Morris tribune., 1909-07-10
NORWAY.


NORWAY.
A dispatch from Tromsoe, dated
June 27, states that the steamer
Arctic" carrying Walter Wellman's
north pole expedition, returned there
that day from Spitzbergen with he1
flags at half mast, bringing the news
that Knud Johnson, one of the two
men who remained at the Wellman
camp last winter, had perished on the
pack ice and that the airship shed had
been destroyed by heavy storm. On
May 10 Johnson went with his fellow
watchman, Paul Bjoervig, on a hunt
ing expedition over the pack ice. The
ice was moving and Johnson fell
through crevasse into the sea
Bjoervig held out a long stick for
Johnson to grasp, but he was uncon
scious. Bjoervig then ran back to the
camp and secured rope, but when
he returned to the crevasse Johnson's
body had disappeared. A strong gale
from the southwest sprang up on
Christmas day and lasted for eight
days. Bjoervig, who has spent many
winters in Spitzbergen and has been
with Mr.. Wellman on every Arctic ex
pedition since 1894, says he has never
seen such fierce storm as this one
1t reached it's climax on the night OF
Dec. 26, when it entirely destroyed the
airship shed. The whole roof, which
was seventy feet long, was carried
one hundred meters away and broken
to pieces and then the remaining por
tions of the building collapsed. Antici
pating the possibility that the airshiL
house might be destroyed, Walter
Wellman had sent by the "Arctic'
timber and other repairing materials
Walter Wellman, who is now in com
mand of the camp, reports that the
work of rebuilding the house has al
ready begun. Chief Engineer Vani
man has prepared plans for the cree
tion of a new and stronger building
Additional timbers have been ordered
from Tromsoe and relay of work
men has been engaged and will pro-
ceed to Spitzbergen within a few days
The "Artic'' will return Immediately
for another cargo. Messrs. Wellman
and Vaniman say that the destruction
of the airship house means delay OF
four or five weeks, and they are un
certain whether it will be practicable
to finish the new shed in time to make
the voyage northward this summer
Many people in Norway believe that
Mr.. Wellmans plans are impractica-
BILE and that he will never be able to
complete what he has set out to ac.
complish.
The first automobile exposition ever
held in Christiania was opened last
month and proved splendid success
and served to advertise the automo.
bile business in no small degree in
Norway. King Haakon took deep
interest in the exposition and was
present at the opening and on another
occasion. Many notables from all
parts of the country came to take In
the exposition and all pronounced ii
unique AS a result the number of
automobiles are increasing in Norway
at a rapid rate. The roads in Nor.
way are excellent. They are wide
and solidly built and are ideally
adapted for automobiles.
The Norwegians of Baltimore, Nd,
have sent in formal complaint
against the Norwegian consul in
Baltimore for failing to raise the Nor.
wegian flag on May II. The foreign
department will act on the matter in
the near future.
The members of the Danish Venstre
association will make a tour in north
ern Norway during the latter part Of
next month. About sixty Danish
journalists will participate in the ex.
cursion.
The customs receipts at the Christi
ania customs house during the month
of May this year we're $4,000 crowns
less this year than last year during
the same month.