Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-09-09
.BRIDCMAN TO
Greet PEARY
SECRETARY OF ARCTIC CLUB TO
CARRY NATIONS WELCOME
TO THE EXPLORER

New York, Sept S.--Herbert l..
Bridgman, secretary Of the Peary Arc
tic club, left here last night at 81
o'clock for Sydney, N. S., to welcome
Commander Robert e. Peary when he
arrives at that port. Mr.. Bridgman
will probably be joined at Portland,
Me-, by Mrs. Peary, who will accom-
pany him northward. Mr.. Bridgman
is one of the closest personal friends
and most consistent financial hackers
of Peary.
In Magazine Article.
Mr. Bridgeman contributes an
article to the Independent, which will
appear tomorrow, on "The Dash to
the Pole" 1t was written before Com
mander Peary's announcement had
been made, and deals chiefly with
DR.. Cooks claim to having reached the
pole on April 81, 1908. 1t says in
part:
"The announcement that the North
Pole, that lure of the centuries, has
actually been reached comes SO sud
denly and from quarter SO unexpect-
ed that intelligent Judgment on the
fact is difficult. Naturally, writing for
the public and forwarding this account
by cable, only the personal and pop
ular phases would be presented, and
any statement of scientific or data
| would be deferred.
"But DR.. Cook would probably not
demand that scientific rank and
weight should be given to his expedi-
ton. 1t was simply duel with
nature; man, stripped for the fight,
incumbered only with the barest neces-
stiles, determined to make life and
death struggle for one thing only the
goal.
Science to Verify.
'But the world will ask that science
/ though not directly interested and
1 served, shall verify the claim and shall
attest the result.
1 "And, therefore, DR.. Cook doubtless
| will be only too willing to offer the
data upon which the confirmation of
narrative will rest. Records, diaries,
note books, locations, courses and all
indicia so well known to explorers
| will be produced and placed with the
archives, either in original or in dupli-
cate, Of the principal geographic So
cieties Of the world.
HAD he by any possibility opened
any Of Peary's cairns at Cape Thomas
Hubbard or Cape Columbia or any OF
/ Sverdrup's in his Farthest Land and
archipelago, the evideice would be con.
i elusive and all the doubts forever
/ silenced.
Stands on Own Word.
Reading between the lines and dis
4 missing at once for what they may
4 be worth all the views, opinions and
comments with which the papers are
just now SO heavily burdened, the tale
stands or falls by itself and without
witness or testimony"
After discussing past polar research
and the outlook for further explora
ton the article continues:
Maybe this Is not the time mol
place to intrude ethics or etiquette
Yet those who have followed arctic
matters do not forget that Peary made
all this possible, and they reserve un
til the facts are known their Judgment
Eskimo had been trained by him, lant
explored and seas charted, and onl,
an unlucky delay of contractors. fo
which he was in no way responsible
kept him at home in the summer o
1907.
Comments on Stealth.
!. Everybody knew the facts; tha
: his work was unfinished, postponed
and the fitting out of the Bradley b,
stealth (the Bradley was DR.. Cook
ship equipped for field work AM
(Continiled on Page a.