Keowee courier. (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, September 08, 1909, Image 3
IIHD NORTH POLE APR
GREAT NEWS FROM
Ji FREDEN
. i
CABLEGRAMS TELL OF WONDER- !
FUL ACHIEVEMENT FOR
WHICH HARING EXPLORERS
OF MANY NATIONS HAYE
STRUGGLED FOR Y LA HS.
FIRST HEWS OF SUGGESS SENT
IO LOVING WIFE, WHO WAITED
AND PRAYED FOR TWO YEARS.
Dr. Cook Left Now York July 4th,
1007-- Mis. Cook Received Last
Ix*tter Dated Capo Hubbard,March
17, lOOH-Relief E\|M>dition to
Seel. Dr. Cook and Commander
Reai*y, Also in Polar Regions, Left
New York Two Weeks Ago-Asso
ciations Interested in Explora?
Hons Not Yet Officially Notified.
Tho First Message.
Brussels. Sept. 1.-The Ob
servatory here received the fol
lowing telegram, dated Ler
wlck, Shetland Islands:
"Reached North Role April
21, 1 DOS. Discovered land far
north. Hot urn to Copenhagen
by Steamer Hansegcde.
"Signed) Frederick Cook."
The American officials at the ob
servatory state the dispatch is surely
authentic, and that the North Pole
has been reached for the first time
by an American.
The News in New York.
New York. Sept. 1.-"Suc
cessful. Well. Address Copen
hagen. Fred."
Full of meaning, if "successful"
were Interpreted to Indicate that he
had reached the North Pole, the
foregoing cable message, exasperat
ing in its briefness, was received In
New York to-day from Dr. Frederick
A. Cook, the American explorer,
whom the latest cable advice to
night credits with having accom
plished what no man ever did.
The message was sent not to any
scientific society nor to any of his
associates Interested In his expedi
tion from a scientific viewpoint, but
to his wife, who has been counting
the days and hours and praying for
his safety since his departure from
this city on July 4, l!)o7.
But by chance Nf rs. Cook was not
at her Brooklyn homo, but spending
the summer at Harpswell, Maine, so
the dispatch was received by Dr. R.
T. Davidson, a personal friend of
the explorer, who made its contents
known, then Hashed the good news
to Mrs. Cook. Brief as lt was, the
first news from her intrepid hus
band since March 17, 1908, when
he wrote from Cape Hubbard, on
the edge of the Polar ice sea, on the
Northwest side of Ellesmere Land.
At that time he advised his com
panion, Rudolph Franke, then sta
tioned at Etnh, Greenland, with sup
plies, to walt there until June for his
return, but in the event of Dr.
Cook's Ijsibii'e to appear to proceed
to America.
Franke wailed as instructed, but
as Dr. Cook faded to come back, he
caught the Hoary auxiliary ship and
reached New York last fall. Since
that time Dr. Cook's whereabouts
have been a mystery, although mem
bers of the Arctic Club In this city,
viewing the situation optimistically,
were int lined to think that ho had
reached the Pole, despite his long
silence.
Thev? was. of course, the ever
present probability (hat he had per
ished, and it .will be recalled (hat a
relief ship is now en route to IStah,
wbere?she ls due the middle Of Sep
tember. The vessel, the schooner
Jeanie, left St. Johns, New Found
land, about (wo weeks ago With
(he double purpose ol' searching for
Dr. Cook and laking* supplies to
Commander Deary. The expedition
was financed by a special committee
beaded by Dr. Roswell O. Stebbins,
of (his eily, and composed of friends
of Dr. Cook and men of science who
were most keenly Interested in his
venture. To these men the news
(hat he was safe and the report that
he had reached the Pole were receiv
ed with rojoieing to-night, although
none of them had any further ad
vices.
No official action wns taken to
night by the Arctic Club, the Explor
ers' Club, or the American Geo
graphical Society, for none of theso
associations had received any for
mal notification of Dr. Cook's suc
cess. Arthur M. Huntington, presi
dent of the American Geographical
Society, is out of the city, ae U Heir
Admiral W. S. Schley, president of
the Arctic Club. The officers of the
Explorers* Club could uot he found.
To-day's message from Dr. Cook
to his wife waa dated at Lerwlck,
Shetland Islands, the first available
point of transmission In the regular
steamship course between Greenland
ports and Copenhagen, whither he
ls bound. Because of Its briefness
the assumption is that the message
was seut primarily to assure his
wife of his safety and not to apprise
the world of his discovery.
UR. COOK TELLS HOW HE,
PLANTED "ODD GLORY** ON
EARTH'S DREARIEST SPOT.
Fight witt? Famine und Frost in Ad
vance Upon North Pole-New
Highway Opened-80,000 Square
Miles of Land-How it Feels to
Stand ut tho North Dole.
Paris, Sept. 1.-The Paris edition
of the NeWYork Herald this morn
ing publishes a signed statement
from Dr. Frederick A. Cook, which
is dated "llansegede, Kerwick, Wed.
nesday," on his experiences In the
Arctic regions.
"After a prolonged fight with fam
ine and frost," says Dr. Cook, "wc
have at last succeeded in reaching
He North Pole. A new highway,
with an interesting strip of aili
mated nature has been explored and
big game haunts located, which will
delight sportsmen and extend tho
Eskimo horizon.
"Land has been discovered on
which rests the earth's northernmost
rocks. A triangle of ?10,Ont) square
miles has been cut out of tho terres
trial unknown. The expedition was
the outcome of a summer cruise lu
the Arctic seas on the schooner
'Bradley,' which arrived at the Hm
Its of navigation in Smith Sound late
ill August. 1!?07 Here conditions
were found to launch a venture to
the Pole. J. It. Bradley liberally
supplied from his vessel suitable pro
visions for local use. My own equip
ment for eon agencies served well
every purpose of Arctic travel. Many
Eskimos had gathered on the Green
land shores at Annatoak for the
winter bear hunt. Immense quan
titles of meat had been collected and
about the camp were plenty of
strong dogs. The combination was
lucky, for there was good material
for equipment. All that was re
quired was conveniently arranged for
at a point only seven hundred miles
from the boreal center. A house
and workshop were built of packing
boxes by willing hands and this
northermost tribe of 250 people set
themselves to the problem of devis
ing a suitable outfit. Before thc
end of the long winter night wt
were ready for the enterprise and
plans had matured to force a new
route over Grlnnell Land northward
along lt? west coast out into th?
Polar sea.
The Campaign Begun.
"The campaign opened with a few
scouting parties being sent over the
American shores to explore the way
and seek the game haunts. Their
mission was only partly successful
because of the storms. At sunrise
of February li), 1908, the main ex
pedition embarked on its voyage to
tho Pole. lt consisted of 1 I men
and 103 dogs, drawing eleven heav
ily laden sledges.
The expedition left the Greenland
shore and pushed westward over the
troubled ice of Smith sound. The
gloom of the long night was reliev
ed only by a few hoars ol' daylight.
The chill of the winter was felt al
its worst. As we crossed the heigh)
of Ellsmore Sound to the Pacific
slope the temperature sank to minus
S.'l centigrade. Several dogs weir
frozen and the men suffered severely,
but we soon found the game trails
along whic h the way was easy. Wo
forced through Nansen Sound to
Land'ft End. In this march we se
cured 101 musk oxen, seven hem's
and :i:tr> hares.
On the ( 'ir? II III Polar Pack.
"We pushed out Into the Polar
sea from the southern point of Her
bert Island on March IS. Six Eski
mos returned from here. With four
men and 40 dogs moving supplies
for eighty days, the crossing of the
Circum polar pack was begun. Three
days later two other Eskimos, form
ing the last supporting party, re
turned, and the trails had now been
reduced by the survival of the fittest.
The two best men and 20 dogs were
picked for the final effort.
"There before us lu an unknown
line of 400 miles lay our goal. The
first days provided long marches and
we made encouraging progress. A
big lead which separated tho land
from the ice of the central pack was
crossed with little delay. The low
temperature was persistent and the
winds made, life a torture. But,
cooped up In our snow houses, eat
lng dried beef tallow and drinking
hot tea, there was some animal com
forts occasionally to be gained.
"For several days after the sight
of known land was lost, the overcast
sky prevented an accurate determi
nation of our positions. On March
30 the horizon was partly cleared
and new lund was discovered. Our
observations ?ave our position as
latitude 84.47, longitude 80.3C.
There was urgent need of rapid ad
vance. Our main mission did not
permit a detour for the purpose of
exploring the coast. Here were seen
the last signs of solid earth; be
yond, there was nothing stable to
be seen.
Beyond the fcdte Line.
"We advanced steadily over the
monotony of moving sea ice, and
now found ourselves beyond the
range of all life-neither footprints
of bears nor the blow-holes of seals
were detected. Even the microscop
ic creatures of the deep were no
longer under us. The maddening In
fluence of the shifting desert of
frost became almost unendurable lu
the dally routine. The surface of
the pack offered less and less trou
ble and the weat hf* Improved, but
there still remained the lite-sapping
wind which drove despair to Its low
est recesses. The extreme cold com
pelled physical action. Thus day af
ter day our weary legs spread over
big distances. Incidents and posi
tions were recorded, but adventure
was promptly forgotten in the next
day's efforts.
Sunburn and Frostbite.
The night of April 7 was mad?
notable by the swinging of the sui
al midnight over the northern Ice
Sunburns and frostbites were nov
recorded on the same day, but th?
double day's glitter infused quite ai
incentive into one's life of shivers.
"Our obsei vc.tion on April 0 placee
the camp in latitude 86.36, longi
tude 04.2. In spite of what seeine?
long marches we advanced but lit
tie over a hundred miles. Much o
our work was lost in clrcuitou
twists, around troublesome pressun
lines and high irregular fields. /'
very old ice drift, too, was drlvlni
eastward with sufficient force ti
give some anxiety.
"Although still equal lo about 5'
miles ?lally, the extended marche
and the long hours for travellm
with which fortune favoretl us ear
lier were no longer possible. W
wore now about 2 00 miles from th
pole and sle?lge loads were reduced
One dog after another went Into th
stomachs of the hungry survivor
until the teams were conslderahl
diminished in number, but ther
seemed to remain a sufficient balam
for man and brute to push alon
Into the heart of the mystery t
which we had set ourselves.
Ohl Glory Crowns the Pole.
"On April 21 we leached 80 th
grees, 50 minutes and 4 6 second
The pole was in sight. We coverc
the remaining fourteen seconds an
made a few final observations,
told Blukishook and Ahwelsh (tl
accompanying Eskimos) that we hn
reached the 'great nail.1 Ever;
where we turned was south.
With a single step we could pat
from one side of the earth to tl
other; from midday to midnight. J
last the Hag floated to the breeze i
the pole. It was April 2 1, iou
The temperature was minus 38 ce:
tlgrade, barometer 20.8:1. laitut
!Hi; as for the longitude it was not
lng, as it v 'is but a word.
Fia/.y With .loy, Utterly Desolate
"Although crazy with joy oi
i I iiits began to undergo a feeling
weariness. Next day after taking!
our observations, a sentiment of i
tense solitude penetrated us will
we looked al the horizon. Was
possible that this desolat?? regio
without a patch ol* earth, had aron
ed the ambition of so many men f
so many centuries. There was i
ground, only an Immensity of du
/.ling white snow, no living bein
no point to break the frightful ni
not oliy.
"On April 23 we started on o
return."
THOSE WHO HA VF, FAILED.
The dream of finding the Xoi
Pole for centuries lured explore
scientists, and daring adventure
This dream apparently has now 1
come a reality by the achlevem?
of Dr. Frederick A. Cook, of Bro<
lyn. Dr. Cook cabled a laconic m
sage from Lerwiek, Shetland Islan
whence he Is proceeding to Copenl
gen, saying:
"Successful. Well. Address
Copenhagen. Fred."
Several days must now elapse
fore any further Information Is avi
able. The Danish governmi
steamer Hansgede has left Lerwl
Shetland Islands, for Copenhag
where she is due next Satur?!
Meantime the ship skirts the Dan
coast, passing several small pol
which aro being closely watched
further particulars of Dr. Cook.
Some of the most recent or nc
worthy attempts to reach the No
Pole are enumerated below.
Walter Wellman, an Americ
j left the Island of Spitzbergen, for
: the pole in a balloou, August loth,
1909. Ula airship became disabled
after he had traveled thirty miles,
and he was forced to return.
In 11)00 Commander Robert E.
Peary, United States navy, reached
87 degrees, 0 minutes, equivalent to
nhout 203 tulles from the Pole. Com
mander Peary ls now in the Polar re
gions on another expedition. A re
lief ship was sent out a month ago
to endeavor to pick him up. Ile
start v' from Sydney, N. S., July 17,
15)0 8. ,
Oi. September 3, 1905, Capt. Ro
ald Amundsen, a Norwegian, com
pleted the first vovage through the
northwest passuge. He left Chris
tiania on the Gjoa, June 17. 190;?,
and arrived at Herschel Island, In
the Ar. tlc Ocean, In September of
1905.
In 1904. Baron Toll, a Russian,
led a Polar expedition party by way
of Siberia, but all the members per
ished from the cold.
In 1903, Erickson, a Dane, head
ed an expedition, and got as far
as Saunder's Island, where they
were rescued In a destitute condi
tion.
In the same year Anthony Flala,
a young Brooklyn explorer, sailed on
the ship America and proceeded fur
ther North than the Duke of
Abruzzl. His party endured great
hardships before they were rescued.
The Duke of the Abruzzl mad?- his
expeidtion In 1000.
In 1896 Dr. Nansen reached St!
degrees, 14 minutes, on the vessel
Kram, which left Ingor Strait Au
gust I, IS03.
Prof. Andree made hts fatal bal
loon trip in 1S07. He left Tromsoe
Norway, in his balloon, the Eagle
hound for the pole. Since his de
parture nothing authentic, has beet
heard of Andree.
In ISSI? Capt. Delong's expoditloi
in the Jeannette was lost near Hen
riet ta island.
In 1S82 the Greely expedltioi
reached 83 degrees, ?,4 minutes, am
in 1845 Sir John Franklin inicie ht
disastrous attempt to penetrate fron
Lancaster Sound to Behring Strait.
Gen. Greely's par? y reached
point 83.24.00 degrees from th
Pole, thus proceeding farther to
ward that much-sought for poln
than had previously been attained
Thal expedition was a trying one fo
those concerned, lief ore they reach
ed this country again their number
had been reduced hy death to sever
At Cape Sabine the survivors wer
rescued by a relief expedition nude
commodore, now Rear Admiral Wir
field S. Schley, retired, president c
the Arctic Club.
At a meeting of the Explorer
Club, of New York, lu October, 190'
a letter from Dr. Cook, dated J
Btah August 26, gave this Inform;
Hon:
"I find that 1 have a good oppo
tunity to try for the Pole. I hope I
get to the Explorers' Club in Se
tomber, 1908, with the record i
?he Pele. 1 plan to cross lCllesme
Land and reach the Polar Sea 1
Nansen Strait. I hope you can i:
duce some of the members of tl
club to come and meet me at Cai
York. Here's for the Pole with tl
flag."
No One Should Be Skeptical.
London, Sept. 2.-Lieutenant
II. Shackelton, the British anny of
cer who luis recently returned fro
an unsuccessful attempt to dlscov
the South Pol??, declared to-day th
no one should be skeptical of 1
Frederick Cook's claims.
"Nothing is impossible for 1
Cook, although lu- traveled twel
miles a day in approaching the Po
something no Arctic explorer h
been able to accomplish," said Liet
Shackelton. "After reaching I
Pole and returning to land, he m
have 'lived with the Eskimos un
Ibis year, and this would explain I
having reached the goal in a mon
and taking a year to return. i
probability that Cook traveled o>
smooth ice Is unique."
"I HAVE AMPLE PROOF THAT
REACHED THE POLE."-COM
Skagen, Denmark, Sept. 3.
Iiewspaper correspondent who wt
on board the Hansegede. li
the pilot steamer off here, was a
to obtain a few words with Dr. Fr
erick Cook.
The explorer ascribed his suce
lo the fact that he made use of
old methods, namely, Esqulmei
and dogs, and that he lived like
Ksquimeau himself.
Tho doctor gave a humid eke
of his expedition. In which he sa
"Going northward, 1 struck f
a westerly course from Greenli
and then moved northward.
"I arrived at the North Pole
April 2f, 1908, as already annoti
ed, accompanied by only two E:
meaux. We reached the pole a
o'clock In the morning. I took d
observations for a whole fortnl
before arriving at the pole.
"Returning, we were forced
take a more westerly route, and
first ten days I took observ?t
dally and recorded them. I waa
Mit SHINGLE. THC APPLK
CORTRIi
FOR PERMAN
Rool* that will latt at long .. th? buildlo
fire-proot, etorm-prooi. li* htning-proot, handior
ttolura whether il bo burne, achoo!, ohurohor no
" COIU RIGHT MET
fill all condition? and their price |
GUJ to ?how you eampleeaay lime. Write to
si:\WA HARDWARE <
able to measure the depth of the
sea as 1 had not the necessary instru
ments.
"The lowest temperature recorded
was 83 degrees centigrade below
zero." (Eighty-three degrees centi
grade below zero ls equal to 117 de
grees below zero Fahrenheit),
"1 have ample proof that 1 reach
ed the North Role in the observa
tions 1 took, Which afford a certain
means of checking the truth of my
statements.
"Although I am proud of my
achievement in planting the Ameri
can Hag on the North Role, I look
with much greater pride to the fact
that 1 traveled around more than
30,000 square miles ol' hitherto un
known ground, and opened up an
entirely fresh field for exploration."
No Fakt? Story,
Washington. Sept. 2.-Maurlee F.
Bgan, United Stales minister at Co
penhagen telegraphed the State De
partment that the report of Dr.
Cook's discovery of the North Role
has been corroborated by Dergaard
Jenson, Danish inspector of North
Greenland.
Winthrop Will (?pen September BO.
A dispatch from Rock Hill to the
Charleston News and Courier says:
"The architect and contractor hav
ing in charge the Imprvoenients at
Winthrop College have carefully
gone over the situation there, and
the conclusion has been reached that
lt will be impossible to complete the
dining room and kitchen by the 1 ?th.
the date set for the opening of the
school. With the full consent and
approbation of the hoard, President
Johnson has decided to postpone the
opening two weeks, giving ample
time for everything to be gotten Into
proper order. Winthrop will conse
quently open September 2t?th.
COLU
DOUBLE-PIS
A different select
They fit an
That tells the i
that at 65 cents
Double-Disc you g<
on each side, than y
fore at $1.20 for th
tions. Get a c?talo
C. W. WK
:A?ION. THC APPEARANOT?"
GHXMEm
SHINGLES
ENT ROOFS
t Itself, and novar need repatra. That ara
ne. Ilfht and adapted lor all kinda ol m . hi -
y other building down to the humbla barn
AL SHINGLES *
permits of their ute anywhere
r our tree book, "Concerning That Kool"
COMPANY, Seneca, S. C.
ATLANTA A I I < ) \l( )! '. 11 I. HACKS
Vin Be Hehl November ?th to im h.
Great l*repar?tIont*?
Building a ii-mlle race track.whore
ho ponderous machines can fairly
ly through space, and where a speed
if 150 miles an hour ls made possl
?le, ls not an ordinary undertaking
ty any means. Thousands of men,
iniulreds of teams, and many giant.
iteatU shovels, are required to re
nove the dirt for the formation of
his great track. Seating capacity
or thousands of spectators, and
?thor things for their accommoda
lon, are necessary. Houses liave
teen built for the storing of ma
llines, grand stands have to be
reeled, and railroad facilities have
o be looked after, In order to bail
lie tho vast crowds going to such
?laces.
All of these things are being dono
ty the Atlanta Automobile Assocla
lon, a company com posed ol' busl
less men and sportsmen, that ls now
niiiding Mie "fastest automobile
ace track In the world." Tho work
viii be finished early in October, and
he first race meet will begin on No
ember 9thi continuing for five days.
The Atlanta Automobile Assooln
lon ls C0mp08ed of enterprising men,
Y ho have put. $;t00,000 info tho en
erprlse, for the purpose of giving"
he South the biggest automobile rac
nu plant In the Halted States. Thora
s not a dollar's worth of stock
>lther owned or controlled by any
?ne In any way connected with the
mtotnobile business.
The entry Hst for the November
licet will be one of the largest In tho
llstory of automobile racing. The
veather conditions that usually oxlst.
n the South during November, and
tven later In the winter, aro partlcu
arly favorable for automobile rac
ng. Besides bringing thousands to
lew the races, tho big track will also
te the cause of scores of automobile
ourlsts coming to Georgia and the
?ont h.
Impure blood runs you down
mikes you an easy victim for organic
llseases. Burdock Hlood Bitters pu
liles the blood-cures the cause
milds you up.
65c.
MBI?
CRECORDS^
ion on each side
y machine
whole story except
for the Columbia
et a better record,'
ou ever bought be*
ie same two selec
g!
ION? ?. C.