The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-02

New York, April 2.-(AP)-
Justification for the risk of life and
expenditure of money involved in
three American Arctic expeditions
this summer was given today by
Robert Anderson Pope, organizer
of the All-Amcrican Alumni Arctic
Expedition.
His outfit will be commanded by
Lieutenant Leigh Wade, assisted by
Lieutenant II. II. Ogden, both Of
whom are round-the-world filters.
All three American expeditions
will attempt to locate chart and
claim for the United States large
body Of land believed to lie north
! of Alaska and Eastern Siberia,
spoken Of by the explorers as a
new polar continent" A bulletin
issued last year by the National
Geographic Society estimated that
this land comprises about 100000
square miles.
"Sufficient evidence rs available
said Mr.. Pope, "to Justify the al
most certain belief that such land
exists" He then proceeded to un-
fold the evidence. \
Natives Of the northern Alaskan
and Siberian coasts have been con-
WINGED that land lay to the north
ward ever since Arctic explorers
first began to inquire. They base
their belief chiefly upon the north
erly flight of birds in the spring
las soon as the ice starts to go out,
which is just before nesting season.
Some scientific sceptics think the
Spitzbergen and Frank Joseph
birds fly clear across the pole to
Land, but the majority think they
would not be likely to attempt such
a long flight at the beginning OF
the nesting season.
E. w. Nelson, chief Of the Bureau
! Of Biological Survey OF the United
States Department OF Agriculture
has written Mr.. Pope:
my information concerning the
flight of birds at Point Barrow,
gained both during my residence in
!! Alaska years ago and what has
been learned since. all combine to
indicate the probability Of unknown
lands to the north or northeast OF
!, that point. Also my observations
on Wrangell Island Indicate the
probability Of lands lying northcrly
from the island
Mr.. Nelson recalled the evidence
of Captain Hooker of the CorWin
fresh tracks of wild geese on Wran-
fresh tracks of wild gees on Wran-
CELL Island but not sign Of these
geese themselves, indicating tenn
porary stopping place for great
number of migratory birds. Mr..
!, Murdoch, the naturalist Of the Ray
Expedition, located near Point Bar
row in the same year and the fol-
lowing two years, noted the flight
northward of large flocks, Mr.. Mel
son stated.
| Donald Cadzow, of the Museum
Of the American Indian, also noted
geese and ducks flying northward
from Alaska. Mr.. Pope cited still
other naturalists and explorers.
Claim They Saw Land
! Captain Edward p. Heredeen,
years ago reported that the natives
/ wintering between Harrison and
! Camden Bays, Alaska, claimed that
| in the clear days of spring they
! often could discern land to the
northward, but this is thought to
have been merely a large island.
/ Captain John keenan,, Of Troy,
N. Y, cruising the Beaufort Sea,
north of the Alaskan shore, in
search of whales in the seventies,
offered more substantial evidence.
After taking several whales the
weather became thick and he stood
to the north. When the fog lifted
land to the north was seen distinct
" by him and all the members Of