Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-23
MAINE cREETS PEARY
North Pole Traveller Welcomed
Along His Route.
STATEMENT ON COOK SOON
Explorer to Prepare Indictment at
Eagle Island Home.
HE AVOIDS SAFEGUARDING
Chats Informally on Train Concern
ing Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
in the Arctic.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
VANCEBORO. Me-, September b
Commander Peary read without comment
today the reported remark of DR.. Cook
that the results of Cook polar work were
| now before the world.
1T is now for you, as DR.. Cook rejects
suits out into the open. to make any
further statements concerning the polar
controversy that you have to make -
was said to Peary.
THE time has not come for me to
make any further statement In regard
to the matter-just yet" replied the ex-
plorer. cheerfully.
The commander had word this morning
ing. of the preparations for his reception
at Bangor. When told that a banquet
of 400 covers was to be spread for his
arrival at Bangor, he said that he would
wait over for train and attend it. The
invitations from Bangor and Portland
were accepted by him he said, before
his determination to refuse honors before
the settlement of the controversy. and
SO he would keep both engagements
Regarding letter shown to him pur-
and saying that Cook was fine fellow
and had succeeded, Peary would say
nothing
Maine Welcomes Peary.
VANCEBORO, Me-. September %
Maine gave its welcome to Commander
Robert E. Peary today. All along the
route of his journey through the state
the friendly greeting was a pleasing rec
ognition of his achievement in reaching
the north pole.
Commander Peary and his family are
expected late today at Portland. There
they will probably remain over night and
go to their home at Eagle Island the
next morning.
The Peary party passed through St
John. New - runswick. early today. In
the few minutes between trains a number
of people gathered about the explorer
and congratulated him on his success.
The commander, it is understood will
refrain from making any speeches
Commander Peary is keeping his own
counsel with regard to the information
he has obtained on the main question,
Did Cook find the pole?' Intima tions
are not wanting today that the time is
near at hand when this will be made
known.
The explorer will probably remain at
Eagle Island several days, and during
that time will assemble the records he
has made on the trip to the pole.
Interviewed and Photographed.
ST. JOHN, New Brunswick, September
23,-Commander Robert E. Peary, accom-
panied by his family and small army
of newspaper correspondents. arrived here
at & 30 m. today from Sydney, Nova
Scotia.
Fifteen minutes later the party left on
the Provincial express for Portland, Me-,
from which point Commander Peary will
proceed to his summer home on Eagle
Island at the mouth of Casco bay.
The brief quarter-hour that the explorer
remained in St John was spent in grant
ing interviews to the local newspaper
men. and in hastily glancing at the morn
ing papers. Commander Peary at the
request of the neWspapermen. posed on
the rear platform of the train for his pic
ture.
Owing to the early hour. but a small
crowd was at the station to greet the ex-
plOrer.
Alcohol and Tobacco in Arctic.
TRURO, n. S.. September 23.-Comman-
der Robert E. Peary and his family. who
left Sydney by train yesterday morning,
arrived here last night and left shortly
afterward on their way to the Peary
home at Eagle Island.
The offer of a cigar to the explorer on
the train ELECTED the fact that he does
not use tobacco in any form, and led to
a discussion on the use of tobacco and
alcohol. particularly by those who go in
quest of poles
Il do not use tobacco myself" Com
mander Pesry said. nor does any of
my party. Some of the crew do. but as
a rule very little tobacco is used in the
arctic.
For one thing. it's use is inadvisa BILE
by reason of the rapidity with which to-
oacco smoke vitiates the air of the con-
nned quarters used for sleeping purposes
In the open smoking is tmpOssible II