The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-23
WAS LIKE ICE
Peary Found Atlanta Even FrOstier Than
the Arctic Circle.
SMALL CROWD HEAR HIM

NAIA
And it Was as Cold as an Ice Berg
from the Frozen North Seas
The Reception Which He Did Not
Receive Indicated That He Had
Reached Furtherest North.
Some idea of the frigid treatment
given Commander Peary last week
NAV be inferred from the following
account of his reception from the
Journal:
Peary doesn't look like a liar.
He doesn't talk like a braggart.
That he is a brave man he proved
beyond cavil Wednesday night by
appearing at the auditorium-armory,
for it is doubtless if any dauntless
explorer ever encountered hardships
in the cruel, frozen north, half SO
heart-rending or pitiful as the recep-
ton accorded Commander Peary IN
Atlanta.
Atlanta, the most hospitable city
in the south, deliberately shut mel
doors in his face. Peary has not
seer the real Atlanta at all.
The small, undemonstrated, chill
ly crowd that huddled together IN
the centre of the desolate auditorium
came here skeptical and went away
u~nconvinced.
Poor, pitiful Peary.
The lecture was advertised to he
gin at $50 o'clock. When that hour
arrived, a few hundred impatient
people were scattered among the va
cant seats in the vast amphitheatre'
occasionally stamping the feet and
clapping-to keep themselves warm
The minutes sped. The cold and
impatience increased. Have you ever
seen the brethren and sisters wait
ing for the late parson at a Wednes'
dav night prayer meeting in a small
town? That is what the scene sug'
gested.
Presently upon the barren stage
appeared F. L. Seely and Commander
Peary. Mr.. Seely said he didn't
known whether his speech ought tc
be an Introductory address of wei
come or an apology. 1t turned ou'
to be an an apology.
Then Commander Peary arose. Al
the same instant a couple of hundred
oeople arose in the galleries and
stampeded for the lower floor. They
made more noise than a small earth
quake.
Mr.. Feary stood his ground. How
ever the demonstration was not hos
tile. It was not a riot. The people
w,r" simply seeking better seats.
At length Commander Peary be-
gan to speak. Before he had taxi
ed five minutes he had convinced his
hearers that he had an interesting
story to tell. His hearers continued
&c doubt, but ceased to disll re the
explorer.
Not one wo:d did he sav of DR.,
Cook, not one word Of Governor
Browns criticism or Mayor MaIdox's
unwillingness to welcome him. The
spirit of rough, ungentlemanly brag-
gadocio which has been attributed
to him in more than one newspaper
report was pleasantly lacking. He
Jared upon nobody.
After exhibiting two or three
maps showing the location of the
north pole with adjacent lands and
icy seas, he plunged directly in med
las res and told the story of his lat
est and last expedition in the frozen
north. He was not argumentative
or melodramic. A splendid collec-
ton of intensely interesting photo
graphs, poorly thrown upon the
screen, constituted the principal fea-
lures of the evening. Practically
everything he said was in eXplana-
ton of the pictures.
The only reference he made to the
popular doubt that he had reached
the pole was a short statement tend
ing to refute the objection that he
had made more speed after he left
his supporting party than he had
made with it. In the first place, in
all arctic exploration, said he, the
final dash was necessarily more rap
i'd. 1t was supposed to be. That
was why the last stage was always
called the dash for the pole"
VA regiment could progress at 4
certain speed, said he. A picked
company from that regiment could
go still faster. A picked squad from
that company could make still bet
ter time, and the crack Splinter Of
that squad could go the fastest of
all. The last dash he said, was made
practically in that way, with the in
cumbrance Of supporting parties and
heavy baggage left behind.
Commander Peary was heard with
intense interest, but there was no