The Tupelo journal., 1909-09-10
AN AMERICANS SUCCESS.

For the past thousand years or
more men have labored and tried
to reach the apex of the earth,
the north pole, but all to no sue
cess. Many millions of dollars
have been spent upon fitting out
exploring expeditions. After sll
these failures a modest New
Yorker by the name of Cook has
found that coveted spot. While
J chis may do a great deal in tn.
matter of science, it proves only
a vast body of smooth ice. While
DR.. Cook says he does not posi-
lively know that he placed his
foot or his finger on the exact
spat, he was SO near that a rock
could be thrown over it. His in
struments showed him to be in
such close proximity to the roof
of the world that they would
point only in a direction south.
In 1858 Sir Hugh Willoughby
started on a trial for the north
pole, but succeeded in losing his
life and the lives of 81 others.
Since then various expeditions
have been out but to no ~satisfac
ton. The highest number OF
lives lost was in the Franklin ex-
petition in 1916, 1876, it being his
third voyage. In the three voy-
ages made by him a total of 14l
lives were sacrificed. SiXty-three
voyages have been made with an
attempt to locate the prize A
great amount of life and energy
have been wasted. Men have
fought for a something they
knew nothing about.
The north pole has been found
and the world at large is rejoic-
ing over the fact. Daily papers
are giving page after page to the
story and men are clamoring for
an interview with Dr.. Cook, go
ing to meet him, taking hundred
mile trips in order to be the first
to grasp his hand. Plans are
already on foot to secure him for
a tour of lectures to be given in
The south. The world is glad the
pole has been found. Below we
give a sketch Of the finding of
the pole in DR.. Cooks own
words:
But there came an end to this, as to
Ill things. On April q the first correc-
ed altitude of the sun gave SO degrees,
50 minutes, As seconds.
The pole, therefore, was in sight.
We advanced the fourteen seconds,
made supplementary observations arr
prepared to stay long enough to permit
4 double round Of observations.
Etakishook and Asewelab were told
hat we had reached the "neig nail"
md they sought to celebrate by an adj
lance of savage joys.
At last we had pierced the boreal
;enter ard the flag had been raised to
he coveted breezes of the north pole.
The day was April q, 1908. The sun
indicated local noon, but time wasa
negative problem, for h9re all meridians
meet. With one step it was possible 10
90 from one part of the globe to the
opposite side.
From the kour of midnight to that of
midday the latitude was so, the temper
ature 30 and the barometer 20. 83.
North, east and west had vani4hed.
It was south in every direction, but the
compass pointing to the magnetic pole
was as useful as ever.
Though overjoyed with the success
of the conquest, our spirits began to
descend on the following day after all
the observations had been taken with a
careful study of the local conditions, a
n of intence loneliness came with
the further scrutiny of the horizon.
What a cherries spot to have aroused
the ambition of mar for SO many ages.
An endless field of purple SHOWS. No
life. No land. No spot to relieve the
monotony of FROST. We were the only
p~ulsating creatures in a dead world Of
ice.