The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-09-09
COOK DISCUSSES
PEARY DISCOVERY
"GIad of IT," Is Comment OF
Doctor.
HOPES He FOUND THE TUBE
Says There Is Honor Enough for
Both in Discovering the Pole
Receives the Announce
,,. ment Cooliy.

Copenhagen, Sept 7.-Copenhagen
was electrified by the. report of Com
mander Peary's announcement that he
had reached the north pole. DR.. Cook
was immensely Interested and said:
THAT is good news. nope Peary did
get to the pole. His observations and
reports on that region will confirm
NINE" .-.,...,-,. 49, q.
1t is doubtful If history furnishes a
more dramatic episode than the break
ing of the news to DR.. Cook that Peary
had realized the goal Of his life's am
bition and repeated struggles. DR..
Cook was seated at dinner surround
ed by explorers and correspondents in
the gilded ball room of the Tivoli
casino. Around his neck swas hung
a garland of pink roses, according to
the Scandinavian method of honoring
heroes, which the explorer wore blush
ingly and with visible embarrassment.
Several speeches acclaiming him had
been given and repeated toasts to him
drunk with clamorous cheers. t...
.s 'r Glad Peary Succeeded. ..a
. Amid this scene a whisper went
around that Peary had planted the
Stars and Stripes at the pole. Cook
was perfectly cool and unmoved. He
made striking speech in which he
paid high tribute to the work of
Sverdrup, who sat near, to whose
discoveries he largely owed his sue.
cess; to John R. Bradley, who had
financed the expedition; to the intel,
ligence, endurance and faithfulness'
of the Eskimos who had assisted him
in the preparations, and those who
had accompanied him. The whole
story of the expedition, he said, has
not come out and will not come out
for some time; nor will it come in in.
stallments, but only when 1t is COM
pleted.' q. rr.a .n- .y..ss...
boo DR.. Cook did not permit the whis-
pers which came to his ear of Peary's
success 70 move him in the least, but
when he had finished he was surround
ed by correspondents, who looked for
some sign of emotion, but the explor.
er said, smilingly, Il am glad"
Hopes Peary Found Tube.
Asked if there was any probability
of Peary shaving found the tube con-
tanning his records, DR.. Cook replied:
Il hope so, but that is doubtful on &C
count of the drift" DR.. Cook added :
Commander Peary would have
reached the pole this year, probably
while was there Last year his
route was several hundred miles east
of mine. We are rivals, of course, but
the pole is good enough for two. .
... Wants to Get Home.
DR.. Cook spent the nearest approach
to quiet day that he is likely to ex.
perience in Copenhagen. A CORE
spondent saw him in his apartments
at the Phoenix hotel, which are gaily
bedecked with flowers and flags. The
explorer was in the hands of the bar.
Der. He was trying to talk and read
a telegram at the same time. Outside
the door a German count and the
president Of a geographical society
waited for an audience. Many ladies
had comfortably ensconced them.
selves in the halls and about the stair
> way. A secretary from the American
legation jumped constantly to answer
telephone calls, and in the intervals
attempted to cope with mail bigger
than that of presidential candidates.
Meantime a string of messengers
came popping in with cards. s#
Are you getting tired of this?" the
correspondent inquired. -,5
NO man could honestly say that he
was tired Of such attentions after SO
short an experience DR.. Cook re.
Piled. scanning note from the Ger.
man minister, "but l do feel that |
am getting more attention than my
share, but want to get to America"
81 suspect there are a few people
there who would like to see you," was
suggested.
81 know of three" said DR.. Cook
smiling.
Honored by the King.
IL any evidence is needed to estab.
lish Denmark's valuation of DR.. Cook
1t can be found in the fact that he is
to receive the two highest possible
official tokens within it's gift. The
king is to confer on him the gold
medal of merit with the crown, which
only three other geographers. hansen,
Sven Hedin and Amundsen, are en-.
titled to wear, and the Geographical
society will bestow upon him its gold
medal. which has been given to four
other travellers only, hansen. Capt.
Scott, Hedin and Sverdrup.