The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-05-17
NORTH POLE PROJECT.
The Bernier Expedition More Than
Name,

| dOrsement of the Bernier North Pole
expedition has been followed quickly
by practical results. With the power
full influences now in motion to pro-
mote the project, the expedition
should soon become an accomplished
fact Hon. r. r. Dobell, member of
| the Laurier administration, has ac-
cepted the charmanship of the Ber-
nier fund. and subscribed $1,000 He
is wealthy and influential man, and
his name is tower of strength to
the undertaking. His excellency the
governor general, has given sub
scription of $500, and F. H. Clergue
$500 to begin with. Sine nine thous-
| and dollars besides have already been
subscribed. Lieutenant Colonel IT.
win has consented to act as treasurer.
The sum required to fit out the expe-
dition is $150,O0O, of which $4,000 is
for ship to be specially built and
fitted up in accordance with Capt
Bernier's requirements.
The government has been asked to
supply the ship, conditioned on the
balance of the amount required being
furnished by general subscription.
With such backing as that of the gov
ernor general, Hon. Mr.. Dobell and
marv u,o11 Epoxyy, ,,,<tr,,l,o,c 30 ,or1;.
ment and senators who have now as
! ISOLATED themselves with the enter
! prise, there ought to be no very great
difficulty in persuading the govern
ment to make the desired appropria-
ton.
| Captain J. e. Bernier, the center
figure Of the expedition, comes Of a
race of hardy sea captains. At one
period of his life when he was sailing
the Atlantic there were not fewer
than fifteen Berniers, from L'Islet
and Cape st. Ignace, Quebec, sailing
out of Canada ports as sea captains.
Five of these were uncles of Capt. J.
e. Bernier and five were cousins. The
captains father, Thomas Bernier of
Quebec was shipmaster at the age
of 25, and sailed the salt water for
As years. He commanded vessels be-
longing to the Ross firm of Quebec,
for upwards of twenty-three years,
trading to foreign ports. He became
a ship owner himself and for some
years sailed his own ships. He died
in 1898, at the age of seventy.
| Some idea Of the salt water life of
Capt. J. Z. Bernier may be gathered
from the following facts: His father
took him to sea with his mother when
he was only a year old The father
with lumber to England, New York,
Boston and the West Indies. In 1885,
the infant sailor was at the lombard
ment of Sebastapol, his father having
proceeded to that port with military
stores for the British army, in com.
mand of the ship "Zillah," but being
unable to discharge cargo, proceeded
to Malta and there unloaded. With
the exception Of five years from the
age of seven to twelve. when he was
put ashore for schooling, he was at
sea all the rest of his life until he
accepted a government appointment
at Quebec. He was shipmaster al
the age of seventeen, crossed the At
lantic one hundred and seventy-eigh
times, and from first to last com
manded fOrty-six vessels.
In the year 1873 Captain Bernier's
!; polar expedition received new i'm
J petus from the plans of Captain De
Long, who in that year fitted out ar
expedition at Havre, France Captain
Bernier was then at Liverpool, having
taken a new ship over there from
Quebec and sold her. AS soon as he
heard of De Longs plans he went
| o'SA w pVAoOhdIly lnScSllSdle, ait
the result was, he soon arrived at de
finite well-settled conclusions of hi.
own as to the mistakes of previou.
polar expeditions. and of better
methods which close study of all pub
lished accounts of them later simpl,
! served to confirm. These conclusion:
pointed to an expedition followin,
the drift of the polar currents. in 9th
err words on the lines laid down b.
natural laws, instead of one followed
under conditions directly opposed t.
those laws, as all previous expedi
lions appeared more or less to hav,
been. He gradually elaborated twt
complete plans of operations for
new expedition under his own com
mand and eventually laid them befor,
the late Mr. Timms. ex-president o
/ no