The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-08
COOKS AND PEARYS RIVAL
CLAIMS TO DISCOVERY OF
POLE DISCUSSED.
BOTH have A FOLLOWING
Explorer Is Presented With Gold
Medal by Crown Prince and Makes
an Address Which Is Lister,.d to by
Royaity-Refuses to Enter Into Con-
troversy With Naval Officer.

Copenhagen, Sept. IA remarkable
result of Commander Peary's rivalry
with DIR. Cook for the discovery of the
pole Is that DIR. Cooks profits from
the enterprise likely win be largely
increased. He received today offers
for his books and lectures at twice the
figures previously rendered One
American cabled terms almost star
tling, and, 1T is believed, far beyond
any sum hitherto paid for such work.
DIR. Cook is likely to accept this offer
The controversy is beginning to wax
warmer here. Commander Peary's
statement is unanimously accepted as
true, but there Is a very large follow
ing faithful to DIR. Cook. His lecture
before the Geographical society to-
night, however. added little to the in
formation he had given out with refers
enee to his expedition. and he repeat
ed his intention to withhold details
until the publication of his books.
Gold Medal.
The king and queen, Prince and
Princess George of Greece and MANY
members of the royal family tonight
II.
Cook of gold medal by the crown
prince and listened to the explorers
lecture afterward. In introducing the
explorer the crown prince said that
his reception in Greenland and at CO.
penhagen showed the way the Danes
appreciated his wonderful exploit
The prince then begged the honor of
presenting to him the medal of the
Geographical society. DIR. Cook told
his story without hesitation, but most
of his statements had been given out
before.
1T is too early" he said ito give
the general results of the expedition.
Time is required to digest the work of
polar effort. This northward dash has
occupied the minds of men for more
than 300 years. Slowly and surely the
ladder Of ATTITUDES has been climbed
with various degrees of success. Ex-
nerience was gained. and each exne-
dition profited by the misfortune of
its predecessors.
Art Created.
THE art of polar travel has been
created, and this art was the nucleus
OF our equipment. We changed tac-
ties to suit our purpose. but | am
bound to acknowledge at the outset
that success would not have been Dos
sibie without the less fortunate fore
runners. All honor to the pioneers. /
the pathfinders to the pole. the ear
lier explorers. We are particularly in !
indebted to Nansen and Peary, and
many Danish explorers. for the last |
stages inf nnlar Ia
/ am especially indebted To Captain !
Sverdrup. who Is here tonight. His /
work gave us a new road, which af- |
iorded us a chance to try the ice /
little farther west.
although profiting by other VEN |
lures. our expeditions differed I'm |
some important respects. The route
we selected l had planned out years
ago, as result of reading the splen-
did narrative of Sverdrnp. About the |
middle of 1907, when We started. the
pole was no part of the program.
which aimed altogether at study and
recreation, with the pole possibly as IA
future problem
DIR. Cook cleared up the doubts
about the lowest temperature record
ed, which he reiterated was minus 81
degrees zero, Fahrenheit. He said he
had no doubt that the observations
made would prove that he had been
on and around the Goth degree
IF / have been within a circle a
kilometer in diameter where the pole
is situated" exclaimed the explorer.
Il am satisfied that is quite sufficient
for practical purposes. | viii say no
more until my book is published"
When shown the disratch which
said that Commander Peary claimed
To be the first man to reach the pole
DIR. Cook said:
Commander Peary. of course. can
say whatever he wishes. / am not ae-
eustomed to indulge in controversies
All | have to say about Commander
Peary is that If he says he reached the
north pole | believe he reached the
north pole"