The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-14
Naval Officer to With
hold Details Until
Cook Shows Proof.
ASSERTS HE Is READY
TO, PROVE HIS CLAIMS
Refuses to Further Denounce
Rival and Says He Left
Documents at Pole.

BATTLE HARBoR, Labrador. Sept.
14-Via wireless telegraphy to Cape
Ray, N. f.
Il am the only white man who has
ever reached the North Pole, and 1
am prepared to prove it." This state-
ment was made to the Associated
a question on the Peary- Cook contro-
versy.
The Associated Press tug Douglas
Thomas, after stormy passage up the
west coast of Newfoundland and
through the Strait of Belle Isle, from
Sydney, arrived at this lonely whaling
and mission settlement at noon yester-
day. A squall of rain was sweeping
over the harbor as the Thomas steamed
in, but with glasses 1t was possible to
make out the mast and hull of the
Roosevelt moored in the inner bay
The Thomas broke out the North
| Pole flag the same emblem that was
| flying from the mizzenmast of the
Roosevelt, and signaled, The Assoc
ciated Press eongratulates you"
| The Roosevelt then slgnalled the
thanks of Commander Peary for this
message, whereupon the Thomas gave
three loud blasts on her whistle. In
response there came from the Roose-
welt chorus of barking and yelping
from the Eskimo dogs on board, that
echoed back from the surrounding
hills.
mn. ,,,I. ..Js... ~, r,,,sa
welt. The boat looked little the worse
for her second trip TO the polar regions.
Along the rail we're gathered the meme
| bers of her famous crew, among them
the redoubtable Cap ain Robert Bart
lett
Captain Bartlett invited the Thomas
to lay alongside and the correspondent
to come on board without delay The
correspondent clambered over the
weather beaten bulwarks and went
direct to the cabin.
Peary's greeting was cordial. This
is a new record in newspaper enter
prise" he said. 'and l appreciate the
compliment
The correspondent at once began
questioning the explorer regarding the
merits of DR., Frederick A. Cooks claim
mander declared positively that he
would not further discuss this subject
until the main point whether DR. Cook
had actually reached the North Polls
or not, had been decided by others. He
then dictated the following statement
to the Associated Press Tor publication.
Rcitcrates Attack ON Cook.
II am the only white man VINO has
ever reached the North Pole, and | am
prepared TO prove it at the proper time.
[ have already seated punllcl, that
Cook has not been to the pole. This
reafrirm, and | viii stand by 1t, but |
decline to discuss the details of the
matter. These VIII come out later
have said that Dr. Cooks statement
that he had reached the pole should
rot he taken seriously, and that
nave him nai.ed by concrete proofs
to support my statement
In six months you probably will get
the Whole story. 1t would not be policy
Tor me to enter upon the full debate
with the subject as it now stands To
do SO | would be giving out much in
formation OF which otner uses could
be made. / intend to wait until DR..
Cook has issued his full authorized
statements III ~ lilt Dltetiil SiiAtN
there have been only newspaper ac-
counts OF Dr. Cooks alleged polar trip.
and these may or may not be accu-
rate.
when DR.. Cook has time to issue
a complete authorized version of his
journey th,n will be the proper op-
portunity Tor me TO make public the in
formation which / have. After that
~. it, b.
and the scientific bodies Of the world
will pass Judgment on the matter. and
there will then be nothing left of DR..
Cooks case but his own assertions
that he has reached the North Pole.
I'm the meanwhile it is my deter
mination not TO deal with debates for
the reasons already stated
Mr. Peary was then asked if new
land could have been discovered in
latitude "a, longitude Sc. In reply he
shrugged his shoulders and said 1t was
quite possible that an unknown con-
tinent existed farther west. He re-
ferred to the land discovered by him
self on previous trips.
Peary Through with Active Exploring.
Asked Wnat would be the interna
tional effect of planting the Stars and
Stripes at the North Pole. Commander
Psary said that he had notified the
i Secretary of State that he had taken
possession Of the pole in the name of
the United States and that it remained
for the secretary to decide what that
meant. He said he had left records
on the ice at the pole. Peary is done
with active exploring He viii con-
tinue to take an interest In Arctic and
| Antarctic pxplOratiOn.
NEW YORK. Sept. 14.-Developments
in the North Pole controversy today
contain arguments i'll favor Of both