IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ C^x ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ 40 1.4 IM 2.2 IM 1.6 V] ^ ^. ^a # "># '^^ ^ - e-f O ^l O 7 /A Photographic Sciences Corporation m <^ \\ « >^ ^^^ %^ O^ 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^'^ o \ \ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6X6 possible de se procurer. 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This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library of the Public Archives of Canada L'exemplsire film* fut reproduit grAce A la ginArosit* de: La bibiiothdque des Archives publiques du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at de la nettetA de I'exemplaire film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du co.itrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim6e sont film^s en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte una telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film* A partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, da gauche A droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■Im 0^ a. r. tmf4 .VV PROSPECTUS. ONTARIO AND RED RIVER FORWARDING COMPANY. LIMITED LIABILITY. Oj^P^ITAL, - - - ^150,000, IN :KKX) shares, ^50 PER SHARE. OHABTERED UNDER 27 AND 28 VIC, OHAPTER 23. -♦*♦- TDlREOT?OR£3 TORONTO : GLOBE PRINTING COMPANY, 26 & 28 KING STREET EAST, 1869. m I 5 *fL 'rt PROSPECTUS. ONTARIO AND RED RIVER FORWARDING COMPANY. LIMITED LIABILITY. OJ^FIT^L, - - - ^150,000, IN 3000 SHARES, $50 PER SHARE. ■•-•- OHABTEEED UNDER 27 AND 28 VIC, OHAPTEB 23. -♦♦♦- XDIREIOTOI=l£i= TORONTO : GLOBE PRINTING COMPANY, 26 4 28 KING STREET EAST, 1869. /7/;; ONTARIO AND RED RIVER FORWARDING COMPANY. The object of this Company is to open a direct Tran- |it communication between the Province of Ontario and le Eed Eiver, via the head of Lake Superior. The question of opening this Eoute for traffic and [rade has now assumed an aspect of much greater im- )ortance than it has at any time heretofore presented, Ihe Dominion Government having now under construc- [ion good waggon roads over the sections of land which [nterrupt the chain of navigable waters existing between ike Superior and the Red River. The distance be- tween these too points by the longest line of routes )ropo3ed by the Government Engineer, Mr. Dawson, is lot over 464 miles, 332J of which consists of navigable Waters, and but 131 of land travel. Since the commencement of works along this line of route, Mr. Dawson has proposed to make the road liverge at about ten miles from the shores of Lake superior, instead of building it direct to Dog Lake, IS was originally intended, and to take the line to Lake IShebandowan — by this latter route the distance to Red IRiver is but 440 miles Instead, however, of basing calculations upon this [shorter route for present purposes, it is proposed to have reference only to the longer line. The able report of Mr. Dawson may be referred to in connection with the project of opening this line of conununication for traftic by the route just proposed. The longest line of land travel along the route is the road connecting the IJed liiver with the north-west corner of the Lake of the Woods ; the road is 91 J miles in length, and passes over a very level prairie country, affording every facility for the construction of the best of waggon roads. It will be ready for travel by July next. From the X.W. corner of the Lake of the Woods to Fort Frances, on the river La Tluie, there is an uninter- rupted navigation of 120 miles for a first-class steamer. At Fort Frances a fall of 22 feet in height obstructs the navigation, and renders a land carriage of 300 yards necessary, thence again there is a like uninterrupted navigation to the eastern side of Lac La Pluie, being a distance of 40 miles. A canal can easily be constructed around the falls at Fort Frances and afford an uninterrupted steamboat navigation for 208 miles if required. In the meantime it is proposed to place two steamers upon this section of the route, one to ply from each side of the Falls, at Fort Frances. From the eastern side of Lac La Pluie to the heighth of land is 138 miles ; this line of the route, whether by Dog Lake or Lake Shebandowan, consists of a chain of navigable waters, varying between 10, 12, 17, 20 and 27 miles in length, but interrupted with portages, all of which are short, with the exception of one of ten miles and two of two miles each, all of which, taken in the agregate, do not exceed sixteen miles of land roads, 5 [whilst the route by lake Shebandowaii would shorten [he distance, it would also avoid the ten mile portage) Tpon the ten mile portage, and perhaps also upon the [wo mile portages, it might be advisable to employ jattle in the transport of passengers and merchandise, )ut upon all the other portages, boats, &c., can easily )e hauled across by their crews. From Dog Lake to LaVe Superior is 25 miles ; the Waggon road now being constructed will be ready for travel in June or July next. Thus to make perfect this line of route between Lake [Superior and the Red River, it only re([uires facilities bo be provided for the transit of passengers and mer- chandise along the chain of navigable waters, whereby I the several roads now being constructed by the Govern- ment shall be made available for a direct line of com- munication. Until increasing traffic should demand a more speedy transit along this route and create the necessity of affording other and greater facilities, the time of passage, as now proposed, will be : — UOURfi. Lake Superior to Dog Lake, 25 miles, road, at 4 miles per hour. Call it 7 Dog Lake to Lac La Pluie, being 16 miles of roads, and 167 of navigation. 181 miles, at 3 miles per hour, making allowance for delays in passing over portages 61 Lac La Pluie to Fort Frances, 46 miles, steamer 5 Fort Frances to north-west corner Lake of the Woods, steamer, 120 miles, (giving 10 miles per hour)... 12 Thence to Red River, 91 miles, at 5 miles per hour.. 18 ♦1 103 () Merchandise may bo tr iiisported along the route at rates as follows : Per 100 llM. Lake Superior to Dog Lake, 25 cts. Dog Lake to heighth of land, 35 miles water 8 " Portage at heighth of land, road, 10 miles 10 " To Lac La Plnie, 132 miles water, 6 land carriage 30 " To Fort Frances, 46 miles, steamer 6 " To north-west corner Ijike of the Woods, 120 miles, steamer 9 " ToRedKiver, 00 miles, road 60 " $1 48 " At the mte of $29.60 per ton, and the time between Ked River and the head of Lake Superior less that 5 days. And when the dams and canals are constructed at two or three localities, as contemplated by Government, thus avoiding frequent transhipments and affording a steamboat navigation along the greater portion of this section of the line of route, the cost of freightage will be lessened and the time of passage shortened. A ton of merchandise can be transported from Toronto to the head of Lake Superior much more cheaply than it costs froji Buffalo or Chicago to Saint Paul, so that whenever the communication shall be open to traffic and trade, it is not unreasonable to advance the opinion, that by this route the traders at Red River will be in a posi- tion to supply the northern settlements in Minnesota with merchandise, instead of receiving their supplies from them as they do now. th to su| roj foi n( cai so^ Fa St The Red Kiver country is the centre of trade for all the Great West. The Hudson Bay Company have here- tofore wholly monopolised that trade, and obtained their supplies from England, via Hudson's Bay, and by which route they export in return. The merchandise destined for the Red River, and the country in the interior, does not leave England until the month of June, as ships cannot pass through Hudson's Straits until July, and sometimes not until August ; nor do they arrive at York Factory until August or September, according as the Straits may be clear of ice. The route by which thest goods are transported from York Factory to the Red River is 834 miles in length, interrupted by som 66 portages, across which thv boats, goods, &c., are trans- ported by manual V^bour only, and the route can never be adapted to any other mode of conveyance. The annual imports along this route amount to no less than $400,000, and the exports vary, annually, from $1,000,000 to $2,500,000 ; and the shortest time occupied in the transit, either w^ay, is from 30 to 40 days ; the cost of transporting along it a ton of goods is $160. ROUTE TO SAINT PAUL Within these few years past, numerous independent traders have sprung into existence in the Red River country, whose trading connection is with Saint Paul in Minnesota, in consequence of which a new route has been opened for the transit of traffic and trade, and along which route the Hudson Bay Company now im- port some of their goods, because they can import by it more speedily and cheaply than by the old route, but 8 along which' they still continue to make their exports as formerly. The distance from the British possessions on the Red River to Saint Paul is 600 miles, and the traffic is carried on by means of ox-carts, each carrying from 800 to 1000 lbs., and the time consumed in the transit between the Red River and Saint Paul is from 18 to 25 days eacli way. This route is intersected by rivers and water courses, across which the cattle are swum, and the merchandise, &c., ferried over ; the cost of transporting a ton of goods along this route is $120. The route may be said to have been first opened in 1857 ; in that year a caravan of some 600 carts passed from Red River to Saint Paul, carrying with them about $250,000 worth of furs ; since that period the traffic along that route has anually increased. Tiiis last year it is estimated that upwards of 800 tons of merchandise, value $4,000,000, U. S. currency, passed along this route. If such is now the value of that trade in its present restricted state, where the transport of merchandise is confined to those classes of goods only which can be car- ried in ox-carts along a difficult road of 600 miles in extent, what will it be when greater facilities of trans- port are offered to the free course of commercial compe- tition, and when colonisation opens new fields of industry, and presses all the resources of a new " world" into that stream of reciprocal intercourse, whose swell- ing volume is already establishing a most important trade, and wearing a deep tract between the Red River and Saint Paul. 9 LAKE SUPERIOR TO BED RIVER. The proposed route between Lake Superior and the Eed River presents such incomparable advantages over either of those above alluded to, that the whole trade now connected with the Red River country must become tributary to it, so soon as this route shall be opened to commercial traffic. It is unnecessary to make any comparison as regards the speed and cost of transport from England to York Factory, or from Buffalo or Chicago to Saint Paid, as contrasting with the time and cost by the route from Toronto to the head of Lake Superior. It has been shown tliat tlie distance from this last point to Red River, by Dog Lake, is 463 miles, and by Lake Shebandowan, 440. We have assumed the longer one, and shown that a ton of goods might be transported along it for less than S30, within 5 days, whilst upon the other routes the speediest time made and the cost of transport are : — Via York Factory, 834 miles, 30 days* time, $] n per ton. Tm Saint Raul, 600 " 18 " 120 " Even supposing that by the Lake Superior route the cost is double $30, and the time ten instead of five days, still time and cost is but the half of that required upon the cheapest and speediest of the existing routes. This must establish it as the highway for the traffic and trade of the Great West for all future time, for no other competing route could possibly divert from it its trade. 10 ESTIMATED EXPENSES. Building two steamboats, say at Fort Frances, to ply from each side of the falls there, (these boats can be built and launched there for the sum of $15,000 each, and if preparations are made at once, can be ready by the month of September next,) each boat to be 100 feet long, and of 40 horse power, $30,000. Until such time as canals or dams are constructed, no other steamer would be necessary ; but to connect Lac La Pluie with the heighth of land, and Dog Lake or Lake Shebandowan, a line of boats of five or ten tons each could be at once built there, which, with their necessary equipments, &c., would not cost more than $2,000. The Company would not be required to maintain cattle, waggons, &c., upon the land routes, as upon the longer land roads, where such means of conveyance are necessary, those services will no doubt be performed by independent teamsters or contractors, particularly at the two extremes of the line of route. But if, on the first opening of the route, the Company should be required to provide such conveyances, it would only be for a short period, and the cobt of doing so would not exceed $2,000. The expenditure incidental to this service, and also to the navigating boats between Lac La Pluie and the heighth of land, &c., it is not unreasonable to expect, would be defrayed by the immediate traffic and by a mail service along the route as soon as opened; thus the cost of at once opening the route, ready for traffic, might require $34,000. 11 also the Dect, 3y a the ight SOURCES OF PROFIT. It has already been shown that the Eed River country furnishes a trade* of some six millions of dollars. Say that a portion only of this will pass over the route as soon as it is opened, this is a very handsome return for the sum of money invested ; besides a large passenger traffic ought to be calculated upon, and it is not unreason- able to expect that so soon as the route is opened, not less than 1,000 passengers will pass in the season ; this at the rate of $20 per head (finding themselves) would of itself yield $20,000. Independent of the profits arising from the carriage of passengers and merchandise, the Company may also calculate upon a mail service, as under present circum- stances it is not imreasonable to expect that the Govern- ment would be ready to give every encouragement to the Company, and guarantee to them a subvention of say $10,000 a year for 5 years, in consideration of open- ing the route to steamboat navigation and carrying the mails. In 1859 the Government agreed to guarantee to the K W. T. Company the annual sum of $20,000 for five years, upon condition that they opened this very route to traffic and trade. The Company did not get the necessary stock subscribed, and tlierefore could not go into operation ; asking now for the lesser sum cannot be viewed as unreasonable. Whilst the immediate object of this Company is to open a direct transit communication with the Red River, yet having in view that they may find it advisable to extend their forwarding operations from the Red River rmrm 12 to Lake Winnepeg, Lake Manitoba, Lake Winepegosis, &c., all of which waters connect one with the other, affording an uninterrupted navigation to a first-class steamer for 500 miles and upwards, the Capital Stock has been fixed at SI 50,000, in 3000 shares of $50 each. ALLAN MACDONELL. 'in :? ^W7 I pegosis, other, 3t-class Stock each. ELL /