Regional Industry & News

Today in History revisits the Wednesday, July 6, 1927, edition of the Grand Forks Herald and highlights a story of Carl Ben Eielson, an Arctic explorer from Hatton, North Dakota, who told his story of explorations of the Arctic and how he doesn't believe there are any undiscovered land in the Arctic.

No Undiscovered Land In Arctic, Eielson Believes; Tells Exploration Story

Explorers Satisfied Beyond Reasonable Doubt That No Unexplored Land Is To Be Found In Far North; Hatton Man Modest In Relating Hardship Encountered When Capt. Wilkins And He Made Persistent Effort To Carry On Work With Airplanes

(BY STEPHEN P. SMITH)

It is improbable that there is any land in the great so-called unexplored region of the Arctic ocean.

This is the opinion of Carl Ben Eielson, pioneer air pilot of the far north who with Capt. Wilkins explored the Arctic regions a few months ago.

Lieut. Eielson was in Grand Forks Tuesday night enroute from his home at Hatton, N. D. to Minneapolis, where he is to spend a few days before returning here to further consider his proposed flight from Seattle to Tokyo. He was accompanied by Merton Jacobson of Churchs Ferry.

We satisfied ourselves beyond a reasonable doubt, that there is no land to be discovered in the previously unexplored region, the North Dakota aviator indicated, when he was questioned in connection with the rather general opinion that the exploration flights had not been completed.

Eielson said that although one of the planes was abandoned when he was forced to land because of having run out of gasoline, several flights were made, soundings of the water depth were taken and all information obtained that the expedition could hope for.

Speaking informally with a group of local friends, Lieut. Eielson, in answering the questions put to him, told a story of daring, danger, deprivations and suffering that in more than one respect outdoes the records of the trans-Atlantic fliers.

There was first the possibility that land might be discovered. There was the danger of a forced landing on ice fields that spelled ruin to the plane. There were the same blinding storms, accompanied in the case of the northern fliers with bitter, bitter cold. There was the same great distance of over-water flying, equalling on Ben Eielson's last flight, the distance from New Foundland to Ireland, and at the end of it there was the forced landing on the treacherous ice floe, followed by days and nights of drifting and snail-pace walking, and of freezing and near starvation.

Eielson Modest.

Lieut. Eielson's manner of speaking was casual and modest. It was as though he were desirous merely of being courteous, and not that he was enthused. When it was suggested, however, that he probably had many things to think about during his long march over the ice, there was a fleeting expression that bespoke vivid memories of the tragic experience, and the sudden lifting of a hand revealed the tape-bound stub of a frozen finger.

It was in March of this year that the first flights were made. Flying from Fairbanks, Alaska to Point Barrow, Capt. Wilkins' party established their base and awaited weather favorable for exploring. Several flights were made, Lieut. Eielson said, and on a clear day, flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet, it was possible to detect land, had there been any, for a distance of 100 miles on either side of the course.

Landings were made on flow ice at a number of points. At each such stop soundings were taken and in no instance, it was reported, was there any indication that there was land that would rise above the water. These flights were continued well into the spring.

On the last flight made with Lieut. Eielson as pilot and Capt. Wilkins as observer, a distance of more than 1,100 miles was covered. In returning to the base the plane ran into a severe blizzard. The strong wind, it is presumed, retarded the progress. When the gasoline finally gave out the plane was at a high altitude. Its two explorers faced the unpleasant necessity of landing without opportunity of seeking level ice and without ability to see it if it should be near.

Lieut. Eielson said that the landing was made on a crumpled icefield. This ordinarily would mean the dashing of the plane to bits against the mountains of ice and the certain death of the passengers. Fortunately, he said, the skies of the plane grazed and smashed on the tip of an ice peak and the plane slid down on the opposite bank and nestled in the valley below.

Stayed In Cabin.

For five days the two men stayed within the cabin of the plane and as best they could protected themselves from the storm. The temperature, the aviator said, was around 42 degrees below zero much of the time. There was nothing to eat but chocolate. Then began the long trudge by foot in an effort to reach land. The ice continued to drift. The weather remained cold. But the march was continued, day after day, over sharp peaks of ice and treacherous, partly covered flows, with energy diminishing and feet and fingers number and finally painfully frozen.

On the eighteenth day, after 150 miles had been walked in covering 80 miles and the ice had drifted about 180 miles, the two explorers arrived at an Eskimo village. "These people treated us very well," Lieut. Eielson reported.

"Capt. Wilkins' feet were so badly frozen," the North Dakota flier said, "that he could not walk from his cot to the table."

Lieut. Eielson's hands were badly frozen, and it was at this place that a missionary was secured to amputate his finger. "Was anything given to you when the operation was performed?" the aviator was asked. "No, but I didn't watch him," he replied.

Sent for Other Plane.

Continuing, he said, "from here we sent a dog team to Point Barrow for other plane. We later flew out and searched for our lost ship but there was too much fog and we couldn't find trace of it."

Lieut. Eielson said that even though he was unable to fly because of the condition of his hands, Capt. Wilkins went out with another pilot and secured additional data.

The Hatton man said that Seattle, when he reached there a few weeks ago, was quite worked up over the idea of a flight being made from there to Tokyo, Japan. The prize of $25,000 has been arranged for, he said, and he understands that progress is being made in raising the necessary expense funds. Lieut. Eielson pointed out, however, that he could promise nothing definite as to when or even whether the flight will be made.