The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-10

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New York city.-Peary has sue
1Geehea. n
stars and Stripes nailed to the
North Pole"
From out the Arctic darkness there
was flashed this message which stun
ned the scientific world and thrilled
the heart of every layman. From the
coass OF Labrador, .kobert q. Peary
gave to the world the news that he
had attained his goal In the far north.
while at the same moment In far of
Denmark DR.. Frederick A. Cook of
Brooklyn was being liOnized by roy
atty for the same achievement
Undeniably Yankee grit has con-
Quered the frozen north and there has
been created a coincidence such as
the world may never see again. Two
Americans planted the flag of their
country in the laud OF ice which man
has sought to penetrate for four cen
turtles, and eacn ignorant of the 9th
ors conquest has mashed within a pc
TiOd of i've days a laconic message
Of success to the waiting world.
First word of Pearys success reach
ed New York in dispatch to the
Associated Press. 1t contained the
bare announcement of his finding the
pole Almost simultaneously he had
transmitted the news to London. At
the same time he similarly advised
the governor of Newfoundland
Both the old and the new world
were thus appraised of his great
achievement practically at the same
moment, and the excitement which
followed attested to the high pitch OF
interest aroused over this climax OF
mans perseverance,. Newspaper ex.
~tras were rushed from the press and
Whose who read marveled at the twist
Of the universe which mad snatched
the ice mask from the north IN a
panner so strange.
Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenha-,
gen was electrified by the report OF
Commander Peary's announcement
that he had reached the North Pole.
Or. Cook was immensely interested
and said:
"That is good news. | hope Peary
and reports on that region will con-
firm mine"
1t is doubtful IL history furnishes
more dramatic episGAe than thesbreak-
Ing Of the news to Or. Cook that
Peary had realized the goal of his
lilies ambition, and repeated strug-
giles, DR.. Cook was seated at u din
ner surrounded by explorers
Amid this scene a whisper went
around that Peary had planted the
Stars and Stripes at the pole.
Dr. Cook did not permit the whis-
pers which came to his ears OF Pea
rvs success to move him in the least.
he was surrounded by correspond
ents, who looked for some sign If
emotion, but the explorer said, smil
ingly:
u am glad"
Asked If there was. any probability
of Pearys having found the tube CON
tanning his records, DR.. Cook re-
piled:
Il hope so, but that is doubtful on
account of the drift"
DIR. Cook added:
Commander Peary reached the
.QA this year probably; while | was
thAre last year. His route was sever
al hundred miles east of mine. We
arc rivals, OF course; but the pole is
big enough for two,
That two men got to the pole
along different paths,' continued the
explorer, should furnish large addi-
tiOns TO scientific knowledge. Prob.
ably other parties viii reach it in the
next ten years since every explorer
As helped by the experiences Of his
predecessors, Just as. Sverdrun's OBJ
servations and reports were of inn
measurable help to me. can say
nothing more without knowing fur
ther details, than that | am glad
Y uf it, ~.