Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-24
BROOKLYN BACKS COOK;
TO ERECT A MONUMENT
"He Is a Noble Martyr" Says
One Friend, Discussing
Verdict

NEW YORK, Dec. pa committee
! which was appointed by the Brooklyn
| neighbors of Dr. Cook some months ago
! to raise funds for the erection of a mon
ument to the explorer has decided to go
on with its work in spite of the cables
from Copenhagen.
"Dr. Cook" according to one member
| of the committee. lis a noble martyr.
The rest of the worldNnay take the word
of those indoor polar explorers. over in
| Copenhagen. but his neighbors in old
| Bushwick know that DR.. Cook discovered
| the pole because he told US so himself.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Dec. 2S.-The ex-
Ieditioa that was organized seYeraI
months ago to attempt an ascent of Mount
( Mckinley and either disprove or verify
Dr. Frederick A. Cooks story that he
reached the summit. set out from Fair
banks today with dog teams and supplies
to establish a base at the foot of the
mountain, to be ready to make dash for
the summit in March at the first break
in the winter.
The party is composed of Thomas
Lloyd. William Taylor, Charles McGoni-
gle Peter Anderson, Robert Horn and
Charles Davidson, all hardy Alaskan pic
neers and familiar with the mountains.
They will forfeit 5000 If none OF the par
ty reaches the summit.
: his complete confidence in DR.. Cook.
! Rear Admiral w. S. Schley, retired, to-
day called publicly upon Commander
Peary to submit his proofs that he
reached the north polesto some scien-
tific body other than the National Geo
graphic society. This, the admiral de-
cIares. should be done at once in the
interest Of justice and to establish be-
yond question the claims of Peary.
The admiral believes that the same
body which threw out and repudiated
Cooks data, should be permitted to
! pass upon the data submitted by Peary
| to the. Geographic society.
"The Danes are the best posted body
of men in the world on arctic matters"
ne said. FThe consistory of the, Uni
| versity of Copenhagen should be given
the opportunity to examine the PearY
proofs, for in that way they would be
submitted to the same test that was
applied to those of Cook"
Moreover, Admiral Schley believes
that the submission of the proofs to
! Copenhagen shoul be insisted upon by
/ Copenhagen should be insisted upon by
Geographic society's attitude may be.
Admiral Scnley declined to say on
what grounds he took exceptions to the
| finding of the scientists of the UNI
| versity of Copenhagen. that Cook had
/ not been at the North Pole. He merely
rea ffrmed his belief in the explorer,
adding that he believed also that Peary,
too, had gained the top Of the eartn.
The Importance Of the admirals de-
mand is increased by the fact that ne
! has had wide experience in the far
north. In 1884 he was in command of
| the Thetis expedition, which resulted
I in the rescue of Lieutenant Greedy and
IT. r1I 90 ~
| Cape Sabine. and whom the civilized
world had practically given up for lost.
For his rescue Schley, then a captain
in the service, was awarded a gold
watch and a vote of thanks by the
Maryland legislature and a medal Of
honor by the Massachusetts Humane
society.
PEARY IS SILENT.
NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-"I have no
comment to make on Admiral Schley's
statement" was the brief written state
ment sent out by Commander Peary %
night from the banquet nall at the
Waldorf-Astoria, where he was the
guest of the New England society.
CHRISTIANA, Dec. 23.-FridtJor
hansen, the Norwegian arctic explorer,
today broke his long silence and talked
Of the Peary-Cook controversy.
1T is my opinion" he said, that
Cook is no longer interesting. He is
practically a dead man and ought to
vanish from the consideration of the
world. l never trusted him, for the
| first report he made did not inspire
confidence, especially has statements
made concerning the distance of four
teen seconds from the pole. This prov
ed that Cook was ignorant OF the SIM
plest principles of economical ohserva-
tions. Even his later reports con-
tanned nothing OF value On the con-
trary they were filled with improbable
tiles and contradictions.
From the first l was unable to sup
port DIR. Cook. 1 therefore preferred
TO keep silent. AS for Peary, L never
doubted his veracity, although 1 did not
approve of his behavior atter his return.
However, it is easy to understand his in
dignatiOn. At least he is a man, and
there is no comparison between him
and Cook"