Lincoln County leader., February 01, 1901, Image 7

ANDREENOWGIVENUP
SWEDISH AERONAUT THOUGHT
TO HAVE PERISHED.
Daring Explorer Yields Life la Search
of Far-Away Arctic Pole There la
No News of the Missing; Mao Daring
the Past Fonr Tears.
It Is now nearly four years since S. A.
Andree, the Swedish aeronaut, in his
balloon rose in air on Amsterdam, Isl
and and confidently set out for the
north pole. To him was attracted at
PROFESSOR 8. A. ANDREa.
once the hopeful and the anxious notice
of both the scientific and the unscien
tific in every country. It was the most
wonderfully daring attempt ever con
ceived, of in aeronautics and It abso
lutely eclipsed all previous enterprises
DEPARTURE OF
conducted In ships and looking to the
discovery of the north pole.
Mr. Andree had been known as an aer
onaut for twenty years, but he was
something more than that. He was a
theoretical mechanic, whose theories
were believed to be more sound than
any other man's In Sweden. He was
Indeed more than a theorist he had
accurate knowledge of the practical
arts and inventions of his time. So
well were his knowledge and abilities
known that the Swedish government
appointed him chief engineer of . the
patent office. These facts, being gen
erally In possession of the world public,
strongly predisposed a large part of
that public to believe that he would be
successful In his surpassing aeronautic
undertaking. Nor was the Idea of cross
tog to the pole In a balloon a new one.
It was of French origin and first con
ceived by Slvel, who In 1873 laid his
project before the French Society of
Aerial Navigation. But Slvel lost his
Kfe soon afterward in the accident to
the balloon Zenith. The project lay in
abeyance until 1890, when It was taken
tip again by two Parisians Hermite
and Besancon who submitted a plan
that, was carefully and scientifically
thought out to the minutest detail, but
the means could not be raised to carry
he ilan Into even experimental" effect
Mr. Andree, however, carefully exam
ined K and- compared his- own with it
and studied the design for the balloon
that was not built.
Proudly and majestically the balloon
rose and Andree gazed with happy con
fidence on those who remained behind,
and then he and his comrades, waving
nelr caps, be cried out, "Greetings at
borne to Sweden."
1o Communicate with the World..
Andree, when he started on Lis bal
loon voyage on July 11, 1897, took with
T gjgs
' a.
him twelve dispatch buoys, each con
taining a sphere of cork twenty centi
meters in diameter, coated with a th!ck
coat of paint, partly blue and partly
yellow. At the upper portion waa a
copper stopper Inscribed with the
words, "Andree's Polar Expedition,
1800," and a number. This stopper
closed a cavity cut in tha cork, to re
ceive a tube in which documents or
messages from the explorers were to
be inclosed. The buoys were to be
thrown out at different points of the
voyage of the balloon. A thirteenth,
larger than the others, was to be left
at that point of the route that should be
nearest to the geographical pole that
could be reached by the balloon.
The explorer also took with him thirty-two
carrier pigeons. Some were ex
pected to return to Dane's Island,
where they had stayed for more than
a month, but it was feared they would
never return to Sweden, as from Spits
bergen alone they would have had to
travel a distance of nearly 2,500 kilo
meters in order to find their dove cote.
From the pole to Sweden would be
3,500 meters. Such a distance has, as
far as is known, never been traversed
by carrier pigeons. After these means
of. conveying messages had been ex
hausted Andree would naturally have
recourse to the familiar method of in
closure In bottles.
Three days after starting a seal hunt
er to the west of Phipps Island, north
of Spitzbergen, killed a carrier pigeon
which had come from Andree's balloon.
From the pigeon this message was
taken:
July 13. 12:30 o'clock noon, latitude
62 degrees 2 minutes, longitude 15 de
grees 5 minutes east. Good speed to
ward the east; ten degrees to south.
THE EAGLE.
All well on board. This Is the third
pigeon that we have Bent out.
ANDfftiE.
This dispatch Indicated that the bal
loon had only traveled a fifth of the
distance separating Spitzbergen from
the pole, and that It was no longer go
ing toward the north, but toward the
east.
About July 22 of that year it was
X5 7 1
PROBABLR PATS OF AKDRKE.
learned from the captain of a vessel
that one of the crew had shot a pigeon
between North Cape and Seven Islands,
on the north coast of Lapland, bearing
a message addressed to the Aftenbla
det, Stockholm. It read:
Eighty-two degrees passed. Good
Journey. Northward. ANDREE.
From Kasnovarsk, whence a dispatch
stated that on Sept. 14 at 11 o'clock at
night, people In the village of Antzl
firowskoje, In the district of Yeneselsk,
saw the Andree balloon for five mti
utes. .
It Is certain that Mr. Andree did not
take sufficiently Into account all the
meteorological conditions. But at least
four learned professors did take them
into view on their comments at the
time on Mr. Andree's daring venture.
Professor Bezold held that as the winds
at the pole cross one another a direct
passage could not be hoped for. He
argued that the distance the aeronaut
must travel would be extended from
3,400 kilometers (the distance In a di
rect line from Spitzbergen across the
polar region) to from 12,000 to 20,000
kilometers, and that the balloon could
not possibly keep afloat long enough for
that. But should this not prove true,
the professor continued, he thought It
very possible that Andree might sail
over the polar regions without knowing
it, since it is precisely In that part
where the usual methods of navigation
are likely to bes faulty and difficulty
would be experienced in determining
one's whereabouts. These difficulties,
he pointed out, consist not In the ab
sence of the means of help afforded by
the stars, but also In the fact that the
midnight sun, even If It be not veiled
for hours and days In mist, alters its
altitude so little that the exact moment
of noon, so Important for taking obser
vations, cannot : be determined. The
vapid changes of longitude, moreover,
which the balloon must make would
render the operation of observation ad
ditionally difficult. Even should An
dree succeed in crossing the pole, an
extraordinary coucaieimuuit of favor
able circumstances would, In Professor
Bereon 8 opinion, be necessary to ren
der a safe landing possible.
Professor Neumnyer, of the admiral
ty office, did not agree with those who
regarded Andree's venture as a purj
act of suicide, but he emphasized the
impossibility of'jlrognostleating In any
degree the direction the balloon
would follow. Though not denying
that the voyage might be scientifically
useful, he failed to see how Andree
could make the necessary meteorolog
ical observations at the time he should
believe himself to be crossing the pole.
Tedious Waltlnn for News.
Definite news was expected to be re
ceived of Andree before he had been
many days out, for, as has been stated,
he was prepared with supposedly relia
ble means of communicating with the
lower world, but days passed and no
news came. A month elapsed and still
no news of him out of which anything
much could be made. Then Andree's
friends and the scientists and the pub
lic began to feel great anxiety. Six
weeks elapsed and as nothing was
heard of the aeronaut that could be
credited," an expedition was sent out by
the Swedish Geographical and An
thropological Society In search of An
dree. This expedition reached tho
neighborhood of the Lena delta, where
a most perilous portion of the journey
lay before them. There they built a
boat and in the necessarily frail craft
crossed the open sea to the mouth of
the Olenck and thence proceeded to the
new Siberian' Islands, where, it was be
lieved, traces of the Andree expedition
might be found. But no traces were
found and the searchers made their
way back to Sweden! as best they could.
Since then the' search has in various
ways been continued, but all without
avail.
Imagined or faked reports of An
dree's safety and exact whereabouts
have from time to time been sent over
the world, whose effect has been to
keep alive in many people the hope that
he may yet be found alive. But the
opinion of the most Is that he was lost
but a few hours or possibly days after
his floating away from the sight of his
friends, and yet If such were the fact
It would seem strange that some ind's
putable evidence was not long ago dis
covered. But it is not so strange that
no evidence of the disaster has been
discovered, as would be Andree's sur
vival after all these years In the polar
region. And now again men of science
and meteorological observation are go
ing over the known facts and so long
after the almost certa'n catastrophe are
able satisfactorily to themselves to es
tablish that Andree was Ignorant or
disregardful of - meteorological condi
tions and that he was more foolhardy
than any of his predecessors had been.
And this appears to be true enough.
Horsi s'iocs for Luck.
The custom of ke'eplng horseshoes
for luck Is said to have originated at
the time when In every home was the
picture of the patron saint. About the
head of the saint was the distinguished
halo, which was frequently made of
metal, sometimes the shape of a horse
shoe. When anything happened to the
picture the halo was kept and remained
fastened to the door, in order that the
saint's influence might still prevail.
As the bit of metal was the most sub
stantial part of the picture It soon be
came the custom to make a charm of
this part only, and the horseshoe fol
lowed logically as a prevention against
evil.
Grace "I thought you were never
going walking with that Snaggs?"
Nell "I wasn't; but I've got a beautiful
new cloak and I Just had to go walk
ing." Syracuse Herald.
Some people never get beyond a
bouse and lot In prosperity.
THREE BIG DHURCHES
NEARING COMPLETION IN NEW
YORK, LONDON ARD PARIS.
Choir In Gotham Structure Will Scot
1,000 rersons-Kngllah KdlGca Over
a Block Long The Paris Cathedral
Is to Coat $5,000,000.
In each of the three great capitals of
the world a splendid cathedral is belug
built. All of the gorgeous edifices are
near completion, and for each it is
claimed that it will be "the finest in
.the world." New York, London and
Paris are the cities to which reference
Is made. The Episcopal cathedral of
St. John the Divine in the first named
city will represent when finished -an
expenditure of at least $1,000,000 and
probably a great deal more. The choir
alone of this beautiful structure would
be esteemed a great architectural un
dertaking. It is 154 feet long, 02 feet
wide and 150 feet from the floor to the
ridge of the roof, with seating capacity
for 1,500 persons. To support this six
granite piers have been built. These are
twenty-eight feet long by twelve feet
wide and twenty feet high, set on solid
beds of concrete averaging twenty feet
in depth. On these rests the floor of
the choir, which Is about thirty feet
above the level of Mornlngslde drive.
Eight mammoth monolithic' pillars,
next to the largest stones ever quar
ried, arc to s'.rrc"T!'1 tbww Mp of the
altar. The stones have been taken
from the quarry at Vlnnlhaven. Each
CATHEDRAL OF ST. Jonit.
stone Is 54 feet 0 Inches long, with an
average diameter of six feet and a
weight of more than 100 tous. The to
tal cost of the eight when finally in po
sition will be over $200,000.
Only one structure in tho world con
tains single stones surpassing or even
remotely approaching these In size and
cost. It Is the Cathedral of St. Isaac
at St. Petersburg, the facade of which
is supported by monoliths of sixty feet
in length and seven feet in dlametef.
Some of the monuments and windows
In the cathedral will be among the fin
est of their kind in the world.
Vast Bliflce In Ivn'on.
London's new cathedral is to be at
Westminster. For some years now it
has been In course of erection, and the
scaffolding still surrounds portions of
the mighty edifice. The cathedral is
some 350 feet long and about 100 feet
wide, rather wider than that at Canter
bury. The style of architecture Is early
Christian Byzantine, similar to that In
which St. Sophia at Constantinople la
built. Although the shell of the build
ing will first be completed, It will be
some time before the finishing touches
bo the edifice are made. The Interior of
the cathedral when complete will de-
CATHKDRAt. AT WKSTMIXSTKR.
serve the adjective "magnificent." The
walls of the nave will plctorlally illus
trate the history of the Roman Cath
olic Church in Britain from the earli
est times down to the end of the nine
teenth century. The first site for the
cathedral was purchased In 1808 by the
late Cardinal Manning for $172,500,
but after a time the site was changed
for that on which the present structure
stands, although another $100,000 had
to lie raised In addition. Altogether,
wbea tte fcu'wlatlon stone was laid
In 1805, ore: J.375,000 had been prom
ised In subscriptions, but that figure
was by no means sufficient
It Is estimated that the new cathe
dral at Paris the Church of the Sacred
111; i
IliBik
neart, to give the edifice Its full titla
by the time It Is finished will have
cost over $5,000,000. It has been so
Jong in building that It has been possi
ble to raise this huge sum gradually,
though a large proportlou of It was giv
en when the Idea of its erection waa
first mooted. When Franco was defeat
ed by Germany there were many who
averred that it was due to the sins of
the nation, and It was suggested that
a monster cathedral should bo put up
as a token to succeeding generation
that the French nation repented of it
BACKED HEART CATHKDRAt. -
sins. When the project was first men
tioned It made a stir in the world, but
there are thousands of people living to
day who do not know that the new ca
thedral of Tarls Is In reality a gorgeous
MJ 1AA 14 K. I-
The cathedral at Paris is a trifle larg
er than that at Westminster, and tha
Indications are that It will be mora
beautiful. But Paris has a start of
twenty years, and by that time London
may outstrip Its rival. Many churches
in England have been built on the brick
system. Children and adults are asked
to pay three halfpence or twopence for
a brick each week, and by that means
large sums have been raised. The same
plan has been adopted In Paris for rais
ing the funds for the Church of the
Sacred Heart, only, of course, stones
were necessary Instead of bricks. Big
sulweribers have their names or their
initials on the stones which they have
subscribed.
Dead to Her Family.
A young Hindoo girl, a convert to
Methodism, has been on a visit, to Bos
ton during the past few weeks. Her
name Is Sooboonagam Animal, which
is shortened to Sooboo for purposes. of
friendly conversation.
Sooboo Is particularly Interesting
from the fact that she belongs to a
high-caste family a casta deemed su
perior In India to ordinary mortal asso
ciation. The girl heard the mission
preachers at first with contempt, but
she ended by running away froia her
aristocratic home to the mission nnd
said she had become a Christian. In
leaving her gods behind her she left
also her Jewels.
First the angry and desperate father
came to the mission and threatened to
put Sooboo's new friends In Jail for
kidnapping. The girl was produced
and fleeted to stay where she was.
The father .-.went away uttering the
final word, "Out!" which is a sent
ence of "death." .
But Boon the broken-hearted mother,
who never goes forth and whose vlnlt
to the mission ' was contamination,
came and pleaded with Sooboo to re
turn to the home of those who had
reared her and loved her. The girl de
clared her love for her mother, but re
fused to go back. Then came funeral
services, as of on dead. The mother,
called "accursed" because of her visit
to the mission, could not be present,
but walked 1,000 miles to the IUv.t
Ganges and held mourning service
there. Then she came home and walled
up the door of Sooboo's room.
Telephone Protection at Sea.
It has been suggested that the dorlea
of the codflshermen who ply their In
dustry on the Newfoundland banks la
the path of trans-Atlnntlc steamers,
and who are frequently lost In fogs or
run down by vessels, should be fur
nished with a telephonic apparatus for
detecting the approach of steamers la
time to give a warning signal. Bound
Is transmitted very distinctly under
water, and advantage Is taken of this
fact in the suggested appliance. It
consists of a sensitive mlcrophono,
which Is submerged In the water, and a
telephone and battery conected with It.
By this Instrument tho thrashing and
fluttering of a steamer's screw can be
heard about three miles, thus giving
time enough for the boatman to make
the usual signals.
How Fans Were Invented.
The following Chinese legend ac
counts for the Invention of the fan la
a rather ingenious fashion: The beau
tiful Kan-Si, daughter of a powerful
mandarin, was assisting at the feast
of lanterns, whoa she became over
powered by the heat and was com
pelled to take off her mask. As It was
against all rule and custom to expose
her face, she held her mask before It
and gently fluttered It to cool horself.
The court ladles present noticed the
movement, and In an Instant 100 of
them were waving their masks. From
this Incident, it U said, cume the birth
of the fan, nnd to-dny It takes tha
placo of the muk In that country.