The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-06
Letter FROM SOUTH POLE
TO FRIENDS BACK HOME
One Of American Party Sends Mssve Describing Conditions
at Bottom Of the Earth Dogs Howled with Chi
bIains and Wanted to Get Away.

thing down here that you want wire me
and we will bring IT up.
IT haven't a word Of complaint to
make Of the pole itself. but am of
opinion that the person or persons who
chose the site showed very poor judg-
ment in not selecting more accessible
one The pole is centrally located-in
a way-but it is or the beaten patch of
travel, and the weather around IL IL
poor for tourists. Convenience and
feed Cor central location and the
grandeur Is thereby marred. 1t has been
married for our party to the extent of
eight or nine toes and several ears.
First Spot Too Cool.
This is undoubtedly a very cold
country. Apparently when the earth
came hot. on the bat of creation this was
the nrst spot to cool. At any rate II
is quite cool at present 1t must have
started cool early to be so free from
humidity. Humanity probably camped
mere when the rest Of the world was too
not TO homestead. One firing that makes
me think this was the cradle of the race
Is that the dogs have dug I'D a large
chunk of whalebone that resembles a
rocker.
I'm many respects this country reminds
me Of California. There isn't night the
whoie year through but what you can
sleep comfortably under blankets-gen-
orally eighteen or twenty of them. This
is great country for ten-acre tracts.
There are lots of them from which a
man could easily take on $40 600 worth of
Ice three or four times a year, and with
few chickens and a COW he could live
nicely and soon become independent. He
would probably have to live with the
COW to keep her from coming in every
evening with two gallons of ice cream.
Hay is scarce.
They tell me the past season has been
an unusual season down here. They al
ways tell fellow when he Is new to
the country that the bad weather they
are having is unusual This keeps him
in good cheer till he gets used to It and
the uneasiness of II wears on-and in
short time he gets so he can stuff a tour
list as artistically as an old-timer. Win
ter came dragging along last year about
the first of April and continued all sum-
mer, and then summer started in and
lasted all winter, and they were 20 much
alike that 1t was hard to raise any gar
den. Many object to the climate on that
account.
Crops Poor Last Season.
AT present the country is very thinly
settled and business is dull. Crops were
poor last year owing to late frosts.
Money is scarce. The banks here are
principally snowbanks, and many of
them are unable to liquidate A number
of the small ones failed last summer.
The people think business will pick I'D
as soon as the campaign is over, but
many Of the new arrivals have cold feet
and want to go away.
THE principal industry here 10 the
production of ice, and the country is
suffering from overproduction. Owing to
the countrys isolation there il very little
Ice shipped in. but it doesn't help mat
ters much-as local conditions give the
larger producer a monopoly anyhow and
the small concern is quickly frozen out
It is the same with the cold storage
business Some of the largest cold stor-
age establishments in the world are to
be found here and all Of them seem to
be under one management
I have been thinking for some DAYS
that when this country becomes more
thickly settled stove foundry would
do well here and possibly a wooden mill.
The coal mining industry also ought to
pay when the influx of settlers starts.
There is still plenty of homestead land
waiting to be taken UP. Much of it would
raise splendid crops if climatic conditions
were different. Possibly If larger areas
Of it were put under cultivation-with an
Ice plow-the weather would change, as
t has in the Middle West.
What this country needs most is bet
ter railroad facilities and more flrst-class
hotels. We were unable to obtain ac-
at any price and have
been compelled to camp out 1t isn't the
camping season. either.
"They gaV thew will have heffar IA
,ilities when the country settles up
but ii isn't settling up as fast as II
night I believe il would settle up much
aster II more people would move in.
However, this is merely an opinion. The
problem of settling up a country is an
I'D one and must be met by different
Methods in different localities. Lots Of
lines people move into a country and
IT'LL 1t doesn't settle up. Sometimes II
ant settle up and the people won't set
lie down. Sometimes the country settles
lp and the people settled down, and that
ettles 1t.
Things Have Changed.
THE definite location of the pole ought
o have a beneficial effect on business.
Doubt, as to where II was. made real
state unsteady. IL the people will now
10 their housekeeping and put in q lit
lie garden and forget about their taxes
We ought to have better times.
Social conditions should also improve
With the knowledge that the earth IL
fter all small affair and has no 'ap-
endix or summer kitchen or anything
eft to explore. 1t is a mere island in
ca of space-too small to fight on or
uarrel about. We should be more socia-
lie and not get pulled up because we
ave been around some. The wicked
hould also be convinced that it is safest
D be good since there is no place left to
ide
1T used to be that fellow could
ross the Mississippi River and change
is name and claim to be worth million
ollars and at once get to be a respected
itizen-or at least Congressman. That
ay Is long past now. Railroads and
and telegraphs and telephones
nd autos and flying machines are so
that a fellow gets caught while
e Is changing his name and long before
e gets started on his career az a re-
pected citizen he is doing time in q
nit Of clothes that makes him look like
zebra.
ST must close now and retire. This
great country to sleep in. The
inter nights are long and there isn't
luch to do. Sometimes a fellow will
o to bed at dusk in April and not
'ait til sun up in October As a general
ling one arises refreshed and with an
ppetite for breakfast.
p. S.-They say the earth stands at