The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-15
PEARYf AGAIN
ATTACKS COOK
~0nly Wite Man to
.h Pole. =
TALL 10 NEWSPAPER MAN
Associated Press Tug Reaches
Battle Harbor.
Commander Says He VIII Not Ente,
Into gull Debate Until Cook
Presents Records of
Journey.

\ am prepared to prove it."
This statement was made to the rep
resentatives of the Associated Press
by Commander Robert e. Peary In re-
ply to question on the Peary-Cools
controversy.
| The Associated Press tug Douglas
1 Thomas, after q stormy passage up the
west coast Of New Foundland and
through the Strait of Belle Isle from,
1 Sydney, arrived at this lonely whaling
and mission settlement at noon yes
terday, A squall Of rain was sweeping
over the harbor as the Thomas steamed
in. but with glasses 1t was possible to
make out the mast and hull Of the Arc
.ic steamer Roosevelt moored in the
4 inner bay.
The Thomas broke out the NORTH
Pole" flag, the same emblem that was
flying from the mizzen-mast of the
Roosevelt and signalled, '"rhe Associ-
ated Press congratuiates you"
| The Roosevelt then signalled the
| thanks of Commander Peary for this
message. whereupon the Thomas gave
| three loud blasts on her whistle. In
response there came from the Roose-
welt chorus of barking and yelpine
from the Eskimo dogs on board. that
echoed back from the surrounding
| hills.
Roosevelt in Good Shape.
The Thomas drew near the Roose-
| Welt. The steamer. looked little the
worse for her second trip to the polar
| regions Along the rail were gathered
members OF her famous crew. among
| them the redoubtable Captain Robert
| Bartlett.
Captain Bartlett invited the Thomas
to lay alongside and the correspondents
clambered over the weather beaten
buiwarks and proceeded direct to the
cabin to meet the man who has stood
upon the apex of the world.
/ The commanders greeting was cor
dial. "This Is new record In news
paper enterprise" he said. "&nd I APP
preciate the compliment"
| The correspondent at once began
questioning the explorer regarding the
merits 81 DR. Frederick !. CuVls
claim to have reached the pole. The
commander declared positively that he
/ would not further discuss this subject
| until the main point, whether DR. :
Cook had actually reached the North
| Pole or not, had been decided by 9TH
ers. He then dictated the following
statement to the Associated Press for
| publication.
''I am the only white man who has
ever reached the North Pole, and am
prepared to prove 1t at the proper
| time. 1 have already stated publicly
that Cook has not been to the pole.
| This I reafirm, and will stand by 1t.
! but decline to discuss the details OF
| the matter. These will come out later.
| I have said, that DR.. Cooks statement
that he had reached the pole should
not be taken seriously, and that have
him nailed. by concrete proofs to sup
port my statement. In six months you
will probably get the whole story.
RefFalns from Debate.
"It would not be policy for me to
| enter upon a full debate with the sub
| iect as ii now stands. To do so I would
be giving out much Information of
which other uses could be made. I in
tend to wait until DR.. Cook has issued
| his full authorized statements. Up to
| the present time there have been only
newspaper accounts of DR.. Cooks al
| legged polar trip, and these may or may
| not be accurate. When DR.. Cook has
| time to issue complete authorized
version Of his journey will be the prop
err opportunity to make known the in
formation which I have.
AFTER that the jury-in other words
the people, and the scientific bodies of
the world-will pass judgment on the
matter and there will then be nothing
\ left of Dr. Cooks case but his own
assertions that he has reached the
North Pole. In the meanwhile 1t II
my determination not to deal with de-
| Commander Peary was then asked IL
new land could have been discovered
in latitude 81. longitude So. In reply
| he shrugged his shoulders and said 1t
| was quite possible that an unknown
continent existed further west. He re-
ferred to the land discovered by him
self on previous trips that had not yet
| been explored.
Asked what would be the interna-
tionaI effect of planting the Stars and
Stripes at the North Pole, Commander
Peary said that he had notified the
| Secretary Of State that he had taken
| possession OF the pole in the name OF
] the United States and that it remained
| for the Secretary to decide what was
meant. He said he had left records on
| the ice at the pole.
Commander Peary is done with act
| i've exploring. He will continue to
4 take an interest in Arctic and Ant
arctic exploration, but from his home.
and he declared that he would with
draw from field work.
| SDeaks of MarVtn's Death.
| Commander Peary spoke feelingly OF
the death of Professor Marvin of Cor
1 nell University, who at the head
Of one of the supporting parties, broke
| through a lead of thin ice on the
| return trip The body was not recov-
cred and his personal effects were bu-
cross bearing his name. his col
lere and the date of his death was
erected at Cape Sheridan Just above
| the Roosevelt's winter position, and
visible for miles. This is seventy
three miles from the point north of
Cane Columbia, where he was drowned.
The health of the party in general
was good, according to the statement
Of DIR. John Goodsell. the surgeon Of
| the expedition
Two Eskimo children were born and
ore still living. There was an absence
~ scurvy, due chiefly to the experience
: of the commander in selection of food
and supplies necessary for the health
and care of the party. In addition,
there was an abundance of fresh meat
which the expedition was able to Sc
cure through Commander Peary's
knowledge of the country. Bartlett.
Marvin and Borup suffered from frost
bitten feet more severely than the
others. Frost bites in the Arctics are
treated with borated musk OK fat and
are well protected from the cold.
Two EskImOs Disabled.
! TWO of the Eskimos were disabled ar