The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-05-12
immensely of Flight in Dirig-
ible Shown in Famed Ex-
plorer's Speech-Tells of
Suspense When Buffetcd
BY Wind, Lost in Fog
Pays Tribute to Americans

dyS 1TIUuIC W ANuCI lC<AllS
How he flew over the North Polc
in Il dirigible was related graphically
to Bismarck audience last night at
the city auditorium by Capt. Roald
Amundscn, renowned arctic explorer.
Now IS years old, with his hair
turned silver gray and his face
deeply lined by the suffering expcr-
fenced in polar expeditions. Amund-
serk has announced that he is through
with exploration work. but his step
is still sprightly and the story he
told in Bismarck was related with
the enthusiasm of youth.
Amundscn's life has been fraught
with adventure since he abandoned
his books and study for medical
profession ut the age Of -, and went
70 sea IN a Norwegian whaler. In
cluded among the outstanding
achievements Of his life has been the
discovery Of the South Pole. where
he planted the Norwegian flag De
cembcr IA, 1911.
Using slides and motion pictures
to illustrate his address. Captain
Amundsen said he first conceived the
idea Of flying to the North Pole as
early as 1909 but subsequently Perr!
| discovered the pole and such plan.
were abandoned.
Escape Death
How he and Lincoln Ellsworth, al
| American, began flight to the pole
in 1925 and how they narrowl.
escaped death when their plane
were forced down on the ice in mid
| Arctic was told by the explorer. Fo
| a month. the two explorers and thei
/! companions worked desperately an,
finally, by a prodigious effort, man
aged to get one Of the planes int
i the air again.
Purchase Of the Norge. its fligh
| from Italy to England. to Norway
thence to Kings Bay and the landn,
at Spitzbergen were briefly described
all illustrated. How a crew of 30 car
penters worked for months az Spitz
bergen to build the hangar for tn
dirigble and how work was carrie
on. oftentimes in binding b!izzards
was described.
Hardships which we're endured b
the men aboard the giant Norge as
scared through the air and over III
pole were minimized by Amundser
who did not hesietate to pay flu
tribute o,the work Of his compar
ions, but his audience could readil
visualize the mental and physic;
sufferings Of the small group. Their
was not sufficient space for the me
to sit down. and the entire grou
stood sleepless for II hours.
! After passing over the pole an
after sighting Alaska, the Norge wa
buffeted about by storm whic
carried it into Siberia. After re
gaining control of the ship it wa
again headed toward the Alaska
shoreline, with the city of Nome q
the objective. Nome could not i
found, and Teller, small inlan
town. was the landing spot.
Landed in Gale
"How to land in the teeth Of
terrific gale was a problem Amund
sen related. "Then the miracle 0,
Cured. As the ship dropped dow
out Of the clouds and neared TIL
earth, the winds suddenly ceased an
we landed without difficulty in
dead calm."
Speaking humorously of some {
.he hardships encountered on tn
|; cvcntful trip, Captain Amundsen tol
how thcrmos bottles filled with tC
and coffee had been taken aboar'
as well as sandwiches and haI
boiled eggs.
"Thc temperature in the Nore
,, was below freezing" the cxplor'
said. "At first, the tea and cofft
!; were at least warm. Then we ha
iced tea and coffee. The sandwicht
became brittle As for the hare
boiled eggs--they became harder"
The suspense of the passengers q
the dirigible, unable to see land b.
cause Of dense fog, was clearly col
veyed to the audience when Amunt
sen told how, after taking the
bearings, they decided to come clos
to the ground to see if they coul
observe anything. Firing pistol shot
which would have echoed back it the
were near mountains, they slow
, descended but were unable to see an.
thing.
Started May II
; 1t was on May IL, at 2:3O in tt
afternoon, that the Norge startt
her flight from Spitzbergen and q
May -. about 1880 in the mornin
, the Norge passed over the pole. NJ
ton pictures distinctly showed Il
flags Of the three nations participa
ing in the flight-Italy, the Unite
States and Norway. being droppe
from the dirigible on to the ice II
below.
Graceful tribute was paid to Con
mander Richard E. Byrd, who flew
the pole and back just day befol
Amundsen started on his flight, WI
paid by the explorer, who declare
that the feeling between himself ar
Byrd was one of friendliness ar
cooperation. He characterized Il
American as 1.-THE greatest aviat'
Of modern times"
Captain Amundsen was Introduce
by Governor A. G. Sorlie, who "a
tribute to his exploits. Mrs. w.
Targart, accompanied by Mrs. He
ann Scheffer, opened the progra
by singing the Norwegian nation
anthem, ia, vi Elsker Dette Lande1
and "America, the Beautiful"
The speech was sponsored by tt
i Association Of Commerce.
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