THE SUNDAY OREG0XIAT. PORTLAND, SEPTE3IBER 5, 1909.
Portlander, a Member of Dr. Cook's Grew
in 1894, Recounts Ill-Fated Expedition
William H. Wendell, Steward With TamouB Explorer, Tells of Wreck of Miranda "His Fortitude and Integrity
Are Eewarded," Says He of Discoverer of North Pole.
IT WAS with no little coneern that
William Henry Wendell, now a elt-
lien of Portland, but formerly a
wanderer and foolhardy adventurer In
many lands, heard of Dr. Frederick
A. Cook's discovery 'of the North Poie.
Although 15 years have elasped alnca
Wendell accompanied Dr. Cook In an
attempt to reach the world's roof. Wen
dell's experiences In 1894 with the now
successful explorer, have left many
' vivid, memories.
1 Wendell left his home unceremonious
ly In Hamburg-. Germany, when It years
(old. He has since traversed every coun
t try under the sun. August 26. 1894. flnd-
ing him with Dr. Cook on the deck -of
(the Ill-fated Miranda off the west coast
of Greenland
Handicapped by the- loss of a diary,
' In which he kept a log of the voyagre,
Wendell recalled Dr. Cook's expedition
aa best ha could from memory.
"1 left my bom when I was not
quit If years of are," said Wendell.
I "I went to Chicago, where I lived for
several years. I worked In stores about
the city and at the time I heard or Dr.
Cook's proposed, trip to the Far North
I waa in the wholesale grocery bsi
; neas for myself on a small seal In
. Chicago. I was quit taken with Dr.
. Cook's dash for the pole. The more J
1 thought the more solicitous I was for
t the adventure. One day. on the Impulse
of the moment. 'I determined to Join
I Dr. Cook and als party. A few weeks
later I was in New York and In Jess
than a week after my arrival I had
: sought out Dr. Cook and his home in
! Brooklyn. I told him of my desire to
Join the expedition. He scrutinized me
i closely and told me to call the follow
ins; day. It was much elated the next
day when Dr. Cook took me Into service
as a steward.
"It was the latter part of July when
the Miranda, the ship selected by Dr.
Cook from the Red Cross Line to make
t the dash, steamed into New Tork har
! bor from Kingston. Jamaica with a
! load of coffee. When, the vessel had
been unloaded the craft was turned
i over to Dr. Cook. We immediately be-
ran preparations for the Journey. After
loading the supplies aboard and while
waiting the signal to cut our moor
ings from Pier No. 6 In North River,
I saw the first omen of the disastrous
voyage that was ahead. I never had
been superstitious nor am I now. but
when I heard an old sailor call loudly
to me from .the pier while I leaned
over the railing watching the curious
throngs below, I saw him pointing ex
citedly to the towllnes fast to the pier.
Rats were scurrying on the hawsers
in rapid flight from the Miranda.
" 'Get off of that ship, boy,' yelled
the old salt. 'I've been on the water
4" years and I know what it means
when rats leave a ship."
"Scarcely a day passed after we
pulled out of New Tork and ploughed
the sea northward that I did not recall
the old sailor's warning.
"The Miranada was a steel vessel
and carried a crew of 47. Including stu-
dents, under the command of Captain
, Farrell. We passed an uneventful voy
age through the North Atlantic, and
reached St. Johns, Newfoundland, early
in August. After a brief stop we cruised
.long the coast of Labrador. Two days
out from St. Johns we experienced our
first real sensation. Although a heavy
fog hung over the sen, we kept gotng
at full steam, and after passing through
the straits of Belle Isle we crashed
into a huge iceberg. Fortunately we
truck the ice a glancing blow and did
no material damage to the Miranda be
yond stoving her bow six feet above
the waterline.
"The Miranda was equipped with water-tight
compartments In the Imme
diate vicinity of the six-foot hole.
These compartments filled rapidly. The
result was. we were compelled to re
turn to Henley Harbor, on the Labrador
coast, for temporary repairs. We were
much surprised to find that, to proceed
after the repairs had been made, it
waa necessary for us to return to our
original starting-point, St. Johns, New
foundland. Over a week elapsed before
the Miranda was placed In seagoing
hape. Instead of retracing our course
through the Northern waters. Dr. Cook
decided, upon leaving St. Johns, to cross
the North Atlarrtic diagonally and
strike the west coast of Greenland.
After several days' sailing we sighted
. Cape Farewell, the southernmost point
of Greenland, the morning of August 6,
184. It tok us several hours to pass
Cape Farewell, after which Dr. CooV
directed the course directly north along
the west coast of Greenland. We
touched Sugar Toppen harbor, a Danish
colony well up the. coast After a brief
sojourn here. In which we bartered
with the natives, we again resumed our
course northward. It m-as the intention
of Dr. Cook to locate Lieutenant (now
Commodore) Peary, who was at this
time Wintering at Melville Bay, several
hundred miles north of Sugar Toppen.
After four days' aalllng we arrived at
the Disco Islands and moored In a small
harbor. Aj we were towed out to sea,
a few hours later, tne Danish pilot we
. had aboard cautioned the pilot of the
' Miranda to beware of the deceptive
rocks which abounded on the west coast
and were not marked on the charts.
W had gone a league after the Danish
pilot left us when the Miranda encoun
tered a heavy sea. Then occurred the
accident which was directly responsible
' for the abandonment of the expedition
by Dr. Cook. Our pilot stood gallantly
by the wheel and battled for hours
with the heavy sea. Without a mo
ment's warning, the Miranda crashed
into a hidden rock 15 feet below the sur
face. The sea battered her hull un
mercifully and the bottom was stove
both fore and aft- Fortunately for all
aboard, the precaution had been taken
to equip our craft with a double bottom.
This fact alone saved us from the rag
ing sea. With the assistance of steam
pumps, which we kept working night
and day in the hold, we succeeded In
keeping even with the rush of water
and eventually returned safely to the
' small harbor from which wo started.
"After seeking the shelter of the har
bor Dr. Cook called a conference of the
1 crew and all aboard. He summoned
volunteers to accompany him in a life
boat to Holstenberg. the furthermost
northern civilized Danish colony on the
'Greenland coast, with the hope of find
ing an American fishing schooner for
' relief.
"For ten long days and nlghta we
I ipKUWI'a Oil IDA VK 4-' ' - wu
Tale students, two sailors and two oth
fers who accompanied htm. It seemed
an age before the fishing schooner Re
gal, of Gloucester, Mass.. under com
mand of Captain Dixon, with Dr. Cook
and his volunteers, sailed Into the little
harbor. Another conference was held
and it was agreed that the Regal would
take aboard all who wished to forsake
the Miranda. After we repaired the
Miranda to such an extent that we
hoped to be able to take the Regal in
tow. Captain Dixon charged Dr. Cook
$4000 for picking him up. We floun
dered about in a mad sea for several
days, unable to make any headway in
our hope to return to Newfoundland.
"The Regal was a small schooner of
J00 tons, and at 1.e time was loaded
with fish, besides carrying a crew of
JT Nova fcotia fishermen. It was found
tto be absolutely impossible to make
in headway. o tne commanding oi-
flcer agreed to take all the crew save
laU-sWd la Ptftew fit W Auraaaa j
BROOKLYN,
-ft1"
4
li iH
.am
Portlander. Wan Accompanied Dr, Cook
la 1NM Expedition, and Credential
Given Him by Explorer.
and huddle them Into the little schoon
er. We had lagged along a day after
the transfer was made to the Regal in
lifeboats. Late in the afternoon of the
second day a i-.eavy sea began rolling.
At o'clock that night the atorm In
creased and the waves rolled mountain
high. For hours- we faced death.
"A code of signals was agreed upon
between the captains. Threee blasts of
the Miranda's whistle was the signal
for thpse aboard the Regal to cut the
hawsers. About midnight I was aroused
by the shrill blasts of the Miranda's
whistle th signal to out the lines. An
instant later a deck . hand, frantic
with fright, dashed Into my ' bunk
room and pleaded for me to go on
deck.- I made my way to the upper
deck and with the utmoBt difficulty
saved Vnyself from being swept over
board by the high sea. The Miranda
was sinking. It took but a tew
moments to assemble all on board and,
while the storm raged and the sea
lashed heavily against her we pre
pared to forsake the Miranda for al
time. After placing our French cook,
who waa about 60 years of age. In a
lifeboat while It still swung on the
davits, we all made a hasty departure,
leaving everything behind save a blan
ket or two we took from our bunks.
It was an hour before the last man.
Captain Farrell. swung out from the
PORTLAND GIRL WITH
wnfHW'tuw'iii jj mtssi .. ji.sm i
; r
E
t f
1 11 i . . , . ' ' . ! 11
Miss Diamond Donner, a well-known Portland girl. Is making; her
debut in grand opera with the. International Grand Opera Company,
which appears In Portland this week. Miss Donner is a graduate of
the Portland Academy and .Wellesley College. She made her debut In
comic opera with the "Prince of Pllsen" company. Four years ago she
appeared In Portland'as one of the principals In "The Billionaire"-company.
While in Portland Miss Donner will be the guest of her uncle
and aunt. Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Halght. of lit Beach street
XX, yfy: ' V i$9 V'
Miranda's port side and succeeded in
dropping Into a lifeboat. We were
eventually taken aboard the fishing
schooner and about -daylight. Just as
a heavy fog was settling over the
abandoned ship, we caught the last
glimpses of the Miranda as she sank
slowly and gradually from our sight
with all our belongings. To this day
It Is a mystery Just at what point the
little coffee boat rests in the-bottom
of the North Atlantlo sea.
"After 18 days aboard the Regal, dur
ing which we existed entirely on fieri,
we reached Punch Bowl harbor, wner
we secured a fresl) supply x wate:
From Punch Bowl harbor we sailed
Eidnev. ape Breton, King Edward
Islands. Here we abandoned the Regal
and those of us able took our departu
for the United States.. Or-. Cook, wl
several others of the crew and myse
took passage on the coasting steame
GRAND OPERA COMPANY.
'. (.-tf
- V
, ..
Si
X 1
X.jejt.
St. Pierre at Sidney and went to Hali
fax, whera we, boarded the Portia,. the
Bister ship of the Miranda-, We were
bound for New York aboard the Portia
under full' steam when, near Vineyard
Sound, one day out from New York,
the Portia cut a three-maated coaling
schooner completely In two. The en
tire crew save one was lost. We final
ly arrived in New York, where Dr. Cook
furnished me with credentials of my
service with him.".
Wendell la loud in his praise at Dr.
Cook, and Insists the Arctic explorer
has found. the .North Polo without any
doubt.
"All" the ridicule by Peary's wife and
other Interested in Arctic expeditions
against Dr. Cook arises from down
right Jealousy," said Wendell. "Unless
Dr; Cook accomplished what he did you
would have never heard from him. He
is too honest a man to attempt decep
tion..' His determination and -integrity
hava won the battle for him,"
Wendell .. Uvea at . 567 . E&t Stark
street and is employed at apranger's.
Arcade' at North Sixth and Couch
streets,
"No more adventures for me," he
said. "I'took my last adventure when
I came West from New York and set
tled in Portland a year ago. I've seen
the whOI world, but Portland for me,
Mrs. Wendell and the baby from now
on." - ' '
COOKING TO BE TAUGHT
W. C. A. ADDS COURSES IX
. DOSfESHC SCIENCE, .
Association Decides to Take tp New
Work, Beginning Early in
October.
' The Young Women's Christian Asso
ciation having long recognised the need
of a permanent department of domestic
science in Portland has decided to offer
an Interesting and . instructive course in
that branch. , The Association is , fitting
tin. two very attractive rooms' for the
work, putting In splendid equipment, and
will onen the Jiew department uctooer
The general cooking course consists of
three terms, one lesson or tnree nours
being given weekly. Each course is
complete in itself and must be taken up
in regular order.. An outline of , the
course follows:
First Courses-Instruction Is given in
the food principles with the cooking of
simple foods: which fully Illustrate the
principles beverages, cereals, vegetables,
soups, meata, biscuit bread, etc.
. Second Course The same outline is fol
lowed as in the first course but .-more
complicated diehes . are prepared as
croquettes, salads, pastry, :desserts, etc. .
Third Course Consists of more ad
vanced work in cooking, canning and
nrpxprvfnr ' nfa milntf of menus. Drebar-
lng and serving plain and more elaborate
meala
A- course' lrt invalid cooking will- Be
given also, if a sufficient number of per
sons apply: This s designed for those
who wish to acquire a practical knowl
edge of cooking for the sick. - The In
struction ia given by individual and
group methods. , Both day and evening
classes have been formed.
There are two terms tn the year, be
ginning October and February. The
schedule. of, cooking classes follows:
. MORNING CLASSES,
Tuesday, 9:30 A. M, 1.30 P. M.
Thursday. 9:SO A. M.. 12:3(t P. M.
AFTERNOON CLASSES. .
Monday, 2 P. M- 6 P. M. .
Wednesday. 2 P. M. . 5 P, M.
Friday, 2 P.- M . 5 P. M
' EVENING CLASSES..
-''.' Tuesday, T to l V. M. v
Thursday, T to 9 P. M. ,. . .
BRICK HOTEL FOR MILTON
Local Capitalist Propose to Expend
$30,000 for Structure.
MILTON, ' Or.. Sept 4. (Special.) If
plans which are now under way are car
ried out, Milton will soon have a first
class brick hotel. It is proposed to build
a two-story brick, of 20 feet front and
100-foot depth, -adjoining a new brick of
the same depth by 70 feet front, which
is to be erected by A. M. ,Elam, a local
capitalist ... t
. Ttie lower floor of the smaller building
wlllbe fitted up and used for offices,
dining-room and kitchen of the hotel,
and the entire upper floors of the hotel
and Elam buildings will be used for bed
rooms, baths and halls for the hotel.
making a space 90 by 100 feet for thelat-
ter purpose. t
The Milton Progressive Association is
now working on plans to finance the
smaller building. The Elam block and
the hotel together will cost 3u,uuu.
LARGER SYSTEM WANTED
Freewater Proposes to Increase Mu
nicipal Water Plant.
mtttoV. Or.. Sent. 4. (Special. ) A. H.
Sutherland, of the Sutherland Plumbing
Company, of Walla Walla, is preparing
plans and specifications for a municipal
water system for the town of Freewater.
Several monthsvago ireewater amended
her charter to alrow a bond issue for Im
provements.
It Is the intention oi tne rTeewater
Cltv Council to call a special election to
vote 116,000 bonds for the construction of
a well, pumping plant and reservoir west
of the city.
WATER SUPPLY IS SOUGHT
Aberdeen Looks to Future lor In
creased Needs of City. 1
ABERDEEN. Wash.. Bent. 4. (Spe
cial. ) -City Engineer Charles Ewart,
who has made an investigation of the
Reduced Fares
To the East- '
low Summer Tourist "Tickets
on sale September 9 and October 4.
When you go East take the
"Scenic Highway Through the
land of Fortune." Service as
superb as the scenery. Visit Yel
lowstone Park en route. Full par
ticulars, with illustrated liter-'
ture from
A. V. Charlton, A. G. P. A.,
2.15 Morrison St., Portland.
Kandahar Furniture
A direct importation from China, and is made of seagrass: ;It is the most comfortable,-,
durable"' and sanitary furniture. made. .."VVe sold a large quantity of it this
Spring. Our Fall importation has now arrived and will be sold at; introductory
prices to make it familiar to the people. Large, comfortable Arm- r-9 7S
chair in this ware. . : . r. . . . . ..... P 7
' : . " : ; See Our Display Window.
. , , . ' '
Superb; Line of iJressers-
in: all finishes. A full swell front, with a large genuine French pattern plate glass
mirror, full quarter-sawed oak, hand polish finish. Regular price 1
$35,004 Special this week, . , . . ... .... ........ ...... w. .:.-....
" " Others in Like Proportion; . 1 1 ,
9x12, superior, quality. Regular $33.00 values. Special
Our new Fall shipments have arrived and our stock is so large that we must reduce
it, so this, week we are making a discount of 25 per cent.
Special Inducements;
If you are furnishing a house, a flat, or replacing old furniture, you cannot afford
to overlook this house. We carry the largest and most complete housefurmshing
lines in the city and our prices are always .the lowest consistent with quality. A
visit will' convince you that you owe it to yourself to trade here.
L Henry Jenning &'
The Home
Good Furniture
Wynoochee River at the suggestion of
the Council, will recommend that the
city secure the right of. way ' to the
Wynoochee Canyon as a base of sup
ply for a future water source. He
says that some obstancles must be
overcome, at considerable cost, but
eventually the water supply to the city
must come from the Wynoochee.
While' suggesting that the right of
way be secured now, he thinks that the
building of the plant, at the present
time would be too . expensive for the
city to undertake. : , ,
. . Mayor- Benn, following out his ante
election, promise togive the city a Jl
minimum water rate,, has recommended
this, figure to the Council.. An ordi
nance f-ixlng trie minimum rate at $1
has been Introduced In' the Council and
will pass, yhe present minimum rate
ia 1.60. I i . .
Crude Oil Kills Many Fish.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4 According
to the report of the barkentine City of
Papeete, which arrived here Friday, the
sea near Point Arena was literally cov
ered with dead fish when tha vessel
SIXTH AND MORRISON
It is TONE
It is TONE
This Vertegrand mora
closely approximates :tha
ideal moderate priced piano
than any other ever, origir
nated. '
Convenient terms may be
arranged.
VERTEGRAND,
Ebonized Case, '
$575
ster Rugs
Curtains
passed that part of the. coast. The Pa.
peeto was sailing along over a compara
tively smooth sea when she ran. into a
shoal of dead fish, large and small aud
apparently of all varieties. The crew
was inclined to attribute the phenomenon
to seismic 'disturbances, but other sea
faring men said it was probably due to
the breaking up of the fuel tanks of the
wrecked steamer Winnebago, . and the
consequent escape of large quantities of
crude oil into the sea.
Stein Claims Self-Defense.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4. William
A- Stein, the retired merchant, who shot
and killed Edward L. Uvermore, prop
erty man at the Princess Theater, during
a quarrel yesterday, appeared in Police
Court today. Stein reiterated his story
that he shot Wvermore in self-defense
when the latter went to Stein's house to
get some of his personal effects. He-asserts
that Livermore attacked him
u -a
Logger Mangled by Tree.
TILLAMOOK, Or., Sept 4. Lee Mc
Fall, about 20 years of age, was killed
this morning in Whltehouse's logging
Sheman ifflaj & Co
OPPOSITE
that makes or unmakes a piano
that has won fame for the
Piano
The matchless tone of the
Steinway is the result of all
that has been done in four suc
cessive generations of unfalter
ing fidelity to a high ideal. It
is the unequaled creative genius
and mechanical skill of the
Steinways that have made the
Steinway the standard of piano
comparison.
Steinway. tone is not that of a
day, but of a lifetime; and it is
this feature of maintained musi
cal v a 1 u e and therefore of
maintained commercial value
that makes the Steinway worth
more than is asked for it.
:. . . .... .. . . . . .$20.50
Sons
Corner Second
and Morrison
camp. He was felling trees, and re
maining too long on the board, the
tree rolled on him, tearing out one
arm, breaking both legs and Inflicting
a serious gash in his head. He lived
about 20 minutes after the accident.
McFall's parents reside in Tillamook,
where he was raised.
Wreckage AVashed Ashore. r '
VICTORIA, B. C Sept. 4 The gov
ernment steamer Leebro, which re
turned yesterday from Triangle Island,
off the northwest coast of Vancouver
Island, where a lighthouse is being
built, reports that wreckage of Jap
anese sampans and some Japanese
hardwood trees, evidently washed I
across the Pacific by the Japan cur
rent, have been found by the light-
house builders.
Incendiary Burns 34 Stahles.
EVANSVILLE. Ind., Sept. 4. The ln
ceadiary who has been starting a num
ber of fires here continued his work last
night, and seven more stables were de
stroyed, making a total of 34 for the ,
week. The police have no clew.
POSTOFFICE