Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-09-11

years, and equipment OF the very ught-
est possible even To aluminium stoves,
show that il was carefully planned.
DIR. COOKS DASH.
Di. cook. when hc LEFT the Brad
lev took his supplies TO the Eskimo
village of Etah. Greenland. and there
lived with the Eskimos tin he saw "a
favorable opportunity FOR his venture.
Naturally enough. this came In the
winter. when everything was frozen
solid. and most advantageous FOR sled
travel nr. Cook states that the cX-
pcdition started lat sunrise Of 1905
which was on Feb. ~. The 200 miles
were covered In two months and two
days. aNcra giug slightly over ~ miles
"a day The long time spent In re-
turning is probably due To the i'm
FEASIBILITY Of the ice. in summer. due
TO its breaking ur. This would make
tho return very slow. delaying IT, as
it had the advance Of other parties
They also had To- stop TO hunt and
were ON the verge Of starvation sew
ersl times. once being without food
for three DAYS.
COMMANDER II. T.. PEARY.
Commander Robert Edwin Pcary
L.. s. y. was born in Pennsylvania In
1856 He is graduate OF BoWdoin
college. and has been civil engineer
ia the navy department since 1881
He has previously tried several times
70 reach the pole. and I'm addition has
made important arctic discoveries
among which may be mentioned the
famous Iron Mountain, spoken OF b.
Sir John Ross; this mountain COM
sists OF three mcteorites. one. the
largest known To exist Weighing 80
tons. he discovered and named Mel
Morris X. Jessup the most northerlN
land in the world. he determined the
insularity OF Greenland, and reached
latitude 50 degrees Z minutes. thb
farthest roint north in the Wcstet
Hemisphere previous 10 the present
expeditions. He is at present a civil
engineer with the coast and geodetic
survey. ranks as "a commander IN the
navy. was elected president OF the
American Geographical society in
1908. Is a member OF the American
Society Of civil Engineers. honorary
Vice-presidcnt Of the Alaska Geo
graphical society. and an honorary
member Of the American Alpine club
and the Philadelphia Geographical so
ciety. For his discoveries he received
the Cullum medal of the American
Geographical society. Patrom's medal
Of the Royal Geographical society of
London. medal Of the Royal scottish
Geographical society. Edinburgh. the
Kane gold medal OF the Philadelphia
Geographical society, ana the DAILY
gold medal of the American Geo
graphical society. He has written con-
siderable matter about his experiences
in the arctic.
Df his methods OF reaching the pole
on this trip. nothing is known yet as
he has not made any statement beyond
the fact that he reached the pole.
POINTS IN CONTROVERSY.
There Is sure 10 be a controversy as
10 whom belongs the credit FOR the dis
covery. Dr. Cook says he has the
data 20 prove his claim. and Offers his
congratulations 10 Pcary; Peary says
he has reached the pole. and takes the
pains 10 telegraph from Labrador
Don't take Cooks story too seriously"
thereby intimating that Cook is an inn
poster. Tutil IL can be proved differ
emily, both men ought to get credit
for reaching the pole, as both have a
standing in the scientific world such
as 10 give their words force In the alb
sence Of absolute proof Of falsity
DR.. Cooks claims appear reasonable,
and he IS certainly wen enough ac-
quainted with scientific matters 10
know that it would be impossible TO
the man to attempt II, which very few
will believe. His reception Of the news
OF Peary's success, too. is a point in
his favor.
Pearv. while his claim is plausible.
appears 10 be taltlng the news OF Cook
success with very bad grace Men In
civilized countries had a chance to
read the news and form their opinions.
But Peary. on hearing Of Cooks report,
Immediately tries 10 discrcdit him by
a message insinuating dishonesty,
when. OF an men, perhaps ne knows
the least about what Cooks claims
are. II has been suggested that the
coast and geodetic survey 40 over the
data OF both men and decide on their
claims, This appears To be fair and
should be satisfactory 10 an concerned.
VALUE or DISCOVERY.
Passing BY the question Of to.Whom
credit for the discovery belongs, but
admitting one or both OF the claims 20
be- true. we ask. 81 what value is the
discovery? OF course. Il is OF interest
20 the world % know that what has
so long been sought has been found,
but practically. IL is hard 10 see what
use IL is. Rear Admiral Melville, L.
s. n, says. II viii put an end 10 the
arctic fad" and that sums u mp as
Wen a. aiIN iNifks " IiNf tue hAANNl
discovery Of the pole Is Of little value
Il has been discovered. and there is
nothing now 20 make anyone else want
20 go there. The chief attraction Of
polar exploration has been the search
FOR the unknown. now the energies Of
the explorers viii be turned 10 invea-
tigatlou and research ina the land
which has not yet been studied. Most
explorers. In telling of Their dash for
the pole" have said that they saw land
AZ one place or another, but did not
have time 10 Investigate Now these
"dashes FOR the pole win cease. and
these lands win be- explored, mapped
and reported on in detail SO. although
the discovery of the pole Il Of mo- value,
practically on scientifically, yet the fact
that the pole has been discovered Will
open up new field for effort in the
way Of exploration, and viii lead to
discoveries which may De OF immcnFa
value both economic and scientific
And with regard 90 the question nf
credit for the discovery, may tho truth