Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-01-17
PEARY ADMITS
POLE IS LOST
EXPLORER UNDERGoEs A HOT
FIRE OF QUESTIONS BEFORE
COMMITTEE.
HAS NOT PREPARED A CHART
"Imasines" He Can Do so.-DitfieuIty
Of Making Observations Ho
Describes in Out
line.

Washington, Jan. II. - Admitting
that the Aorth pole is just as much
lost as ever. and that future attempts
to find it would not be aided by his
work, Captain Robert E. Perry, the
Arctic explorer, ansW cred a cross fire
of questions at hearing before the
house committee on naval affairs.
He told how lie wanted the glory Of
the polar achievement for himself, de-
Ginning to let any member of his ex.
petition, other than the negro, Hen.
son, so on the last dash with him;
how his publishing contracts had pre-.
cluded him from testfying before the
committee last spring and how mem-
hers OF his expedition had been pro-
hibited from writing about the trip.
Captain Peary was asked to throw
light on why, as naval officer, he
some reports to the coast and geodetic
ment. Mr.. Roberts asked him if it
was not customary for an officer to
report on matters for which he was
detailed.
Captain Peary said he had made
survey and had advised the navy de-
partment of that fact. 1t was his i'm
preston that the superintendent Of
the survey had made report to the
navy. Pressed by Mr.. Roberts. Cap
tain Peary said there was letter of
his on file somewhere asking secrecy
for his written report to the survey as
to soundings.
why. being detailed to get certain
information for the government did
you ask the government not to use
this information until later?" asked
Mr.. Roberts.
II would rather not give the infor.
nation except to the committee" re-
piled Captain Peary. who objected to
in the presence Of newspa.
per representatives. He was given
permission to file his reason in writ,
ing.
Captain Peary. replying to repeated
questions as to the results Of his Arc
tic trip, said that he had not yet pre-
pared such chart as would enable
any one to follow in his foot steps to
the pole. but he Imagined" that he
had data by which he could prepare
such chart. He said the position
If the North Pole could be determined
Just the same as the equator, but the
.rouble was the comparative low al |
:itude of the sun, which never gets
higher than 221% degrees below the
horizon For that reason ordinary OBJ.
could not be relied on with
accuracy.
New Pension Bill Passes.
The house of representatives passed
he Sulloway general pension bill.
Which grants pensions ranging from
,l2 to $50 month to all soldiers
Who served 80 days in the United
states army in the civil war or 50
lays in the Mexican war and who
AVE reached the age Of 62 years.
rhe bill adds about 100000 q year
o the pension roll.
There were comparatively few mem.
,ers who were not anxious for an Op.
to pay tribute to the old
older. Speaker Cannon himself took
he floor at the close of the debate
md made an earnest plea for the pas.
age of the bill. The bill was passed
" 212 to 62.
The general scale of pensions fixed
n the new bill, according to age, 10 as
cllows: 62 years. SIS month; IS
ears. $40 month 20 years. SIS
Month; Is years, sS6 month.
1t was declared by the advocates
f the bill that 100 veterans are dy.
lg every "a hours.
lot Ready For the High Dam Hearing
because the war department mas
OF furnished the data on the PROPOSE
on OF the high dam cost chargeable
, the power rights. the hearing be-
IRE the senate committee on COM !
lerce was postponed. Represents
YES Nye and Stevens were at the
enate committee. ready to present
leir suggestions, but the senators {
ere not ready to take up the mat {
n and they would not be until the s
eport was received from the war de-
A food of letters containing all
orts of suggestions have been re-
eived by the senate committee. Not