boatswain and one of the fremen. with the i'm
mense accumulation of supplies he left at Etah
when the Roosevelt went north and the Erik
came south. These men apparently in mistake
took some of Cooks stores that were also cached
there.
Another member Of the Erik's crew. who re-
fused to have his name published. said tonight
that the stores were taken by an understand
ing with Francke. Cooks assistant, in part pay
ment for his passage from Etah TO the United
States The stock of ivory. furs. skins and
curiosities which Francke and Cook had accu-
mulated accepted as the equivalent of
passage money, he said The seaman said that
at that time Cook was regarded dead. as he
had been missing. and his stores and belongings
were regarded as legitimately available for this
purpose. 1t was intimated to Francke the sea
man added, that in return for these gifts re-
lief expedition would be organized as a sort
of side line by the Roosevelt's crew to search
for Cook and bring him back. should he be
found alive.