The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-24
New York Evening Post. J

1t was only a night or two 6 when
busy Washington wires. running into
the offices of morning newspapers.
clicked out a modest little paragraph
saying that the National Geographic
society had voted the sum of S22.5O0
to help pay the cost of an Arctic en-
pedition which is to be undertaken
shortly by Stefansson. who discovered
the Blond Eskimus.
On his forthcoming journey to the
far north. added the dispatch. Stefan
sson hopes to find a great. unknown
continent which is supposed to lie
somewhere in the uneXplored Arctic
wastes. The paragraph concluded by
saying that an equal sum Of $4,000
had been voted by the American Mu-
scum of Natural History. in New York,
giving Stefansson Il total fund OF S45..
900.
Then the busy Washington wires
sizzled along With political stories. and
other news from the national capitals;
and next morning the prosaic little
dispatch was tucked away in incon-
spleuous corners OF inside age as
something that must be mentioned,
hut of no particular interes, save to
scientific "hSgll-hrows' who do not
constitute the bulk of the newspaper
reading public.
Yet the selfsame. modest item of
news WAS fairly palpitating with ro-
nance; almost bursting with adven-
ture: thrilling with imagination-with
possibilities that are all but impossi-
pie i'll this matter-of-fact. practical
day. For to those who can read be-
tween the lines. it means that for
the first time in history Il man of
great and unquestioncd powerfully
equipped. and of proved experience
is to undertake I'VE years of SYSTEM
attic search for what is believed 10 be
the only remaining continent ON earth
that has not been discovered. II
Stefansson finds it. his achievement
should rank with that of the great en-
plorers in past ages. If he proves the
non-cNistence OF the supposed Arctic
cantincne. his achievement will be only
less. In n event his plans are so
daring as almost to take away ones
breath.
What the Explorer Plans.
Stcfansson's program. as thus far
made. is to proceed to San Francisco
as soon as possible. select Il ship and
have it rebuilt Tor rough Arctic work,
SO that he can sail from the coast to-
ward the latter part Of May. Mean
while he has much to do. He has
been working night and day; he has
been pushing ahead with his book de-
lne 1hlonQ ESklln0S; he has
been addressing various institutions of
learning. In March. it possible. he
will go to Rome to be present at the
sessions there OF the International
Geographical congress. and if there
he time enough he Will make address,
es before the National museum at
stockholm. the Royal Geographical
society in London. and other bodies of
Importance. Whatever else happens,
however. ono thing is sure: SteIan-
sson will let nothing prevent him from
starting north in May for his long
search.
His ship will be manned by a crew
accustomed to Arctic work. and with
him will sail Il staff of seven scientific
men. carefully selected both for their
intellectual ability and for their ply
steal stamina: for it is no easy Jour.
ney ahead OF them. He will prob
ably carry along a large power
launch. and in addition t. the usual
Arctic equipment at least one moving
picture machine. and monographs
with plenty Of blank records on which
to capture permanently the speech
and songs and legends of any new peo.
pies he may find.
OF course he will include mera
for ordinary Photographic work. and
arms and ammunition with which to
secur specimens of wild life for the
Museum of Natural History. When he
returned last September. for example,
he brought with him nineteen speci-
mems Of the rare Barren Ground
grizzly. Before that there were only