The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-05-13

"S sVpNVtn EcCeSVeO mere say
the polar dirigible Norge will
arrive ut Nome. Alaska, at =
o'clock tonight. The airship was
sighted off Point Barrow early
this morning. All on hoard are
well.
Nome. Alaska, May 13.--LP)--RaAo
operators at Nome and throuehout
Alaska electrified the air early this
morning in attempts to get in COM
munication with Roald Amundsen
aboard the dirigible Norge, en- route
from Europe to Alaska. after several
stations had reported hearing her
signals.
In none Of the messages were there
any clue as to the airship's position,
although the signals were reported
TO be clear and readable. Interfcr-
ence from ships and private stations
hampered communication at times.
however.
Nome had a sleepless night. Its
thousands of inhabitants waited al
most breathlessly for the first sight
OF the big ship. A hundred men were
ready to haul the dirigible to the
earth.
Citizens began construction of an
arch Of triumph in the main street
yesterday and labored into the night.
Those who had not turned carpenters
paced the streets and beach restless
ly, taking their eyes from the ground
only to scan the northern horizon
for the great sky ship.
~
is CRUISING OVER
UNEMPLOYED AREA
New York, May l3.--LR9-Revela.
ton Of the earth's last great terri
torial secret today depended on the
Il men bound for Nome, Alaska,
aboard the dirigible Norge.
The silvered airship which passed
over the North Pole Tuesday night
from the standpoint Of eastern time,
was due ut Point Barrow at 3 y. m,
eastern standard time last night,
provided it maintained it's cruising
speed Of 50 miles an hour and did not
deviate from its course.
Roald Amundsen, commander Of
the vessel, announced before his de-
parture from Spitzbergen, however,
that il any land were found i'm the
million square miles unexplorcd area
between Alaska and the pole he would
claim it for his native Norway. and
might cruise around over it,
After passing the North Pole,
claimed for the United States by
Robert f. Peary, the II men added to
the known area Of the wc-ld at this
rate Of 5000 square miles an hour.
At 1000 feet in the air they could
see SO miles on each side. Early in
April Captain George H. wilkins Of
the Detroit Arctic Expedition recon-
noitered 10000 square miles Of the
area and found it ice covered.
Crossed Pole At z p. M.
The last radio message received
here yesterday from the Norge was
sent at $3.50 p. m. Tuesday, eastern
standard time, just after passing the
pole. The pole was crossed at p.
m. It was estimated that the ship
would make the 1850 miles from the
Pole to Point Barrow in 25 hours.
on the way to Nome.
A radio message to Rome from
Commander Umberto Mobile, designer
and pilot of the Norge, said that
when observation of the suns rays
through a mist dedicated the ship
was over the pole, it descended close
TO the ice flelQS. Drllllant ray OF
sunlight made the ice glisten like q
mass Of gems. The temperature was
1O.4 degrees fahrenheit. Roman
newspapers hailed the crossing Of
the pole by the Norge as a Norwe-
gian and Italian triumph, scarcely
mentioning Lincoln Ellsworth, tho
only American abroad, one of tho
three leaders whose financial backing
made the flight possible. The papers
express doubt that Commander Rich-
ard E. Byrd actually flew over the
pole Saturday.
Commander Byrd yesterday made
his official report to Secretary Of the
Navy Wilbur by radio. Bennett and
l reached the Pole at 9:15 a. m. May
g." he said. "Negret could not get
report through sooner. Our wireless
shut down to prevent interference
Norge"