The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-02
PAYS
 TRIBUTE ID COOK Arctic Explorer Gives Brooklyn
 Man Full Credit VALUE OF ACHIEVEMENT MT. Bridgman Says That Cooks Dis covery Will Be of Greatest Value
 if the Explorer Has Kept
 Certain Records.
OF ACHIEVEMENT

New York, September 1-"Single-handed and alone, pr. Cook has apparently ac- complished what hundreds of more ex- perienced and better equipped explorers have been trying for in vain for years" was the comment tonight of Herbert l.. Bridgman of Brooklyn, secretary of the Peary Arctic club and an intimate friend of Dr. Cook, when he was shown the cable advices reporting that his Brook lyn neighbor succeeded in reaching the pole.
 Beside men like Peary," continued MT. Bridgman who has himself taken a lead ing part in several Arctic expeditions dur ing the past 15 years, Cook is a com parative amateur. He went north merely as the surgeon of an expedition, and was left behind with a small store of sup plies at his own request.
 He appears to have waited favorable time, and till things looked right then he pushed northward. accompanied only by two Esquimaux and depending for his supplies largely on the small amount of canned goods he could carry and the musk OK, which he probably ascertained
 
 to take.
 According to his last letters he must have left Etah. Greenland, his base, about February 21, 1908. Crossing to Dllesmere Land, he reached Cape Thomas Hubbard on the edge of the Polar ice sea. There he may have waited a few days and laid in stock of fresh meat. Finally, when all was ready, on March r, he took his two trusty Esquimaux servants and start ed on his risky dash over the polar ice 300 miles to the ultimate north.
 Reaching the Pole.
 He reached the pole, dispatches tell us, on April 21, averaging In the neghborhood of 15 miles a day, if he travelled in a straight line, and making far higher av- craze, if, as is likely, he was compelled to go in roundabout way.
 Somewhere in the hitherto unknown north Cook says he discovered land. If correct, this is one of the most important results of his journey, for heretofore scientists have believed that all that region was sea. From the time of his arrival at the pole until today we have little but guess work on which to form any theory as to the movements of Cook If he made good time on the return trip his journey northward, he should have reached Cape Thomas Hub bard on May 24.
 From there he probably made his way as rapidly as possible back across Files mere Land to Etah. There he must have found members of the party and reported to them the results of his marvellous trip.
 ''There are some long gaps of time to be accounted for in Dr. Cooks rnovc- ment, from the time of his reaching the pole to the receipt of our news today hut anyone who has ever been in the north can readily realize that there are a thousand and one things which might huve delayed him.
 'it Is rather remarkable that Dr. Cook did not cable to his friends in uerica the news of his accomplishment That tho captain of the Danish steamer was the first to report the news is not par ticularly remarkable, the captain IS a government official and would naturally be expected to send notice of the achievement to his superiors.
 Element of Luck.
 "Dr. Cook s achievement shows how largely the element of luck enters into the problem of Arctic exploration. If the reports are correct he has accomplished, almost without equipment or preparation, a thing which the most elaborately out fitted expeditions have failed in He has succeeded, we may take for granted. De- cause the conditions were all with him. Solid ice, the best of weather, plentiful food animals and continued good health must all have been with him.
 ''The question naturally arises:
 What is the value of this achieve ment. Wellf if we look upon Arctic ex- plorations from the standpoint of the pure scientist the answer will depend on how completely Dr. Cook has been able to gather the long desired data regarding geography air and currents. weather con- ditfons, life in the ultimate north, etc. In this respect friends of Dr. Cook are inclined to fear that his accomplishment may prove somewhat disappointing be- cause he cannot have carried any large equipment of instruments for observation.
 But, viewing the matter from less nar- row viewpoints of the general public-as 8 great triumph of man over nature, as the achievement of a daring physical feat of the first magntude-the news from Copenhagen today makes Dr. Cook de- servingly one of the great figures of the decade. He is the Columbus of the Arctic"
 Other explorers now in New York added their words of tribute to Dr. Cook achievement