Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-06
COOK coNvlNcEs
HEARERS THAT HE Was REAL.
LY ON THE SPOT.
HAS 400 PHOTOGRAPHS
TO BACK UP HIS CLAIMS
Cook Not Certain That He Stood on
Actual Apex But Was Within Gun
shot Distanee-Gives Out Interesting
Interview to Newspaper Correspond
ents-Taft consratuiates.


on the exact spot where the earth turns,
but I got to where longitude ends,
where all points Of meridian meet,
certainly skirted the pole, but at what
exact distance it is impossible to say.
1 think I have been on the spot, but
when my observations are refgured 1t
may be possible that a difference of
few meters, a fraction of a mile, will be
found. Certainly had I fred gun it
would have been impossible for the
bullet not to go over the pole. For
working purposes planted flag on
central spot and called it the pole. 1
brought back that flag and left little
silk one in a metal cylinder. The Ice
may carry it many miles and the next
explorer may say it was never at the
pole. do not care. We can not make
land and sea. I have my observations
ready to place before any geographical
society in the world My proofs are
the same as every other explorers.
accept responsibility. AT the pole che
tempera ture was So degrees below zero,
Fahrenheit. took about 400 photo
graphs, including one of the stars and
stripes at the pole.-Dr. Frederick A.
Cook
Copenfla gen, Sept. e.-1n an inter-
view granted to a number OF corre-
spondents representing the foremost
news agencies and newspapers Of
Europe and America, DIR. Frederick A.
Cook. pinned down by the merciless,
searching questions of William I.
Stead. the veteran British Journalist
and dean and spokesman of the cor
respondents corps, admitted that un-
less his astrononic observations and
the corroborative evidence of his two
Eskimo companions is accepted as
such, he has no positive proof Of his
right TO the title of discoverer OF the
north pole.
SO frank, Straightforward and con-
| vincing We're the answers Of the daunt-
| less scientist that at the end of an
| hours Interview he had satisfied the
belief Of virtually every man present in
the truth of his assertions that he had
planted the stars and stripes on the
long coveted northern goal on April 81
1908.
convinces His Hearers.
Calm, tho wincing under the thrusts
which even the tact of Stead could moi
mitigate, DR.. Cook modestly and with
4 delightful unassumption met every in.
auiry with directness and franknes:
that quickly won all his hearers.
At the conclusion of the interview h
was congratulated on all sides ant
II
ments on his modesty and sincerity
and the belief was expressed that thu
scientific worlds verdict would be tina
he had won the prize vainly sough
for for years.
II realize, gentlemen" said DR.. Cook
in addressing the newspaper men, "tha
despite the fact that have nothing t
, gain from Misrepresentation of actua
facts and on the other hand hav
everything to lose, that the nature o
my accomplishment of April 81, 1907
when l planted the American flag at
spot at latitude 80 degrees north, call
for proof to the scientific world. I'm
derstand that in a case of this sort m
reputation and my past count fo
= naught, but I believe that in CAREFUL
: prepared diary which kept and in tn
, accurate astronomic observations Nhic
q | l made will be found the proof de
manded by the world. Corroboratin
this will be the evidence Of the tw
brave and uncomp planning companion
i. of my trip, the Eskimos.
r Well Equipped, He Says.
: my story of the trip north and tt
: return, as published in the New Yor
i Herald on Thursday, Sept. 2, was al
d solutely as wrote it while in tt
: north, with the possible exception
e teh temperature encountered. / hay
n seen various figures in the clipping
: handed me here and don't know ju
e what ones were published in Americ
: II am told that our trip to the pc
has been branded as unscientif1c and
" mere unprecedented sportsmanlil
"a event. While I plead guilty to a ce
g tain amount Of the spirit of the sport
: man, am not willing to admit that II
lie expedition was unscientific It is tr
in that 1 did not have the elabora
L. pharaphernalia Or all Of the instr
e ments that would have desired had
es been possible for me to carry mo
st luggage. I was, however, equip
d, with an up-to-date and complete set
IS, navigation and astronomic instrumen
A. had three chronometers, pedomet
and watch, and used each of the
strum ents to check the records Of
Ell. others. AS a result it is my ooini
eff that there were few really serious G
lg rors and my calculations and ohserv
ce tions were for all practical purpos
of correct. My work in making observ
te lions Of this nature was. of course, 7
ed confined TO this particular trip. as
on had a plenty of experience in this Ii
r. ON previous northern expeditions. I!
VS. watch was the only instrument to
he out Of order.
h. Eskimos Appreciate Feat.
"p,,t IL, addition IN fbo proof q,