IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) Wo ^ .// ^ ^.^ iP.r ^ :/. Ui 1.0 I.I 1.25 Js^' IIIIIU '1 IIM 1^ IM 22 1.8 U 11.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 L signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^•--^ :.5a SACRIFICED: <■' ITS CATHOLIC CLERGY AFFRONTSD, '. >• ► AND l ITS FRENCH POPLLATION IGNOHKl) ItY 'I'lIK A HOP IK IN OK I'lIK CENTRAL ROUTE. HALIFAX, N. S.: PRINTED MY HOLLOWAY BROS., ()!l (JRANVILLK ST. 1887. > ► > > AX^rii3ri^■^SJ^&rS^■^3ri*isrj•V^t•■*:kr-^j*.4^▼t;T^^^ v*iV^'ii'*.v!r.v>rA^^iigt,ih J f"" I Cape Bi\eton J NTERERTS SACRIFICED: ITS CATHOLIC CLERQY AFFROHTKD, • ^ AKO ITS FEENCH POPULATION IGNORED BY THB ADPTION OF THB CENTRAL ROUTE. HALIFAX, N. S.: PRINTED BY HOLLOWAY BROS., 69 GRANVILLE ST, 1887, PREFACE. Last winter the Dominion Government obtained from the House a grant of $1,700,000 to build a Tailway in Cape Breton, from the Strait of Canso to Sydney or Louisburg. It was understood from the speeches of Government Mem- bers asking for the grant, that the road was to be an exten- sion of the Intercolonial through Cape Breton, and that the shortest, easiest, most direct, and less expensive route to its eastern sea-board would be adopted. Last summer two routes were surveyed, one via Grand Narrows, the other via St. Peters. The former was found to be longer by 15 miles to Sydney and 45 to Louisburg ; divided into two halves by the Grand Narrows, an arm of the Bras d'or Lake, which it is impossible to bridge and must be ferried ; and surrounded for 50 miles on either side at a distance of two to three miles by the waters of said lake. The latter route in addition to being 15 miles shorter to Sydney and 45 to Louisburg, was found to require no ferry, to be easy of construction, surrounded by a populous country, and a direct road to the centre of the Cape Breton Coal Basin. The long interrupted expensive route through a lake has been adopted, and the short, uninterrupted route through a country has been abandoned. Why ? It will appear from the following, that the selection of the route via Grand Narrows is inimical to all the Industries of Cape Breton, and, therefore, a violation of the privileges granted to the Island by the vote of Parliament.' It will appear to be a direct violation of the evident intention of the Quebec Members in voting, to afford their countrymen in Richmond County the long deferred, long sought for boon of Railway communication. It will appear to be a violation of the desire of all patriotic Canadians, to have the shortest possible road to its most eastern sea-ports and the quickest access to NewfoundlaAdf jjind'J^rqpe. ,'° " • 1 • J • • tat • t • > I . • • • .'. ♦ • • • • • • J ,c t • •- •• ••• ,»♦••, •-1 . • • • • • • • • • • « « • • •< * • ' • • • • • • « • « . • • • ({ape Jretoii ({oal Jiitere^te. K^. Cape Breton has a population of 84,000 nearly douV)le that of British Columbia. Its area is 4,375 sq. miles or twice that of Prince Edward Island. In form it may be said to consist of a small trunk and to long extremities, separated from one another by the waters of the Bras d'Or Lake. Of these extremities the southern is by far the most important. It lies south of a line drawn paralell to the northern shore of the Island of Boularderie extending west- ward through North Mountain to the Strait of Canseau. Its population is 50,000, and a line of railway running through its centre to Sydney with a 10 mile branch to North Sydney would very nearly be within 10 miles of them all. It contains the only bed of coal on the Atlantic seaboard of both Am icas. The land area of this bed of coal is 2,00 sq. miles and the number of available tons in the Sub- marine areas alone are set down in the Nova Scotia report as 2.000.000.000 tons. In developing this inexhaustible supply Capit'J.ists have expended $10,000,000 of money. Nearly all the seams lie at easy angles, yield little water, and owing tc the generally firm character of the roof they can be mined with unusual cheapness and safety. So strongly marked is the impermeable nature of the strata that at a moderate depth the submarine workings are perfectly dry " ("Gilpin's report 1886.) Last year the total output of these mines was 550.178 tons of coal, yielding a royalty to the Provincial Treasury of Nova Scotia of over S40.000. It is of the utmost importance to Nova Scotia and to the Dominion that this mine of wealth be tapped by the shortest, easiest, and most practical line of Railway. It is of the utmost importance to Cape Breton itself, because now its mines lie idle in winter while navigation is closed. A good road to the Strait of Canseau and a commodious ferry over it would go far to overcome the closing of navigation. At present the Intercolonial carries Pictou and Spring Hill coals to Montreal at the rate of three-tenths of a cent per ▼ 6 mile. With tlio Intercolonial extended to Sydney, Cjipc Breton, could send and sell its coal 120 miles west of Montreal for the same fitrures that are now eharjjfCMl in Montreal for Spring Hill coals. It could do so because of the extraordinary cheapness with which ('a})(; Breton coals can be raised to the surface. It can start from Sydney with one dollar and ten cents in its favour, and arrive at Si)rinj^ Hill (2():i miles) with 40 cents still to the good. But these advantages are counter-balanced ))y the Strait of Canso. It cannot be bridged, and a ferry over it will a»ld considerably to the cost of transit, still our Coal owners say they can contend with it, but th(!y as positively assert that another ferry is more than tluiy can overcome. Yet the gf vernment engineers have gone in search of one at the Grand Narrows. To do so they have had to abandon the direct, shortest, and easiest line to the centre of the Cape Breton Coal Basin. They have deflected the line north- wards and run it eastward between the extremiti(;8 of Cape Breton, in the centre of the Bras d'Or Lake, they have run it for 50 miles along two narrow Peninsulas, averai^inji: .5 miles in breadth, they have run it ahmg the northern border of a mountain rani^e 25 miles lon^j and 80O feet hijjch shutting off all communicati(ms with Cape Breton County south of it. They then turn backwards and southwards by a devious course to Sydney, lengthening the distance between it and the Strait of Canso 15 miles. Surely an invested capital of 10 millions of dollars de- mands better encouragement, — demands the best and kind- est consideration of the Dominion and Provincial Govern- ments. It has not yet received it. CO miles of Railway have been built in Cape Breton by private enterprise, but not one cent of assistance would the Government of Nova Scotia give towards it. One Company built 30 miles of a road between Louisburg and Sydney. Its large expendi- tures and depression in the Coal trade brought it into diffi- culties. Still it persevered making the best of the situation. Tenders being called for to run Her Majesty's Mails between Sydney and Louisburg the Company appliec^. As it ran trains between both places every one hoped to see it in possession of the Contract. But not so have capitalists been encouraged in Cape Breton. The Contract was award- ed to the Old Stage Coach, because its tender was One dollar less than that of the Company. It may be as well to add that the Company soon yielded to the strain from within and the policy of non-assistance and opposition from »/ S>) ♦/ \>) wltliout. Its railway to Loulshnrg was more of a Htrain upon it tiiaii it could carry, and now lii^.s an unu.scd inonu- iiuint of the ill-advised, unpatriotic, lilind policy of those to whom the name of Louisburg has always been as a red flafT to an untaiiiod bull. Let us hope that sectional animosi- ties of this kind are forever at an end, that a new leaf has been turned in the Political history of (-ape Breton, that the Local and Dominion Governments will henceforth vie in doing her justice. As for Nova Scotia it were the blindest of policies for her to do anythinc; to tratn])le upon the indus- tries of Cape Ijret(m, seeing, that now her treasury is largely iilled by the royalty on C^ape Breton Coal. She should be the first to assist us in getting a feasible line to our Coal 'fields ; not the last, for she can't well afford it. FISHERY INTERESTS, But there is another industry of vast importance to Cape Breton which the Central route tails to benefit. This indus- try was a mine of wealth to the French before the fall of Louisburg. The valuati(m of the yearly export of fish then was $7,000,000. The same fisliing grounds are there still, and are being utilized by their descendants. The County of Richmond is half French, and la-'t year its catch of Fish amounted to $400,000. Adding to this the catch of the Atlantic seaboard of the County of Cape Breton, we have a total of about $700,000. Now this is capable of. indefin- ite increase, and the traffic resulting from it is enormous. A fish producing district is a food ccmsumingone and large- ly revenue raising, and it were the best of political economy to study its interests. Now it sometimes happens in the fall oi the year that fish is low, and as on the southern shore of Cape Breton, between St. Peter's and Louisburg, there are no harbours fit for anything larger than boats, the fishermen nmst ship jefore navigation closes, and sell at a sacrifice or pay heavily for storage. Were a Railway within reach they could keep their fish waiting the advance of prices, and then ship by Rail inwinter. The Central route is beyond the reach of our fishing population and their loss in consequence will be enormous. It is quite withiii the province of right for Richraonds 7,000 Frenchmen to appeal to Quebec's 2,000,000 to stop the iniquity of a route, which will not be of the slightest benefit to the most important industry of Cape Breton, an industry which has descended to them from the palmiest days of Louis- burg, NATIONAL INTERESTS. The Southern extremity or half of Cape Breton is of v£^st importance, also, because of its position, and its posses- sion of an unrivalled harbour in Louisburg. It is the " key to the St. Lawrence," and a " Gem in Her Majesty's Crown." It is the nearest harboar, to Europe, and within ready reach of' the trans- Atlantic commerce of Europe and America. It splits that stream of commerce into two, diverging one northward, into the St. Lawrence, and the other southward along the shore of America. The immense coal-field in its vicmity would make it of supreme importance in time of war, and no doubt a point of ready attack and an object much to be coveted. What has the Dominion Government or engineers rather, done to utilize this important seaport ? By adopting the central route of Railway throdgh Cape Bj*eton it has done all it possibly qould to ignore its exist- ence. It has removed its line of road as far north from it as it possibly could. It has selected a route which increases th,e distance from Louisburg to the Strait of Canso by one half, which in addition throws in an impracticable Ferry, and; makes it impossible for the nation to take advantage of its nearest sea-port to Europe. ^ AOBICULTURAL INTERISSTS. Why all this sacrifice ? Ostensibly to serve the agriqul- tu,i;'a,l interests of Invernessand Victoria. Granting that these iu.teij'ests are important, what are they compared to the min- ing, +#he fishing, and the commerqial interests of Richmond a,nd Oepe Breton counties, with the national importance of Louisburg. Besides the so\ithern half of Cape Breton is not so, far behind the northern half agriculturally, as it is repre- sented to be. The total number of bushels of oats, potatoes and wheat, added together, grown in, the two Northern Cpunties in 1881, was 986,700 agamst 796,833 for the Southern Counties. The number of tons of hay 67,252 a,gainst 39,573. A small differenqe indeed, when compared v^rit^i the ten million doUarsinvested in Cepe Breton county alopLC. But the agricultural interests of Inverness and Vic- tpiria Counties will not be as well served by the Cen- tral route, as by the Southern with a branch 18 miles Ijopg from River Inhabitants to Whycogomagh. This will give these two Counties ready communication with Sydney, nl- the mines connected with it and the enormous tonnage calling there every summer. It will do far more. What these counties require Is a ready means of exporting their stall-fed cattle to Newfoundland in winter. In summer they have unrivalled facilities for doing this by vessels, and the trade is large and growing. In winter every accessible harbour is closed, and the Newfoundland markets are shut off from Cape Breton. Now the adoption of the Southern route will give Inverness and Victoria rail accommodation to within 16 miles of Louisburg, where the Newfoundland Government intends to drop its mails whereas the Central route lands them 30 miles from it. The Rev. Moses Harvey of St. Johns, Newfoundland, writing to the Montreal Gazette, says, that there is a rail-road being built to Placentia Bay ; that it is intended to connect it with the Canadian Railway at Louisburg by semi-weekly boats ; that the passage between both ports is only a matter of hours not days, and that soon Newfoundland will have a new Mail Route to Europe. The Rev. gentleman is a leader of public opinion in his colony and knows whereof he speaks. The advantages of this arrangement to the Farmers of Cn,pe Breton, whereby they can ship regularly in summer and winter, North and South, can only be realized by those who have seen the sacrifices incurred by their being now compelled to pour all their cattle into Newfoundland in a few months in the summer and fall of the year. The markets become glutted and whole cargoes are often sacrificed. Prime meat sometimes selling for a cent a pound. To over- come this some butchers keep their cattle till very late in the fall, kill them in Sydney, and ship by vessels when frost sets in. But often instead of frost comes thaw, and the meat on arriving in Newfoundland is ordered out into the sea as unfit for food. Nor will the benefits of steam communication in winter between Louisburg and Newfoundland be confined to Cape Breton alone. The county of Antigonish will also reap a rich harvest. Its cattle trade with Newfoundland is a large one every summer, and the adoption of the Southern route will enhance its value immensely. The Minister of Justice in opposing the Southern route can not be aware of the loas to which the farmers of his county will be subjected, should his influence be exerted successfully against the nearest and directest road to Louis- burg and Newfoundland. Were the Hon. Gentleman as well versed in agriculture and its interests, as he is in law, \ 10 "we should, undoubtedly, sec him pressing the completion of the Southern route, with as much vigour as he is now known to have exerted in behalf of the Central route. Nor can the county of Antigonish be indiflerent to the prosperity of Cape Breton's coal-fields, and the shortest and easiest way of getting there. These Coal Mines will always afford a market place for farm prodnce. At present the want of a Railway shuts off Antigonish from these markets, but soon the door will be opened. Shall it be by a road 95 miles long with an impracticable Ferry, or a road 80 miles without a Ferry ? This is rather an important questicin for the Minister of Justice to decide for the farmers of his county. Quite as important as the question of giving his tiounty ready, short, cheap and uninterrupted access to the Bf arkets of Newfoundland, shall we say of Europe ? The possibilities are there, but from past indications the proba- abilities are not. " Seest thou the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of justice and judgment in a Province marvel not.'* CAPE BRETON DEMANDS. The people of Cape Breton and Richmond Counties realize that every industry of Cape Breton, north and south, and of eastern Nova Scotia as well, will suffer if the Domin- ion Government adheres to the advice said to be given by its engineers, to build a Railway through the Bras d'or Lake. They have sent a delegation to Ottawa, protesting against it, of which I had the honour to be a member. Three* fourths of its Catholic Clergy memorialized the Govern» ment against it.* We represented our case as best we could, realizing that on the success of our mis- sion lay the future prosperity of our island. We asked that the Central route be abandoned, the mining, fishing, agricultural and national interests demanded it. We asked in lieu of the Central route, a Southern route via St. Peter's to Sydney and North Sydney 90 miles, GO miles of this to be both national and local, leaving IG miles to Louisburg from its eastern end to be built whenever demanded. We *It has been said that his Lordship the Bishop of Antigonish strongly favours the Central route. Now, though the Hon. Hector McDougall is his Lordships nephew by marriage, and though the said McDougall has enormous interests at stake, it were nothing less than slanderous to assert that His Lordship should for any such consideration favour a measure inimical to the large agrituiltural interests of his county, and condemned by the great majority of the Clergy of his Diocese in Cape Breton, 11 asked besides fox* a line to Whycogomagh as the Dominion instalment of a Provincial line to Margarce. We asked for the immediate construction of about 110 miles of railway. Did we ask for too much? The Government by adopt-* ing the central route gives 95, also a ferry. Now these 95 miles of the central route with the ferry will cost fully as much as the 110 miles we askec for, if not there is money and public spirit enough in Cape Breton and Richmond Counties to recoup the Government for the difference. Does Cape Breton ask for too much ? In proportion too her populations she pays more into the Dominion Treasury than any other portion of Canada. She also pays far more into the Treasury of Nova Scotia. In return she has but one public work, the St. Peters Canal. Does she ask for too much ? Prince Edward Island half her size has 210 miles of Railway operated at a yearly loss to the Dominion of $50,000. British Columbia with half the population has had the energies of Canada taxed since Confederation for the purpose of giving it Railway accomodations. The coun- ties of Pictou and Antigonish with far less of a population and far less interests at stake have ten or twenty miles more Railway than all Cape Breton is asking for. It will be noticed that we have been striving to obtain for North Sydney something better than the central route offers it. We put it within unln'oken communication with the Strait of Canseau, we put its public Railway communi- cati(ms within 16 miles of Loui.sburg, and when these 16 miles are built it can send its coal there in winter for ship- ment at the rate of 12 cents a ton, i.e. if present rate of charges (3 mills per mile) he adhered to. It will thus have an inunense advantage over those Companies which have sunk immense sums in Railway construction. It has been falsely reported in the North Sydney Herald that the Government was to buy and operate the private Railways already built between Sydney and Louisburg. The Minis- ter of Railways told us that such an idea never entered into the mind of the Cabinet, he never heard of it there before we mentioned it. The wish or rather the lie in the North Sydney Herald must be father to the thought. It would fain have a road to Louisburg. Well we have done our best to get one for it. North Sydney must surely see that it is to its advantage to adopt a route which will give it the benefit of an Atlantic seaport open all the year round, as well as of easy, expeditious, uninterrupted eomnmnica- tions with Canada. In conclusion it must appear obvious to every one, who has studied the subject with sufficient, care, and unbiassed disinterested mind, that no one line of Railway will suite Cape Breton. Having two long extremities, it must have two lines of Railway as naturally as a carriage must have two wheels Two, and only two, if the Central route be abandoned. But three, and not less than three, if the Central route be adopted. Inverness and Victoria in that event will call out as loudly as ever. So also will Cape F-eton County and Richmond. If the Southern line be built, the line North will follow quickly if not immediately, and there will be left none to cry out excepting the occu- pants of the estates of the Ex-Honourable Hector McDougall of Grand Narrows in whose interests posterity will yet declare the Central route to have been adopted. MURDOCH CHISHOLM, M.D. Since writingf the above, the contract to build by the Central route has been awarded. We had hoped that the Government would have delayed proceedings and given the people of Cape Breton an opportunity to pronounce upon the question of Routes at the Polls. It has seen fit to re- fuse this, the last request of the Delegation. Why ? Two influences both proceeding from Nova Scotia prevailed against us. The Minister of Justice being a native of Halifax, and living there, could not divest himself of its hereditary jealousy of Louisl)urg, and its opposition to everything calculated to give its eastern situation any prominence or advantage. He has succeeded, even at the expense uild the longer route will afford the Nova Scotia Ministers no shelter. Neither will tlie self-interest of the Cape Breton County Members, who weiv entirely on this (piestion out of tune with their Constituents. Nor will the impatience of the Members for Inverness and Victoria be of any avail as a road to Whycogomagh would have fully l)etter satisfied their Counties. The question with Cape Breton, therefore, is not one of party but one of escape from the oppcwing influences in the Cabinet. The best escape I can now think of is secession froui Nova Scotia and union with Prince Edward Island. This is a measure which upon the presentation of the long list of ('ape Breton's grievances cannot fail to be granted. ^-r>^ 7 lA^ 13 POPULATION AND AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS Within Ten Miles of Road Accessible all the Year Round SOUTHEEN BOUTE TO STSNST. HastinsB, North Mountan* All Richmond County AH Cape Breton Co. (less North border) Busheb of Bushels of rotatoes. I Oats. Tons of Hay. Population. 26,704 15,051 149,619 392,057 583,431 7,701 7,640 27,553 106,842 146,736 2,667 1.672 13,265 19,554 37,154 2,357 833 15,121 22,051 40,362 The Statistics of north side East Bay and Ball's Creek are included in the Southern Route because to them it is the most accessible. CENTRAL ROUTE TO NORTH SYDNEY. 1»VERN«S3 CoUKtY. Hastings* North Mountain* , River Inhabitants , Dennis River Whycocomagh Victoria Codhty. Little Narrows, S N Grand " Boularderie Cap* Bretoh County, Grand Narrows Boisdale Boularderie North Sydney 1 Sydney Mines, and > Little Bras d 'Or... \ Bushels of Potatoes. Bushels of Oats. Tons of Hay. 26,704 15,051 21,240 15,044 35,574 7,701 7,640 10,158 11,798 24,360 2,667 1,672 2,472 2,650 4,173 8,045 5,304 29,422 28,987 7,507 3,666 7,307 17,921 989 580 1,967 4,099 38,987 22,794 30,262 14,035 8,060 15,743 2,415 743 1,720 39,353 5,340 1,876 236,767 141,226 28,023 Populatiota. 2,357 833 1,077 1,097 2,443 485 332 1,280 1,604 1^464 900 1,359 5,484 20,615 * Common to both. Other farm products are not raised in quantities sufficient to meet home consumption. Cattle, &c., as an item of Railway traffic, will never be of much value along the Bras d'Or Lake, as the facilities of shipping by water are unrivalled. 14 co:m::p.a.i?.^ti'v^ki Shewing the Advantages of the Southern Cape 1. Length of Trunk Line, ft (< << 6. 7. 2. (a) Conformation of country through which eastern 50 miles of railroad passes. . (6) Area of country through which eastern, &c 3. Accessibility of road SOUTHERN ROUTE. (to SYDNEY.) 80 Miles. 82 Miles to Louisburg. 4. Engineering diflBculties. 5. Present mode of transportation along line . (a) Number of Collieries approached and benefited by Trunk Line (h) Output of Coal in these respectively. . (c) Number of Men employed Valuation of Fishery Productions, 1885 within ten miles of road Number of Men employed Level valley surrounded by undulating country. 1,400 Square Miles. Easy all the year round. None. Vehicles, and small schoon ers on the Atlantic. 11. 426,204 tons. 1,400. $695,727. 3,596 (on the Atlantic coast of Richmond and Cape Breton Co. By extending the southern route to North Sydney 5 miles of Railway are saved, a ferry avcdded and 50,000 of the population accomodated. The Southern route is a direct line to the center of the Coal Basin of Cape Breton, containing over 2,000,000,000 tons available Coal. It will permit of its exportation to Montreal with profit at rates now char£jed on the Intercolonial. The Ferry on the Central route along with that ou the Strait of Canso will not permit of this. 15 over the Central Route of Railway in Breton. CENTRAL ROUTE. (to North Sydney.) 85 Miles. 125 Miles to Louisburg. 95 Miles to Sydney. Peninsula Mountainous, and averaging 5 miles ia width. 250 Square Miles. 50 miles shut off in winter on either side by treach- erous ice of Bras d'Or waters. Insuperable except by ferry. Subsidized steamers, and vessels on the Bras d'Or. 1. 124,274 tons. 500. 872,400. $520. REMARKS. Sixty-six (66) miles of this southerly line via Salmon River and Grand Mira are on© common to a Local and National Line trunk, the eastern end of which is but 14 miles to Sydney and 16 miles to Louisburg (strongly recommended by Sir Charlea Tupper). This alone sa£5ciently damaging to the Central route. Disinterested men who know say it is impossible in winter to run a bofcfc large enough to carry a train across hi; re regularly, owing to forming and floating ice. fish and coal producing district is a flour consuming one (an item which ought to be considered by the Government from a^ economical point of view in operating railway).