The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-03
NORTH POLE IS REACHED
DR.. Fred Cook of Brooklyn, Reaches Goal Long Sought
By Explorers of the Frozen NorthStars and Stripes
Are Planted Oh Top Of the World

THE extreme cold compelled physi-
cal action. Thus day after day our
weary legs. spread. over big distances.
Incidents and positions were record
ed, but adventure was promptly for,
gotten in the next days efforts,
The night of April Z was made
notable by the swinging of the sun at
midnight over the northern ice. Sun
buIsns and froSt-bites were not record
/ ed on the same day. but the double
Eday's glitter infused quite an incen-
tive into ones life of shivers.
f. 't0ur observation on April placed
the camp, in latitude S6S6, longitude
FEsS42sa In spite of what. seemed long
fSmarches, we advanced but little over
a hundred miles. Much of our work
was lost in circuitous twists, around
troublesome pressure lines and high
Irregular fields A. very old ice drift,
too, was. driving eastward with suf-
f1cient force to give some anxiety.
"Altlfough still. equal to about fifty
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, ana
sledge loads were reduced.
L Zone dog after another went into
the stomachs of the hungry survivors
until the teams were considerably di-
unfinished" iii number, but there seem
ed to remain a sufficient balance for
man and brute to push along into the
heart Of the mystery TO which we
had set out to reach.
''On April 81 we had reached SO de-
grees SO minutes 46 seconds. The pole
was in sight. We covered the remain
ing fourteen seconds and made a few
| final observations | told Etuishok
and Ahwelsh, the accompanying Els
kimos, that we had reached the
FaGreat Nall Everywhere we turn
ed was south. With single step we
could pass from one side of the earth
to the other; from midday to mid
night
AT last the flag aoated to the
breeze at the Pole 1t was April 81,
ff9O8. The temperature was minus SO
qentigrade, barometer 1888, latitude
90: as for longitude it was nothing,
as it was but a word
although crazy with joy our spir-
Its Began to undergo feeling of wea-
I-riness.. Next day, after taking all our
observations sentiment Of intense
solitude penetrated us while we look
| ed at the horizon. Was it possible
that this desolate region, without. a
patch of earth, had aroused the ambi-
ton of so many men for so many cen
turtles? There was no ground, only
an, immensely of dazzling white snow,
no living being, no point to break the
i frightful monotony
I "On April % we started on our re-
turn
New York City, Successful, well.
Address Copenhagen. FRED"
Full of meaning, if successful be
interpreted to indicate that he has
reached the North Pole, the foregoing
cable message was received in New
York from DR.. Frederick A. Cook, the.
American explorer, whom the latest.
bcable adyices credit with having ac-
complished what no man has ever
/ done. q
The message was sent, not to any
scientific society, nor to any Of his
associates interested in his expedi-
..tion from a. scientific viewpoint, but
Ito his. wife, who has been counting
the days and the hours and praying
for his safety since his departure
from this city on July 4, 1907,
Copenhagen. Denmark.-A brief
message received here that DR.. Fred
oriclx A. Cook, the American explorer,
reached the. North Pole in his expe-
dition, which has just ended, is given
full credence here, although details
are lacking Of the intrepid dash
The message was received at the
colonial office here via Lerwick, Shet-
I land Islands, announcing that DR..
Cook had reached the pole April Fl,
/ 1903. This dispatch was sent by
Greenland official on board the Danish
\ government steamer Hans Egode,
which passed Lerwick at noon en-
route for Denmark, and read as fol-
lows:
1--WE have on board the American
1 traveller. DR.. Cook, who reached the
North Pole April 81, 1908. DR. Cook
arrived at Upefnavik in May Of 1908.
4 The Eskimos of Cape York confirm
Dr.. Cooks story of his journey"
I beverly, Mass.-The announcement
4 that Dr. Cook had reached the North
i Pole was conveyed to President Taft.
who discovered it?" asked the
president, Immediately interested The
meager details at hand were read to
4 him.
That is very very interesting and
\ highly important, if trueS said the
i president. Il shall await the details
with great interest"