in
4' J
40
Hx-A
Most Crj'-'y
Year, la Adranc.
FOR COD, KOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH.
VOL. XX.
PLYiMOUTH, N; C FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1909.
THE NORTH POLE IS
Dr. Frederick Cook, of Brooklyn, Wins the Goal
Reaches Pole April 21, 1908 Land at the
Point Where With One Step You Pass
From Side to Side of the Earth.
New York, Special. "Successful.
Well. Address Copenhagen.
"FRED."
Full of meaning, if "successful"
were interpreted to indicate that he
had reached the North Pole, the fore
going cable message, exasperating in
its briefness, was received in New
York Wednesday from Dr. Frederick
A. Cook, tiie American explorer,
whom the latest cable advices credit
with having accomplished what no
man ever did. It was intended for
Mns. Cook, who was not at home.
Wednesday's message from Dr.
Cook to his wife was dated at Ler
wick, Shetland islands, the first avail
able point of transit in the regular
steamship course between Greenland
ports and Copenhagen, whither he is
bound. Because of its briefness tire
assumption is that the message was
sent primarily to assure his wife of
hi3 safety and not to apprise the
world of his discovery.
The following seems a second bit
of information : i
Brussels, Sept. 1. The observatory
here received the following telegram
dated Lerwick, Shetland islands:
"Reached North Pole April 21,
1908. Discovered land far north. Re
turn to Copenhagen by steamer Hans
Egede. (Signed)
"FREDERICK COOK."
The American officials at the ob
servatory .tate the dispatch is surely
authentic and that the North Pole has
been reached for the first time by an
American.
The Paris edition of The New York
Herald Thursday morning publishes
a signed statement from Dr. Fred
erick A. Cook, which is dated "Hans
Egede, Lerwick, Wednesday," on his
experiences in the Aretic reenons.
"A'fter a prolonged fight with
famine and frost," says Dr. Cook,
"we have at last sucee ded in reach
ing the North Pole. A new highway.
with an interesting strip of animated
nature, has been explored and big
game haunts located, which will de
light sportsmen and extend the Eski
mo horizon.
"Land has been discovered on
which rests the earth's northernmost
rocks. A triangle of 30,000 square
miles has been cut out of the ter-
restial unknown. The expedition
was the outcome of a summer cruise
in the Arctic seas on the schooner
Bradley, which airivef at the limits
of navigation in Smith sound late in
August, 1907. Here c-onditions were
found to launch a venture to the pole.
J. R. Bradley liberally supplied from
his vessel suitable provisions for lo
cal use. My own equipment for
emergencies served well for every
purpose in the Arctic.
On Feb. 19, 1903, the main expedi
tion embarked on its voyage to the
pole. It consisted of 11 men and 103
dogs drawing eleven heavily laden
sledges. The expedition left the
Greenland shore and pushed west
ward over the troubled ice of Smith
sound. The gloom of the long night
was relieved only by a few hours of
daylight. The chill of the winter was
felt at its worst. As we crossed the
heights of Ellesmere sound to the
Pacific slope the temperature sank to
minus 83 centigrade.
Several dogs were frozen and jtho.
men suffered severely but we soon
found the game trails along which
the wav was easv. We forced through
Nansen sound to Lands End. In this
inarch we secured 101 musk oxen,
seven bears and, 335 hares.
"We pushed out into Polar sea
from the southern point, of Herbert
Island on . March 18. Six Eskimos
returnde from here. With four men
and 46 dogs moving supplies for 80
day?, the crossing of the eircum
polar pack was begun. Three days
later two other Eskimos, forming the
last supporting party, returned and
the trials had now been reduced by
the survival of the fittest. -
"There before us in an unknown
line of 4G0 miles lay our goal. The
first days provided long marches and
we made encouraging progress. A
ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION
Copenhagen, By Cable. Dr. Fred
erick A. Cock's credit stands so
high with Danish polar experts that
the first message announcing his suc
cess in reaching the North Pole,
meagre as it was. was, accepted as
conclusive. Commodore llovgard said
Thursday: "I believe the message is
true because Dr. Cool; is most trust
worthy and opposed to all exaggera
tions." C. A. Danit'lson. an official f the
Greenland administration depart
ment, who is well acquainted witli jm
0
big lead, which separated the 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 coop
ed up in our snow houses, eating
dried beef tallow and drinking hot
tea, there was some animal comforts
occosionally to be gained.
"For several days after the sight
of known knd was lost, the overcast
sky prevented an accurate determina
tion of our position. On March 30
the horizon was partly cleared and
new land was discovered.-, Our ob
servations gave our position as lati
tude 84.47, longitude 86.36. There
was urgent need of rapid advance.
Our main mission did not permit a
detour for the purpose of exploring
the coast. Here were seen the last
signs of solid earth; beyond there
was nothing stable to be seen.
"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 de
tected. Even the microscopic creat
ures of the deep were no longer under
us. The maddening influence of the
shifting desert of frost became al
most unendurable m the daily rou
tine. The surface of the pack offer
ed less and less trouble and the
weather improved, but there still re
mained the life-sapping wind which
drove desair to its lowest recess. The
extreme cold compelled action. Thus
day after day our weary legs spread
over big distances. Incidents and
positions were recorded, but adven
ture was promt ly forgotten in the
next day's efforts.
"The night of April 7 was made
notable by the swinging of the sun at
midnight "over the northern ice. Sun
'burns and frost bites " were now re
corded on the same day, but the
double day's glitter infused quite an
incentive into one's life of shivers.
"Our observation April 6 placed
the camp in latitude 86.36, longtitude
94.2. In spite of what seemed long
marches we advanced but little over
a hundred miles. Much of our work
was lost in' circuitous twists, around
troublesome pressure lines and high
irregular fields. A very old ice drift,
too, was driving eastward with suffi
cient force to give some anxiety.
" Although still equal to about fifty
miles daily, the extended marches
and the long hours for traveling with
which fortune favored us earlier were
no longer possible. We were now
about 200 miles from the pole and
sledge loads were reduced. One dog
after another went into the stomachs
of the hungry survivors until the
teams were considerably diminished
in number, but there seemed to re
main a sufficient balance for man and
brute to push along into the heart of
the hystery to which we had set our
selves. "On April 21 Ave had reached 89
degrees 59 minutes 46 seconds. The
pole was in sight. We covered the
remaining fourteen seconds and made
a few final observations. I told
Etukishook and Ahwelsh (the accom
panying Eskimos) that we had reach
ed the "great nail.' Everywhere we
turned was south. With a single step
we could pass from one side of the
earth to the other; from midday to
midnight. At last the flag floated to
the breeze at the pole. It was April
21, 1908. The temperature was minus
38 centisrade, barometer 29.83, lati
tude 90; 'as for the longitude it was
nothing, as it was but a word.
"Although crazy with joy our
spirits began to undergo a feeling of
weariness.' Next day after taking all
our observations, a sentiment of in
tense solitude penetrated us while we
looked at the horizon. Was it pos
sible that. this desolate region, with
out a patch of earth, had aroused the
ambition of so many men for so many
centuries! There was no ground,
only an immensity of dazzling white
snow, no living being, no point to
break the frightful monotony.
"On April 23 we started on our.re
turn." IS PLANNED FOR DR. COOK
in Greenland, said: "When Dr. Cook
says that he reached the North Pole
there can be no doubt about it. IIi3
scientific discoveries will prove that."
A committee under the presidency
of the minister of commerce has
been formed to arrange a fitting re
ception to tlie intrepid explorer on his
arrival at Copenhagen. -Dr. Maurice
F. Egan, the American minister, was
aboard a-special steamer that was
sent out by the Royal Georgraphicnl
Society Friday to meet Dr. Cook, who
is on his way here on the steamer
Hans Eaede.
DR. COOK INTERVIEWED
Reached Pole at 7 O'clock in the
Morning His Success Due to Old
Methods, Esauimos and Dogs.
Skag-n, Denmark, By Cable. A
newspaper correspondent who went
on board the Hans Egede from the
pilot steamer off here was able to ob
tain a few words with Dr. Frederick
A. Cook. The explorer ascribed his
sueeess to the fact that he made use
of the old methods, namely, Eskimos
and dogs, and that he lived like an
Eskimo himself. The doctor then
gave a hurried sketch of his expedi
tion in which he said :
"Going northward I struck first a
westerly course from Greenland and
then moved northward.
"I arrived at the North Pole April
21, 1908, as already announced, ac
companied by only two Eskimos.
"We reached the Pole at 7 o'clock
in the morning.
"I took daily observations for a
whole fortnight before arriving at the
Pole.
"Returning we were forced to take
a more weasterly route and the first
ten days I took observations daily
and recorded them. I was unable to
measure the depth of the seas as I
had not the necessary instruments.
"The lowest temperature was 83
degrees centigrade below zero.
"I have ample proof that I reach
ed the North Pole in the observations
I took, which afford a certain means
of checking the truth of my state
ments. "Although I am proud of my
achievement in planting the American
flag on the North Pole, I look with
much greater pride to the fact that I
trareled around mare than thirty
thousand spare miles of hitherto un
known ground, and opened up an en
tirely fresh field for exploration."
The Hans Egede was met in the
North sea by the pilot steamer Polar
Bear, aboard which was Captain Am
drup, the .well-known polar explorer,
who Avas sent as a special representa
tive of the Danish government to
welcome Dr. Cook. As the vessels ap
proached each other, Captain Am
drup led the cheers for the American
explorer.
Will America Claim the Pole.
Washington, Special. The ques
tion on many tongues in Washington
since the announcement of the dis
covery of the north pole, by Dr.
Cool", an American, has been "Will
the United States claim the north
pole by right of discovery."
The State Department refuses to
answer the question, claiming that it
sas no official report of the discovery
and therefore cannot discuss the sub
ject. .Those who are informed, how
ever state that when Dr. Cook re
turns to this country and establishes
the fact that he has discovered the
pole, and describes the nature of the
place, the United States will un
doubtedly claim the pole as a pos
session. There is much, however, to be de
termined before this can be done, for
it must be established that there is
land at ' the pole separate and dis
tinct from other land contiguous to
it. If it is proven that the pole is
on a continent or island, the United
States can, by.-right of discover',
claim possession. But it may turn
out to be but a part of Greenland or
of some land contiguous to it.
The boundaries of British America
do not extend as far north as th
pole, but there may be mainland, such
as Greenland, which is Danish pro
perty, near enough for it to belong
to that country.
It is understood here that there
must be land at' or near the pole
which is disconnected from an not
contiguous to territories belonging to
other nations in order for the United
States to assert a valid claim to sov
ereignity. A vast ice fiekl may create a doubt
as to the existence of such land, and
if this. ice field overlies a part of the
Artie Ocean, the region would doubt
less oe classed with the high seas and
thus be international rather than na
tional property.
So many unknown quantities enter
into the case that the question of
sovereignty cannot be settled unless
Dr. Cook, when he returns, can give
definite and detailed information con
cerning the region. Inasmuch as
the frozen area is apparently of no
value commercially, it is not con
sidered likely that serious inter
national complications will arise.
'Library Eurns.
Toronto, Special. Fanned by a
high wind, fire Wednesday afternoon
swept the west wing of the parlia
ment buildings in Queens Park, to
tally destroying the library with its
collection of 100.000 books and do
ing damage which is conservatively
estimated at $200,000.
The blaze started on the first floor
of the west wing and made its way
rapidly to the roof, where the flames
"mushroomed" and threatened for
a time to destroy the housekeeper's
quaitera in the northwestern corner
and the executive chamber.
DR. COOKUONIZED
His Story Fully Credited and He is
Showered With Honors King
Frederick Has Him to Dinner and
Seati Him on His Right Hand.
Copenhagen, By Cable. "Once is
enough for any man. I will never re
turn to the North Pole. A s'm' ex
perience I have just passed through
will suffice for a life time."
This was practically the first
answer of Dr. Frederick Cook, the
discoverer of the North PoTe, to a vol
ley of questions fired at him by a reg
iment of newspaper men who boarded
the Hans Egede as she steamed into
the harbor at 9;30 o'clock Saturday
morning.
Dr. Cook admits that the nature of
the moving ice eovereing the site of
the pole will probably remove the evi
dences he left there April 21 and 22,
1908, but he states that his records
of observations when presented to
scientific men will wipe out all scepti
cism. He says he first planted a staff on
the site of the pole and then raised
the American flag. "There, on that
God forsaken spot realized as never
before the meaning of patriotism and
the love of the flag." Seeing that
the flag would be whipped to shreds
by the wind he took it down and plac
ed it in a brass cylinder which he
placed on the staff.
Dr. Cook said he spent practically
all oi two days takmg observations.
He had a sextant, pocket watch, three
chronometers, and "more modern in
struments than were ever used by an
explorer in the extreme North. I
verified all observations carefully and
am confident that accuracy and com
pleteness of the record will satisfy
the scientific world."
The entire population of the city
seemed to be at the pier with thous
auds who journeyed from all over
Europe. For 15 minutes the crowd
cheered wildly.
Dr. Cook was overcome by emo
tions; tears welled in his eyes. "I
never expected such a demonstra
tion," he said. "It seems too much
for what I have done."
King Frederick asked for a call
from him. To the reply tLat he had
no clothing suitable for the Kings
presence the King asked him to call
in his hunting garb which he did.
The banquet Saturday evening was
held in the magnificent municipal
building. Four hundred persons,
many of them ladies, attended.
President Taft congratulated Dr.
Cook most fittingly in a cablegram.
A Copenhagan dispatch of Sunday
says Dr. Frederick A. Cook dineil
Saturday evening with King Freder
ick at the summer palace a few miles
outside of Copenhagen.
The King invited him to meet him
only after having the government
make the closest possible investiga
tion into the merits of his story. All
the Danish explorers were asked to
give their opinions of Dr. Cook's
claims before the audience was grant
ed and their verdict was unanimous
ly in his favor.
The dinner was entirely the result
of the King's personal opinion re
garding the explorer, who had the
scat on the King's right, an honor
which Danes cannot remember having
been accorded another private person.
In answering the many questions
put to him he said:
"You ask my impression on reach
ing the Pole. Let me confess I was
disappointed. Man is a child dream
ing of prodigies. I had reached the
Pole and now at a moment when I
should have been thrilled with pride
and joy I was invaded with a sud
den fear of the dangers and suffer
ings of the return.
On approaching the Pole he said
the icy plain took on animated mo
tion as if rotating on a inisible
pivot.
"A great fissure then opened up
behind," he added, "and it seemed
as if we were isolated from the world.
My two Eskimos threw themselves at
my feet and bursting into tears, re
fused to continue either one way or
another, so paralyzed were they with
fear. Nevertheless I calmed them
aid we resumed our journey.
Lofty Observatory on Mount Whitney
Nearly Ready For Use.
Washington, Special. Scientists
soon will have placed at their dis
posal for use the highest meteorolo
gical and astronomical observatory on
the American continent. It is situ
ated on the top of Mount Whitnev,
Califc rnin, 14,000 feet above the sea
level. Realizing the value for effec
tive and progressive- astronomical
?nd meteorological work of an obser
vatory far above the clouds and free
from the dust and smoke near great
cities, the Smithonian Institute de
cided to build a suitable laboratory
cn Mount Whitnev.
PEARY AT POLE TOO
t' B "
Dispatches flash Over the
, Wires Monday.
REACHES GOAL APRIL 6, 1909
Seyeral Messages Sent Including One
to Mrs. Peary Leave No Doubt of
Their Meaning Did Not Know of
Dr. Cook's Discovery.
New York, Special. From out the
Arctic darkness there were flashed
Monday the messages which stun
ned the scientific world and thrilled
the heart of every layman. From
the bleak coast of Labrador Peary
gave to the world the news that he
had attained his goal in the far
north, while at the same moment- in
far off Denmark Dr. Frederick A.
Cook, of Brooklyn, was being dined
and lionized by royalty for the same
achievement.
Undeniably Yankee grit has con
quered the frozen north and there has
been created a coincidence such as
the world will never see again.
The Americans have planted the
flag of their , country in the land of
ice which man 'has sought to pene
trate for four centuries and each,
ignorant of the other's conquest, has
flashed within a period of five days a
laconic message .of success to the
waiting world.
The following telegrams tell the
fact that there is a story coming. .
New York, Special. Peary has
succeeded.
"Indian Harbor, via Cape Ray, N. F.,
September 6.
"To Associated Press, New York.
"Stars and Stripes nailed to North
Pole. (Signed)
"PEARY."
"Indian Harbor, via Cape Ray, N. F.,
September 6.
"Herbert L. Bridgeman, Brooklyn,
N. Y.
"Pole reached. Roosevelt safe.
"(Signed)
"PEARY."
"Ind ian Harbor, via Cape Ray, N. F.,
. "I have the pole April C- Expect
arrive Cheateau bay September 7.
Secure control wire for me there and
arrange to expedite transmission of
big story. (Signed)
"PEARY."
April 6, 1909 the date that Peary
planted the flag at the Pole and
April 21, 1903, the day that Dr. Cook
unfurled the stars and stripes a year
before, consequently become the car
dinal dates upon which exploration
of the far North will rest liereafter.
Though separated by nearly a year,
the same feat was accomplished by
two Americans, neither of whom was
aware of the movements of the. other.
Cook says that he found no traces
of Peary in the moving ice and ac
cording to word which was received
here through Capt. Robert Bartlett,
of Peary's ship, the Roosevelt, late
Monday night, Tcary likewise found
no signs of his reputed predecessor.
However, this phase of Peary's ex
perience will not he thoroughly clear
ed up until a statement is obtained
from his own lips.
A Washington dispatch says:
Commander Robert E. Peary, al
most three years ago propnetically
outlined his view of the value and in
terest attached to the achievement
he announced in the dispatches Mon
day. The penetration of the frozen
heart of the Arctic circle, the news
of Peary's feat following close upon
the heel's of Dr. Cook's planting of
the American flag at the same spot,
evoked enthusiastic plaudits in Wash
ington. Everywhere among army
and navy officers and scientists and
official Washington, generally, only
words of praise were spoken.
Dr. Cook was intensely interested
at the cablegrams and said: "That
is good news. I hope Peary did get
to the Pole. His observations and
reports on that region will confirm
mine."
Asked if there was any probability
of Peary's having found the tube con
taining his records, Dr. Cook replied:
"I hope so, but that is doubtful on
account of the drift."
He added:
"Commander Peary would have
reached the Pole this year. Probably
while I was in the Arctic region last
year his route was several hundred
miles east of mine. We are rivals,
of course, but the pole is good enough
for two.
"That two men got to the Pole
along different paths," continued the
explorer, "should furnish large ad
ditions to scientific knowledge. Prob
ably other parties will roach it in the
next ten years, since every explorer
is helped by the experience of his
predecessors, just as Sverdrup's ob
servations and reports were of im
measurable help to me. I can say
nothing more, without knowing fur
ther details, than that I am glad of
it."
DIES OFPELLAGR
Wilmington Man Succumbs to-
Disease Upsets Mouldy
Theory.
Wilmington, N. C, Special. J.
Heath, 27 years old, a leading you
business man of Waxhaw, Union,
county, died in a hospital here Friday '
night of pellagra. Mr. Heath had
been ill for a year or more and had
consulted eminent specialists a num
ber of times, traveling extensively
for the benefit of his health without
improvement.
Recently his case was diagnosed as
that of pellegra and he was brought
to the hospital here for treatment by
Dr. Edward Jenner Wood, who has
made an exhaustive st-udy of the dis
ease which manifested . itself in the
case of the young man by discolora
tions of the skin, soreness of tb
mouth and accompanying nervous
aerangements. lie was m the advanc
ed stages of the disease upon his ar
rival here and little hope was held
out from the first.
Mr. Heath had never used cam
breadstuffs in any form and it is
claimed that the ease strengthens the
1 .uvuij buab I uu UiSCaw JO 1JUL li ait
I able to that source unless corn is
used as an adulterant of wheat flour.
Pellagra in Maryland.
Baltimore, Md., Special. Blood of
victims of pelkgra, the dread disease
which, until several months ago, was
comparatively unknown to the lay
man, is to be sent to the Johns Hop
kins Hospital, where an analysis will
be made. Physicians at the hospital
who have studied the disease say the
malady in its incipiency is difficult
to distinguish It is now until the
patient becomes thoroughly inoculat
ed that the nature of the disease is
known. Careful analyses will be made
by the experts at the "hospital in an
endeavor to find out the origin of the
germs of pellagra, and a cure for
the disease. According to the opin
ion and observation of members of
the State board of health, the disease
is making inroads in this"" State.
Several cases of the malady have
been reported in Charles County, and
Dr. Marshall L. Price, secretary of
the board, will visit that county this
week to ascertain whether the reports
are true. Especially rampant has
the disease become in North Caro
lina, according to dispatches.
Allowed Men to Smoke.
Key West, Fla., Special. The
coroner's jury which investigated the
dynamite explosion of last week at,
Bocachica on the Florida East Coast
Railroad, which resulted in the death
of twelve men and the wounding of
nine others, has rendered a verdict s
holding that, after a full and com
plete investigation, no evidence had
been adduced which woul & warrant
the jury in attributing the fxplosion
to any "criminal or culpable negli
gence as defined by our statutes."
Foreman Hitt, who "was in charge
of the workmen, testified that he al
lowed the men to smoke, having re
ceived no orders against it, and not
thinking it was dangerous, notwith
standing tho men were working with
in a few feet of a thousand pcuids
of dynamite.
The jury decided that a match w&s
thrown in a box of dynamite by some
one of the workmen.
Ministers Protest.
Cumberland, Md., Special. The
Cumberland Ministerial Association
has filed with the Director of the
Census in Washington, a protest
against the proposed appointment of
John J. Stump, of Cumberland, as
supervisor of the census for the
Sixth Congressional district of Mary
land, embracing the counties of Gar
rett, Allegany, Washington, Fred
eick and Montgomery.
The association met this week and
passed a protest which was carried
to Washington by one of the mem
bers, and filed last week.
Cabell Sworn In. ,
Royal E. Cabell, who has been post
master at Richmond, Va., was Wed
nesday formally sworn in by the Act
ing Secretary of the Treasury as com
missioner of internal revenue, suc
ceeding John G. Capers, of South
Carolina, who relinquished the office
Tuesday.
Blow For Pu?jcrs. .
Quebec, Special. A deputation,
all of the pulp and paper manufac
turers and all of the Canadian own
ers of rights to cut timber on crown t
lands in the province of Quebec, have
called upon Sir Lomer Gouin, the
Premier, and asked the government
to prohibit the export of pulp wood
to the United States. The Americans,
having the right to cut timber on
crown lands, did not join.. The matter
is to be submitted to the Cabinet and
flie indications are that the expor
tation of pulp wood will hi prohibited
throughout the Donunioa.