Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-01-17
Explorer BaldWin's New Plan Of
an Arctic Expedition.
WILL MI DRIFT FOUR YEARS 4, S

by traversing course from northwest
$of Point Barrow. Alaska, to q point
between Spitzbergen and the east
coast of Greenland. It is his plan to
let nature shape his course by rum
ming his ship into the drift ice, per-
hitting it to become part Of the ice
pack, and then to drift with the Arctic
currents until he has accomplished bis
purpose Of discovering the pole. Bald
win estimates that the drift will last
four years and that it's slowness will
permit him and his associates to make
many exploration trips on sledges on
both sides of the course.
BY that means he feels sure much
will be added to the present scientific
and geographical Information in rela-
ton to the arctic regions. Efforts
viii be made to keep the public In
America and Europe In touch with his
progress by sending up balloons carry
Ing bulletins, says the New York Press.
That plan was pursued on the Zieglel
expedition, and several of the bulletins
which were incased in cork buoys,
were found on land or at sea. The
start on this new expedition will not
be made before next September.
The Baldwin party will leave the
Pacific coast in a steamship, which
will be the main ship Of the expedi-
ton. There also will be two or more
supply steamships, which are to be
employed in transporting many heavy
timbers from the Oregon or Alaskan
forests, and also thousands Of strong
casks, which will be filed with oil,
clothes, food. emergency supplies and
other things needed for the long voy.
age. There also will be portable
houses, sledges, small but strong
boats. forty or fifty dogs and three or
four Siberian horses. The horses will
be used the first year Of the drift or
until provender runs out, and then
they will be killed and eaten.
The exploring party will consist Of
about twenty-four persons, including
probably two American navy officers.
who already have expressed eagerness
to go on the expedition. Not more
than two or three Eskimos will b
taken along. because they will be Of Lit.
tie use on an expedition conducted fos
purely scientific purposes. Baldwin
says he does not expect to find land at
the pole. He will not be surprised,
however, to find it to the east Of that
point. .:'
'"rhe initial point of the drift will be
to the northwest Of Point Barrow,
Alaska" he said. There we win make
fast to one Of the large ice does at the
southern edge Of the ice pack. The
supply steamships will discharge their
supplies on the surface Of the ice foes
and then leave US in charge of the
main steamship. We will proceed at
once to form a settlement upon the
floating Ice island. These ice foes are
from eight to thirty feet thick and in
size as large as Central park or even
Manhattan Island. They are close to.
gether, aud the edges continually rub.
thus forming the ice pack"
He said the reason for scattering
thousands Of logs and casks on the ice
doe is that If the doe should split they
can be recovered easily from the VA
ter. Even II few should be lost
thousands will remain to supply the
needs Of the explorers.
Asked how fast he thought the drift
would be after his ship had become
part Of the ice foe, he said:
I'VE will be forced along at an aver
age rate .of two miles each twenty
four hours-that is to say, one degree
Of latitude. a month-and in a course
parallel to the course Of the Jeanette
of De Longs expedition and of tho
Fran Of Nansen's expedition. Our
course, however, will be directly
across the Arctic ice pack instead of
across the margin, AZ was the case
with De Long and Nausen." e.
How long do you think that drift
VIM last?" Baldwin was asked.
- 'As we are to drift midstream-
that is, through the neld of unobstruct-
ed drift Of the pack, where the Ice
moves more swiftly than 1t does near
the coast liaes-we probably will con.
sumo about four years in the actual
drift. We win have drifted over the
northern curvature Of the earth, leav-
ing the pole about midway In the line
of drift We win 60 right over the
pole. .s,. & !. .ss s:55 81
4 Baldwin said the hull OF his ship
win be shaped to avoid the danger Of
being nipped By the Ice II the doe
should beeak to pieces and that the
dischafse of the supplies on the ice
WIN make her ride high. Asked II he
thought such q long drift would break
down til minds and bodies Of him and
his companions, tho explorer saM Il
probably would u the expedition wsfs
Conducted % antiquated lines s.
VIII orssn ehsss o. Wsrn1
q 10 nnsss 81 green calfskin report
that manufacturers Of mems and wo-5
mems fne SHOES IRE making sampaes
OF that stock to he hurried To- their
salesmen. New York city buyers are
said 10 look very favorably upon
green shoss owing to the prediction
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