The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-08
MORE THAN A YEAR.
Last Previous Message From Peary
Was Received September 1, 1908.

| New York, Sept. S-From the
| time Peary wrote his last letter home
from his depot of supplies at Etah
in August, 1908. until he flashed the
| magic words from Indian Harbor
nothing was known of the fight he
had making across the frozen crust of
| the north. The last words from him
came down to civilization in the mails
of September 1. 1905. The letters
| were written in August aboard the
Roosevelt but were not dated Some
were to Mrs. Peary and others to
personal and business friends. These
latter told little of conditions at Etah,
nor did they speak of what his hopes
| or misgivings might be. Mrs. Peary
withholds the contests of her own let
tiers, but in June 1909, writing to a
| friend in New York she said:
Nothing has been heard from Mr..
Peary since. last fall when the letters
dated Etah. in August were de-
livered. I hope to have news in
appointed If I do not see the COM
mander myself"
Mrs. Peary at other times ex-
pressed the belief that her husband
would be heard from some time this
month and that he would be success
full. At Etah, Peary had established
station for training Eskimos and
dogs and accommodating supplies On
former expeditions it had been his
plan to take his ships as far north as
winter quarters, using Etah as a base
of supplies. The expeditions proper
all are started from whatever win
ter quarters CHANGED to be.
Divided His Party.
This time he divided his party into
three groups-one to make geologi-
cal observations and another to make
meteorological notations and a third
of FIVE or six picked men with dogs
for the last dash to the pole, while
ell ell VTvIU
as supporting parties and establishes
basis of supplies for the return trip
Whether Peary feared he might not
return no one knows. At any rate he
voiced only his hopes, but When the
Roosevelt turned her Prov northward
in the summer of 1908 he left behind
a record of his explorations and let
ters to friends to be opened If he
never came back.
That Peary's friends foresaw some
of the criticisms likely to be evoked
by Dr. Cooks claims as they have
been reported and that they under
took to guard against such g. situation
is shown by the remarkable plan ar
ranged here for reporting the dis
covery he hoped for.
It was agreed that If Peary found the
pole he should notify the woGid n fre1,l SINS his
publisher was to start north from New
York and get his story of the expedition;
with the account of his expedit1on anu
photographs or undeveloped films. The
messenger was to turn his ship to the
south, while the Roosevelt was to point
for Hudson Bay, where with Peary and
all on board she was to be lost to c1yillza-
ton for six weeks.
Changed His Plans.
Until as late as. June. one month before
his departure, this plan was agreed upon
and accepted by Peary But it was he
who abandoned it at the last moment
mo" he said. in rejecting 1t. THE
newspapers and the public have always
treated me fairly and I owe it to them
to give out all the information they want
regarding my explorations I should have
no right to withhold any important data
whatever from the world in case I reach
the pole"
in the vessels hold before he could start
on his last expedition, his friends say he
had a hard time to raise the money
Every penny he could get together was
spent on Improvement equipment and as
sembling supplies at Etah, and so close
was the pinch that when the president or
the United States came aboard at Oyster
Bay on July T. 1905 to bid Mr.. Peary
farewell and good luck, he found craft
clean but actually shabby, because Peary
did not have the money to paint her.