New-York tribune., 1909-09-26
WHITNEY is OUT OF 1T
SAYS COMMANDER PERRY.
Erplorer to Issue Statement on COOE
CONTROVERSY.

NOT nlay anv mart one way or another. in my evi-
dence regarding DR. Cooks claim Of first reachihg
the pole" said Commander Peary 10 a score OF
newspaper men AT his summer home to-day. He
said that he was unable TO say in what way WHIT
new Is connected with the controversy He has
received no word from Whitney since the lattef
arrived yesterday at Indian Haroor In the Jeanie
and he says that he has no intention OF at'emp'-
ing to communicate with him.
Whitney. he said, with him on the Roosevelt
from August II 70 "a. but never told him that Dr
Cook had discovered the pole. nor did ne know tat
any one on the Roosevelt knew IL until he received
a message from The Associated Press Conunuias'
Commander Peary said:
II have absolutely no intention OF making
statement previous TO my interview with Geheral
Hubbard at Bar Harbor. unless there Is chahse
Of plans to suit General Hubbard Having turned
over certain papers TO him. the whole matter Is now
IN his hands. These papers bear almost entirely
on the main proposition. which is Has Cook been
to the poleT"
II was expected that General Hubbard was 70
issue hts own statement regarding his findings. but
at the request Of the newspaper to-day. Com
mander Peary agreed to issue the statement HIM
self
'I feel the utmost reliance IN General Hubbards
Judgment" he added.
II is possible that Commander Peary will go 20
Bar Harbor or Monday for a conference with Gen
eral Hubbard. He understands that Lewis A
DeIaneId Is counsel for the Pesry Arctic Club and
that General Hubbard s acting only in hts capacity
president Of the club
The report that suit for slander was contefn-
plated by Or Cook was received to-day without
comment by Commander Peary. He did say. how
ever, that he unable to understand how mis-
secret paper copies OF which were left In several
hands year ago last July. and which expressed
his views of DR.. Cooks methods. could enter into
the controversy
When asked to-day II that paper contained proof,
Commander Peary replied:
"How could i before going north have given
proof that Or. Cook did not discover the pole?
should have no objection 90 giving out the paper
for there is nothing In IL / would not say TO any
one. and nothing in Il which is not familiar to
friends and acquaintances with whom have
talked. A person who has read my previous work
could tell pretty well the substance Of that paper
particularly II he has read some interviews with
me within year OF my going north or has
heard discuss the subject frankly, I left the
paper in several hands. the object being 70 make
entirely clear the light In which regarded Dr.
Cooks methods of launching his expedition AMI
ert"-r- sphere ~ work"
Gould DR.. Cook have reached the pole If he
had had your equipment asked.
Yes" replied Commander Peary. III he had
known what my sledge and had had twenty
three years experience in the Arctic, but not
otherwise
The bringing OF the Morris x. Jesup sIedgs to
its state OF perfection, he said. the result
changes we're made after every trip. Sledge build
ing, he said, a parallel with yacht eonstruc
ton.
Speaking Of Henson. Peary said:
There are three reasons why took Henson on
the last march The first was because Of his 10y
atty in 1884 when all the party turned back except
he and Lee The second. because Henson can
handle Esqunau dogs and sledge well any
Esquimau. and better than any white man that I
ever had on an expedition going North The third
was that I the only white who could af-
ford walk and take supplies from single sledge
on the last dash Captain Bartlett never had the
idea that he was going TO the POLE so far as
know"
Speaking Of the big lead which three years ago
delayed his progress north week and carried him
seventy miles or his course. Commander Peary
said that that experience made him realize that
must keep in close touch with his supporting par
tes and this time the supporting parties not
| cut of az any time.
In regard 70 conditions in the Arctic and DR..
Cooks statement 10 temperature he said:
II should hesitate about saying that 50 degrees
below improbable for I never observed
the temperature within ten degrees OF that mark
| The lowest temperature observed during the last
| trip in the camps was 81 degrees. with 50 degrees
below zero the ice. The lowest temperature that
ever took was % degrees below zero. in March.
1901. at Lake Hazen. in the interior of Greenland.
| We then number of miles from the coast
and several hundred feet above the level sea
''The fee caps In he interior OF Greenland are
10000 to 1900 feet high. and the temperature there
is probably colder than anywhere In the world ex-
Il
Living like Esquinaus means sleeping in igIOOs
| and wearing their Ilotbing II does mean that
| We eat raw meat. although three years ago we
| we're driven 10 that extremity when we were
| blocked by the Blk lead
! Commander PeaTy appeared more cheerful to-
night than at any time since his retarn from the
north
After passing the night at the home Of Captain
| A, c. Slower, at South Harpswell who Is en-
| plcyed by him 20 carry provisions and mail Com
nander Peary, with Mrs. Peary and their two chill
| dren, was taken to Eagle Island this forenoon In
| Captain StOvers auxiliary fishing boat. There he
| Will be free 10 pursue his work without being dis
| turbed except by brief call by the newspaper men
| once day In the late afternoon.
! The Peary home is a story and a half bungalow
on the northeasterly point OF the rocky island arty
reet ABOVE the sea level IL is the only house on
the island except a small building occupied nv the
keeper. who is a son OF Charles Percy, steward OF
| the Roosevelt.