.n^ *n?-- s>^. '^'^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) m/r m:^ ^^. M ^\% '^ /.^.% m € th September, 1>-'<1 To THE Directors, In company with the the President and Sir J)«^naid A. Smith, I have, since the 12th ultimo, made a careful inspe(^iion of the railway from Montreal to Vancouver and I am gratified at being able to report that the entire main line is in good working order and that nearly all of it is in excellent condition. The older portion of the line from Montreal to Mattawa, 318 miles, may be said to be fully completed. Between Matiawa and Fort William, 382 miles, there were, at the beginning of this season, numerous low pla- ces in the roadway, resulting from the shrinkage of em- bankments and settlement of material incident to all newly built lines. There were, also, a number of short sections where the final ballasting had not been done, or where it had been found insufficient ; also numerous pla- ces where the earth slopes were found to be exposed to the action of the water during (pertain seasons and these required more or less rock- facing. All these defects and deficiencies are being made good and within a few weeks the whole of this section will be in such permanent good conditio!} that it may be kept up by a <;omparatively light force of trackmen, and the work will, I think, be com- pleted within the appropriations already approved by the Board for the purpose. A considerable number of the f lesser timber trestle bridges have been filled with earth in the removal of materials from adjacent cuttings where it was not requiii^d for widening embankments. A great many of the smaller trestle bridges should be filled within a year or two, and the lona: trestles, where practicable, should be divided by prisms of earth to reduce the risk of loss by fire and to prevent excessive delays should fires occur. All of the existing timber trestle bridges on this section were planned and builc as permanent structures of this class, and I regard all of them as entirely safe, with proper precautions against tire ; but all bridges, however substantial, must be recognized as, to some extent, danger points, and any reduction in their number will result in a saving in working expenses, and at the same time improve the general character and reputation of the line. An estimate of the cost of filling the smaller trestle bridges will be submitted to the Board at an early date. Two iron spans with masonry piers are being added to the Big Pic Bridge, in place of timber trestle work, and the long trestle approach to this bridge, which is the most important on the Lake Superior Section, will soon be divided by earth prisms into three sections. The Section between Fort William and Winnipeg, 423 miles, which was built by the G-overnment, is now generally in first-class condition, but a large number of the timber trestle bridge - . id several of the wooden truss bridges have required renewal during the year. They were inferior structures in the first place, and those renewed had nearly reached the usual life of such timber work. Where it could be done without materially in- creising tne outlay, earth embankments have been substituted for timber trestles. The wooden truss bridges are being renewed in wood, because of the present high price of iron- work and the crowded condition of all the bridge works, and because iron structures would require masonry piers and abutments, which would excessively T 8 increase the outlay. The bridges so renewed are, however, of a very substantiol description and will be good for nine or ten years. Two or three somewhat costly accidents have occurred on this Section by the sliding of embankments built on soft material and on sloping rock bottoms. An examination of the places where such slips are liable to occur, shows that little more difficulty of this kind is to be feared, and that a small expenditure will mat > these places perfectly secure. The prairie section of the line, from Winnipeg to Cal- gary, 840 miles, is in excellent condition throughout, except that from Regiua westward the embankment is somewhat narrow in places ; but a small expenditure, probably less than |5,000, will correct this, and the work is being gradually done by the ordinary section force. The water supply between Medicine Hat and Calgary is at times insufficient, and some expenditure may have to be made next year in this direction. With the exception of the Montreal terminus, the entire main line, as far west as Calgary, is well provided with all necessary buildings and appurtenances. From Calgary to Donald, 183|^ miles, crossing the Rocky Mountains, the track is in first-rate condi'Son, but in some places in the Bow River valley the embankments require rock protection against running water, and occa- sional slack places in the embankment require raising. In the Lower Kicking Horse canyon, where the roadway is exposed for sixteen miles to the action of an exces- sively rai)id mountain stream, a large amount of rock- facing has been done, and more is required. About $20,000 has been expended in this and in removing im- pending earth-slides in the same vicinity, and in raising the track in the Lower Kicking Horse flats above high water level, and probably an ^equal amount will have yet to be expended before the end of the year to make the roadway entirely secure. In the original construction of the railway, it was thought possible to usi* pile bridges at the fourth, fifth and sixth crossings of the Bow River, at the three crossings of the Devil's Head creek, and at the crossing of the Blae- berry, instead of more expensive structures; but expe- rience has shewn that these will not answer at the places in question and that it will be necessary to replace them before the coming spring with truss bridges on piers. The necessary iron spans for the fourth crossing of the Bow have been on hand for several years and will be erected immediately, but it is proposed to use timber truss bridges at the other places named, tor the sam(» rea- sons as stated in connection with the truss bridges between Port Arthur and Winnipeg. These bridges em- brace twelve spans aggregating in length 1652 feet and the outlay will be nearly |65,()00. A slight movement having occurred in the so-called " mud tunnel," in the Kicking Horse valley, an expendi- ture of about $9,000 has been incurred in building a line around it. This new line is built on a very sharp curve, but so little difficulty is found in working traffic over it that it may safely be used permanently, in place of the tunnel, saving the large amount of money that would be required to make the tunnel secure. Witfi the exception of a suitable station building w^ith refreshment rooms, etc., at Bantf; in the National Park, this section of the line is sufficiently provided with buil- dings and appurtenances. From Donald to Revelstoke, 79| miles, crossing the Selkirk Mountains, the track is in good working order. The final ballasting is well advanced and will be com- pleted very soon. A large amount of work has been done this season in reducing earth slopes on the mountain sides, and in moving the line out from such slopes as are likely to slide and vvrhich cannot be reduced to a proper angle without excessive cost. But dhe most important work in the Selkirks is, the construction of sheds and other works for protecting the line against snow-fall and avalanches. The sheds provided last year were found to answer their purpose admirably, but many of them were found to be too short, and during the month of March, when the heaviest avalanches came down, their portals were filled with snow, ice and debris. To guard p gainst this all of the sheds where difficulty occurred last winter are being extended and in a number of cases the original sheds are being connected by covering the interven- ing spaces. With few exceptions, cheaper works than those provided last year are found sufficient, being outside of the tracks of the heavy slides. * Sheds are being provided at a number of new places where the experience of the past winter, which was exceptionally severe, indicated the need of them. All the timber in these works is of cedar and they 'will require littl<» repair for many years. I am confident that the protection works now building, and which \vill be finished before winter, will effectually prevent any serious blockades. Succeeding winters may develope snow-slides at new points which may cause slight delays to trains, until pro- tected, but all points where serious difficulties might occur will be fully covered by this season's work. All necessary buildings and other facilities have been completed on this section, except at Revelstoke which' is a divisional point and where an engine house, a number of sidings and the other usual works imndent to such a point are being provided. Five or six cottages for employes must be built at this place immediately. From Revelstoke to Sicamous Narrows, 44 miles, through Eagle Pass, in the Gold Range, ballasting, buildings, etc., are practically completed and aside from a small number of snow-sheds now building, very little remains to be done. From Sicamous Narrows to Savon as Ferry, 109| miles, B 6 n the line is fully complt'ted in evpry rofipect, with the exception of six or eight miles of ballasting and some widening and rock-facing of embankments for a short distance on Kamloops Lake, all of which will soon be done. The line from Savonas Ferry to Port Moody, 213 miles, was turned over to the Company by the Government last year, in June, and was accepted under protest as in an unfinished and generally unsatisfactory condition. In order to keep it open and safe for traffic the Company has been obliged to expend a considerable amount — about $80,000 — on this section, in removing rock and earth slides, in strengthening bridges, and, generally, in temporarily pro- tecting the line. The rectification and completion of the work on this section has been provided for by an agree- ment vvith the Government, and all questions ijelating to it are to be determined by arbitration. It is expected that the amount expended by the Company in correcting defects and deficiencies np to this time will be recovered, and that provision will be made for all of the w^ork necessary to be done on this section to bring it up to the requirements of the contract between the G-overnment and the Company. The ballasting on this section is completed and the track itself has been put in very good condition. The extension of the Company's line westward from Port Moody is now fully completed to Vancouver, 12^ miles. The Company's agreement with the Government of British Columbia required this line to be carried to a point on English Bay, about two miles west of the pre- sent city of Vancouver. The rails have been laid on this section of two miles, but the ballasting remains to be done. A wharf 1000 feet long has been built by the Com- pany, on the Coal Harbor front of Vancouver, and three large freight sheds have been built thereon. These docks to a considerable extent rest on timber piles, and as these have already been attacked by the teredo, which works most rapidly on this part of the Pacific Coast, a consider- able expense, probably |2r),000 wili have to be incurred in the immediate future in the way of earth filling; and rock facing. Facilities for passenger and freight tralhc, sufficient for present purposes, have been provided at Vancouver, and workshops for locomotive and car repairs are building. Considerable additions to the side track accommodations at Vancouver will have soon to be made to provide for the rapidly growing traffic at that point. • The New Westminster branch, 9 miles, is fully com- pleted and in operation. ,, V Of the main line of the railway generally, I may say that when the work now going on, as already described, is finished, which will be within ten weeks from this 4;ime, the line will be in excellent condition throughout, meeting every requirement of a first class railway, capable of carrying a heavy traffic with the greatest economy, and equul to any need or emergency requiring an especially fast train service . and I feel safe in assuring the Boiird that no serious delays or b terruptions of traffic are to be feared from snow or any ocker causes. The equipment is in first rate condition, but at least twenty locomotives and three thousand freight cars should be added as soon as possible. The movement of bountiful grain crop just harvested in the North West will, during the, next four months, tax the rolling stock of the Company to its utmost capacity, and will, I fear, compel us to decline elsewhere much traffic of importance. The ex- tension of the Algoma branch to Sault Sle, Marie will be completed about the end of next month, and the bridge across St. Mary's River and the two American lines exten- ding thence to St. Paul, Minneapolis and Du^uth are ex- pected to be ready for traffic but a few weeks later. These new connections will bring within easy reach, an immense 'J 8 freight tralUc already created, and will afford fonstant employment I'or a large number of oars. Five or six sleepinj^ cars should be added to the ecjuip- ment in time for next summer's business ; it will probably be necessary, also, to provide for additional grain storage at Fort William to the extent of 1,000,000 bushels, bringing the storage (-apacity at that point and Port Arthur up to 2,750,000 bushels. I beg to (!all the attention of the Directors to the very , unsatisfar^tory state of our steamship connections at the Pacific terminu.s. The service between Vancouver and Victoria is performed reasonably well, but the line to San Francisco is most inferior in character, is shunned by pas- sengers, and is almost impracticable for freight. Our connection with Seattle, Tacoma, and other Puget Sound points is made by means of small local boats, not at all suited to the purpose. The Alaska trade, the passenger business especially, is increasing rapidly and is alreadv of much importance to the Canadian Pacific Railway, bni tha bteamships plying in that direction do not touch at Van- couver, and we are not able to compete for the business on anything like equal footing with rival lines, Notwith- standing its disadvantages, in the way of steamship con- nections, the past year's experience has demonstrated clearly the ability of the Canadian Pacific to compete successfully with any and all of the other trans-continental lines for San Francisco and Puget Sound trade; and when the present meagre population of British Columbia is com- pared with that of the Pacific Coast States to the south of us, and within our easy reach, the importance of suitable connections will at once be apparent. To provide such, two handsomely appointed and reasonably fast steam- ships would be re(|uired for the San Francisco trade, and two smaller, but fast and well appointed vessels, for the Puget Sound and Alaska trade. We have already had sufficient experience in this business to justify the belief t-. 9 that three Mteamships wouMIm^ morn than s.^lf-sustaininfr, and th.' value of thn tralii.^ they would rontrihute to thti railway would bo rory great. It should be renmnib.Mvd that on account of the American Customs rer»'ulations and lawHgcverning the ooaHtiijg trade, American bottoms only could be u«ed. It would be nearly as great folly, after building- a railway ac^ross thn continent, to stop short of providing the connections necessary to bring to it all the traffic within reasonable rea ;h, as to fail to provide suffi- cient rolling stock. I am unable to furnish a close estimate of the cost of four suitable steamers, but from the best in- formation at hand, I think the total cost would not be far from $1, '200.000. The steamers would have to be specially built, as there are no Americ^an boats available which would ausw<»r the purpose. W. C. VAN HORNK, ^ Vice-President.