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Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6. il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur nauche. de gauche d droite, et de haut an bas. en prenant Ie nombre d'images necessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrekiV la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 m W ■4 'mm wmimiifmtmiimif'iimmimmfi MMH THE i^CT^f ION OF THB TEB .;i-i'-!i'iV I*-; OF i^ BiftANCH pF TBI PACIFIC RAILWAY ,P ON MORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR, »Vrm^ IBS ADVANfAGU OF 30JNBER ILIT 3AY OR OTTAWA: ■ ^ -^--^ :--^m4r-' miimmmmimimmmmmmmm^mmmtmmmm'l'^^ ;.tiN6xo& ^ -,■ wvK#y€|^.'^4':ii''" A, !>mwmim,!i'r^m<- mm mmmmmmmmmmmmm. K ^THE QUESTION OF THE TERMINUS v> Y \) Oy THE BRANCH OF THE ^ PACIFIC RAILWAY ON NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR, siiowrxa the advantaqr of thunder bay oyer nepioon bay or ANY OTHER POINT. c • 4 A I J - » it : ? • • • • *.<• T ' «• 5» OTTAWA: Printed by MacLean, Roger & Co.. AVelltnoton Street. 1874 y^ ; : * I • • • « ..• •: •.. : : •,• •« < • • • • •• » • • • •• : ;.. :•• ••• • • TFIE (,)UE8TI0X OF TIIF. TFRMIXTS OK TllK BRANCH OF THE PACIFIC RAILWAY hniii. OK I NORTH SHOUS OF LAKE SUPERIOR, SHOWINQ THE ADVANTAGE OF THUNDER BAY OVER NEPIOON BAY OH ANY OTHER POINT. To the Mevihcrs of Parliament of the Domlmon of Canada. The undersigned having been requested by the Council of the Munici- pality of Shuniah, Thunder Bay, to bring to the notice of the Canadian liovernment the advantages of Thunder Bay as the natural terminus on Lake Superior of the Fort Garry btinch of the Canadian Pacific Railway, beg respectfully to submit that among the numerous points in its favor, the first is, that the link will be shorter on the wLjIo distance to Fort Garry, besides ofl'ering less engineering difficulties ; secondly, this line would be the means of opening up an immense tract of good farming country, a portion of which has lately been placed as fi-ee grant lands by the Ontario Government. This line would also supply an essential requisite, which could scarcely be otherwise supplied for years, in opening up and developing the vast mineral resources lying west of Thunder Bay : thirdly, Thunder Bay as a harbor is highly favored, being very deep, free from reefs, wide at its entrance and surrounded by prominent landmnrks, while Nepigon Bay is shoally in places with long narrow channels, so that vessels would require to be towed in, and the great prevalence of fog which renders navigation dangerous and uncertain : fourth, the difference in the opening and closing of the two bays makes a difference in iavor of Thunder Bay of nearly six weeks, which would be of great importtiuce to the trade of Manitoba and North, West. The affidavits and statements, copies of which are hereunto appended, are from parties well known to us as reliable men, who are old residents of the North Shore of Lake Superior — a perusal of which will, we trust, satisiy every candid person of the superior advantages of Thunder Bay over Nepigon Bay, or any other point on the NorthShore, as the only properand natural terminus of the said Rail-vay : E. B. BoRRON, M.P., Algoma, Adam Oliver, M.P.P. Petbb J. Brown, Reeve Shunlah. Thomas Marks, Thunder Bay. Peter McKkli-ar, Fort William. • c COPY UF PFriTION PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT. To the Ilonuurahlc the house oj Commons if the Dominion of dmada : The petition of the Municipality of Sliuniah in behalf of the inhnhitant.^ of tho IJistrict of Thimd?r Way. irUMRLY SIIE^VETQ Thit your potitionors have lately hocu infovmed that Nopi^^in Vay i>i looked upon with favoi- as the terminus of tlio Canada Pacilio ha. 'way on Lake Superior. That an attsmpt has heen made to place evidence before Your Ilnnouj- ablo House by a few parties who have taken u]"> large tracts r,i' land in and about Nepigon for speculative pin'])0ses, tending to prove that Nepigon Bay is the mo.st favorable i)oicil on J^akei Superior lor the terminus of the said railway. 'J'hat the evidence in favour of Thunder Bay .vs the most advantageous point for the terminus of the saitl railway which iVom time to time has been forwarded through the Member to** this District, has not, as it ap- pears toj'our petitioners, been placed before Your iionourable House. That Nepigon Bay cannot in any one point claim the advantage, either as a terminus for a railway or a harbour for vessels, owing to the dangers of navigation in consequence of the numerous islands, reefs and shoals in and about the said bay, the early fonnation of ice and the late date of its breaking up in Spring, and the prevalence of fogs in the latter, which is hereby veriHed by the alHdavits attr.ched, viz: Deschamps, a resident for twenty years in Nepigon Bay; Clarke, a resident for ten years; Lambert, aailine mister of the Hudson Bay schooner for twenty years; aho the statements of Fathers Chone and Durouque, Roman Catholic missionaries in this district for over a period of twouty years, which are also further substantiated by athdavits of surveyors, explorers, and other old residents of this district. That the country through which the railwa^f would pass from Nei^igon, is neither agricultural nor rich in minerals, but rocky and mountainous, and in view of a railway from that point, there is no road to the interior for the purpose of corv».ying the plant and provisions necessary in carry- ing on such an important work. Whereas Thunder Bay can, in every particular, claina to be the most ad- vantageous point for the terminus of the Canada Pacific Railway on Lake Superior, having a Bay sufliciently land-locked, forming one of the best natural hnrbours on the Continent, and ^vhich is free from all obstructions to navigation, such as shoals, rocks and sunken reefs, so that both sailing vessels and steamers can approach in safety, b6th day and night, any of the settlements on the said Bay : that the Harbour is free from ice six weeks later and Irom two to three weeks earlier than Nepigon, as from the evidence of the Hudson Bay journal embracing a period of nineteen years, and other affidavits attaclied, Thunder Boy opens on an average on the sixth of May, and closes on the thirtieth December. That the proposed line of Railway from Thmidor Bay would i>ass through the line agricultural valleys of the Kaministiquia, Matawan, Sun- shine and Raining rivers, and also through the Gold-liclds of the Sheban- dowan and height of Land, in fact, through the whole rich mineral region of the North-West, so that it would be a great assistance in the direct de- velopment of that Country. Miners in the interior would have an outlet for their products as well as the means of supplying themselves with the necessaries needed in opening and working them to advantage. hi: nlrihitant.-j ^-^n Toy is h.'iJwiiy on jr Tlonoiij- iand in nmi it Nopi^oii inus of tlio vantageons o timo has it, as it ap- House, age, either he dangers d shoals ill date of its r, which is esidcnt for ; Lambert, aho the lissionaries so further d residents Nei^igon, )untainous, le interior y in carry- 10 most nd- ayon Lake )f the best bstructions Ml sailing ;ht, any of om ice six IS from the teon years, ige on the vould i>ass awan, Sun- le Shebau- nral region direct de- ^ an outlet s Avith the That along th<^ piDpo.-iod Uailway ftouto IVom Thunder Buy, tiic ostab- ished road and water communication of tlio Dawson Route, would greatly "d to tho cheap construction of the Railway, as the line would run parallel th it, and by its aid could bo commenced in several sec! ions simultane- ously, provisions, jjlant *coouDt of fogg, and by putting a Lighthouse on Thunder Cnpe with Fog Bell attaobed, it could always be entered with the greatest of safety. The entrance is wide, and sfiling vessels can go in and out without the acaist- »»nce of 'lugp, and the mouth of the KammiKc^ua River is capable of hold- ing the largest il jet that sails on the l.'ikes, and with a very ami 11 outlay can be made a very tine harbour, and according to my exprrieoce of f^ighteen years sailing it is the best harbour on Lake Superior. In fact if ( were compelled to oill at Ucd Rook or Nopigon as it is called, .3very trip, 1 should leave the Lake altogether. I have frequently Uld outside Nepigon Biy for from eight to forty hours waiting for fog to cloar oH, and then go by without calling at all on the trip, in tact it is one of tho worst places for fog taat I know of, and should be sorry to see tho Uovernmept choose Nepigon us the outlet of our North West Territory, as it would debar all saUing vessels from a share of the carrying trade. Any further information will be cheerfully given, Yours. &c (bjgned,) BEN. TRU'P. COPY OF LElTEa FKJM CAPT. JAMES B. SYAIKS, OF TUE STEAMER MANITOBA. Dear iSiu; Sarma, 9th April, 1874. 1 enclose you coj'y of letter aent Hon. Mr. Mackenzie and I canno*; Ray further, than that Thunder Bay is easier of access both at ui^ht and t'ojjrgy weather than Nepigon Bay. Thunder Kay having a wider e-itrance ftnd deepe' water, r.nd one lighthouse and fog bell, would make it perfectly safe at all times, whereaa Nepigon Bay would require several lighthouses to make it eafe. as the chaiinels urb narrow and the waters not po deep —as regards the Kaminif qua River and Nepigon River there i? no comparison with regard to room, as the one is navigable for nearly fourteen milee>, and the other (Nepigon River) is only navigable tor about two miles, on the Kaminishqua River the barks arn high and docks can be constructed any where along the river, Nepi^oc River ia marshy and it would bb trouble* some to build docks. Yours, &c., (Signed, JAS. B. SYMES. EXTRlcrS iroin the Hon. tludson Bay's Compsny's JiurnaU from the years 1837 to 1873 : showing the opening and closing of naviga- tion Thunder Bay, Lake Suoerior. Opening. 1837 May 4. ]841 May 19. 1842 April 26. 1843 May 6. 1H59 May 6. 1866 Mey 6. 1861 May 10, 1862 May 14. Closing. 1838 DeceD/>er 28. 1840 Decern )er 31. 1841 January 2. 1842 December 30. 1859 Deeember 27. 1860 Deo<*mber 25. 1871 December 30. 1862 Decenber 30. ..ti'^Ld- M.^.^ I ^^ ....tl^-iV ^.V ' t^f' '^^*l^l.i -. /-a^vk^^ «•. -.1 1, «,^ -k. L twice on ) with Fog fety. The I ha apsint - l8 of hold- i)qll outlay )rrieDce of In fact if led, overy lid cute id e >ar oii, and r tho worst overatnept 8 it would LDy furthor TliirP. STEAMER rii, 1874. d I e-itinot L ui^ht and T eTtrance it perfectly kthouHea to o deep —as soniparison mile?, and les, on the r acted any J6 Ix'ouble- i-ilES. from the of naviga- Openiog. Clo«iDg. 1863 January S 1864 Deosmber 26. 18(^5 Beoember 24. 1866 December ?.9. 1867 December 31. 1868 December 2b. 1H60 January 4. 1870 December 26. 1871 December 30. ! 1872 December 29. 1874 January 10. . I certify this to be a correct copy of the extracts from the Hon. Hud- bon Day Cjmpanv's Journal. .'^*'.^■■^^ 'A^j>trn'Au .fUHN Moim'YRTS. 1863 Ap-il29. 1864 Mtiy 12. 1865 May 17. 1866 May 10. 1867 May 3. 186B May 12 1869 May 6. 1870 May 10 1871 April 26. 1872 Jday 6 1873 May 14. ii.nff li) t^tiw 1 ..^i .u •i^ii.l .i'iM^ PRINCE A RTHUR'S LANDINCJ, ) District of Titondbb Bay, I To Wit: I I, John McLaurln, of the Village of Fort William, in the District of Thunder Bay, Sailor and Fur Trader, make oath and say as follows : — Jst, Triat I have lived on the shores of Lake Superior for the lat«" -^^-^ -■'■■« JOHN MoLALRIN, Vv ' Capt. Tug Watchman. Sworn before mo at Piince Arthur's Landin^j this 19th day of March, A. D. 1S74. D. M. BLACKWOOD, Com. N. B. R. &c. PRINCE ARTHUR'S LANDING, ] District of Thunder Bay, i- To Wit: j I, Warrington Pritchard, of the "Village of Fort William, District of Thunder Bay, Sailor, make oath and say as follows : Ist. That I lived on the south end of the Island of St. Ignace for two ■wmhpmI years, and havo b«en sailing on the waters of Lake Superior every season for tho last fourteen years, and am well aajuainted with the North Shore of Lake Superior and with Nepigon Bay and all the Bays en the said North Shore of Lake Stiperior. 2nd. That said Island of St. Ignace is on the soi^th side of Nepigon Bay. 3rd. That Thunder Bay generally opens abont the tenth or fifteenth day of the month of May, and sometimes aarlior, but never later than tho 15th day of May, and is a first class natiiral harbour. 4th. That Black Bay opens later by ten or twelve days every year than Thunder Bay, and the erection of a wharf at Black Bay would be attended with great expense, as the waters are very shallow for a long way from tho I'lnd in the places where a wharf o^uld be built, and in many places near the shore there are reefs running out fcr some distance from the shore. 5th. That Nepigon does not open for twelve or fifteen days after Thunder Bay opens every year, and the channel running into the Bay on the nortli east side thereof Is vsry crooked and dangerous, and sailing vessels would have great difficulty in tacking through said channel on account of the crookedness thereof and the shallowness of the water in many places, and the reefs therein, and would in the majority of cases have to be to;ved foj- a distance of twenty mile'? in order to get into the river. 6th. That in the year 1872 I was owner of half of tho tug M. J. Mills, and was chartered to take a Mr. Scott, a Provincial Ijand Surveyor, and another gentleman with him from Prince Arthur's Landing to Nepigon Bay for the purpose of surveying some lards on Nepigon Eiver, Avhere it was then supposed the railroad was to start from, and the said Scott landed at Prince Arthur's Landing on the 15th day of May, in said year, 1872. •>«.; 7th. That after the arrival at Fort Wiliiiui o+" the third boat of that fceason from Collingwood, we sailed from Fort William for Nepigon Bay, and upon our t.rrival at Nepigon Bay two days afterwards we found the bay full of ice as in the depth of winter, the ice being perfectly solid and of the thickness of from a foot to eighteen inches. After laying there two days we run about sixty miles around to the north east side of the bay and landed Mr. Scott and the other gentleman at night on the north east shore of said Nepigon Bay, and for getting him in that night he paid me ten dollars extra, and I was informed that was the first day the ice had moved that season from tho north east side of Nepigon Bay, by one McKaj', who was working at the place in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company, and tiii^ was on or about the first of June or later. Sti*. That for the two years I lived at St. Ignace, viz., 1862 and 1863, Nepigon Bay did not open until about 1st June. 9th. That in the year 1865, in passing do\vn we had ; go outside ail tlie islands, as Nepigon Bay was stili full of ioe. This was on 27th May of said year. lOth. That in the spring of io73, 15th ; y, we left here for the Pic, at which time the third steamer from CoUingwood had arrived at Thunder Bay, and in passing Nepigoi Bay found that it was still fro^.en up. W. PRITCir.VRD. Sworn before me ^arch, A.D., 1874, at Prince Arthur's '\ ■;wl- dw" ■,_ t iW.' Landing, on this the lOtli day of D. M. BLACKWOOD, Com. in B II.. «feo. ,0?r: .^m i :'-•■ t!tl.vy*jii'TK Vty I i: mill '»*»* *j^J , .' , i , ..-i^i^iii^ 'ifiiJ^-^^i^fiA in the. JPIIIXCE AliTIlUR'S LANDING, | DlSTKICT OF ThUNTER BaY, } To Wit : I T, James McKay, of tlio Villa^'o of Piiuce AiLluu'.s LaivJiiii;, District of Thunder V>(\y, iSuilor, make oath and .^aj as follows. — Jst That i am '.veil acquahited with the North. Shore of Lnke iSuperior, liaving sailed therjon for several years, and am alno well acquainted with the waters and country about Sault Ste. Marie, having fo'merly lived there and li.T'ing been born at Sault Ste. ]\Iario. 2nd. That ! resided at NejMgon in the years bSTl nnd J872, and was .'^tationert there for two yetirs, in the employ of the Hon. Hudson Bay ('ompany. 3rd. Tliat said Nepigon Bay i-- never open enrl'er than th.o first day of June, and very seldom then, it being generally the seventh or eighth of June before said Nei)igon Bay is sullicunitly open and free of ice to admit a steamer or sailing vessel. 4th. That the water-? of eald B;\v are vei}- j-Ii;i1!o-,v for a long distance from shore, and the North East Ch:innel of said i];iy is very ercoked, and, dangerous, particularly lor sailing vessels, as it is almost impossible to' iy was moved at all, and that was owing to a heavy \dnd from the North East on that day. ix^-inii^ifS' ..•■'■^s- Gth. That tlie waters in said Neiiigon Bay arc fiozen over much sooner in the fall th\n in Thinnier Biy, at leuit two weeks, and 1 think tliree weeks sooner than in TJnuider Bay. ""*" '.*^'-' '■'• ,-*«.-«>'5 v Tth. 1 farther make oath, and say that I Jiavc henrd tl-a-t ft wfis stnled that Nepigon Bay was open every season as soon as the Sault Ste. Marie " ("anal, and this I state positively to be untrue, the said Canal opens not later than the tenth day of May, and I state i»ositively tiiat said Nepigon I! ly does not open until the first of June, an<) as before stated by me, seldom then, it being generally the seventh or eighth of Juno before laid Nejiigon Bay is open. .'^;^fc-t^«KnJj;#KW>v.a.»Jw.H, (Signed), ♦, O'^';, -TA'MES McKaY. • Swomby m^ at Prince Arthur's L^ndine, District of Tnunder this 18th day of March, A. D. IST^. -.• (Signea;, D. M. BTACKWODD, ('ommisiioner Ac. •n, ^^h DisxncT OF Thunder Bav, ) Ih Wit: > '-i J. ■«*'■■--, 1 k ,1 if' T, William Sillam of i'riiico Artlnu'"s Landing, District of make oath nnd say as Gibbon> Thunder Bay, Province of Ontavio, Explorer follows : — 1st. That I have lived three years and a lialf on the North Shore of I^ke Superior; the greater part of that time I have coasted between Pigeon liiver and Otter Ileud, and am well acquainted with that coast. 2nd. That I have frequently visited Ntpigon Eay and every other hai'bor on the North Shoi ',Ciween the above mentii.nt d places. 3rd. That Nepigon Bay closes in the fall from tJiree weeks to a month eailier than Thumb r Bay, and remains closed by ice from two to three weeks longer than Thunder Bay in the S})ring of the year. 4th. That the entr^nces to Nepigon Baj are very dangerous ; that I have run aground in broad daylight in a email boat on a flat rock sunken about - JJ.JU 'P' " i^mmm T" .^y. ■ -:•■- , .. ■•.' 12 ' ■ - - ■ . -.-■.. 1 2 inches below water mark, in the western channel, situated in the centrr. : vhat there are many reefs and shoals in said Nipegon Bay, and that it is almost impossible for sailing vessels to navigate without being towed. 5th. That Thunder Day has a nne entrance ; that there are no reefs or ^lloal8 or any impediment whatever to navigation, and that the harbor is one of the best on the North Shore of Lake Superior, so far as I have travelled, for large vessels and steamers of heavy draught. W. P. GIBBINS. Sworn before me at P. A. Landing, Dibtrict of Thunder Bay, this 24th day of March, A.D., 1874. , ,. ■'-<^--:^-^^^^^-^.\- D. M. BLACKWOOD. TllUSTDER Bay DlSTBIC'T, ) To wit: S ' '' ' [, J. mes TIayes, of the Village of Prince Arthur's Landing, District o Thunder Bay, Irovinco of Ontario, Fisherman, make oath and say as follows : Ist, That I have lived for the last six years on the North Shore of Lake Superior; two years of that time I passed at St. Ignace Island, which is situated at the mouth of Nipegon Bay ; two yoara at Alichiporoton Island, and the remaining two years at Thundar Bay. :;ind. That Nipegon Bay during my stay in St. Ignace Island was never open in the spring tc allow (sither the lii-st or second steamers from Colling- wood to enter. 'ird. That the entrance l' Nipegon Bay is very dangerous, being rocky, with many shoals, and foggy weather prevails at and about Nipegon Bay for the greater part of the season of navigation, rendering the approach dangerous and often impracticable. 4th. That I have known the steamer Algt'ina to be detained at St. Ignace harbor on account ot fogs on severiJ occasions waiting to enter Nijjegon Bay ; that the cliannel in Nipegon River is narrow and shoaly with a swift current, and except in clear weather almost impracticable te navigate, entirely so for sailing vessels even in clear weather, without being towed. 6th . 'i'hat Thunder Bay is perfectly f ee from shoals, with good anchorage, and it s Iree from rocks antl all other obstructions to navigation. The entrance to Thunder Bay is large anersonally known to the above deponent, Mio'ielle Collin since the year 1841. I have read the above affidavit over to him. I know the said deponent to be a truthful and honest man, and his statements to be oorroct and reliable. (Signed), JOHN McINTYRE. PRINCE ARTHUR'S LANDINO, | PisTRiCT Thunder Bay, > ■ To Wit: i I, James MoC'allum, of the Village of Prince Arthur's Landing, District of ihunderBay, Province of Ontar'o, J'rovincial Land Surveyor, make oath and say as follows : Ist. That I was on an exploring survoy north of Lake Nipegon during the latter part of the winter 1872-']. 2nd. That I returned to Nipegon Bay boforo the 2')tli of April, A.D., 1873. 3'xl. Tliat my work being completed, niid bciu.^ anxious to reacJi Thunder Bay as s'~>on as jiossible, 1 examined the ice in Nipegon Bay daily, and up to the 23rd of May, 1873, the boy was completely blocked with solid ice, and 1 could not even leave with a canof. 4th. Some parts of Nipegon River owing to I'.ie r.ipid current did not freeze over, but the river up as Jar as the Hudson':! Bay Co.'s post opens n few days earlier than Nipegon Bay, but thor>i is no possibility of a hojit entering the mouth of the river bC'fore the bay is cloai- of ioe, which is unusually late (much later than other harbors on the north side of Lake Superior) owing to the very narrow outlet to the bay, there being numerous islands in the entrance consequently the ice is held there. 5th. I proceeded at the earliest possible moment by canoe from Nipegon Bay to Thunder Bay, and found on arriving (two days after the day of de- parture) that Thunder Bay was completely free from ice. I arrived at ] o'clock p.m. on the 20th of May, 1873, and found that Collingwood and Sarnia steamers had been in and returned, and the f 'hicora arrived next day, being the second trip for the season. 6th. The above information is taken from my diary, which 1 swear to be true and correct. 7th. I have seen the cliannel of the Nipegon River from the mouth to the Hudson's Bay posi; marked out by buoys, as it is very intricate and crooked, with several shoals on which steamers have grounded. >•' 8th. I have been on the Clvcora when the master refused to enter Nipegon River, and landed divisions K and L of the Canada Pacific Survey Party by small boats. ''^^ (Signed), JA^IESMcCALLUM, Jr., P. L. Surveyor. { Sworn before me at Prince Arthur's Landing, District of Thunder Bay, ^n on this the 19th day of March. A.D., 1874. (Signed), D. M. BLACKWOOD. H ^v ' J^''.'jiif!'-:1i fvr'..«t^ :*ii^t^-^. j^'^-' ii->^:tif'Mii'i'^M,\Ji'L^^'''^ . ^^:t\ mSTKICT >)F THUNDER BAY, PROviNCt: OF Ontakio, To Wit: T, Thomas Andrew, P.aten Tower?, of tlio Village of Princo Arthur's Landing, in tlie District of Thunder Bay, Gentleman, make oath and say as follows : J St. Tnat I residetl at Sault Sto. Mario, in the District of Algoma, Pro- vince aforesaid, for the jioriod of nine yeary, having left there in the year, A.J).. ISTO. 2nd. That the average op ning for that t;mo of the Saul t Ste. Mario C.inal nas the first day of May, and 1 liavo seen American steamers locked tlu'Oiigh said canal on the IJtJth-dav of April. . nni ./ ,i.,m n fjrvmuT .i (Signed), THOMAS A. P. TOWERS. Sworn before uio at Princo Arthur's Landing, District of Thunder Bay, on the 25th day of Maicii, A.D., 1874. , D. M. BLACKWOOD, * , f /" ,^'] /}ffvji, ,{, Commissioner, A'C. "'*'" ( ..'.AKi/^VvJ ■'«ia'(r>.%-V'^*^i| DISTRICT OF THUNDER BAY, ) PUOVINCK Of' (JXTAinO, To WU ; ) T, Peter Deschamp, of Rod Rock, on t'le Nopigon River, in the District of Algoma, Province of Ontario, trader, mako oath and say as ibilows : ist. Tliat I have lived the last 20 years on the Nipegon River, and now reside there. 2iid. That 1 have every year during that period parsed to and from I'hunder Bay, and am thoroughly acquainted with the navigation of both Ni])egon and Thunder Bay. urd. That I have with Tousaint Boucher and John Christie left Thunder Bay in a canoe in the autumn, and on reaching Flack Bay were obliged to leave our canoes and proceed on foot l)y ice, it being then thick, and on oui- arrival at Nepiiron Bay found it also frozen up and the ice thick, so niiicli so that the Indians were lishing tlncugh holes in it. Wo returned to Tliunder Bay f-ome days after and found it still open. 4th. That 1 state positively tliat Thunder Bay is cacli year open from two to three weeks earlier than Nepigon Bay, and does not close for a month after Nipegon Raj'. .5th. That the entrance to Nipegon Lay is very intricate and surrounded I'y m'lny rocks and sunken reefs. Tlie waters in the bay are very shallow in many places, and there arc many shoals therein, to that it i? impossible for any sailing vessel to enter in t-afety without being ground. 0th. That I have seen steamers repeatedly .aground in the bay and in' the mouth of the river. '''*''< 7th. That Nipegon river is also very shallow and not navigable for any hut very simll boats. 8th. Thunder Bay has a good wide entrance free from any obstructions,.-*'' that the water is deep, and that it is a good natural harbor, the bi^stori' the North Siiore of Lake Superior. 9th. That I have seen each of the steaun^rs C/ii arc, Ahjoma) Cimhrrhmd.' , Cit'j of Mnnti e il and i^anitoha aground in Nipegon I'ay. ■"^' lOth. I have seen the Indians on many occasions start on the ice in'??'*. Nipegon Bay d awing their canoes on sleighs, and haul them in this way',, , till thev reached Thunder Bay v^hcre they would launch their canoes. I' '' fi^'H I rvv»J:>.i»ir^^ (Signed), PETER DECHAMP. #^ Sworn before me at Prince Arthur's Landing, District of Thunder Bay, . on this the 25th day of March, A.D., 1874. (Signed), D. M. BLACKWOOD. .ti n>: J. tim^-*r. DISTRICT OF THUNDER bAVV) ' '" "" ^^"" Peovinoe op Ontauio, y To Wit: I , ,;„ I, John McKellar, of the Village of Fort William, District of Thunder Bay, Gentleman, make oath and say : — 1st. That I have lived in the District of Thunder Bay for the last ten years, and passed the greater portion of that time in exoloring tho country irom Pigeon River to the Pic River, and through the Gold Fields beyond the " //eight of Land." 2nd. I am well acquainted with the navigation of the different bays, rivers and harbours between Pigeon River and the Pic River, more par- ticularly Thunder Bay and Nepigon Bay. 3rd. I iind that the season of navigation in Nepigon and Black Bays is shorter than that of Thunder Bay by from four to six weeks. 4th. In the year 18G7 Thunder Bay was open for navigation on the 3rd day of May, on the ISth of the same month L left Thunder Bay inacaooe, and camped that night on Thunder Cape, proceeded next day to Black Bay, on my arrival there I found it frozen over, I was obliged to leave my canoe, and proceed on foot to my destination North of Black Bay ; 1 returned to Black Bay on the 2-lth of the same montii and found the ice had just left. From the mountain on this oc jasion, I found the ice still in Nepigon Bay. 5th. During a greater part of the years 1804-5 I was at Black Bay, and was there informed that Nepigon and Blaclc Bay arc; from two to three \veeks later in opening in the spring than Thunder Bay. Gth. That in the later part of April 1870 1 went to Currant River in a small boat, at which time there was no ice on Tliunder Bay, on the first of May I went to McKellars Island, passed Pie Island on my way and could see no ice in the Lake or about the entrance to Thunder Bay llarltour. (Signed), ^^^ --v JOHN McKELLAR- '''^♦"* Sworn before me at Prmce Arthur's Landing, District of Thunder Bay, this 26th day of March, 1874. D. IL BLACJCWO'JD. w- m •f'T. FORT WILLIAM MISSION, District ci.^ Thunder Bay, To Wit: I, Michel Lambert, of Fort William, District of Thunder Bay, Province of Ontario, Sailing Master, make oath and say as follows : 1st. I have lived for the last thirty-live years on the North Shore of Lak? Superior. I came from Sault Ste. Marie, where I had resided for two years previously. My first year on Lake Superior was spent on Nipegon Luke, ihe' remaining thirty-four years at Fort William. 2nd. I have been sailing master of the hon. Hudson Bay Company's schooners for the la:it twenty years, coasting between Michipicotten, Pic, Nipegon Baj-, Black Bay and Thuncler Bay and the Kainimstiquia River. 5rd. I am thoroughly convcrs,''.nt with the navigation of the above named rivers and bays, and 1 swear positively that Thunder Bay is clear of ice Irom fifteen to twenty days earlier than Nipegon Bay in the spring of the year, never Jess than fifteen, and more ol'ten twenty or more days ; and in the autumn both Nepigon and Black Bays are frozen up a month earlier than Thunder Bay, 4th. On an occasion in the spring of the year 1839, I left Nipegon Lake on or after the 20th day of June, and on arriv'ng six days afterwards at Nepigon Bay I found it (Nepigon Bay) full of ice, ur.d was detained there three days before the ice cleared sufficiently to allow us to proceed in our canoes. IC n rjth. On ftnother occasion I left Fort Wiiii«m in the early part of .Funo with the schooner laden with goods for the Company's post at lied Eock, proceeded to Nipegon Bay. Thunder Bay had then Ibeen open about twenty days, and on my arrival at Nipegon Bay I found it filled with ice, and after remaining two dayf., not being able to gain an entrance, I was compelled to return to Fort William. (jth. Thunder Bay has a magniliceut entrance easy of access, prominent lauil marks, contains no shoals or reefs, good anchorage, and is a safe natural harbor ; whereas Nipegon Bay has very norrow entrances, is shallow, contains numerous reefs anf' I, William Crow, of the Mission Village, on the Kanilnlstlquia River, in the District of Thunder Bay, Province of Ontario, Chief of the Chippewa tribo of Indians, make oath and say as follows : — 1st. I am forty-five years of age, wasborn at Point Porphry, situated near entrance to Black Bay, and have passed nearly the whole of my life in the District of Thunder Bay. 2nd . That Thunder Bay in the spring of the year is open from two to three weeks earlier than Nepigon Bay. 3rd. That Nepigon Bay closes in the autumn Tally three weeks earlier than Thunder Bay, thereby making the season of navigation from five to six weeks longer in Thunder Bay than in Nepigon Bay. 4th. That I have been at Nepigon Bay often, it contains many rocks, and is shallow. A great deal of foggy weather prevails there, often making it difficult for boats to find an entrance. 5th. Thunder Bay is a splendid harbour, and is free from shoals and rocks, and is easy of entrance in any weather »!Mt WILLIAM CROW. the District of (Signed), Sworn before m3 at Prince Arthur's Landing;, m Thunder Bay, on this the 23rd day of March, A. D.^ 1874. '> : lu-jfH^^rt 5-:! T- (Signed), v rr;D. M. LLACKWOOD. ' iva^^^j^^vn . ' h> jiij^i'M.; ' ;* Commissioner, &d. DisTHiCT OP TnirirDER Bat, To Wit: ^ I, William McAllister, of Silver- Harbor, District Of Thunder Bay, Province of Ontario, explorer, make oath and say as follows : 1st. I came to the North Shore of Imke Superior fourteen rears offo. and m'i\ yrifiTa. \*m: 17 'roYince I have reside*! on and ubout the Di'^trict of iliuudei- Bay the groatt .• part of that period. 2nd. That my occupation necessarily caused me to visit often the various harbors on the north shore of the above mentioned lake, particularly those from Pigeon River to Nipegon Bay. 3rd. That I have found during the above period of years that the average opening for navigation of Thunder Bay vfas Irom the first di.y to the nintli day of May. 4th. On the various occasions in which I have visited Xipegon Bay in the autumn I have found it to be frozen and unfit for navigation on or before the tenth day of November. As tc its opening 1 cannot speak from personal experience, but on one occasion statements made to me by Indians thoroughly acquainted with Nipegon Bay, caused me to chango my route on account of the ice in it. While proceeding from Nipegon Lake to Thunder Bay I found the harbor at Thunder Bay entirely open, and fre.i of ice, and a steamer from Collingwood lying there at anchor. 5th. I have never seen Thunder Bay frozen up before the latter part of December, which makes navigation therein at least six weeks longer than that of Nipegon Bay. 6th. I consider Thunder Bay the finest harbor on Lake Sup' • or, being free from shoals or any other impediments to navigation, havl. . magnifi- cent entrances and easy of access in all weathers ; whereas Nij. gon Bay has narrow entrances difficult of access, contains many reefs ana shoals, and is extremely difficult of navigation, several, both steamers and sailing vessels, having to my knowledge gone aground or otherwise damaged themselves therein. (Signed), Wm. McALLISTER. Sworn before me at Prince Arthur's Landing, District of Thurder Bay, on this the 2lst day of March, A.D., 1874. ,, U.M.BLACKWOOD, vi Commissioner, A:c., »fec, '* I hereby certify that the certilicates nid affidavits hereunto attached are true copies of the originals. - -'^'i ''=1 ROBERT MAITLAND, M'f.^ii* tos ,ruu;r"^ v^H loi Hni Clerk Municipality of Shuniah. ; KSi---f«|J?3Tf)ffS9ej*l'*>^ fJ^Ji; i»! «■' a-.'. ' enii I huis of ^he Advantages of Thunder Bay over Xqx'gon Bay for fli the Canadian Pacific J'aihrnt/, on Lahe Si(j)crior. It is highly probable that the navigable waters of the great laker (Su- perior and Huron) in connection with the portion of the C. P. R. K , extending westward from Lake Superior, shall be used entirely for trans-* portation to and from Manitoba and the Nor.- West Territory ; for many years, before the rest of the Railway extending irom Lake Superioi, east- ward, towards Ottawa, is built ; and even then, the great bulk of the coratnodities will pass over the former, as it will be the cheapest line. Therefore, the nearest available point on Lake Superior to Fort Garry, should be selected for the terminus of the branch ; providing that in other respects its advantages equal those of any other. Thunder Bay is undoubtedly that point, and |its advantag6s, in every respect, with one exception, greatly exceed those of any other, or those of Nepigon Bay; it being the only other p^int advocated. The above excep-< tion is the only advantage that can bo claimed for Neplgon, that ie, that IS -I I by building the Nepigoa line through to 11 mI Kivar, xxorr, it may save the building of some miles of Kiilway in the future, when building the maia line from the east, providing it can be carried to the south of Lake Nepi- gOD, as the latter would join tlie Nppigon Lino many miles to the east of where it would join the Thunder Biy branch. At the same time, by adopt- ing the Nepigon Line, it would necessitate liie building, presently, ©f some 20 or 30 miles more, thin by taking the Thunder Bay Lipej besides making the route between Like Superior aud the Xorth.-West, the same numNer of miles longer for all future time. Again. I believe that I am safe in stating that the Thunder B.iy line, back to the Height of L\ud, is a much better line than any yet found from Nepigon B iy. 1 have been over the former, and know it to be very good for that country. I understand that the Nepigon terminus is to be at the north end Lake Helen icstefid of on Nepigon Biy, as was formerly intended, in which cage the channel of the river connecting this lake with the Biiy will have to be cut deeper for some distance, as there is a bad rapid on it. But, surely, this small miriow lake, which is dead water at the north end, will not be suitable for the terminus ot the Pacilic liailway on the great lakes, ai its water will fr< f za, in the f^ll, t-ven earlier than that of rivers, or in the latter pait of Uctober, a ^ear ago, last fall teams were cross- ing on the ice of the two rivers bolween Fort William and Prince Arthur's Landing, before the lant Boat was in. It is well known that propellers can navigate L^ke Superior all thio:igh November, and no doubt H goo(* paitof f^eceraber, were therr much traflio on the route, which there will be in time, as vfAi as a connection by rail, at Siult Ute. Marie. I may also mention that the Silver Idlet tug rurs between the islet and the shore for the most pirt of January. I also undei stand that the two main lines, one to the south, the other to tiio north of Like Nepigon, between two common points, bome 2U0 miles apart, are about the same length. Now it is my impression that the south lino traverses a much rougher country than the north line does ; besides that, it has to descend from the Height of Land some six or Boven hundred feet on the one side, and again ascend the same on the other. Therefore, it might be well to have a rough estimate made of the cost of constructing each of these lines and each of the branches, as it might shew that the Thunder Bay branch, and the north mainline, could be built as cheaply as the Nepigon branch and the soutli main line, therefore giving us as short a main line, and a considerably shorter line from Lake Supeiior to the North West, to say nothing of the other advantages. Icicd JdvaUijcs of fic iio B.anclies. ■»V-v(i \ v\\ The country through which the Nef>igon Branch passes, has been ex* plored for many years, without discovering any valuable mineral deposits : and them:in line from Neepigon westwird to near L\ke of the Woods, passes over old Laurentian gneiss, a'most enUiely, in which we expect to find no valuable mines ; nor jet, .iiv there any extenbive pineries to be opened up by it, so that, locally, this route would be of no va'ue, except in opening up isilated tracts of agricultural land, and even in this respect, the I'under B;iy line would be much more beneficial, as it passes through a much better agricultural country. Aaain, the Nepigon branch, for the moiX part, runs along near the shore of Nepigon Lake, a section rf quiring no assistance, as it will be connoctod by the navigable waters of the Lake to the main Railway Line, v.'hich touches at the north end. On the other hand, the valuable tia^t of cou itry, which would receive aid from the Th'inder Bay branch, lies so far eouth of the main line, ^and without water connection, that it would not be benefitted by it in the Jeast. This tract stretchei from Thu- der Bay, westward along the Boundary Line 19 re cross - ad Prince lown that no doubt liich there 3. I may the shore lain lines, .ween two Now it ntry than Height of scend the estimate ;h of the the north liie soutli [isiderably 3g of the been ex* deposits : le VVoo.ls, 3xpcct to 68 to be e, except 3 respect, ,hrougU a 1, for the requiring the Lake Id receive line, '.and the^least. dary Line towarda Rainy Luke. It is occupied, for a great part, by broad belts of lluronian or aemi-crystalline slates, which narrow down and disappear in going northwards on the Height of Land, owing, no doubt, to a tranH- verse elevation, which brought the lower gneiss rocks to the surface to the notth. These slates are traversed by beds of iron, and veins carrying gold, silver, lead, copper. &c. The gold and silver occur in paying quantities, and, also, the ironl belie /e, and very likely valuable lodes of the otlier metals will be found when the country is further explored, I speak not hypothetically upon this point, for I know from my own experience, that there are veinn of the precious metals of great promise in these slates to the south-west of Lake ^hebandowan, m the vicinity of Jacklish Lake ; aod to the west of Lac des Milles Lacs at Partridge Lake. But here^without railway comrau- nication with Lake Superior, it would require a mine of extraordinary li ;h- nees to pay working •, as it is 4G miles over a rough road to the nearest water of the chain of Lakes that penetrate this section. Heretofore explorers have been kept out by the Indians, but now that the treaty has has been made, we will soon find it aa active field ot operation, providing it cornea under the same liberal minug po y as that of Ontario. The Thunder Bay branch would be the means of opening up or bring within reach this extensive mining tract, as ;the line already run, which is considered a good one, crosses the Savan liiver within a few miles of Lac des MiUea Lacs, and could easily be made to touch it. From this Lake there is water communication consisting of numerous lakes and streams, which penetrate the whole ot the above mining tract, through which passes the DawEon Rou*^^c, upon which are a number of small steamers now. Were this line built, a town would spring up on Ivlille Lac? immediately for the purpose of supplying the minef, &c. , ,,, . j . ,, . ,. Compamon of ihc open Navijx'.Ln of Thunder and Nep'xjo'.i Bays. The Canadian Pacific Railway, is destined to be the principal inlet and outlet to the great Northwest, a country which is allowed to contain an area as If rge or larger than the whole ot France of arable land, which lor iertility 18 unsurpassed by any. 'J'heroibre, its points of termination on Like fc'uperior in regard to nsvigable and other qualiiications should be thoroughly understood; so that in in its selection it could not, in after time, be pointed out as an unpardonable blunder ; but sucih undoubtedly would be the result were Nepigon Bay selected for the terminus. Take last spring lor example, we imd the steamer Manitoba, in Thunder Biy, on the 12th of Mav, and the Chicora and Ciiy of Montreal, on the I4th. W.? have the written evidence of Mr. McOalium, P. L, Surveyor, taken from his diary, that the ice cleared out of Nepigon Bay on the 22nd of May; so that the steamers were they bound for Nepigon would >ave to wait eight or ten days, unable to discharge their freight or passengers unless they would land them on the islands outside, some '10 miles oti. Now such would be the result every spring, only that the loss would be 10 or probably 100 fold greater, in a few years, after the railway has been in operation. By an examination of Baytield's Chart a person can eee, by the poeitioa and structure of theee Biys, thet Neepigon Bay, bein^ so shallow and nearly enclosed, [like an inland lake almost.] that it would freeze earlier in the fall and break up later in the eping, than Thunder Bay, which is deep, almost free from islands, and has a broad opening towards the main lake ; so that its waters retain the summer temperature very late in the fall which accounts for the ice not attaining so great a thickness during the winter, as On Black and Neepigon Bays, leaving it in the spring more easily acted upcn by the sun, wind and way©— again it lies 3G tniles ftu-tfaer soutU than Nepigon Bay. ...^, ,.., J,,,,., „.,,-..-. ..^.,...-..^.>. ..^- flu r'l t >v. r L 20 The people ol' Thuuder Jiiy, kaowiug ihlA to, bo tUc c.ibo, CuUi-ideieii iL their duty lo inform the (Jovernment of that fuct, which they did. iMHt Bummer, by procuring inform ition in tbo lorm of atlidavita from the inoper and only source — that is the Indiana and the long-resident while mhubitanta of the iociility, and placing it in the posaossion of the (Jovern- ment then ia power. These alhlavits ehowed conoiusively that Thunder Hay opened ten to fourteen days earher in the spring, and closed a month or more later in the fiill, than Nepigon Bay, while the Sault (lanai openn on an average two to three days earlier than Thunder Ijay, and closes iattr than Nepigon, Al'ngwith these were a tist of the dates of the opening of Thunder Bay and Kaministiqiiia lliver for twenty yearp, as recorded m the Journals of the il. B. Co. lu Fort William, all of which were placed by myself in the hands of Hon. Mr. fjingovin, Minister of Public VVorKs. After the change of Government, it was discovered that the new Min- istery had no knowledge whatever of those docuoaents, as it appears they had been lost. It is not necessary here to give in detfil the substance of ilio-e affidavits, A:c., as they have been re procured, with a number of others, for the purpose of placing them in the possebsion of the present Government. There is also a copy of the opening and cloaing of Thunder Biy from 1837 to 1873, from the II. B. Co. joumala. The last fifteen years are given without a break, which gives the 20 bh of December, the average date of closing, and 7Lh of May, th-tt of opening. It will be seen by a poru- Hal of those ten or twelve athJavits that Nepigon Bay freezes over at least a month earlier in the fall, and opens ten to fifteen days later in the spring, than Thunder Bay ; so that the former i3 utterly unfit for the principal sea- port on Lake Superior, as the 8ault Cinal opens about tho i>Lh of May on an average, and closes about the 1st of December. Upon application to the oUicer in charge ia reference to the Sault Ste. Marie Canal, we were informed that it always opens betwen the Ist and 10th of May, never later than the lOlh, as yet. Ho i^iemised to send us a list of the dates, but failed in doing so. • The following is a fair average of the opening and closmg of thenar*.' igation of the Canal and those Bays, as noar as I can find out, and 1 believe it to be about right : Sault Canal opens 5lh of May; closes 1st o^ecember ; Thunder Bay opens on 7th of May; closes on the U'Jth December; Nepigon Bay opens on the 20lh to the 22nd of May; closes on the 25ih November. 'ihe following points in favor of the Neei^igon have been raised ; First. Taut, allowing that Thunler Bcvy opens earlier than Nepigon, thit the latter opens as early as the Hmlt Canal. Ia reference to this ; a perusal of the accompanying affidavits will f^atisfy any person, I think, as it ia well known that the Canal opens about the bogmning of May, that the above statement is without a jy foundation whatever j for the Caual open at leas two weeks earlier. Second point. That the line from Thunder Bxy will be longer than the one from Nepigon; as to that, by taking the portion between the main lina and the Lake, it may or may not be longer, all will depend on where the main line will bo lociteil ; but ia either case, the Thunder Bay Line will be shoiter on the whole distance to Fort Garry, as it strikes the Main line so much further west. Third pclut. That Thunder Bay ia Loo open for a harbour. In refer- enceto which, I may say, thit is the very cause of the early opening ot the navigation ; but it is only during severe storms that steamers or vessels would seller any inconvenience along side of the good substantial dock of Prince Arthur's Landing, without the protection of a break water at all. Again the Kamraiatiquia Kiver has been dredged and has range 21 from Jighls on tho shoio, bo that tiie lurgeat stoamora run in without trouble. This river for a harbour and tho convenience ol' building elevators, ware- houses, &o., c^n Boarcely be excelled. Other points worthy of notice are : First— Th\t Fort Williim on Thunder Biy hiH always been the lincipul Poit of the Hon. H. B, Co., on Lake Superior, as well as their chief outlet for the Northwest on the Btvnie lake. Even the Nepigon posts received their supplies from it until within ih ' last two or throe yeare. Secondly. Th:it Thunder Bay hnd been selected for its advantnger-, by ihe Government, tor the terminus of the Red llivor or Dawson route ou hake Superior. Thirdly. That Vi^ natural flow of paople to the North Shore of Lake Supf^riof, has be'-n eNtirely to the vicinity ot Thunder Bay, owmg to its niiuing, agricaltunl, and .other id/autages; and now its pojmlation amounts to a thousand or more^ while Nepigoa Bay is destitule of any, Have Indian tradcra These fac a of thp.niselv»?!j shoul ibo .su(llt;ient to .ort on Lake Superior. In cinclusion, I may slate that we trust thit thw CJovernment in its wIhm dora will fcee the superior advantages ot I hunder Bay over ,NepigoD, a^ th« line from it sh<*wa an easier grade, i3 shorter on the whole distance to Fort (rarry, will -peii up a lar'i;er amount of a,i;ricullural lands, and by fir tho more extensive trajt of mining country, bessdes having the advantage of Hix weeks more of open navigation during the year than tha lice from Nee- pigon Bay. Again, Thunder Bay is more highly fUvourod for being a great seaport, ou account of being free from shoals and surrounded by prominent land* marks, such -^s McKay's Mountain, Pie island, and Thunder Uape, all of wh:ch can be seen and recognized at a great distance, unless in a thick fog ; and even then steam or sail craft would be ia little danger, as the entrance is broad and the Bay deep, while the navigation of Neepigon Bay la very dangerous, especially in -tho night, ou ace Junt of shoals and the loug, narrow, entering channels. .: ^^. ■ ;.;;■■/ ' peter mokellau. April, 1871. ...;..-• ', i • , a EXTKACr FROM KO^J.-E S IlSPORr ON OUR XJlirUEPuN EMPOE. TUE ROUTS TO TUB NOriTIUVl.ST. Lake Superior may be regarded as the seaboard of the Northwest Ter- ritories. It is of itself a great inland Sea, and by means of the Canals of the Dominion, and the Sault St. Mane Canal of the L^'nited State.?, it ii accesaible during the season of navigation to vessels from the ocean. It i ' from this great Lake that routes available, op susceptible of being made so, as lines of communication with the vast; unpeopled Territories which have f dien to the lot of the Dominion mush, in the first instance, be sought for, and any information regarding these from travellers or others will, doubtless, be acceptable to Canadians. In lobking for a route to the interior, in any country, regard must be had to a harbor which, if such can be found, should be in a place naturally safe aid easy of access from the sea on one side, ani practicable as a start- ing point to roads on the oilier. Tbet>e condiuons aefin to bo met wiih at TliUQ ler Cay, forraeiy the granrl emporium of the Fur Companiep, and now the startin/r point of the roftd to Munitohi — rom^nonly known an tlie ''rawson Route." The magniiicent I'ay u wpU ehaltered, hiving the peninsulu with tho high promontory of Thunder Cipe to the eiwt, Pie Island to the aoutli, uuil further dUt hln Iloyalo ^unrding it fiom the Hurgo of the greit Lt'ke Tlie Bay it* ell is. howevr r, of tuch dimenHions that a burf rather unoomlortible to small boiita soicetiinos ria^s within it; but at I'rinoo Arthur's Landing, the place fiom which ihe lo.id Htarts, perfect shelter has boen obt;u'ued by means of ti tjn« dock r»'cently constructed by the Dominion Oovernineiit. 'J hunder I>;iy, houever, has ;i rival in Nipegon JJiy, u land-Iocke 1 sheet ot water at the northern extremity ol Lake Superior, which ha^ 9l*o been spoken of as a starting point lor a route to the VVe'^t. It is chimed for it IS completely sheltered, as it no doubt is, but it is obj'^cted to, on the other hand, that it is shaliDW (ihe I'dye Vluf ot the VoyageurH) so intricate ai to be iaapracticahle of nivigation to sailin;.; vessels without the aid ol a Tug. and 30 cniupletely Irvud-locked an to assume the character of a small inland lake, freezing a month earlier t.ian Thunder Bay in the full, and remaining a fort-night or three weeks longer covered with ice in the 8[»ring. Last spring was an unusually cold one, and it is claimed for Thunder Bay that it was open the fifst week in May, while Xipe^^on was Iccked up with ice till the 23rd. The Steamers, it in sni.!, nrvviguto Thundor Bxy all through November, while Nipegon Biy is closed with the litst cold weather— iiui linally, that Thunder B;iy \n easy of a;ce.s^ to sailing vessels at all times. THE THUNDER BAY liOUlJi. '" '' ^ ^ (f.O.M lUK M.UVlTOllVCIAZETTi;.) iij^il'fi .\b the fce.'ison advances, the attention of the public la agdn naturally turned to the bubject of routes by which we can move ourselves «nd our goods the cheapest to and from this Province. To tl -s end steps have already been taken to place another lino ot steamers upon the Ked Kiver, m order ♦hat— competition being the life of trade — the'prekent exorbitant pas.'ienger and freight tariffs may be rt'duced to something fair and reason- able, frtili, this can at beat bo only a temporary expedient and makeshift, the hopes of the people naturally turning to the day when merchandise of all descriptions can be brought speedily and expeditiously through our own territory, and io this end all eyes are anxiously looking for the efKcient utilizUion of the Thunder Ray Koad. The Government poheme, as at pre- tent propounded to us, is a-suredly the quickest and cheapest, notwith- standing the great excf ptLm that has been raised to it in certain quarter?, where, perhaps, it might have been least expected. We propose, however, to prove our asEcrtions by a few facts and figures ; but, while doing so. do not let it be imagined that we are in favor of the available water comrnuni. cation being the J/ ZilZ/na'HOT for all time to come, but \'e give the Govern ment credit for being honest when it states that Ihe water stretches will be used only to lueet present pressing necessities, and that the construction of the railway v,-i!l be proc( eded with as fast as circumstances will allow. By going into liie scheme a little in detail, we will the better be ablg* to arrive at an estimate ot how and where the Government expects to etiisct a saving at the cutset; ard though many maintain that canalling, etc. is only money thrown aw.iy and extra expense, if it is the intention to build the railway also, BtilJ, it cannot fail to ba observable to any thinking man, not blinded with prejudice, that the money spent in this manror will not be ca)iital «uuk or loat, but pay a good divideml on the expenditure, llovrever, it is not our intention jjst now to f.how in what manner it iH bo. Everybody knowa that water has the HdTHUtiigo over v.iil in cbe.'ipnHHH, and thiU where Hpeed u not an object, a large amount ot treight will alwayu be nent in that man- ner. It ia ttie inlentiun at prebent to have two railroad* on the Ihunder Iky route, one of about 40 miles between Lake Superior and Like Shebau- 'lowan, and one of 'JO miles between the Nori Went Angle and VVinniiJeg! The iormcr will be over veiy rough ground wu i nitiicult graded, and iu leant uvera^e cost may be set at that of the general oori of railroadti in Canadu, nay f40,(XK), making ita entire probable cost §( 1,000, 000. In regard to the lino between tho Lake of the VVoods nnd Kort Garry, it will pass over levi-l ground, in the highest degree favorable for the cv}nHtruolion of a rnilroad-- Mn alluvial pluin country, where the bridging an l grading required ivill be unusually little. 8ome low embankments in shallow swamps, with bard bottoms, will, however, be reiiuiied, and its total coHt per mile may \n> safe'y Bet down at J30 UK): equal to $2,700,(X»0 for the entire distance of 'M) miles. The two railwa/s at either end of naviiration. would thus involve an outlay of $4,300 00(J. Then we have 311 miles of water stretches that requiie to be improved by locks and dams .- the totd (all iu the whole did- tauce, as ascertaine*! l>y euiveys, U about 4' lor Manitoba was over 14,823,565 lbs., also by a freight bill before ua, we see that the rate is $2 90 per cwt. from Duluth. Now. suppose ell that freight canae by Thunder Bay, as undoubtedly it would if the facilities pro- vided were tqual to it, and that the tarift were only half what it is Irom Duluth, thut 18 $1 45 pe*' 100 lbs., we should get a return of $2l4,9il 70, which would be very nearly five per cent, on the money expended. Now, that is the amount of freight that can be depended upon, and is surely very good ercouragement ior the prosecution of the work, for if it is known that there is trallic to that amount already, it may be relied upon that it will not decrease, but will double and treble iu a very ehoit space ot time to keep up with tfie rapidly growing requirements of the country. Supposing a scheme of railroad and canal, as above indicated, to be carried out, the transport of heavy lreigj;itj according to McAlpino's scale, m 24 m which is generally adopted, would be nearly aa follows frosi Toronto to Fort Garry ;— 04 miles railroad, Toronto to Colllngwood, at 12i mills a t<>u per mllfl $1 13 .VM nilith by Inkes, from OolilugwooJ to Fort Wllliatn> at - mlllH pUm iier mile 1 07 40 milpp by ntll from Fort. William to navigable waters of liilonorspctioij at 17 mills H too per mile 68 an niilcM I«ke and river navigation, from terminus ^f LiHlcoHnpcrior Railway to Nortli-West Angle Lake ot 1 ho Woods, at 4 mills a ton per mile 12.) M uiil(>s Mill, North- West Angle to Fort Garry, at 15 mills it loll p?r mile I STt l.Otiit TotalcoBt $53,') 'I'hft distance from Toronto to Fort (iarry, by way of Detroif, Chicago n,nd 8t. Paul, is i,u72 miles, and supposing the railway communication to be complete, the co'^t per ton, reckoned at 12<^ milU per mile, would be 110 C5. Nothing could show more clearly the vast superiority of theCanti- dian litiC ic point of natural advantages. It will be ver-/ easy fir the mercantile man to see from these figures what he jk yeaily losing by being compelled to freight through the United States, and the scheme that will relieve him the quickest from thiniacubus Id the one th^t demands his support. If he has to wait till the whole raiU I'uad is tinibbed, it will be solCo years yet before cheap freights can be looked for ; but if, on the other .hand, the Government scheme be c »rried cut, almost immediate I'e lof will be felt, and the railroad in its entirety will not be hindered a day. \^ -.1 'f'l ^h Toronto to ■ f I IS L 07 .'. ) 6« oit, Chicago lUication to , would be of theCana- hese figures tbe Uuite't thiniacubuH a whole raili* ;ht8 can be ) be cirried its entirety {•I 4 J ^ ^^^^^^ e ff^^^^S B^S #