Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-07
FROM INDIAN HARBoR
Expedition Reached Top of Eartl
April 8, This Year.
REACHES CHATEAU BAY ToDA4
Commander Started for the North in
July Last Year.
EAGER FOR DETAILS
Naval officer Arrives at Coveted
Goal Year Later Than DIR.
Cook Lacking Fifteen
Days, 80

Cook Lacking Fifteen
Days.
-,wv--i
NEW YORK, sept. s.-Ths following
dispatch was received here todAyI
'Indian Harbor Cvia Cape nay, n. F),
Sept. e.-To Associated Press, New York;
Stars and Stripes nailed to North Pole.
PEARY."
A telegram was received here today
for Herbert L. Bridgeman, secretary OF
the Arctic Club OF America. It read as
follows;
"Hsrbert L. Bridgeman, Brooklyn, n,
Y.-POls reached. Roosevelt safe.
PEARY."
Commander Peary announces April as
the date Of his reaching the north pole
in q dispatch to the New York Times
reading as followsi
INDIAN Harbor Cvia Cape nay, n R),
Sept. e-To The New York Times, new
York; I have the pole April eth. Expect
to arrive Chateau nay September 2. Sc
cure control wire for me there and
arrange expedite transmission. Mig story.
PEARY,"
''Peary has succeeded"
STARS and Stripes nailed to the North
Pole"
From out the Arctic darkness today there
was flashed these messages, which stunned
the scientific world and thrilled the heart
Of every layman. From the bleak coast of
Labrador Peary gave to the world the
news that he had attained his goal in the
far north, while at the same moment in
far off Denmark, DR.. Frederick A. Cook
of Brooklyn was being dined and lionized
by royalty for the same achievement
Undeniably Yankee grit has conquered
the frozen north and there has been created
a coincidence such as the world will never
see again. Two Americans have planted
the flag of their country in the land of
ice, which man has sought to penetrate
for four centuries and each ignorant of the
others conquest has flashed within a
period of five days a laconc message of
success to the waiting world.
Brief, but Specific.
Cook in his first message to his country
men was brief but noncommittal; Peary
was even briefer. but specific.
stars and Stripes nailed to the North
Pole" he said
That was all but never before have
so few words conveyed to a people a
greater meaning or a greater satisfaction,
Five days ago on September 1 DR.. Cook
sent out from the Shetland islands the first
message of his success-a message which
has aroused storm of controversy around
the world. Today Robert 10. Peary, lost
from view in the land Of ice and unheard
from since August 1908, startled the world
by a similar message sent from Indian
Harbor, Labrador. There WIS no qualifi-
cation; it left no doubt. 1t announced un-
equivocally that he had reached the top
of the world. Thus two flags with the
stars and stripes of the United States are
floating in the ice packs proving the cour-
age of the intrepid Americans.
With but a word from Peary the world
waits breathlessly for details but until
tomorrow, when he should arrive at Cha
teau Bay, Labrador waiting must suffice.
First word OF Peary's success reached
New York at 12:3g o'clock this afternoon in
dispatch TO the Associated Press. 1t
contained the bare announcement Of his
finding the pole. Almost simultaneously
he had transmitted the news to London,
repeating dramatically and simply; Stars
and Stripes nailed to the north pole" At
the same time he similarly advised the gov
ernor of Newfoundland.
World Eager for Details.
Both the old and the new world were
thus appraised of his great achievement
practically at the same moment and the
excitement which followed attests to the
/
climax of mans perseverance. Newspaper
extras were rushed from the press and
those who read marveled at the twist OF
the universe which had snatched the i0s
mask from the north In SO strange .
merner.
Like DR.. Cooks first message. Peary's
was tantalizing In its briefness and the
waiting public stimulated by DR.. Cooks
success was left unsatisfied. For, as did
Dr. Cook, Peary resumed his homeward
voyage Immediately after filing the curt
news Of discovery.
! A few words were added to this meager
information at 2;5O p. m, when there was
made public this additional information,
sent TO Herbert l.. Bridgman Of Brooklyn,
secretary OF the Peary Arctic club;
pole reached. Roosevelt safe. Peary.'
This gave assurance that the vessel in
which Peary had departed had passed
through the ice unscathed, but details OF
his homecoming and the date OF the dis
covery Of the pole Were still lacking. 1t
was not until the New York Times had
received a dispatch later In the afternoon
that these vital points were cleared up.
The message said, Il have the pole April
g. Expect arrive Chateau bay septem-
Der T."
With this Information at hand II was
comparatively simple matter 20 ascertain
that the April referred to was April OF
the present year. as his expedition did
not start from New York until July 7, 1903.
April G. 1sG9-the date that Peary planted
the flag az the pole-and April a. 1903, the
date that DR.. Cook unfurled the Stars and
Stripes, a year before. consequently be-
come the cardinal dates upon which eX-
ploration OF the far north will rest here
after. Though separated by nearly a year,
the same feat was accomplished by two
Americans, neither OF whom was aware OF
the movements Of the other.
Peary's Friends Pleased.
WASHINGTON Sept. 6.-"That dispatch
from Peary means that he had finally
!, achieved what he has so long been after"
said Henry Gannett, an old friend OF Peary.