Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-26
FAIR AUDIENCE GREETED Exs
PLoRER At GRAND LAST 81
NIGHT DESPITE RAIN.
LECTURE INTERESTING
Vivid Description Of Long Journey
Through the Arctic Regions Fol-
f.. lowed Closely by Auditors
~. Speaks Of Charges.

1
evening, fair sized audience greeted
the Arctic explorer, DR.. Frederick A
Cook, at the Grand last night, to heal
his interesting and educational lee
ture on his trip to he norh pole. Dr.
Cook proved forceful and vivid
speaker and his clear narration OF the
long journey with its many hardsh1ps
and sufferings held the closest atten'
ton Of his audience. The explorer dis,
cussed the controversy between Peary
and himself, denying all charges made
against him, and declaring that he
was seeking to gain the popular YER
dict through his lecturing throughout
the country. He took his audience with
him on the trip through the ice and
SHOWS, finally carrying them to what
he declared to be the northern end OF
the earth's axis, the north pole: He
said in part:
Retraces Arctic Expedition.
First go with me step by step over
the seas of crystal glory to the limit
of human habitation; then follow me
over perennially ice-sheeted lands,
through new Edens of animal joys,
and over yawning seas of icy desola-
ton to the boreal country.
"In May, 1907, made compact
with John R. Bradley to launch an
arctic expedition. Together we quietly
worked out the intricate problem of
an adequate equipment. Mr.. Bradley
hoped to secure big game In the arc
tic wilds; may aim was for the pole.
ION July 3, 1907, at Gloucester,
Mass, while the boys at home were
testing their fireworks, we embarked
on a specially fitted vessel There
were no footing whistles, no visiting
crowds: no one knew the destination
or the mission of that little, unpreten-
tious vessel that moved out on the At
lantic and set its sails to a fair wind.
The PROV was set as the needle points.
That arctic expedition was launched
without seeking government or pri-
vate funds.
Fired by New Ambition.
with the joys Of entering a new
wonderland of primitive life and arc
tic seas through Davis strait, between
Greenland and the American shores,
crossing the arctic circle, the double
days of polar glitter, with flaming
midnight suns gladdened our hearts.
Quickly we pushed upwards through
icy seas, where the polar bear, the
walrus and the seal fell as prizes to
Mr.. Bradley's ambition.
ultimately our little craft plowed
the unnamed seas that wash the rocks
where northermost man struggles for
Here my heart thumped
with a newly fired ambition to reach
the pole. Days and weeks Of study
and hunting recreation followed. Then
the ship was pushed to the limits OF
safe navigation beyond the gateway to
the pole, to anchor at Etah. Now we
are 700 miles from the pole. Mr..
Bradley's ambition was satisfied; mine
was to begin.
ri will never forget the glorious
sight that greeted US as we entered
that rock bound, Ice polished harbor.
1t was in the end of August The sun
was Just beginning to. dip for it's long
plunge to leave the arctic world in
winter blackness.
Chooses Faithful Companion.
From the ship picked one COM
panion, Rudolph FRANKIE. He was to
be my directing helper, and he proved
himself a prince among men. After
landing supplies for local use we said
good bye to Mr.. Bradley. In tears we
watched the parting Of the yacht as
it returned to the land of our friends
and loved ones. Now we were alone
with our destiny, and for weeks and
months and years we were as COM
pletely separated from the world of
life and comfort as if we had been on
the surface of the moon.
"Soon a little house was built Of
packing boxes. 1t was buried by turf
and snow. In it we retired to work
and study. The willing hands Of a
tribe of ESQ people were set to the
task of making sledges and equip
ment. The days Of the setting sun of
September and October brought Sc
we're storms. The land was buried
under winter SHOWS; the seas were
silenced by heavy ice. The night,
with its maddening silence and awful