The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-25
Wants to Prove PeQry'S Story
Dr. Fielding of Texas Offers to Make Balloon Voyage to the
Pole for Records But Gets "Icy Shoulder

but merely to establish Peary's claim
beyond the slightest Of doubt For
this reason I want the National Geo
graphical society. the United States
government, or any other body quail
fled to do this, to furnish me two or
possibly three scientists of recogniz-
ed standing to go over the work and
definitely verify it. One of these
should be Commander Peary himself.
but in case he refuses to accompany
Inc, another man should take his place.
With me the whole thing is not
matter of glory but of geography.
Peary's fame will not suffer from my
trip and on the contrary it will be en-
HANGED, for l take the liberty to say
that the sceptics, even in our own
| country, still far outnumber the be-
| LEVERS
Offer Turned Down.
ION January 16. sent letter to
the National Geographical society out
lining roughly what my intentions
were and received from them the fol-
lowing reply:
I would acknowledge the receipt of
your communication of January Is in
reference to your proposed expedition
/ to the north pole in balloon. and
beg to advise you that the address of
Commander Peary is The Oakland APP
artments, Washington, D. c.
| The National Geographical society
| is not in a position to take up the
matter with you, having fully salts
| fled itself as to the achievement of
Commander Peary.
With appreciation for your courtesy
in bringing the matter to our atten-
| ton, am, very truly yours,
o. P. Austin, Secretary.
"To Commander Peary l addressed
on January 25 the following letter:
Dear Sir: I am enclosing a copy
of my letter to the National Geograph-
ical society of Washington, the secre-
tary's reply, and also a clipping from
one of our daily papers.
Am pleased to note the society has
fully satisfied itself with your achieve
ment, and I assure you, sir, that my
letter carried with it no reflection on
your great success, but to the con-
trary.
You are probably aware some peo-
pie are still incredulous, and in order
that every doubt of your recent ex-
pedltfOn to the north pole may be COM
pletely eliminated I propose to take
| yourself and two other scientific OBJ
servers, to the north pole in a dirigi-
BILE balloon. This balloon will be full
ly equipped for your special comfort
and safety.
I will build a hydrogen gas balloon
of 100000 cubic feet capacity, capable
of making from so to IS miles per
hour, and carrying at least six passen-
gers, including the necessary supplies
| and tank filled with hydrogen gas
| to replenish the balloon at the north
pole for the return trip. The only
| condition I ask, is, that you or some
other interested party, transport my
outfit to and from the nearest navfg-
able point to the north pole.
OF course nothing would be gained
by the proposed expedition, unless you
could induce one or two other scien-
tific observers to go, whose report on
our return, would carry absolute en-
fidepce to the entire world. l assure
you that it is to fully confederate your
report that l have interested myself
in this matter.
l hold the record for the longest
distance ever made in a balloon in
| this country. having left Chicago on
the afternoon of July 4, 1908, in a
balloon of $4,000 cubic feet, and land
ed at West Shefford, Quebec, on the
afternoon of July 5, making s95 miles
in % hours and Is minutes. winning
the Byron J. Arnold trophy valued at
$1,000 for the longest distance, and
the E. Bartlett endurance trophy, valu-
ed at $500.
merely mention this fact, that You
| will understand l have had some ex-