The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-29

maps of the whole region. From Fort COnger,
during the winter of 1900-1901, he made short
trips to the north preparatory to an advance in
the spring. This attempt for the pole he was
forced to abandon north of Grant Land and
returned to Fort Conger for another winter. He
left Fort Conger February "a for another
try for the pole; after making a new farthest
north, "a II, he again met a great open lane
in the ice and had to abandon the attempt
He returned to the states in September, 1902.
Undaunted he renewed his attempt in 1905
Again at "a SO in Grant Land he came across
the open lead and for six days was unable to
cross. When the young ice formed he made
q dash to cross the lead Most of the sledges
made the passage when a gale sprang up,
breaking up the thin ice with most of the
provisions still the south SIDE There
nothing to do but push on to the north. At
IS :12 storm of snow held them up inactive
in camp for six days. Meanwhile, they steadi-
ly drifted some 70 miles southwark.
On April q they had reached S7:6, a new
farthest north; realizing the foolhardiness of
further advance, Peary faced south for the re-
turn to camp.
His final expedition came in 1908 Accom-
panied by IL scientists, ice experts and Matt
Henson his faithful servant, he returned to the
base on Grant Land. On March l. with a great
ice army of men IL Eskimos, 1873 dogs and
10 sledges in two divisions under himself and
Captain Bartlett, he started straight out over
the ice They made good speed to the north
until the opening of the spring season began to
make the pack disintegrate. AS men became
exhausted or incapacitated from frost. Peary
sent them back AS provisions became lower,
more of the party were sent back, in order to
enable those remaining to continue By March
o. with less than 140 miles between him and
the pole, Peary was alone with his negro, Hen
son, and four Eskimos. In forced marches feed
ing full ratons and pushing forward as rapidly
as possible, he found himself on the morning
of April at 80 :57-ess than three miles from
his goal A few hours later he was at the
point where it was south no matter where he
looked.
At the spot where his observations determined
the North pole to be Peary planted the Amer
lean flag given him by his wife fifteen years
before for that purpose The colors of his cal
lege fraternity, of the Navy league and of the
Red Cross were added and records of the event
left. Thirty hours were consumed in observa-
lions, rest and preparations for the hazardous
journey back
But when Peary returned to civilization to
reap the rewards of his achievement, it was
to find that he had a bitter controversy on his
hands, DIR. Frederick Cook, who had accom-
panied previous Peary expeditions as a surgeon,
had claimed that he had reached the pole on
April q. 1908, ten months before Peary At
first Cooks claims were accepted by scientists,
then rejected as insuficiently proved. Pearys
data were accepted by the National Geographic
society as positive proof that he had reached
the pole For time public sentiment was div
ided between the two claimants but eventually,
Peary was accepted by all. public and SCI
entists alike, as the authentic first man to
reach the North POLE Then deserved recogni-
70 pocrv-rnodalq froy,
eties the acclaim of rulers and scientists a
pension and the rank of rear admiral from his
own country. When he died on February 20,
1920, the world Joined in honoring his memory
and now IL years later his name is heard
again throughout the world as those who knew
him and loved him best prepare to pay the fit.
ting tribute Of erecting to his memory a monu,
ment in the land he won his fame q
@ by Western Newspaper Union,