Imperial Valley press., 1925-06-18

lance today announced through
the United Press that word has
teen received from Kings Bay
Spitzbergen, that the explorer,
Raold Amundsen and all his
party have returned safely from
their polar flight.
Information of the explorers
safety was contained in n message
signed by himself and members of
his party.
In two specially built airplanes
! Raold Amundsen and his compan-
ions hoped off several weeks ago.
The plan was to return within SO
hours.
Amundsen hoped to land at or
near the pole, spend six hours maxi
ing observations and return to the
base where his staunch little ships,
the Farm and the Hobby
We're waiting.
While the world waited for word
from the north, days and finally
weeks passed without any message
, from Amundsen. Scientists through
out the world gave their opinions as
to the probable safety of the expe-
| dition-some believing them safe,
, others maintaining the explorers
must be lost
Close friends and relatives of the
members of the expedition in this
country refused to give up hope, Mr..
land Mrs Burton Prcntiss. brother
in-law and sister of Lincoln ELS.
Rworth, the only American with
Amundsen, maintaining that the fly.
ers were safe.
Ellsworth was born in Chicago, at
tended Columbia University and lat
er MeGill 1T Montreal.
He had flying experience in
France during the world war ana
explored in the Yukon, hence was
qualified to act as co-leader of the
! expedition with Amundsen.
Ellsworth and Amundsen both
acted as observers in the planes in
which they flew.
The latter's fame as an explorer
has been world wide, especially
since 1912 when he was the first
man to reach the south pole and lat
er traversed the northwest passage
and discovered the north magnetic
! pole
II Told You So
First word from the north that
the explorers had returned safely
from their adventurous flight was
received by leaders in the world of
scientific exploration with remarks
of, Il told YOU So"
After AmundSen had failed to re-
turn to Spitzbergen for a fort
night and more, however, there was
much talk of rescue expeditions.
Secretary of Navy Wilbur was ask
ed to send the dirigible Los An
geleS to rescue the missing flyers.
Lieutenant Commander Donald b.
Macmillan, whose own polar expedi-
ton IN three planes is to fly over
hitherto unknown land, sailed from
Boston yesterday, and was going to
look for Amundsen before taking
up his own exploration.
Although Ammdsen was "dad-
dy to two little Eskimo girls, he
adopted some years ago, the explor-
er had never married. He is 55.
Ellsworth was unmarried also. His
father, the late James w. Ellsworth.
who died early this summer while
his SON still was listed as missing,
gave 100000 towards the expenses
of the present expedition.
Amundsen originally laid plans
for his polar flight in 1923 but fl
nancial reverSes shortly afterward
prevented him from completing tho
project
He leetured in the United States
and with the financial assistance OF
Ellsworth, was able to buy two spe-
ciaily built Italian airplanes aud
equip his expedition.
Besides Amun sen and Ellsworth,
the other members of the expedition
who made the flight were: Pilot
Hialmar RiiserLa Larsen of Oslo; Pilot
Lief Deirietson, Horton, Norway:
Oskar Omdahl, Kristiausand, Nor
way, and Karl Feucht Of Friedrich
shafen, Germany.