Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-09-03
COOK REACHED
THE NORTH POLE
TO AN AMERICAN BELONGS HIGH
SCIENTIFIC HONOR
TRIUMPH OF THE CENTURY
What Is Said About the Event by
Explorers and Other Noted
Men.

The announcement has been made
that DR., Frederick Cook an Ameri-
can, has reached the North Pole. This
dispatch comes by the way of Copen-
hagen and 1t goes on to say that the
North Pole was reached on April
21, 1908. 1t will be seen that more
than year and four months has
passed since this glorious achieve
ment was made, and yet the intrepid
explorer has just reached civilization.
The news came in a manner that left
some doubt in the public mind as to
Its correctness, but the best authori-
ties are inclined to believe that It
is true. The dispatch says DR.. Cook
Is now aboard the Danish govern
ment steamer Hans Egede," and Is
now en- route to Denmark.
The news came in the official re-
port of the Inspector of Greenland
to the Danish government today, who
made his report from Orwick, Shet-
land Islands,
Since the pole was discovered DR..
Cook has been endeavoring to fight
his way back to civilization.
He was left practically alone for
over a year since his companion was
taken sick and returned to the out
side world for treatment Cook was
accompanied only by Eskimos on his
northernmost dash.
When the news reached London
there was great excitement in scien-
tific circles and much talk generally
regarding the event. A dispatch
says;
After reading a brief summary Of
DR. Frederick Cooks dash to the
North Pole. Lieutenant Ernest II.
Shackleton. who recently led on ex.
pedltIon to the Antarctic regions,
said no one had a right to be skepti-
cal. There was nothing in the ex-
plorer's statement but what was DOS
sible.
Consequently" continued the
lieutenant. 81 don't think the time
It took him to return Is against his
statement The question Is. what
distance was he actually from the
Pole when he started with the Es-
kimos? He must have gone 12 miles
y day TO cover the distance given in
30 days No other expedition has
been able to do anything near this,
as two miles a day Is considered good
progress; but Cook must have travel
ed over absolutely smooth Ice which
Is an unique condition"
Later information from London
says;
A dispatch TO the Daily Mail from
Copenhagen says that Dr. Knud
Rasmussen the Danish explorer.
who now is making cthnographIcal
studies In North Greenland. met DR..
Cook at Cape York. Rasmussen
mother was on Eskimo woman. and
he speaks the language fluently. He
had long conversation with two
Eskimos who accompanied Or. Cook
10 the Pole. They confirmed every
detail given by Or Cook.
While In no way dlsparaging the
efforts Of Or Ferdinand Cook, nor
questioning the cxploror's meager
statements regarding his successful
discovery Of the North Pole. Dr. l..
I o. Wolf, surgeon with the Peary cx-
pedltlon Of 1866, and At present
q resident Of Portland rs inclined 10
the opinion that Cook lnfrlnged on
Poary 10 the extent OF taking adyan.
tage Of the route which pcary has
been working ont for tho past 20
years In other words. Dr. Wolf In.
tlmates that Cook dld not observe
the ethics which exist among Arctic
explores, and that Cook should have
out Of courtesy 10 poary sought
some other route for his dash thar
the one peary has laborlously out
lined
Dr. Wolf explains further, tha
the dash Of Cook was not taken q
y time unusual for the Arctic pol
chasors The date of reaching M