Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-12-22
PEARYS OWN STORY OF HIS
TRIP TO THE NORTH POLE
The Intrepid Explorer Relates Incidents and Particulars
Concerning His Last Voyage to the Polar Regions
Which Was Crowned With Success.


Arctic explorer, addressed a large aud
fence at ST. Louis, Mo-, few even
ings ago upon the subject of his dis
covery of the North Pole. a report of
which we give herewith as published
in the Globe Democrat, of that city.
Commander Robert E. Peary' story
of the discovery of the North Pole
on April 6, 1909 as he told it in
clear, unembellished style, was heard
by about 1000 people at the Coliseum
last night. His manner of narration,
in short, terse sentences, while i'm
pressive and convincing, was more
effective in siezing and holding the
interest of his audience than in
provoking applause and the enthusiasm
of the crowd was not aroused Until
the end of the arduous journey, as IL
Illustrated on the screen, was reached,
At this point of the lecture the Stars
and Stripes were shown as he planted
them at the top Of the world, and
tumult of applause broke forth and
continued for several minutes.
Following the applause which
greeted his introduction, Commander
peary spoke, in part, as follows:
President Wenneker, Gentleman OF
the Million Population Club, Ladies
and Gentlemen : 1 very deeply ap-
preciate the kindly words OF Gov.
Francis. l thank you from the
bottom of my heart for your generous
and kindly welcome. am particular
ly indebted to Mr.. 'Wenneker and his
friends for their interest. which has
given me this pleasure in addressing
here tonight such an audience as this
in st. Louis; for this opportunity to
tell you something about what it
means to reach the North Pole.
A little less than 400 years ago
England sent out the first recorded
expedition in search of the North
Pole Eighty years later, in 1907,
took place the historic voyage OF
Hendrick Hudson. From that time
on for 275 years Great Britain held
the record of TIE highest north,
gradually pushing the record up to
SO degrees 20 minutes of north
latitude. Then in 1882 the record
came to US, with the reading of SO
degrees and 2 minutes. Thirteen
years later Norway took the lead,
with So degrees IA minutes and five
years later a member of the royal
family of Italy, Abruzzi, grasped
the blue ribbon by record of Sc
degrees 81 minutes. Six years later
the record came back to this country,
with a record Of 81 degrees and 6
minutes.
And so matters stood a year ago
last spring. when the Peary Arctic
Club of New York City was fitting
out the third and last expedition for
the North Pole. The object which
this club placed before itself was the
attainment of the North Pole. That
work meant the driving of certain
number of men from New York City
to the pole. distance of 1000 miles
in straight line. That is only about
the same distance it is from New
York to Liverpool, but there is a good
deal more travel in that distance than
there is between New York aud
Liverpool. The work naturally
divided itself into two parts. The
key of the whole problem was the
negotiation of the 413 miles of icy
chaos extending from Cape Columbia.
the most northern point of all North
America, to the pole.
Before going to the pictures which
I shall show you here tonight here
let me say, it is by the eye only that
we can get the quickest, most COM
prehensive idea, the most accurate
description of what Arctic work is),
before going to the pictures am
going to take a moment or two OF
your time; I am going to intiict upon
you a very brief lesson in geography,
with the assistance of some charts.
MAPS OF FAR NORTH.
After you have located yourself
geographically. in a general way,
then fancy you will better be able
to understand the pictures which are
to follow. So, with your permission,
1 will show you this map.
First, we have a representation of
the earth in the face, with North
America and the United States in the
foreground. From New York, which
you can all pick out, on the right
hand border of the United States,
we pass Cape Breton to Sydney, where
the ship filled with coal, then up
north to Belle Isle, through Davis
Straits, through Bafin's Bay, and SO
to Cane York the most northern DOint