The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-02
COOK REPORTS HE
HAS FOUND THE
NORTH POLE
Explorer Writes Graphic Ac-
count of His Travels
FOUND LAND FAR NORTH
Further Evidence of Achievement
May be @Necessary-Messase from
Cook to Wife Reaches Brooklyn

Brussels, Sept. 1.-The obserya
tory here received the following
telegram tonight, dated Lerwick
Shetland Islands,
Reached North Pole April 81
1908 Discovered land far north
Return to Copenhagen by steamer
Hans Egede.
(Signed).
Frederick Cook"
TIE American officials at the OBJ
servatory state the dispatch is sure
ly authentic and that the North Pole
has been reached for the first time
and by an American.
Paris, Sept 2.-The paris edition of
the New York Herald this morning
publishes a signed statement from
DR.. Frederick A. Cook of Brooklyn,
n. Y. which is dated Hans Egede,
Lerwick, Wednesday" on his expert
ences in the Arctic regions.
After prolonged fight with ia
mine and frost" says DR.. Cook. I'VE
have at last succeeded in reaching
the North Pole. A new highway with
an interesting strip of animated ma
ture, has been explored and big
game haunts located, which will de
| light sportsmen and extend the Eski-
mo horizon.
Land nas been discovered on
which rests the earth's mediterranean
rocks. A triangle of 10000 square
miles has been cut out of the terres-
tial unknown. The expedition was
! the outcome of summer cruise in
the Artic seas on the schooner Brad
ley, which arrived at the limits of
navigation in Smith Sound late in Au-
gust 1907. Here conditions were
found to launch a venture to the Pole.
r. j. Bradley literally supplied from
his vessel suitable provisions for 10
cal use.
Well Prepared for Trip.
MY own equipment for emergen-
cies served well for every purpose of
Arctic travel. Many Eskimos had
gathered on the Greenland shores at
Annatoak for the winter bear hunt.
Immense quantities of meat had been
collected and about the camp were
plenty of strong dogs. The combina-
ton was lucky, for there was good
material for equipment. All that was
required was conveniently arranged
for at a point only 700 miles from
the boreal center.
1--WE forced through Nansen Sound
MD In
cured 101 musk oxen. seven bears,
and 1886 hares. We pushed out into
the Polar sea from the southern point
of Herbert island on March is. Six
Eskimos returned from here. With
four men and As dogs moving supplies
for 80 days, the crossing of the cir
cum-polar pack was begun.
There was urgent need of rapid
advance. Our main mission did not
permit a detour for the purpose of
exploring the coast. Here were seen
the last signs of solid earth, bel
yond. there was nothing stable TO be
seen. We advanced steadily over the
monotony of moving sea ice and now
found ourselves beyond the range OF
all life-neither footprints of bears
nor the blow-holes of seals were de-
tected
SIedee Loads Reduced
"Our observation on March 6 placed |
the camp in latitude 1886 longitude |
94.02. In spite of what seemed long |
marches we advanced but little over |
100 miles. Much of our work was |
lost in circuitous twists around trou-
blesome pressure lines and high, ir- |
regular fields. A very old ice drift,
too. was driving eastward with suf- |
fcient force to give some anxiety. |
Although still equal to about 90 miles
daily, the extended marches and the |
long hours for travelling with which |
fortune favored us earlier were no |
longer possible We were now about |
200 miles from the Pole and sledge
loads were reduced One dog after
another went into the stomachs OF
the hungry survivors until the teams !
were considerably diminished IN num-
her but there seemed to remain a
sufficient balance for man and brute
to push along into the heart OF the
msterv to which we had set our
selves.
GOAL ACHIEVED AT LAST
"On. April 81 we had reached so
degrees, SO minutes, 46 seconds. Inc
Pole was in sight We covered the
remaining ~ seconds and made few
final observations. | told Etukshook
and AhweIsh (the accompanying Eski-
most that we had reached the great
nail Everywhere we turned was
south. With a single step we could
pass from one side of the earth to
the other: from midday to midnight
AT last the flag floated to the breezes
at the Pole. 1t was April Il, lsoS'
The temperature was minus SO entrl-
eade. barometer 1898, latitude so; as
for the longitude it was nothing, as
it was but word. .
"Altaough crazy with JOY, our
spirits began to undergo a feeling
Of WEAKNESS. Next DAY, after taking
ali our observations, a sentiment OF
Intense solitude penetrated us While
we looked at the horizon. Was it pos
sible that this desolate region, with
La1 OFnnGn0 me