The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-11-29

Washington. Nov. zS-WaiteV Well
man. whosc preparations for a con
quest OF the North Pole Ia an airshlp
were abandoned upon the announce
uent af the claims OF Dr.. Frederick
A. Cook. and Commander Robert T.
Peary. tonight Issued a long state
ment in which he analyzes the nara
tlvcs OF the two explorers. declaring
that Of Peary 20 be precise, workman
like. consistent. credible in every par
rlcular, and denouncine that OF ID.
Cook as self evidone and even dellb-
crate imposture.
Cooks story Is suspicious, in both
what II does tell and what II does not
tell" Mr.. Wellman declares.
He Is generally vague and indehn-
itc but. Ike most men OF his class
altogether TOO precise al the wrong
place. Nowhere does his story ring
true. II IS always an approximation
OF reality Itself This is true OF bis
figures. his descriptions Of every
thing
Bitter Arraienment.
Those OF us who have had share
in Arctic work, and who have felt
anxiety that no blot OF fraud should
stain the proud record OF efforts and
sacrifice. had first hope that DIT.
Cook would be able TO demonstrate
his good faith This has dissolved In
ANALYSIS OF his own story. A second
hope-that he was the victim OF some
hallucinatiOn OF mental illness, and
himself believed he had been 10 the
pole. though or course he has not
vanlshes In the light OF earlier and
subsequent events. IL remains there
fore only a wretchcd alternative that
the Journey which he did make and
the report which he gave Of it we're
deliberately planned from the outset W
The aist OF Mr. Wellman's finding Is
that, with his meagre party and equip
ment. DR.. Cook could not possibly
have accomplished the feat for which
he claims credit. that his astronomi-
cal data are too minutely precise
TO have been made under the claimed
conditions in the field. and that the
explorers dash for the lecture plat
form and his acceptance OF crowns
of flowers placed upon his head by
innocent men and women and chill
dren." before submitting his field rec
ords To scientific examination all con
spire TO his dlscredit
Attacks Story OF Trip,
Mr. Wellman first attacks Cooks
story OF his journey He points out
that Arctic sledging is not new ven
ture nor an experiment. but has been
reduced almost TO a science. He pro-
ceeds to the proposition that the first
thing TO be done in advancing over
the ice fields is the reduction 10 the
minimum OF food and fuel. and. sec
ondly. the organization OF supporting
parties that can be sent back from
the dwindling main body. until the
few who are hardest enter on the
final struggle TO the goal.
The longer the route. he sets forth.
necessarily the greater the weight
OF food and fuel, and. in consequence.
a much slower pace.
Baslng his argument mainly on
these principles. Mr.. Wcllman. takes
up a comparison of the supposed
achievements of Peary and Cook. He
quotes from records TO show that the
former took his ship to within 100
miles OF the pole, advancing supplies
and his party forty-seyen miles clos
cr in the autumn and spring. Cook.
he points out. started from Annatook.
700 geographical miles from the pole.
and went 40 geographical miles west
ward before turning northward. ac-
cordlng TO his own story.
Peary Laid Plans Carefully.
Peary. Wellman. continues. mapped
out his plans carefully for the ad-
vance and started with fifty or sixty
men. 14O dogs and twenty-one slodges.
He divided his party so he had four
supporting parties who kept open the
back trail and in leaving the main
body. llghtened loads that men and
dogs were compelled to draw.
"Dr Cook had no supporting party"
said Wellmnn. except for the first
three days. His party consisted of
three men. twenty-siX dogs and two
sledges in the long dash he made"