Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-07
COMMENT ON PEARY.
Continued from Eighth Page1

as he did In 1905, and just as DR.. Cook
did. should not be surprised Il Peary
went over almost the same route that COOK
did, because Cook was successful ana
successful. There must be smooth Ice
over that course. judging by the good
time DR.. Cook made. do not think
Peary benefited by the fact that Cook
but the fact of Cooks presence In that
country was known to Peary and must
have been great incentive to urge him
to do his best. There Is not the shadow
of doubt in my mind that both Cook
and Peary reached the pole. 1t seems
to me ungracious and unfair for men who
can know but very little about arctic
conditions to attempt to discredit the
wonderful achievement OF either DR.. Cook
or Commander Peary-two men who
have practically devoted their lives to
ehis single task. having endured the
greatest hardships and who have brought
enduring fame to their country. 1t was
right and gracious OF DR.. Cook when he
to laud that achievement. and I am con-
fident that when Mr.. Peary returns and
learns that DR.. Cook has reached the
pole ahead of him he will extend con-
gratulations to his fellow scientist.
Llmend COrbin stone, Arctic Club, OF
Pearys expedition Of 1901: III Peary
sent the message, it is certainly all right.
1 am overioyed at the news. | only re-
greet that he did not get there first. It's
a great thing for this country. Some peo-
pie are surprised at the speed that Peary
made in getting up there and back. am
not, really. The time is certainly rather
short, but not exceptionally so. why, IN
the expedition of 1901 he started out over
the ice on his actual dash for the pole
early in February, as take 1t he did TINS
time. Then, of course, he failed, but ne
pushed on up north over the ISLANDS or
Greenland to Cape Morris K. Jesup-it
uyoc bop ha namp-2nd
turned to Etah before the 9th OF August.
He had covered as much ground and UNI
dergone as much hardship then as this
expedition required of him, fuity. NOW,
the 1st of February on his dash for the
pole. Well, il he reached the pole. OF
the place from which he began his return
trip, by April 6. he would, according to
time to reach Etah again by early Au-
gust. If he had not returned to Etah
earlier even than the middle of August.
he would. according to my figuring. have
date he gives. Probably he did find
smoother ice than he ever before came
upon, and better conditions generally. but
If had figured the thing out l should
place him now just where his cablegram
shows he is-somewhere- around Indian
Harbor. 1t does not sound well to say
/ told you so. but did feel sure that
Peeary would succeed this time, and 50
OiO al Ills AZ tllC ! Col J >AAb oAaA
Il believe that both DR.. Cook and
Peary succeeded. ! know them both for
honest men, absolutely honest men.
There is. of course, the chance that DIR.
Cook made some miscalculation: exami-
nation would show that. AS for the in
sinuation made by some of Cooks friends
that Peary is making an incorrect re-
port, that is absolutely absurd. He is
man Of highest integrity: he would not
his ren0rf minute I nllf
stock in the story Of personal enmity
between Cook and Peary. I know there
is feeling between their friends: there Is
likely to be more now, I am afraid;
there is likely to be hot and fierce dis
cussion.'
DIR. Roswell O. StebbfAs, who, in 1894,
sailed on the Miranda expedition under
DR.. COOk-"That is truly extraordinary
If 1t is really true. That the pole should
be twice discovered in that short space
after all these years of failure on failure
is most remarkable. 1t is what / had
been hoping earnestly for ever since DIR.
Cook sent in his report-that Peary would
succeed. Then the matter could be set
tied, once for all; they could corroborate
each other; Cooks story could be veri-
fed by Peary's. But I hoped that their
reports would come in quite independ-
emily of each other: that when Peary
reported it would be without the knowl-
edge that Cook had reported. am
have heard at Etah that Cook had come
back with his story OF success. and this
will awaken intense controversy. I am
afraid. Peary made his expedition in
an extraordinarily short space of time.
He must have come upon remarkable
conditions for covering ground With
the knowledge that there is enmity be-
tween the two men over that difficulty
regarding the blue fox skins. and the
anger Peary's friends feel that DR.. Cook
should have profited from Peary's hints
as to the best course, and should have
taken over the dogs and Es1imos Peary
planned to use. ] foresee trouble. Had
they filed quite independent reports it
must have heard of Cook from Harry
Whitney. who was at Etah, SO that when
he sent his story he knew Of Cooks"
Rear Admiral George w. Melville: IF
the pole l believe it. and say Bully for
nm. l have known Peary personally
for a long time he continued, land as
he was well equipped for an expedition
| think he had at least as much chance
as DR.. Cook had of discovering the pole.
Peary was within 200 miles Of the pole
In his last expedition, and was prevented
from going there by the opening OF the
Ice packs. He has been gone long enough
to have reached there. 1t was the crazy
DR.. Cook about the conditions he found
there and other things that caused
doubt in my mind about Cook having
found the pole. The dispatches Of yes
terday and today are more sane and are
more favorable to DR.. Cook. The de-
velopments Of the last few days and the
dispatch from Peary make the situation
most interesting
DR.. Robert M. Keely, on arctic expedi-
tiOns with Commander Peary and DIR.
Cook: Good for Peary. 1 have been
north with him and know him we'll. / do
not question that he has reached the pole.
He has sought 1t for a long time and he
deserves credit for his achievement
Robert McFarlane, former chief factor
of the Hudson Bay Company. who, with
party of other Hudson bay men. dis
covered the Inflated Franklin expedition:
"Pearys story rings true to me. Some
how, / cannot explain how, there are de-
tails in Cooks story which have not the
ring of truth. Peary took up the Roose-
Iii MI rx.ifn NIL,