The Ordway new era., 1909-12-03
COOK DENOUNCED
AS AN IMPOSTOR
WALTER WEllhhN, tHplohsn
AND JOURNALIST, DECLARES
COOKS STORY FALSE.
llIE[RA7ELY FAXED
SAYS THE JOURNEY HE CLAIMS
TO HAVE MADE is AN
IMPoSSl6iLiTY.

Washington. - Walter Wcllmah'
whose preparations for n conquest OF
| the North pole in an airshlp were
abandoned. he says. upon the an
nouncement of the claims OF Dr. Fr"d'
crick A. Cook and Commander Robert
z Peary, has issued long statement
in which he analyses the narratives OF
the two explorers. declaring that OF
| Peary precise. %orkmanlike. consist
ent, credible in every particular" and
denouncing that of DR.. Cook as self
evident and even deliberate impos-
ture."
Cooks story is suspicious both in
what 1t does tell and what 1t does not
tell" Mr Wcllman declares. He Is
generally vague and indefinite. but.
! like most men OF his class, altogether
too precise at the wrong place. No
where does his story ring true. II is
| always an approximation OF reality IL
self This Is true of his figures. his
descriptions of everything.
Those of us who have had a share
| in Arctic work and who have felt anx-
! iety that no blot OF fraud should stain
the proud record OF effort and sacri-
flee had a first hope that DR.. Cook
would be able to demonstrate his good
faith.
This has dissolved in analysis Of
his own story. a second hope. that he
was the victim of some halluCination
or mental Illness. and himself believed
he had been to the pole, though Of
course he has not. vanishes in the
light Of earlier and subsequent events.
/ here remains. though one says 1t
with keenest regret. only the wretched
alternative that the journey which he
did make. and the report which he
gave OF 1t. were deliberately planned
from the outset"
The gist of Mr.. Wellmans finding Is
that with his meager party and equip
ment DR. Cook could not possibly have
accomplished the feat for which he
claims credit. that his astronomical
data are too minutely precise to have
been made under the claimed condi-
tions in the field. and that the ex-
plorers dash for the lecture platform
and his acceptance OF crowns OF flow
ers placed upon his head by innocent
women and children" before submit.
ting his field records to scientific cx.
animation all conspire to his discredit.
Mr.. Wellman first attacks Cook s
story of his journey. He points out
that Arctic sledging is not new ven.
ture. nor an experiment. but has been
reduced almost to science.
He says that the first thing to be
done in advancing over the ice fields
is the reduction to the minimum of the
food and fuel to be carried. and. sec
ondly, the organization of supporting
parties tnat can be sent back from the
dwindling main body, until the few
who are hardest enter on the fina
struggle to the goal.
The longer the route. he sets forth
necessarily the greater weight OF foot
ard fuel. and in consequence a mucl
slower pace.
Basing his argument mainly OF
these principles, Mr.. Wellman take
up comparison of the supposed
achievements of Peary and Cook II,
quotes from the records to show tha
the former took his ship within i6
miles of the pole, advSacing suppl.
and his party four miles closer durin
the autumn and spring. Cook, h
: points out, started from Annatok, 20
geographical miles from the pole, an
went 40 geographical miles westwar
before turning northward. according t
his own story.
Peary. Wellman continues, mappe
out his plans carefully for the adyanc
and started with fifty or sixty mel
140 dogs and twenty-one sledges. II
i, divided his party so that he had fo,l
, supporting parties who kept open tn
back trail. and in leaving the mai
body. lightened the loads the men an
dogs were compelled to draw.
DR.. Cook had no supporting part,
says Wellman. except for the fir.
three days. His party consisted {
three men. twenty-six dogs and tw
sledges In the long dash he made.
That which he claims to ha,
,, done," declares Mr.. Wellman. refe
ring to Cook. with his equipment ar
organization, was physically impo
sisle. 1t is beyond human power"
Gomez Rule In Dancer.