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 THE 
 
 CANADIAN P,«IflC llAlLW>y. 
 
 
 TO 
 
 PUBLIC OPINION 
 
 AGAINST THK RAILWAY HKING CARKIKD ACROSS 
 
 THE SELKIRK RAXllE, THAT ROUTE 
 
 I5E1NG OIJJECTIOXABLE 
 
 KKOM 
 
 THE lUNGEK OE EALLS EROM GLACIERS AND 
 KRO.M AVALANCHES, 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 (il'N'ElLVLLY ON OTHER MATTERS. 
 
 />*// PIIILO. VERITAS. 
 
 /// ivr-^ S /- ^ IS D . \a^ / i ^ ' /o ^y\ 
 
 &• 
 
 .N[()NTKEAL: 
 WM. DKVSDALE A- Co., 232 ST. .L\.MES STREET, 
 
 IHS'i. 
 
f 
 
 •I 
 
 ! 
 
 ! 1 
 
 ' QuauiUKiiiideni im>i)u1uh docipi vult decipiatnr." ~r'ar(/i/«(/ (Uiraffa. 
 
 [" Seeing thiit jieople are williiiK' to Jh> dectMved, lit thfin he deceived. 
 
 'Apres inoi lo deluge." 
 
 ["When I am ^' nic, the deluge iii.iy eonie afr.iiii." ) 
 
 " Ay, t" the jji'uof ; as iinmiitiiins ai'(! Utr winds, 
 That shake not, though thcii lilow (•ontiniialhi.'' 
 
 Tumi IK/ lit the Slinir. Act II, se. 1. 
 
 -i 
 
 ImmM 
 
AN APPEAL TO PUBLIC OPINION, 
 
 t tlii'iri lit' (it'ciii 
 
 veil. 
 
 iiids, 
 
 Act II. su. 
 
 (^ITAJTER I. 
 Kvory stiit.'nicnt made- will, regard to the; Ciuiadiau Panfic 
 Railway ii..t iiuM-ting thu views of tlie Syndieato ; every effort to 
 penetrate; tlie mystery of its condition, and to weigli the justice with 
 which it asked f„r th(! extraordinary additional assistance' it ohtainod 
 in the last Parliament; every criticism which tends to establish its 
 precise relati.m with the .-onntry, is met by the outcry, that an 
 attempt is being made to depreciate the resources of the Dominion, 
 and to vilify and blacken the character of the Directory who rule the 
 fortunes of the Company. 
 
 Xothing can be so unwarrantable as tliis outcry. That line of 
 conduct which is just, fair and honest cannot be affected permanently 
 by calumny. Especially when the project considered has a powerful 
 and almost unanimous support in the pul)lic i)ress. Moreover, which 
 is defended by a close phalan.v of individuals who, identifying the 
 cause of the Railway as their own, step forward on the least occasion, 
 with all the violence of partizanship, and often with its want of 
 judgment, when the most temperate doubt is expressed on the 
 expediency of some measure under discussion. 
 
 It is true that a fal.se statenent, a malicious attempt to cause 
 injury, may leail to temporary misunderstamling, and may create an 
 unfair impression of the resources and competence of the parties who 
 are directing a scheme of magnitude, lint, if not based on truth, the 
 injury can only last for the time that the falsehood remains uncon- 
 tradicted. In a few liours or days the truth becomes known, and, 
 irrefutably established, there i.« a perfect revulsion of opinion in favour 
 of the interests which hav<,. been a.ssailed, an<l the unwarrantable, 
 dislionest attack recoils on its author. 
 
 Even if there be unjust attacks against the Syndicate, they 
 have themselves to thank that such is the case. Xothing was plainer 
 than the policy which they .night to have followed towards the 
 public. It was each year to have presented to the monetary world 
 a straightforward statement of their affair.s, and specially to have 
 I addressed the Canadian Publ" in the form of an Annual Report. The 
 line itself claims to partake of a national character. Indeed, it is 
 
II iiiarkf'il violation of tin; law tliat nnrh lias not Iwen (lone. Th« rcjla- 
 tions of till' ( 'iiiiipaiiy with the ( liiviTinni'iit i^xact a full ri'iioit of 
 tlu'ir atliiir.s to tin- Ministiir of Railways ami CanalM, to lir iiicludi-d in 
 liis Kt'|iiirt siiliniitti'd to Parliaiiirnt, ami aiitln'iiticatoil or (diiinn'iittul 
 iipoi liy tin- (iiivorniiii'iit 10n<,'im;i'r of Railways. Tho Railway 
 authorities havn follownl prciMsi-ly tin; oppositr course. Tht-y havi; 
 nuulo a mystery where none shoiilil exist. With few exceptions all 
 who in any way emli-avoureil to umlerstanil what statements have heen 
 nia(l(! to Parliament hiivi'lMjen forced to ahantlon the examination as a 
 pu/zle impossilile to disentan<,'le ; or, if within the reach of ultimate 
 mastershi]) that it exacted so much time that the effort to ohtain tho 
 information had to be aliandoned. All the documents which we 
 possess are those whii;h have het^n obtained throu;/h Parliament on 
 the ap[>li(;ation for tho thirty millions of dollars. They seeni ;,'atherud 
 to^'ether with the dosire to create confusion, ^fatters of no account 
 ur<5 <,'iv(Mi pa<,'e after page. Several documents add to the hulk with- 
 out increasing our information. We have given in full, an application 
 for a payment hy the ('om|iany, the report of the Kngineer on the 
 a|iplication and the ( )rder-in-council granting the money; all of \vhich 
 simply swells out the matter protitlessly. When we come to the 
 ligures themselves they are hojM-lessly ('onqtlicated ; classed in single 
 lines of innnense amounts, unexplained and full of intricacy and con- 
 fusion. Jt does not want much law for a man to act towards his 
 neighbour honestly and decorously. It re(iuires little of tin; technical 
 knowledge of the accountant to follow a clear statement which shews 
 the condition of a project and its claim to pulilic confidence. In such 
 a case, however, we require the appeal to our understanding to be 
 dear, distinct and intelligible. IJut the statements presented to 
 Parliament by the Canadian I'acitic Railway may be classed among 
 tlie most remarkable on record. A single line involving millions is 
 unaccompanied by the slightest item of explanation. The very word 
 voucher, seems to have no place in their vocal>ulary. Men who, in 
 their own affairs, do not pay a single account without full detail, 
 without the dear specification of each item, expect the world to 
 accept an unsustained statement of an expi-uditure from its magni- 
 tude, and the known circumstances under which it is made, we are 
 not prepared to accept without close investigation. It looks as if we 
 are asked to believe on no other ground but the one urged by the old 
 sdioolmen why the miracle should be credited, because it was impossi- 
 
}ilc : ifiiia iiiipnunihilc vnf. It is tlif niily pn'tciision nii which civdoncc 
 can he cliiiim-'il for the Syndirftte stiitonioiitH. 
 
 I 1180 the word Syiidiciitc liccuuso 1 belit'vc from my hcnrt there 
 is none other to represent tht^ control exerciscil over tlic atlairs of the 
 Railwfty. Tlw Syndicfitc is now leprtrscnted hy Mr. Stephen, Mr. 
 .Au^'iis and Mr. Van Home. Mr. Mclntyrc in the early staj,'<'s of its 
 liistory was an active agc^nt ; hut lie ha.'« retired from tin; position he 
 held. At all eviMits it is so state(| in the pn'ss, ami no contradiction 
 has hecn f,'iven. Moreovj'r, his j>lace on the r>oard of Director-s 1ms 
 Ix-eii nilcil up. Mr. !)onald Smith's known resources and his 
 admitted great wealth have led his name to bt( prominently identified 
 with the Railway. To wliat exUtnt he has l)een an active memlter 
 i.s not known. Public o|)inion, right or wrong, assigns to him 
 the position of ha\ing acquiesceil in the policy of the Company, 
 rather than to have actively interfered l)eyond tlie matter of linance. 
 His high unquestioned credit and his known wealth made him indis- 
 pcmsable, especially when the assistance of the Montreal Hank was 
 appealed to, as the public i)ap(!rs shew. 
 
 It is usele.ss considering the extent to which Mr. ^[cTntyve has 
 influenced tlu; policy of the Syndicate, for, if the published elation- 
 .ship can be relied on, he has ceased in any way to infhu ice their 
 proceedings, especially in the crisis of the hour. 
 
 The reason that the word Syntlicate is adher(;d to in these pages, 
 although the Company has been formed four years, and a nominal 
 li.st of Uirectors appears as i)residiug over the fortunes of the Com- 
 pany, is that the list of Directors is evidently simply a legal 
 compliance with the necessities of the case. The liolders of stock are 
 given in the Parliamentary papers. The reader must form the 
 opinion tlmt, excepting with tho.se directly connected with the Syn- 
 dicate, it consists of men who have i)urchased it for spe(ndation, and 
 not as an investment. As you read through the 590 names which 
 appear in the list of those holding 550,000 shares, you discover tliat 
 no shares are held in To.onto, or western Canada ; 57 are held in 
 Ottawa, with 500 by Mr. Sandford Fleming; about 1000 in Montreal, 
 including 370 by McDougall Bros., and 375 by H. C. Scott. Inde- 
 pendently of this amount, Mr. John Cassils ai)pt;ars as the holder of 
 2925 shares, Charles Cassils 500 shares. Both gentlemen, I believe, 
 are connections of Mr. Mclntvre. 
 
!.>,()0<) >1 
 
 iiiri 
 
 31,222 
 
 a 
 
 20v'-i60 
 
 a 
 
 tJO.") 
 
 a 
 
 2:'>,290 
 
 C( 
 
 Tlic Syiidiciito list of slian-.s is : 
 Mr. K. 15. An^ni.s, 
 Mr. (Jeorge StoplK'n, 
 Mr. I). Mcliityr.', 
 Mr. Villi Huriu", 
 .Mr. Doiiiilil Siiiitli. 
 
 Tdtal. - - !>4,-t77 
 111 ('omu'ctiuii with them we may iiit-llniii'Bt? die name of .Mr. Harry 
 Abbott, the holder of 1000 shareB. 
 
 It is not possible to pronuuu'-e aaiT io^)minn with regard to the 
 shareholders as tliey are .set forth m alW E-^t of ten pages. Many 
 ■well-known names appear for hmilieil 3ititfl'fiiiDi5.jH. Tlie larger number 
 of shares seem to have been taken ajjc ftiy Ftanking firms. As a list, 
 the nami's suggest few jioints of crilifii-KMt. Cc niay, however, be said 
 that the shareholders iiavc taken in* iiiVfl"';*!^ in the proceedings of th(f 
 Company as such. It would apjM-su- llkua tiEn^ stock has been mostly 
 bought, or held in trust, on tln' theoj-y nButC on the {)riee jiaid for it, 
 it was an investment wliieli nii;,fht joioiTt*- protitabic, or that there 
 would be a rise on the* stock, at the j»eafl"i'll pnxi^ha.Sfd. i can liiul no 
 trace of any desire to interfere in ibe 'Kjii^mtnions of ihe manageiiient. 
 
 The leading ])e ms who now staijiH Vff )re the jublic as the active 
 members of the syndicate are, Mir. S-Cfpheri. Mr .Viigus, Mr. 
 ^'an Horne. 
 
 Mr. Stei)hen is known for maauf jt*ars in Montreal as the 
 enterprising licad of a large dry gooiE* liiiim. and as a Director and 
 President of the Montreal Bank. ]aa ttfiu*' construclion df a Railway 
 he is entirely inexperienced. He in J]it.'.'a>^her uiiaei[uainte(l witli the 
 details and principles of constru<'ta'jflii.. BEe has brought from his 
 original profession his knowledge ■>)■$ tinunee, and his general 
 knowledge of business, necessariJy itf .u wide rhmacter. \\ ith Mr. 
 Angus, his attention has evidently 'I'Immiu given t" tlie tinaiice of the 
 ('oiiH)aiiy. 111! has, also, ajijieared a* ttfii**- e.tponent and defender of 
 the j-Mjlicy of the Coiiipany. a draitT raCiilecl upon him as the 
 Tresideiit, and in all extraoniiuarr '<-mt»rgencie.s, the letters of 
 e.vplanatioii, of remonstrance, and <€ .Jig)fii:<'ation to the (iovernment 
 have borne his signature. 
 
 Mr. Angus is (Mpially well-kuowja. Without family interest, or 
 extraordinary influi'iiee, he worked liiiiMi-«*l]ff Co be the Head (leneral 
 
 
Manager of the Moutmil Hank. A record in all respects creditable 
 to himself. His peculiar duties evidently have been in the way ..f 
 finance. 
 
 It is not the first time that Mr. Stephens and Mr. An-us have 
 worki-d tu-etluT in matters ..f finance. Mr. Steplunis was President, 
 while Mr. An-us was (Jeneral Manu-er of the Montreal I'.ank.' 
 I'ublic opinion in money circles, and in commercial life in iMontreai, 
 has critici.sed their operations with some sternness with re^^rd to th(' 
 .Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Kailway. The results turned 
 out pro.sperously, but reports of their n(.ii-success unfavorably 
 affected the st.H.-k of the Montreal Hank, which on one occasion 
 dropjied as low as 120. 
 
 liut I wi'l n<it enter upon that matter here. 
 
 Mr. Van Ilnrne, the third of the triumvirate, has no Montreal 
 antecedents. He has had some experience in Railway life ; wlien 
 and to what extent is not known in our community. ^Report stat.'s 
 that he was intmduced to the Syndicate by a Mr. Hill, of Saint 
 Paul, as a man of ,^reat energy and force ui character, capable of 
 pushim,'on the work rapi.Uy. .\o one wlio knows Mr. Van Home 
 ean fail to recognise these .pialities i.re-eminentlv. AVhatever his 
 experience, and ,n what capacity ..btained, it may be said that he is 
 strongly marked by those qualities, which we hold t., be the attributes 
 of the ^\estern n.an. Mr. Van Horne is in noway an engineer in the 
 sen.se ,n which we speak of ih,> e.lucated, thoughtful men we me^-t in 
 Boston, m New York, and in the Central I'nite.l States; e.nuUlv in 
 our own country of Canada. He habitually expresses his contempt 
 for all th.. rules, habits and nu.de of action which n.ark this .school 
 o educated men, from wiiom he .lissent.s, which they carefulh 
 observe. With Mr. Stephen and Mr. Angus to deal with, Mr. \.u 
 iornes force of ciiaracter and quickness of perception pa.ss for a 
 iiigij order of trained ability. 
 
 No ..ne but M,.. Van'llovne is responsil,]. U,v the Canadian 
 i acific hne a.s it is located and constructed. If there be merit in the 
 extraordinary rate at whici, the track was pushed alon.^ the level 
 praine. a cours- of action which with the unthinking has lu-en so 
 extolled it i, Ki,. u there b,. blan.e in the choic .f ,.M,te. in the 
 multitude of curves, in the heavy grades in the Kicking Horse I'ass 
 in the prospect of the Railway being periodically 'crushed and 
 rendered inoperative by the descent of immenc masses of snow and 
 
I 
 
 1 
 
 ice from tin; ,!j;liif;i(M's <>f tlie I Lle-oeii<:'--wu*!l. vf . > r, 
 
 liitw River Sunimit and Kaiulooji^, tL*- iiini . iu», atkt V- SGAMt iti^ 
 held rcspoiisil^lu fur praise <>r blttiu*;- v^'Hh a^-jjiut tVi tJM- ;.»T:3>6tt»4»«:i<I 
 slatc'iiioiits, wlii(!li from time to time luiv» Wm . '. '*U»f»inii>ncr<»r 
 
 of the line, and have now to Ije critieivjd atit • ... : -/r tin*- ni>^ 
 
 of fact. 
 
 Mr. \'an llorne has liad the wiioh- uii'iui'c-e,- : -' •" ^hi*- 
 
 re..soiU'ce.s of tlie ComiKiny. Jt is ]ie win ii: "u- ;,, - ; ..t 
 
 and undisjiuteil control of the expeuditui"*:- \i /• - <r 
 
 Ix.'ing ohtained from the (loverumeiit. unO >r' u- • v-. ••.,-^ ,-,i 
 
 additional sul>.sidy obtainaldi'. 
 
 Mo Canadian, he he of tin- Kn^li.sli-.-<i*»rai-)ijr -ii»j». — - ^ Vifi' a* 
 actively interc'sted in the the<iry of ereunij;: ; lU-ftru't r v vta-fert 
 
 nationality, as an individual, can have iih» i^w-r j^t '• Vi^-n* 
 
 Home's .succes.s, or ft-el sympathy witi; . >.??(*-, 
 
 From the commencement, Mr. Nan Ji >ni*- ttn»» icr a 
 
 ability, enerj^y, education and experieuoi-. 39.ni«»'tf fr m --'fu^Biii 
 
 States, he has us little faith in our jj^miu^ .ur 4. p«^<f>4«r, «« flj> Sw^w 
 respect for tlie trained and educutt;d Lu^ni'i^r'^- .»*',,■- . ' '.^ i'AXVvi 
 at ^'e\v York or .Montreal. He hus .showi: •^■lu-. /»- .•iviiii-i'- 
 
 of his agents. Tlie combinations undes wui-n m- v -.j^- , -iat i'lVP.ufi 
 assistants upon him which lie has ucc<'pv»;ti vtur;Uiruri". -» r^v-r^li 
 as occasion otle red. His princijial a.sHiriluitU4«ui .v!ft»'>-T3i 
 United States, and if not as he is -W'tmum^ Mi*rir -ch*^.- : .^ v r^liw^rir 
 mode of action, and claim recnguiiion iu- Astxyjcux .ax <i .^i' 
 
 his own. His construction agnnte; ui'- iUtt->-'''jUiaii* adi*. » ^r* lir.r^v 
 his .school. His deputies are of tiie mwn* *Aan!*. "*«>r; ^ ■ h*^ 
 fotind iilknl when he came amongst u«r. Ift'ji'TV a»» .»r.«i'.'' , ^v 
 
 he, has dont! so. Some of the mcumUniV 5»nu«m *- ■ ra, 
 
 1 )iirereut explanations are given why ttwh^ -m dw*- *»». «wS CJ (» 
 believed that few of the hold'^rs of hueh ^witCintw ricui : ■ xhb^ 
 
 eyes. 
 
 Report assigns to him the receipt ttf v. 'mps^: ^la^tmA, Il» » 
 variously named from .*40,000 to ^U.UU\' mmuulv. Mr. *<V»f*i»^ 
 the President, is looked ujton as reeipieu; \i i o^t-r f if-2fK*}ff!fy. 
 'Slv. Angus, as Vice-Presiilent, is said \,k> iit*^\r^ ifi^.i * • 
 
 Suvh are the Directing Ageutt; cuiirtttiirauir tJutr- 
 
 'Hie ohl .system of a line carefully h«vu>ra- mii-'i;- r jitrfinivl 
 
 so that no unnecessary curve has been uumiv.-rt .a ■»^urkt*rr*irf M!i»-g> 
 
I5 h 
 
 l.a.s 1)..,.,. ral.:ulat...l l.ef,,,-,. arUui. i. •Uiii^;.^*. fwt, ^ ^ 
 
 the \\ I Si. looks oil till' <lii\i-,.. ,jj' i\u- Iti.^ '^U. i •- 
 
 tlic'ir iiicaiiii]--lcss and canscji-h/- i^Si^^ttlft 1*U.. - ..r / ■! a - 
 
 (■i|iially a iiiatlcr ol suijuisi-. 
 
 ■n.at, hnwrvr, is a s.jl>j<,.-i «p<'Ci4Jk.l4.li..„„„«j,j,,^ 
 
 W hen ..nticis.n is ma.l.. ..Ji aii> .^m- v-.^tLv^rh^ r.,„^ifc,«, f',,^ 
 
 .t IS <.ons,.]..n..l a ivply i„ fulJ to «taV ti^t^.„«„^ hnrwlr^i ^.1^ ^ 
 tlH" flat la.nl ,,hun lor with it. ^^U^: ^^^, ,j,^ ^^^^ ,^^ ,^ 
 -t Ho,„.,,bI..-_i,i so iiKuiy u.n,,i^, .,.,^. .,,„.. ^^^ '^^^ 
 .-•onstruct..,!. i-.v.-ry ol,j,.,io,i ..mmJ, ..,*, ,,^,^. ,,^,^, ^ .,.«h^Ji 
 to Ik. answ.Mv,| l.y this on- U.-X, \,^ ^ ^^ ^ j^,^ ^j^,^ 
 
 .nov,.nM-nt of rapi.lity as on.- ol .^,. ,,^, ,,^,j ^j.,,,j^y^ ^,^^ ^^ 
 
 .•alle.l upon to a.l.uir.- lliis wo,.l.du];..,iu^ .rt.l v.n.ru>. th.«^U4by^l 
 in t ho Nr„.tli-wost, as a niai^-llou. ..fl.^ ,^ ^^^..^ ^^,.^^, ,,^ j^ .^ 
 
 iiUKlcni tniics. It is hi-M to hi- •. i ^^ ^ -^ <- 
 
 natinsn. at d.lianc... ,ni.| on. tJmt aU^\a ^,,\,,. .,.„,.>.',. ,.,,j 
 |l.ssafsfa..t,onin,,,ossil.l... J t ]iaM.,rt-^v^.t^^ ^^.^.u-rm^-nt -.i .....„,, 
 I he saiiir pnHr.MJin-s w.-iv JoJlou.-,! i,j ^^, rt'rtwrl^ l>'*'!fi^ 
 
 -— ^«< 
 
 ..^^ 
 
 "^■'^^ 
 
 
w^ 
 
 10 
 
 CIIAI'TER II. 
 
 It appears to me, at tliis juncture, pertinent to in(juh'c into two 
 points. First, as to tlie character of tlie location wliicli has l)een 
 followed, esi)e(!ially in its projected j)assaj^'e tjver tlie Selkirk Range ; 
 secondly, what amount has been expended by tlu' Syndicate between 
 Winnipeg and the tirst Rocky Mountain summit. With regard U> 
 the line between Sudbury and G7 miles east of Port Arthur, we 
 have only the reports of those who have visited it. It is only 
 <luring this sunuuer that active stejis have been taken in the way of 
 construction. \o information has l^een i)ublishe(i regarding it. 
 Steps, however, should l»e taken at the next meeting of Parliament 
 to olitain delinite and clear iufornu\ti<in (Concerning this divisidu ; 
 especially in the matter of curves and grades. 
 
 It is currently reported, and Ixdieved, tliiit some scheme is l)eing 
 ]>erfected by which ailditional aid will ])e asked from Parliament. It 
 can hanlly take the f(jrni of "reasonable temi)()rary assistance!" It has 
 been surmised that Parliament will be asked to guarantee a loan from 
 twenty to twenty-live years, so that sulHcient means will lie ulitaiued 
 for the full completion of the work 1 The future oidy will show 
 what foundation tliere is for this surmise. 
 
 IJefore entering into this examination, let me remark that if there 
 l)e misconception on these ]ioints, the fault is not that of the public. 
 The blame lies with the Syndicate, and reducing matters to a line 
 j)oint, with the one man in ])ower, .^^r. \'an Home. If full and clear 
 annual reports had beiui i)ublishcd, there would lie no misconception 
 to-dry. Sucli statements would admit (»f criticism and examiiuxtion, 
 and any claim which the Canadian Pacific woidd advance, would in 
 its justice or injustice lie made manifest. liut in the extraordinary 
 accounts submitted to Parliament their very insuHiciency is without a 
 l)arallel in the forty years of modern jiolitical life. Nothing is easier 
 than to show the cost of a Railway, if the accounts be kept in the 
 usual straight-forward and svstemic method bv which an educated 
 Engineer makes a record of the work. 
 
 It is as well in this place to explain how such accounts are ke])t, 
 iiaid how clearly they establish the truth of any statement l)asod up»»n 
 
11 
 
 such voucliers. Indeed, it is only Ijy sucli a ivport that any claim a.s 
 to cost can be established. 
 
 In order properly to carry on the construction of a Kailway, a line 
 is laid out in lenj,'ths of one hundred feet, a stake bcin- placed tirudy 
 in the ground at the end of such distance. The first stake is named 
 Station 0, the second Station 1, and so th > nu)ii])eriii^f goes on to the 
 end of the division. For (tonveiiience a Railway is divided into 
 divisions, especially when several parties are in tiie field. Thus any 
 ,L,aven nundier of a station detr-rniiiies its locality in a paiticidar 
 division : and ])y references to the section, the extent and character of 
 the work is shewn, whether it be cutting or iilling ; and on the 
 profile or section the grades are marked shewing their height at each 
 station; and the ])rogress id" the work is describeil. a. •cording to the 
 sections reached. 
 
 It is then ac.'ording to these stations that the final estimate 
 shewing the cost of the work, and setting forth the amount due to 
 the contractor is made out. Kvery station presents the record of 
 the amount of cutting or hlliiig of r:\r.\i one hundred feet, the detail 
 of it beii>g made, .so that the work can be compared with the original 
 sections, which gives the lev(d on the centre line. And with an 
 Kngineer in Chief of experience, and who obsi-rves projier discipline, 
 fraud on tlie j.art of his std)ordinates is impossible. 
 
 The division for convenience sake is subdivided into sections, and 
 at the end of each .section there is a recapitulation of the whole work, 
 according to the detail given for each hundred IVet, tlie length of the 
 .station. 
 
 The final estimate shews the amount of 
 
 Acres (Jruljhing and ( "leiU-in^^. 
 Cul)ic Yards Rock Cuttiii^,'. 
 " Karth •' 
 
 Kmhaiikiiiciit from Imrrowiiiir pits, that, is, tilling; 
 ohtiviiu'd fn.iii without tin- prism (,f the l{ail\vay 
 \v(irk. 
 •^bisdiiry in Culverts, alhittol ti> tlie .stations wliere 
 
 tliey are cotistnicted. 
 Hri(lf,'e Aliiitineiit I'ieis. 
 feet iJTieal Urid;;,. Siip..|structiire, -,,r in Ihs. of inm, as th.j 
 case niay he. 
 " Hoard .Measure. Tiniher in Koad I^ridtfes. 
 (Jattlo (Jiiards. 
 Crossing's (Road). I'er contract. 
 
12 
 
 uikI all matters soever in short l)earing upon the construction of a 
 Railway, so tliat the cost is unniistakeable. 
 
 In all lines carefully anil conscientiously recorded as to the work 
 executed, where the Kn<,nneer-in-C'hief is competent and up to his 
 work, this itroccedin^f is followed ; w 'ere it is not followed the absence 
 of this essential and admitted necessii," can only be afhliated to the 
 ignorance of the Chief OHicer reeponsi'iht to the Directors, or to the 
 desin; of the Directors themselves to misn^present the cost of the 
 work. 
 
 There can be no other explanation, — ignorance or fraud. 
 
 K([ually tlicrc is invariably a report of tin; curves and grades. As 
 th(! lo(!omotive has grown in importance and in power, there is a 
 tendi'iicy to abandon th(! old i)rinci[)les which regulated their limits. 
 The early l']ngineers considered a curve of about a mile radius 
 the normal condition to be observed. ( )n this continent what is 
 known as a 1'' cuive, 5730 feet radius was held, and is held to 
 be a limit by the schoijl of Engineers, who work with a sense of 
 responsibility and a knowl((dg(! (»f cause and effect. On the other 
 hand, it is remorselessly set at defiance l)y such persons, who, 
 without education, fate has pitchforked into prominent positions. 
 Ignoring all }»ast (,'Xi)erience, without any rulelnit that of ex[iedi('ncy, 
 and their own mere opinion, in their arrogance they set at nought all 
 tho.se principles which men carefully trained never violate. Hence 
 the many unfortunately located Kailway lines on which public money 
 is wasted. 
 
 1 recollect a comic song in fashion a few years back, for even in 
 Music Halls taste changes, and the serio-comic business of to-day is a 
 difierent matter to the then witty, cheerful ditties, inters])ersed with 
 monologues, Carefully written, under their levity they often conveyed 
 the best of philo.sojthic teaching and moral .suggestiveness ; and even 
 now in many in.stances are more than readable. The particular 
 melody which rises to my mind, ha-1 the refrain of " Push along, 
 k(!ep moving." With many nu!U of the hour, who have olitained 
 mark(>d prominence, it is this doctrine which .seems to be the be all, 
 and end all of their efforts. With such as the.se the time in which 
 the work is (onstructed is shewn as the proof of its excellence, as if it 
 were a match against time— such as walking one hundred miles in 
 one hundred hours. Prodigious I "Wonderful I cry the irveflecting, 
 for they take no note of the character of the work thus rapidly 
 
13 
 
 raction of a 
 
 ,0 the work 
 . up to liis 
 tlie absonoG 
 iatcd to tlio 
 s, or to the 
 cost of the 
 
 1. 
 
 I^fratlos. As 
 there is a 
 
 lieir limits. 
 
 iiile radius 
 
 lit wliat is 
 
 is held to 
 
 a SL'Uso of 
 
 the other 
 
 sons, who, 
 
 : positions. 
 
 ■xpetliency, 
 nought all 
 
 te. Hence 
 
 blic money 
 
 'nr even in 
 
 to-day is a 
 
 )crsed with 
 
 n conveyed 
 
 ; and even 
 
 particular 
 
 'ush along, 
 
 e obtained 
 
 the be all, 
 
 e in which 
 
 nee, as if it 
 
 id miles in 
 
 irreflecting, 
 
 lus rapidly 
 
 :t 
 
 J 
 
 M 
 
 comi)letcd. .\n.l if tli^ \v..rk 1- a Rudway they iH'Ver>l..p t.. en^iuir.-. 
 what are its cliaracteristics. 
 
 One n{ the first .■ssentiais ..f a hi-b-cjass Kailway is tliat it possess 
 public cnidi.ieMce: first by its s(»lid and caivrul .•.,iistruetion, and 
 secondly, l)y the character of its curves and grades. Accordingly, 
 
 the publication of sueli a table should never 1 iiiitted. It states 
 
 what is the rise in the one. and the opposite divction ; the extent 
 the curves are blended with the grad.'s, and \vl,at thoe Curves are. 
 inde..!, suc'h a statement is no little guarantee to the public mind 
 with regard to the Railway they are depenih'ut on. 
 
 No Chief Kngine.T with a sense of respoiisil,ility admits a curve 
 
 unnecessarily in th.' wo.k. When tlie location is sent in to him by 
 
 the Division Kngineer, he goes carefully through it. I'.ut a class ,if 
 
 men have foun<l their way amongst us who in no way look to the 
 
 alignment. They unroll th.' ],r.,file and ju.lge the location according 
 
 to the lightness of the work. The I'.ank .Manager when a note is 
 
 placed in his band for discount considers the character of the endorser 
 
 e.iually with that of the principal. ( )ne who is experienced turns to 
 
 the location map to note at what cost the condition of the work is 
 
 attained. II.. can s.'e at one what the weak points of the location 
 
 ar<.. Where sharp curves can be thrown out. where the transfer of 
 
 the line to some little distance with a modified directi,,n gives jirondse 
 
 of a more satisfactory alignment. The w,,rk is r.-vi, (mT thnnighout, 
 
 and all concrned are satisfie.l tliat no better lin.. can be (,bt?dned! 
 
 Those who have not taken this course can form little idea of what 
 
 important results can l)e obtained. 
 
 On th- .,th.r haml it is mer.^ pedantry to ignore the cost of 
 work to obtain curves of large radius. 
 
 I hav.. mentioned that on high-class roads in' the Cnitcl States 
 and Canaila, that the cm; decree is the normal curve. It i> so called 
 because an angl.. of 1 - subtending a ba^. of K),) b'et in an isosivles 
 triangle has its si.hvs of r.7;{() feet. In ,a circle of this radius, the 
 chord and the arc in the length of lOO frvi are almost identical. ' For 
 practical puiposes they are so, and bene.- the dioice ,.f this curve. 
 There are ,,ccasi,uis, however, when it cann..l be introduced without 
 great cost. The question then arises how to fit to th.^ -round, a 
 curve whic.h the amount of work the Kngineer is prepared' to adn'iit 
 at this spot will Justify. 
 
^m 
 
 14 
 
 There are many younj,' men fiiga^'od on the work of location who 
 ar<', useful in tin; subordinate position of puttinjf a line on the ground, 
 hut who are <leticient in the judj^fUK'nt and (ixpcrience necessary to 
 (U'tormiiK; its direction. Knder tlu; control of an acconii)lished Chief 
 Kngineer they trace out a line, subject to his criticism, and l)rought 
 up in a good school, they themselves iinally attain the knowledge and 
 experience to conduct important oixirations. r»ut sul)ordinate to men 
 of the driving school, their very faults and errors liecome magnified. 
 They think only of the progress they make. They cast no thought 
 on the value of the progress. It apju-ars to them a lo.ss of time to 
 revise work. Winding through a valley that re(piires judgment in 
 the choice of gnjund, knowing that no criticism will ])e giv(!n as to 
 the form and com[)Osition of tlieir line, only that th(!ir work be; light, 
 the result which they tjl)tain is often a seri»!s of curves, one iimning into 
 the other, reversing and connecting with varied sharpness of curva- 
 ture, forming on paper such a series of (;ro(jks that the ('(jmpctent 
 engineer can only explain its ap[)earanc(' ])y his liclicf in the utter 
 incompetence of those who ilirecteil the proceedings. 
 
 In the working of Railways, curves are most objectionable, even 
 in the best of climates, owing to shutting out of llu' view of the 
 engine driver all of the line befori; him, but a limiied length of it. 
 For in sharp curves there is l)ut little of the track to be seen in front 
 of the locomotive ; hence, the more constant fear of accidents, 
 especially in dull wciather, when tin; sense of souiul is more obtuse. 
 If the curve be in any way out of onbn-, especially with regard to the 
 luiight of the outer rail, then; is the greater risk of the engine by its 
 centrifugal force jumping the track. In Railways wlujre great speed 
 is to be observed, such curves are highly objectionable. At a low ratts 
 of speed, a locomotive can pass round any curve, it is astonishing how 
 small the radius. Dut when we give the locomotive the impetus of a 
 high rate of speed, the greater the danger. Many of those T have 
 described speak of tlie improviuuent of the locomotive in the last 
 twenty years, and with some look of derision tell us it is no longer 
 what it was a few years ])ack. The improvements have been in 
 power of traction and in the ascent of heavy grades, within a certain 
 limit, not in the j)ower to r\ui round sharp curves at a high rate of 
 speed. The danger of the engine leaving the track is as great as 
 ever. With its increased weight and impetus the danger is greater. 
 
 !l 
 
IT) 
 
 )catiou who 
 tlie ground, 
 leoessary to 
 ished Chief 
 nd l)rought 
 wledge and 
 late to men 
 
 magnified, 
 no thouglit 
 of time to 
 idgnicnt in 
 giv(!n as to 
 rk bi; light, 
 imning into 
 ' <tf curva- 
 
 I'onipetent 
 I the utter 
 
 4 
 
 1 have entered into the.se points in the matter of locating Railway 
 liM.-s, not that it is nocessary t(. I.ring it under the notiee of all wjio 
 may read thes(; pages, but from the consideration tliat there are many 
 \vh.. arc iiiiao-iuainted with them. Fre.iuently, when .stating facts, it 
 is necessary to lay <l.,wn principles by which they must be con.sidered, 
 otherwi.s(! th^ force of what you may ailvance is lost. This is par- 
 ticularly the case, when I show how simply the true cost of con.struc- 
 tion can be proved. Xo cue can (hiny the correctness of the view 1 
 have expressed. It is essentially neces.sary that the principles which 
 I ha v.! .M't forth be Ix.nic in miiid, as the remarks which [ make are 
 read and consi.lered, for they cannot be cxplaind away. 
 
 My.self, sinc.^ the days of the Syndicate, 1 have never seen a table 
 of curves and grades. J l„,v,. made .liligcnt in.p.iry ; I cannot learn 
 that any has been published. 
 
 1 will proceed now to consider the io,-ation of the Railway in the 
 Ui.stance from Winnipeg to connect with the (Jovernment line at 
 Savonna Ferrv. 
 
 lable, even 
 iew of the 
 ngth of it. 
 en in front 
 accidents, 
 ore obtuse. 
 Ljard to the 
 gine by its 
 [^reat speed 
 I a low rate 
 lisliing how 
 upetus of a 
 )se T have 
 in the last 
 s no longer 
 'e been in 
 n a certain 
 gh rate of 
 IS great as 
 ■* greater. 
 
16 
 
 I 
 
 . CIIAITKK III. 
 
 I'n.'viniis to ciitcfiiiL;' ii|M)ii ;iiiy cxaiiiiiiatinii df ilic jiioi'iit Ini'Mlion 
 it. is iicccssarv t<> n'lVr In the antcrcdciil ciiTiiinstiiiKa's wliicli will 
 throw li;^'lit iii>mii it. 'I'licy liavn so far a hi'arin.n U]ihii the imn'ccd- 
 iujfs (^f tlif Symlicatc, tiial they will citlicr fully Jiistit'y tlidii, or, on 
 the other haml, tlicy will attach to them the cxtciil of icjucliciisioii 
 under which they should sutler. He the I'esult what it may, it will 
 iiavc tlie ell'ect of Itriii.^'iug clearly liefore the ]iulilic minil tin; several 
 [loints at issue, and tliere will he the iirst condition of Ljellin.u at the 
 truth : a strai,L(htforward, fair relation of tin- facts. 
 
 It is important to know that for many years, certainly for half a 
 reiitury hcfore the Syndicate comnituiced theii' operations, no portion 
 of iSrilish Cohnnhia was .so well known as the River Columbia. A 
 ulanee at thi' Skeleton May I appeml will make the matter more 
 clear. The Hudson I'>ay ('om])any entei'eil the main land from the; 
 I'acilic Ity this I'iver, and jirevions to the estahlisliment of tlie i)resent 
 ( h'eiroii I>(»undarv, not a siiiLrle citizen of the I'nited States was to he 
 found on tlie noi'th .side of the river; or. if any such were theie it 
 was hy accid(,'nt, as the servants of the Company. They ascended to 
 the I'loat Kncampment, and thence continued their ascent south to its 
 source, to take the Ilowse, or Kickin,Lj Horse I'ass. At the Uoat 
 Kncampment the River Athaha.sca was followeil to its tiiliutary, the 
 Miette, leading l)y the chain of lakes and streams to the Ycdlow Head 
 Pass, called also the Leather Pass. As the Canoe Kivei' was taken. 
 wlii( h led the rni/di/i'/irs hy a .small porta.u'e to Alfreda Lake. The 
 trail, however, Lfenerally followe(l, 1 am told, was hy Cranlnu'ry Lake 
 through the Yellow Head I'a.ss to Alfreda Lake, wlience the descent 
 was made t'> the Clearwater to its junction with the north branch of 
 the Thom])son, to Kamloo])s, and thence following the Thomjjson to 
 .its junction with the Fraser at the present town of Lytton. Con- 
 seipiently tliere was nothing to be learned of this part of the country. 
 ( )ne fact was especially known that the Yelhnv H(!ad I'a.ss was the 
 lowest of the I'asses, that its approaches, east and west, were better 
 than any other, particuhirly in respect of climatal condition and the 
 excellent character of the land. 
 
-"I'llt luralioll 
 
 ; wliich will 
 
 the jirocccd- 
 
 tlidii, or, oil 
 n'j)ri,'lic'nsi(pii 
 iiiiiy, it will 
 1 tin; .several 
 ottiiig at tlie 
 
 y for 1 lit If a 
 
 S, lio Jiortinli 
 
 iluiubia. A 
 matter more 
 ml from the 
 F tlie ])res('nt 
 es was ti) l)e 
 icre tllele it 
 
 ascended to 
 
 south to its 
 i\ the lioat 
 rilmtary, the 
 'ellow Head 
 V was taken. 
 
 i-ake. Tlie 
 nherry Lake 
 
 the deseeiit 
 th branch of 
 ^h()nii)sou to 
 'tton. Coii- 
 thc country. 
 :\iss Avas the 
 
 Avore better 
 ion and tlu^ 
 
 The Iv.ekin- lIor.se was also kn.nvn. Certainlv, since the ,|avs 
 
 of the I'.dl.ser K.vpedition, Dr. Hector havin;,^ I u kicked hv a horse 
 
 Uu.re; hence, .ts name. It was also a fact, well ascertained, that 
 from Its summit you des.en.l by the How Kiver to the plains M,- 
 
 Trutch's map of 1871 shews the Ka^^le Kiver rin.nin^ to Shuswap 
 Inke with the Kagle i'a.ss d.-.scemling by the Skon lvo„cho„, havin^r 
 
 us niouth opposite the, llle-celle-waot. The latter has its sources 
 
 u.nong the glaciers of the Selkirk range. |.:,p,ally a nameless strean. 
 
 since called th.. Heaver, is .shewn de.scen.ling the eastern slopes of the 
 
 latter. 
 
 Mr. Fleming's operations conim..nced in 1871. He was en-a 1 
 
 ;'I'"" <•"■'" «'"• ten years, when, to use the ouphemisn, of the ()r.h.r- 
 I m-Council of the 22nd May, ISSO, he was " relieved from the duties 
 and respons.bd.ties connected with the office of the Knginoer-in-Chief 
 of the Pac.lic Railway ;" and this wu,s the reward of ten years' arduous 
 .m-i^e and devotion to duty in .lirecting the survevs of the Canadian 
 J acinc. 
 
 AVhen Mr. Flen.ing took up the examination of the country from 
 Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean, he entered upon the exanunation 
 of an mnnense territory almost unknown. Some of the better known 
 localities had attracted attention, but the truth of the claim 
 preferred concerning them had to be tested and considere<L There 
 were many important points involved in the <letermination of the 
 l.;rninius. I here was one fact only which was u matter of common 
 ^u h : the value of the Yellow Head Pass. It was recognized 
 mhsputaHy as the best. At the public dinner to Mr. Tru^;!! in 
 ''ttuwa, 10th April, 1871, that gentleman pointed out that the line 
 would certainly pass between Leather (Yellow Head) J>ass, or Howse 
 ass. He, himself, drew no comparison of routes. He spoke, how- 
 -•er of one feasible in his own experience, mud. of which he had 
 pas.sed over, l^rom the inouth of the Fraser, following up that river 
 to one of Its tributaries, the Thomi-son, to the south branch of that 
 nver to S^mswap Lake ; thence through the Eagle Pass, across to the 
 sn mmit of the Gold Range, and ascend from the Columbia bv the 
 Blackberry R.ver to the summit of the Rocky Mountains bv the 
 llowse Pass. 
 
 All that ^fr. Trutcli knew of this route, was v.diat he had i.assed 
 over on horseback or on foot ; and it is precisely the ground over 
 
 n 
 
18 
 
 1 ' 
 
 I. 
 
 wliicli it was itliysicallv impossihlr for liini to pass tlif Selkirk ratij^'e- 
 tliat tlu'i't' is any i[ii('stioii lo-day. 
 
 'Plii'se I'i'iiiarks an- valiialili' in this ri'siifct, tiial tliry I'stahlisli that 
 at the very iinicptioii of ihi' uiiil('i'takiii,i,' the route; of the Sflkirk 
 range attrat^ttMl attention. Ilowse Mass lij^niveil inoniinenily in ^Ir. 
 Kleniing's first report, 10th Ajn-il, IS7l'. As a possilije pas> it was 
 ni(*utione(l in coniinon witli tlie Yellow lleaii, ami thus the mute hy 
 Shuswap Lake is lironj^ht into proniintMiec. 
 
 In this report, ]»age 2, the following,' sij^'iiiiicant wonls ajipoar, 
 wliich, reail l)y the light of proseiit events, must have niarkeil weiglit* 
 
 " Finiling that Kamloops could lie easier reached from the eastern 
 slope oi the Ko"ky Mountains 1)y the ^'ello^^ Head than Ity the 
 l[owse Pass, there was no longer any olijeet in continuing operations 
 (?ast ot Kamloops on the latter idute. This led to thi' adoption l)y 
 the (Government, on the I'nd insf., of the Yellow |[ead I'ass or the 
 i/aff (sic) to Ilritish ('oluml)ia from the Mast." 
 
 In tli(^ same report, page MO, ^^r. Walter Mol)erly I'cports that the 
 Selkirk range, '• I consider quite im]traeticaMe for a railway." 
 
 Kven on the comnn'iicement of o])erations tliei'c was much general 
 information as to the leading passes across the mountains. Kxciijit 
 the Selkirk I'ange their features were known. The two leading 
 passes, however, were those altove named. 
 
 Yellow ITead I'a.ss was kntnvn to ho the lowest, liut it likewise 
 pos.sessed the marked excelltMicc! of being free from climatal ol)jec.'- 
 tions. It presented no risk of tin; fall of glaciers, or of being 
 impeded l)y avalanches ami land slides. The a^jproaches, east and 
 west, were heliin'eil to admit of the usual maximum grates used on 
 first-class railways, f).'} feet to the mile ; 1 in the 100. It olTercd 
 fair directness of route without extremely sharp curves, while its 
 geograpliical position directed the lint; from the east through the Itest 
 land in tlie \ortli-west. 
 
 On the 2nd April, 1872, the Yellow Head Pass was established 
 liy Order-iu-CouiH'il. Its selection remained unchanged until 1882, 
 when a special clause was included in the Act of that year, to the 
 effect that, with the apjiroval of the (lovernor-in-Couneil, some other 
 pass may lie taken, piovided that it l)e not less than .one hundred 
 miles from the Itoundary ]ine. One can almost read in this enact- 
 ment the pre-determination to (diange the location regardless of cause 
 and result. 
 
 fe* 
 
10 
 
 ,lisl> tli;il 
 .. Selkirk 
 iy in Mv. 
 isis it was 
 
 . vouti' l>y 
 
 Is ii)'pe;ir, 
 ;m1 weight*. 
 \iv eastern 
 iiu by the 
 (ipi'vations 
 (loptiou hy 
 'iiss I'r the 
 
 •t« tliat the 
 ay." 
 
 nvM general 
 Kxeejtt 
 iNvo h-'adiiig 
 
 it likewise 
 
 atiil ohjec- 
 (if heilig 
 (■list aiitl 
 
 es usetl on 
 It oiTered 
 while its 
 
 i^h the hi^st 
 
 cstahlished 
 
 until 188-2, 
 
 voar, to the 
 
 some other 
 ,ne hiuulred 
 
 this ena<'t- 
 egs of I'ause 
 
 I 
 
 The question of Ineation wo.stwar<lly from the Yellow lleail wa.>* 
 
 eoiMplicated at an early stage; by on<' of those inisehievijus acts of 
 
 interfereneo which lead to jtolitieal pressure on a (lovurnment whieh, 
 
 without convietions of its own, seeks hy eoiiipi'oniise to satisfy the 
 
 most opposite iiili.'rests. Such was the [m^jeet of eonnecting the 
 
 railway with Vancouver Island hy a hriilge over \'aldez Island. 
 
 Tlio.se who, with littht idea oi distance on a map, saw on Truteh's 
 
 map of 2!) miles to the inch Valdez Island in the <'eiitre of the 
 
 Straits of (Georgia, at once concluded that the interval could he 
 
 hridgeil. < >f seven span.s, six were more than lUOO feet, the least 
 
 opening heing 1 100 ff.'ct, the widest l.'^oOfeet; the exception below 
 
 1000 reache(l O-IO feet. The depths to he overcome, I never learned. 
 
 It is not of importance to waste time in search of the precise tigurt^'' 
 
 to-day, hut the report tells us '' the channels are of great depth, with 
 
 a tidt^ from four to nine miles an hour." (Report, 1S74.) Xiner- 
 
 theless, this bridging found advocates. The public took little trouhlr 
 
 in examining into its magnitude, and, however blatant llie utleier of 
 
 an absurdity, he generally iinds listeners. (."onse(piently, liute lidet 
 
 as the terminus came to be generally considered by an active cli(pie 
 
 of men, who made themselves heard. For a short period, also, the 
 
 IN'ace Kiver route to the north was seriously considered for the time 
 
 to come out at the Skeena. lUit on this latter point there was not 
 
 general a.s.sent, and tliere were many propo.sed niodiiications of the 
 
 line. 
 
 In fact there was a .simple principle by which the hji'atiou only 
 •should be governed. The acute intellect of Lord l>utl'erin early .saw 
 it, as dill many Engineers who studieil the subject. It was to reach 
 the .sea as .soon as po.«sil>le. In othei' words to gain a commodious 
 harbour in the lea.st distance. In this point of view Ihirranl Inlet 
 was recommended hy Mr. Meming, and adopted by Mr Mackenzie, 
 the present terininu.s, Port Moody, heing acquiesced in. 
 
 This decision was thus made by Mr. Mackenzie. It is now 
 universally accepted as the wisest wliicli could have heen made. On 
 that jioint at least no eilbrt has l)een made to defame Mr. .Mackenzie's 
 reputation. 
 
 I have set chronology somewhat at defiance in not dealing willi 
 the Kastern Terminus. I hit it was necessary, before doing so, to make 
 plain what the Western objective points were. The governing point 
 of location from the Kast was the Yellow Head Pass. The first 
 
2)l> 
 
 ^|lK^sti(>ll 111! starting' froiu Lait- >iu;|n*i'i')r. was \i> ili'tcriiiini' wlieiici' 
 tlw. liii" should take its oi'i;.'iu. Tw* liiealities claimed cdnsideration. 
 pDit Avtliur and Kivcr K amiui«lO'|jiiiiiii. I'nrt Arthur is cxjxjsud to 
 Southern gak's. It woulil iv qmn*- uai expenditure of many hundred 
 thoupan<l dollars to secure sbijiipaaix a<,fainst them. The secoiul 
 loealily was the IJiver Kanjim(4ii(unuiit. The har leadin^L; to its entrance 
 is 3,500 feet across, which reyuiiM^ -I-redginy, ami some work uf tliis 
 character is necessary in the aivirv. But the river oftered the 
 advantages nowhere attaiualJe. wiiillL deep water, where a lleet of 
 .steamers can lie, whejice they iMm with, ease enter and depart, and 
 where, wharves the most coiiiitiLii'.*Eiiioa.s can he inexjieiisively con- 
 structed. So inaiufest are the^e U'l'sraiaCvp'S that the Canadian Pacific 
 Syndicate have made this r']\^■l• nh'i- harhor for their boats, and the 
 Public Works ])epartment lU'e iimngicovinir the approaches over the 
 shoal. An improvement comiueaiiiwil, and most satisfactorily carried 
 on, under Mr. Mackenize ; (oj M* re.signation to be .summarily 
 abandone(l, now once again to lit iccufci'taken. 
 
 Therefore the claim of Mi. M'-Ki-rtuie to public consideration for 
 having wi.sely chosen the Kivej' K^iuuinUti'iuia as the Lake Superioi' 
 llarbtir for the ("anadian racilic nirBualnu-s has been fully vindicated. 
 It was fr<im this locality the KLauuiirui- poir<" of the line commence(l. 
 I'nderthe direction of the Smfetiie,. the ruiiway connection with 
 Lake Superior has returned toi ntt ;tfte: four years of intrigu*;, nii.s- 
 iliiected eil'ort and misrepre8«r^rLiiili>'>i!ii. 
 
 The survey of the line avu* I'tocanxenced in 1871, and in 1873 
 came before the wnrld whal ^viillll liereafrer be known as the first 
 Pacific Scandal. Sir dohn MatvlUcuild saw that the vote of Parlia- 
 ment would be adverse to liiiu. .mti in, preference to the facts ■■oming 
 fully to light in the debate. aniS m(v placed on record against }iv.o., he 
 resigned. The new admlni^trbtoo1IL of Mr. Mackenzie was at^hi. aie/cu 
 on the 7th November, as having Rih!«M!i formed. 
 
 The great argument reIatJT.f ti.o. the first i'acific (;ontract urged 
 against 8ir dohn ]\Iacdonald, ttu* nkit he awarded it to the late Sir 
 Hugh Allan, with the design '.tf tofttaining money to influence the 
 ('lections. To my minil. there ir-:u+ che greater crime of lese inaji'sfe, 
 high treason against the jieojJe ii>i Canada, mi the part of Sii John 
 Macdonaldjin the fact itself of laMiiitj the contract out of the direction 
 of the (lovernment. and jdariiu' 2ii m private hands. It was precisely 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
21 
 
 i 
 
 the work of wliie'h tlic 0,.vcriim,Mit should l.avc kept full uml. 
 
 iiiul hav.' carriea on by suborclinato agents, sectional contractors. 
 
 A.lmitting tliat tlie contract had hccn awarded on hm ..thcr pl,M 
 I. lit that of policy, and that it was a matter of faith, that it was 
 essential to the well-being of the (3(iuimunity that the- work should 
 be taken ..ut of tlie liands of the ( loveriinient, and that it was 
 
 advisable to plaee the work in [irivate han.ls, the proc ling was 
 
 mischeviou.s and dan.i^^erous in every r(^spect. j-lven Sii' John 
 Macdonald, appearing as the guardian of public virtue and lUMiality. 
 his pohcy un the score of expediency had not a shadow of merit to 
 e..inmend it, and called on all sides for comhunnation. 
 
 Nothing was known concerning the line, either of the extent of 
 work, or the direction it should take. ( )ne fact only was estal)lished 
 in reahty : the Order in council of the 2nd .Vpril, ISSO, whirh made 
 the Yelh.w Hc-ad Pass the locality at whieh the .\[ountain Kan-e 
 shouM be crossed. A decision which this ( H.v.'rniiieiit. in a feu- 
 years, was s.. pointedly to ignore. The cost of the work, even at a 
 most general ap[)roximation, was uidaiown. Tlu^ very point at which 
 it was to strike the Pacific Ocean was undetermined. I!ut. even in 
 those wild days of legislation, Sir (Jeorgi' ("artier's Act of 187l'. 
 liuiited the subsidy to thirty millions of money <iiul lifty millions 
 aci-es ..f land. Hut to give a contract on the knowledge then 
 l.os.se.ssed by the Kxecutive officers of the ( lovcrnment was a riinie 
 asseriou.s as the threatened voti; of the Ifouse of Commons would 
 have stamped on Sir J. >[acdonald ; that of having .uitered iuto an 
 arangement for the disposal of the contract for cori'upt jmrposes. 
 iiaving even received money on account. A vote bef,,n! whidi the 
 ••hief actor quailed and resigned hi.s Premiership. 
 
 These political supporters who still sustain Sir .1. Maclonald, 
 '•-.ntimie to lay down the priuciph- that such a gigantic work can. 
 never profitably be performed liy a Covernment for it l)rings with 
 itself the elements of demoralization and corruption. It is one of 
 those convenient doctrines by which nuui fight round a dilemma 
 rather than meet it. I believe that all thinking men must ])e of the 
 opinion, no error is greater than that contained in the proposition. 
 The proof is shown in the viuy condition of the work itself to-dav. 
 The ix-ally dithcult portions of the lin.' which have been completed ; 
 the heavy, niassiv<" work exacting, expenditure of money with 
 engineering skill ; all these portions have In-eu undertaken and have 
 
A*<> 
 
 Mr- F^uain/.-t line 
 -. V/f» V^P: light 
 
 - •jwnrijrti'l f)% with 
 It 
 
 been completed, or are nearly so W -tii^ 0j**9arcmi»as o| lUafiv«ys. TTie 
 
 distance in Mr. Fleming's lin<;frinij J-'wn Viilutm V/F*attfe: vaCftra was 
 
 194G miles. The extent uf tL»- iit.-it" ind •■•f — - v-.dk ll*y at the 
 
 twxi extreme ends. 
 
 From Lake Superior to Helkicis . .^^. , ,,,,, — ,,^^W 
 
 From Kamloops to Foil MtA/cbi.-^^..^. ^,^,, ,,,^2!lLv 
 
 Something less than one-third of uij*- v 
 
 embracing all the heavy work. < »f "Sii- . ;• • 
 
 in character. The remaining 4-00 in:-- 
 
 (iHered little dittieulty to men erf »-,\j>^-:<'n!-^. 
 
 line, 964 miles, from Wi]jui}fHgtolilj* .—.')"•-•> '• 
 
 slightest possibli-' d«\scri])tion of wm'i: 
 
 perfect ease by an ordinary oj-gaui/^^'va.. «j«f T«?rT lititlW (*#>Pt, 
 
 did not present the slightest ditii'-uhy v^^'no.''- • • ■ 
 
 Thus, on the Canadian Pa'-ih- iUi. v, '.;«CftrI^ the 
 
 really difficult work was done by ti»»r •. Twi: •ni^e^m^f: work, 
 
 and the oljjectional)le features uf tip .-niic*^ ^ook tih*: ^lEfflSimtn <if thf- 
 
 first range on the Syjidi'-ate route ti<* i'^ • tue i«^if iwifesBllarttion on 
 
 the Mackenzie line. They did iioi »■:,..■. 
 
 What I am desirous of show.ntf- > ■ ;ar - .< :rni*r jiiriariiple by 
 which the Railway should havt Wjt 'ah.-: ■ : »** v.' ib*!*^ tt ander 
 the control of the Government. >. •*^ ch»* iMf^afiOu^t cit Publii- 
 Works which constructed th<' <Jautiw n L*4l-42. lit ii» che sanit; 
 Hepartment which has siuo- <;oiwjtmuuiO<l di»» "wJiwaMtti^iM of the 
 Wellaud and the Lachine Canui^. mii vc'i ut nr^v *riu£i»£ivi in the 
 completion of tht; rcnwining liui>. n:. *i.-. '' '-■ -^-'- -,-;* which 
 constructed the Intercolonial Kauvur. Xti" i--..~^ >..-, .,^...„.,-ihf;.s in 
 its location such as that wliich i^ >,iJV'va ih 'rt^- -'>t*i'.-a«; Ketul" in 
 Nova Scotia, and the div.'rt«^d Jw':irii\!t ir M S*rv fJcunswick, 
 
 with other blots on the work, ar^ duiu»'..'>s c „ . rhth '^eed of 
 
 politicians, and the weak conijiiiiui'p, \i chft #.^ If5*n to the 
 
 end the I )ei)artment held control \t -it** RUil-r i 
 a (lovernment work. The whok ji-*. >••• r' 
 tlie theory that public works ur» i<«'^-' i'-- • ■• 
 
 No one at all ai'customed to in; r. 
 any form of juipular (ioveruni'-u 
 Executive has to do much to r"liiii .i;.; ■ i -- 
 members and the ])est of its f<uiii<>>'.'!--' v 
 
 vt' rmi.^hed as 
 r.ini t.-< again.st 
 •'-, '/I n r. 
 
 iTiie in 
 
 ort, an 
 
 ;. V .if its 
 
 \ , 
 
 • 
 
'J^ 
 
 \\\\y 
 
 \ I 
 
 iniU*r 
 Pabli.: 
 : stam« 
 of the 
 n the 
 whinli 
 9^\i:^ in 
 ml '" in 
 n.«wick, 
 
 •. to thr 
 
 -ht-Ml as 
 lu'ainst 
 y. 
 
 rtuft ill 
 port, an 
 
 y rtf its 
 
 .rlaini for st'vviiii its iJi<,'{»irf«<J, aud i* «>^prt<|*. \^\ vrhtftu it i.* *«f.'i*i'r>^l if 
 it Ik.' re<;o},Miiz»'<l. Id a cuuuin v^tXi: i ^\t)nn \UfiltUy ^iAif: *f\knkHt, 
 as ill I'ji.i^luH'l, tlKMv i-- a liuiji 1< 'ti#» .'N-tWit -tf <y/mi)ii|ftmii^. A 
 Minislur with tlic great l»u<.i.\ <>:! ti<* y<\fi\i' \t\ JtMs^u lam KOt lak« 
 .liM'ided .uiouiid. aini n-allv iimiu- -1M- .virtnunn int*«i«t * i9'i^*;t»jn>: 
 principle. Witli u^ in tli<- JJ<-»iiiUi>"iJj»il(H<' opinion m viyfr»r 'lUhfrnh Ut 
 •'vvaki'U. (HMU'iaily it is laiiit. Utn*i\t: >«vpn»«wvi, aivl wMAhm in 
 (oncreteiif'ss ami i'onu. Jn |'u!>j>i <jM*airt'^fl» riu'ti ;«r*"/ft** t»k«fi Vr 
 .surprise, ami with thf ti'u<-rit <i<-jsji>- -tv-li^ rtjrfit, <U* jv<t <»* ttn^r way 
 to do so. Thi'V arc <)iU-ii h<^VMi<j>Mi«ifi '-i^ t^l** hoUilUrm 'A tlm*- *«t^T- 
 tions of tlntsc ])rf;fcrrin;: a <"iaiiij. ^X-At^r hav.' rw> {awt* t.»i'<'i«i>' ti*c«», 
 assured and uiidoulited, by wIuku M,k^ ^iKiuwi'mr «*3n ><>- /^icWl adkd 
 directed. In my humble .iud>^iji>jii^ V<*^> fWiJ in tKii< pf^y^^f* sut Mneti 
 as on any other j^round. 
 
 In the advances of the <.'aiii»<Ji^<: ^a^Wf ^aiwij '4 Ist^ *^rm»nti, 
 thirty-two millions of dollaiv. i*JJ -^^0- ifsj fai^ ;f th*' *3H**r vnn 
 carefully suppresse(|. J iej>»-at !<•»- ■♦Hftt- (U-ilH^rnU-h, ¥fs^ti*^^o'^\. 
 •Vnd when exacted by J-'arliaiu'-iit «i«*»i/i»j»*at1v. /iv»^», *• f irilJ iiiryre, 
 before I complete tlie.--e pa;,'e,-. 'Xin ^ha** iiwlf \rat< nr,^ Wall <»rrift<l 
 « if special pleading. Jn what v^Hf \u» .ji»fi<'nltv wjtii T»fpit^ U»ihf 
 Syndicate of the (Canadian Vn'Aii' UlU'rt^t:' ro tJtit <4 »ttj "/iiti^ r/m 
 tractors'? In the event of a iam mfi^f^nti l>#»f«tr** Ui/r Mitthtf^ of 
 liailways, and producing whai itf 'sM*' Hi^- f\ipfnuiivtr>r t// *iiffW ftiM 
 solvency, au'l claiming that li*- ^>a^f-l ilrtf ('am- on h»«» w*k vjtJj'jWt 
 an advance, and demand an ftddit;<ii«4 ifwrti^nt of mrm^ in *^f^^f«> 
 of that he agreed to r<.-ceive, th' «')H^- ♦^»»(l»i .-U on**** haT*r ^,*i** taken 
 out of his hands ami nieanuie^ it<ii/}»*»«ri:-i« 'am- it on otiix^Twiti^, Kcrl 
 there wa.s such a clou<l of be»'il<i«fi««^t' .'rt'at»'d aJv>«it tK<^ MwVitMf. 
 tlieir resources, tlu- wM-k *\AAtUiy'it^i\. Hy diom. tl»*ir miKAf-xinX 
 energy ; the whole ot;in;.' mad'- -i»ui**^,*iVTtt? tlo f/«ity «^iii^ anrl politi- 
 cal tidelity that nn-n <iid noi ki.''*» *f«»»n»^ tJl« fmth lar, \\*^ntr^^. 
 vote of the last session of V dx\iinMtf.n' (»>«rnrtiin(f tK<» '• ■ :* r^rlt*-/ 
 granted, without a precr-'knl in ]«wrt<^'' -^^t .^ntipdy at : 4i:\:uiy./r: with 
 every principle (jf ri^ht. ^■y.\tiAt*ntt\*c ^1*1 i.pvo'I < ^>r4>TMMiii!«>t ; ift 
 its -U ar. outrage to public in<HjtiiV*-- 
 
I'-t 
 
 CHAI'TKK IV. 
 
 Mr. .Mackeiizio ciitcreJ >1|kiu [ii»\vrr aiiiiil all the political cliaos 
 wliicli lately disclosud events iTcatetl. TlnTc were im assured details 
 to sug^fest what should be uuilertakini, and tlu.'ve was no policv gener- 
 ally acjcepted as one to lie followed. The future was one of uncer- 
 tainty. The one great project of the construction of tlu' Canadian 
 Pacific Railway lay befor(> him, with tlu; Order-in Counidl of the 2\\d 
 .Vpril, in whiidi tlu; V(dlow Head Pass was atlirnied as the line of cross- 
 ing the mountain range. 
 
 It was not to Ue i'\|)i'ct('d that this project, >o iniporlant, and in- 
 volving such inuneusc intc'rests, should he kept free from the compli- 
 calious of the(jry which are ohservahle on all such occasions. They 
 arose on all sides, as to the starting [)oint, the direction of the Rail 
 way, the Terminus, the mode of carrying on the work. In reality, 
 the fortuiu's of every Railway lie in its own future development, and 
 they can he foretold witii little, precision. Hut there are cardinal 
 principles to he observed in deti'rmining a project, never safely to be 
 aliaiidoued. From t'l.c beginning we were calle ! upon to ex]iect too 
 much from the com[)letion of this Railway, and most unwis'^ly. The 
 appeal has been made to our fancy, our imagination rathi'r than to oui' 
 knowledge, our Juilgment, our sober s;'coud thoughts. .Moreover, as a 
 rule the nunds of men are sanguine. The majiirity look generally to 
 the bright sidi' of things, and those who hesitate to admit all the glow- 
 ing results, so passioiiatidy foretold, are stamped as they iiavc^ been from 
 th(! days of ( Ir ': tragt'dy as prophets of evil. Hut at this date the 
 confidence in the Railway seemed universal, so far as faith extended, 
 to its promised inllueiii'e. We are now Iteginiung to recoil from the 
 bright estimate of the future. We see the population in the North- 
 West and in Hritish Columljia but slowly increasing. There is no 
 particular advaiu'e in any of the interests which we were led to think 
 possessed so much life. .Viid we luive lieeii taught to bring to our 
 anticipations of the future that calm consideration, that well lialain'cd 
 calculation of the chances of what wo may li^ok for, whi(di mark tlu; 
 operations of really able men when they end)ark in enterprises of 
 jiith ami im^ment. 
 
25 
 
 .^^^. .\[a(;kenzio'.s duty was plain; to direct the must full cxiilora- 
 tiuus of tlu' country to l)c made, and its resources to he studied. We 
 have the result of his six years' government in the valuable reports of 
 his Kngineer-in-Chief, and in his a.loption of the two terminal points, 
 and the line of Railway l)etween them passing through the hest land 
 and crossing the pass in all respects the most eligihle for the purpose. 
 I have alluded to the cinuimstance of the outcry against all who 
 call in question the policy and the proceedings of the Syndicate, 
 l!ut surely the fortunes of our common country demand that evtu'v 
 operation hy them should li.' keenly and severely examined. At the 
 same time, the criticism must be fai and just. One of the future 
 sources of revenue, from the day of the Trutch dinm-r down to this 
 hour, is the assumed trade with China and Japan and the Kast Indies. 
 In the early ilays of the Railway it was much dwelt ui)on, possibly 
 b<'lic!ved in by many. Certainly few of us had the courage to dispute 
 the fact. Long rows of figures and tal)les of statistics were given to 
 show^what the traile is with Kngland. Nobody disputes tli.! extent 
 of th(> trade. Hut even, were it ten times what it is, what we ask to- 
 day IS, what is there to show, beyond merely fanciful supposition, 
 that any of this trade will pass over tin; Canadian I'acitie Railway ? 
 What is there at present of this trade which follows the two lines uf 
 Railway, the Xorthern and Central I'aciti.' '. I cannot learn tliat 
 there is any of any account. In plain W(U'ds, no such trade exists, 
 and what is there to show that the Canadian Pacific can call it into 
 being. Were there an Cnited States trade, with San Francisco at 
 one terminus, and Xew Vork the Hanking empiaium <if the (;ontineiit 
 at the other, wo cannot hope in any way to interfeiv with it. 
 
 It may be urged that it is not the American trade which will take 
 this line ; it is the commerce of Kuropc, especially that of Creat 
 P.ritain, on which it bas.vs its hop,.. All reasoning is against this 
 possible eventuality. Vnv hid there been any liritish trade, it would 
 long ago hav(! sought the I'nited State's lines. 
 
 With ])e(.i)les of enlightenment, trade has no nationalitv. If it 
 liid been found profitable for the Cuit^Ml States rMut.^ to l,e f,.ll,,w,.d 
 In- Japan and China merchints. they wniild imt hav.' stopped to ask 
 under what Hag the traverse of this .•(aitim^nt was to b,. mad.>. 
 Were such a trade possible during the years that tli.. Cnited States 
 Kadways hav." been in operation thm-e would now ]„. an established 
 relaticmship easily addueible as a fact, and if it do not exist to-dav 
 

 2G 
 
 is! 
 
 !l "i 
 
 Oil tlu' present traiis-contiiu'iital liuL-s, the inference is against the 
 |iinbal)ility that it will he called into heing hv the (Janailian Pacitic. 
 
 I never could recognize any reason for the extension of the line to 
 Ihitish Coluinhia and the J^acific Ocean, beyond the fa<:t that that 
 Province heing a part of the l)oniinion, it was expedient to establisli 
 a Railway connection with it ; the more especially as tlu; fertility of 
 t.iie intervening country and its agricultural capability recpiired such 
 coiinec,tion, as the means of settlement reaching it. The line was an 
 act of necessity, under the latter aspect ; it became even tn be 
 regarded as an aet of justice to the settlers on the fertile plains of 
 the central territory l)etween the Red River and the Rocky Mjjuii- 
 tains. It was due to them to give them access eipially to Lake 
 Superior and the Pacific. 
 
 So recognized as a ncicessity, it was wise and pruih'ut to complete 
 il with ilespatch, with more than ordinary despatch. But the 
 claim that its immediate completion at all cost, as a stmng commercial 
 necessity, is entirely unsustained by any circumstance. It was never 
 more than an assertion, and to vouch it there is no proof. It was 
 merely ou(» of the many generalities advanced on the occasion. 
 
 Any calculation based on theories other than those above stated 
 must lead to failure and disapi)ointment. The only legitimate trade 
 to be looked for is that which is (.'onnected with the population of the 
 country traversed by the line. To the east there is access to Lake 
 Superior and th(! L'anadian markets. The Itranch line to Emerson 
 opens a communication with the southern markets of the Unitiiil 
 States, and the third coniKjction with the Pacitic opened the West to 
 the agriculturist of the [ilans. 
 
 We have been ten ye;irs studying the problem and we an- able to 
 form .some conception of what was our true policy. There were three 
 courses open to us. 
 
 1. The Railway nnih] be forced through fVom Pembroke to lUirrard 
 
 Inlet. 
 
 2. The line could have been con.'structed from Lake Superior to the 
 
 l^acilic ; the intermediate section aroiuid Lake Superior Ijeiiig 
 completed by yearly increments from each end. 
 .'i. The connection between Lake Superior could have been pu.sln.nl <iii 
 and the line carried across the plains in advance of settlement. 
 Branches wisely scdected would have followed. l.ie line also 
 to be commenced and carried on for three hundred miles in 
 Jh'itish C'olumliia. 
 
27 
 
 xiust the 
 Paoitic. 
 II' line to 
 that tliiit 
 ostablisli 
 •rtility nf 
 ired such 
 K was all 
 
 11 tn lie 
 
 plains 1)1' 
 
 iv Mijun- 
 
 tii Laki' 
 
 cuniph'ti' 
 But th.' 
 nnnerciul 
 k'as noviT 
 It was 
 11. 
 
 ve stated 
 late trade 
 un of the 
 ; to Lake 
 Emerson 
 e Uniteil 
 West to 
 
 •e able to 
 rere thrt-t! 
 
 ) lUirrard 
 
 ior to the 
 rior bein^- 
 
 )uslied on 
 
 'ttlenient. 
 
 ' line also 
 
 miles in 
 
 The north shore of Lake Superior also to lie proceeded with year 
 by year. 
 
 In the latter case the progress of the line from Winnipeg would 
 have depended on settlenuMit, and in good time with population 
 sulficient to warrant tlie expenditure the conneetion would have been 
 carried across the mountains. 
 
 In the meantime such an extent of Railway should liave lieen 
 constructed in British Columbia as would have salistied the wants 
 and requirements of that Province. 
 
 By the last named policy, the resources of the .Dominion would have 
 
 J been husbanded, and the increase to our debt avoided. Who, free 
 
 IJl from political entanglements, and having only the welfare of the 
 
 Dominion at heart, will hesitat(> to dedans his faith in this policy '? 
 
 Our first attempt was (tailed for to olitain settlement. The land ought 
 
 , never to have been regardetl as a field for speculation, and to l)e given 
 
 f as a prey to despert^te gam])lers. I believe myself that we would 
 
 have been wise to have, given the land to actual settlers;, subject to 
 
 laws and regulations, which would have prevented it falling into 
 
 the gripe of the sharks who are always fioating in the watei's of 
 
 enterprize. 
 
 Had the Railway Iteen constructeil without rush and hurry as 
 emergency dictated, and facility given to settlement, we should not 
 have required foreign contractors, nor have seen the migratory ])ands 
 of workmen staying for a few days in one place and then disappearing 
 for ever. The money expended would have been kept in the country. 
 
 ■% The effect of this course; having been followed in 1827 and in sub- 
 
 sequent years during the ctmstruction of the Welland ("anal, is yei 
 visible in the counties of York, Peel and Haltoti. As money was 
 
 J| earned on the Welland Canal settlers flowed into the townships of 
 
 Toronto, Chinguacousy and Caledoii, all of wliieli received an extra- 
 ordinary impetus, at this date. The money earned enabled settlers to 
 locate themselves, to construct their buildings, and extern! their 
 husbandry. 
 
 We should have seen a repetition (jf these consciiuences in tiie 
 North West, iiad a wiser [Mjlicy been followed, iind the Kaiiwav more 
 deliberately crmstructed. Above all the work would have be,>ii 
 performed by the settlers in the m.'ighbourhood, or those who would 
 luive become settlers, and how difierent would have be.-n our debt. 
 

 28 
 
 n 
 
 It was witli this i(' Mr. Mackenzie proposed the statesma'i- 
 
 like view of usin^' the , r stretclies, and what a sliout arose from 
 tlie hopefid supporters of tlie last defeated administration. Wlio 
 cannot recollect tlu; infamous attempts to IJacken Mr. Mackenzie's 
 fair fame 1 Tlic re[)(.'ated vilitication of his ])ersonal lionour and 
 honesty 1 Who utters these charges to-day? Who comes forward 
 to assail the, policy of improvintf the water stretches, when this v(uy 
 (lovernment is enf,'aged in the work of their improvement; as they 
 are spending large sums in deepening the chanmil to enter the 
 Kaministiqua River, (tompleting the Mackenzie Channel. Althougli 
 ouly 22 f(!et in width, the cut remained open never having tilled in, 
 so that the coal steamers from Ohio drawing 10 feet chartered by the 
 Canadian Pacific could ascend the river to deposit coal on the 
 wharves. 
 
 W(! can reciillect also the exaggerated language in the Senate 
 relative to the Fort Frances Lock. In a few years we shall S(!e this 
 lock in operation, with general assent. 
 
 As 1 have said Mr. Mackenzie's attention was directed to tht- 
 tixploration of the country. And from the hour of his assuming office 
 to the unfavouralde verdicts of the elections in 1S78, the surveys 
 were unremittingly pushed on ])y Mv. Fleming. They established 
 without a doubt that the true location was by Yellow Head Pass; 
 that the Railway would ]»ass through the best land in the Xorth-West. 
 No grade was in excess of 1 in 100. Xo curve less than a 1433 fi'cl 
 radius was introduced, and the ell'ort on all occasions was to use 
 the larger radius curve. The location was an adnurable one. Across 
 the rugged belt of territory ])etween Lake Su{)erior and Selkirk, 
 although the work was heavy, no gradient asciending eastward in 
 •106 miles exceeded 26.40 to the mile. [Re[)ort 1877, p. 45]. 
 
 Mr. Fleming's estimate for the work was as follows: 
 
 Fort William to Selkirk 400 miles 
 
 Selkirk to Jasjier 1,000 " 
 
 Ja.si)er to Kaniloop.s Lake IWo " at .?43,(lt)0 
 
 Lake Kaniloop.s to Yale V2'> " at 80,(100 
 
 Yale to Tort Moody 90 " at 38,««8 
 
 Add additional 
 
 $17,000,000 
 
 13,000,000 
 
 l."),.500,000 
 
 10,000,000 
 
 3,500,000 
 
 1,000,000 
 
 S(;o,ooo,coo 
 
 Putting out of sight the work executed by the (loveriuuent, viz., 
 from liake Superior to Selkirk, and from Kamloops to the Pacific, we 
 
29 
 
 liiivt; the follnwin^' sc, Lions on Mr. Miickeuzio'.s liii.-, with Mr. 
 Flciiiiii^r's cstiiiiiik's : 
 
 From Selkirk to Jasper 1,000 miles 13,000,000 
 
 Jasper to Kamloops Kako 'AH't " ir>,riOO,000 
 
 Tliis was tlic total amount cstiinattMl for tlio coniiilction of the 
 line within the distaiu!!! inohulod in the contract of tlic Canaihan 
 Pacific, witli lij,flit ('(juipmont. 
 
 Mr. Stei)hcn claims that he expended on IKU miles of line nf 
 completed road as follows : 
 
 Construction $23 078 0''!) 
 
 Materials, Railroad Supplies 4,304 ,S3!) 
 
 Rolling Stock (i 130 702 
 
 I'lant, Tools, and Outfit for Construction. ••■.... 187 002 
 
 ($33,701,502 
 All this is for the Canadian Tacific proper, for the 11 IH miles, 
 
 for the construction of the work and the equipment of the line. For 
 
 we have equally an estimate of expenditure on the extension fn.m 
 
 (.'allender to Montreal and IJrockville. 
 
 These lines consist of the old Canada Central, and the North 
 
 Shore Railway fr(,.r, , )ttawa to Montreal constructed by the (,)uc1h.c 
 
 (Tovernment. 
 
 Brockville to Ottawa. . 
 
 Smith's Falls to Perth 
 
 Carleton Junction to Pembroke. 
 
 The Canada Central is as follows : 
 
 Miles. Mile-. 
 
 7.') 
 
 12 
 
 7(i 
 
 103 
 
 There remains on the above line a Mortgage of ij! 1,823, 33.3 
 
 -811,130 per mile. 
 To the above distance has to be added the line from Pembroke 
 
 to Callender 1^20 
 
 The North Shore line is 120 miles in length, there remains a 
 
 mortgage upon it of .S3,r)00,000 equal to $2i),lt;(;j^ per 
 
 mile ]20 
 
 The expenditure as set forth l)y Mr. Stephen stands as follows : 
 
 E.xtension from Callender to Montreal and Prockville. . .?3,270,3,51 
 
 Rolling Stock for above JXK) 000 
 
 ^''•'ops .'■,l(i',032 
 
 Tools and Machinery 352.230 
 
 Real Estate for Terminus gyo 700 
 
 Total §5,400,403 
 
i'-' 
 
 >■■ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 'f'i. 
 
 •JS' 
 
 1v 
 
 f. 
 
 I 
 
 i'i 
 
 u 
 
 1 lii.; 
 
 :■■.!, 'h- 
 
 I: - 
 
 30 
 
 No account-, \n takon of the allowance of the Dominion 
 (lovornnient as a bonus towards constructing' the line 
 from Pembroke to Callender, 120 miles at §12,000 
 
 per mile 1,440,000 
 
 Add Mortgages !51,H2.S,;«3 
 
 ;i,500,000 
 
 5,323,333 
 
 Total §12,232,730 
 
 For 2H3 and 120-03 miles witli etniipmont at a cost iter mile of 
 i*33,r.41. ' 
 
 Turning to tli(3 exiHiiiiliturc. of tlu; lines west of ("alliiniltn-, the 
 ligiircH of yiv. Stcplu.'ii cstablisli tliat tlio total aniomil, witli eiiuipincnt 
 and provision for futun; work is $'^3,7(^[,'^C)2. 
 
 Of the completed ll.'U miles, I infer from the su])sidy paid that 
 they consist of 
 
 110 Miles from Callender to Siidbury Jimction 
 07 " I'last of Prince Arthur 
 
 177 " at i)er mile 81. '5,384. 01 
 
 000 " from Winnipeg towards the summit. 10,000.00 !),()00,000 
 ^'■^ " " " " " " .. 13,333.00 710,982 
 
 These figures, if not'correct, are imictieally so. 
 On the Land (Jrant Bonds the amount 
 
 received is j( q2\) 01 2 
 
 Deduct (>ne-tiftli i>ro rata, for lines East of 
 
 Lake Sui.erior i ,805,802 
 
 There remains then to charge against the 
 
 We.stern Work from Winnipeg (j 223 200 
 
 Sul)sidy paid on line West Prince Arthur, .S15,t(43,l<)2 
 Such is tln! amount received for the work west of Winnipeg, 
 
 about .irlG,000 [)er mile 
 
 Tliis w.xs the district estimated by >[r. Klenung at !?13,000. 
 
 The cost of construction alone, i.s stated by Mr. Stephen at 
 
 $20,405 per mile. 
 
 The examination of this asserted cost I leave for another place. 
 
 I })ring these figures side l)y side, to show that the change of 
 location was not dictated ])y any theory of (.-conomy. For the line of 
 Mr. Mackenzie would have cost less money. 
 
 I have described Mr. Mackenzie's line, how it went over tlie 
 lowest pass, with no climatal objections, witli grades and curves 
 under the circumstances unexcei)tionable, certainly immensely better 
 than those met on the constructed line, and al)ove all passing through 
 the best land. 1 cannot meet any where a record of a fair and just 
 objection wliich was lu'ged against it. The length was 194G miles. 
 
31 
 
 liuc or 
 
 CIIAI'TKK V. 
 
 Tilt' pi'csoiit (•(.iitract Icyidizi'il, the SyiidicMtc ciitcicd upon power. 
 ft is yet to lie shown wluit control has hem exercised over tlicir 
 procoediuf^'s l)y tlie ( hivfinnicnt, iin.l on whut jirinriph., and i<>v what 
 cuuse tht! change of hne was dictateil. Whotlier this poHcv arose 
 witli tlie Syndicate, or whether it was siig<,'ested l)y the Kxociitive to 
 throw discredit on Mr. Mackenzie's adiniinstration ; wlietlier it 
 originated from a conviction of its wisdom, or from mere arhitrariness, 
 will ever l)e one of the minor del)atal)le points hereafter to l)e di-. 
 eussed. For I prophesy that the histmy of this Railway will lon<( 
 hold a plac.' in the pulilic mind when the actors who are li,>riirin"- in 
 it have jiasst'd from the si-ene, and the heritage they have left to the 
 cciuntry is known and felt. 
 
 < )ne would i;iia,u,inethat so momentous and iiii]iortant an nndortak- 
 iiii;- wotdd have heen entered into only on delib(M-ation, and after serious 
 investigation ; that those resiionsil)le for it would have placed on 
 record theii' views after the most careful impiiry, and would have 
 end)odif'd in an ari^unicntative rei)ort the causes, the necessities, the 
 advanta,-;(.s which ha. I dictated the chan^-e, '>ii"^ which they felt would 
 fully justify it. if any such document exists, it has never been 
 puhlisheil. Anion"- the many laudatory notices which, from time to 
 tune, appear in that portion of tlie public press whicli has taken the 
 well-lieinu ,,f iii,. Canadian Pacilic in charge, and whiidi is at the 
 heck of its henchmen and hangers-on, no announcement has ever been 
 made of the causes which have led to the clian'Te. 
 
 I can lind oidy two allusions, which liear upon the matter. 
 
 Ml'. SchiMMher, the (iovernment l-'ngineer of "Railways reports: 
 (Vide I'ar. Papers ;51, pp. IM-'M]) : 
 
 "The olitaining of a route through the Rocky .Mountains by a 
 pass other than th(> Yellow llcail, that contemplated in the original 
 location, has long been an object with the Company, (why 1) and they 
 have s, Iccted a line r/'a the Kicking Hor.se Pass ; this route they 
 '"iisidiM' admitting of the construction of a road which will comi)are 
 favorably with existing lines to the Pacific Coast, while in comparison 
 with the \'...llow Head route, it /'•/// s/,,>,i<')t fhr <U.-<laiir,- fn I'orf 
 

 I- 
 
 
 
 
 
 VI' 
 
 ,'3 
 
 /'it 
 
 MnoiliJ hij at fi'Unf tOfJ mill X. 'I'iir iii(t.rliiniiii i/ra Ih nl II irlll hi'/niiinl 
 Ufi'CKmri/ fi) riil/iliil/ />• ll>i /fit fn till' Ulilr." 
 
 Mr. S(;lirt'ilK'r rcfrrs to tli(( Kcjiort of Mr. A. I'.. Kngcrs, Cliicf 
 I'',ii;j;iiiOL'l' ill cliar;,'!) of Smvcy.s, Mtjiiutiiili Sections (pai^c Wd.) 
 
 Wo Iciirii ill this rcjiort, tliat this inaxiiiiuni ^'radf of IKi fcrt 
 cxtciids for a (listancc of 17 iiiih-s in the KickiiiLf Horse I 'ass, ami 
 a<,'aiii for a tlistaiwc of l' mih'S in the lower Kiekinjf Horse I'ass^ 
 for IG miles in the ascent of the Sclkirks, and L'O miles down tlie 
 wost slojie, makiii;^' a total of 19 miles of this j^n'ade. 
 
 When Mr. Schroihor speaks of the length of the line, a simple 
 process would liave shown that the saving', as claimed Ity the Cana- 
 dian Pacific, is not sustained hy the figures he himself <,'ives : 
 
 Mr. Flciiiii)f,''.s liiiic, leiit^tli 1!)4- 
 
 Length rojiiirted hy Mr. .Schreibor (imgc ',\\). . . 11(00 
 
 Difference. 
 
 40 
 
 Thus, tlieii, according,' to the Report of the Kngiiiecr-in-Cliief, the 
 main advantage spoken of is saving in distance. 
 
 '['ho second idlusion is by Mr. Kleming, in his lately ])ul)lished 
 volume " Knghind and Canada," \)\i. 410. 
 
 The jiroblem which the company had to solve was the location 
 l)etween Winnipeg and Ivamloops. They have considered it on the 
 principle of ol)taining the xlinrfest tranx-t'ontincntal roiiti; and in these 
 few words th(\v explain the theory of thiiir selection. They claim that 
 tliis reason is in its(df all powerful to determine the location by the 
 more southern route whicli they follow, and one in itself sulhcient to 
 meet any objection against it. 
 
 What is this directness of route? Mr. Schreiber shows it to l)e 4() 
 miles. 
 
 With grades of an equal character, with no special advantage, 
 without th(! least miscalci'latioii of any mischance, this diff»;rence is 
 in time from t)ne hour and a half to one hour and three-ciuarters. 
 To show jireciscly what this difference is, if the time reciuired to ])ass 
 over the Fleming locati(ni were 78 hours, it would take 76^ hours to 
 pass over the Canadian l^iciflc, as located. 
 
 But what have we to say of the admitted heavy grades on the 
 latter and the sharper curves 1 ^Ir. Rogers mentions 49 miles of IIG 
 feet to mile, whereas it is a matter of notoriety that for some miles 
 the grades run from "JOO to 250 ])er mile. 
 
 I'l.j '•' 
 
 it: 
 
n;{ 
 
 i 
 
 , Tli.-n> is cvM-ylliiiiK tn s)i..\v, lli;,t. with all th.- iM.astc.l .lirrctiK.'s.s 
 of route, thr disadvaiitii-,',. is luaiiifcsUv aj,'aiusl tlir pivaetit location. 
 
 Kroiii the want of r.-jH.rts, an. I tlir ubsenc- ..f a strai;^'litfor\vard 
 stat.'nicnt of th^nvvs, it is not easy U, n-adi tin; pirdsn length of tho 
 line. Hut there are suHicient data s.'atlered heiv and there hy \vlii(;li 
 we can work out wliat it is. 
 
 The proper comparison „f ti„. tw,, lines is fn.iu Lake Superi.u- to 
 the l^icitic Terminus. The line .m the north shore of Lake Superior 
 from Calleudi-r to IN.rt Arthur does n.,t ullect the (luestion canvassed 
 in these pages. What is kn..wn n{ the section is that the lin.> is in 
 <.pe."ation to 8u.ll.ury Jun.'ti.m, 120 mile-s and tho.se who pa.ss over 
 this line are struck hy its extent of curve. ( )n the remainin- portion 
 "f the iine many thou.sand inen are at work, a fact mentioned to mark 
 how the line is ])eing pu.sheil throu.udi. 
 
 Mr. Mackenzie'.s line has ])een stated at hlUf) miles. The 
 Canadian J'acitic distances, as J can understand them, are : 
 
 Tort Arthur to Winnipeg 
 
 Winnipeg to the .summit of Uio Roekv Mountiiin.s 
 
 I'roni summit Rocky .Moun ;uin.s we.stwird, rk/r Kepurt Atr. Rogers- 
 given Railways Canals Report, 1883, j). 11.5 : 
 
 Arile.s. 
 42!» 
 'J«4 
 
 J-rom summit Rocky Mountains to foot Kicking ifor.se Pa.ss, River 
 
 Columbia 
 
 Along River Columbia 
 
 t'p \'alley, lieavor River 
 
 Kast Fork, Ille-celle-waet [][[ 
 
 •Main .Stream 
 
 Keportod by Mr. Schreiber Sess. Pap. 31. p. 42 : 
 
 From North of the Kagle Pa.ss to Kamlooi)s , . . ." 
 
 Fron Kamloojis to Pacific, constructed by (jJ 
 
 Miles. 
 4.5 
 
 ao 
 
 20 
 20 
 24 
 
 overnment 
 
 Total 
 
 1(11 
 21.5 
 
 1,1(08 
 
 With the.se ti<fures there is a .savin,i,^ of :^8 miles only. 
 
 It is difficult to d(;termiue what the exact length of the line is. 
 I have turned to what .sources an; availahle to Irarn the prcise 
 'letail, in mhlition to what I have giv.-u. The following distances 
 appear in the Report of a Mr. Reed, latelv published : 
 
 Miles. 
 
 ,, I'l'i^e Rocky Mountains j 3(^3 
 
 i' ron, summit to the second line of the Columbia, as above stated '. '139 
 
 From Winnipeg to summit first r; 
 
f " 
 
 3^ 
 
 Miles. 
 livoiKjht Uirirnr<l 1,.').'52 
 
 Mil.'s.. 
 From the Kiver('i)luiiil)iatu Gritiiu Lj&*...wmmit Eagle I'atts .Not driven 
 
 Frmn (Jriffiii T^ake tf» Siuaiiiouw !Wa;r!i".vw^^ ,.. 30 
 
 ■' Sicanious NarrnwK to Littlt- Jr^ii+wap Likke 45 
 
 " Little SliUHwap Lake to KuauI^M.pM \\H 
 
 " Kamloops t<) Savonija FfiJTv ,,. 25 
 
 " Savoiiiia Kerry to tin- Paeriii- .. 215 
 
 1 ,Kf<5 
 According to Mr. Schreiber's iijeur«h. nh« liwtances not gi%('n (IC.l 138) 
 
 would be equal to 'l'.\ milet^ 
 
 .\dding these ., 23 
 
 We obtain a total 'if-,, ., . 1,!)()K 
 
 wliicli, until \vc liavi' more jix-whlBxr.* tigure-s, may !)(■ assiiniiMl tn Ix' tlic 
 lcii,i,'tli of till' liuf, with tlte jjiCfimi-sHl 100 miles of distaiiro .-^avcd 
 I'tHiiiceil to ;5S, and this ip li>f •►'Slli*ar. of the ,4aiii. 
 
 \\u\ what is u\ir loss ? TBu^ move the (picstion is studied and 
 i;onsi<l('red the nioi-e does evf-rs' kaviwri fact establish that the liaihvay 
 is in the wi'on^ ]ilace, ait'll iid nh-e route ovei' the Sidkirks he 
 persevered in, it will ]>•• currifi'B lOiv^^r uTouiid for lifty mili's whei'e the 
 Railway cauiiot be relied ujioBu .at*- IWin-.^ workahle. 
 
 1 must revert to the full nHniin from tho commencement of this 
 work, the |ml)lie have heHjj k+ijin i^atlirely unacquainted with the pro- 
 i;e'Hlin;^s of the (\uii]iauy. Ill iiv one of the most diflieult tasks to 
 obtain any correct kiio\ i(;l«r ,.-,tf t;heir ojierations. 'I'lie imjierfect 
 repoi't 1 am only ahle in ejvt^ ji^ ^jj |,vo,,f i,f this want of information. 
 What I'epdiis ai'c ;,dveij ;.uv mMOuiicavlictory and misleading, I have 
 mentiiuied that of Mr. Ro;;t'-ir+i. ^i-cfiinLf forth that the ma.ximuni ^n'ade 
 was I 1 •') feet to the iiiiJe. Iljii iilW KickiuL: Ifoi'se Pass the i^n'ailos a"e 
 [rom 200 to 250 to the miJe. 
 
 Mr. \'an Home's stateiuenuii .(jf.-i. year back, 2~th November, If^i"^.'?, 
 was as follows : " jieyoiid llii*; wti'.tlion (the hrst summit of the Rocky 
 Mountains) to the jmiut of wiMaarcrioi: with the section under con- 
 struction t)y the (JoveiiuuHUl, Wy i-ngineerim^^ diliicullies exist ; on 
 ihe contrary, the work is lio-M liiDul may he i[uiikly done." 
 
 And yet, a few months idlrtU' TiL^mv' statement. s, so imsitive, so clear, 
 and so bold, we hear of all \h^ >iEi]tffii'nlties in the Kickino' Horse I'ass 
 where the extreme oradeK, exit* 'EiU'Eiaiiii; over nine miles, are introduced 
 and the work itself reported *<'» .»-y;i,-tinic tliat '^ " tenipoiary " line it; 
 suggested. 
 
 f 
 
 4 
 
35 
 
 215 
 
 .Mr, 
 
 23 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 1 , wli.-n th. Canadian Vadtic Syndicate assumed tlie contract 
 and .l...atishod w,th the location, vvluch was the result of ten vears' 
 severe labor and much personal privation, they desired to obtain a 
 bet or and a n.ore direct line, they had every opportunity to gather 
 aU he .nfornmhon necessary to their doing so. Had thev desired to 
 deal fairly wuh the peopl.. „f Canada, and honestly locate a line 
 which w.uld justify their preference of .lirection, pro1,ablv no ..o„. 
 ditions ever e>asted n.ore favorahl. for an exploration of th.: countrv, 
 othatdUts features could he kn.wn and its elimatal condition 
 thorouj.'hIy investigated. 
 
 From the Pacific Coast, Kamlnnps is most accessible, and it was 
 a mere matter of organization to pnsh parties eastwardlv fr„m that 
 location. ^^ hv, howeve, sueh a ..urse should be consid:,..! neees- 
 s:ir,, aff.r a study of M,, Vl.nnn^s reports, i. by no means plain " 
 
 I hav.. inentiuned. m a former part <.f these pag.s. that a.^ces* 
 ^a. tnnueHy had by th,.' Iludsons H.y Cunpanv territ-.v bv the 
 -lumbia Kiv..... Aeting ,.n this suggestion, th. Syndicate si.ouM 
 have seen rhat '' -as by this river that they should enh. the t.m- 
 ^.n- to commenn. th.ir explorations. Their base of operations should 
 have been m Washington Territory and Oregon. Xo Ii(,b, .,f th. 
 ^.<tan.-e was traversed by th. Northern I'acifi., and when th- railwav 
 'l..i not exist th. bnes of eonnnuni.ation were op,.n The pres.-n^ 
 point ..t communication is Sand Point station on the railwav turuish- 
 mg the most convenient spot, where th. depot of provisi.ins would 
 hav. been establish^, where parties would hav. tak.n to canoes to 
 a>-eend th- ( olumbia pa.st Fort Colville to th. ,.:a,le I'as. ()„ th„ 
 K.v..r .-olumbia. a, the Kagle Pass, a ten.ponnv building-a lo. 
 shanty, .ueh as we . anadians ean put up in a feu- hours. -eould h.ve 
 been constructed. I, would h.ve housed the partv as Ion, as reouire- 
 pt ..xa..ted. llere.houM have b.en .stablishnl th- first stLn 
 from whirh the exploration parties <hould have been started 
 
 •'";l'"tl..-ry that one bad already b.en started fnuu Kamloop. 
 west: tlie second Would pron-ed .ast.rly through the Ka.d. Pas. from 
 '>"-;;''"'nbia.so,h.t,hed,s,au,.eof l,;„„„|..s ,„ S^vonna K.rry 
 couhl have b.-en thoroughly exaiuiu.Ml. 
 
 <'n.- partv w.aiid have been sent uo ih.. riv ,,. , 
 1 , , ,. ' '" "r "" 'ivi'i to examine its 
 
 f'.'inks to the P.oat Kneampuient. 
 
 A fourth partv would hav.. started frouMh,. Coluudua ea.twardlv 
 across th.. >,.il<,rk Rang... as,...nd.n, th,. III.. C.li., ,vaet. 
 

 Passing Up the Columbia by-tiii*^ v;i.'. r •;^- J^xar. Kiri<*.araprnent^ 
 fiiul following the soutln^rJy •juun**- v? da** rrrrt, )i *pW)«wi !«')<;' hut 
 barrack would have been erilablirUi'it; ic dw»- t^X .'^^ tlSift- Kicking, 
 Horse I'ass. 
 
 The knowledge of the geojji'ujdj?' •%? dw- Ut^tkj H<',rvcvT,Mn.% even 
 at tliis early date, was quite Hufli':i*nr -. >r -- ■* - , ici-.own that 
 if it was determined to talce whu: Xr. '■'-.. nh.- luore 
 
 direct and southerly route, and wio-u -..-''., ■■'T^i?y " in 
 
 the strongest terms," the JJmw jk.''-- ui.. ■>. «*«: »•■ , . ..aid the 
 Kicking Horse or thi- lIo\v,v Patsf kat '»\ tv» tik.-W'^i, 
 
 It remained therefor*- newssai?' tC ^bp^ Eaj*c»»ra l^ ■-,4 tii^ f.'olum- 
 bia, to examine the riviM' iiheJi, ttud -ii nuik^ r"y>-*:jMU«<i'i»i^''^j of the 
 two passes. 
 
 r recapitulate the examinatioiR. rHii'iu v; :: - - ; r. -jUidit to 
 liave been undertaken : 
 
 1. From Kandofips Kusu'. <i' .v.. , ^istft, 
 
 2. " the Columbia ^V .•.«:*• tr.: .r. " 
 
 3. P)y the river Columbia -Vi till* K»^ar . .'. nq the 
 
 "West line of the ilii\-vg:. 
 
 4. By the river ( 'olumbia 3:-i«r. luu*;. 
 
 5. Till- Western declivity i.i*. -^w '♦^i V.'^« - ,' tL*- V*L1^-y of thr 
 
 llle ('.'lie waet. 
 
 6. The Eastern declivity uJiii*: •*»nkiric'« . „..;y of the- 
 
 lieav.'r, from th«^ iW. i;i»> '\f slu» ■ . ut, 
 
 7. An examination of th' flfLvur**- F*«« - K^y". fi,'i>n' the 
 
 Columbia. 
 
 8. An examination of KJ'-vkuijr ffivis^ F«« v^ IS'i'W Hivf-... 
 
 To judge ]»y all we kn^w of wiia; iuttt hm^ •U/is»>: W itBu*r .'Syndicate 
 no such .systematic procc' iing^ a^■cii«n» •».>!»» - T'tu^ whole 
 
 o:' their operations as we can judji* ijii»mv. ■«;<_^--- .--.'. .x T.h^.ir desire 
 to depart from th(,' delil>eratHjy «»»;i»j';VH.' i5a»i&» 4 Mx. M.tt».ie^rme after 
 the eliul)orate and car<'fu] su^v^y^ K\atUu-x>^ ^j %t, f-X^minj,', to 
 repeat the common jihrasc which iiiw- H#?»»n i \, -Ahn'^ "They 
 
 went it l)lind," "They trusted W Xwjik..' ~ j»'i8i:cion of a 
 
 countryman who has gone into a .Kuuniiatf r^j*-<iii au a iUi;r^ who ha.s 
 put his money on black, and red i««- i^m« npi At r'/iial*->K< lyftfjm-. A.s 
 to the country, the dominion, so lor -^ii' ■«-■--• - - - ■, ■ r.'-ency 
 the outlook will indeed be black, uiu"-^ , ...o' rvene 
 
 to prevent the consummation ul ljii«rau>*';i •• • < rising the 
 
 Railway across tlie Selkirks, 
 
Hf^ 
 
 L<)j,' hut 
 Kiikinrf 
 
 in.-t^ ftvf-n 
 -j^wn that 
 "hft runrf' 
 *r,ify " in 
 , arnl thf 
 
 ti^ C'ohtm- 
 v^ of the 
 
 .,-ht to 
 
 along the 
 
 olt tht? 
 
 ;li^y of thf 
 lltorii the 
 
 r»^nilu;;vt« 
 fhf- whole 
 ir ilesire 
 ■./ie afttT 
 ..iiivj, to 
 •• Th.-y 
 >;u.in of a 
 wVio had 
 n,f.i'. As 
 l^rAt^rgency 
 nti^'rvene 
 I'.-viru,' the 
 
 
 I 
 
 r have aHiuhid to th'- wi'Jl^x«i*?i'r<; jttv\f-' lUX'l K'trr*^ *M Mr. 
 
 Fleming's Hue. Tli<' SyiidieaU; i<<x^*- i*n'<'r pnhliAt*^ % t»M« of 
 
 curves ami gra'le.->. I trusl, at tji>; l«";l ;n«»«»tin«g of Vti^aamfitX^ it 
 
 will be called for and iuHJ-st/ud uf/<.rt. I: :flii-<t h<?r*; <ms*r my pv>r4«ct 
 
 against the dishonest iaiiguag'- »/j ^Ifi-- ^cA in iu« lafilj pftHi4lt»i 
 
 report. Sp.'akiug of tin- Jiu« iii tli<- ***jjiitv of .Sf-onnt .'H'i^Ai^ti, what 
 
 he calls "nine miles of te lu )>'/«:««*'?' 'Vt^cW hnilt axontvi » laand," 
 
 *' This part of tie- road has 4 ]*'^ '>nt\ jft^r^ M'i '-nrr*^ <A Iff^J" 
 
 Anyone reading this exprushioij <i;v»a^ji^ t>m\»\ fnil alu^fKf*^ f x tak* 
 
 in his Hieauing. The iiidymU' *ii i<*:«»>T}^-»)^r rv-sulpw w '' ■■,*/tnft 
 
 it to mean i per eeiit of grader. ;3(<; »?hf* \ronl«, ^ .f ' ■• ■ vf^ 
 
 was on a graili', and the r'-uiaiiiiug ;' ,<#«' ori;* '^Twl^*. T- ,- ..*I 
 
 mode of stating a comuion faet 'iaij *nih Hf !n#»ant- to mi-, ... WtiM 
 
 Mr. Kecd should say is, that on tiiv. Jtip^tsri thp grvl«« «»»• I IlL 6«> 
 
 the 100, cxtiiuding ovi-r 9 miie^, »a-i1<j [IV^ <»Jin'«^. 573 r^li^Jt*, 
 
 The Railway is very mu'lj \Milln4 if:r'h*»rrlot KVaiul ! I^Viwrvfta, 
 440 feet radius and 409 raidius w'itJj t^i^r iirt^'imum ^.T*!*-, Awl tfciM 
 is precis(dy the portion Mr. \'aij iitntt* <(i»of-r\^rr\ a y*>*ir *i?> ituhftviwj^ 
 11 G feet to tli(' mill', 2 to lji<- iW,' ^»<t :],r,r th*f TT'/dt •eyyoji'l hb 
 quickly done. 
 
 One of th(? marki-d f(■ature^ <4 !<«> >(^;i$Hir». U?avin'/ Wi»lWjx^ M 
 the number of curv' .-, Piioph- 1m- u*' it*fmf ^^H>'*^rrin(i a^ irfcjr thfty 
 e.Kist. What explanation <;an b'' Jiiv**|>.-ttf nUpjr intrvieu-rti/yRt * ?y>l»i: 
 attom])t has been mad<- to j\if>x,'^v ■■Ut*m,- hftHtw wwa^ tltat a 
 previous cliief engineer had \>Vii-<^\iiii^' »r\t\' \kP:tf. aivl thi*»* • ■ -' 
 .several lots, and in order, dJsho!ii;i?tii- ii \\tan» ■daUitTH' • ;..j,; 
 
 curved about to suit his own iuUHfif\. ''i*f#» -';j|i .y^n^>fi'>- - "iS>r 
 
 of things existing for 20 oi' 20 iiii/i^- i#fiirt» it «*53pe»i '>•- >Tt, 
 
 when it would have ln-eu suuuixatii'. <i<^j' ^rith by th*- / r«f 
 
 Director, and a diHrrml ordei- of WmU^n -^s«bli»h'^'l. B-yl iSi**** 
 curves run for many miles. 
 
 I repeat that the country uju-^t «'Av«^ «* -rfwtv-nwnt of tJ-^cv; ^ssjv*:* 
 and grades throughout. Surely. \\t*it' v i^Vtnr,imi *n*^ ■ ' ^:r*^t m 
 the ranks of the supportert- of tii» *j\t',tifi%n*'u\ ti-) viva. ^ r '- 
 duction Theie is not a doulA bui i^fttp ;fl*»Ttii)^r "ir... ;.... .-, ... : 
 TIou.sc of Commons and <ie)uand iitttta. 
 
 We shall see how such i;urvijfc «h. 4«irltf rti«» pl>i, . tr \l^ 
 increase as the lim' ascends th*- \-Atny iff M*: llnvr Rirer- vri l»'>w 
 the Railway in tin' Kicking ii<jn*f y^n^ \m ii»n«Uy 'nirv*:* 'A «wll 
 radius, and for some miles of iuiiu*tiA*«-,^ttrti*ar. 
 
I' ' 
 
 
 38 
 
 Is tliis tlie result on which Mr. Van llurnc Ih so boastful of hi.s 
 satisfaction 1 1 will tell liiin, that he will fail to ooinnumicatc- such a 
 fi;elin<i; to the people of the l)ominion. The gigantic hlun>ler made 
 in the change of the location, will, in a few months, come to be 
 known and to he understood, and there will arise in the country an 
 outcrjf of discontent, which no political dexterity can tleaden, and 
 hefore which, incompetence, meannossj and the service df the hired 
 defender will ([uail and sink abashed. 
 
 k 
 
 I ' 
 
« 
 
 ••59 
 
 fill of lii.s 
 vt« such a 
 ilor made 
 me to be 
 
 oimtry 'in 
 ideii, and 
 the hired 
 
 CIIAPTKK VI. 
 
 n„ thel>7th Sei>tenil,or hi.st, the report nf Mr. Reed, to whieh 1 
 liave aUuded, appeared in the Montreal Il.rakl 1 1 was preceded hy a 
 conunendatory report of Mr. A'an Iforne. To .show that J do not 
 n-sreprosent the.se papers, I ,dve then. n. the appendix, .so that the 
 view, of the ( anadian Pacific ar,. Bet fortli in the lan,n.u,e of their 
 chosen ajjvnts, and the criticism that [ n.ake upon it c-an he fairly 
 ^sted. I hey are introduced a. hein. l-nhlished by or(h.r of the 
 
 1 do not know of anyparalhdin engineering literature to such 
 i^por s. A\ ith detail floating on the mere surface of the work described, 
 thc^ deal w,th assertions whiclr startle us. l!ut, first it is asked, who 
 IS Mr Reed i I -annot learn that he has ever been heard of m Cana- 
 <K I cannot earn that he has any reputation in the Tuited States. 
 \ iiat httle ,s known of hin. is that h. was brought here by Mr Van 
 Home. Why his report should be held to have Cveight on 
 Canadian op.n.on, there is nothing in his antecedents to justify Tu 
 my mind, ,t ,s a gross insult to Canada to foist this unknown man 
 upon us, with his report dated from Joliette, Illinois. Are there no 
 engineers of credit in tlie dominion ? There are many. Why did' the 
 Canaxhan J'acilrc Railway select this stranger? because ^ he was 
 plastic and ductile, Mr. Fleming was telegraplu-d to from Kngland to 
 <^xanHne tins line. It is a matter of notoriety that he di.l .so Why 
 IS his report not published? It has never yk seen the light, in th'e 
 view of its pul)lic use. 
 
 ^rr. Van Ilorne fr<.m th... commencement has ignored Canadian 
 experience an.l capacity, and in the crisis of the hour publie con- 
 fidence has passed away before the recklessn,.ss of the contradictory 
 ^statements which, from time to time, have been made. ( ould he 
 hope that such a report as that of M,-. R,.,,! ,,,„• have the .sli-ditest 
 ui uence m reinsbiting it ? Had Mr. Van llon.e .eallv de.siml to 
 influence publie opinion, and not as if feeling he ha,I a sti-ength above 
 It, cynically set ,t at defiance, la- would have aj.pointed two'canadiun 
 ^Lngmeers to have e.xanuiie.l the extent of the line in question, and 
 baye made a fair and g.Miuine apj.eal to public confidence. Mr Van 
 
1-1.-1 
 
 :i' 
 
 (.:■■ ' ■ 
 
 «}■ 
 
 kj'/ 
 
 40 
 
 Home's own lussoitioii? arc heiiig testt'd in tln'se paj,fcs, iind since tlie 
 l.'ist session of i'arlianiont, the current of pul)lic feelin<,' ilocs not run 
 witli tlieni. Their principal feature is to show tiie poor o|)inion he 
 has of our intelligence, and our cajtacity f(jr judging the situation 
 which lie misrepresents. 
 
 " There are no difficult prol)lenis," he tells us, "to he met; the 
 work is sim])le and the cost easily calculated." What is tlie history of 
 this easily calculated work 1 Last year his Agents furnished a set of 
 cstimatt;s, which, in a few months, a new sftecial examination reduces 
 to the extent of four millions. This four million reduction is on the 
 300 miles from Savonna Ferry to the Summit. 
 
 Mr. Reed's estimate runs : 
 
 .■*2,<)75,!i70 
 4,!)r)0,CiOO 
 
 Mil.'-.. Avfnip-r<, 
 
 West Kaniloop.H Lake to ( iriftin Tiak(i 138 ^2} M>'< 
 
 From sunniiit of <iold Kangii to suiiiniit of Kocky \ i-,^ o.> ,^(^ 
 
 Mountains ) '' ' ' 
 
 S7,i)2r,,!J70 
 
 I cannot deny myself the remark that 1 admire the nicety with 
 
 which the od<l iive dollars in the first estimate is so precisely specified. 
 
 Thus we have work which last winter was vahunl at twelve 
 
 millions is now only to cost eight. There must have been strange 
 
 recklessness in one examination or the other. What are we to think 
 
 of the operations which have led to such clianges of calculations in 
 
 tlie same work. If the original estimates were so far wrong what 
 
 guarantee is there that the present figures are correct. They may be 
 
 amended to go back to thtdr original figures, or to double them. It 
 
 cannot bo said that the saving will l)e effected liy throwing out the 
 
 tunnel on the 1-locky Mountain summit, for the cost of that work 
 
 would l)e from ten to twelve millions as I will shortly shew. 
 
 !Mr. Van Home proceeds to say that tluj doubts he felt are 
 
 removed, lit; speaks of the magniticent forests which are to furni.sh 
 
 a large and reniuiu .itive traffic. As usual, he is careful to give no 
 
 statistics of profit. We will supply the figures. H(! will have tO' 
 
 carry his timber from 1400 to IGOO miles before it reaches Lake 
 
 Superior. Does ho really mean that there is profit for the lumberer 
 
 in operations of this character ? So that the Railway will have 
 
 constant employment. lie tells us that the supply is inexhaustil)le. 
 
 It is so in many parts of Britisli Columbia, and in no way peculiar to 
 
 the location through which he has so madly rushed. Will any 
 
 lumberer of credit and standing .say tluit it is a lield for present 
 
since the 
 cs not run 
 o[)inimi he 
 • sitiuitinii 
 
 mot ; the 
 
 history of 
 
 0(1 a set of 
 
 on reduces 
 
 11 is on the 
 
 S2,i)7r),!i70 
 4,!)r)0,CiOO 
 
 liooty witli 
 Y spocifiooL 
 
 at twelve 
 en .stnui.L,^' 
 ■0 iu think 
 ulati(nis in 
 ronj^f what 
 ley may bo 
 
 them. It 
 tiff ont tlie 
 tliat work 
 
 e felt are 
 to furnish 
 to give no 
 ill have to 
 dies Lake 
 3 lumberer 
 will have 
 chaustiljle. 
 )e('uliar to 
 Will any 
 •r present 
 
 41 
 
 op.n-ations. There are so many limits, so much more favourably 
 situated which will last for a century that we cannot hope for such 
 ..perations l)oin- commenced for three or four generations. 
 
 A iv\v figures will sheu the shallowness of such calculations : 
 A car l<,ad of lumber consists of 12 tons, e,,ual in i.lank to 10,000 
 feet broad measure of s.piare timber S;33 feet lineal, sav 28 sticks 12 
 inches X 12 inches, .30 feet long. The ordinarilv estimate.l tariff is 
 tliree-.,uarters of a cent a ton a mile, that is 9 cents a car. The cost 
 to New York fn.m Ottawa, between 400 and oOO miles, according to 
 route, to I'..rtlaml 417 miles, to I'.oston 430 miles, is alike .s'lO a oar, 
 and this juice is low. 
 
 It is well kn.>wn that there an^ mills at Kat Portage, 1.32 miles 
 from Winnipeg, ami that it is from this source that 'that citv ami 
 generally ,he Province of Manitoba will ],e suppli.'.i. Consequently, 
 Mr. A'an Home's timber must be exported. 
 
 The freight per < ar, accordingly, will be from th.- summit to 
 
 ^^''""'1'^^' '••'•^> I'iiles, « HO |HT car. l>er l.OtO feet 15. M. -S H.(;4. 
 
 Lake Superior. . .138!) " V2'> " '• " ]■> ',0 
 
 tHtawa 22()U " 'JOt " " '< "(V4-> 
 
 Montreal l'.SSK " i>i;-. " " a '^1 'n 
 
 The.S(! figures .shew the utter alisurdity of fh,' idea. 
 
 In the ea.-^e of liritish Columliia, lumbering op.. rations may lie 
 commenced, but will be best carried on in the distri.'ts lu'ar the .sea, 
 and not till those holds are exhausted will the .,perators advance t.'» 
 the interior. Where, then, is Mr. \'a„ Ilornc-s revenue ? 
 
 From the magnificent timber trade of the future, he turns to the 
 "magnificent harbours"' of Ih-itish Columbia, and its exceptionably 
 favourable situation f,.r commanding the trade' of the North Pacific 
 Coast, and of .lapan and China. 
 
 This rhetorical flourish of the Paeili.' I'nrts i.s placed at its right 
 value when it is remendMuvd tha. the Canadian Parilic Kailway is 
 interested in .me only, Port Mondy, l.,:.Tard Inlet, .\gain, w,. have to 
 ask, what is the da{)an and China trade which is to .nnie over laml'.' 
 There are three Railways to battle tor it, he it what it mav. P.ut it 
 is in reality a myth. There is e,. China trade iu the" s..n.se of 
 its })(.ing a prize w.u-th struggling fo,-. The f,vi;;ht tVo.u San 
 Francisco, ..a.st, is tlie production of th.^ fruitful .soil uf California 
 r.ot Mr. Van Horn., show facts and figures that such a Kailwav 
 niovement exists. 
 
42 
 
 '1 
 
 i' 
 
 
 3 ir T>^- 
 
 V 
 
 Jr^ 
 
 I- 
 
 5: 
 
 •jf' 
 
 i 
 
 ■^* 
 
 !;:• 
 
 it- 
 
 ■■'t 
 
 
 V. 
 
 '4 
 
 p"' 
 
 4'- 
 
 
 ♦.■* 
 
 Again, I repeat, tlic only tlicory of ostahlisliiiig a Railway con- 
 nection with the Pacific was the political necessity of hlending I3ritish 
 Columbia with the rest of the l)oniinion, and to find an outlet to 
 the "Western Ocean for the ])r(iduce of the dwellers on the plains. 
 
 To talk of the Timber trade, of China and Japan, nf the harbors 
 of the coast, is tn deal with mere generalities, which come like 
 shadows, so depart. 
 
 AVhat a positive trade is, we can see when we consider the passage 
 of wheat. Ten Imrrels of flour are reckoned as a ton of freight, so 
 the car of twelve tons carries 120 barrels. Take any point on the 
 line. ^ledicine Hat, which is 1083 miles from the Kiver Kaniinis- 
 ticjuia, and 660 from \Vinnipeg. Tlie estimated cost of a car to the 
 former at | cents ])er ton p(!r mile, ('(pud to 9 cents, the car would be 
 J?97.47, so the freight of a Itamd of flour would be 81 (-ents ; to the 
 latter the car would l)e .^.59.40. So the cost of a barrel of flour 
 would be 60 cents. One ;:undred barrels of flour being equal t<» 
 .'5666 l)ushels of wheat, the 1 20 barrels of flour are equal to 4,400 
 l)ushels shipped. 
 
 I do not enter into any exauunation of the tpu'stion of land. It 
 is a disputed jioint to-day, what is good and what is bad. It really 
 does not come into my argmnent. When all the good land is taken 
 up we shall learn the truth of the eligil)ility of the land from Moose 
 .law to Calgarry. Any comparison which is made, is not to be con- 
 sidered with the lines south of us in the Vnited States Territory. 
 Whether the land south of us be good or bad, the temi)erature dry 
 and arid, or genial, the climatal conditions free from trouble and 
 threatened difhculty, these considerations come no way into the 
 character of the Canadian line. The only comparison allowable is to 
 place it as a whole with its advantages and disadvantages, in oppo- 
 sition to those of the line adopted by Mr. Mackenzie, on the route of 
 which to the mountains all the land was good, where the mountain 
 pass was low and free from glaciers. P.ut with all these advantages 
 it was abandoned. 
 
 AVhen we read the shallow grounds assigned by Mr. Van Ilorne 
 for the change, and see plainly his failure to esta])lish the fact of 
 directness of route, we can only read with contempt the exj)ression of 
 satisfaction on which he pluuK.'S himself. 
 
 I have somewhat dealt with the report of his lieutenant, Mr. 
 Reed, in connection with his own assertions. I have some other 
 
43 
 
 remarks to mak. on its contents. Is Mr. H.vd uwar,- of the claim of 
 Mr. Stephen as to the cost of constructing the line on the plains ? He 
 would have done well to have made himself acquainted with it Mr 
 Stephen's average is .$20,406 ,,er mile. .Mr. Keod tells us that the 
 section to (Iriffin Lake, at the sunimit of IvigU, Pass, 113 miles, is 
 estimated, through the mountains, not to cost more than $16,000 per 
 mile. Little experience in railway construction will inform' us that 
 if this estimate be correct, the country through th.. mountains must 
 be almost level. 
 
 The figures themselves suggest a probhuu to solve. ( liven the cost 
 over the plains at $20,406 per mile, what will Ik, the probable cost 
 through the Kagle Pass : who woul.l not reply $30,000 or $40 000 
 per mile. ' 
 
 Given the cost through the Eagle Pass range at $16,000, what 
 would be the cost acro.ss the plains : the reply would follow, some 
 $9,000 or $10,000. 
 
 There is only one form of estimate to be accepted, that based on 
 known quantities, taken out in detail, with the incidental work. An.l 
 what is specially needed, is a table of grades and curves to show what 
 the line is. For, in the desire to hurry the work to ('ompletion, it 
 may skim the surface only. To use the expressive technical word of 
 the Engineer's Dictionary, he "scamped." 
 
 The narrative description of Mr. Reed is valuele.-^s. It is unintel- 
 ligible, a mere statement of generalities. He gives us his views and 
 orders us to accept them without examination. There is no lable of 
 curves, or information as to the length of the grades. We ar.; told 
 that in the distance of 390 miles, the grade .loes not excee.l 66 feet 
 to the mile, but not the extent which this gra.le of 66 feet embraces. 
 He can speak plainly of grades when within this figure. Ifow differ- 
 ent and how covertly he sets forth grades of 200 feet to the mile as 
 4 per cent. Speaking of the above named grades, and in order to 
 explain the necessity of some heavy work which finds itself anion" 
 them, he tells us "that it woul.l not l)e sound railroad policy to intro"^- 
 duce heavier grades near the center of a long section," implying that 
 t'. s principle has l)een the dominant one observed, and that tlu>re is 
 no break in the continuity of the normal grade. 
 
 What a comment do thes.; words of this chosen .scribe of the 
 Canadian Pacific make on their own policy ? They have carried out 
 
u 
 
 
 Iff 
 
 
 I 
 
 the very jiolicy lie rdiKloinns. In tlic IkmuI of the Rocky Mountains 
 there is a strcti'h of nine miles dtnvn the Kiikin'' Horse Pass of 
 
 (!jccessive grades. 
 
 I have bcfori' remark (!(1, that to read ^^^. Reed's report the fact has 
 no existence. IFfre is the pas.sage in which conveys a most false 
 impression : 
 
 "The alignnunit is good, and the gradients, with the exception oi 
 the west slope of tlie ]{o(;ky Mountains and over the Selkirks, in no 
 place on the Mountain section exceeds 60 feet to the mile." 
 
 He proceed to say that on the west slope of the Rocky ^[ountains, 
 and parts of hoth slopes of the Selkirk Range, grades of 1 16 feet per 
 mile exist, hut they occur within a comparafivcbj s/iorf (Ii.<itanrr, and 
 I'an he casih/ awl economicallii oprratod hy the vise of special locomo 
 tives such as are used on similar gradients elsewhere. 
 
 Mr. Rogers tells us that 116 feet grades extend for 49 miles. 
 
 We have heard a great deal of the temporary track in the columns 
 of the press, <levoted to the interests of the Ctuiadian Pacific ; Mr. 
 Reed tells us that it is built round " the tunnel of nine miles. The 
 temporary line will answer all purposes of tralhc for years to come." 
 [t is liere that Mr. Reed speaks of his four per cent curves. 
 
 Does Mr. Van Home or Mr. Reed know what a tunnel of nine 
 miles in the Mountains is, that they speak so glibly of it ? There 
 have been several tunnels of world-wide renown. On our own 
 continent the Hoosac, so admirably brought to completeness by the 
 Messrs. Shanly ; lixcept for whose genius and patient labour it is 
 doubtful if it would ever have ])een finished, as there was a strong- 
 party in the .State of Massachusetts who were hopeful that their 
 operations would break down. Anyone at all familiar with the 
 Llnited States stage must recollect that one of the jokes of th(^ 
 burlesque of that date was the improbable completion of the work. 
 The funny men classed it with the (xreek Kalends. It was regarded 
 as an " impossibility ;" and as one reads the reports of the proceedings 
 of the State Engineers, it looks as if they did their 1''.st to make it 
 so.* Hut 't has been carried through by the ^[essrsv Shanly with 
 
 * Even the pentle minded Oliver Wendell Holmes found a pleasant simile 
 of the impossible in the Hoosac Tunnel. It appears in the lines known as 
 " Latter day warnings " in the Autocrat of the Breakfast Table. 
 
 When yoTi that hath a horse on sale 
 Shall bring liis merit to the proof, 
 
45 
 
 nuisterly alulity. ft is consi.l.n.l on. of tho n.ost ..lifHcult of tho four 
 works; the ronuunin. three boi,.. Mount Cents, the St. Gothur.l. and 
 the Arsl,erg m Austria. In the lloosac, shaft workings were 
 roqmred, the source of great expense in hoisting roek and pun.ping 
 water. Ihere was also no water power available to work the 
 niaclnnery. For the difference between water power and stean. 
 Ijower represents a large cost. Its length is 4.8 nules ; the <leepest 
 .shaft upwards of 1000 feet. It cost not far from a nnllion and a 
 
 liut the .State of 
 
 (piarter dollars a mile, of fair construction. ..., ,,„. ^^,.,,^ 
 Massacluisetts, before the Shanlys took it in charge, wasted an 
 nnniense mnount of money from the iiicon.petencv of its A.^-nts and 
 otlier causes. " " 
 
 The Mount Cenis Tt.nnel and the iloo.sac furnished the con- 
 ductors of the Saint Gothard Tunnel with the means of in.proving 
 the machinery, and they had unlimitable water-power to work it It 
 was completed in 1882, after 3,330 days of actual work havin./been 
 given to it, say 11 years. The distance is 9 miles, 564 yards The 
 cost eleven millons of dollars. 
 
 The latest great tunnel work is the Arlsberg. T]i,> progress made 
 has been an advanr-e on the St. (lothanl. There is, also, the a.lvan- 
 tage of water power of full extent, witli every improvement on the 
 machinery known. 
 
 Giving every advantage to the Rocky Mountain Tunnel, althourd. 
 1 fear that there would be little or no water for the machinery, it is 
 a most formidable undertaking. Moreover, if the late event as 
 
 Without a lie for every nail 
 
 That holds the iron on the hoof. 
 
 When piibli.sher,s no longer steal 
 
 And beg for what they stole before. 
 Wficn the jirKt lorninotirc tv/icel 
 
 Bollg tlmjuijh the Hoosar TunncVx bore. 
 Till')} let Cuniming l)la7.e away, 
 
 And Miller's saints blow up the globe, 
 But when you see that blessed day, 
 Then order your Ascensi(jn rol)c. 
 No doubt the poet in Ins next edition will tell his reader.s that the impossible 
 has been accon>i,hshed, dwelling cm all that the State of Mas.sachussetts owes to 
 the Shanlys. Will :t not h. something to appear in the pages of an undying 
 
 with the dtfficiha quae pulchra. 
 
46 
 
 1 
 
 recoitlod in i\w newn\n\\HiY>i be correct, of tlu; fall of tlu; (Town of a 
 short tunnel, from which snvoral visitorrt of th(! IkitiHh Association 
 narrowly escaped with their lives, the rock, tho\i<,'h htird, will not 
 stand without l)eiiig lined, such a work, at random, may be estimated 
 as costing ehtvt'n or twelvi; millions, and taking elev(!n years to 
 (execute. 
 
 It is a work of this cdiaracter so pleasantly i)romised in the future. 
 To hid(^ the excess of grade 200 feet and 250 feet to the mile, 
 over the deliberate statement that the maximum grade was but 116 
 feet to the mile, the present work is called a "temporary line.'' Ikit 
 call it what they may, it is clearly intended as the ])ermanent line. 
 What is th(! promise of th(^ futtuv ? (doming events (lasts their 
 shadows before. Loijiiitiir, Mr. R(!ed. The paragraph is one of the 
 beauties of his rejuirt. 
 
 " I gave some attention to the ni?it' niih'x of Irinjinrnrii traclc that 
 has been built around, a tunnel, and some heavy work in the vicinity 
 of Mount Stephen for thf, purposn of navinij a yaarx iinw. in com- 
 pleting the road through to the Pacitic. This part of the road hax 
 four per cent ijruden, and curves of ten degre(!s. As far a.s' / 
 examined this feniporari/ line, I found it thoroughly ])uilt, when 
 [Sir? with] seventy pound rails, per yard and first-class fastenings. 
 It will answer all purposes for tralhc for years to come, without 
 material increase in the cost of operating. The Atcheson, Topeka 
 and Santa Fe, &c., and other roads have grades equal to, or exceeding 
 this one. . . . The temporary line around this place is so well 
 built, and promises to answer present purposes so well, I should think 
 it unwise to expend any money on the intended permanent line, until 
 the traffic really demanded it." 
 
 I will not stoj) to criticise the slip-slop English, or disingenuous- 
 ness of the statement. Who can read it and doubt its motive? 
 Written "to bewilder the general public, its feeble effort at deception 
 fails entirely to mislead any one having the slightest knowledge of 
 the subject. 
 
 This "temporary track'' to save a year's time, if it^means anything 
 is the statement that the nine miles of tunnel, which with Engineers- 
 of the highest skill and power would exact ten years of constant 
 labour to complete, can 1)e built in as many months by Mr. Van 
 Home. At tlie same time mi Ixmo engaging in this trifle ! Gentle- 
 men you have an excellent line quite ecjual to that which satisfies the 
 
mcridi.'iii of 'r.;i„.k!i Vccpi.t »li,. n 
 
 .. .Is ,0 ll,s. I., ,1 ,. vuni, ,,.„„ ,„„ I ,„„ „rti,.,,|„,. i„ ,i,ii„« l|,is f„,.t 
 
 - Mf ,•,,„..„,„ .s a,,, "f„„r p..,. „.„,," ,„„, , ,,,,^ , |,J" ; 
 
 ...,, you K.,... a v,.,„. ,„ ,,.,.iv,. t|.„ i„,„„.„„. ,„„„„„. „„„.„„ ^^^ 
 ""-■ 1""'" "f '""'^""K li""l«'r f, , tho C,,!,,,,,!,,,, t., ll„. s, 
 
 "K ... , ,„ „„„«. a,„l tl,„ ,.,.v ,„„ „f a,.. ,i,,|„„.i,» ., ' ,;:.^, 
 
 ..t .„„■,. i,av,. a HHl, „f i,„n,isra„t» to liritisl, C.Umhi, Ul I 
 
 -■'' 'r '■"■«'■ '— I »™i '...■ M..i. .-..i..;::;; ;,;;:;,: 
 
 It IS .lill„.ull l„ writi. sori.,„slv of ,,„.|, „ ,,ara,-n„., I,. 
 l«ana,.a ,1 ,s „ s,.n„„s ,.,alt.,.. A ..,„. „. ,l„. ,„„.„,,„„„,. „, ^,,^, ,,^ 
 
 ;:;':; -' ""■ "r ••"*■ '•' "" '- >'■-' ™""i..it;:„ , : 
 
 rtjcctcd. I his im,., witli its iv.Iuc.mI .-ra.I.-s its ..i».v, • i . . 
 nxod stiiiidard, pass ii<r tliroii.rl, fi„. „ • , , , ' ''' 
 
 Mr Van ll„„„.-, I,,tt„, „„H„si„,, J,,.. R„,„,,,.. state,,,..,,. „f tl„. 
 I6W. At tl„, l,i.«i,„„i,„ uf So|>tu„,l«!,-, ih- n,.,„i, ,. 
 
 (iiuus, oi ^lUU l(>('t • the first jiv mJl ., ■ • i 
 
 " , III", uisu ,-,i\ iiHU's 'qvin.f a I pucr.nf .if onn x- i 
 
 when l,c. Stat,., tl.at the ,„„xi„,„„. ,..a,.o w,. I Ifi foot ! pZ",; ', 
 
 ..^l.la,„s, h,, s„brtit„t„l the te,„|,„,-„,.v t,„,.k ■■ f,,,- ll,, 
 siiv,„ga year's time." 
 
 ,e p„,'prts,, of 
 
m 
 
 ^ 
 
 It 
 
 Till" lino of tin.' Canadian ]*'u'iti>' ficcini rlic plains, ascends the 
 valley of l'>o\v Kiv(.'i', and passijug lllu<r- "W-^t of tin- mountains descends 
 the valley i>f the Kicking Horse ilo' tllii«> RivcT Coluinliia. The lino 
 follows the hank of the river fi»r Sl}» miiLi^a^ whence it cnminences to 
 cross the Selkirk Range, asuenJamtr hj the Ileavei' N'alley, and 
 descending hy that of the IlJe-c.eB^'-W;i»*t;.. 
 
 The distances are as folio Wis. Ttiutj hive hecii given liefore, hiiL 
 on iin examination of this characl.t'm. tii^ires have to l)e repeated. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Fi-iiui t\u' suiiiniit, down the Kicldiur 5ff'n?'*«» to the Cipluintjiii 45 
 
 Along the Kiver Ci>luuil)ia -.. .., 'Mi 
 
 Ascundiiig Beaver Valley , 20 
 
 Descending the lUe-cette-waet 44 
 
 VV.) 
 
 The second line of ihe ('olauiftai! i.-^ here reached, wht'iice the 
 Kagle Pass is follow eil. 
 
 What is the clim ttal coui.Lhiiouu of the mouiilain range, the 
 Scdkirks, hetwcen these tWM liiif-t- ...tf nliue Rivi-r ( ohiniliia I 
 
 The height of the lirsl sunindt, nllu*r- Kicking Horse Pass is r),;iOO 
 foot aliove the sea ; the second Huauauiitiy hetwei'ii the waters of the 
 I'.eaver ami the lUe-cctle waet. its ft-^^M' feet;. 
 
 The rejected Yellow Head Pat;*; ii* 31,.to'tH feet ahove the sea, free 
 from every trace of dithculty of huo^w,. Lee nr avalanches. Such is 
 its liistory of h df a century. 
 
 Mr. Fleming's vahiahle w.^rk tlL'r'j'W.+ enpecial light on the (diniatal 
 condition of the mountains travfKHii hv the Railway. In his 
 expediti(>n to examine this very gr'nMUi't. he descritied the ohenomena 
 which attracted his attention. Thai ilu*- hxA done so may yet save the 
 country from the perpetration 'jf am :u'.i; of ra.shncsSs which may cost 
 millions to rectify. Mr. FlemiugV -'jmcrihution to Canadian liter- 
 ature at this juncture, is jiarticuluailf vahiahle, hecaus(> having tho 
 asstirauce of his character, we know !tllui;C it is honest and relialtle. 
 
 The descri]ition given hy liini i*- iiu-jti a [licture id' winter and des- 
 olation. It wiis in the early days (»tf .'?*i*pCemher, when we are yet in* 
 summer, with om' green Canadian f' iliiiuft*,. antinged tiy the autumn. 
 
49 
 
 i« rn constant ,in,i,s,,,. „f I,,,,-,,,, ,,„,,„.,, , . , '^ " , ""■ " 
 
 i" .1.- f..n„ ,„ „.|,i,.|, ,l„.v a,,. Jt " "'"■ ""■"• ""■'"^■'■^ 
 
 Kiv',. ft!!,!, ';'::;;:':: '"■':'^'"^"'^" ^''■- "■•-". i- ..:™,i,,. n„„. 
 
 ni>u l[..iii (.,,lj;;„T a,„| ,s gaii.ni;; thr suraimt 
 •■ ".. «n.,„l..,l f,„.,. f,,„. ,„i|,. „,|,^,„ 
 
 fill...l -vi.l, .„o;-L„ ';"■ ""■ '•' ''""" '""■■■ --""-Laix,, peak, 
 
 .«•- ^*"::: ';:n:;^' " ^7-' 't- '''-' "- -■aia;.,„.,nvi,,,.,, i„.„ 
 
 aii.ii....n,i,,,,; :;;;:;,;: "■■;. -'"-i" -nxn,.,,.,,, „r 
 
 ""■••■■- .V„„. ln,l f.., , ■ „ „ r',1'^ .-.-.v. .>f «v,,i,.„ 
 
 ^^■:^z;::;r' • ---=™ :.'^-r;::;:::::::::;o;!:; 
 
 -:";r:;;:'n::;::!:;;;;:;;;:.:;:r;::,;::t:,:' -;-;• 
 
 I.IU5ll,„V,-,|..«,.,„|,.,|-.^|, .,.,(, "="^'- "'•" II"- av;,l,„„.|„.s 
 
 :;.fi.:';-:;:::4:;:;,;;;ii::r!:;::r'r;;;r';'- 
 
.'>0 
 
 
 i ■■ I- ,■ 
 
 ^l 
 
 
 Mr. Flemiiif^, on the 1st .Septe!ub«i-, i^juytH- 
 the Columbia. 
 
 "The sun li^fhts up th(i wlioli' valit-v \tf iS»»- »' 
 great Selkirk range lies in front of uh. *- * ^. 
 A glatder is visible to the south, and lar;i<' ai*»iiR \t -huvw, f» 
 accumulation of centuries, rest between th»- y^i-M.^ " '. "Z^"^ 
 
 "We were, now no longer by Beaves' iC; \ 'r ^v , . . r. 
 
 for fifteen miles, and had ascended u biuti-n umu-ii fS»ar Cj)^i*l5, 
 * * * * We reacheij a ru;;;i»ji Hi.pi.-.i, - jfswi'mo;. 
 
 up to the summit whicli we arc to mxMst. x x z ■< 
 We crossed many old avalanche Hliden. -^.-Hjaii* -^ • 
 mountain, as we wend our way, great seuv - ?■ 
 seen two Imndnnl or three hundred lem t... • 
 narrow valley through which ]><'ar (J'ru»-i; :fivi.»«-t. 
 observe a glacier, possibly fifty yards thick., tc ia» .^ki- .• - 
 nation, it takes its origin at soiuf n-Ui'ti. ,i 
 the reach of our vit;w. lielow llie glaci*^:. kit tai»* 
 there are traces of a heavy avalaiiche, wh^a?*' -»»»«» lutv t^^. 
 and crushed in all diri'ctions. d uilgiu;j fsmu -aiP *>■ ■-/ • 
 tlu! movement must have; taken place a ciru-HiU'tr. ti' * 
 was probably caused l»y \\w. breaking; oti »d ». .11. • 
 glacier. What co"ld have been niuri- uia.|«^' -ibin - : ■,,- 
 
 of tliose great glaciers, in its descent drJ\iUi: ^'^'^^JcMui r^'^w uS a* 
 stubble in the ti.dd. (]>. 265.) 
 
 .Mr. Fleming n-aclies the summit I'f th' *»«Ufca'k, - TC- , v 
 
 1,000 feet above tlie sea, surrounded liy mouirluJiK >f -..:*,,,, 
 lietween them the everlasting glai'i<'r.- jire*»;in iJiu* n : -i.jifHlii*- 
 
 variety of appearance. . . 'i'he ViUi*'* ;>*. ■ • • >, 
 
 completely enclosed t)y what seemed to bi' iiug^mi*'. : _ ._ ., „-■, 
 
 Towering high near the crest th***- '\j» x. «»r>^ tA ^»»iii*ir* 
 extending for half a mih' nr inuri' fi'uni U'triiij •!>■ <.>iicii,' -|». iftC. 
 
 >[r. ^[o!>erly asccndi.'d ih'' I lli'-oetU-.-wuit. t UmCaiw^' » 
 estimated at iifty miles to the forks, one 0I' *'iii»Hi- -ii*- 
 hi' traceil some thirty miles furtlicr. 'J'hi^ ifrmch. '^r- ■. ■, 
 
 (•?/,/ ih- sar among snowy mountains, (p. :H'C i. 
 
 ' I (Mr. Mol)erly) tried h> induc<- th«' JjiUttnH- t>v arfr,<«C;«_. . ,..,.> 
 all till' way across tlu; Selkirk Kangi'. X'A .-nv --£<•>.* iir.»in%' 
 
 unavailing, as tlu'V alhrmi'tl that if wi w.ir ii v- .i\> ■ .-i '■■^ "vr^-jht 
 in the snow, and never gi't out ol ilp' iii>>uit.ii iv ' 
 rejiort. ISth Dcccuibcr, ISO,').' N'mIi' ]■. :iO 
 
isa 
 
 -;' + 
 
 'To the west there in a tmun^^iiMi* 3itip\cf. vr{i«aee iiRMM) MM of 
 sourcos of tlie lUe-oette-wajl. W*, «**a«-^#i ?lowlj' <»iKMtdb, b«t with 
 increased rapMity of actual <i^#<>)r«' '?»i«fl(inc( a *:r>» 'vf »ralaiieh« 
 slides. . . . Tlxi flat in i\in tf^itti^ if th« ni^-^^jtv^waot in irDme 
 parts may he a (quarter uf a iiiii*; rt- ■.«^.«ith, h«t it w «!ri«ft*'liiigly 
 irregular in that respect.'- -j.i. ^TT^J, 
 
 'We soon iiiid '>\irsii]\i'> ix\ti iiiiu^^fie^tU(*th^lnwtktmuadL Th« 
 adjoining mountains are .-steep, nut} \iu>^\f,t ^yf .vfKiiw^hfi^ v*: frvjofttnl- 
 —p. 272. 
 
 '(Jar coursi' has heeJi \vi;^l^*fiv xittsfujii x 7nll»n' IbmkfA <r» fc^jth 
 sides hy high rnountain.suf aiJ Wwa' ♦^♦h ;fiter1yin{5gWiw*/ — f». 273- 
 
 ' We continued through x\itt •^4\t*'.%. •.♦^led- in hy OMOfttrnK^ tb* 
 height of which must hi- couiiiMi \t^ iJiiXnntnruKu oi fe^L \i\fit % 
 progress of fourteen mile.'- \vi K^HtM- Mytrf-tM^o Isvcj*- •.■..>^^jt *A f»>'i**TJ 
 snow, otK! on each sidi- of tli' liv^sr, inUV'Sfi!^ f*^t W:k fr^/w it, W^ 
 learn that, thnic years ag<j, wii«jj ijt*i ***r<, Ktiirv \r«*r*i m:v^ Iwjjw awJ 
 higher, forming a great naluiul i/*-i<i>;* t*T>ii«« :,h<* ■«tivj»m, Tliift irat^, 
 which is here of considerable mAuum rt</t :mp^tn<>«titv j«*m;>'I xlfV/n^jh 
 the ojx'ning which it had foio^d m Mm <l(mttin. It i** ti'*^ v^mdrtA hi 
 an avalanche from one- of the gia<r»«fcr. gi; Trht''h 'laU* n^* 'A0: *-jm t/^H., 
 and, us I have saiii, it was lir^$t iit:*HJ \in*(* \'*<a^ *>.. TVr \tnt\'j^. fia* 
 disappeared, and oidy the ■<i\}\x\,ut*'M\t ifi rtAr«l fb^^'n <wim *fS vy. ta*: 
 loft, and they are graiiually iuellii<>' #»*Vrt*. ft i« trt hur hd'^rp^X that 
 it was of no late o(;i'urreji<;<'. ai.t'J \itA' -Vl«» rti-'i'- ■* Iat^ Ia^^i 
 precipitateil from a nei^ihhouriiig ;;i<»»;*^ n*i«<Mnt.;. .. - '^motttm 
 occurrence in this district. Mr. 'A^f.^xr- iti^-ntion** \u ... 'I'^i-tiA^ V* 
 .Sei)t., 1805, having seen furth'^f up 1^ [j|l»»-/«ftt*''vr<wet a -rAxj^-, 
 
 on wliich his party eros.sed th*; altt^n ¥fiifU UnPfM tvro hnstir^l taA 
 fifty feet htmeath without hi-iuj^ *MAi. rj.. -i^s^. 
 
 The ni.i^hts aic now < c)ld, aud t^ifU inominj: w*- *r»' *M\lf^ 
 although wi' wrap oursel\e.< m uuf h<i»fji|»<» vrith<Mit Fi»'jf*^ nwh*i«fi*A. 
 [t could hardly i)e other wist- iij l<»> f«>';<;lt)i/>MTiu'i'<<i ''/f *.• rr -' 
 glaciers, (p. 27 7). 
 
 I will (dose my extraet.- ln-r- . /»!;#!< .iwUnif thi-m tit*- «|««*tsirm 
 may AVidl l)e asked, will the <;..viH'ji»**»f|i' j^rlTiit the Un*i t'.' *-^ t«k<»t» 
 across the Solkirks. It is tlie tlymmut if. 4a#'i»'ri». A* M: ./ 
 
 tersely puts it "an avalamhi- i^ t"<:ni^tu^k■ i1«f';*t1 imrr,»-.,nu>» o •; •. ':< 
 here." .\ uiost scarehing \u\n.ifU^\nn MiwUi Iv* tmA^ 
 character of the distiiet. I d-' j^ot n*vit)iau u^ «iv that tt Wpii »j»^ * 
 
wtm 
 
 I 
 
 , f. 
 
 52 
 
 public scandal if tlio liia- he jxTiiiitted to be taken in tlic tlivoatcned 
 direction. Tliere will be perpetnal risk of tlie sto]iiia,L,'e nf tratlic, and, 
 at an inmiense cost, the line will have eventually to be clian.i^ed rniui<l 
 the Kivev ('oh'inbia. 
 
 Tn the liieantiliie let us see how Mr. Reed, of .loliutte, Illinois, 
 deals with this sul)ject. 
 
 " While traversing tlie line remaining to be built tlirou;j;h the 
 U'Odiliil firiiioit, (.') rr/ifr/irf (if s/toir .v/AZ/x were seen at and near 
 Kogers Pass, in the S(dkirk Range, also, near the sununit of tiie main 
 range of the Roid^y .Mountains. I'.ut ///'' a;/'j)'i'i/afi'>f i/isfani'rs in 
 irhirli ili<'n<' nccitr dn unf i\rc<u;l fiffcn /n/7i'>-: A intiiiln'r nf sitmr .tlndx 
 will i)robably be riMjuireil for the protection of the track, liut nearly 
 forty miles of these are in successful use on the Central Pacific Koad." 
 
 We do not in Canada rt'quire to be told what a snow-shed is. 
 They are to be met constantly on the Intercolonial Railway, where 
 they are in legitimate u.se. It is to protect the track frum a ht.'avy 
 snow fall, and from the drifts, which, in localities, often colli'ct in 
 mas.ses nf some feet in de])th. I have no knowledg(! of the use of 
 them on the Central Pacific, s(.i I shall say nothing on the sultject. 
 P)ut anynne reading the descrij-tion of the climatal conditions of the 
 Selkirk Range, must at once recognize that it is not iirotecticm from 
 an ordinary heavy fall of snow, nr from snow drifts, howevei' serious 
 and deep they may lie tuund, which is called for. What must lie 
 looked for is the fall of an avalanche, the constant dreai! if an over- 
 lianging })ortion of the glaciers casting itself ilown in the narrow 
 valley. Mr. Reed seems to think tifteeu miles of such risk i small 
 matter. Kv( n if it were confined to that limit, the danger woiild be 
 sutlieient for a conseientious, hduest and ennipctent engiiu'er tn report 
 in the strongest languagi' against any such location. .\s 1 read Mr, 
 Fleming's record of his oliscrvations, the distanci' extends nn the 
 Selkirks over forty or fifty miles. 
 
 And then ^Iw Keed's renietly. F.ipialiy it is that of Mr. \'an 
 Home. "From personal observation," says tiie latter, ''J can vouch 
 for the correctness of his statement."' The counteraction is among 
 the curiosities of modei-n literature I A snow-shed to stoj) an ava- 
 lanche, to retain the track inta(;t from a land slide, which often en- 
 gulfs whole villages, to preserve tlu! nnubbed free froiu an influence 
 which changes the face of a district, and which is classed among the 
 
 'It 
 
 ■i' t 
 
53 
 
 Hiat both .Mr. \-„„ U,„.„„„„, M, i , f, I' '" "°t ""Pvobable 
 
 T..™ ':::/^;;,.;:;;::-r:;::,r ::::;,- ''vr-^''^' ■--"•- 
 
 suIuVct. ■""'"■■'ll™ti"ng,v,.„t„,l,i« important 
 
 ;-"-'r-"^H:::::;:;'t::;n:::;:;:^^ 
 
 ™hvay „,„i,l ,l„. i„|,,„,,„,. „f ,.|„^i^,,.;"'"'"^» "'"'I' "■""'•' l'ln« a 
 to^lt oc, ,^l,a,U,,...,,.s,a.,o,,,,ly c,„«,ai,„,l, ,l„. ,,,„„■( of .M,, hJi 
 
 ll«a» Pa,ti„:,t.,„. „-l,„ lived ,„ „ .T'" "' """ '"'•'""•■ '"«> '""'iU™ .t„„„ 
 "tl, ,„„,, a,„l |..tt,.,.,„. ™, ' , ■" "■"■'"""" ""-■ ''"'""' '■""""» 
 
 Atlantic Oc..a„ l,«,t At„ l',,,. U -J „ 1 ' "T"""" "'" "■"""«''• '''I'" 
 
 ,"«-'"• -I t, i,av,. ,„c,i,ii,.,,;, ; ,^Z~'t "T h" '" •■',''""■ "'■ " '""'"'•■ 
 
 !>« 'laict and stea.lv, v..„ „-il| bo at \ r ; ''"""■ '"' "' '"""'' """- 
 
iffi 
 
 54 
 
 •r" 
 
 :l\ 
 
 If 
 
 a 
 
 f fcS 
 
 'i' f'. 
 
 shows that it has l)Con definitely abtiniloued. It is easy to innlerstaiul 
 wliy such slioidd be the case with the policy wliieh marks the 
 Company, all i»ush and dash. First, it wtndd delay the emnpletion 
 of the line, of wliich so much has been said, and there appears some 
 desire to [)ush the line to completion, regardless of all other facts, 
 excepting that it is completed. They have justified the change of 
 location 1)y the one claim of directness of route, in view of obtaining 
 that myth the China and -Japan trade. Half-a-dozen freight trains in 
 the year would bring all the China and Japan silks and tea.s, and 
 curiosities and china, and idols, which would satisfy years of trade. 
 As to such trade passing in transit, tested by current events and 
 commercial analogies, it is a theory based more on hope than certainty. 
 The one positive fact on which stress is laid, and I have shewn its 
 absurdity, is directness of route, a saving of 38 miles in the distance 
 of 2000. 
 
 To take the line round the River Columbia, would destroy even 
 the prestige of these figures. Measuring by the map the line would 
 be prolonged 86 miles, that is to say, following the east line to the 
 Boat Kncampment to the mouth of the Eagle Pass is l.')0 miles; 
 deducting tlic distance across the Solkirks, 64 miles, we have 86 
 remaining. Therefore, with this line 86 — 38:= -48. The present 
 line would then ]h\ 48 miles longer than Mr. Mackenzie's line. 
 
 Had ordiiiary jn'ecaution l)een taken no sucli difficulty would 
 now painfully agitate the minds of those who have studied and 
 understand the question. Who can doubt that we are about placing 
 a Railway across a range; of mountains where glaciers abouml ; where 
 there are indications of avalanches, many of tlu iii of a formidable 
 character, and that at every hour there is a risk that tlic same action 
 may take place, and the line l)e cumbered with imm(Mise masses of snow, 
 ice, and shattered trees which may take weeks, even months, to 
 remove. We run this risk even on the summit of the Kicking Hor.se 
 Pass. For such a calamity there is now no remedy. lUit with 
 regard to tli" Selkirk Range there lies the ])lain duty of avoiiUtig 
 it, and taking the line round l)y the lioat Encampment on the 
 Columbia. 
 
 The authorities guiding the policy of the Canadian Pacific Railway 
 know well the facts 1 adduce. They even attempt to meet them 
 and explain them away in the feeble sentences of Mr. Reed. Does 
 Mr. Van Home believe that when the public mind is awakened to 
 
56 
 
 tlu, true .situation, that it will h. .aim..! by any su<:h paltry as«u- 
 ranc(3 of protection against an avalanch. by a snow shed. It would 
 H.'om that the Syndicate shrink from the one remedy open to tliem 
 he prolongatu>n of their line. Had they conducted their operation.s 
 Mith the skill and .system which mark the poli,.v of trained an.i 
 competent engn.eo.s ha.l they, as prudence pointed out, availed 
 themselves of the River Colun^bia, and started the, explorations I 
 have given m detail, in a few n.onths the facts of the situation 
 wouJtl have ]»een known. 
 
 The heavy grades, the short curves, the repelling clin,atal con- 
 ditions would Imve been established as such n.arked features of the 
 iine, that the Government, if it perfor.ned its duty, would never 
 have recogtu.ed the location. Had the Executive shown compliance 
 inquiry in i'arliamentw.uld have exacted the production of th,' 
 papers and reports ; and public opinion, so aroused, would have 
 ■sternly intervened to have demanded a more wisely selected and 
 better location. 
 
 B is not too late to save the pa.s.sage of the line across the 
 .Selkirk Range. The .question, which is one wliich must come before 
 the next session of Parliament must rise above the claims of party 
 political expediency, the interested adherence of per.sonal greed, and 
 he influences which, in such cases, invariably arile to inttrcep; th 
 true view of what is right, expedient, neces.sary and indispen.sLe 
 
Hff 
 
 !! 
 
 P! 
 
 w 
 
 &6 
 
 it 
 
 I'-- 
 ■ (. 
 
 , i' 
 
 
 t ... 
 
 
 n-' 
 
 I ■■ ■ 
 
 ' i 
 
 , 1, 
 
 i ? 
 
 rUAPTKR VI I r. 
 
 Ill 8ir (Jhark's Tuppev's ctdcbrated s])(!c(;li, of tlie oth Fobniaiy^ 
 of last y(!ar, ^ivcu witli his usual ability and jtowcr, h(.' made, the 
 fuUowiii^f remark. " I trust, uu(h'r tlu'so circumstauct'S, we, havii 
 heard tin; hist, eitliur iu tiiis house or out of it, of the uufouuded 
 statement, as 1 have proved it to lie, from tiie ligures whicli 1 have 
 submitted to tlie house, that this Company has taken the; money 
 received un(h!r this (.'ontraet from tlie ( iovernnunit, for the ])urpose 
 of buildinu a line of Railway from ('alleuder to lvamIoin»s, and 
 cxpen(h'd it on outside! enterprises a[)art from it, without any 
 reference to the Canadian Pacific Railway." 
 
 The last remark is, as the French say, Ar/.svt/v/r. According' to 
 one theory, the; J*erth and Toronto is an inte,nral part of the system 
 necessary to its (h'velo[)ment. Three millions and three-([uarters 
 have been avowedly expeiuh'd on 209 miles of coinph^ted road. 
 — " IJraneh lines west *ii (.'alleuder.'' Four millions, " on advances 
 and accounts receival)h' for extension to the sea-board." lUit the 
 <luestiou must not be complicated by these considerations. To the 
 public mind, tli(> Canadian Pacific Railway, constructed liy ])onuses 
 from the ( ioveruiiient, must* ever l)e the line from Calli'iider to 
 Savoinxa Ferry. 
 
 ,\. statement has been made to Parliament of the expenditure on 
 this Une. If it be proved that such expenditure is impossible, then 
 if the amount lias been expended, it must hjive been on the work 
 vmdertaken ])y the Syndicate outside the C'anadian Paciiie system, and 
 on lines constructed in opposition to existing lines. 
 
 Mr. Stephen ckiims that tlu; company have expenthnl on the main 
 line, west of (.'alleuder, embracing 11-U miles of railway for con- 
 struction .$23,078,929, the average cost per mile being 820,406. 
 
 Tho cash subsidy was 12,28!l,212 
 
 Laud grant honds !),021t,012 
 
 Salo (if town lots*. 477,775 
 
 $!21,7flr),i)!)0 
 
87 
 
 M,uv,. i„„k.,l ti„,„,,.|, ,l,„ |.„Ui„ ,{,,Mr„s lo,i,„l the .latahv 
 uol, U„. ,„„„„„t )„i. l,o„„ pai.l. It is ,„>t «iv,.„ ,.xa,..tlv ; tlu, l„.,t 
 
 .■-to-co. 1 ,.„ ,„„i ,, ti„. ,.,tim„t„ „tti„. sti, i„,,„„i,„;, ;.,„„. ,..0 
 
 :::t„::,;::::""*'^'^'^'-«^--'-^'^'"«' ^ u.,„„a:,. 
 
 '■'00 milu8 (.11 tho central section („ &\0 000 
 al " " u 4, ,, '^'"'""" 
 
 r(> .? I. •<.:{;{;{ 
 
 Da 4 
 
 Tlu- (listanco horn Wiiuiiin- t„ iIka suiiunit. 
 
 The total o.stiniatu i>n this occasion is iJlJ.OOi'.lL'O 
 ^h: Stt.'[)iuin",s rcjported receipts are .^iL'.L'Sit.'^ll' 
 IWsil.ly tl„. l,d„„„. „;„ „„ ,„,„„,t ,,f „-,„.k ,.',st'„f p,. Artl,,,,- 
 
 1 ,',?'■','•'";''''';; ":'"> ■■':™«"'-i "■ -"H-- -,...■.. .iv,.,, i„ti,cs« 
 
 «t tl,„ 1,„1.„ c.. ,„ „„t , ,,„„, \v„ ,„.. „„„|,l,„l l.v Uu-L ,i„u,,., 
 
 apijrox.niatoly to .Irai-rU,,, the w„rk snl,sMi.,,|. ' 
 
 5! .. .. "™"i««t.™u „it ,„;„,,^ 
 
 />? " ..n.co.„,,.i.ri,,;;-v;;,;,;;,;-,;-^;;-,-;;; ;;;•■■; ;»;™ 
 
 1 Imv stat«l i„ an .arli,., ,;ha|,t.r h«,v Kaihvav ,,,.i„oor, wl,„ 
 know lK.n. „.„tl. a,„l act with a s„„«, „f .,,.,„„,,i,,i„„^ " ',[ 
 accents so that ,h,. ..«t of ovo,-, n,ih. is ,„..L If si -I . „ , 
 
 havc^ hc,.n k.pt on tho Can, „. Pa,,,ic Kai.way. thov „,„ t ^ 
 
 establi-v^h tlu, ,.o.st as .Stated l,v:\Ii. St(M.lHMi M ' <, • 
 
 .1 . . '^^""" ^'i\iJ- llic advocates .,t the ('01111)1 .v 
 
 |".y say that ,t ,s a i„.,.f,..tly ptivat,- n.atto,. f„, „,„ , ,, ,^, " ^ 
 
 the .nan„«. ,„ wh.ch thoy ke.,, thei. a. „,ts. ,, „„v , . , '; ,, 
 
 .■omark ho ad.hvsse,! hy an i,„livi,h,al. To „„.;,■ 
 
 rnyato capacity, a-c tho Sy„,,i„,t .„,.,, „„„;; ,;,' ,^ , ^ ' ^j ' "; - 
 
 ^^Icl'iil; ;:,;^;:;:;::;;::;:-t''"'-'^^ - 
 
 o ,0 . , , „., ,,„„„„„,. ,,,. „.,„ ,,^ ,^^^, ___^^ ^ »^- 
 
 aaht, *..,OO(),OO0, ,s an.plo, and that tho reason „,sio„,,| f,„. u,,, i;„, 
 
i 
 
 i^ 
 
 58 
 
 to enable the Company to complete " this, great national work " is in- 
 controvertible. Mr. lilake, the leader of the Opposition, thonght the 
 security anything but .satisfactory, and he moved, accordingly, that 
 the remaining Railway lines owned by the Syndicate, should be 
 included in the mortgage. Further, he held that the reasons given 
 for making the loan were paltry and insulficient. The Government 
 majority summarily ruled down the proposition. 
 
 But, however, jthrases nmy cov((r the true character of the appli- 
 cation, the Syndit;ate came to Parliament in forma pauperis and 
 demanded aid. One; of the grounds was that they hud expended 
 .$23,078,929 on construction. They backed up this a.ssertion with no 
 evidence whatever, and none has lu^en produced during the nine 
 mouths' criticism in the reported expenditure, and the inference is 
 that none exists. 
 
 If injustice be done them in this supposition, notliing will be 
 easier than to confound the assertions of the writer by j)roducing 
 the final estimates, showing what the cost has l)e('n. In the mean- 
 time the extravagance of the outlay must be considered impossible. 
 Tin'ough the plains there is only the embankment to be thrown up. 
 There are spots where there is some cutting, l)ut the character of the 
 work is easy to the summit. Hence, it is not a matter of difficulty 
 to form some approximate estimate; as to the cost per mile. 
 
 Purcliase (if land 
 
 ( Jrnbbing and clearing 
 
 Average 10,000 cubic yards excavation (a 25 2.500 
 
 Ordinary masonary for culvortK 000 
 
 Cattle guards 200 S.'JOO 
 
 1 mile of track -complete .5000 
 
 8300 
 Additional on the whoh,' line : — 
 
 15ridging and additional excavation, ) 
 
 fencing where in place, say ) 1,000,000 
 
 100 ordinary stations, each say .%000 (100,000 
 
 (i principal stations additional $25,000 1.50,000 
 
 $1,750,000 
 On the !).54 miles, per mile 1835 
 
 Superintendence 400 
 
 Estimated cost per mile $10,535 
 
 Turning to the line from Prince Artlnn- to Nepigon, the work is 
 known to be light, except the important bridge at Kepigon, not then 
 constructed ; and, if at all considered, it was possibly included among 
 
59 
 
 tlic iiiiitorials. From all 1 luivt.' heunl, tlif G7 niiU'S aoocptrd hy tlm 
 (loveniiiu'iit, as it ■wduKI ai)pear from a rcjiort in amitlicr place diil 
 not exceed .Sir),000 per nuli^ 
 
 Kqually so, the line 120 miles from Callemler to Sudbury, is 
 marked l)y no difficulty, it may not be possible to generalize! this 
 work, as that on the plains may be described, where the work for 
 hundreds of miles is of the same character. On leaving Callemler 
 there may be places here and there where the work is heavy, but it is 
 not representative of the whole ; there is also some l)ridgiiig. As a 
 whole, the work is possibly of a more expensive character througliout 
 than the line west of Winnipeg. But generally the work is light, 
 and it is believed by men capabl(( of judging and having the oppor- 
 tunity of doing so, that its cost was within the subsidy, ^15,384, or 
 that that amount was little exceeded. ^Fr. llickson, it is true, not a 
 friendly critic, nevertheless possessing the best sources of information, 
 tiins addree.sed the Premier, Sir. J. Macdonald, on the subject : — " It 
 is manifest from a perusal of the papers which have l)een prestiiitod 
 to Parliament, that the money subsidy and the lands granted l»y the 
 Government to the Canadian Pacific Railway, on the basis of the 
 Government's and the Company's estimate of their value, were suffi- 
 cient to pay for all the work which has lieen done up to this time 
 upon the Pacific line proper." 
 
 In order to reduce the work of construction to a minimum, much 
 of the location is marked by curves. If this assertion l)e an ex- 
 aggeration, the cost, in the tirst place, can be established by the final 
 estimates ; in the second, a publication of the table of curves and gradcis 
 will show the character of the line. 
 
 The branch lines west of Callender are reported tu have cost 
 .«!3,759,793---$l 3,977 per mile. 
 
 AVhence this ditlerence of cost between the ])ranches and the 
 main line 1 the latter amounting to .^20,400. 1 have endea\iorcd to 
 learn wliat distinctive excess of cost is apparent in the main line. I 
 have been unable to o})tain any explanation. 
 
 When we speak of I'ranch lines, we come to that extracjrdinary 
 creation, the Algoma branch of 95 miles, on which it is reported 
 $1,877,324 has been expended at a cost of iBl 9,761 per mile. 
 
 This line was completed in 1883 and abandoned. The ties arc 
 rotting in the ground ; the embankments are Ijeing washed away ; 
 the whole, from neglect, falling into ruin. 
 
60 
 
 
 hi' 
 
 ■ I 
 
 Why it WHS fit all coiistructnil with the iiisiiiriricnt im-aiis of the 
 Company is iiii'Xi>li(;al)h), oxccpt mi tho ^tduikI that the Syiulicutt! 
 (Icsirt'il tn cxti'iiil their (Mintrol over the lakt; navi,<,'atinii of Lake 
 Supcrinr. With this view, (luriii^j hist year, thrtMt vessels were eoii- 
 strvicted in Scntlaud, and tin<' vessels they are. Tlu-y are niarke(l 
 by the extraordinary feature, however, that they are unal)le to pass 
 thr(>u;^di the enlar^'cd St. Lawrenci' Locks, for they are '2~'y feet in 
 length. The enlarged St. Lawrence Lock is only li70 ffct. I'.ul a 
 report ineornietly assigned the length of the chanilter to he 27") feet, 
 '^)wing to the necessity of opening and shutting the hinder ])air of 
 gates, about twelve feet is exacted from the length of the c.hand)er, 
 so no vessel l(jng(!r than about 258 feet or s(j can pu.ss through. Why 
 the additional feet were added to tiii.s length for l)()ats on the Lake 
 Superior and lake trade, I cannot leai'ii on any principle of naval 
 arcliitecture. That they had to be cut in two, to puss through the St. 
 I.«'iwreni'e Canals, was antii-ipated owing 1o the incomplete condition 
 of the IJeauharnois and Cornwall Canals. Hut it was not anticipatiul, 
 as it was said at the time, that they would have dillitiulty in passing 
 through the enlarged hx^ks of the Lacdiine Canal. It was only Ijy 
 removing some of the work from the bow that it could he. eirectcd. 
 Cut in half ami lloateil on pontoons, they wen; taken to the lakes, 
 there again to be riveted together. Ihit from their size, licing unabh; 
 to pass the St. Lawrence locks, tln'V can never proceed castof lUdTalo, 
 whereas, with thcii' length adapteil to the new locks, they wouM 
 have been lilted for the main line of communication of Canadian 
 waters, and w<juld bi' as available at Montreal, as at Lake Su[terior. 
 
 These lake steamers ap[)ear in tlu; exjienditure under the lunid uf 
 iip5o2,251. With a private comitany there might bi; an impropriety 
 in canvassing the policy of incurring it. l)Ut the Canadian Pacific 
 can no longer be so considereil. l'".\t'n in dillerenl circumstances, 
 th(! establishment of a line of stcamI)oats would liave been held to 
 be a somewhat arbitrary interf(ireuce with the entei prise of the ship- 
 owners in the Lake Sujjerior trade. It nuxy hi; urged that the Ijclief 
 existed that the boats engaged on the line did not extend the 
 necessary a(;commodation and that the anticipated rush of emigration 
 to the North- West (huuanded their establishment. Kven if such an 
 argument were admissable, tlU're was uo ininiediale necessity for their 
 being placed on the route; at this early date, liy iill the reports of 
 
 v: 
 
(il 
 
 ,, '" •■'■'""■'■'-" "ill, ,1,,.,,. I,,,,,,, „,,„,. ,i,„ „„, 
 
 '"■■ "';'"■■'; " ^'1'' ""■■'"■"' v,.„ if „„.,„,„„.,, .: 
 
 M..n,.„l:„,.M „, :,,,„.kvilll,. ,|,„,„ i. „„ ,,„jK,,.v , , ; 
 
 "fh.M, ,,■,,,,,,,,,, .,,,,,,,! l,n,,.,.|;.iKva,v. luv,, if,,,,, ,;,,,,' ' 
 
 Kaihv,,.v )„„| „,aj„,,| „,„i,,„| „,. I "■' li""k 
 
 :""7"-' :■■■;"- '■ '-..,, .<„„:.,,,:,;,. ;:.;';;;7, 
 
 i-gi«.ii,vi,,,v,.,.,.,.,.iv,,i„„.,',„„„ii vi,i,. ,„:;„.i,i,,,. "" ''"'"■'■ 
 
 IlM.,™s,|i|li,,,|f,„ j„„if i,|,„,. „,,, ,.,,,„,„|i„„,,„f ,,,„ , 
 
 ^:::L;;i;:i:-;::i;,;::;'i;::.:-;:;---;.^ .:;::: 
 
 it was tliis spirit, whidi recklessly awoke the liostilJt,. e .u 
 
 <:n,^ T,.„,,, K,i,„.. , , ,„ „;, ,„„, „",;>;;-';. ; .. 
 
 it!:;.:^, ;:T;:;r'.^;::;:r'7r''''''r''--- -'■■<"'- 
 
 ::!',?;:,;:"'■ »••'■'---- »-"-.-.-. L':,::,:',;; 
 
 Thus, through the w],.,],. hira.jti. „f (•.^■,,iT tl, ,. i 
 
 irr'TT'^ '^-^ ^' '-"-«ioJ:;.:r:: 
 
 the Cana.liaii Paeif,,. must fail to see huu- snrh ■, li,, i , 
 
 '■-'"-" •-''■''■H,.ifi,,,.t,,,,p.,,.,i,,,,:,V;,,,';x:,;;;;..;;: '■'"''• 
 
«2 
 
 
 r.' 
 
 The (inind Trunk Companv t'XjKr^HfHHiE tEw view as may hv well 
 rciuenibei'iid. Iiult'cul, it luay Ije uKkftiil wHuic art- tlu; several cxp(!iuli- 
 tures sel forth, in view nf the relali'm+iiiLp nf tlie Synilicate to the 
 Dominion of ( 'anada. Their conlrm.'l w,tt+ no eon.struet th(! untiuished 
 portion of the line between Callender .tiEut Kamioops. Tin.' siiUsidy 
 in money and land would have ^Mne iuu' &> ilo it. And if there liad 
 been e.ven;ist!d a healthy infiuenee in aattuniim to the stock, it is not 
 impr(.)babli' that it would have couuuLmAti E e.ontii hiucc in any market. 
 
 Again : What has the Canadiau JP'utBlii' Railwiiy, as sudi, to do 
 with the South-lCastern Railway, lli*:- Suae Liwrenee and Ottawa 
 Railway, the Atlantic ami North AVt^Ktiiru. ex(:e[)t in opposition to 
 the (rrand Trunk. 
 
 The .Vtlantic and .\nrth- Western iu^ijiufes a bridge over the St. 
 Lawrence at Luhinc, witli a eonneeii' a. west of the .Mountiin to 
 .Mih; ImiiI Station. Seven mile- of ui-u'ie are laid, unused, going to 
 destruction. There was little gradiu;z. Ilf z\v: line cost .$75,000, it 
 is as much as it (.'ould ..ive 'lone. iVwiiiBjliy -i.ime >*10,000 has l)een 
 ex]»end'.'d on surveys. The curve (;u2u IW seen entering near the 
 Mile I'aid Station. Vet it is clai:u>*iE i:hat ^'l.^G,()lfi has Ijeen 
 e.Kpendeil on this lim;. What is tlie re iw ■+&,() w for it? 
 
 If there be any one fact that t,hf II>»iminion of (.'anada should 
 remember, it is that the Victoria Jirifc*- eo.st nearly eight millions 
 of d(.)]lars ; tiiat it is a work which ^vr,u+ dhIv the r(!sult of great 
 financial effort, and that those who ixirwx'.t^A the money on its con- 
 .striiction in the hour of dilfictilty and ttDiiuL have a (dear claim on the 
 forbearance and gratitude of the ] louiiuavOi.. How is the latter shown? 
 At this stage in our history there i* nuo' r(-i[uirement for a second 
 bridge. The one condition of its beiii^ i» opposition to the (Irand 
 Tr'i' <.. Those who control our juilihi'.- policy have closed their ears 
 to all raeniory of the past, and ibex :iice ;is little guided by the 
 ncces.sities of the future, or they would "iHiC couritenanoe this unprolit- 
 alile use of capital. The construitJcJB "."li ,i* .-•ei-ond bridge at Lachine 
 is a moral, commtu'cial and politicaJ atu o^ wickedness. 
 
 The lines constructed by the (.'auuBiux Pacirtc establish the true 
 ndationship of this bridge. 
 
 T"'hey have constructed tlie liiie fr.<ui i^.-rth to Toronto, 19."t miles, 
 to connect with ilie Cn'ilit Valley, wMdlu nhey pro{»ose to e;Aend to 
 hetroit. They c(»ntrol tl."^ S iuth-3'2iHliMinv .ind. last season, surveys 
 and examinations iiave li'cn made to (A.^uini a new direct connection 
 with the Atlantic. 
 
(>3 
 
 ovvrtlu-s. lin,.. tlu. li..n ,n:n t,. th. ( ;ov,.nuu..nt in no uav 
 stainls. '• 
 
 What l,„. ,l„. ,;„>-,.,„„„.,„ u, ,l„ „.i,h U,i» ,„„si,!,.rat„m of an 
 Atlan,,,. „.n.„„„s ; I, ,. |„„.„|, , ,,„,,, ,„,,„,^,. ,,, ^,,, ^.^^^^^^.^^^ 
 
 S«l.|.".i,,., f,„. ,l„. ,sak. „f ,„■«„■„.„„, ,|,„ (■ ,a„v ,,,,, ,,„,t t„ 
 
 . .■ ..,v.,„u„,..„t ,l,„ ,a,.a,|ia„ I.,,,,;,, „„„ ,„ , ,,„, ;,_" ^^ ^ ^ 
 
 of tl„,. ,„,, ,,,„„ ,,,,l,.,„|,„. ,„ ,„ kvill,. a,„l .Mo„t,.oal. Tl„,'u 
 
 through th.- I'nilv.lStatos. "" 
 
 A...I wha, is ,„ ,„,.v,.„i thi, I ,.,, „.,,„„ ,1,^, , 
 
 con..n,c„,l ,1„. ,„.,. u. Sa, „a „■„,,,, ,„,„„, ,,„ ,„, „,,,'. .. ' 
 
 Nhoul,. any la« at... i„ .vori.,,,, it, , ,,,„ „„ ■ th,.„„„| ' 
 
 nothn,, at all to stav ,h,.m ,ivi„, „,, u,,, li,,,.. ,,,. ,,, f,,,.,. u,, ,. . 
 »-or ., ,o„„.t than „„,v ..,. ,i,. T,„,> l,a. „, t„ „a,„Mt 1: ■ 
 
 ;;:::;;::::■;:"■ "■"" " "■ "'-" -' '■' ' <• - '■■'"> 
 
 Th.,v ,.a„ 1,., all ,,o, ,.v,.„ U,„. «to,Hio„. i„ ,i,,„,|,,i||„ ,„„, . 
 
 r™lo„,vh,,.h.l,,„,.isa,,,o«,.a.,.,,t,iv,.,,,illi,,,,.sa,.,lal,.lf 
 
 l.cav,„g tlu. (:.,von„„cut to ,1™! win, t|,.. |,,„„| ||„|,|„r, t|,„v ,.,„ 
 r.-..rga,„z,.. ,„Kl,.,- anothot „a,„e, ,,a,.ti„g with the Montreal -onn-Hio' 
 
 lh.,y.a„con,tn,c-t anoti,,.,- la-an,.!, f, , Montreal to S.nilh'; ',,: 
 
 ;";■ "■'='' ^' "'■"■/''"' " ■^'""'.■'-1 llK.yhave a (i.e.i sv.ten,' to 
 
 H;r;'M::; X"-"* "" ^■'-'•"-'^'- i..vin:,. 
 
 The mo., earcies, ohsen-et >vl,o l,a. seen ,he Canadian Pae„ie 
 ma,« ,ss„o,i th,« snnnne,., „n,s, have remarke,! that ll,e li„e i, 
 
 *""■" Pi^'i"".««l frotn AlK a Mill, to Saalt Saint Mar, ,le,l ,1,' 
 
 mer ,s er.,sse,l, an.i ,l,e ]i„ ,,,,i„l „ Saint Panl. The Jista, 
 
 f™, A,..„a Mil. . sanit San. Ma, ,s ,. . 
 
 There is every p,.„hal,ili,y that the ll„„se „,■ ,J„n„ ,s „o|| !„■ 
 
 ealle, „,...„ ,0 ,,s„li.e -.00 n.iles of KaiKvay fr S,„|l„„., ,,„„, 
 
 ..on ,o sa„h St. Mary. 1 presn, t tie- enrrenr rate, *lD,:m ,, 
 
 mile ; so t|,e anionnt will l,e , |,er ^ranl nf *l,OCIi.(iO(i. 
 
(>4 
 
 TIktc is every iiulicatiu]] thai nufli u u'lmuii' in ^r^iaz. tptu,^ ,,4 
 the strange armiiueuts t,, be used is, thai h \rjd. mBt :h^ ja«.*t lainiirt! 
 oonnection from Mcmtreal t<i St. J^uil. 
 
 The distances will tlicii he : 
 
 ^[(llltrL'al to Siulbury Junction ^^., .^ ^ jjj 
 
 Sudbury .Tiiiiction to Algoma Mills ^ ^ ^, V 
 
 T<i Siiult St. Mary, say ^^ ._ _. ^ jij^ 
 
 Sault St. M;u-v to St. J'aul _^ '' 444. 
 
 If till' (listaucti to Xcw \'oik lvjiuc into cal'.-uitjtjm^ir-- iuwc s^id 3»#C 
 
 Distance by this route from St. Paul to New i'.f^ ,^,, j^jy 
 
 ( >ii the other hand fr.iii New York lu ♦huu; B'tJiL tiur .«-iu slhk*r 
 I 'tiited States, is : 
 
 Tsew ^ ork to Suspension Bridge . . 4*^ 
 
 Suspension ]',ridg(! to Cliicago ..^^^ „, vjg 
 
 Chicago t( 1 St. I 'aul ^ . ^_^ .^__^ ^ f||b 
 
 fif 
 
 Wliat .daiin. ii may well he jisked. hu^ «ie;i t ^W-a*^ *i^ tiLi+ B^, 
 demand the support of the Domini. ,11. i,Lal it *u,mui «- -'/'-^ndta^j-I f..'. 
 the amount of upwards .,f three miJli,.],,.. .-v:")!: u» i f-.-r:^ '-^'r:^ 
 siou to the ( 'anadian I'aeitie \ 
 
 It should be uneomprouMsin-ly oj,j„.m^4 -■•a ji ttj- r^fu<rtill nr. 
 orant it, establi.sli the blunder of tie- very «;iiU'>^Cii-.a -i^ tLr Xi^mA. 
 braueli, and cause the total ],,ss l.. the ^\^^^xym.J 5>r -.'ii* i»^%^ 
 <'.\peiiditure. 
 
 r 
 
^ 
 
 ciiAyrr^ m 
 
 I have, -iven an (.sihuaUr ^t *^,^- x^^ .. , , . , 
 
 work ^u■^^' K I 1 -^"^ *** * ^'^^ Vv-J ff^ 
 
 ^10,000 a .aile ].ss than Mr ^-J^ , J' '"/' ' ''^'^^ 
 
 ai.,>li.nl to on. thousand n.i., ^li^!^ :"^"P^^' ^- M^^ U 
 
 what I conceive to 1. the ..^.r 7 "^ T'"::''^^^ *^'"* 
 millions. '^ ""^ ^''^- r^}j^* S^ 
 
 r revert to the fact that n.v .=^,«^., ^,„,^,^ .^ „ 
 ^f, in any respect, it h. un«-^.^„^,,^. ' ^ 7 : "^ T''''^'^' 
 e^tinuaes, the refutation ca. U X^^ ^ %P-*--^ :3. fir^ 
 
 iliere is a greater reusuu Ui Um ^^^.^ ' • 
 if -e consider the tenus of th- ^.^^TT " ' "^'"^ 
 
 As r read it, iliis cujiiract. <J«'^j .tju- .W u t--. 
 fron. a point 40 miJes west of (a^V l^^^" ^""^'^ *^^^^ 
 Superior, Port Arthur. Tin. ^T ^^ ^^ t '^ '"'* 
 •s-=tion extended fron, a n.-nn 4^. 7. ^^'""- ^ "*^^^ 
 
 As I understand th. rJC::,^,^:^^ St"^' 
 the Saskatchewan : 45 n.iles Jt ^,. '' /'^^ " ^^ ^*'* '^ 
 ^-'" ^^-innipe,. The contract .^^ J^^Z T ''^ "'^ 
 
 The Payment U>t th.. J:a«t..rij bwru^ ^^ ^ ^ 
 
 " " .. ^. f^**-.. ,. Y:M*tjif0t 
 
 On the J 1st .Novenil..T. js^;^ th.w.H.u-^- - 
 
 Jlce ... precisely a case in poi;,- ;, ,^,^ ^ ,„^ ,, ^ ^ 
 An incon>plote contract set a.id. i.>,^^ Vr '^*^'"- 
 
 <'"' <'-rt.s ..f Law: ..o all ,.an.. a. 'Zw,\ \^*' ^* ^"^ '''^' 
 -f -ttlonu.nt .' Th.re could onhirt: "^ '"r ^^ ^^^ '-- 
 ^vnrk n.nst have been paid for. f.^- ^.^i^- , ' '^t ^'"^'■^''-- '^^ 
 There, then, nn.st hale ,„,., ll^ ll^ "'^^- ^'-'*- -'"- 
 
 how to the urd-aj. "'^'*"' "' '•'^"^'»^ J*^- ^A I 
 

 e>Cy 
 
 f>^ 
 
 
 f:>r 
 
 
 •1. ■ 
 
 ■I ■ 
 »: • 
 
 f. 
 
 I. ' 
 
 Mr. Fl('iiiin<,''s ostimate fur tliis (.listanfo was 81. '^,000 a luilt'. 
 
 I ilo not liidc from myself thr oulrry wiiicli will aiisc from those 
 who have liccomc dofoiidcrs of the Syndicate or arc dciirndciil ujion 
 it, when what 1 am writinjf appears in type. 1 have eiideavoureil to 
 state the truth alone ; when 1 fail, th(! fault is rather in tlie eilbrt, 
 not in the. desire to attain it. 1 have given authority for every state- 
 Tnoiit 1 advance, anil where (Jafu ostahlishing such statement are 
 wanting, I have endeavored to show the reasoning hy which 1 have 
 arrived at my conclusions ; that my inferences are not fanciful. 
 What need is there for mystery in the operations of the ( 'anadian 
 Pacific that so many iiicomprehensilih- events in its history should he 
 .slirouded in douht ? In honest and straightforward dealings none is 
 reqnired. Jlence so many speculations of the resources of the 
 Symlicate. Anyoiu' who mixi's in the money world in Montreal, 
 will hear the a>sertiou, that foi- the last season, they have hcen 
 dependent, as a Company, on the money they lia\c liccn receiving 
 from the ( ioverumeiit. houhtless when Parliament meets, a return 
 will he askeil for setting foi'tlt thc-,c. payments, and umler what con- 
 dition they havi- lieen made, (leiicrally such returns are so cuml)ercd 
 by formality and peculiarity of expression : so mixed up with 
 matters unconiu'cteil with the main facts, that it is dilticult to get at 
 the truth. Still, with ililigcnce, soim: meaning can he extracted from 
 Ihem. 
 
 Ihit the fact and the condition of each payment will he a plain 
 matter in state. What is necessary to set forth is the total .miount 
 of Work which has heeii e\ecutc(l, the priees allowcil for each item of 
 diiim, ai\d what the total sum paid on tlie execution of the work. 
 If given in a mere list of sums paid, in line after line of type, it 
 will lie indei.'d ditlicull to [(ciietratc. 
 
 To lie coniprehensihle it should he di\ideil into sections; hrst the 
 ll.'il miles reported as coMpleted. lieing clearly s|ieciHed, so that we 
 may know where the Station is of each section of work on which 
 .idvanccs have heen made. 
 
 The sections shouM he as follows; 
 I. From Sudhury West. 
 
 L'. I'ort .\rthiir Fast — h'ss ()7 miles (?) already aiTcpted. 
 ."{. From the summit, Ho} miles (?) from Winnipeg, <ir what 
 
 the distance may he, westerly. 
 I. From Savonna l-'crry, the terminus of the (lovernmenl 
 Work, eastei'lv. 
 
67 
 
 I- ull .lotai sluMUd be ^ivon of rock excavation, earth excavation, 
 tunnel .vork, hn.lging and track, with the amounts paid n,i .arh 
 
 And this important principle must be known. Will the Svndi- 
 ca be ,rst paid for the w,>rk a.s it i.s perfunued, according to the- 
 schedule, and then be again paid according to the length, the pri-e 
 of the seet.„n, nul,. by n.ile, out of the subsidy in the hands of the 
 ' 'OvernnKMit. 
 
 Any other return will b. waste paper, and .-ven harassing to all 
 wlio refer to it. 
 
 Parli^unant likewise, should call for the linal measurement on the 
 11.31 miles of line to verify the statements .sul.mitted 
 
 Th..re is undoubtedly, great dissatisfaction in the present position 
 ..f aflairs^ u-hicl. the constant report of some extraordinarv work to 
 he executed or son.e remarkable step to be taken, in no wav tends to 
 4U I ubh. .onhdeiie. is not given toth. pn^lingsof the- 
 ^^^dl..ate^ I he- v.-ry reasons assigned for th. advanr., ,. ranted last 
 Ness.>n. of the 8:52.000.000. .annot be a-cpted as sufiici;;.. 
 These advances were as follows : 
 Security d.,.osit hd.i hy (Jov.n-n.ueut. t„ ho reloaded ^1,000 000 
 
 of r.u.,1 <Jrant Bonds l.eM for tho..ffici..„tcnnu.Io. 
 tion of the road . 
 
 mment of the Company of the sun, to ho deposited .as 
 
 security for dividen<l deferred to Xoveniher, l,S,S,S 2,000,000 
 •• 22,500,000 
 
 Temporary advance 
 
 ■•?32,35.{,!n2 
 
 At tho s:,u,o time the remaining cash subsi.lv, .S12,710 7S8 be 
 ;;'■ - •"; ;--''^ i;-'<^''^- >rr. Schrelbe, the Oover, ae!; I ' 
 "•'^''•' I-'t'"l -"'t there were mortgages on the r.ilw.v 1 / 
 
 '^"'''■'"''■'■and ^rontreal an,l nroebviU ' "^"""" 
 
 oo.uaiKi I'l'HkMile, amounting to .'^r) ,3:{.3 'H'^ h> 
 l.roeeeds to say. Xo. ;il, p;,.,, 0. X,,, •> ' ' ' ^^' '" 
 
 MVin, regard to the proposal as a whole, 11,,.. loave to savthit 
 m my opinion, too great importam.e eannot be at.aehod ,o ,],; 1 1 
 -•mpletion of the railwav whieh is to eonneet the tl • 
 J^-iii- Oceans by way of llritishTerritorv. • ab' " '"'' 
 
 only means wherein- the Xorth-west ean be p...i,.,,„,' r, it 
 
 theH..ky>roui.a.n.wouldbo,n,edw,tha^.^^ 
 
 population. i';;'isI..n..softhe,,,.ineneeanwouldbede:L:T 
 
 '^'"■"•^" ^ "'--' •^.1- whieh now finds its wav into ':id 
 
II 
 
 £^S3 
 
 68 
 
 'fr ' 
 
 ;i ; 
 
 1. 
 
 i t 
 
 through the Knitod States, would no douljt follow our line as the 
 shortest and most favourable to tlu' East. In view of these facts, 
 I am prepared to recommend any reasonable temporary assistance to 
 the Company, jv.ovided the Government be secured against loss." 
 
 Xo one wJl deny the ja-oposition that it is advisable that the 
 Railway should be c()m])leted. I>ut the al)ove shallow statements to 
 iiilirm that such completion is immediately called for, are simply im- 
 potent to sustain that jtretention. In the view of the sacrifice the 
 coiintry is called upon to make, ])aynient of thirty-tw > millions of 
 dollars, the generation succeeding will wonder that a Canadian Jlouse 
 of Commons should hav(.' been impressed by such arguments, or rather 
 the want of them, to make such a sacrifice. What population tloos 
 Mr. Schreider supjiose will be locate<l between the summit of the 
 first range and Sav(jnna Ferry 1 What is there, to-day, to delay 
 settlement to .Stephen 1 Access is e(pj|illy easy by the Northern 
 Pacific to British Columbia. What is this population to be engaged 
 in ? Til agricultural pursuits east of the Rocky Mountains, and we 
 have till! old story of a luiiibia'ing, mining and fishery population in 
 British Colund)ia, 
 
 Have our lumberers waited hitherto for a railway to reach linuts ? 
 l)otheyiloso to-day? If lumbering in the Rocky Mountains and 
 British Columlna were the pros})erons fields of enterprise they are 
 claimed to bo, the desired avenues are now open to reach them. By 
 Sti'plu.n, which ran be veache(l by railway, access can be had to 
 many a mile in its ncighliourhood. What is to show that tlu-y will 
 be afi'ected by this completion of the route ? 
 
 What is the history of mining on the Pacific? Let Mr. Schreibur 
 refer to the mining operations of liritish Cofcunbia which commenced 
 in lS.")r), when gold was discovered, and which proveil to be a turinng 
 ]ioint in the history of tho. Province, In 1^57 the country was full 
 of adventurers. Twenty thousaml jMioplc were gathered there. They 
 went through difficulties of no small magnitude in reach the spot 
 whi're gold was to be found. Since that date, roads have been opened 
 and access tti tlu? gold fields is com])aratively easy. There is r.ow no 
 extraordinary prize to ])v obtained in this search for gold. The truth 
 is kmnvn that lif(! here oilers no lottery ; that whil<> industry and 
 perseverance meet their reward, that there is little encouragement to 
 feverLsh and broken etlVirt. livery fact connected with the history 
 of mininu, that is, as the mines were known wlu'U Mr. Schreiber 
 
69 
 
 vil bn„g „„„tl,or ru.,1. „f ,„i,„.,, to tl„. Fo,,.' If „„,, ITovi.c 
 m.M„ the ...I. ,,f ..„„,„„„H,,, i, „„„ „„, ,,^. , ^„„^,^ . „, 
 l»> tlirift uiul ])y industry. 
 
 V„rti? ;'"' "'" "i',''"'"^- -^ •-"■■^"■•■■' «-ill take their |,n„l„c„ l„ tl,„ 
 
 inc\ exist t(i-(lav, 
 
 Mr. 8ehreiher is of opinion tluit tl.o trade of China and Japan 
 
 ^t r; ; ^'T'^'"'"' ,.00,11 tl,.. rnit.l state, ..ild 
 no dou.t follow onr line. Douhtless, a portion of it, sueh as it i. 
 
 ;;;;•:;::;■ '';r^■^n^^^^^--'^^^^-^^^•^-l-..venoftl:• 
 
 m ted rde could wo obtain ? Knough <.f it that our effort to ,ain 
 ■t should load us to pay Thirty-two ndllions to obtain it ? 
 
 All these aggregated expectations are phrases. Even in Hritish 
 Cnhnnbia proper, the railway can have no influence on the lumberin. 
 operations. AMu.t is manufactured must be exported bv shippm." 
 
 - no more facdities will be given for that bLch of\.onuL: 
 Avhen the railway is completed that it enjoys at present. 
 
 There are already two modes of comnumication with liritish 
 Coluiub.a leaving Montreal almost daily. I .question if at anv time 
 freight will range at a lower rate than it is to-day. There is certainly 
 nothing m the serious grades of the Kicking Horse Valley to su.- 
 ^s ..a It will W .0 on tlK. Canadian l-acinc K^^^^^^^^^^^ L r2. 
 
 Pa "'".[""' '•' "^ "^^■" ^^■^^^"' ^•' ^-'^"-^^^' ^'--e to St. 
 l.iul, Jienc! northward to connect with the Xorthern iVaulic 
 
 The second line is the Canadian Paciiic itself. The line from 
 1 e th to Toronto lias really become a branch of the Michigan Central. 
 ^ Imt was caile. , m old days, the Canadian Southern C ceased to 
 be km.wn by that name. It is now the Canadian l>ranch of the 
 Michigan Central. The Canadian Pacific line from Perth to St 
 Thomas IS an ex.tension of this route. It has become a portion of 
 he Midugan Central system, in so far it i. ,1..voted entirelv to 
 Liuted States interests in antagonism to Canadian interests. \ "con- 
 nection IS also obtained with this route with the Xorthern Pa-itic 
 The completion of the Canadian Pacific will have the one rc-on,; 
 menda ion that passengers and freight will be carried from Montreal 
 through British Territory. ' 
 
 But what is to be the freight from P.ritish Columbia? 
 
70 
 
 1''. 
 
 
 >'■'; 
 
 ,..ti 
 
 
 l"i' 
 
 I < 
 
 
 Ui 
 
 IM 
 
 !? * 
 
 
 I- ' 
 
 TluTc is only one vaiAim d'etre for the construction of tlie railway 
 J>y the admission of Uritish Colunihia, it bocamo a political nc(x'ssity. 
 Further, it is essential to the dwellers in the plains to oittuin for their 
 ))n»duce a market on the I'aeilie. 
 
 What a fallacy it is to speak of this rajiiil eonijtletion as leading 
 to rapid settlement. It iiii<fht have. l)een fortunate in increasing the 
 number of settlers had the ('ountry wisely kept the control of the 
 land ; but in this resjtect it has bartered away its ))irthright, and, 
 moreover, without receiving the traditional mess of pottage. 'I'Ik! 
 poj)ulation to-day in Manitoba and the Xorth-west is not 1."{U,000, 
 including 2."), 000 in the City of Winnipeg. ( )i i\w lln)usanil miles 
 of railway constructed, settlement has followed it only to a limited 
 extent. 
 
 I have alluded to the stress laid on the rapidity witli which the 
 track was carried across the plains, so many miles a day. The one 
 difHculty was to have money to pay the men. There was little grad- 
 ing. The ties and iron deposited at the end of the track as they 
 were distributed, were laid and spiked, and so the engine proceeded 
 onwards with fiu'ther distribution, and the l)allast trains followed. 
 It was, after all, a jjoor fuiu- i/n force, intended to attract attention, 
 and to obtain a reputation for energy. I think that the application 
 of February of this year, which coming events had taught them, of a 
 necessity, had to be made, had no little to do with the effort. As a 
 policy, it was adverse to settlement, and has left no trace bcdiind it 
 in any form. 
 
 My object in writing these few chapters is primarily to [irotest 
 against the line being carried across the Selkirk Range, the domain 
 of glaciers, at tlie risk of l:)eing often inojjerativi; for weeks, and to 
 insist that it is a national duty to carry tlio line round the River 
 Cohimltia to the F)oat Encanii)ment, and entirely to avoid the Selkirk 
 Range. 
 
 I have given what T liolieve to be a fair estimate of the cost of 
 the Railway across the plains. Until Mr. Stephen produces the final 
 measurement establishing the cost of each section, the public are 
 justified in think'ng that the' Railway on the 1131 miles constructed 
 has cost ten millions less than the figures show. 
 
 I have drawn attention to tlie po.ssi])ility of a subsidy being asked 
 for aline from Sudburv to tin; 8ault St. Mary, 200 miles : the amount 
 
 gi 
 
 i! ' 
 
71 
 
 will .x.o.,1 three ,nilli„„., of ,l„l,a„. «>„■!, a ,|,.,„,„„| ,,„. ,„,„ „„ 
 J.,t,„at„M, l,„y„„a rec„u,,i„.. tl„. ,.,,x.,„litu,,, „f th,. Ca„a,lia,. 
 P.-...fK. ,„.„nx,l „„ tl„. Al,,„„„ ,„,,„el, ; i„ i.,.,f, a ,„,„,„„ arisi, 
 ...■„.„*,,..,„. ,„„,.rtak,,„ „.itl,„ut ,,,„,f„l ,™.i,,„at"io,, ,,: 
 
 a«.,.rted , p„,,„s,e,, it .l,o„i,l l,e eo,.,,tructe,l bv th. Knito.! Stat! 
 r..pres„ntat,vc.. „f the interests which it i« i„te,„i,.,l t„ .erve 
 
 I have brought to notiee the ,tate,„e„ts „„,! lignre, of Mr. Kee.l 
 
 ttu ,.„|e, u,o e,tn„at.,.s are two ,i,„.,.al. , have ,K,i„t,,l „„t, 
 
 hL ; T " T" '""'■"■"■• -"I "■"' n.-oa»e,,io 
 
 iiis jiart can liavc no weight. 
 
 Tlmve drawn attention to the positive and deliherate assurance of 
 
 T^^Z 'T '" ^'•^''" ™^'^ —'I H6 feot to then.ile. 
 
 r us g,ade extend., a n,atter serious enough, for forty-nine ndles : 
 iht woik, however, for nine miles, is n.arkod hy the eniharrassin-r 
 grades from 500 feet to •>•-)() f,.of f n -i tnir)air.ussuig 
 
 "ur,,g_ ^ -'^ ^"-"^ ^"^ t'"^ "^'l'". accunipauied by sharj. 
 
 M'l-in^' to notiee the remarkahle assertion tliat it is possible to 
 ample ee .xactu^ work of nine n.iles of tunnel through'the n.oun: 
 
 ..legmen ignorant of what sueh a tunnel is, or that in CaLa. 
 U Sir Andrew Aguecheek, they believe that " they liave fools in 
 
 Henee the so-called "temporary traek with lis unusually hoavv 
 g. des has been des,g„ated .t,,„„o,,ry, "■ without warrant. I,at it il 
 
 th r'th:':;"i'" "■;■' "■"■' """- '•'''"'" '»■■ -■>■' »■-'-. -■ 
 
 Jiuitlul to the future operalion of the line. 
 
 That the li,u. has been loeated on the site it now follow., in a han. 
 l.az=.rd way w.thout exa.uination, without seienti.ie in,,uirv o'- 
 ve.vn,,. the nnpression that the loeation has been direet d b „ 
 .K..or„nt of what ,s required in suel, eircnn.stanees. .Moreove w t 
 
 a perfeet d,sre,„rd of the publie interest, and ,allyas l;,',; 
 
 to the interest of the Syndicate. 'janous 
 
 That the li,,c has been located i„ the wrong place; that the true 
 and p oper localnn. was through the Yellow Head Pass, as surveyed 
 and selected by M. Flcnung, and adopted by Mr. Mackenzie ' 
 

 ■ '■'''■ 
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 !.•■■■. • 
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 11 
 
 it 
 
 72 
 
 I'^rne.stly, I record the opinion, L lielu-'Ve, almost universally 
 eute.tained, that in respect to this Kiiilway, the country i« passing 
 through u crisis of no slight (character. It is yet to V)e known how 
 much of the thirty-two millions granted last session remains unex- 
 pended ; in cash amounting to twenty-three millions and a half. 
 Further, if there be ground for the painful surmise that additional, 
 assistance will be asked in the connng session of I'arliamenl. 
 
 Already the amounts paid are 
 
 SuKsidy .?1LV2H9,212 
 
 Advances of last Session 32,353,000 
 
 44,042,212 
 
 Subsidy available on the Ist March last 12,710,788 
 
 $.'i7,3.W,000 
 It will be, recollected tliat Sir (reorge Cartier's act limited the ex- 
 penditure to thirty ndllions on the whole line. 
 
 Mr. Fleming's estunate from Selkirk to Ivamhjops was 828,500,- 
 000. ])educting this amount from what the Syndicate has 1)een 
 paid and will secure, there remains the suu) of 628, 83.'?, 000. 
 
 The distance from Port Arthur to Callender is G50 miles, this 
 balance 828,83:1,000 would allow 8U,3;")8 per mile for the line 
 between I'ort Arthur to Callender. 
 
 Wiiat will be the next phase in the chapter of money advances'? 
 With all these present complications, the policy of the country 
 was plain at the commencement, and it was much as Mr. Mackenzie- 
 mapped it out. 
 
 To have placed the railway on the right location. 
 Kapidlyto have completed the line from Lake Superior to Winni- 
 peg. Simultaneously to have constructed two hundred miles in. 
 Briti.sh ("olumbia, to satisfy the re([uirenu'nts of that Province. 
 
 To have pushed the railway across the pliiins, as settlement was 
 made, and in advance of it, with tlie construction, of wisely located. 
 branche>!. 
 
 To develop the water channels of the country, such being, aS' 
 the history of tlie continent luis shewn, the true means of communi- 
 cation for the settlement of the territory. 
 
 Under pMper regulations to have given the land to the settler, 
 and have kept it from the domain of speculation. 
 
 To have constructed the railway from Callender to the neighbour- 
 hcKxl of liake Xipissing. 
 
 It! 
 
73 
 
 To have commonce.l th. lin. at l«ort Artlu.r, and year ])y year, 
 '■ast an, west, the lino t„ bo currio.l on to con.pl.tion ..„ tl.J north 
 sliore of Lako Superior. 
 
 When popuhttion warranto,! tho con.plotion of the scliome to have 
 •arnecl the line across the Kooky Mountains 
 
 ir,.w .liileront wouI,l havo boon the situati,.n in .-very respect? 
 
 how nmch gr,.at..r the , ulati,.n in the X,>rthwest? h,.w much h.s 
 
 mir . lobt ? an.l how utterly free the I)„„uni„n .vouM havo been fronv 
 the discontent, which so broods over the wIm.R. population? 
 
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 74 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 During the period these pages were being prepared for the press, 
 a political convention was held at Toronto, on Wednesday the 17th 
 December. A speech was made by Sir John Macdonald, the present 
 Premier, to a crowded .audience of his supporters, with several mem- 
 bers of his administration ranged around him in moral support. 1 
 have no desire to touch on tlie political ffjatures of his oration. It is 
 not my object to add to the bitterness and rancour of Canadian 
 public life. His allusions, liowever, to the Caiuidian Pacific Railway 
 T venture to consider ; indeed, I feel it a duty to do so. For if what 
 I have written lays claim to be free from party colouring, it is in 
 itself an investigation of the proceedings of the national work in 
 question ; and I approach the subject rather with the view of dis- 
 integrating party associations, than by one sentence strengthen or 
 confirm them. 
 
 The paragraph I extract is the following. It is the only one 
 which T will consider. I will, however, make bold to say that much 
 dwelt iipon by the First Minister in his long address?, has been 
 answered in these pages ; that its utterance in many respects has 
 been met by anticipation. 
 
 " Now, gentlemen, 1 shall read this short memorandum: 'The 
 Canadian Pacific Railway is rapidly approaching completion. 
 Through trains will be running from Montreal to the Pacific Coast 
 next autumn. The distance from Montreal to the Pacific ocean is 
 2,900 miles, or 430 miles less than from Xew York to San Francisco. 
 From Montreal to Yokohama in .Ia[)an via the C. P. R. the distance 
 is 10,977 miles, or 1,013 miles shorter tlian via Xew York and .San 
 Francisco. When the C. P. R. has been extended eastward to the 
 Maritime provinces with a direct line to Louisbourg, C. B., the ocean 
 voyage from England to America may be accomplished easily in five 
 days, and the railway journey from Louisbourg to the Pacific ocean 
 may be done in five days more. This will be ten days from London 
 to the new city of Vancouver on the Pacific coast. The run across 
 the Pacific to Yokohama may be made in fourteen days ; the whole 
 trip will thus 1>e made in twenty-four days from London to Yoko- 
 
n 
 
 liaraa, a saving in time of at least twenty days ov«!r tlie route via 
 Cfihraltar and the Suez Canal. The English colony of Hong Kong 
 may be reached by the C. P. R. in less than thirty days from Eng- 
 land, or sixteen days less than by Gibraltar or the Suez Canal. 
 During all that time the traveller will never bo out of the sound of 
 the British drum, and may always have his eyes resting on the Union 
 Jack.' " [Tremendous cheering.] 
 
 We have here the old mystifying argument of distance, than 
 which nothing is more fallacious. It is so far convenient that it sets 
 out of sight the fact admitted by all engaged in the duty of studying 
 the movement of Freight, that there is no Eastern trade from China, 
 Japan or Pacific Waters obtainable, to be passed over the Canadian 
 Pacific. I raise a disticnt issue. If I be incorrect. Sir John Macdonald, 
 in his place in Parliament, can establish the contrary. There is 
 either a well established trade finding its way across the United 
 States or there is not. If such trade has not been hitherto created 
 and established, the proof is plain against the possibility of its crea- 
 tion ; that in spite of the expectations expressed, and the assertions 
 persevered in, there is no present trade to be competed for. In the 
 wide sense of the word, no Eastern railway trade exists. It i)asses 
 by water through the Suez Canal at one-third the cost.* I avoid all 
 allusion to the Panama Canal for I believe that the conditions of 
 that work are such, that its completion is scarcely attainable ; that, 
 at least, a century must pass before it is in operation, The difficul- 
 ties to be overcome and the amount of work to be executed, are 
 Titanic. I class it with the projected tunnel under the English Chan- 
 nel between Dover and Calais. 
 
 * Mr. T. W. Hellyer, of Yokohama, Japan, arrived in this city on Tuesday 
 evening on his way to England. Mr. Hellyer has lived in Japan nearly fifteen 
 years. He said that if the Canadian Pacific line was not blockaded by snow 
 during the winter, some of the tr.ide would likely go this way to Europe. Forty- 
 nine fiftieths (49-50) of the amount of tea ex|><>rtt'd from Japan is sent to America, 
 and when the C.P.R. is completed, it is likely that the tea used by Canadians 
 will come from Japan via that road, if the rates we; j not too hitrh. At present 
 tea can be shipped from Yokohama to New York, via the Suez Canal for 30 
 shillings per ton, or less than one cent jier 11>. While it costs 2^ cents i)er lb. t<> 
 ship to New York, via the overland nmte from Han Francisco. Mr. Hellyer says 
 the latter way of shipment is preferable, as it is not a good thing to allow the tea 
 to pass through the tropics. Five million pounds of tea are imported annually 
 
 into Canada. •, .,. i . , 
 
 '"'''""' "' ' ' Toronto (flolte. 
 
 Tea must be carried by special Freight Trains, to avoid pulverization, caused 
 by unnecessary shunting. In such case its value is decreased. 
 

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 76 
 
 Sir J. Macdonald, like tho Duke of Xewca.stle, of (ieorge the 
 Second's reif,'n, to whom lie has himsidf been comjmred, is required 
 to be told that Cape lireton is an island. The Gut of Canso, which 
 separates it from Nova Scotia, is about 2^ miles wide, requiring a 
 viaduct longiir than the Victoria liridge, but infinitely more costly to 
 construct from the greater depth of water, and the rajnd current 
 experienced at ebl) and flow, if it be at all practicable. 
 
 So far as can be judgcjd by naval charts, the voyage from Europe 
 is increased about 150 miles Ijy going to Halifax in preference to 
 Louisbourg ; in ordinary cases, a matter of from twelve to fourteen 
 hours. Surely a poor argument to explain the expenditure of twelve 
 or thirteen millions of dollars, independently of the construction of 
 an eastern Victoria Bridge to connect the island with the main land. 
 
 Why, indeed, it may be asked, is the country called upon to 
 entertain any project of this " short line " to the seaboard. Let us 
 examine its requirements. It is advocated purely in the interests of 
 the Canadian Pacific Railway. The terminus of that line is now 
 Montreal. Why complicate the obligations of the Syndicate to 
 the Government? We learn from Sir .1. Macdonald the terminus of 
 the future is Louis])urg, and its historical associations have made it 
 well-known. Those acquainted with the events of this Continent 
 have little to learn of its locality, and capabilities. Be they what 
 they may, Lonisbourg must be considered, to-day, as it was by the 
 able men who judged it as a place of utility at the date of its second 
 conquest, 1758. They recommended its abandonment and destruct. 
 tion on the ground that it was unnecessary to maintain it as a naval 
 station, 1»y the side of Halifax. It was demolished in 1764. Halifax 
 is 29 hours from Point L(!vis, 35 from Montreal. In the winter 
 months of travel, passengers will arrive at their eastward destination 
 in this time. Freight exacts a longer period of transit. In the 
 seven months of summer, of opiMi water, passengers take the Railway 
 at (Quebec. Freight only is carried to Montreal. 
 
 Why should the Government build up a rival to the national 
 line, the Intercolonial Railway. If ever there was an expression of 
 public opinion necessary, it is at this moment called for against more 
 waste of public money on this monstrous, I use the word advisedly, 
 eastern extension. There is not a shadow of reason to explain it, 
 except the claim of the Canadian I'acific Company to ])uild up a line 
 to connect with their Railways unpledged to the Dominion, those 
 
 V 
 
iV 
 
 xl 
 
 * 
 
 forming a link in opposition to the Caiiiulian Pacific Railway itself ; 
 lines west of Ottawa which have heconie a })art of the Michigan 
 Central system. The Kailways inchulocl in the thirty-two million 
 mortgage, they can throw up at any time. Retaining the connection 
 with the Michigan Central from St. Thomas to Ottawa, they have 
 but to build a branch to Montreal to e8t€a])li,sh a full independent 
 connection with the West. With the Eastern extension constructed 
 with CJovernment money, to what extent it is not possible to say, the 
 Syndicate will possess a system in the most direct and positive 
 opposition to the Canadian I'acific Railway. Their natural connec- 
 tions will lie with the Michigan Central to the United States' 
 Pacific lines. 
 
 This scheme of extension is to run a line from Montreal, starting 
 at the bridge jtrojected at the head of the Lachine Rapids, eastward 
 to Louisbourg, 800 miles estimated. Few out of the circle of the 
 influence of the Syndicate can see the necessity of this second In-idge 
 in view of its cost. Xor can its construction be advocated except in 
 connection with this eastern extension. ])isconnected from this 
 association, in which it is considered, the project can only be looked 
 upon as an unwarrantable misapplication of capital. 
 
 The distances so far as they can be estimated are as follow : 
 
 Lines Not yet 
 
 coiistrtictecl citnstruetcMl 
 
 and in distances 
 
 operation. estiniatetl. 
 
 Miles. Miles. 
 
 From the Lachine Bridge to Lennoxville 95 
 
 From Lennox villo by the International line in opera- 
 
 ti< )!!, Lake Mejjantic (J6 
 
 From Lake Mcffantic across the State of Maine to 
 
 Houlton to connect with the Canada and New 
 
 Brunswick Railway through foreign territory. . . 170 
 
 From Houlton to Woodstock, thence to Frcdericton 
 
 by the Canada and New Bnxnswick Railway, 
 
 and New Brunswick Railway 81 
 
 Thence by newly i)rojectt'd route to Monct<in and 
 
 parallel to the Intercolonial Railway to Painsec. llrt 
 
 Thence by projected Railway to New < Jlasgow llo 
 
 Thence following the i)rosent line of the Halifax and 
 
 Cape Breton Railway to tiie Gut of Canso 81 
 
 Across (Jut of Canso 2.\ 
 
 Thence by projected line to Louisbourg, Cape Breton 7oi 
 
 228 .57t> 
 
 "^^^ the above figures, the total distance from Lachine liridge to 
 Louisi.>jarg is 804 miles, 584 miles of construction being reciuired. 
 
7S 
 
 1^ 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 V: 
 
 Tlic presmit distance from Montreal hy tlie (irand Trunk Railway 
 ami the Intercolonial to Halifax is 
 
 Montreivl to ',^uebec. 
 Quebec to Halifax ., 
 
 164 
 679 
 
 h: 
 
 843 
 
 Difference 3(1 inileH estimated. < 
 
 Thus in the short route from Louisl)our^ to Montreal, to connect 
 with the Laohine Iiritlf,'e, there will be a distance saved of 39 miles, 
 l)y the above figures. liut, with the (Jut of Canso, often made of 
 difficult passage by the ice carried up and down by its rapid current, 
 the loss of time re([uired for the transit would more than compensate 
 for any saving of distance. I do not hesitate to exjjress an opinion 
 that the; line from Halifax would prove much the shortest in matter 
 of time. The ocean voyage may, theoretically, be 12 hours longer,, 
 and to save these tW(dve hours we are called upon to expend twelve 
 millions. . 
 
 What is one of the strange features of this project is that the line 
 should be taken for so great an extent through a foreign country, the 
 State of Maine. ( )ne of the main arguments for constructing the 
 line on the north of fake Superior, was the determination to keep 
 the location entirely in liritish territory. Indeed it was the chief 
 reason assigned for the prosecution of the work. Hcnv can this prin- 
 ciple be recognised in the present proj(!cted extension, which entirely 
 disregards the theory. 
 
 Is the Government of Sir .lohn Macdonald, when the First 
 Minister extoUs this route, forgetful of the obligations which, by 
 tacit inference, tley assume. They are pledging themselves to an 
 expenditure, in round numbers, of 600 miles, at $20,000 a mile. 
 Twelve millions to create an opposition to the national line of the 
 Dominion, witliout one bencHcial resulting consecpience ; to build up 
 a seaport, which our sires, a century and a cpiarter Inick, in the 
 national Hush and pride of conquest, deliberately abandoned as 
 unnece^L^sary, and in view of our i)osse.ssion of Halifax held of 
 secondary importance. 
 
 Is there one grain of patriotism left in Canada which will not 
 revolt at this abuse of power, and this wilful, senseless abandonment 
 of every dictate of reason and })rud(;nce. It is time that constitu- 
 encies should know the merit of the (piestion submitted to Parliament, 
 and that the wealUiv Province of Ontario should understand the 
 
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 us 
 luf 
 
 threatened profligacy of fxpeiulituro uf money, in no small degree 
 "athored from the hardv toil and thrift of her (children. I have said 
 that Halifax is in every w. y preferable as a harbour to Louisbourg 
 and that the extra distance may prolong the sea voyage some 12 
 hours. Kxperience has estaldished that although Halifax a- a start- 
 ing i)oint for steam-ship trav(d to iMU'ope otters the geograi)hical 
 advantage of shortening the voyage, it has not been favourably 
 considered by the travelling community. New York, on the contrary, 
 has increa.sed its centralizing influence to become the starting point 
 for Europe. The one Interest to be benefitted in the choice of Loui.s- 
 bourg is that of the (,"ana<lian Pacific Railway. I may be told that I 
 am un])atriotic in stating that there will be l)Ut a very limited Paidtic 
 traffic. I liold that it is true patriotism to avoid misrepresentation, 
 and to .set forth at tbeir just value these visionary .schenu!.s, these 
 fanciful projects, which if they be rec^klessly a<'cepted, can only lead 
 to hopes to be wrecked, and expectations never to be realized, 
 NVe have the best of t<'U(^hing in tlu; past, if we Imt protit by it. 
 Halifax has lu'cn known as an Atlantic .steam-.ship .staticm for forty 
 years. It was the head-<|uarters of tlu' Cunard line, but from the 
 force of circumstances, New York has become the point of departure 
 of this Comi>any's vessel.s. Altlutugh Kail ways have been constructed 
 to bring Halifax in direct connection with the centres of the Tniteil 
 States, every (itfovt to regain this tratlic has failed. To judge the 
 future by the past, a similar result will be experienced by the creation 
 of this new ea.stern port. It is a mere rhetorical flourish to .speak of 
 Louisbourg. • 
 
 Sir .lohu Macdonald draws a comparison between the distance 
 from New York to San Francisco and from Montreal to the new 
 terminus, Vancouver. \)uebec, however, must be spoken of as the 
 starting point in Canadian water.s, for it is here, that pa.s.sengers leav(! 
 the steamers .seven months in the year. So far as can be made out 
 the distance from Montreal to tlie Pacitic is 2,900 miles ; from (Que- 
 bec, .SjOoS miles. From New York to San Francisc ■ in estimated at 
 3,270 miles. A dilfenMice of 212 miles during seven months in the 
 year. For the remaining five months, when Halifax will be the port,, 
 the disadvantage U again.st the Canadian I'acific. All mere compari- 
 son of mileage is of little value : with the extreme grailes of 200 to the^ 
 mile on the Canadian I'acific, which the (Jovernment are allowing to 
 be introduced, there cannot be a doul)t but via Xew York will prove- 
 the shortest in time. 
 

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 80 
 
 Can Sir. John Macdonakl be in earnest in naming Ilong Kong as 
 being nearer across this continent to Europe, than by the Suez Canal 1 
 The extent of this Coh^ny is 23 square miles. Its population about 
 100,000 ! What traffic in this direction can be hoped for? 
 
 The figures furnished to Sir John Macdonald for his statistics are 
 
 not those generally accepted. ' 
 
 They are, across the Continent T) days. 
 
 • From London to the Pacific r> " 
 
 To Yokohoma 14 " 
 
 24 days. 
 
 I would extend them as follows : 
 
 From London to the Pacific, from l.'i to 19, 
 
 say average 17 days. 
 
 From the Pacific to Yokohama, Jai)an is 4288 
 miles, at 12 miles an hour the journey 
 can be performed in 360 hours, or 15 " 
 
 32 days. 
 
 From Sov.'hampton to Yokohama via the Suez 
 
 Canal is 11,586 miles, which, at 12 miles 
 at hour, gives a time of 967 hours, or 
 about 40 days and some hours. 
 
 These calculations are based on the theory of the common 
 employment of steamships. 
 
 The statistics furnished to the I'remicr make the.se figures 24 
 days across the Continent, and 44 days, through the Suez Canal. 
 
 When I give the figures of eiglit days' saving of actual time 
 travelled, with the transhipment at the future TiOuisbourg, to the rail- 
 way, and at the Pacific to the steamer, I do not think any shipping 
 agent will see any extraordinary advance in favour of the overland 
 route as to time. Tlie cost of freight is known to be by railway 
 travel to water travel as nearly 4 to 1, certainly 3 to 1. 
 
 Indeed, the days are gone when there need be speculation as to 
 Eastern ttafhc across this contintmt, either from Ilong Kong or Japan 
 or China. If the transcontinental route could have been succc's.efully 
 established it would have been long ago in operation. The flourish 
 of the traveller never being out of sound of the British drum vith 
 his eye resting on the firitish flag, is not new. Certainly it is 
 untrue because we Avill be passing, according to Sir John Macdonald, 
 tliroiigh the State of Maine, nearly two hundred miles, a 
 foreign country where the flag certainly will not be found. The 
 
24 
 
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 ritli 
 
 is 
 
 a 
 Che 
 
 81 
 
 ilruiii, however, is nol a iiational iustruiiicMit. Hut in any case the 
 martial music of Kn^'laiid found a better exponent in haniel Web- 
 ster. Mr. Fleming, in his lately pulilishtMl l)ook, has anticipated 
 tht^ first Minister in the matter of the second.* 
 
 I ask every considerate person to examine into tlie character of 
 the.se promised advantages. 
 
 When the length of the line is tlius dilated upon, nothing is said 
 of the character of the line itself. All information ci^ncerning it is 
 sujtpressed. liut rejxirts of its condition (;reep out of the charmed 
 circle in which information, it is hoped, can he retained. What is 
 reported of the line between 8udl)ury Junction and the Xeepigon, 
 some 500 miles is, that throe-quarters of the <li.stance consists of curves 
 with few curves of large radius. Half of the curves are 4", 1433 foet 
 radius. The remaining curves are 700 fijct, 800' and 900' radiu.s, 
 H\ 7° and 6' curves. When there is filling above 15 feet in depth, 
 trestle work is constructed. Some of it 95 feet in height, much of 
 it on sharp curves. The bridges are of wood. What is this wood ? 
 Newly cut unseasoned timber 1 If so, its life is not worth seven years. 
 Seven thousand men are reported as being engaged pushing on the 
 work with wonderful rai)idity. If the description given of it ])e 
 true, it could scarcely l)e otherwise. 
 
 Shoidd the condition of the line be misrepresented in these 
 re[K>rts, Mr. Van Home must understand that it is »nving to the 
 .system he follows. I mention his name thus prominently, because ;l 
 is a matter of notoriety that he is the one directing power of the 
 operations on the ground. The C(uupany has no (;hicf engineer, no 
 
 * " The construction of a system of submarine Telegraphs will also follow at an 
 early day They will V)e established across the ocean to Japan, and connect with 
 China. They will be extended to India, to Australia, to New Zealand. Crreat 
 Britain may then be in close relatif)ns with her possessions in every quarter of the 
 globe, by lines of comnnn\ication under the protection of her flag without passing 
 through an acre of foreign soil." 
 
 Kngland and Canada, p. 4.32, by Sandford Fleming. 
 
 * " On the question of principle, while actual suffering was as yet afar ofiF, 
 they (the Colonies) raised their flag against a power for the purposes of foreign 
 conquest and subjugation, Rome in the height of her glory is not to be compared ; 
 a power which has dotted over the surface of the whole globe with her posses- 
 sions and military posts, whose morning drum beat following the sun and keeping 
 company with the hours, circles the earth with one C(mtinuous and unbroken 
 strain of the martial airs of Kngland." 
 
 Speech of Daniel Webster, 7th May, 1834. 
 
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 man of rec(»f(iuzeil iiiitli »rity in wlioin all rcspouHihility is cciiUirLMl. 
 Then! art' many in (,'anaila of this class of thirty or forty years 
 standinf,'. Thu wnnl of one of them would he aeoepted in mo»t 
 unfavourahlu surmises. It is invidious to adduce naUKJS. But they 
 suggest themselves to tie- Railway world, ami in this emerj,'eney, 
 the (hiclaration of one of tln-m would sutHee to silence tlie 
 most inimical criticism. Mr. Van Home's career in tin- Tnited 
 States is now known to the |>uhlic. If it he untrue what I am almiit 
 to state, I will make him the most hunihle of apolugios. Like all 
 men who ohtain a marked positifm, Mr. Van Home's early relation- 
 ships have hoen discussed. His e.\i)erience on the ('hicaj,'o, Milwaukie 
 and St. Paul Railway has heen that of telej^raph opi-rattu", frei<,dit 
 clerk, conductor, assistant superintendent. District Superintendent, 
 I helieve, (ieneral Superintendent. He has never had the slightest 
 experience in en'.,'ineering duties, even in the humhlesl capacity. It 
 is in (^anada that his first essay lias been made. No one can athrnx 
 that his career, since he h^ft the State of .Minnesota, has heeii 
 deKcient in holdness and novidty. 
 
 Whatever natural abilities and enerj^y any one of us may possess, 
 it is no light nuitter to assume respunsil)le duties which are new to 
 us. Kspecially those appertaining to a profession in wiiich the 
 student of half a century fcids that daily he has something to learn ; 
 and in wliich, in critical ami ditlicult emergencies, the l»est trained 
 man acts witli reserve, caution, and with a thorough investigation of 
 all the influt;nces which he has to ( (insider. Xo one need he told 
 that in the determination of the .scientilic prohlems hy which inven- 
 tions have ])een advanced and our comforts multiplied that it is oidy 
 hy these ([ualities and this mode of proceedure that we have reached 
 our present Ikumzou of comparativ(^ excellence. 
 
 It is hy the non-ol)servance of this mode of procetlure that the 
 Canadian Pacific line has l)een put on the ground in a haphazanl way, 
 and tile wrong location selected. It is hy the nonohservanct- of these 
 rules, that we have throughout the line the formidal)le curvature, 
 which will make it so ditlicult to work ; the unnecessary heavy 
 grades which would have heen entirely avoided on Mr. Fleming's 
 location; the reckless expeiidituri' incurred to push on work, to make 
 the world talk of the speed with which it was carried on, as .some- 
 thing to h{^ admired ; the Lake Huron steamers made of such 
 dimensions that they cannot pass through the eidarged calials, and 8o 
 
83 
 
 kvay, 
 
 |l\ese 
 
 '.avy 
 ing's 
 liake 
 
 ollU'- 
 
 Isucli 
 
 must remain fop'vor impriwuied west of liutfiilo ; tho constnictiDii of 
 95 miles of tlio Al^'oma Hramli, abainloiicil, and now ^oin^' to ruin, 
 without a train liavin;,' passed over it; the seven niiles of tlio Atlantic 
 and North-west Railway curvin;,' near Mile Knd into the line, unused, 
 ancl th<^ ties rottiu},' ; the purchase of [»roperty for a tunnel from St 
 Catherine Street, Montreal, to the Canadian i'aeitie line to Ottawn 
 commen<:ed without retlection or for(!thouj,dit, and as impidsively 
 ahandoned, fortunately with wisdom. Follies for which no explana- 
 tion can be attempted. • ' 
 
 1 have now to enter ujion what T hold eipially to hi^ a marked 
 tleparture from the ndes of prudenee, never to be neglected in great 
 untlertakings. 
 
 It is re]»orted tliat the gradients follow the level of the ground as 
 much as ]K)ssible in onh-r to reduce the work to a minimum. What 
 these grad(!s are I cannot say. I>ut it is to l)e feared that these sharp 
 curves and heavy gratlcs in the season of snow and ice, i)resent ditH- 
 culties in working the line whidi may prove iiisujierable. The 
 introducticm of trestling and wooden l)ridges will create a permanent 
 way, the duration of which cannot be lookotl for long(!r than ten years 
 or so. The parliamentary jtapers shew that nearly a million dollars 
 has l)een paid h> ])ring uj) to graih' with earth embankments, the 
 trestle wt)rk of the line l)ctween Fort Arthur and the Lake of the 
 Woods. Here the charge was legitimate, [t was a schedule contract, 
 the only good and true mode l)y which work can be carried on and 
 paid for. The theory of Mr. Fleming, then Chief Kngineer, was to 
 open out the communication in the most rajiiil way. Trestling was 
 accordingly introduced to a<lmit the psissage of ballast trains by which 
 the depressions could be filled. The theory was correct in that case. 
 It was advi.sal)le to couipletc the tra<tk by these means, so that as 
 rapidly as j)ossi1»le, railway communication could be obtained between 
 Lake Suiierior and Winnipeg. 
 
 There is no such nujnircment for haste on the north shore of 
 Lake Superior. The connection calls for no such sacrifice, no sul)- 
 stitution of temporary expechents. What is leipiired is that the 
 road V)ed l)e tirmly and substantially form(>il. .Viid if the principle of 
 construction which I descril»e luis been followi'tl, su<'h is not the case. 
 On the contrary, unless the Railway be made jierfect, by iron bridges 
 and firm earth embankments, the roatl V)ed will not l.aat above twelve 
 vears. ■• . 
 
84 
 
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 T have also to ullinlti to ii iii^w ftfiiturf wliirli has \h->'U [nirodnrcAi 
 in hriilj,'c hiiilding on this division. r.t'forc tMittM-iii;,' upon ita 
 description, I inust.avail myself of a hoincly illustration to shew the 
 force of the eriticisin I make. If any of us desire ti> remove a nail 
 or some projection included in u dutch wliich \\i> cannot open, wo 
 move it ])ack\vards and forwards to loosen it. Such i.s th" action of 
 a train of cars over a pier, the impulsion Iteinj,' given on the surface 
 of it, continually contrariwi.se. This constant influence, like the 
 •working of the ever recurring drop of water, has the tendem-y to 
 disint(!grate the nuisses of which the pier is composed, to destroy its 
 unity ; .so that in extremes frost, and with great loads it can be 
 (lisadvantageously acted upon. The superstructure, liowever, will 
 keep each pier in position, if it itself be secured and immoval)Ie. For 
 the movement is then longitudinally distributed. In pr<»perly con- 
 structed bridges the superstructure is carefully maintained in equilib- 
 rium by the abutments; heavy massive piers with side walls to .secnire 
 tliem against any lateral thrust conveyed by the; pa.s.sage of tlie train, 
 so it may be said that the ma.ssivene,ss of the abutment, regulated by 
 circumstance, is the key to the safety of the bridge. 
 
 I never knew a capable Engineer who neglectecl a careful con- 
 sideration of this matter. 
 
 Mr. Van Home, however, who ri.ses .superior to rule and ancient 
 practice has abandoned this principle. To his l)ridges there is no 
 abutment. There is but a simple i»ier in its place. Hence according 
 to the old theory there is not sufficient resistance to the influeiu-e I 
 have described ; and it nuiy be expected that in a few years the 
 continuous passage of trains will tell on these slight structures. 
 
 It may be answered that these abutments will last as long as the 
 trestling and the wood bridges, and that it is the intention to 
 strengthen them in the renovation of the line in 1894. 
 
 In the absence of published reports, the condition and character 
 of the work, can only be known by the narratives of those who have 
 passed over it. It is these statements, coming from the most varied 
 sources, which form a concrete Avhole. Clause 39 of the Act sets forth 
 ** that the company shall, from time time, furnish such reports of the 
 progress of the work, with suc;h details as the (4overnment may 
 require." Has this requisition been made 1 Is there any default of 
 compliance ? In any case, the public, the outer world have been 
 
N') 
 
 tllC 
 
 to 
 
 Lcter 
 Lave 
 [ricd 
 lorth 
 the 
 linay 
 It of 
 Leen 
 
 igiiorccl. None such liavo ]»'m\ pnlilishcil as liavinj,' lioi'ii .sulunittcd 
 to the lluusc of CitimnonH, the one cluiniiL'l throUKli whidi all reports 
 Hhould ])a8s. 
 
 I claim in no way to oxaj,'j,'c'rate the rcjKirts I have j^'ivcn. They 
 are, howevt^r, simply rt;i»orts. I havi^ no means of ohtaininj,' sp«!cial 
 information. I only write what many besides myself have heard. 
 A few paj,'es of information, which the offices of the Company, if 
 properly managed, should prepare in a few hours, would furnisli all 
 the facts in 'olvod in the description, viz.: a table of curves and 
 grades, tlie amount ot stling, the extent of wooden bridges, the 
 extent of .solid embaiikmenl.s, under and above 15 feet in height. 
 The return could b(! verified in a short timi; l)y the engineers of 
 the Department. 
 
 Fnjm all I hear, I ilo not think that the facts will be disputed. 
 My theory is that they will be justified. Clause 3, of the Contract 
 lays down the.se extraonlinary provisitms : 
 
 " In order to establish an approximate standard whereby the 
 "(piidity and the character of the railway, and of the niutcrials 
 " u.sed in th(! constructii'ii theref(jre, and tlu' etjuipintint 
 "tluM-eof may be regulat'd. The Cnion Pacific Railway of 
 "the Cnite(l States as the same was irhcu first constructed is 
 "herel)y selected and fixed as such .standard." * 
 
 * Ttie acceptance of the l^nion Pacific Railway aH a standard waa first 
 objected to in the I)ebato on tlie l.^tli Decemher, 1880, (Hansard vol. X, pp. 
 87-89). Durinj? the whole consideration of the contract the most marked opposi- 
 tion was ma<le to the i)roceeding. Tn asking tlie (Jovernment to give some 
 information so that the standard could be judged, Mr. Blake pointed out that this 
 Railway was first commenced in 1803, and not completed until 1800, when the 
 early portions of the road were worn out. Sir Charles Tupper argued that as the 
 Union Pacific is a road on which a speed of 40 miles an ho\ir can be obtained, and 
 is capable of carrying a vast amount of traffic at a very considerable profit, and 
 Ml a compJt'Uhj roiistrnrtctt railroad iruiilil ncccxmrilii obtain the hcM ijradienta and 
 curves, and best dcKcriittiun of road, for the reason that being f)bligcd to.oi)ertvto 
 the road after its construction, it is a matter of the utmost importance to llie 
 Company in a financi.il and commercial jioint of view that the// shmtld maki tfir 
 road of as good a standard as possible to their means. . . " We hare," 
 
 he added, "a tolerable stromj nssH7-anre that the character of the Canadian Pacific 
 Railway will be all that we can desire. On Sir C. Tupper stating that the Union 
 Pacific Railway had been used as a standard on the Allan Contract, Mr. Blake 
 forcibly pointed out the marked distinction between the mode in which it was 
 named in the present and in the Allan contract. 
 
 In tha present contract, the standard is as the same as first constructed. 
 
 In the Allan contract, the railway is selected as a standard, " But in a general 
 way only, and not with respect to any minor details in its construction or working 
 
1> 
 
 MG 
 
 
 ^■ii 
 
 The clause provides that any (lifl'LTt'iici' <if view as to tliesc pro- 
 visions shall bi' referred to arbitration. 
 
 Are we to read l)y the above that any temporary work first constructed 
 may Ite admitted as the type for final acceptance ? The proceedings 
 of the 1 )epartment in the stM;tion of the line west of Lake Superior, 
 through the rough country by the Lake of the Woods furnish a neg- 
 ative rej)ly. "he (Tovernment are expending one iiiilli(Ui of dollars 
 for filling up the trestle work on tliis section. Conveying the idea, 
 that throughout the line they are enforcing the jirinciple of careful, 
 thorough, solid work. 
 
 which may be found to be ohjectionahle in respect of alif^nnient and curves which 
 shall bo as fjvvourable as the nature of the country will admit without undue 
 expenditure." 
 
 Mr. Charlton remarked, the circumstances attending the construction of the 
 Union Pacific are briefly these. Two great Companies were chartered for the 
 construction of a lino from Omaha to Sacramento. These Companies received 
 subsidies from (Jovernmcnt in money and lands. The Com])aiiies Iniilt a road 
 without paying the slightest attention to the quality of the materials, or the mode 
 of construction, caring nothing but to get a line, over which they could run a 
 locomotive. Two or three miles of road were laid down every day. The ties 
 were of pine and cotton wood, which was even less suitable than box wood, and 
 the road was in place (gic) during tin; winter months ballasted with blocks of 
 frozen earth. The grades .at first .ere as high as IIG feet to the mile, thotigh they 
 were afterwards reduced to 90 feet to the mile. The road had curves of small 
 radius, and its condition at that time was such that even a con.struction train could 
 not be run upf>n it with safety. This was the standard of comparison. 
 
 In answer to Nfr. Rlake's application for information, .Sir C. Tupper had no 
 papers to bring down. The Union Pacific was a matter of history. 
 
 It was this standard which the Covernment majority sustained against all 
 protest and criticism a protest continued throughout the whole debate. 
 
 Those who desire to read more on this subject may refer '• ■ the Com- 
 mons Debates in 1881, pp. 87-8y, pp. 108-111, also to p.age 38."),to the speech of Mr. 
 Mackenzie. The latter is remarkable! as it gives the jtiu-port of the letter laid on 
 the table by Sir C. Tui)i)er, "written by three gentlemen belonging to the 
 Syndicate," dated 16th December, 1880. The contents are not given. Mr. Mac- 
 kenzie tells us that it intimated their willingness to have the condition of the 
 T^nion Pacific in 1878 substitiited. Mr. Mackenzie remarked : " I look ui)on the 
 standard of the Union I'acific Railway as wholly unsuitable, and one that it will 
 be a great calamity to adopt. . . . With the good sense which distinguishes 
 him he hit upon the absurd proposition of arbitration shewing that it was 
 perfectly inoperative. " This i)rovi8ion " he said " is an absurd and unjiractical 
 one, and we cannot help thinking that it was designed by tiie cunning contriver 
 of the Lill. I do not know wlu'ther he is pres"nt, but I believe that he is not far 
 from the sound of my v(»ice, as a very efficient preventive against the (Jovernment 
 having any interference in the ecuistiuction of the road." It was on this occasion 
 Mr. Mackenzie said, p. 3!)7. "The evidence acrunuilates as this discu-ssion goes 
 on, that the character of the road is [to i)e even worse than any one supposed it 
 would be." 
 
87 
 
 Com- 
 l>f Mr. 
 Lid on 
 to the 
 I. ^Tac- 
 if the 
 Ion the 
 it will 
 ;uishe8 
 lit was 
 [actical 
 iitrivor 
 inot far 
 •nnicnt 
 :cartion 
 \m goes 
 losed it 
 
 Che rhuisc itseTf is a natiijiuil shame and (lis^'race. Why was it 
 not distinctly stated wliat tlio road-bed, structures and bridj^'es should 
 be ? \N'e had nothini,' to learn on the matter of railways. Why 
 seek a foreign standard 1 It is but a ft.'w years back that there was 
 an attempt to construct the bridges on the Intercolonial Railway of 
 wood. The published correspondence shows a thorough exannnation 
 of the <iuestion, Surely it could aot liave been forgotten. It is well 
 known that in the dark days of the early dithculties of the (Jrand 
 Trunk, that it was the iron bridges alone which kept the road iu 
 operation. Had they been of timber and perishable, the o})inii)n has 
 long been held that the railway would have succumbed. The ol)vi- 
 ous duty i)f the ( Jovernment was to have made a clear and distinct 
 .specification, so that both the Dominion and the Company knew 
 what wasti) be expected ami what pi-rformed. 
 
 It is almnst imj)o;.isible for an Knginncer t(» nuike an ins])ection 
 <)i the line. What is the legal standard by which the work can l>e 
 judged? Clearly ni)t the moral abstract theory that a certain class of 
 work should be perftmneil in a certain manner. There can be no 
 complaint of ]iositive inferiority nr unfitness. Any such objection 
 may be met that is in a(>cordance with the contract standard. The 
 wording of the contract <;ould only have had in view the protection of 
 the Company in a crisis of dith<!ult criticism. 
 
 The (piestioii of bridges came uji during the <lebate (pp. 39G-7). 
 In the powerful speech of Mr. Mackenzie, one of the most powerful 
 lie ever uttered, his reniiirks disclosed the theory that the bridges 
 should be of iron. He was interrupti'd by Sir Charles Tupper, with 
 the query if he intended that the contractors should build a better 
 line than the (Jovernment had constructed west of Port .Vrthur, on 
 which the structures were of wood. Mr. Mackenzie j)ointed out, that 
 the erection was necessarily of a temiKuary character, that tlie eHbrt 
 of tlie (Jovernment had Ikhmi to complete the connection as rajjidly as 
 possible with the tlesign tn re[ilace such temporary work with iron 
 bridges. He made the marked distinction between a (Jovernment so 
 acting, and the like (U)urse being permitted in the ccmtracts with tlie 
 Syndicate ; and it is preposterous to establish any such comparison. 
 
 Mr. Mackenzie at once drew the conclusion that the ])ridges were 
 to be of timber. Sir Charles Tupper remained silent ; consecpiently, 
 the (luestion of material in viiv .sense could be called an open ques- 
 tion. To some extent, it has been resolved l)y the Syndicate. 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 4 I 
 
 'f>' 
 
 '' \ 
 
 Mil/ 
 
 II 
 
 
 hit 
 
 
 r!:r 
 
 : 
 
 88 
 
 The ("ompaiiy coniiiicnced their work with inm hridges. So long 
 as they were hut little distant from ( Htawa, or on the plains, where 
 they were talked about, ftr in the nei<,'hbotirho()d of Port Arthur, the 
 newspapers tell us the bridges are of iron. This principle is com- 
 pletely departed from. Xorth of I.ake Sujx'rior antl down the Kick- 
 ing Horse I'ass and on to Savonna Ferry, the report is general that 
 wooden bri Iges only are constructed. If this statement should be 
 true, the line will scarcely survive the ten years which the (lovem- 
 ment have to take security that the Coni[)any work it. They have 
 parted with every vestige of security to enforce this duty. Where 
 then lies our protection 1 It seems all the law gives us, is a perish- 
 able railway, with a narrow limit of life and the country has not 
 the slightest power to enforce a single right it possesses. 
 
 It may be asked why the statement is made ; why these pages are 
 written. Many argue honestly from the opinion that the Canadian 
 Pacific is iin fait accompli, which we must help right or wrong to a 
 conclusion. Tliat whatever its inception and the conduct of its direc- 
 tors, it appeals to public support as a national undertaking. 
 
 I will not say that this argument would l)e inadmissible if the 
 Company had confined its operations to the territory included in the 
 contract with the (lovernment, to the construction of the line between 
 Callender and Savonna Ferry. Most of us might tluni have felt that 
 it was an undertaking appealing to our sympathies and sentiment and 
 hence we would have been led to strain a point to foster and safe- 
 guard its interests. It is very different today. The Company aims 
 at the establishment of a line through the length of the Dominion to 
 the extreme Eastern hirijour of Louisbourg, to tlu; exclusion and 
 injury of every existent interest, and from their earliest formation 
 they have lieen marked by an arrogant and insolent aggressiveness. 
 
 As a private Company they are only responsible to their own 
 members for their conduct. They have the same freedom of action 
 as any other kind of individuals to extend their operations as they s"e 
 fit. They possess the common right of self assertion which under our 
 hapi)ily formed Constitution, every Uritish subject enjoys. F>ut, 
 when they are able to iuHuence the (lovernment of the country to 
 identify the national credit with their operations, they challenge in- 
 quiry into every item of their expenditure, and every phase of their 
 policy. When they came as suppliants to Parliament, and received 
 the immense amount of assistance of thirty-two millions they cease to 
 
 rf 
 
89 
 
 I'ea private ( ompuny, thoy nuik. the.usolves amo.nble to ..nfi • 
 ■n ovory form, ft will he nH.oll,.ct.,l th.t tl.k "" 
 
 voted on tl.e ,roun.l tl.at *20,3 9 o [^ ^ r^'' ^'"^-'"'^"^ ^^ 
 to eon.plete the line Sine t 1 I /r*"" '"^"'^"^ 
 
 nij.i tai IH.|o^^ the fn.st estunate four million dollars It In. 
 ment \\-|„.tl .""'"»'>'■ ■"■ H" ■■<■ is IK. grou,i,l f„r tlwii- „,„nl„y- 
 
 ^4Jz^t-:;;:^r'r:.::z::irrjz:;'j;: 
 
 Z teT u :, r; \ " '.'"'' """' """■ '""- -f '™-i -o c,,,. 
 
 tliomoniy „.>, ,,l,ta,ncd,aI,mitofj;n„L.„f 116 feot was nromi,,.,! 
 Is th,, savn. „ timo t„ bo tl„. attai„„,l l„. „,. ;„,„,, Itf 
 those heavy grades ! .Vot „,„, „„. ,u,, years s ,„ke„ of as . v I 1 
 not„e,. five years on tl.eir baek are re,,„irell to push the n 
 
 been aul befo.e 1 arbament >vhe„ ,|„. ,„„„ey was obtained it would 
 ve ee„ s own at what eost the savin, of 'tine. i. ,„ U, ..ft 
 
 he „troduet,on of ,rades, not only never antieipated, bu, nev v . 
 nt,o„«I coneh,sive:y es.abhshin, „,„ hbn,,' er J- h ha b 
 
 . Jt:;:v;::;7,:'r:::::,.:::,::,; V" 'r '" r" -^ 
 eo.n,nitted. wh.t is re,.ni.dis i^ li;!: ^ i":;:;::' Tt^!;: 
 
t 
 
 i 
 
 If: 
 
 :^' 
 
 :ft 
 
 99 
 
 mission should be chosen from botli political parties of men of 
 eminence and of higli reputation, to embrace three Engineers of 
 standing, in no way connected with the I)omini(m or tlic; Provincial 
 Governments. The Committee to have full power to institute what 
 examination they see lit, and themselves to appoint their Secretary. 
 
 The issues raised Ijy me are <listinct : 
 
 1. That no countenance or aid should be given to any new sys- 
 tem of railways east of Montreal, with the view of creating further 
 Eastern Extensions other than those now in ti'-'j, (Jertainly, that the 
 expressed intention of making an Eastern Port other than Halifax, 
 should be opposed. 
 
 2. Tl:at an examination should be made of the line between Cal- 
 lender and Port Arthur; especially that ])ortion between iSudbury 
 Junction and Ne]>igon, with the view of examining the character of 
 the curves an<l grades ; likewise the manner in which the work of 
 construction is being performed, establishing the extent of trestling 
 and wooden bridges, and tlu; character of the abutments. 
 
 3. That an examination he made into the questions involved by 
 the constriiction of Mr. Reed's temporary line, with the heavy grades 
 in the western slope of the Kicking Horse Pass, and especially into 
 the threatened danger of the line being impeded by the avalanches, 
 from the glaciers, and liy slides of earth and timl)er. 
 
 4. That an examination be made into the threatened danger of 
 avalanches, from glaciers in the Selkirk Range, and from slides of 
 timber, earth and frozen snow ; and of the remedy proposed to prevent 
 the line being periodically impeded l)y this t/chris, by locating the 
 line round the River Columlua to the IJoat Encampment. 
 
 The examination of the line to Savonna Kerry, to learn the grades, 
 curves, and svstem of construction. 
 
 6. An investigation of the trade in Pacific waters, to trace what 
 overland eastern traffic is possible to be obtained, especially as sup- 
 ported by its present condition over the I'nited States' Railways, and 
 what act\ial ground exists ftjr supposing that a large passei.ger and 
 freight trafHc will pass across this Continent. Particularly in the 
 view of determining the expediency of granting a large subsidy for 
 the establishment of a line of steamships from the Terminus of the 
 Canadian Pacific Railway to Yokohama, or to the East, or whether 
 the line should not entirely be left to jirivate enterprize. ^ 
 
 
91 
 
 There may be other delicate questions to be submitted to the Com- 
 mittee. They are not fanciful. Many of them already loom in the 
 distance, daily to become more distinct, and it is the surmi.ses to 
 which theyliave given rise, which hav<, created .the opinion that there 
 will be an application to Parliament for further aid. 
 
 The first condition for judging any such application is to possess 
 a thorough knowledge of the facts ; to know the character of the line 
 which IS being hurried on, its guarantee for durability, and the 
 condition that in all seasons t can be worked. No ol)ject can be 
 attained by the increased rate of construction, by shortening the 
 period within which the work should be finished. The arguments 
 advanced to support this view ore puerile and unsustained by reason 
 or facts. They are entirely without force or sound argument. 
 
 An opinion has crept into public life that the attempt is being 
 made rapidly to complete the line, so it can be claimed that the 
 work is finished. We shall hear then the lo pamn of success. The 
 work is consummated. Trains are running. The first locomotive 
 wreathed with flowers, will have crossed the continent to the Pacific 
 shore. All will then be well. Some classical friend may say 
 the Company have triumphed. The line is opened. All this l)abble 
 against them is mere jealousy ; your envious man is alwavs a calum- 
 niator. He sees everything with eyes turned aside in hate. It is 
 just as Cicero tells us lividi linm occnlis semper aspiciunt aliorum 
 commoda. 
 
 It may all sound magnificent enough. But if this boasted result 
 shall have been attained by a sacrifice of those principles, and of that 
 careful mode of construction, by which permanent works are estalv 
 lushed, so that the line, humanly speaking, can be claimed'to be free 
 from chance of accident, and that it can be worke.l in the fnost 
 rigorous season. If these have all been sacrificed, and we have only a 
 line of extreme grades and curves, with no j.romise of .lurability we 
 have scarcely the shadow of the requirements of the J)ominion,'aml 
 but a sorry return for our national sacrifices. 
 
 ^ No information of the proceedings of the Canadian Pacific have 
 been published. The fault is entirely that of the Minister of Rail- 
 ways. So far as that railway is concerned, he has not fulfilled 
 h.s functions. The law exacts a different course of proceeding It 
 will be a difiicult question to answer in the Hou.se of Commons, why 
 
92 
 
 IB' 
 
 If 
 
 If 
 
 \4 
 
 .it. 
 
 this information has not been periodically published. We know 
 nothing of the grades and curves except what we hear by report. 
 Their character was certainly misrepresented in the last session of 
 Parliament. Constituencies should hold their members to stern 
 account for their votes in the coming session. In spite of the efforts 
 to make the railway a political question, it is no longer so to-day. It 
 has become a consideration of commercial account. The ifrhole 
 relations of the railway are matters of practical economy, which 
 Parliament should investigate. 
 
 I 
 
 The effort in these pages has been to awaken public attention to 
 the condition of the railway ; to point out that which, if sustained 
 by fact, is reprehensible ; to demand a calm examination of the whole 
 subject ; and to exact, that while the Syndicate are treated con- 
 siderately and justly, they be held to tlie performance of their 
 obligations, and that the country is not called upon to accept any 
 inferior or ill-comlitioned work. 
 
 The Dominion has acted with great generosity The country has 
 the right to expect full satisfaction in the results attained. As I 
 have set forth matters, and 1 have done so from the papers at my 
 disposal and what knowledge I could elsewhere obtain, I conceive 
 that the interests of Canada have been sacrificed in the unwise 
 change of location ; in the features which the work presents ; in the 
 extraordinary payments Parliament consented to make. That any 
 additional claim should l)e made upon the public purse with the 
 present condition of our information, appears unwarrantable; in no 
 wise countenanced by the terms of the contract ; in no way supported 
 by the proceedings of the Syndicate ; in no form called for by meri- 
 torious and faithful service ; in no degree sustained by any law of jus- 
 tice or the slightest whisper of reason. 
 
 We have to sift the true from the false, the metal from the earth. 
 We have to get rid of the mystery in whicli the o])erations of the 
 railway have been shrouded. We have to learn what the country has 
 obtained for its money. We have to know what remedy lies for 
 any deficiency which may be felt, in testing the full efficiency of the 
 railway. 
 
 We cannot permit the railway when finished to be made subser- 
 vient to private profit, and its usefulness engulfed in schemes of 
 extension and speculation, which, the more they are examined by 
 
 
93 
 
 calm inquiry, the more visionary and valuoloss thoy appear. In suol. 
 circumstances wo are. as it were, at the nu-rcy of the Syndicate. 
 
 The pub he voice must he heard, the ,n.bh-c .sentiment respected 
 qually a.s the pubhc purse has been drawn upon. We can ckim 
 legitimately that the interests of Cana<Ia must alone be considered 
 He must not pause in enforcing our demand that thoy be held pre' 
 eminent. ^ e must oppo.se all further subsidies. It has been declared 
 that more than enough has already been given to complete the Cana- 
 dian 1 acific proper. Indeed there is a surplus of four million dollars 
 above Its necessities. What we have specially to resist is the talked 
 of La.stern extensions, costly, unnece.s.sarv, of no public utility 
 
 The country has a higher duty than the consideration of the 
 chemes o a clique of men. The Railway department was created 
 something more than their furtherance. The (Jovernment is 
 called upon so to act that the interests of the Dominion are in no way 
 sacrificed. They can only be consulted by prudence, and by the 
 oW-ancc of an enlarged policy, based upon justice, reason^ and 
 ng -doing A policy which, in a work of the magnitude o; this 
 Kaihvay, while carried out generously and with liberalitv, will avoid 
 unnecessary and unwarrantable expenditure, and so command respect 
 and confidence. On the other hand, it must assert the right to Xm 
 ^t the works of recognized public requirement be fully and 
 efficiently constructed ; that I must add, in the present emeLnc 
 as far as possible. "^'o^iicy 
 
 The End. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 [From the Motitreal Herald, Sept. 27tfi, LSSl] 
 THi' CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY. 
 
 ■•k 
 
 i 
 I J 
 
 
 
 ■f:: 
 
 
 The Work Remaining to be Done. 
 
 Important Reports fi.om Mk. \'.\n Hoknk and Mu. S. li. Rkkd, C.E. 
 
 Canadian Pacikio Railway, | 
 
 / MontrkaIv, 17th September, 1884. j' 
 
 The within reports relating to the work remaining to he done by the Com- 
 pany, .and to the character of tiio country on the western section of the line, are 
 considered by tlie Directors of sufficient interest to warrant their publicaticm and 
 distribution among tiie shareholders. . 
 
 By order .)f the Br.ard, 
 
 Chari.ks Dkinkwatkr, 
 
 Secretary. 
 Thk Canadian Paoikio Railway. 
 
 To the Dinrtorx : 
 
 I returned last month from Victoria, British Columbia, over the line of the 
 Canadian Pacific Railway, and had an opportunity t examine every pai't of the 
 work remaining to be done by the Company on the mountain section. 
 
 Wishing to give all the time possible to our own work, I did not e.\ainine in 
 detail the (Jovernment work between Port Moody and Savunna Fei'ry, and as to 
 this, I can only report that it is proceeding rapidly, the track having reached, at 
 the time of my visit, a point near Spence's IJridge, about KJO miles from Port 
 Moody, and the grading from there being so far advanced as to justify the belief 
 that the track will be laifl to Savonna Ferry before many weeks. 
 
 The cmnpletion of the track to Savonna Ferry will be of the greatest advan- 
 tage to the Company's work, which commences at that point and is directly 
 accessible from there by steamboats, on the South Thompson River and the 
 Shuswap Lakes for a distance of one hundred and eight miles. 
 
 Mr. S. B. Reed, an engineer of many years' experience, and under whose 
 supervision the Ifnion Pacific Railroad was built, accompanied me across the 
 mountains, fnmi Savonna Ferry ; and as I am able to submit his rejiort herewith, 
 I need not speak in detail (')f the engineering feattues of the line. Mr. Reed's 
 large experience in railroad location and construction, both in the mountain and 
 the prairie sections of the West, makes his report especially valuable. From per- 
 scmal observati(m, I can vouch for the accuracy of iiis statements, and I am 
 confident that the cost of the work remaining to be done will fall considerably 
 below his estimates, which were intended to be entirely safe. Indeed, the greater 
 part of the work for more than one hundred miles, eastward from Savona Ferry, 
 has been let at a i)rice below those u{)on which his estimates were based, and the 
 cost of tlie large amount of work already done westward from the summit of the 
 Rocky Mountains is also within his figures. 
 
 
95 
 
 From the favorable chai'iictni: (if tlie work and the progress already made, F 
 think there will ho no difficulty in completing thr mountain nection within a year 
 from this date, and for four million dollars less than the estimates of last winter. 
 Within the same time the eastern section will also be ciiinpU-ted, so that by Sop- 
 t«Mnber next a through rail connection between Montreal and the l';wific Coast 
 will bo established. There are no difficult engineering problems to bo mot ; the 
 work is simple, and the cost easily calculated. 
 
 I am happy to state, as one result of my trip, that my doubts about the value 
 of the mountain section of the railway have l)een ontire,ly removed. In addition 
 to the agricultural possibilities of tlie many valleys of British ('olumbia and its 
 great mineral wealth, its magnificent forests alone will furnish a large and remu- 
 nerative traffic for the railway. From the mouth of the Kicking Horse River, 
 forty-four miles west from the sunnnit of the Rocky Mountains, to the Salmon Arm 
 of tht! Shuswap Lakes, a distanci; of one hundrt-d and fifty miles, the lino pusses 
 through a continuous belt of gigantic trees, which increase in si/.o going westward 
 until they reach their nuvximum in Kagle Pass wlnsre tree;- ei^ht and even nine 
 feet in diameter, measured seven feet above the ground, are common. The timber 
 is mostly cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, white pint;, sjjruce and tamarac. Other 
 varieti(is of mont or It^ss value al.-.o occur. All of the valleys near the line of the 
 railway through the t J<»ld Range and the Selkirk mountains seem to be filUid with 
 valuable timber, and I have no doubt that the supply is practically inexhaustilile. 
 /M'out the Pacific t(!rniinus there are also gniat forests of gigantic trees, (!ven 
 larger than those clescribed, and the export trade in timber is already of con- 
 siderable magnitude. There are many other sources of traffic and of wealth, the 
 chief among them being the coals and the fisheries. The coals are the most valua- 
 ble on the Pacific Coast, and are largely mined for shipment to San Francisco and 
 elsewhere. The richness of the fisheries is almost beyond belief. 
 
 The magnificent harbors of British Columbia, its cxceiitionally favorable 
 situation for commanding the trade of the North Pacific Coast, and of Japan and 
 China, its abundant natural resources and nuttchless climate, must surely bring a 
 large and rapid increase in wealth and popidation innucdiately upon the comple- 
 tion of the railway. 
 
 Having now seen all of the lint; between Winnipeg and the Pacific, and 
 having studied the prairie section with great care, 1 feel justifiijd in expressing my 
 opinioii in the strongest terms, that no mistake was made by the Comiiany in 
 adoi)ting the more direct and southerly route instead of that by way of tiie Yellow 
 Head Pass. The land along the northern route is inidoubtt.'dly good, but that 
 along the constructed lino is as good as land can well be, and the worst of it 
 would be rated as first-class in almost any other country. Reports about alkali 
 .districts and sandy stretches have been circulated by parties ignorant of th'' 
 country. These reports have in some cases originated in nialici!, and in others 
 from superficial observation. There is no more alkili in the land on the prairie 
 section of the line, than on any other prairie section of the san)e extent in North 
 America. There is no more of it in the prairie soil along the line than is required 
 for the |)orfect growth of cereals. There is not one mile of the country where 
 good water cannot be obtain(vl,and, as three years' experience leads mo to believe, 
 where there is not sufficient rain-fall for the growth of the crops. There is a 
 notable absence of sand between lirandon and the mountains. It occurs in very 
 few places, and it so luiiipens that nearly all of the sandy spots have been taken up 
 by settlers. The yellow clay sub-soil, so c<immon west of Vfoosejaw, has doubtl(!ss 
 bei'U fretpiently mistaken for sand bj- parties looking at it from pas-ing trains. 
 
M 
 
 
 >il 
 
 
 . . .™- 
 
 T di> nnt hi'sitiito to siiy that tlio CiiHiidiim Piicific liiiilsviiy lias ini>r(' (food 
 agricultural limd, inoro coal and inoni tiiiiber Ix'twimii Wiiiiiipo^f and tlm Pacific 
 Coast than all th« other I'acific Railways con»l)ined, and that every part of the 
 line, from Montreal to the I'acific, will pay. 
 
 Since writing' the above, I have received the following tele(frani from Mr. 
 ColliiiKwood Schniilicr, (Ihief Hngineer of tlie (Jovernment llailways, who han 
 just made a trip over the mountain section of the line : 
 
 ColAMiiiA, H.C., September 15th. 
 " Reached iiere this afternoon. Most satisfactory trip throujfh the mountains. 
 "Should have btien very nnidi astonished at the character of the work, had yuu 
 " not previously f^iven me a description of it." 
 
 I have the honor to be, gentlemen, 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 : ■ . VV. C. V.\N HouNK, 
 
 Vice-I'resident. 
 MoNTUKAi., Sei)tember l»»th, 1884. 
 
 JouKPK, 111., Sei)temlM)r(>tli, 1884. 
 
 Sir, —Upon your rerinest, and on receipt of your letter of instructions, dated 
 M<intreal, May 17th, 1884, to go to British Columbia and examine the location on 
 the Kamloops section of the Canadian Pacific Railway, I i)rocfeded at once, via 
 San Francisco and Victoria, H. C, to Savonna Kerry, at the west end of 
 Kamlooi)8 Lake, where the (Jovernment contract for building east from the 
 Pacific coast ends and the work of the Cojupany commences. 
 
 At Sav(mna Ferry I met Mr. Cambie, in charge of construction, and Major 
 Rogers, in charge of location, wlio walkc^d with me over the proi)osed lino to 
 Kamloops v'llagt% a distance of twenty-five miles. At tliis time (June (itli) 
 Major Rogers had his locating i)arties organized and at work, and had located 
 the line from Savojiua Ferry, about ton miles to the vieim'ty of the ('herry Creek 
 Bluffs, where the expensive rock work of tht^ Kamloops section occurs. After 
 carefully examining tiie proposed line, 1 telegraphed you my opinion that the low 
 grade shore line, on the south sjrle of Kamloops Lake, sliould bi; adojjted in 
 preference ti all other lines on the south side, in which opinion Mr. Cambie and 
 Major Rogers fully concurred. 
 
 In locating the line along the face of the Che' -y Creek Bluffs, every foot of 
 the distance was carefully examined, and the best jxissible location selected. The 
 work 1.11 tliis i>art of the section (six miles) is expensive but cannot Ik; avoided. 
 The grades on the lake section are favorable, in no case exceeding one per cent., 
 and are compensated for curvature. 
 
 During the locati(m to Kamloops, I examined thoroughly the high grade line- 
 located by the (Jovernment Engineers, some years ago, al<mg the Cherry Creek 
 Bluffs, which! think would be impracticable to build and maintain. Embankments 
 more than fifty feet high occur, the slopes of which would extend into the lake, 
 where, in sounding with a line one hundred and ten feet in length, no bottom was 
 reached. Neither is there room to build retaining walls, or trestle bridging 
 without extending into very deep water. 
 
 The rock excavation on the new line will be much leas than on the old, and 
 the tunnelling is reduced more than one-half. The maximum gradients are the 
 same on the new line as on the old, but the curvature is increased —curves of ten 
 degrees having been found necessary at the Cheny Creek Bluffs. 
 
07 
 
 I ftUo exainiiitvl carefully a lino run hy Majnr Ro|foiM uvor tlio hill.H -touth of 
 thn BluflF'*, whioli would av.iid part of tiitt iinavy work, ami cost loos to liuild, but 
 to conrttruct tlii.s line, gradt^s of onu hundriMl and sixtnen foot jior niilo cannot l)n 
 avoided, and as thmo i^n no ^nido hotwticn tlio Selkirk Mountains and the I'acitio 
 coast (aliout 3!) ) niilos), oxiModin^j Hixtysix feet per mile, it would not be Hound 
 railroad policy to introduce heavier jfradoM near the centre of this long section, if 
 they could bo avoided without excen.iive expensi', 
 
 I also thoroughly examined the country outside of the above itpeciiied lineM, 
 and was fully sa'isficd that the low avMh) shore line was the best that could bo 
 selected on or near the south shore of Kaudoo)>s I/ake. 
 
 I submit herewith an estiin:iti! of the total (luuntities of earth and rock 
 excavation and tunnellin,', based upon the prices at which I understand the work 
 to be let, also of l)rid,'in;?, as estim:ite(l from the located line, with the estimated 
 cost of ties, rails, f,istenin>;s, track-layin>,', ballasting', buildings, right of way and 
 engineering, making the total estimated cost of this section of twenty-fivo milei), 
 one million one hunrlred thousand one hundred and fifty-four dollars (11,100,144), 
 or about !S44,00t) per mile. 
 
 After the location of the above-described section was finally completed, I 
 passed over the remaining portion of the mountain section of the Canadian Pacific 
 Railway yet to be built from Kamloops N'illage. in liritish f 'olumbia, to the end 
 of track near the summit of the Rocky Mountains, a distance of 2t)3 miles. 
 Having seen the plans and profiles covering nearly all the heaviest work, and 
 having examined the character of the materials to be moved, and the bridges to 
 be built, I am able to speak of the cost of the line remaining for construction with 
 reasonable accuracy. 
 
 From Kamloops Village to the Little Hhuswap Lake, thirty-eight miles, the 
 line runs near the shore of the South Thompscm River, crossing the farms that are 
 located in t'le valley, where the small streams tributary to the river furnish water 
 for irrigation. The grading and bridging on this portion of the line is very light, 
 and the material is mostly sand and gravel. The trees are few and scattered, anil 
 the clearing and grubbing will be very light. 
 
 From Little Shuswap Lake to Sicamous Narrows, (forty-.iva miles) the line 
 will be somewhat more expensive. The Shuswap Lakes are of irregular shape, 
 and their arms, extending out between tlie mountains, distort the railway line 
 and cause a loss in distance of about eight miles. The line leaves the South 
 Thompson River at the head of the Little Shuswap Lake, crosses a " divide " to 
 the Salmon arm of the Shuswap Lakes, and pa.sses around on the south shore to 
 •Sicamous Narrows. 
 
 From the west end of the Little Shuswap Lake, going eastward, the excava- 
 tion, on the first six miles will average nearly 30,000 cubic yards per mile, about 
 one-half of which will be rock. On the next fourteen miles the work will average 
 16,000 cubic yards per mile- all earth and gravel. The next thirteen miles will 
 average 16,000 yards per mile, 1,090 yards of which will bo rock, and the rest 
 earth, gi-avel and sand. The remaining twelve miles to Sicamous Narrows will 
 average only about 10,000 cubic yards to the mile, 40 per cent, of which will bo 
 rock. On this section there will be two short tunnels— one of 240 feet and one 
 of 300. 
 
 From Savonna Ferry to Sicamous Narrows, a distance of 108 miles, the 
 entire line is contiguous to navigable water, and is thp-efore most favorably 
 situated for cheap and rapid construction. 
 
98 
 
 i^ 
 
 ' 1 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 I 
 
 From Little ShiiHwap Fiakt* oantward thore in a marked change in thu climato. 
 InNtcud of tht! dry and idniimt rainlcris Hoctinn extondinjj euHtward from tho 
 Cascade or CoaHt Hanjfe; to tho ShuHwap r.akts. rain falls hero in ahiindance, 
 and a denHO jfrowth of tiiiiher covers the country eastward to the Hiitnniit of the 
 Kocky MontitaitiH ; hemlock, white pine, I)oU(?laHH fir, sprnee and sonic other 
 vt-rititicM of timber j?ro\\in>( to an enormous size. CrosstieH, liridKetimlier, 
 tcle(^ai)h poles and Inmlier can lio ohtained at any place between Kandoops Lake 
 and the main ranffe n( the Rocky Monntains at small cost. For example, 
 reMponsilile parties pi .,ioNe to deliver at Savonna Ferry bridi?e tind)er of all 
 lengths at $15 per thousand feet, li.M.. cross-ties on the line at 'Jocents each, and 
 piles at four cents per lineal foot ; and I think all such matcM'ials can be furnished 
 at less cost. 
 
 From Sicamous Narrows to (Jritiitt Lake, near the summit of Eagle Pass, in 
 the (iold Range (thirty miles), the line follows tho valley of the F,agle River. fi\it 
 little if any rock excavation occurs, and tho earth work is very light. Some pile 
 bridging, and a short pivot bridge at Sicamous Narrows will be required. Tho 
 country is densely wooded, and clearing and grubbing will cost alK)ut one thousand 
 dollart per mile over the remaining portion of the line, oast to the Rocky 
 Moimtains. 
 
 The Kauiloops section (twenty-five miles), over which the line is definitely 
 located and the work under contract, will cost, as before stated, one million one 
 hundred thousand one hundrod and forty-four ($1,100,144) dollars. The section 
 to (iriflfin liake, at the summit of Kaglo Pass (113 miles), is estimated to cost not 
 mr)rc than an average of sixteen thousand six hundred ($10,000) dollars per mile, 
 making the average cost jier mile from the west end of Kamloops Lake to Griffin 
 Lake, a distance of 1.S8 miles, twenty-one thousand five hundred and sixty-five 
 (.?21,r»05) dollars per mile. 
 
 This estimate, I am satisfied, will cover the cost of this road, including station 
 buildings, water service, etc. 
 
 From Kagle Pass the line follows down the east slojie of the Gold Kange by 
 way of the narrow valley of Tumwater Creek, to the west crossing of the Colum- 
 bia River. The excavation is mostly in earth, but few rock cuttings occurring. 
 As the ("Columbia is approached, some heavy embankments are required. The 
 Columbia River is 800 feet wide, with a strong rapid current, and should be 
 crossed by an* iron truss bridge, with a timber trestle approach, 2,800 feet long, 
 aver.agiiig thirty to thirty-five feet in height. The cost of this bridge can be 
 reduced materially by using two j)er cent, grades on the east slope of the Gold 
 R.ange, but as no grade exceeding sixty feet per mile occurs between tho Selkirk 
 Range and the Pacific Coast, as before stated, it is best not to change here. 
 
 Eastward from the west crossing of the Columbia River, the line follows the 
 west crossing of the Ille-Celle-waet to the summit of the Selkirk R.-inge (Roger's 
 Pass) ; thence down the valley of the Beaver to tho East Columbia, thence up the 
 Columbia River Valley to the mouth of the Kicking Horse River, and up that 
 stream to the summit of the main range of the Rocky Mountains. 
 
 The line rtver the Selkirk Mount.ains, a distance of sixty-three miles, is 
 remarkably easy to constrrct, there being comparatively Jittle rock excavation, 
 and but one short tunnel. The great bulk of the work will be in earth and loose 
 rock. Two truss bridges of one span each will be required at the crossings of the 
 
 Kppoit Btutes tliut these bridges iire of wood. 
 
$» 
 
 he 
 at 
 
 is 
 n, 
 
 se 
 
 nil' f 'cllo-waet Hiul tlu' HoRver, niul oiio or two Hlinrt truM lirid^pg acroH§ iiinall 
 iiioiiiitiiin HtrcaiiiH, and a inoih-riite iiunil>«'r of Hhoit pile niui trfntio liridges acronB 
 ifullies on the mountain Hlopen. 
 
 At thf fiist fioHninjr of tilt! rolunihin, a dpck triixs Itiid^'c, ;ir>0 foct in lon^tli, 
 will hv. rtHiuirtul. In tlio vulliy of tlii> ColiunMii, for a distiincp of tliiity-five 
 
 if the canyon (four niilcH), whom tln'rt' jirt' two short 
 
 3|ltl< 
 
 niilew, with the exco| 
 tutnii'lH and some In'iivy work, now licinjf dont', the lint- is a rmiarkalily <>asy one 
 to Iniild, the work being mostly in j^ravel and sand, and the ro^-k, where it oecurri* 
 consiHtin^ of slate and shale. 
 
 Fmiii the month of the Kicking Horse River to the snniTnit of the f?ocky 
 Monntains, a diHtanct; of forty-four miles, the grading '\» nearly completed, and I 
 can see no reaHon why the track cannot lie laid to the inontli of the BeavcH, 
 (seventy-nine miles from the Rocky Mountain snmmiti before winter sets in. 
 
 Wliile traversing tin? line remaining to ho built through the woodcti section, 
 evidences of snow slides were seen at and near Rogtn's Pass in the Selkirk Range, 
 also near the sumniit of the main range of the Rocky Moinitains, but tlie aggre- 
 gate distance on which tiiese occur does not exceed fifteen miles. A 'lumber of 
 snow sheds will probably bo re<piired for the protection of the track, but nearly 
 fifty miles of these are in successful use on the Central Pacific road. 
 
 From careful inspection of the country through which the line passes, and an 
 examination t)f the i)lans and jirofiles so far as the line is finally located, botween 
 the summit of the<>old Range and the sujnmit of the Rocky Mountains, one 
 hundred and fifty miles, I iini satisfied that this section of the roa<l can be con- 
 «tructed at an average cost not exceeding thirty-three thotisand dollars (fJW.OOO) 
 per mile, including station buildings, etc. 
 
 In view of the rugged mountain cinnitry, through which the line jiasses, from 
 Savonna Ferry to the summit on the main range of the Rocky Mountains, a 
 dist.ince of two hundred and ninety miles, and the dense timber obstructing th« 
 successful exploration of the country over most of the distivnce, you have an 
 exceedingly cheap line to build, costing far less per mile than the mo\nitain work 
 of the Union and Central Pacific roads. 
 
 The alignment is good, and the gradients, with the exception of the west slope 
 of the Kocky Mountains, and over the Selkirk l{ange, in no |>lace on the 
 mountain secti n exceed sixty-six feet i)er mile. 
 
 On a portion of the west slope of the Kocky Mountain", and parts (»f botii 
 slopes of the Selkirk Kange, grades of one himdred and sixteen feet per mile 
 exist, i)ut they occur within a comparatively short distance and can be easily and 
 econo7iiically operated by the use of special locomotives, such as .are used on 
 tiimilar gradients elsewhere. 
 
 I gave some attention to the nine miles of temporary track that has been 
 built around a tminel, and some heavy work in the vicinity of Mount .Steplien, 
 for the purpose of saviiig a year's time in completing the road through to the 
 Pacific. This part of the road has four per cent, grades, and curves of ten degrees. 
 As far as I examined this temjjorary line, I found it thoroughly built, with 
 seventy poinid rails (per yard), and tirst-ciass fastenings. It will answer all 
 purposes for traffic for years to come, wi'hout material increase in the cost of 
 <iperating. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and other roads crossing the 
 Rocky Mountains have grades etjual to or exceeding this one. 
 
 1 also examined the section of the proposed permanent line around which the 
 temporary line has been built, and especially as you suggested, the large rock 
 

 u< 
 
 ^'1- 
 
 
 100 
 
 slide immediately east of the long tunnel through a spur of Mount Stephen. All 
 of the Hlide, except about one hundred and fifty feet in width, seems to have 
 been formed from gradual accretion.s, as the face of the solid rock forining the 
 cliffs south of the line has weathered and worn away. There is so evidenc* of 
 any recent movement tliat could not be ^'uardi'd ai,'ainst. Hushes of various kinds 
 grow on the old and gradually accreted (.s(V') portion. The one hundred and fifty feet 
 of the slide above referred to, is the track of a small stream that comes out from 
 under a glacier about one thousand feet above the grade line. This glacier 
 extends up Mount Stephen nearly, or (piite to tin; summit, tlie ui)per portion 
 being hiddi-n from view by a projecting s]»ur of the mountain. Tliis small stream 
 is gradually aceunndating deliris from the glacier, and in times of extreme 
 summer heat, when the largc^st amount of enow and ice is being melted, a flood 
 of water rushes down this slide, carrying with it the accumulated debris, into the 
 vallej' below, with grt>at force. A truss bridge, one hundred and fifty feet in 
 length, can be built over this slide through whicii these accunuilations can bo 
 l>assed with safety. 
 
 ]iut tlie, ti^mporary line annmd this place is so well built, and ])romises t() 
 answer present piu'imses so well, 1 shouhl think it imwiset) expend any money on 
 tlii^ inttmded [lermanent line until tiie traffic really demands it. 
 
 From the sunnnit of thi' liocky Motuitains 1 went by rail to Winnipeg, and 
 had an opp>)rtunity to see the entire line l\v daylight. 
 
 The track is in most excellent condition. Many of the temporary bridges 
 across the larger streams hav(! been rejilactid by substantial masonry and iron 
 structures, and others of this descrii)tiou are now being erected. 
 
 The country through which the roaii passes ai)pears to be rapidly filling up 
 with a farming pop\datii>n, and evidences of thrift and prosperity are seen in all 
 settled i)arts. This coimtry yields abundantly wheat, oats, barley, rye, potatoes, 
 etc., and will soon become the great wheat-growing country of America. 
 
 I know of no country in the United States of the same area that erpials this 
 for the growth of wheat and other j- ',ins adapted to the climate. By coniparison 
 of samples taken from titdds of standing gi'ain, ready for the harvest, six hun- 
 dred, and (light hinidred miles west of Winnipeg, with like samples from the Red 
 Kiver coinitry in Minnesota, the merit was lai'gely in favor of the former, and, 
 judging from apiwarances, the yield will be miich greater. 
 
 (Signed), S. I',. Kkkd, C.K. 
 
 W. C. Van Hornk, Ksrp, 
 Vice-President Canadian I'acitic Railway, 
 Montreal. 
 
 q.(. 
 
 At