The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-20
A|RSH|P ROUTE To
NORTH POLE
Capt. Bartlett Convinced
OF Its Feasibility
He was Member OF Peary's Party
and Tells of Conditions


and Tells of Conditions
Capt. Robert A. Bartlett, who accom-
panied Peary to the North Pole, is
firmly of the belief that the easiest
way to reach the North Pole in future
is by hydro-aeroplane or dirigibie
the German Government has built and
tried out so successfully for military
purposes
He has come to this conclusion after
studying the latest type of aeroplanes
and hydro aeroplanes and dirigiblcS
and from his personal knowledge OF
conditions in the Far North and cs-
pecially around the great polar sea.
He says the popular notions of che
Far North and the region around Tic
North Pole are pretty much like the
notions people had few years ago OF
Alaska, of Manitoba and Saskatchc-
wan, where some of the most profit
able farming in the world is carried
on
"All YOU ever hear about the Far
North" said Capt Bartlett, is the
storms and the ice and the glaciers
and the barren wastes, and then they
tell you about the game and the birds.
l,f4,. hat no mil l.
lions of birds hatch out their young
there, that the animals breed there
and that at Cape Columbia, one of the
farthest points north, whore was
for year, | picked more than GU
varieties of flowers and in that year !
did not see a storm as violent as some
of those I've seen here in Boston since
I've been here
HOPES OF THE AIRSHIP
Capt Bartlett before returning to his
home in Newfoundland called at the
Globe office, discussed the whole mat
ter and explained why he believed the
airship was destined TO become popu-
lar in the Far North, especially with
sportsmen, in the course of few
years, and why ii was the best vehicle
in which to explore all the country in
the Far North and the tabled Crocker
land which Peary once got glimpse
of and which Capt. Bartlett believes
-, Iii Int On
Polar Sea not more than 80 miles or
so from Cape Colgate and Grant Land.
AS a navigator of the sea said
Capt. Bartlett, Il never gave airshipS
any serious consideration until lately
| looked on them as rather dangerous
toys, but I've changed my mind since
I've learned more about them and
don't be surprised if you hear that
I've learned this aviation business and
that I'm navigating the air in the near
future instead of the sea. What
they're doing with aeroplanes in
France and with dirigibles in Germany
has been revelation to me.
THE German Government has sey-
eral military dirigibles like the Hansa
which was recently built. that will
carry four and five tons dead weight
and can travel at t. to ~ and Ga miles
an hour for 10 hours without landing
Then they can land on either water or
land. In dirigibes like these in Ger
many they have carried the past year
more than l2.00o passengers between
Hamburg, Berlin. Dusseldorf and
Stockholm in Sweden on schedule time
and without serious accident.
I'VE are way behind the times In
this country and as near as can see
we sailors will all be navigating the
air instead of the water in few MOI.
years if they progress with airships
as fast as they have tn past few
years
How about the weather and the
storms?'
Well, ! spent whole year in the
far North and | don't wish for any
better weather than found there. In
May, June and July the weather is per
feet up there For days and weeks
there isn't a cloud in the sky and
scarcely a breath OF air stirring and
the sun shining all the time.
The winter breaks early in April
The ice melts, the rivers flow and the
birds come up by the millions due Ks
and brant geese-to lay their eggs and
'atch There are pl,nty of musk o.
nd laars and some other animals
WI L would be YOUR plan?"
You G. Id start t1ct from ST