Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-20
"DiD COOK REACH THE POLE?"

| oyuIltS, y. D., Sept. lS.-Wll I'LL the
| approach of Commander Robert +.
| Peary and DR.. Frederick A. Cook to
| American ports the question which has
developed a controversy Of world wild =
| interest, Has Cook been to the pole 2"
| is being asked repeatedly by those who
have gathered here to greet the COM
mander. New light was thrown on the
controversy today on the arrival Of
the steamship Tyrian from Battle Har
Dor, where the correspondents learned
from two members of Peary's eXpedi-
ton that DR.. Cook had met them at
Etah and had mentioned nothing of
discovering the pole.
When Harry Whitney. George Nor
ton and Larned went to Etah on the
Erik to bring provisions for Command
er Peary. both Norton and Larrea
turned back and Whitney obtained
permission from Commander Peary 10
remain at the Etah station. Com
mander Peary stationed John Murphy
bOatSwain of the Roosevelt and Will
liam Prichard, assistant cook of the
Roosevelt, at Etah to guard the stores.
Murphy, telling of his experience at
Etah, said to the newspaper men:
ashore at Etah to guard the stores
which | saw taken from the Roosevelt
and the Erik Some time last spring
a white man came into camp and Mr..
Whitney told me that it was DR.. Cook
He did not stay long in camp and soon
went away. Cook looked tired and worn
out and said he was hungry. | had
an argument with him. as he claimed
that some Of the stores that we We're
guarding belonged to him. He only
had two F,skimauX with him and as all
,, his 1r0gg We're dead the doctor had to
pull his own sledges."
Pritchard said the Eskimaux told him
they had been Way way north"
None of the Peary party at Battle
Harbor would discuss what Informal
ion has been learned from Harry Whit
ney as Commander Peary had given
orders that the Cook controversy must
not be mentioned. 1t was commonly
reported at Battle Harbor. however.
that Peary had some difference with
Whitney, who decided that instead of
returning to Sydney on the Roosevelt.
he would do some shooting in Green
land
Friends of DR.. Cook here pointed out
that when Commander Peary on his
return from the pole sent for Prof. Nc
MILAN, who had gone to establish a
base of supplies at Cape Morris Jes
sup, he did not mention in his letter
TO the professor anything of his dis
covery of the pole.
The message which was made public
by Prof. Mcmillan at Battle Harbor,
read:
IS. s. Roosevelt, April IS, 1909.
MY Dear McMillian:
ARRIVED on board yesterday. North
ern trip was entirely successful
There is no need OF Greenland depot.
Captain came on board the gath. Con-
centrate all your energies on tidal OBJ
servations and line soundngs north
from Cape Morris Jessup Use intend
ed supplies for me for this purpose.
(Signed) COMMANDER PEARY.
The adherents of Commander Peary
assert that the words in the message
Northern trip entirely successfully
indicate clearly that the expedition hal
accomplished it's purpose.
Prof Mcmillan said at Battle Harbor
that he had seen Harry Whitney at Etah
and that Whitney did not tell anyone of
DIR. Cooks reported discovery of the pole.
1t was in an old sail and stores loft in
Battle Harbor, Labrador, that Command
CT Peary told the story to a score or more
correspondents of his journey to the pole.
He will head no more trips to the Arctic
nor for that matter, to the Antarctic. His
work in the Ice fields is finished.
Il have accomplished the ambition of
my life" said the commander. Il shall
always be interested in Arctic exploration,
but it must now be left to younger men"
A pale. cherries Labrador sun weakly
penetrated the gable window of the
musty loft and dimly lighted the place.
Tall and military in his bearing. the ex-
plorer was easily the commanding figure
of the company gathered there. Dressed
in dark blue shirt of rough material,
with trousers tucked In pair of high
topped rubber boots that reached to his
hips. he looked for all the world like a
Newfoundland fisherman. The feeble sun
light played about the tense, gaunt face
of the explorer and showed the lines and
seams of his long life In the North. A
sandy moustache and hair that had grown
negligently in the Arctic sought to give
the lie to the precise expression of his
mouth and searching look Of his steel blue
eyes.
Commander Peary often broke his mar
rative to call upon Prof Donald McMil-
Ian. naturalist and geologist of the expe-
dition, to relate some incident of the trip.
No less interesting that Peary's dash to
the pole were the discoveries by Prof.
Mcmillan of relics and stores of seven
previous Arctic expeditions-those of Gen.
Greedy in 1Ss1-4; Commander Hall in
1871; the Amundsen exploration party Of
Continued on Page Tenn