Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-02-27
REAR ADMIRAL
PEARY is DEAD
DisCoverer of the North Pole Dies
in Washington After Long
Illness.
BLOOD TRANSMISSION FAILS
Made Many Efforts to Reach Farthest
North Before He Finally Succeeded
in April, 19oe-HeIped to Gre
ate Large Aviation Force.

Robert e. Peary, discoverer of the
North pole, died at his home here
early today after an illness of several
weeks, as the result of pernicious
anemia.
Rear Admiral Peary had been suf-
fering for nearly two years A few
weeks ago he underwent an operation
for blood TRANSMISSION, but this failed
to relieve him.
Admiral Peary was born in Cresson,
Pa. May 6, 1855, the son of Charles
and Mary Peary.
Since his triumphal return from his
arctic expedition and the subsequent
controversy over the discovery of the
North pole, Admiral Peary has not
been in the best Of health.
Admiral Peary's first arctic expedi-
ton was in 1885, when he went far
into Greenland, and in 1891 he headed
another expedition of arctic explor-
ers. He made continued and repeated
efforts to reach the North pore during
the following years, but it was not I'M
til April. 1909, when he led small
expedition to success. The final dis
covery of the North pole was the re-
suit of a five-day dash under most try
| ing circumstances, but it carried Adj
miral Peary and the American flag
to and beyond the North POLE
During recent years Admiral Peary
has devoted much of his time to the
development of aviation He has been
one of the most enthusiastic workers
for the commercial development Of the
airplane, and during the early days
IF the war he was behind movement
which gave much impetus to the Gre
alton of large aviation force for the
army and the navy.
Admiral Peary was graduated from
Bowdoin college in 1877. He entered
he United States navy as civil en-
gineer on October 26, 1881; was as
sistant engineer in the construction
If the Nicaragua ship canal under
government orders, 1884-5, and was
made engineer in charge Of the canal
survey in 1887.
It was in the afternoon of Septem-
)er 6, 1909, that the following few
words reported to the civilized world
'or the first time this browning
achievement of three centuries of eff
'ort:
Indian Harbor, via Cape Ray, N. f..
Sept. Ito the Associated Press,
New York:
"Stars and Stripes nailed to the
North pole. PEARY."
Peary's actual attainment of the
,ole had been just five months before,
IN April 6, 1909.
When this dispatch came the world
vas quite unknown to Peary, prais-
ng DR.. Frederick Cook as the discov-
,rer. Only four days previous to the
oeary announcement Cook, who was
IN his way back to Copenhagen on
BOARD a Danish steamer, had tele-
.raphed the claim that he reached the
oole on April 81, 1898 nearly a year
lhead of Peary.
20 unquestioned from the first, he had
or four days at least been widely ac-
claimed as the discoverer of the pole.
With Peary's message there arose one
If the greatest controversies of all
lges over the honor of actual first dis
.overy. There can be no one who has
forgotten the dispute. Peary's asser-
ions were not seriously questioned,
out among newspaper readers there
zane to be two great camps, for and
against Cook.
Peary with his record Of seven sue
.essful trips to the arctic, his off,
.ial standing in the United States
navy and in scientific circles, easily
leld the commanding position in the
controversy. But it was only after
he scientific bodies one by one had
sifted the evidence and pronounced
Cooks claims unfounded that Peary's
title as discoverer of the pole was
.eally won.
The bitterness of this episode is
)nly one item in the price which Peary
oaid for the immortal fame that is
low acknowledged to be his. He spent
practically all he had in money, gave
I'll that was in him of hard work,
md suffered all that the human frame
.ould endure from hunger, cold and
disappointment. He made eight jour-
leys into the arctic, spent upward Of
lalf million dollars and several times
lie barely escaped the death which in
various forms had been the fate of
more than 700 explorers before him.