Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-09
No Proof That DR.. Cook
Scaled Mount Mckinley

NEW YORK. September SIT is
with great reluctance that I am COM
PEELED to say that DR.. Frederick A. Cook
has not made a satisfactory explanation
or submitted corroborative evidence
that he made the ascent Of Mount Nc
Kinley.''
Thus spoke Herschel C. Parker, ad-
University and scaler of mountain
heights, yesterday. on his return from
an exploration in the Selkirk mountains
in British Columbia. The attention of
Prof Parker was called to the fact that
the question of whether DIR. Cook had
found the north pole had again revived
the question of whether DIR. Cook had
really climbed Mount Mckinley.
DR.. Cook and Prof. Parker were the
leaders Of the expedition which sought
was only after the return Of Prof. Par
ker to the east and the other members
Of the expedition had/scattered that Dr.
Cook made the dash up the mountain.
Parker Tells Of Expedition.
There were in our party that made
the attempt on Mount Mckinley" said
Prof. Parker yesterday. "Belmore Brown
Of Tacoma, the artist and big game hun
ter; Mr.. Porter, the topographer; Fred
Printz, head guide: Mr.. Miller, the pho
tographer, and the packmen.
I'VE first went up the river as far as
we could in a power boat and then pro-
ceeded rapidly toward the mountain. This
line of march was on the southwest side
of Mount Mckinley, but 1t ended in an
impossible canyon. We crossed to the
south side, but there our efforts to make
the climb were frustrated by the tower
ing cliffs.
DR. Cook said that the east side was
impossible of ascent as the cliffs rose at
least 5000 feet without a break. Then
we all agreed to give up the attempt for
the season and try next summer on the
northwestern side, which had been ad<
vised by the government topographers
Surprised to Learn Of Claim.
81 returned east and later was sur
prised to hear that DR.. Cook has ascend
ed Mount Mckinley. learned later that
DIR. Cook had sent Mr.. Brown on hunt
Ing expedition, that Mr.. Porter was en-
lions and knew nothing Of DR.. Cooks
final attempt, and that DR.. Cook dis
patched his head guide, Fred Printz, and
Photographer Miller on another hunting
expedition.
"Dr. Cook told Mr.. Brown that he
was going to make an exploration of
some glaciers eastward, while at this
time Mr.. Bridgman. secretary of the
Arctic Club in Brooklyn, received a mes
sage from DIR. Cook stating that he was
going to make the final dash for the top
of the mountain.
"Dr. Cook states that he reached the
summit of the mountain by the east side
and was accompanied by the assistant
packer, Edward Burrill. Two weeks
later he returned to the coast and made
his report.
Evidence Not Conclusive.
'I do not know whether DR.. Cook
climbed Mount Mckinley or not. This I
know--that he reports that the mountain
was $3.50 feet high. but I am unable to
say how he made his observations. In
asmuch as took back with me the hyp-
soneters and he had only one or two
aneroid barometers. which would meas
ure only about $1,000 feet.
"A man of science quite naturally asks
why he did not make photographs OF the
other summit Of Mount Mckinley only
short distance away, and Of views
about him, since he stated that he saw
from the top Of the mountain the Cock
Inlet mountain 200 miles away. the smok-
Ing Iliamina and Redoubt. These photo
graphs of the approaches to Mount Nc
Kinley summit In themselves would lave
settled the question.
DIR. Cook must have readily appre-
ciated that in an undertaking Of this
kind, that OF making q worlds record
some necessary proof would ne fairly
asked by scientific men. As I say, / am
a friend Of DIR. Cook. but In matters of
this kind scientific proof is needed II
DR.. Cook has climbed Mount Mckinley
then he has made bad case Of it, as
the lawyers say