Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-09-09
WILD WELCOME
FOR ARCTIC HERO.
Clothes Are Torn From Explorers Back by
Eager Crowds That Press to Grasp His
Hand---King of Denmark Showers En-
COmiumS on Man Who Planted
Stars and Stripes on Earh's
MOTtheTmOSt Point.

hOTtheTmOSt Point.
Copenhagen, Sept Never in the
history of Copenhagen has a foreign
visitor, either private citizen or mem
Der OF royalty, been accorded such a
demonstration as was given the in
trepid American explorer, DR.. Freder-
lex "A. Cook, when he stepped ashore
from the stanch little government ves-
sci, the Hans Egede, at 10 O'clock to-
day. Royalty and citizens forgot all
social barriers in the enthusiasm of the
moment, and as the man of the houS
came down the gangplank on the arm
OF Grown Prince Christian, the pair. to-
gether with Prince Vlademar. brother
OF King Frederick, and United States
Minister Maurice F. Egan, was caught
IN swirling maelstrom of humanity
and almost swept from their feet So
eager were the people for a chance to
grip the hand that unfurled the Stars
and Stripes to the frigid gales of the
north pole that the discovers already
well-worn garments were literally torn
from his back. So genuine were the
evidences of JOY on the part of the nom
ulace, and so plain was it that some
thing more than mere curiosity prompt-
ed their actions, that the mishaps of the
strenuous half-hour through which the
hardy explorer had just passed were
| soon forgotten.
When asked If he would return to tho
scene of his triumph. DR.. Cook replied:
'Once is enough for any man. / will
never return to the north pole. A sim
gle experience of the sort | have inst
passed through will suffice for life
time"
From the lips of King Frederick him
self this afternoon DR.. Cook received
the highest ecomiums of praise for his
arctic explorations.
Accompanied by Mr.. Egan, the Amer
lean Minister, DR.. Cook drove to the
palace. and was received by King Fred
erick, the Queen, and the royal princess.
me audience with the King lasted an
hour, Frederick insisting on having as
much or the dramatic story as possible
from the lips of the worlds greatest ex-
plOrer.
At the end of the recital, the King
sald; cannot compliment you too
highly. 1t is an honor to Denmark to
nave you land here first. | am extreme
iiy glad that Danish sailors were able to
lend you assistance on your homeward
way. say unqualifiedly that consider
your achievement an immense contribu-
ton to science, and can only admire the
intrepid courage that enabled you to
reach the long-cOveted goal.
| America is justly proud of her great
son, for you typify your country and her
ambitions ana destiny"
| While admitting as a probability the
fact that the drifting nature of the vast
ice stretches covering the site of the
pole, may remove the evidence he left
there on April 2l and %, 1908. the date
of discovery, DR.. Cook stated that his
records and observations when present
ed to scientific men will be sufficient to
wipe away all skepticism. Dr. Cook will
present his claims in persons to the In
ternational Polar Exploration Bureau.
at Brussels, to be passed on as to the
truth or falsity of same.
Il first planted the Stars and Stripes
on staff on April 81, 1908, and broke
the flag out to the breeze" said DIR.
Cook. "And, my God | tell Won If was
sight Even with the mercury scores
of degrees below zero, my blood ran hot
and there on that God-forsaken SPOT I
realized as | never had before, the true
meaning of patriotism and love of the
old flag. The next day, April %, l re-
allied, however, that no flag, not even
ours, could last more than a few hours
in the young gale that was blowing. so
l took down the bunting, as | saw that
within week it would be whipped to
shreds. l took another flag and placed
it in cylinder on top of the staff which
| planted. have with me now the flag
first raised
81 sincerely hope that my feat of
reaching the pole will be duplicated soon
| enough for the evidence of my discovery
to be found intact. But unless this du
plication is made at an early date. I
have grave doubts as to the possibility
OF my flag being found exactly in lati-
tude 80, because of the drift of the lee
fields. l think it quite possible that the
ice fields which marked the site of the
pole when | was there will move in an
easterly direction and be supplanted by
another. I'm not at all sure of this.
however. as l am unable to state the
extent of the drifts.
THE entire two days | spent st the
pole, with the sole exception of the
time actually consumed in eating and
sleeping, were devoted to making OBJ
servations. The weather was ideal for
this purpose, and my instruments were
in perfect order. The mists which have
been supposed to surround the polar re-
gions were not in evidence. | had a
sextant, pocket watch, and three good
chrOnometers. all of them more modem
instruments than were ever used bv an
explorer in the far north. | verified all
of my observations and calculations
carefully, having taken observations
every day from the eighty-fifth degree
of latitude until l reached the pole.
81 appreciate fully the Justice of the
public's demand for proof. but am not
worrying on that score. | am confident
that the accuracy and completeness of
my record will satisfy the scientific
world. The opinion of the public at
large, of course, will be based ON the