Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-08
POLE ROW WARNS Up
Bridgman Resigns From Cook
Dinner Committee.
HE is OFF TO SYDNEY, N. S.
Orborn Hints at Scandalous Letters
From Roosevelt Sailors.
PEARY NOT FRIENDLY TO COOK
Criticised Rivals Secret Expedition
as Breach Of Etiquette Of
Explorers Club.

Explorers Club.
NEW YORK, September S.-Herbert L.
Bridgman. secretary and treasurer of the
Peary Arctic Club. left the city last night
for Sydney, Nova Scotia, to meet Com
mander Peary when that discoverer of
the north pole arrives there in the Roose-
welt
Mr. Bridgman took with him files of all
the newspapers containing articles on
Cook and statements from him, SO that
Peary may be fully informed as to what
Cook has said before his arrival in this
city.
I'm going up to meet Peary." said
Mr.. Bridgman, mot because he sent for
me. but because want to see him and
have a talk with him. I believe that
Commander Peary will hasten home
from Sydney, because he will be anxious
to see his wife and family, and because,
too. there is no reason for continuing the
heavy daily expense of keeping the
Roosevelt in commission. Just when he
will get here !. of course, cannot say"
Notices to the Nations.
In compliance with Peary's request Mr..
Bridgman has notified the Royal Geo.
graphical Society's headquarters in Lon
don, Brussels and Rome, the Imperial
Geographical Society headquarters in
Berlin and st. Petersburg. the Paris Geo.
graphical Society and many other SINH
lar societies of lesser Importance
In response to the cable to London Mr.
Bridgman received during the day the
following:
London, September Z, 1909
"Bridgman:
Delighted to hear of Pearys safe re-
turn. Warmest congratulations. Have
wired Peary. St. Johns. DARWIN.
p Me lent Royal ,Geographical Society
that Peary had sent a message to the
Geographical Society of Philadelphia.
MT Bridgman received the following:
philadelphia. September Z. 1909.
Herbert L. Bridgman:
Your message received. also one from
Peary of like tenor. Geographical So
ciety of Philadelphia rejoices to learn of
well earned success and awaits with
eagerness details Of supreme victory
which has crowned his career.
HENRY G. BRYANT, President"
Henry F. Osborn. president of the Mu-
scum of Natural History. wired Mr..
Bridgman as follows:
Il am delighted beyond measure to
umph for the United States. Accept my
Warmest personal congratulations to
yourself as devoted secretary of Peary
Arctic Club"
Message to Roosevelt.
Mr.. Bridgman made public the text of
the message he had sent to ex-President
Roosevelt at Nairobi, Africa Monday, al
most as soon as he heard from Peary.
The message read:
North pole discovered April by the
Peary Arctic Clubs expedition in COM
rnand OF Peary."
Congratulatory kilograms were pouring
In. Mr.. Bridgman sent a message to
Peary. addressed to Chateau bay, con-
graduating the explorer and telling him
he would meet him in Sydney
He assumed that Peary would be in
Sydney Thursday and would come straight
nome from there. The ruin overland takes
thirty-six hours, which would mean that
Peary would reach here Saturday.
Bridgman Quits Dinner Committee
One of the first things Mr.. Bridgman
did yesterday morning was to resign
from the committee of the Explorers
Club which has charge Of the arrange
ments for the reception Of DR.. Cook
upon his return to this country The
committee has planned a dinner to be
held at the Hotel Aston during the Hud-
son-Fulton celebration. The appoint
ment OF the committee and the decision
as to the dinner occurred some days
sage.
Peary is president Of the Explorers
Club. Both DR.. Cook and Mr. Bridg-
man are members. DIR. Cook, in fact,
was the president Of the club until he
left here on his journey to the north.
When he had been gone some time the
club members agreed that it would be
as well to have another president at the
head of the organization, at least for q
time. The honor was rendered to Peary,
who accepted. OF course, no one in the
club dreamed of such a state of affairs
as now exists.
While Cook was the only claimant for
the honor of the first discovery Of the
north pole Mr.. Bridgman did not mind
serving on the committee that was to
cipher message from Peary, however.
changed all that. and Mr. Bridgman re-
signed at the earliest opportunity.
Asked about his reason for not serv-
ing on the committee of the club that
was preparing to receive DR.. Cook. Mr..
Bridgman said:
1T must be quite obvious that 1
couidn't put my heart into that project
have always been allied with Com
mander Peary and in thorough sympa-
pole l could not aid In the making of
plans to honor his competitor, SO | de-
cided to take back seat and let others
go ahead with the arrangements"
Not Original With Cook.
According to Mr.. Bridgman. the idea
of making dash for the pole in winter
did not originate with Dr. Cook.
THE idea of making a dash for the
pole In winter" he said, rs by no means
new. 1t was Pearys own idea in the first
place and on one of his trips he was
sleighing round there all winter long. In
fact, he froze his toes one January doing
just that
Mr.. Bridgman has written at some
length on polar research and the outlook
for future explorations. and said that the
news of Cooks achievement came so sud
denly and from such an unexpected
source that intelligent Judgment was diff
cult. 1t was but natural that, writing
for the public" and forwarding his ac-
counts by cable, DIR. Cooks narrative
should present only the popular and per-
sonal phases, and news of the scientific
results attained should be deferred