The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-21
ITS GOOD TO BE AN AMERICAN;
IT SEEMS | HAVE BEEN
GONE TEN YEARS"
THUS SPEAKS EXPLORER
Gazing Toward the Lights OF New
York, After an Absence of More
Than Two Years, the Man Who
Claims to Have Discovered the North
Pole Gives Expression to Sentiments.

New York, Sept. eo.-'Its good to
be an American; it seems that / have
been gone 10 years
Gazing toward the lights Of New
York after an absence since July 4.
1907, these were the first sentiments
expressed tonight by DIR. Frederick A.
Cook OF Brooklyn. as he paced the
deck of the steamship Oscar III, wait
ing for daylight and his actual re-
turn to his native land. DR.. Cook was
virtually at home tonight. for the
Oscar ii anchored off Fire island. The
ship marked time. as it were SO there
might be no hitch In the homecoming
of the explorer.
Though so miles from the city prop
or, the Oscar III was In easy wireless
communication with New York during
the day and night. DIR. Cook was on
deck almost constantly and as sunset
approached he watched the brilliant
panorama and converssd with news
paper men with brief hail in reply
to their greetings through maga-
phone.
II feel anxious to get ashore. he
said. But I dread the ordeal OF
landing tomorrow. / would much pre-
fer landing quietly without a repeti-
iion of the seehes at Copenhagen.
hope that shall be left In peace with
my family by tomorrow night, at
least
Nothing New Here
Some New York papers were
brought oil board this evening con-
tanning long reports concerning Com
mander Peary's achievement. DIR.
Cook read them carefully. then said:
There Is nothing new here and
shall wait until something more def
mite Is published before saying any
thing further on the natter
Aside from this short reference to
Peary. DR. Cooks expressions today
and tonight chiefly concerned the joy
of his arrival at home.
DIR. Cook left the deck only a few
minutes during the entire day and
with continued good nature posed re-
peatediy for photographs at the urgent
request of his fellow passengers. DR..
Cook sent a wireless dispatch to his
wife asking her to come down the
bay tonight and join him on board.
thus avoiding the crush at the public
greeting tomorrow. Mrs. Cook was
i'll, however. and replied by wireless
that she would be unable to come.
Advance Guard.
The first tugs bearing the advance
guard of newspaper men from New
York reached the Oscar III tonight.
but no one was allowed aboard the
sessel except Anthony Fiala. The Arc
tic explorer. who is a friends of DIR.
Cook. He swung himself up from the
tug, held brief conversation with the
explorer and departed.
The passengers. including DIR. Cook.
watched with amusement the vain at
tempts of the reporters to get aboard.
and DR.. Cook shouted: Glad to seq
YOU, boys"
To Meet Family.
1t was evident that DIR. Cook wished
To avoid too demonstratiye a reception
tomorrow, and his attitude may eurtall
some of the arrangements in Brook
isn. which have been tentatively made
pending some announcement from
him. The Oscar II viii reach quaran-
tine about $50 O'Clock. There Mrs.
Cook. accompanied by the two chill
dren: DIR. Cooks brother. William; DIR.
Roswell o. Stebbins and j. Knowles
Hare of the executive committee OF
the Arctic Club of America viii be
waiting on the tug
Or. Cook will join his wife on the
tug and will be transferred from there
to the steamboat Grand Republic,
which viii carry a party of friends
and enthusiasts down the bay To meet
him.
More than 1000 persons will be nh
the Grand Republic, but the borough
OF Manhattan will not be- officially
represented. Bird S. coler, president
Of the borough of Brooklyn. viii Off
eialiy welcome him there. The great
est reception. however, viii be held In
DIR. Cooks home section OF Brooklyn
at the Bushwiek club at nean. Soon
after that DIR. Cook viii join his family
at the Naldorf-Astoria. His plans
thereafter, with the exception Of being
the guest of honor at the banquet OF
at the Waldorf f-Astaria on Thursday
night. have not been announced.
Alexander Regg Of Washington, rep
resenting the National Geogra phical
society. arrived in New York tonight
aud will represent the society ON board
the Grand Republic. Mr., Regg comes
as a representative af the society. vice