Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-09-08
Indications that First Stop Will Be
at North Sydney.
FINDS NO TRACE OF COOK
Peary's Party Surprised When Told
of His Visit to Pole.
MAKES CLAIM OF PRIORITY
Commander IL Preparing to Assert
that lie is First Man 60
Reach the North
Pole.

Robert f. Peary, having nailed the stars
and Stripes TO the pole. on April g. 1902
as told in his series OF messages flashed
by wireless yesterday from the coast OF
Labrador, Is figuratively lost to the world
tonight homeward bound on his ship, the
Roosevelt
At Copenhagen royalty continues to pay
homage to DR.. Frederick 70. Cook, who an
nounced six days ago in a manner not un-
similar to Lieutenant Peary, that he had
the flag Of his country at the pole on
April 81. 1905. Neither saw indications OF
the others achievements both will be in
the United States before the close Of the
present month
Commander Pesry on the Roosevelt ac-
cording to best reckoning was in the
vicinity of the strait Of Belle Isle. between
Newfoundland and the province Of Quebec
tonight. But It is uncertain at what port
he will touch first to amplify the meager
news Of yesterday. Inadequate telegraphic
facilities on the Labrador coast and the
northwest coast OF Newfoundland may
move him to decided to proceed on south
ward to the North Sydney Cape Breton,
before he gives to the world details of his
triumph in the far north.
News VIII he Delayed.
| Commander Peary had intended stopping
at Chateau bay, Labrador possibly tonight,
but the telegraph station there was aban-
doned some time ago, and the Roosevelt
| push it's nose farther south before the
world obtains the news. As II comes down
| the Newfoundland coast, Red Bay and
further south, st. George bay, are at hand,
but whether Peary will avail himself of
these points or continue to North Sydney
where he will have every facility is
matter of conjecture tonight. It is $50
miles from Chateau bay to North Sydney
and the time of his arrival can only be
guessed. The Roosevelt may reach there
! late tomorrow.
| With her husbands plans uncertain and
with no specific message to meet him, Mrs.
/ Peary is waiting at her hcme at Eagle
Island, Me- in readiness to depart for
North Sydney.
Bridgman starts North.
Herbert L. Brdgman. secretary Of the
Peary Arctic club, left New York for North
Sydney tonight. In addition to greetings
/ from the Peary Arctic club, Mr.. Bridgman
carries this message from the Explorers
club, OF which Commander Peary and Dr.
| Cook are both members:
1.-THE Explorers club sends you heartiest
| congratulations upon your triumphant at
tainment of the long sought-the North
pole"
Anthony Fiala, who commanded one OF
the zegler expeditions to the pole, is a
member of the board of directors sending
the message.
Several additional messages filed yester-
day at Indian Harbor were received by
associates Of Commander Peary today, but
none of them gave any further details of
IL ~. E-fa
notified all geographic societies of the world
of his discovery and in addition sent
personal dispatch to the National Geograph-
ical society at Washington, saying;
Have won at last The pole is ours"
In a message to Director Bumpus OF the
American Museum OF Natural History in
New York he announces that he is bringing
home a valuable collection for the museum.
CongratuIatory Messages.
Thousands OF congratuatory messages
have been sent in return to the returning
explorers. Two of the most notable are
from Lieutenant Shackleton. the English
Antarctic explorer, and Major Leonard
Darwin, president Of the Royal Geographi-
cal society. The National Geographical So
ciety called a meeting directly after receiv-
ing Peary's message today and quickly
teegraphed a reply Of hearty praise. The
!
Of the worldwide praise through the presi-
dent in this city, while hundreds of less
important messages winged their way
northward to meet the returning traveller.
In Copenhagen tonight Dr. Cook was
shown a statement credited to Peary that
he CPeary) was the first discoverer OF the
pole. Declining to enter into a controversy,
the Brooklyn physician briefly dismissed
the subject.
The footing Of whistles Of passing craft
paid tributes to the explorers wife on her
island home today, while his SNOW baby"
acknowledged them by dipping the Ameri-
can flag.
PeAry VIII Claim Priority.
The remarkable coincidence Of two Amer
lean announcements of such a colossal
achievement, coming within five days, after
centuries Of fruitless endeavor, constitutes
one of the most remarkable condolences
in history. The question of priority In
reaching the pole now absorbs attention In
this country and Europe. That Peary will
claim to be the first diseoverer appears
to be definitely assured from the follow
ing:
First-Formal announcement has been
telegraphed from Indian Harbor Labrador,
to all principal American and geographical
societies Of all nations including Japan
and Brazil, specifically announcing that
the North pole was discovered April by
the Peary Arctic club expedition under
command Of Commander Peary."
second-A London dispatch received from
St. Johns, n f., states that Commander
Peary claims that he was the first man
to reach the North pole,
Aside from the question Of priority, Com
ing the pole appears 10 be accepted
throughout the United States and the
world at large by scientists as well as the
general public and there is An absence OF
the doubt and skepticism which greeted
the Cook announcement There Is. how
ever, apparent reserve OF judgment on the