Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-09

Boston. Dec. 5.-Russell w. Porter who
was the topographer Of Or. Frederick A
Cooks expedition to Mt Mckinley, and
made drawings for the doctor to use In
illustrating his book descriptive of his ex.
petition to the mountain. is q resident OF
\ Port Clyde, Me.
Mr.. Porter In his Maine home was quite
put Of public view during the acute pc
iod OF the controversy over DR.. Cook.
claim that he reached the North ole
Phnd the subsequent attack on the doctor:
Ftory that he reached the top Of Mt. Nc
kinley. Mr.. Porter now comes forward
in an interview with the Globe, in which
he has some interesting things to say OF
DR.. Cook
Mr.. Porter. who was born in Spring.
field. VT, December 10. 1871. fitted for col.
lege at Vermont Academy and entered
the class of 1892 at the University of Yer.
mont. Burlington. In 1890. taking the engi.
neering course. He did not graduate but
went to the Massa chusetts Institute OF
Technology where he studied architecture
from 1893 to 1897. He has written articles
on the polar regions and was a member
OF the Peary relief expeditions Of "a. 96
'97 and '9S. He is a seasoned explorer
spent 10 years Of his life north OF the Arc
tic circle, and has now settled down to a
quiet life on the Maine coast.
After reciting the now we'll known facts
Of DIR. Cooks approach of Mt. Mckinley
fl 1906. the failure of party's attempt to
climb the mountain, and DR.. Cooks dis
mssal OF all Of his followers except Bar
rifle. Mr. Porter told the Globe interview
lie x,,;tI a
tor. He said
with instructions to map the unknown
part Of the mountain range In that vicin-
ity was left at the foot of n large gla-
cier directly south Of Mt. Mckinley and
about Is miles from It's base. A Swiss
guide had been detailed to assist me. and
we had for an OUTFIT two pack horses and
sufficient food to last for the designated
period before meeting DIR. Cook at Su-
sitna station. The entire party was to
rendezvous there the latter part OF Sep
tember Our forces We're divided about
July q. as nearly is I can recolect.
Il followed along tho range in a south
westerly direction, filling up gaps left by
previously published government maps.
in this manner l cleaned up about 1000
touare miles of territory hitherto I'M
iii it came time to join the other men,
Sers of the party at Susitna station.
Arriving at the appointed place about
the middle of September, l found Miller,
Me photographer and Printz, the packer.
pho had been sent to Ketchena after
game. We camped at the station per-
haps a week or 10 days. when the news
reached us that Or. Cooks launch was
iY1u 81 Ac hA 1,Ao
neared the shore Barrille leaned forward
and said to me: Porter, you must con-
graduate the doctor
How is that? / asked.
He got to the top. was Barrlle's
reply.
Or Cook talked very briefly about his
alleged discovery at that time. The only
point of Importance which can recall
was his statement that the temperature
on the summit was IS degrees below zero.
BRIEFLY ANSWERED QUESTION.
DR. Cook seldom volunteered any in
formation regarding tho ascent Of Mt.
Mckinley, but would respond briefly to
questions. Reaching he summit, he
told me. was more or less matter of
luck, and that he had more than once
abandoned the idea of ever accom-
pishing it. He said he had presevered
with the study OF the eastern APP
proaches to the mountain with pos
sible view to their ascent. but not UNI
til he reached the summit of North
east ridge did he change his plans and
decide to make the dash for tho top
of the continent
"One thing that surprised me was his
statement that in no part Of their as
cent did he and Barrille do harder work
than the whole party had encountered
In the earlier part Of the summer In
trying to get through the Alaskan range.
DR. Cook. Belmore Brown, the natural
Est. and ! had made a reconnaissance of
this range with a view OF later taking
pack train through It, on this scout
ing trip we were frequently swimming
streams in which there was floating Ice
that often carried US off our feet. We
were wet to the skin nearly all the
time and on the whole il was az hard
work as 7 ever had in the course Of my
Arctic journeys l remember Of admir-
ing DIR, Cook at that time for his logged
persistence in overcoming the obstacles
of nature.
The height of Mt Mckinley, based on
o measurements which ] made at dif-
base OF the mountain. was 2os9O feet
br Cook had no instruments with which
the height could be determined with any
degree Of accuracy
IF DR.. Cook was reticent about the
details Of the ascent. Barrile was in
fnitely more SO. When | would ask
concerning some particular point his
answer invariably was: Ask the doctor
he will tell YOU
SCEPTIrAL TEI,EGRAMS
After we had reached Seward, the
principal town on the seacoast. there
came pouring into our headquarters
mainly inspired by the doubt which Prof
Parker had cast on the truth of DR..
Cooks reported ascent. Prof. Parker, as
understood it, was one of the organizers
of the Mt. Mckinley expedition and had
Furnished considerable part OF the funds
FIe believed that with the breaking up
of the expedition at the base of tho noun
tain all attempts to reach the summit
had been ada ndoncd for that year and
with that understanding he had return
ID to New York only to receive news that
the mountain had been conquered. This
raised a doubt In Prof Parker's mind as
10 the authenticity OF his late compan-
Ions claims.
"rhis scepticsm, which came from
such high authority Prof, Parker hav-
Ing been an Alpine climbeD had dis
tinct effect upon the press and many
newspapers wired DR.. Cook for state
nent ms soon as he reached Seward
vIbop tha ,ortv arrived In Seattle thie