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Ih HI foii/vf orainsivucti on _„_^__„_«_ /iv/uMf/f h'liHirinw: I -^. THE PROPOSED HAMILTOiN AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY, ■WITH By H. B. WILLSON, Esq. HAMILTON: PRINTKD AT THK SPECTATOR OKFICK, COURT HOUSE SQUARE. 1854. 1 n 1 H -'a: h i .t /- iS^47 |v 1^ #.,A-=- .-.iflfiw i ■.■*'^ .1 «E«K. .Il«^ ^^^TT .icrn;- "flt' / '■f%. Tm:r' Iff" ■V'!"^-■ PREFATORY REMARKS, Bi' THE EDITOR Oy THE "SPECTATOR." The following letter wflH written for publication in tlie Bpectator, hut on account of its length, and the space whicli we were forced to devote to Parliamentary news, it appeared impossible to make the necessary room ; and as the matter is of very great importance to this section of the country, and to the Province at large, we decided upon publishing the paper in such a shape that, while it could readily be placed in the hands of those who take an interest in the subject, it would be more likely to command tlie attention it deserves, than if inserted in the columns of a newspaper. Tlie importance of Railway communication is already felt and appre. ciated in Canada, if v.e may judge by the different lines, in course of con- struction or projected, and the perseverance displayed by the promoters, despite financial and other embarassments. The inhabitants of th*; ooinitry convenient to Lake Erie have long complained of the inconvenience they suffer from the want of Railway communication, and have made rej>eated applications to the Legislature for charters for short lines of Railway to supply their local wants ; but since the defeat of the Bertie bill no compre- hensive or general scheme has been undertaken. The proposition of Mr. Willson, however, embraces a plan which we feel confident will meet with the encouragement of those interested along the proposed line, as well as of the inhabitants of this city, who must be greatly benefited by the construction of such a road. A reference to the Map will show that Mr. Willson's scheme is strictly Provincial — we might say National — and that no fear of rivalry need be entertained by the Great Western Company, or any other C-'ompany. Indeed the proposed "South Western Railway" would act as a valuable feeder ti> the Great Western, by delivering at Hamilton the business of the Southern portion of the peninsula, which cannot be secured at any other point ; while Westward, at Chatham, the travel and traffic for Windsor, Detroit, «fec., would naturally be transferred to the road passing direct to those places. By carrying out this proposition, another great advantage will be secured, viz: the passage of a large amount of business down Lake Ontario and the River St. Lawrence, which is now monopolized by Lake Erie and the Erie Canal. It is quite clear, therefore, that the South Western will prove bene- ficial, rather than injurious, to the Great Western, the Hamilton and Toronto, and the Grand Trunk Railways, as well as to our own waters. The whole matter is gone into thoroughly by Mr. Willson, and it is needless for us to dwell upon it ir-U-> 'K I'**!.*- t. ; I : r ^ I Mif \'T-' ''♦\ '',s»*i ^■--- ■'* "i'. '^ ,'i •i i- ^^VIV^.if!a * '< >i /^ «'■ •Jfi; i** <.-i-V..-<- -.■,'I", ,« s . : •;. M.: I- .•A.^'fT •,:'£» a ?^s;«j «iMti' jpROPOSKn HAMILTON & SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. To THE Editor of the " Spkctatou." Sir, — Lant Spring I issued a small Pamphlet in Enj/land, ri>r circulation amongst the Sharehold^^rs of th«? Great Western Railwuv of Canada, pointing out to them the importanct; of taking measures to occupy the ground of the proposed Southern Railway, between Lake Erie and the Great Western. As you did me the favor to publish a part of my Pamphlet, my views on that subject are sufficiently well known here to render a rt^pctition of them unnecessary. I may, how- ever state, that owing to the cost of the (ireat Western having so far exceeded the original, as well as all supplemental estimates, up to the issuing of Mr, Laing's report of the 11th .Inly last, the confidence of the English Shareholders has been so weakened, and the shares have fallen to such a discount as to preclude all hope of the English parties entertaining any other project, or of even laying a double track on their own line for many years to come. It therefore becomes a question for Parliament to consider whether the inhabitants of the extensive and populous tract of country lying between the Great Western Line and Lake Erie, shall be longer deprived of the advantages of a Railway, in consequence of circum- stances beyond their control. Had the Great Western Company so economized its means as to have enabled it to construct the proposed Railway within a reasonable time, say four or fi\e years, instead of laying a double track on its present line, one of which must be done before the trntVic can be fully developed, then it would no doubt have been wise in Parliament to have conceded to it the power to do so. This would have removed all grounds of complaint against the Great Western Company of wishing to maintain a monopoly to the mani- fest injury of this large section of country, and would, at only a small additional expense, owing to the favorable character of the country for # I railway construction, have supplied that Company with a second track, which would have opened for it a new and extensive traffic. From the opinions which my pamphlet elicited in England, I mu, I believe, in a position to state that owing to the causes set forth in Mr. Laing's report of the 11th July, there is not even a remote chance of the Great Westein Company's entertaining the project of supplying the southern country with Railway accommodation, either on my plan or on that recommended by the parties in Canada last Autumn. Under these circumstances, if Parliament should refuse to charter a new Company, it would be an act of great injustice to the people of a large aud important portion of Upper Canada. The Government has a duty to perform to the Province, as well as to those who have invested their money in it, who naturally seek to build up monopolies for their own advantage. There is a proper medium to be adopted in these matters ; and it is to be hoped that the Government of Canada will follow the enlightened principles prevailing in other countries on this subject. In Great Britain and the United States the days of monopolies, in their more odious forms, have passed away. But the Colonies of the former have ever been the hot-beds of these pernicious principles ; and we still have monster land companies, which have long retarded the growth of the Province, by buying from the Crown at merely nominal rates, all the best wild lands, and then keeping up the price more than cent, per cent, higher than they could be bought for in the neighboring ^itates. Wc also have Companies possessed by Act of Parliament of the exclusive privilege of lending money at usurious rates of interest ; and latterly an attempt has been made to set up monster railway monopolies. Thus hundredth of thousands of pounds will annually be screwed out of the bones and sinews of Cana- da to enrich great Railway Contractors and mammoth speculators in foreign countries. These gentlemen, and their co-partners in this country, will be sure to 6ry out against the chartering of any new line of Railway which they themselves cannot control for their own en- richment. It matters little to them whether the plunder comies from the Provincial exchequer or the pocketa of the English or Canadian public, so that they get it. ^iwi*«,'r-: Railways are the great modern highways of civilization. Thoy place the inhabitants of remote districts on an equality with those of more favored localities, and nearer to the markets of the world. Thoy thus equalize, in a great measure, the value of land and of all kinds of commodities. They promote the morality, the intelligence, and the happiness of the whole community by rapidly disseminating knowledge, and by affording cheap and speedy means of intercommunication. It will require yet another generation before their vast and benificent effects can bo adequately estimated. Some idea, however, may be formed on the subject by the enhancement in the value of real estate and other property, which invariably attends the opening of a new line of rails. This increase in value is always at least double, and ftften three or four fold. Its effect is the same as if the entire wealth within its influence were, by some magic process, such as we read of in the Arabian Nights Entertainment", instantaneously doubled, trebled, or quadrupled. Shall hundreds of thousands of people, there- fore, be deprived of these inestimable benefits, because certain specu- lators in Canada or in England fancy their interests may be prejudiced ? If these people will not themselves supply the means to construct a second highway, where a second one is indispensible, shall they be allowed to stand in the way of others who are ready and willing to make the attempt ? Such a doctrine is wholly inadmissable in the present age of the world. If Railways are the highways of civilization — the one great ne- cessity of the age — the Government should act on the broad and enlightened principle of affording to every section of the country the riffht to build them, and leave it tc thopc concerned to find the means. But I contend that in the case of this Southern Line, the Government shoul^l do more, if required, than merely grant this right so long sought for. From the extent and the importance of the country that will be benefitted by it, this line is as much entitled to Provincial aid as any Others receiving it. But it is probable that it may be constructed at an early day without such aid. There is, however, a limit to the extension of the Railway sys- tem, regulated by the ability of those desiring to possess themselves of its benefits, to supply the means of construction. This circumstance 8 !i devolves upon Goverament the duty of defining the lines to be laid down by Railway Companies receiving Charters, so as to afford accom- modation to, and promote the interests of the greatest number of persons. By referring to the map of Western Canada, it will be seen that the tract of country lying between the Great Western Railway and Lake Erie varies in width from sixteen or twenty to forty miles. — Portions of this tract are already supplied with Railway communica- tion. The Buftalo and Brantford line, now in operation, and the Erie and Ontario, when extended to Dunville, will supply the wants of the Eastern section. The Line that would serve the Central and Western portions of the tract in question most effectually, and at the same time would afibrd such an amount of traffic as would be an inducement to capitalists to supply the means for its construction, is from Hamilton to Simcoe, and thence, on the most direct route, to some point on the Detroit riv«r. From Simcoe westward, a Railway may be so located as to deviate but little from an " air line," and pass near Port Stanley or St. ThoroaS} and terminate at Amherstburgh or Fort Maiden, where it would draw a very large business from the Southern Michigan and other lines extending to the South and West into Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and the valley of the Mississippi. At Chatham a connection might be formed with the Great Western ; at or near Port Stanley or St. Thomas with the London and Port Stanley line; at Simcoe with the Wood- stock and Port Dover, which would save the necessity of a separate branch to that port; at Caledonia it would intersect the Buffalo and Brantford line, and at Hamilton the Great Western again ; and thus by the Suspension Bridge obtain connection with the principal Rail- ways of New York, and by the Hamilton and Toronto branch with the Grand Trunk Railway. All these lines would constitute feeders, and supply an immense trafRc. The distance between Hamilton and Chatham, by the proposed line, is about the same as by the Great Western. Passengers coming and going over the Michigan Central, and Detroit and Grand Haven Railways, would therefore have a choice of routes between these two Canadian towns. 9 reat tral, e a The surplus products of the country bordering on Lake Erie, and for many miles interior, which are already very large, as well as the merchandize for home consumption, are at present transported to and from the eastern markets by the lakes and canals. The Great Western Railway can never draw this business, and would not, in consequence be interfered with in its local traffic. Hamilton being situate at the extreme head of Western naviga- tion on Lake Ontario, whence freigbts to Montreal and New York are the same as from Toronto or Niagara, is undoubtedly the best calcu- lated to commantl the largest goods and passenger traffic with the West. It must, in spite of all eftbrts to force this business to other places on the Lake, continue to be the great reservoir for Western products going to Eastern markets, as well as for merchandize going westward, if suitable channels are only provided. Sucli attempts to force trade out of the natural and shortest routes, always end in the ruin of those who make them, and ought to bo avoided. I have shown that the Great Western Railway would not be injured in its local traffic, by the construction of the proposed Hamil- ton and South Western Railway. 1 now contend that it would not be prejudiced in its through business, but Avould on the contrary be benefited by its construction. If a portion of its through traffic should be diverted from the centre division, between Hamilton and Chatham, a much larger amount would be thrown on to its Eastern and Western sections, and Toronto Branch. The new line woukl give more in this way, than it would take. By a fair and honoura- ble arrangement made between the two Companies, all danger of injurious competition Avould be avoided. This however is a (|[ues- tion that can be better discussed hereafter, when wo shall be miide acquainted with the future policy of that Company That policy must be jealously w^atched by the public, and if divested of the indications hitherto manifested, of a desire to control all the railways of Southern Canada, they will no doubt receive the protection they require from Parlimant, so that the public interests be not sacriflcied, or unfairly dealt with. The chief markets for the products of the Western States and Western Canada, being New York, Montreal and Quebec, these pro- 10 I ducts will naturally find their way by the shortest and cheapest routes to the Lakes, and thence by the St. Lawrence or the Erie Canal, to their destination. Hamilton possesses this advantage of proximity, as already pointed out. When the surplus produce of the West reaches this point it will be four or five days nearer to market than it would be at Buffalo, or Port Robinson, the Lake Erie terminus of the Wel- land Canal. This Canal is already so overtasked with business, that it often takes four or five days for vessels to pass through it. The same observations apply to merchandize going West. These facts shew clearly the superiority of this route over that by Lake Erie. Cargoes of merchandize may be shipped at Montreal or New York for Hamilton, and be transhipped and carried over this line to Port Dover, via Siracoe, and be delivered in Cleveland or any other Port on Lake Erie before they could reach Port Robinson or Buffalo by the Canals. This then would be the preferable route for the lighter kinds of goods, even for the South Shore of Lake Erie, whilst the time saved to our Canadian farmers and Merchants on the North Shore, would be of incalculable advantage to them. The import- ance of this City as a Commercial Emporium cannot therefore be overrated, nor can the superiority of the proposed route over that by Lake Erie admit of a doubt. The interests of Hamilton and the entire tier of Southern Counties arc thus identical. Whatever bene- fits the one must likewise promote the prosperity of the other. Enough has been shown to establish the fact that Buffalo is not the proper point for the Eastern terminus of the proposed Southern Railway. So much has Hamilton the advantage in this respect, that whenever a Railway connection shall be established between it, and t :e Buffalo and Brantford line at Caledonia, there is not a doubt but that the entire local traffic between Brantford and Buffalo will be drawn to Hamilton. It would therefore be far more for the interests of the Shareholders in that line, though not for the City of Bv^falo, to extend a branch of their Railway from Calidonia to Hamilton instead of to Goderich. But there is another and more patriotic view to be taken of this question. By making Hamilton the Eastern terminus for the South- ern Railway, and by carrying the line on the proposed route, all the jt 11 local tinrtic- that it can command, and a large additional foreign traffic at present taking Lake Erie, or more Southern routes, will be thrown upon Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, as well as upon the (ireat Provincial line of Railway, now in course of construction from Hamilton Eastward. This is a most important consideration for the country and one which ought to out-weigh all obstacles, which may be raised by interested parties, against the granting of a Charter for the Hamilton and South-Western line. Let our Legislators turn their eyes to the neighboring State of New York, and behold the system of public works and Railways by which they have secured to their State the advantages of being the carriers between the East and the West. Canada possesses equal if not greater facilities for a groat share of this business, and it only remains for her to put forth her hand and secure her fair share. Every ton of freight that can be thrown on to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence will contribute to the wealth of the Province. It will enrich our ship owners and Railway Companies, and atford to our noble river an opportunity to vindicate its superiority over foreign channels of commerce. It is refreshing after long years of political contentions often about unwor- thy objects, to witness something like a national sentiment springing up in the country. To this sentiment of nationality, would I appeal in the present instance, when so many conflicting claims and preten- sions are being pressed upon Parliament with regard to this Southern Railway. Let us have the one best calculated to promote the interests of the Province. It is no business of ours to legislate or build Rail- ways for the convenience of our neighbours. I have alluded to the favourable nature of the proposed route for cheap railway construction. This is a very important consincration, upon which too much stress cannot be laid. After reaching the summit of the table land at Hamilton, it has been found by actual surveys that there are comparatively few engineering difficulties to overcome. Most of the way to the Detroit River the undulations of the country are so few and gentle as to require scarcely more outlay in grading than for an ordinary macadamized road. Nor will the ascent of th table land in an Easterly direction from Hamilton, by way of the Albion Mills, be a matter of any serious cost or difficulty, at a grade of 12 ' fifty feet to the mile, whicli is far less tlmn oo many lines in tlie Uni- ted States and Europe. The trifling cost at which ordinary roads are made up this slope proves the correctness of this fact. The only dif- ference in grading for a railway, will consist in making an easier grade^ by extending the line four or five miles instead of one or two. Such facilities for ascending an elevation of 300 feet are seldom to be met with in other places. The slope of the hill, in the direction alluded to, is almost uniform, and is seldom broken by ravines ; and there are no water courses of any magnitude, requiring expensive viaducts or embankments. Any one may satisfy himself of this, by an hour's walk in an Easterly direction from Hamilton. There are no Welland and Desjardin Canals to cross ; no bottomless inarches to fill up ; no quicksands to interpose; and no new Canals to cut in place of old ones to be embanked with mountains of earth. After the experience of other Companies, w^hich have sunk millions of dollars in overcoming such difficulties, which ought to have been altogether avoided, com- mon sense will no doubt prevail in the location of future lines. Such then being the favourable character of the country through which the proposed Southern Line would pass, there is no reason why it should not be built as cheaply us the Buffalo and Brantford, making due allowance for the increase in the price of labour and material. This Railway stands the Company in about 820,000 a mile, including Stations and Rolling Stock. It may not be so good a work as the Great Western, but it meets the requirements of the country, and will at this cost, though commanding but little through business West of Brantford, be quite as likely to prove remunerative to the Shareholders as lines which cost three times as much, though the latter have the advantage of route. Under all the circumstances, I think that there is no reason to doubt, that the Hamilton and South- western Railway could be built a"d fully equipped at a cost not to exceed 125,000 per mile. Assuming the distance to be 180 miles^ which will not be far out of the way, the total cost would be |4,- 500,000. With a competent Engineering Staff, and an honest and watchful Board, determined to keep within the estimates, and with the increased knowledge of the business, a good and substantial railway I j^H^ ■' l||illJIJ|lM/i|U 13 can be constructed for this money, or at any rate for an additional balf-miJlion. It may not here be amiss to olfer some remarks upon the mode of raising the means of construction, hi this, too, we have gained some knowledge and may profit by the experience of others; and we may possibly find means without government aid, or importation of Capital from Europe. If the people of the United States managed to build 10,000 miles of railway before they obtained any considerable Capital from Europe, we surely, with our great prosperity, ought ourselves to be able to build a line of less than 200 miles, through a favored and wealthy country. In corroboration of this fact, with regard to the vast railway system of the United States, which now embraces about 14,000 miles in active operation, I beg to quote from a table published in the City article of the London Times^ of the Vth April last, showing the comparative amounts of Railway Stocks and Bonds and other securi- ties held in the United States and abroad. In turning sterling into dollars, I have multiplied by five, which is sufficiently correct for the occasion. By this statement it appears that the entire cost of the Rail- ways of the Union up to that time amounted to $480,000,000 which was held in Shares and bonds in the following proportions : — Share Capital held in United States $301,875,000 Do by Foreigners 8,025,000 Total Share Capital $309,900,000 Bonded Capital held in United States $1 26,200,000 Do. by Foreigners 43:900,000 Total Bonds $170,100,000 Total of Bonds and Shares $480,000,000 Total Bonds and Shares held by Foreigners $ 52,150,000 It will bo seen by these figures, which are stated by the Times as having been compiled from authentic sources, that only one-thirty- 14 seventh of the share, and a small fraction over one-fourth of the bonded railway capital of the American Union is held by foreigners; whilst the proportion of bonded and share capital together thus held would be less than one-ninth. If we were to turn to Canada, we should find these figures quite reversed, or, in other words, that eight-ninths of our railway bonds and shares are held abroad, and one-ninth at home. I leave the bearing which these facts may have on the future material prosperity of the two countries for others to discuss, and will proceed to state how I think the ways and means may be raised for the Ham- ilton and South Western Railway, and this I shall do in general terms, which will be sufficient for the present. First. — By private subscriptions on the line and in Hamilton. 2ndly. — By similar subscriptions by parties in the United States, interested in the construction of the line. 3r(lly. — By subscriptions by contractors. I may here state that there is more than one wealthy firm of American contractors who have so high an opinion of this line that they would invest largely in it. 4tbly. — By liberal subscriptions by the City of Hamilton and the Towns and Counties interested. And lastly. — By the issue of convertible bonds of the Company. But it will be asked where can these various securities be negocia- ted ? I answer here in Canada, and, (through the aid of such influen- cial Americans as are known to be ready to contract for the line,) in the United States. The recent large importation of foreign capital into Canada for the construction of Railways, and the immense increase in the value of all kinds of property, added to a considerable influx of men of means, attracted here by these extensive works and other causes, have produced a class of capitalists amongst ourselves, who will be glad to invest in such good securities as these debentures will be, under the Municipal Loan Act — particularly if they can get them at a small discount The convertible bond- of the Company will also afford strong inducements for those who understand the pros- pects of this line. In the United States, the present crisis will have wholly passed away, after purifying the market from a thousand 15 speculative enterprises, and the vast resources of that country, being daily swelled and developed by the most extended system of Railways in the world, there will be abundance of capital for such investments by the time we should require to negociate the Company's bonds. In view of the immense advantages which this Railway iimst confer on this city and the southern part of Canada, no time should be }ost in taking measures to secure a charter. Hamilton must lead the way in effecting the necessary organization, and in supplying means to defray preliminary expenses. A committee should be established in every town and township on or near the line, and an earnest deter- mination evinced to secure a highway for the commerce of this section of country, and success is certain to attend the eftbrt. I am,