Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-09-10
Western Hemisphere.

Paris, Sept. 4.-The Paris edition of
the New York Herald last night pub
lished q signed statement from DIR.
Frederick A. Cook, which is dated
hans Egede, Lerwick, Wednesday," IN
his experiences in the arctic regions.
After a prolonged fight with famine
r frost" says Dr.. Cook, 1--WE have at
last succeeded in reaching the north
pole. A new highway with an inter-
esting strip of animated nature has
been explored, and big game haunts To-
Gated, which will delight sportsmen
and extend the Esquimaux horizon.
Land has been discovered on which
rests the earth'S n"orthernmost rocks.
"A triangle of $4,000 square miles has
been cut out of the terrestrial I'M
known.
Outcome of Summer Cruise.
The expedition was the outcome of
the summer cruise in the arctic seas
on the schooner Bradley, which arrived
at the limits of navigation in Smith
sound late in August, 1907. Here con-
diriOns were found favorable for
launching a venture to the pole. J. r.
RraCley literally supplied from his
vessel suitable provisions for local use.
My own equipment for emergencies
served we'll for every purpose of arctic
travel. Many Esquimaux had gathered
W NV "a ShAAN a ActNS IN
for the winter bear hunt. Immense
quantities of meat had been collected
and about the camp were plenty of
strong dogs. The combination was
lucky, for there was good material for
equipment.
"All that was required was conven-
iently arranged for at a point only 700
miles from the boreal center. House
ana workshop were built out of pack
ing fCxes by willing hands, and the
northernmost tribe of $50 people set
themselves to the problem of deVising
a suitable outfit. Before the end Of the
long winter night we We're ready for
tdred to force a new route over Grin
nell land ~northward along it's coas out
toward the polar sea.
Start for the Pole.
THE campaign opened with a few
scouting parties being sent over the
American shores to explore the way
and seek the game haunts. This mis-
sion was only partly successful because
of the storm. At sunrise of 1908 CFeb.
19) the May expedition embarked on its
voyage to the pole. 1t consisted of IL
men and 103 dogs drawing IL heavily
laden sledges. The expedition left the
Greenland shore and pushed westward
over the troubled ice of Smith sound.
The gloom of the long night was re-
lieved only by a few hours of daylight.
The chill of the winter was felt at it's
worst. AS we crossed the heights of
Ellsmore sound to the Pacific slope the
temperature sank to minus 3S cent?
grade. Several men were frozen and
the men suffered severely, but we soon
found the game trails along which the
way was easy. We forced our way
through Nansen sound to Lands end.
Starts Final Effort.
I'm March we secured 101 musk oxen,
z bears and 335 hares. We pushed out
into the polar sea from the southern
point of Herbert island on March Is.
Six Eskimos returned from here. With
four men n As dogs moving supplies
for 80 days. the crossing of the circum-
polar pack was begun. Three days
later two other Eskimos, forming the
last supporting party, returned, and the
trial had now been reduced by the sur
vival of the fttest. The two best men
and 26 dogs were picked for the final
effort.
There before us in an unknown line
of 400 miles lay our goal. The first
days journey provided long marches,
and we made encouraging progress. A
big lead which separated the and from
the ice in the central pack was crossed
with little delay. The low temperature
was persistent and the winds made life
a torture. But cooped up in our snow
houses, eating dried beef and tallow
and drinking hot tea, there were some
animal comforts occasionally to be OBJ
tanned.
New Land Discovered.
For several days after the sight of
the known land was lost the overcast
sky prevented an accurate determina-
ton of our positions. On March 80 the
horizon was partly cleared and new
land was I'VE
Our observations rave our position
as latitude SAT-, longitude $685.. There
was urgent need of rapid advance. Our
main mission did not permit a detour
for the purpose of exploring the coast.
Here were seen the last signs OF solid
earth, beyond there was nothing stable
to be seen. We advanced steadily over
the monotony OF moving sea ice and
found ourselves beyond the II of all
life-neither footprints of bears northe
JEFFERSON CITY. MO.-According
to the report of the state beer in
spector more beer was sold in Missouri
In August than I'm any previous month