FORTIER, JOSEPH - (392 - ENGLISH)

FORTIER, JOSEPH  (392 - ENGLISH)

FORTIER, JOSEPH

Son of Victor Fortier and Célina Morin from Sainte-Adèle in Quebec, Joseph Fortier arrived in the Yukon on June 2, 1898 coming from Montreal.

On the 9 of September 1899, there was an article in the DAWSON CITY DAILY NEWS concerning Joseph Fortier. The title was something like this” Presumed lost, a man with a high and delirious fever was found in the woods.” In this article, Albert Fortier, brother to Joseph declared that he had left his brother only for a minute or two to go to the neighbor’s cabin. When he returned, he found his sick brother’s bed empty.  Albert Fortier was very worried for during the last doctor’s visit Joseph’s pulse was 104 and he had a fever and his brother was in a critical phase of his illness. Albert alerted friends and a group of helpers got engaged right away.  They had to search for five hours by lantern-light when one man noticed the sick man still conscious but lying on the moist ground.  Joseph Fortier, aged 35, died of  pneumonia shortly after and was buried in the Dawson City cemetery on September 18, 1899.

Ref. Empreinte, vol.11, page 61

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