IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET {Nil -3) #^, 1.0 I.I 1.25 u m |2.2 1.8 U 11.6 % % /. % Photographic ^dences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 r^ CIHM/SCMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreprodi-c T T AWA : 6.«1J;,E.. UV A, S, WOr,l.BURS, KLOKsJ^HKET, OPPOSITE RUSSEI-L HOfSE. 1872. a~ REPORT Of a Ihronti^^ssance of the ronHtri/ in thr. Province of Qto^ber, from l/nll, onposite Otfair,u to Pembroke and the Deep L'iver, made with a view to examine its capfibi/i/ies for Railway purposes. )i This district, coiisistin*;- of the Counties of I'ontiac and the Western half of Ottawa, has loni;; suffered from the want of communication with the mai-lvets of the Dominion, and hence its settlement has heen some- what I'ctarded, and its pi-ogress impeded. It mainly consists of the front Townships of Hull, Bristol, Onslow, Clarendon, Litchfield, Alanstield, Chichester and Hheen. As a rule, the land at the base of the trend of the Laurentian range of hills is of excellent description, and is in'genei-al in good state of cultivation. The liills in question run at the rear of these Townships, strike the North bank of the Deep Jiiver, a reach of the Ot- tawa seventeen miles above Pembroke, and they continue along the stream with some ruggedness. Settlement, however, has gone back among them Northwards, in varied extent, some twenty-tive miles. West of the Cou- longe the distance settled is somewhat less. It is anticipated that us the inducements of a larger market and better prices are given to the settler, the many fertile v dleys of the range where the crystalline limestones or marble deposits are to be met, will doubtless be populated with the same rapidity with which the lower townships have tilled up, notwithstanding the small and unimportant outer aid hitaerto given to further their pro- gress. Jn the spring and fall, as this district is now circumstanced, the general mass of the poj)ulation are confined to the locality in which they live. The roads of winter, however, afford them some assistance. In summer, a steamboat leaves Aylmer daily and runs to the foot of the Chats Jiapids, a distance of twenty-four and a half miles. Three miles of a horse railway carry the passengers and freight to an ui)per navigation of a further twenty-eight miles to Portage du Fort, between which place and Aylmer the return daily connection is likewise made. The rapids which intervene both to the North and South of Calutnet Island, cause another break in the navigation. On the Ontario shore the Ottawa is entirely abandoned to Pembroke, a distance of about thirty miles. The stage takes the passengers to Mud Lake, whence a steamer carries them to Pembroke. On the (Quebec shore there is an unnavigable distance of seven miles, from Portage du Fort to Ilavelock, a small town opposite lie Calumet, whence a steamer runs to the Chapeau Village, on lie 4 Allninotfe, forty miles from Ilavelock. He AUumetto is opposite I'omlnokc, jniid the latter town is i-osiched by ii road, five miles in len^'tli, across AUumettc Island, and tlience by ferry across Pembroke Lake. At Pembroke the naviii;ation is resumed, continuing to the Joachim, forty-tivo milet. The Jo.ichim rapids intervene; and the two smaller leachcs beyond the Joachim, viz. : from the Upper Joachim to the Eocho Caj)itaine, a leiiijjth of sixteen and a half miles, and from Roche Capitaino throufi^h Godin's Lake, within one mile of the ^[atawan River, will this year be served by steam navigniion. This assistance is all that has been given to the district, which has, nevertheless, increased in poj)ulation and production, and the lumber trade has been particularly ilourishing. The principal rivers which are the scene of these operations on the Quebec shore, Iietween Hull and the Deep Rivei', are the (^uio, the Coulonge, and the Black River. The for- mer is not of the same extent as the two latter, but it nevei'theloss con- tains a quantity of timbei*. The latter streams, however, ot!br great in- ducements for the manufacture both of square timber and of saw logs. The Coulonge is estimated at IGO miles in length. The Black River at 130 miles. But in view of the supplies which would be forwarded by railway to sustain the winter lumbering ojierations, it is not slm])ly this limit which has to be considered, but the whole extent of country west of thirs point must be taken into account. The flour and pork reeaiing first with the several crossings of the Ottawa, which rumour has brought into prominence as site> for a britlge, compjirison will estab- lish at once the limit within which a prudent selection can be made. No. L — THE DKEI' RIVER. A line crossing at Mackic's ]^)int has been suggested. The distance is 'ij.lHO feet, with 1,000 feet of water, from twenty-five feet to tifty-thrce fee: in depth. P>ut the main point brought forward as most conspicuouslv advanta- gcous from its geographical position, and the contracted water-way of the stream, is the point to the Fast of Dooney's Pay. The measured distance across is 1,270 feet, with a small river channel oi" 150 feet. It is true that the water-way at the point of the island is but filty feet, but the contigu- j-ation of the ground is such that no location could bring the line within this limit of bridging. On G50 feel of this length the water ranges from forty feet to sixty feet deep. The remaining GOO feet runs into thirtj'- feet of water, with a descent to fifteen feet of water, and within seventy feet of the bank there is a depth of eleven feet. The approaches will also call for a lai'ge outlay. G Xo. 2. — ArilOSS ALLIMETTE [8LAND. A line at this poitit will rctiuiro — 1. A cro.s^iii^ from the Qiiohee shore to Allii- metto Ishind 500 feet. Where u draw is reiinired. 2. The orossinnj from Alhi.nette Ishind to Mor- ison's Ishiiul, about 1200 feet. However in the centre of the stroam an ishind of ahoiit 150 feel in width intervenes. It is in this locality where the Alliimette rajiids run. It is not frozen over in winter, conseij[neMtly the depths could n(jt be obtained. 3 The so-called lost channel, about 400 feet across. 4. Beckett's Channel, about 150 feet. 5. The crossing at ilazely's Bay, about 300 feet. The woric, too, will generally be heavy at the api)roaches and at the in- tej-medir.to points. No, 3. — LA PASSE Is approached by level banks about eighteen feet in height above low water. The stream rises al)out ten feet. The total length is 1,009 leet ; 400 feet of this distance has less than eight feet depth of 'Wrt^er. The remaining distance runs from eighteen feet on either side to a maximum depth of twenty-eight feet, which greater depth extends over about 150 feet. A draw is here required, as the site lies within the limit of navig;.- tion between llavelock and the Chapeau. Four or six times in the twenty-four hours, however, mixy be considered the extent of its possible requirement. No. 4. — PORTAGE DU FORT, Is approached by a bridge of 100 feet in width, and the Kailway line crosses an island of extremely irregilar surface of metamorphic rock. The main bridge may be set down at 820 feet, the two centre spans being each 150 feet, with tive spans of 100 feet. The water in the centre chan- nel is from tifteen feet to twenty-three feet in dei)tn. The remaining dis- tance is somewhat shallow, rocks protruding at intervals, some of which can be made serviceable. No draw is here required. Hence, it can be inferred that on the question of Bridging the choice entirely lies between Portage du Fort and La Passe. 2. On the point of distance the theory has been promulgated that the connection between Montreal and Quebec and the future Pacific Railway will be considerably lessened by a line running direct to Booney's Bay. What a direct lino from (^iieltef may W\ orossinij^ tlir()nu;h tlio North half-explored eomitry amid the hills, so marked as to furnish a term in Canadian geological nomenclature, no one can i)retonI?ivcr eiossiiiu", over the i-oiites l»y l'oi'ta,i;e dii Fort and l»y Lu l*asse, entiivly di,'-a]>|)ears. For the distaiiee to a coiniiion jioint in Ontario, .south of the shore at Dooney's Jiay, at Avhieh ]»hue the water lino curves so a.s to form a (|uaHi j)eninsuhi— a ]K)int where the lino must pass — tho distance to this ])(»ini by tho La I'asse line — tho longer of tho two routes in (^uehcc — is ahout a tliiid of a mile shorter than it is by a lino crossing at Doonoy's Point. On the other hand, if as in(|uiry suggests, the location he otherwise made, and the line run somewlial hack from the river, tho comparison is gi-eatly against Dooney's Hay. The general opinion seems to ])rovnil that such a line will he located south of the Kiver I'etawawa. W so, tho line passing by Portage du Fort, or by La I'asso, will make tho connection in a total distance, intinileiy shorter than by crossing at Deep liiver. It may be said accordingly, that the choice of location lies between the two lines above named. 1. The Crossing by Poi'tagc du Fort. 2. Tho Crossing by La Passe. To a certain extent, owing to the trend of the liills, and the configura- tion of tho river bank, whichever crossing bo taken, the location will bo identical in the Townships of Hull and Fardley. On leaving Hull, two theories of location present themselves. a. Whether the low ground shall bo followed, and tho lino made to pass by Aylmer and the rivei* front. b. Whether tho route will keep the high ground, and gain tho point to bo attained in as short a distance as possible. There is no commercial reason why the line should follow the low ground. There is no one place in the front which woi^ild justify any diversion in its iavor. Aylmer has long ceased to have tho importance it possessed twenty years back, from the development of the country to the west of it, and tho fact whether the line will run directly to tliis place, or four miles to tho rear of it, would not liave influence on the travel visiting Aylmer — tho seat of the Law Courts of the District, It must be remembered, that in this respect it has no connection with the City of Ottawa, situated in a ditl'erent Province. The Quio, or Onslow 9 Viil{i<,% as i( is Komotlmos called, will ho from lliroo to four inilos south of tho itroposc'd line, and woiiM ho well served hy it. On the othe!- hand, by passin^^ to the north, the line is hroiiuht within reaeh of the flonrishin;;- villa^'o of Claiendon Centre, the sni>i)ly joint of tho rno.st extensive and I'iehost district in its cour.se. On leavinn- the Ottawa, the lino would run from the hrid^ro around tho Mamelon, on which the Aylmei- Hc.i I (Jate is situated, keepin-^ to the north of the road. In the 3rd range, it will cross the stream known as llaworth'8 Creek. This .streatn descends from tho range of liill.s in a Houth-oastorly cour.se, amid .some hroken ground. It is advisable to pass to tho west of it, so us to gain tho higher jdateau as easily as po.ssible. The ground at this point commences to rise, and gains an elevation from 50 feet to (il) toot in two terraces, tho higher level being mot at tho roar of Mr. Wright's place. Some work will bo exacted in this as-ending grade, but the trunsition is in no way abrupt, and no expensive excavation is to bo looked tor. Tho .soil is a .sandy loam. Probably from four to six small streams may bo met. llaworth's Creek, before mentioned, is in itself unimportant, and will need a 20 loot or 25 foot .span. The same level is met through Eardley. Owing to the broken ground in tho front, called Brocken ridge's Hill, tho line must bo carried within half u mile of the mountain, and for some distance continues at short intervals from it. It would run transversely across tho Township, entering in tho 5th, and leaving in the 12th llangc. Tho ground is almost pertcctly level. The one drawback, however, is the number ot gullies, .some of them of considerable depth; and the one dilHculty will be to make tho work which they necessitate as light as possible. But the narrow limit of tho choice of ground, makes it not probable that much of the work can bo thrown out, as those gullie.s run from north to south, and the lino going from east to west, they must be faced. This characteristic continues through the adjoining townships of Bristol and Clarendon. Onslow is but little attected by it. In Eardley the gullies may be set down as Ibllows : — 1. Breakenridge. Small run of water. 2. West of House. Stream 20 feet wide, gulley not large. 3. Ingloy's Bridge, (lulloy 50 feet wide, about 40 feet deep. Small stream. 4. Muddy Creek. East Fork. 5. Muddy Creek. West Fork. 6. Small Crook. 7. ditto. 10 8. McAllister's) Gully. 200 f'cct across. Small stream, say 5C i'ect deep. 0. .^rcMullin's Jiavine. 120 feet, say 40 feet deep. 10. McLane's Gully. Xnt important. 11. West of Moore's. 500 feet aci'oss, 50 feet deep. 12. Small sii'eam and ji'nllv. 13. dilt o. .So far tae location of about 2.3 miles is common to the two lines. Hnt on enteriuii; Onslow, we meet the divergence which arises, as the alternative cro.-'^'in^-.s of the Ottawa liave to ho considered; and it is from this ])oint that comparison must be made of the two routes i)roposed. Following- the line to the most eastei'ly crossing — Portage du Fort, I ])rocecd to describe the country examined with tiie view of passing the Ottawa at that point. The line continues across Onslow, entering to the south of the Cth range. A good crossing of the (Juio iliver presents itself on Lot 2, at the north of the 5th Kange. The de])lh of the valley is 50 feet, and the water can be taken Uy a span of 100 foot; the ren>:iining narrow interval being met l>y embanUmenl. The ground on tioth sides of the cr Ottawa. 5. Extending the necessary facilities for the carriage by railway of plaidc, and such timber as can be economically placed on the rail at a point in the Ottawa navigation, before difficult}' arises in the descent of the river by rapids. The above respectfully submitted. WILLIAM KINGSFORD, Engineer. Thos. Reynolds, Esquire, Ac, &c., &c.. Managing Director, St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway. Ottawa, 6tb April, 1872.