Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-09-14
PEARY ACHIEVES POLE;
HAILED BY SCIENTISTS
Laconic Messages Tell of Success
After Twenty Years PeriIous
Striving.
VICTORY ON APRIL 6. 1903
Americas Savants Applaud the Feat
Accomplished After That of
DR.. Cook.


flashed by wireless from the coast of
Labrador to the New York news bu-
reaus at noon Monday made Com
mander Robert E. Peary, the second
American citizen within FIVE days to
report to an astounded world the dis
covery of the North Pole Later adj
vices showed that Commander Peary
had reached the pole on April 6, 1909,
one year, lacking fifteen days. after
DR.. Frederick A. Cook had achieved
the same prize.
The brief and thrilling message
which conveyed the first tidings of
Peary's feat was dated from Indian
Harbor, via Cape Race, Newfoundland,
and read
Stars and Stripes nailed to the
pole. PEARY"
While this message was being ca
bled to Europe, where DR.. Frederick
A. Cook is now receiving his reward
OF public homage and royal honors as
the first white man to reach the top
OF the world, and while doubt of it's
authenticity was being voiced in some
quarters, confirming messages began
to follow thick and fast, and now
there weS not the shadow of doubt
that Robert E. Peary, the most daunt-
less and persevering explorer that ever
lived, the man who has spent two
decades and as many fortunes in the
search for the prize of the centuries,
had actually accomplished his task and
was returning home with records and
white witnesses to prove his conquest.
Sends Joyous Message to Wife.
The explorers joyous message to
his wife was most humanity interest
ing. 1t read:
Indian Harbor, via Cape Ray,
Sept. 6, 1909.
Mrs. R. E. Peary, South Harpswell,
Me-:
Il have found the D. o. P. All well.
Love. Will wire again from Chateau.
BERT.
From st. Johns, n. F., came the an
nouncement that Peary had telegraph
ed the Governor of New Foundland by
wireless from Labrador stating that
he had reached the pole and congratu-
lating New Foundland on its part in
the discovery, because of the fact that
the captain and the crew of Pearys
ship were New Foundlanders.
Sure of One White Witness.
One of the most significant dispatch
es as bearing on any possible future
controversy over the honors of discov
cry was that received in Freeport,
Me-, at o'clock Monday afternoon by
B. D. Mcmillan, an instructor in
Worcester Academy, who accompanied
Peary on his trip. The message shows
that Peary had at least one white man
to confirm his claims. Mcmillan
wired:
Indian Harbor, Sept 6, 1909.
Mrs. W. c. Fogg, Freeport, Me-:
Arrived safe. Pole on board. Best
year of my life. "BEN."
Two Americans Are Successful.
Thus the great North that has locked
its gates of ice again the bravest of
the world throughout the 400 years
during which the pole quest has been
carried on has yielded within the brief
period of twelve months to the intrep-
i'd persistency of two men, and those
two Americans
The history of the world offers no
other such dramatic coincidence. 1t
is no figure of speech to say that the
civilized world was stunned by the
message from Peary, coming as it did,
at a moment when America was ring
ing with laudation for the daring
Cook.
Everywhere among army and navy
officers and scientists and official Wash
ington generally only words of praise
have been spoken for Commander
Peary. "Such wonderful achievements |
as this make epochs in the history of
the world" declared Captain Veeder, |
in charge of the United States naval |
observatory, "end have no doubt that |
this discovery viii add UNNECESSARILY |
to the sum of human knowledge"