Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-14
Peary Again Denies Preten-
sions of Rival Explorer.
STORY OUT OF MONTREAL
ALI Arctic Knew Well Of Expectation
Of Reaching Pole.
FACT MAY HAVE BEEN STOLEN
Least Eventful Trip in Far North
Commander of Expedition Says.
Open Leads Greatest Menace.

MONTREAL September 1.-THE Star
last night publishes wireless dispatch
from Battle Creek. Labrador, saying that
the Roosevelt, with Commander Peary
and party, is still there, and Is being
cleaned and overhauled. as we'll as re-
coaled before proceeding south.
All hands are in excellent health and
high spirits. They now feel anxious to
get back to home and friends after their
long sojourn in the far north, especially
! those of the party who did not have the
excitement Of the sledge journey to the
pole, but remained at the base of sup
plies at Cape Columbia
Cooks Claim Untrue.
The news that DR.. Cook claimed to
| have reached the north pole year age
last April. or nearly a year before the
Peary expedition. has reached Bath Har-
Dor and none of the Roosevelt party is
inclined to treat it seriously.
What is your view of DR.. Cooks
claim?' Commander Peary was asked.
"It is simply untrue"
lis 1t probable that DR.. Cook might
have heard Of your success. gained some
information as to your experience, ano
made use Of it, getting out ahead OF
you"
II cannot say. 1t was pretty generally
known that our expedition was in the
| arctic regions, and that we expected to
get back about this time, or a few weeks
later. There was also a suspicion that
we hoped to reach the pole this year. and
that we had previously passed all other
northern records, knew the way north
and had prepared carefully for what we
hoped would be the final trip"
Least Eventful Trip.
''What were some Of the chief Incl.
dents Of the journey"
1T was less eventful than any of my
previous Journeys. The actual reaching
Of the ninetieth parallel and being able
to take observations at the pole itself
was an event Of supreme Importance te
science-an event which quite naturally
makes US all feel an exultation which
hope is pardonable; but there was less
| adventure, less of the thrilling and hair
breadth escapes than In earlier days. be-
fore we had as thorough a knowledge OF
the arctic regions as we have now
What were the principal dangers to
be guarded against"
THE chief danger was one which could
not be guarded against. We just have te
| take our chances and trust to Providence
| Care in selection of men and dogs. to see
| that we had none lacking strength, cour'
| age and endurance; watchfulness over
| the condition of the sledges and how they
were packed: knowledge of the quantity
| and kind of food required and seeing thai
supplies were plentiful at certain points
all these tend to lessen what might be
called the preventable dangers of star
walton. freezing and becoming lost.
But the one risk which all arctic ex
plorers on frozen seas can only watcf
| and hope will not catch them Is the sud
den opening Of the leads. Ice which
| appears as solid as a mountain OF gran
| lite may suddenly crack and ingulf YOU"
How Marvin Lost Life.
How did Prof. Marvin lose his life? 1
was In one Of these leads. was 1t not?"
| Eyes. That Is the one poignant regre
| of the whole expedition. He was a mos
| congenial companion, amiable. courageous
and careful. l was fairly staggered whei
reached our base at Cape Columbia ant
| heard the startling news
Commander Peary then told some ue
| tails Of his journey to the pole. He salt
| his rapid progress was largely due to thu
| excellent pioneer work done by Capt
| Bartlett and others, who were sent in ad
vance to cut the trails" The interview
| goes on:
WAS there any land at the pole, any
thing to especially note that it was tn
extreme north point of the world?"
mo. It was very much the same as an!
| other part Of the frozen Arctic sea in ap
pearance. There was a noticeable motion
| Of the ice. however. and a groaning, graf
| ing sound, which we attributed to the ic,
| movement We spent a day at the pole
| taking observations and soundings.
I'VE found the sea unfathomable. Afte
placing the United States flag at the poin
| which observations told US was the yer,
| apex of the world we turned south for ou
4 homeWard iOurnev"