IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 »W|||||M 1125 IM 12.2 !r m 1.4 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation \ % v c?>^ ^ ^ % V \\ ^3> ^\^ <> 33 WEST MAIN STREET V7EBelure. 3 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I Na THE ROUTE OP TIIE IHTERCOLOSIAL UllMAY IN A National, Commercial and Economical point of view. /I The following observations on the Route of Our Great National Work, have been hurriedly written amidst the pressure of other duties, and are submitted to the public at the present time, in the hope that thej will have the effeot of drawing attention to the importance of selecting for the Intercolonial Railway that route over which the road can be most cheaply built,-that will open up the largest section of Country, develope the most important resources, promote the interests of the greatest number of inhabitants, and conduce to the general welfare of the Dominion. 22nd November, 1867. » ■*m I (<»« THE RAILWAY KOUTE. ' To all who understand public feeling in \ova Scotia and New Brunswick, it is well known that the consummation of the scheme of Confederation would never have been attained, had there not been incorporated in its provisions, a certainty that the Intercolonial Railroad would be built, and that the most important sections of the Province of New Brunswick would be ensured a connection by rail with the capital of the Dominion. Long before the idea of an Intercolonial Railway was conceived, a military road from Quebec :o Halifax, through New Brunswick, had been commenced. This idea probably led to the grander one of rendering the road more useful in a military point of view, and more conducive to the prosperity of the Colonies, by making it a Railway. The project of a common military road was then abandoned, and two officers of the highest engineering character were detailed to superintend the survey of a line which would combine the least number of miles with the greatest safety from available points of attack from the only quarter whence it is likely to proceed. After thorough examination, assisted by an efficient start" of officers, Major Robinson, having explored and accurately surveyed the several routes, after mature deliberation, decided upon that, not only best adapted for a military road, but the only one considered practicable, from the fortified City of Quebec, through British territory, to the Atlantic Coast. Since that time, the hopes of the dirterent Provinces have rested more upon Major Robinson's route than upon any other that has been proposed. Year after year passed away, successive Delega- tions from the governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Canadas met, and Representatives were sent to the British Government to secure its construction, but from many and various causes, it was found impossible to bring about anything like a satisfactory arrangement. At length the scheme of Union was propounded, and among the reasons advanced for its adoption, none certainly had equal force with that which declared an Inter- colonial Railroad would be built, without which stipulation Con- federation could not have been accomplished. Now that the Union has been consummated, one of the most important questions the present Government and Parliament of Canada will have to settle, is the route of this railway In the decision of this question is involved the most important consequences, — not only the pros- perity of the Dominion, but even its future safety. A number of conflicting sectional interests are at work, each striving to secure t(t itself the greatest advantage, without much regard to the general welfare. There can be no doubt that these conflicting claims should give way to the general good, that the route which ofJiiM-s the greatest benefit to the whole Dominion, and secures the greatest good to the greatest possible number of its inhabitants, is the one that should be adopted. Up to the time of the publication of Mr. Fleming's Report, little was known of the several routes projected and supported by these rival interests. That surveyed in 1848 by Major Robinson, of the Royal En- gineers, was the only one respecting which anything like reliable data had been obtained. This survey was made in the most thorough and scientific manner, with the assistance of a staff of experien-^ed practical engineers. It occupied nearly three years, and cost about £30,000 Sterling. Accurate working plans of every section were made, and no means were overlooked to have the results perfectly reliable. Mr. Fleming's Report, published in 1865, was the result of a very hurried examination which occupied but a few months ; many portions of the various routes he des- cribes were never explored, but merely guessed at from the general nature of the country, and though his labors were confessedly not of the character of a thorough survey, they threw some light on a number of routes both Southern and Central, but the result of his labour proves that he has failed to find a route which presents any- thing like the advantages that will be secured by a modification of the line carefully and accurately surveyed by Major Robinson. la deciding the route to be adopted there are three modes in which the question must be viewed, 1st. In a National, 2nd. In a Commercial, 3rd. In an Economical point of view. The route which combines the greatest advantages in tliese respects is that whicii common sense would point out as the one to be adopted. With reference to these three points tlie queslion will now be discussed. IN A NATIONAL POINT OF VIEW. It is the fashion in the present day, by disciples of the Cobden and Bright School, to pretend that the world hiis grown wise, that nations now see the folly and inutility of going to war to settle their disputes, and that the pen will in future fight battles hereto- fore decided by the sword. The Peace congress was startled from its idle dream by the Trent aflair in 1862, and the present stale of Europe shows conclusively that these dreamers know little of human nature, which, however much it is to b(; desired, has not yet attained ibe wisdom claimed for it. The Munroe doctrine is still cherished by America, and her " Manifest destiny *' is still devoutly believed in by the large mass of her people. The " Ala- bama claims " are not yet settled, and if the United States persists in the ridiculous demand she has made, we know not how soon a rupture between the two nations may occur. The Fenian mob is no doubt an insane one, but an army of madmen can do more mischief than a disciplined force, and the experience of the last three years should not be lost. In that event, these Provinces would be the chief point in which England could be assailed, and this consideration should never be lost sight of in deciding the route of the Intercolonial Railway, whicli will be so powerful a means of successful defence. The principal routes that have been proposed, and indeed the only ones that deserve serious consideration, are 1st, Tim Norllicrn or M.ijor Robinson's Lint', which, starting from Iluliliix, riinn by Avay of Truro to Slu-diac, thence crof*st\»< tlio Mirainiehi at Indiantown, continues northerly till it reaches Ha- thuisl, then jiasses up the iiay Chah.'urs to Dalhousie, thence by the Iletilii^nHiclie and Metapedia valleys ihrough liiniouski te'I'iois Pistoles and Kiver I)u Loup. 2nd. A rnodillcation of this line, whicli we shall desiefnate as the Norlhprn Cnilral, from Halifax jnirsucs the same course to Shediac, runs down the E. & N. A. Railroad to Apohaqui station, iheiice runs north-east till it crosses Salmon River at the head ol Grand Lake, thenec; running north it joins the Major Robinson line at liKJiaiUown, on the Miramichi, and thence follows it to Quebec. iJrtl. The Ct^ntral line jn'oper, which, starting from Apohaqui Station, runs round the head of (Jrand Lake, and, touching Fredericton, j);!sses up the Keswick valley, thence across the Tobi(jiie range and round Temiscouta lake to River Du Loup. •Jlii. The Central line, designated on Mr. Fleming's map as No. 5, and so s])eciously advocated in a letter to Hon. VViUiam MoOougall, Minister of Public Works, is identical with the Central line proi)er above described, from River Du Loup to Fredericton. At thai j)oint it crosses from the Eastern to the Wes'ern side of the RivcM- St. John, and by means of a branch from Fredericton, it joins the Western Extension line through Uougius Valley, and by that line reaches St. John in the neighbor- hood of the Suspension Bridge. 5lh. The Frontier line, which, starting from St. John, passes up the Western side of that River to Grand Falls, where it crosses and coiitinues along the Eastern bank to Little F'alls, and thence by the AJadawaska river and Temiscouta Lake to River Du Loup. Of these routes the last is open to the objection that for many miles it passes close to the American Frontier, at points which offer every facility for the military operations of a hostile force; and this alone is sullicient to render its adoption so objectionable that no advantages of a sectional nature should, for a moment, prevent its rejection. Indeed this result is inevitable, as succes- 9 Ci *i i sivc C'oloniiil Ministers unti many liritit
  • city of St. John, lit miles. The Impciial Goviunment refused lo allow ''li and in a letter of I'.irl (irey to Mr. Howe of the 12th of Jn?ie, Idol, there is the following passage, " I fcel very sanguine of the ultimate! assent " of New Hrunswick to the measure as proposed, and that we " shall sueceeil in getting this most important work, destined as I believe to alleet a change in the civilized world, accom|)lislied." In the spring of 1852, a delegation from (Canada and New Brunswick went to England to ask the Imperial Government to give the guarantee to a line through the Valley of the St. .John River to Canada, instead of by Major Robinsons route, to which the Government, in a despatch to Lord Elgin, dated the 20th May, 1852, refused iii the following words : — " Her Majesty's Government are not only anxious, to act with the most j)erfect good faith towards the Legislatures and people of the Provinces, and to fuKil every just expectation which may have l)een held out by their pnulecessors, but they also sincerily desire to adopt all measures by which the welfare of the British Colonies in North America can be promoted as far as they can do so, consistently with their duty to the Empire at large, " But on a reference to the " correspondence which has already taken place on this subject, " and especially to the letters addressed by direction of Earl Giey 10 " to Mr. Howe, on the 10th of March 1851, and Mr. Hincks on " the 20th of February last, it will appear evident that no pledge '* had been given of assisiunce to any line except that originally " proposed * * * ." " Among the peculiar advantages in this point of view which " it was thought that the line selected on the report of Major " Robinson and Captain Henderson would realize, were the " opening up of a new tract of maritime country easily accessible " with the railroad, but almost unapproachable without it, to " Emigration from these Islands, and the afiecting a safe .and " continuous route through the Provinces, which both by its " distance from the American frontier and its proximity to the " sea, might be peculiarly available for military purposes." This refusal set the matter practically at rest until the Interco- lonial Railway convention held at Quebec on the 14th day of September, 1861, when it was again agreed to make ajiplication for assistance to the Imperial Government and to leave the question of route to be decided by that Government. From this it will be seen that there is no hope of the British Government assenting to any line which varies mnch from the original one recommended by Major Robinson, and wo predict that ifihe Lower Provinces i»ersist in making new surveys with a view of thwarting this line, the completion of the road will again be indefinitely delayed. vTlie Central Line, No. 5, will require two enormously expen- sive bridges over the St. John, and as it will neither open up a new country, nor give railway facilities to populations now desti- tute of them, its claims are too small to merit much consideration. The means of communication with St. John by the River and Western Extension, with the Town of St. Andrews by Western Extension and the St. Andrews line, is quite sufficient to meet all the wants of the River Counties. ^ As this divergence from the Central line proper has no particular merits to recommend it over that line, but has several strong objections, besides that of running too near the American frontier, it may safely be put aside with the Frontier Line. But before taking leave of it we may remark that the disingenuous ingenuity exhibited by the author of the 11 il letter referred to, to make out a strong case against the Apohaqui or Northern Central route, shows how the pursuit of a favourite hobby induces a man to lose sight of principle. He starts by say- ing that " the Bay Chaleurand Apohaqui route, has been sugges- " ted as a compromise between Major Robinson's Bay Chaleur " and a western route " and adds, " the extent of the sacrifice " involved by so doing, will at once be apparent from the follow- " ing figures." He then shows a diffbrence of 123 to 158 miles in favour of a Western route. But to get at these figures he com- pares in one case, the shortest Western route (which is not the one he advocates as most desirable,) with the Apohaqui route ; and in the other case, the route he does advocate with Major Robinson's route. When the comparison is properly made, of his No. 5 route with the Northern Central route, the difierence to Halifax is 24 miles in favor of the latter, and to St. John but 56 miles against it, — and he fails to say one word about the great engineering difficulties that will beset his line, from which the Northern Central is free. ''The Northern Central line combines all the advantages of Major Robinson's line, with several others not secured by the latter. It is about the same length to huiltl^ gives Kings, Queens, and Sunbury the advantage of the Railway without depriving Kentof tlu; privi- lege, and opens up the Coal Regions of Grand Lake, Salmon River and Coal Creek. This being the case, we shall consider it as essentially Major Robinson's line, though preferable to it in all respects. This will leave the question confined to the considera- tion of two lines, the Northern Central and the Central proper, and as one of these is sure to be adopted, the merits of each shall have a fair and impartial consideration. As the Nova Scotia portion of the road is common to both these, and will be the same, whichever is adopted, our attention will be confined wholly to that portion which passes through New Bruns- wick and Canada. In the first place then, as regards the Central line proper in a national point of view, its proximity to the American Frontier is a serious objection. Mr. Fleming evidently favours this line, has done all that he " conscientiously " could to make a strong ease in its favour, ''nd reasons thus in reference to its adaptability as a military 12 road. In page 16 of his report, he says: — " I could not presume to express an opinion on the best military position for the Rail- way, or even enter into the question of route in a purely military aspf^ct at all ; but in the absence of any specific instructions or suggestions on this point, I found it necessary to look for some rule by which to be guided at the beginning and during the progress of the survey. For a number of miles west of River Du Loup, the Grand Trunk Railway passes the North Western boundary of the State of Maine at a distance of scarcely 30 miles ; this, at all events in a military aspect, is a precedent, and may suffice to establish the minimum distance allowable between the contemplated line of Railway and the north eastern angle of the same State. I have accordingly laid off this dis- tance on the accompanying general map of the country, from the frontier to points on the Trois Pistoles, Green River, the Resti- gouche and Tobique." The same subject is again introduced pon |)age 29 as follows : " The course taken by the line above described from the River Du Loup towards the southern pari of New Brunswick is generally direct and at some distance from the Eastern Frontier of Maine. Except at one point, this distance is not less than that between the Grand Trunk Railway east of Quebec, and the northern boundary of the same State ; the point referred to lies to the north and east of Grand Falls on the River St. John. I may mention, however, that at this point, which lies between the Restigouche and the Tobique, I instituted a supplementary exploration after the survey was finished and the discovery was made that the line approached the Frontier nearer than desired. This exploration resulted in showing that there \» tiViny probability of a favourable location being obtainable, without keeping so close to the Boundary of the Province at this point." Again he says, page 50, " Lines 5, C and 7 are generally not nearer to the boundary line than the minimum distance between the Grand Trunk Railway and the northern Frontier of Maine ; this distance, in a direct line, is from 27 to 28 njiles h i-> But Mr. Fleming does not lell what he should have done, viz : that at one section only does the Grand Trunk approach within 30 miles of the frontier, while the Central line for many miles, indeed, from the Forks of the South West Miramichi to Green River, runs almost parallel, within 28 miles. Nor did Mr. Fleming allude at all to the important fact that the whole of the North Eastern part of Aroostook territory, which borders L'Islet and Kamouraska, through which the Grpnd Trunk runs, is an unsettled wilderness, through which no body of armed men could penetrate, being without roads or any means of communicating with a base of operations, which must necessarily be to the south-eastward of the mountain range which forms the water shed between the St. Lawrence and the St. John, which is near the boundary line between Canada and the United States, and which is almost im- passible ; thus making the distance for all practical purposes 80 miles to settlements, while the North Western or New Bnmswick frontier is densely populated, has good roads in all directions, and offers every facility for military movements. Hence there is no ana- logy whatever between the two cases, and Mr. Fleming has lost sight of the rule by which he professes to be guided. Now we ask, can any unprejudiced person, with these facts before him, divest himself of the conviction that a special effort has been made to favour the Central route ? On page 16 of his Report, Mr. Fleming says, when speaking generally of an Interco- lonial road : — " In dealing with the whole subject we cannot, " however, overlook military considerations," yet in face of this has he not argued in favor of the line which completely overlooks them ? t -> ■ ' ' ^The Northern Central route, in a National point of view is en- tirely removed from this objection, for throughout its whole length to River du Loup it pursues a course the furthest possible removed from the frontier, places the whole breadth of the Province between it and the road, thus rendering it unapproachable except by water, and while England is mistress of t!ie seas, this line has nothing to apprehend from foreign aggression. This great advantage, and a saving of 2 miles in distance is secured by adopting the Northern Central route, and also a further saving in construction, in con- sequence of the engineering difficuhies which beset Mr. Fleming's Central Line, these will be more particularly examined under the Commercial and Economical views of the subject. 14 Should it ever become necessary to transport an army and its supplies across New Brunswick to Canada, the Northern route offers greater facilities than any other for doing so. In addition to the distance from tiie frontier, to which attention has already been called, the North shore line taps, at regular intervals, a suc- cession of rivers and harbours, all affording points of debarkment for men and supplies. The rivers which are not touched at their rnoutiis are usually crossed at the head of the tide, at points which, in every case, are easily reached. The cost of construction will be materially lessened by the expeditious manner in which pro- visions and plant can be placed within the reach of surveying parties and workmen engaged in building the road. From Miramichi, we reach the Nipisiguit, from the latter the Resti- gouche, whence, to the mouth of the Matapedia, stores can be safely taken at all times during seven months of the year. At Matapedia supplies for the line could easily be taken across to the St. Lawrence waters, where equal, if not greater facilities present themselves. By the Central route the only point that can be reached by water is at St. John, whence everything must be transported far into the interior. In alluding to the possible future of tiie Intercolonial road, Mr. Fleming says, page 53 : — " The United States Route by Bangor would intersect the " Grand Trunk Railway at Danville Station, 28 miles out of Port- " land, and thus form an unbroken railway connection, having " the same width of track from Halifax to Montreal and all other *' parts of Canada. The distance from Halifax to Montreal by " this route is estimated at 846 miles, while the distance by the " Frontier and Central lines, which form the shortest connection " between Canada and the Bay of Fundy, embracing lines No. 1 " to C averages 871 milo' in length. Thus, it is evident that the *' passenger traffic of the Intercolonial may, on any of these lines " being constructed, be tapped near its root, and much of it drawn " away." , , v/ " Under these circumstances, it is too apparent that the Inter- *' colonial Railway may find in the United States route, a " formidable rival for Canadian passenger traffic, to and from ** Europe, by way of Halifax. Fortunately, with a view to coun- " teract this difficulty, a line by the Bay Chaleurs would offer 15 " special advantages, which may here be noticed. The chart " which accompanies this will show that the entrance to the Bay " Chaleurs is so situated, geographically, that while it is about as " near Europe as the entrance to Halifax harbour, it is, at the " same time, several hundred miles nearer Montreal and all points " West of that city. " Some of the projected lines of Railway touch the Bay " Chaleurs at Dalhousie and at Bathurst ; the latter place is not " admitted to be suitable for the purpose of Steam. Navigation, " and the former, although in possession of a fine sheet of water " well sheltered and accessible at all conditions of the tide, is, "nevertheless, from its position at the extreme Westerly end of " the Bay, farther inland than might be wished. In order to " reduce the Steamship passage to a minimum, it is desirable to " have the point of embarkation as far Easterly as possible, and " therefore the existence of a commodious harbour near the " entrance of the Bay is of no little importance. A place named " Shippcgan, on the southerly side of the entrance of the Bay " Chaleurs, appears to have many of the requisites of a good " Harbour." Mr. Fleming then proceeds to shew on pages 54, 55, 56 and in Appendix F, that by means of a railway across Newfoundland, and a line of Steamers to Shippegan, the latter port could be reached From I.ondon in 5 days 20 hours, " Halifax 6 " 5 " " St. John, N. B 6 " 4 ", " Quebec 6 " 10 " " Montreal 6 " 16 " This is certainly a strong argument furnished by Mr. Fleming in favour of the Northern Route, but he could have made it much stronger had he stated the fact, that the harbor of Paspebiac on the Northern side of the Bay Chaleurs, below Dalhousie, is entirely free from the objections that may be urged against the latter, as it is never impeded by ice, is open and approachable at all sea- sons of the year, and by means of a short branch could be con- nected with the Intercolonial at the junction of Metapediac with the Restigouche. 16 The great resources of the vast region of Eastern Canada, in which is comprised Rimouski, Gaspe, and Bonaventure, contain- ing 10,000,000 acres of Crown Lands, two-thirds of which is arable, with a present population of 60,000, which is fast increasing, would be opened up by the Northern Central line. Gaspe alone contains 3,000,000 acres of Crown Lands, most of which is arable ; around its coasts are to be found fisheries of the greatest impor- tance and value. Salmon, cod and herrings are taken in vast numbers, and this source of wealth is annually extending. It bids to take its place among the great Petroleum regions of the world, and its claims should receive due consideration. But there are other reasons why the Northern Central line should be preferred. Across the St. Lawrence is what, in Canada, is called the " North Shore," a region well known to be the best for fishing in the world ; it has long been famous for its seals, salmon and herrings, and only the means of transit are required to bring new and varied productions into the markets of the Dominion. Near the Moisie, Iron Mines have been opened, which are said to be highly productive. In the mere matter of bringing the Labrador and North Shore fish to markets, without forcing the fishermen to sail up the St. Lawrence, the Northern Line would offer advan- tages to that section which no other line could possibly afford, and without which this vast county must remain undeveloped. At page 52, Mr. Fleming says : " In the event, however, of " Canadian trafllic being prevented from passing through the " United States, the Intercolonial Railway would carry, during " Vvinter, all the freight to and from the sea-board which would *' bear the cost of transportation ; and as the cost would, to a " great extent, depend on the length of railroad to be passed over, " it would be of considerable importance to have the shortest and " most favourable line, selected, to the best and nearest port on " Bay of Fundy ; and therefore, with respect to the " through " freight" traffic, the frontier lines are entitled to the preference, " and next to them some of the central lines." That the frontier lines can be considered the best routes for " through freight " traffic, according to Mr. Fleming's own show- ing depends upon a contingency which can never arise unless in 17 of the ring 3uld to a ver, and on ugh ice, for )W- in case of angry feelings existing between tire United States and the Dominion and the Mother Country. Now, wc believe that if even that contingency does ame, it will be found that the further a line is removed from the frontier, the more likely it will l)e to receive that traffic for transportation to the interior, provided, as in this case, the length of carriage is not materially increased. IN A COMMERCIAL POINT OF VIEW. In a commercial point of view that line which can he most cheaply built, by the shortest distance, and at the same time open up tiie largest extent of country for settlement, afford a marivet for the largest amount of produce and accommodate tlu; largest popu iation, is the one which both prudence and common sense will join in preferring. Now it must be borne in mind that no rc.'iable survey has yet been made of the Central route. Even Mr. Fleming admits this — and all he claims is a strmg prohabilifif that there are no difficulties which cannot, on a more thorougii survey, be overcome. This argument applies to all the proposed lines, both Western and Frontier. *^But even supposing the cost of the Northern line to exceed that of the Central, still in a commercial point of view it will be pre- ferable, for it opens up a much larger extent of new country than the latter, and will tend to develope resources that are now lying useless for want of means to get them to a market. It will give more counties and a greater population an o})portunity of participating in its benefits ; it will open up " i extensive country that will never have any other means of direct communication with the great markets of the Dominion ; it will develope the Agri- cultural, Mineral, Lumbering and Fishing resources ot the North, to an extent which no other means can equal ; it will bring into the market a large portion of the arable public lands, and all these combined will furnish freight and business for the road, to an extent that no other line can hope to equal. In this respect it differs from all other lines suggested, as these will always find a rival in the River St. John, which runs through such a length of country in close proximity to them all. The increased extent to which the Fisheries would be pur- sued and utilized by a Northern route is worthy a more 3 18 lengthy notice. The waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the lower part of that river, and those of the Bay Chaleurs and Miramichi Bay furnish the best fish in the world. Salmon, maclvorel, shad, halibut, herrings and gaspereaux are taken in such vast numbers, that were the means of transport open, ihey would find their way to every town and city in Canada and the West, and a new source of traffic, of vast importance, would be established. Alone- the North Shore are to be found establishments for taking and preserving fish, compared with which those in oilier parts of the Province sink into insignificance. From the south side of the Bay Chaleurs to Shediac are to be found oysters beds of almost boundless extent, while lobsters may be taken in millions and sold for 60 cents per 100. Salmon, instead of being preserved in hermetically sealed cans, wou^ld be disput('lied fresh to the Canadian markets of the Uominioii and the West, either packed in ice, or frozen by the process lately introduced by an American at Bathurst. This trade alone would soon be of great importance, for at present there is annually caught at Miramichi 600,000 lbs., in Bathurst 274,000 lbs., and in Restigouche upwards of 342,000 lbs. These three rivers w^ill suffice 1o show what a field for enterprise the construction of a railroad along this coast would open up. From a pamphlet lately issued upon the subject of the Fntercolonial Railway we find that: " Every station on a line extending more than 16,000 miles, in " every direction on this part of the continent, would have its " depot daily supplied with the most delicious fish in th(! world, " which could be sold at moderate prices, and still afford the " merchants engaged in this traffic a heavy profit # « « " In return for fish, the people of the interior would furnish flour, " meat, butter and all the fruits of their industry. Commerce " would at the same time open up an immense source of revenue " for the railway, for its extent would be limited unly by the " quantity offish to be supplied by the sea touching the adjacent " coasts. "This market of fresh fish would supply the wants of a " population of not less than 4,000,000 souls, which would con- " sumo ten times as much of this good fresh fish at a very low " price, as they now do of salt fish at very dear rates and often in " bad condition. Not fewer than 200 railroad stations would " open up as many markets requiring to be furnished daily." m This trade can be opened up by no otlier line, and this consi- deration alone should have great weight. ve its ^'orld, I the (lour, merce r^enue y the aeent of a con- ly low [ten in .vould 5 \ v^etvveen River Du Loup and the Mctisi, this route would pass through the rich and fertile country of Temiscouata and llimouski, and would furnish an outlet to the agricultural products which are rapidly increasing in these counties. The road will here serve the import and export traffic of a fast growing population which now numbers upwards of 90,000 and is daily increasing. Rimouski is a flourishing town, with a Bishop's residence, a classical col- lege, numerous schools, a Court House, Saw, Flour and Carding Mills, Printing olfices, commodious Hotels, and all the evidences of rapid and steady progress. From the Metis the road will go by the valley of the Lake and River Matepedia as far as Resti- gouche, where government has recently constructed one of the best roads in the Province. The soil here is even more fertile than on the borders of the St. Lawrence, and possesses a climate no way inferior to the most favoured parts of the Province. Cattle graze here as early as the I5th of April, and comparatively little snow falls during the winter. This part of the country also is being rapidly seitled and land is being taken up in all directions. The line by the Northern Central route will cross that part of the country we have just described, and is the only one that can open up the resources of that country and Gaspe, and carry the tralfic of the population now dwelling, and which will hereafter dwell, in that vast district. It is likewise the only one which will serve the interests of the whole population of the Northern part of New Brunswick, comprising the Counties of Restigouche, Gloucester, Northumberland, and Kent. By adopting this route, every County in the Province will participate in the benefit of railway communication, except Vic- toria, which has, fortunately, the best market for its agricultural productions within its own limits, and a meansof connecting with the great centres of commerce by the river St. John. ^On the other hand by adopting Mr. Fleming's Central route, the Counties of Kent, Northumberland, Gloucester, Restigouche, Bonaventure, Gaspe and Rimouski, will be entirely shut out from all hope of railway com- munication, and consequently from all hope of developing their vast resources. It is evident then, that taking all things into considera- tion, llie Northern Contral route offers irrefutable firf^nments in its favour, and even Mr. Fleming bears us out in our opinion. At page 61 and 52 of his report he says : — '' A Central route will have tlie " l(!ast population to accommodate immediately along the line; " indeed between the Miramichi and St. Lawrence there is only " one settlement, which consists of a few families on the Tobique " River." " A Railway constructed by the North Shore route, would pass " through a country already in part settled ; and it would be of *' the greatest importance to Campbelltown, Dalhousie, Bathurst, " Newcastle, Chatham and other towns and villages on the North " Shore." *' A line by the Bay Chaleurs would pass through the Counties " of Kent, Northumberland, Gloucester and Restigouche in New " Brunswick, as well as Bonaventure and Rimouski in Canada. " The population of these six counties amounted to 88,541 when " the last census was taken ; a limited portion of the county of " Gaspe, and the natural increase, may make the whole popula- " tion over 90,000." " From this data, the average number of inhabitants for each " mile of Railway by the different routes would be nearly as fol- " lows : "A Frontier line 260 per mile of Railway. " A Central " 122 " " " A Bay Chaleurs" 235 " , " " With regard to local traffic, therefore it would appear from " the above, that the Railway would receive the largest popula- " tion if constructed on a Frontier route, and least if constructed ^' on a Central route." In this connection it must not be forgotten that the Northern Cen- tral line which we are now examining starts from Apohaqui, and passes through the populous Counties of Kings and Queens, and touches both Sunbury and Kent. If the populations of these be taken into account it will give our Northern line as many inhabi- tants per mile as Mr. Fleming's figures show for the Frontier line. In giving the result of his enquiries, Mr. Fleming says, page 57, ^•■^ A Bay Chaleurs route would best secure the largest European 21 " Passenger Trnffic^'''' the carriage of Mini matter uiid E.vjtress " Frcin"n " 30 "40 " " iVn oi \i " 40 "50 " " 5., "Vh " 53.5 " " ^^-^ ?•] "50 " u , , ^■■^ '•58 " " -^ 1 . "59 " u ll ;; ;; ?y ;; ;; •■•:■•■:::: 4.7 10:9 ' 63 " u ■ ft "64 " << q-., "65 " " yg 1 4 '■ 08 " « :: 07 '• " 69 " u f ' *-^ .. ''^ " 11.5 9.0 CnARAOTI'^R OP GRADES jrATAl'KDU SECTION. Gradesunder 20 feet per mile 6 9 11" " from 20 to 30 feet per mile .'." ! 44 qo " 30 "40 " "^ " . ■••• ^4 ^X " " 40 "50 " " Tn .'/o " 50 "52.8" " J-fl a ■^a-a ■■- ■^■.-uL.tmumm 26 Mr. Fleming also shows that, upon this section of 70 miles, there will be required only 570 feet of Wrought Iron bridging. Mr. Fleming has set down ihe width of the cuttings on both routes at a uniform width of 30 feet, but he admits that where the snow-fall is light, this width can be reduced. As the minimum fall of snow will certainly be on the Northern route, a great addi- tional saving will be made in constructing the road l)y this lino. In the chapter " Climatic Difficulties," Mr, Fleming states that the chief "difficulty to contend with on the route of the proposed railway is snow.''^ Now, when we consider that by the line he advocates, he has travelled through the interior of the country and reached the higher altitudes that there prevail, we are not surprised to learn that the chief difficulty is snow. It is well known that aloni? the sea shore the fall of snow is never so heavy as in the interior of the country. This arises from the higher tempe- rature of the atmosphere near the sea, where the moisture more fre- quently takes the form of rain. The difference of altitude also makes a difference in the quantity of snow, as in these cold regions all the moisture takes the form of snow instead of rain. This snow also remains longer on the ground in Spring, and is often found very deep as late as the month of May. On the Grand Trank the cars are not delayed so much between River du Loup and St. Thomas, as between the latter place and Quebec, and this difference is observed to be greater, the farther we go down the River. " In the Metapedia Valley very little snow falls ; and far down " the ground is generally bare every year about the montii of " April. The wind, following the sweep of the Valley, never " causes snow-drifts. With but trifling cost for keeping, the road " there is always open for winter conveyance, and we can say, " with a certainty based upon a through knowledge of ihe country, " that in ordinary winters, the trains will never experience any " stoppage or considerable delay from snow on a well constructed " road running through the Valley." Now, as we know that the levels of Mr. F'leming's line arc found on the high lands of the Tobique ridge, situated in the interior we can easily perceive that two agencies of nature are at work to produce the result that Mr. Fleming so much dreads. 27 Let us now examine the total cost of constructing the Northern Central linis by Apohaqui, compared with that of the Central proper to the .same point, Mr. Fleming is at liberty to use his own figures in his own line, but we shall consider Major Robinson's suHiclent for his line, until some competent authority, by an equally care- ful survey, disproves them. Taking then Mr. Fleming's statement that there are 452 miles to be constructed from River du Loup to Halifax, via Apohaqui, by the Central proper, and applying to them his own estimate of $46,000 per mile, we have |,20,792,000 as the total cost. By Major Robinson's figures we have 456 miles to construct by the Northern Central Route, which at Major Robinson's estimate of $35,000 per mile, will give $15,960,000, showing a difference in favor of the Northern Central of $4,632,000. v/ On the North Shore route we have an almost uninterrupted line of road neay the sea, and that, too, upon the lowest levels, both of which are favorable to a minimum fall of snow, consequently the expense of working the Central line will far exceed that required in running the Northern one. On the Central line there will be required a great number of snow ploughs, and many additional Engines, as three powerful locomotives will be necessary to work the plough through the deep snow that will inevitably bury the track. A greater number of workmen will also be required to keep the track in running order during the winter, and as this line runs through a perfect wilderness where no men can be had, the obstacles will be very serious. Even on the Grand Trunk it frequently occurs that from 50 to 80 men are required to shovel the snow from the track when the drifts are too heavy for the plough. Where are these men to be had through the wilderness, where their services will be most needed ^ So that according to Mr. Fleming's own showing, the Central line, in this respect, will be more objectionable than the Northern one. ^^In his estimates of the cost of the two routes, Mr. Fleming has entirely overlooked the roads that run near the Northern route, in every direction, especially through the Meta})edia Valley, while, for several hundred miles along the Central line, there are no means of communication, and neither provisions nor materials of any kind can be transported till these are provided. This fact must add largely to the expense of the Central, while, to the same extent, it will reduce that of the Northern route. ^m tmimm 28 From tliis careful examination of the matter, \vc cannot divest ourselves of the conviction that a special eflbrt has been made to favor the Central and to discourage the Northern line. But, we think we have shown bt^yond a doubt, that St. John, in this matter of the route, will be fairly dealt with by adopting the Nor- thern Central, striking Apohaqui. And if more is done in her favor, it must be done not only at a greater cost, and to the total destruction of the military character of the road, but also at the expense and sacrifice of the interests of the whole northern part of New Brunswick, and of the eastern pait of Lower Canada. SUMMARY. Althongh a number of routes have been projected by sectional nterests, of which Mr. Fleming's Report notices no fewer than fifteen^ it will be perceived from the results of his observations at page 50 of his report, that of these fifteen projected lines, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, are all open to the insuperable objection that they run so near to the United States boundary that their character as military lines is completely destroyed. In addi- tion to this, they are all open to the other objections we have urged — the frontier lines are unnecessary, as the river counties are now, or soon will be, amply provided with means of communica- tion by the roads and branches that are now in course of con- struction ; they open up no new country that will not have ample means of outlet by the river and these railroads and branches. The central lines ofler great engineering difficulties, are in more danger of obstruction from the snow and storms of winter, and have only one point at which they can be reached by water, even if their construction is practicable, which, from the insufficient sur- veys yet made, is very dout)tful. They will run through a country with the smallest number of inhabitants, and only the most unim- portant branches of industry and enterprise will receive advan- tage from their construction. They will totally ignore the great fishing interests of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the lower waters of that river, the Bay of Chaleurs and Miramichi Bay. By any of these routes the whole northern part the Province, including Nor- thumberland, Gloucester, Restigouche, Bonaventure, Gaspe and Rimouskiwill be shutout from any hope of participation in the ad- vantages of railway communication, and their great mineral, agri- cultural, and Hshing resources wil! remain undeveloped. The im- mense mineral resources of Gloucester and Restigouche are in part known from the hasty examinations of Dr. Gesner and Professor Bailey, and there is not the slightest doubt that these counties, when more carefully explored, will be found as rich in valuable minerals as any portion of the Dominion. The construction of the Railway through these counties will do more todevelope these resources than any otiier means that could be adopted. Is it iair, then, that the Northern and Eastern Counties, which 'ave so largely contributed to the revenues of the country, from which the various lines on the South and West of the Province have been either subsidized or built, and by which the counties of Westmorland, Albert, Kings, Queens, St. John, Sunbuvy, York, Carleton and Charlotte have been linked together by the European and North American, the Western extension, the St. Stephens and v7iodstock branches, the St. Andrews line, and latest by the Fredericton branch — is it fair that these northern counties should now have their interests neglected, and that they, in common with the Eastern part of the Province of Quebec, should be further ignored for years to come ; while, in addition to their claims, military considerations, shortness of distance, and eco- nomy of construction, all demand the adoption of the Northern Route. They have always looked forward with confidence to the time when their great want — access to the markets of the world — would be supplied, by means of this road, which they were justified in doing by the reiterated assertions of successive Colo- nial Secretaries, that the military character of the road would never be lost sight of. Is it fair, we ask, that when every consi- deration. National, Commercial and Economical, points to the Northern Central Route as the one best calculated to serve the interests of the whole Dominion^, that faith should now be broken with them, and that to serve the interests of a small section of the Province of New Brunswick, they should be cut oft' for ever from all hope of participating in the benefits of railway communica- tion, which all other parts of the Province will enjoy ? In this connection we may state what the Hon. S. L. Tilley, 30 if 1 ii Minister of Customs, said in his speech at the hustings in St. John ; that he would not pledge himself to a Northern line, nor to a Central line, nor to a Frontier line, but when the subject came up for discussion in Parliament, he would support that line which was best calculated to secure the greatest general benefit to the whole Dominion. We may also quote the following from a speech delivered by the Hon. P. Mitchell, Minister of Marine and Fish- eries, at the Declaration of the Poll for the County of Northumber- land, when the Hon. Mr. Johnston was elected by an overwhelm- ing majority. We find this in the Canadian News^ a paper pub- lished in London, and the editor makes special mention of it in connection with the route of the railway. The Minister's acquain- tance with the subject, in all its bearings, is well known, and his opinions arc worthy of consideration : " I fear not all their opposition nor their array of facts and argu- " ments. The Major Robinson line is the only route that has been "surveyed throughout — we knowevery mile of it, from Shediac to " Riviere Du Loup — and we can speak confidently without draw- " ing on our imagination for our facts, or our fancy for our argu- " ments. Those other routes of which we hear such feasible ac- " counts have only a paper existence, and no reliable data has yet " been furnished on which any man who fairly and honestly looks " into the matter can base an argument. " The Southern and Western portions of the Province have al- " ready been largely aided by subsidies from the Treasury, of " which you have had to pay your share, and common justice de- " mands that a portion of that large sum which is now to be ex- " pended shall aid in opening up these northern counties. It has " been said by one of the opposition papers that I am ' the evil " genius of St. John' — that I desire to divert from that city the " terminus of the railway. I do nothing of the kind. I desire to " see her as prosperous as an enterprising population and great " natural facilities can make hpr. I do more — I am anxious to " ?v'^ her get the terminus of this great highway, and on the part ^ i I** peo»>le ol the north, I am willing to accept as a compro- ' ■ e of c . 'licting interests a route, which, while it suits us in *' \\u'. jNorth will give St. John the terminus as near the city as the " Central route surveyed by Fleming, or any other route east of the [\i 31 the the " river, would give it. This offer is a fair one, and if accepted nda *' acted upon it will bring every county in this province, with one " exception, within the circle of railway communication ; and I " much mistake the people of Si. John if a proposition which ap- " peals so strongly to their sense of justice as well ns their interests " will not meet their approval." These considerations alone, inde|;endenl of any others, should have great weight in the decision of this question, and point to the remaining lines, Nos. 13, 14 and 15 as those offering the greatest advantages to the whole Dominion. No 13, is the line we have designated as the Northern Central, No. 14 is the satne line from River du Loup to Indiantown on the Miramachi ; from that point, instead of running southerly to Apoha(|ui, it pursues a south-easterly course lo Moncton, where it joins the Shediacroad. No. 15 is Major Robinson's line "pure and simple." Of these three, which all combine the merits of a safe military road, with the advantages of cheap and easy construction, added to the fur- ther advantages of opening up more populous portions of the country, and developing more important interests than any of the other lines, we have already shown that No. 13 possesses some merits not shared by Nos. 14 and 15; these consist in running nearer to the city of St. John ; in passing through the populous counties of Kings, Queens, and Sunbury, without shutting out Kent, in opening up the coal regions of Grand Lake, Salmon river and Coal Creek. While these advantages are gained by the mo- dification of INIajor Robinson's line, none which that line offers are lost. It still remains the best, — in fact the only line that can be at all suitable as a national and military road, and this consideration, we feel assured, will never be lost sight of, either liy the British Government, or by that of the Dominion. VV^hen we add to this, that the cost of construction, fitting out, and maintaining, will be less, that the cars can traverse it with greater speed, more facility, and less piobability of accident, that the prices of freight will be less on this route than on one which has very high grades, passes through unsettled and uncultivated solitudes, greatly obstructed by snow, we feel assured, that on due consideration, this Northern Central route will commend itself to the favor of all who have the prosperity of the Dominion at heart. If this route is not adopted, 32 the whole north shore will be nej^lected, the interests of the Domi- nion will be ignored, its military protection, its commerce, its colonization, and its industry will be sacrificed to the advantage of a small portion of the Province of New Brunswick. It has been said, and we doubt not it is probable enough, that some parties have oltered to build the Frontier Line and run it to the satisfaction of the Government for a bonus of |^5,000,000 ; but we have seen several instances of the manner in which such engagements are fulfilled, and judging from these, we have no hesitation in expressing our firm conviction that this would prove, in the end, the dearest possible mode in which the road could be secured. What assurance can these parties give that after they have got Government committed to their scheme, they will not do as other private parties and Companies have done in the cases of the Grand Trunk, the Western Extension and the European and North American Road. We can only breathe a fervent prayer that no such proposition will, for a moment, be entertained, — delay and ultimate loss is inevitable The expe- rience of the past is too costly to be bought over again. APPENDIX A. The letter addressed by J. W. Lawrence of St. John, to Hon. W. McDougall, Minister of Works, is written with so palpable a view of bolstering up his favourite Western route No. 5, at the expense of the whole Northern part of the Province of New Bruns- wick, and he has made use of arguments so contradictory in sup- port of it, that we should not consider the letter worthy of much attention, even were the line he advocates free from the insuperable objection that it is totally unfit as a military route. But in order to show the weakness of his position, we shall notice some of the points on which he founds his strongest arguments in its favour. In a national point of view, then, we observe that Mr. Lawrence, well aware of the objectionable nature of his pet line in a military •4l 33 point of view, assumes the role of a philo:*iij)hir and gives us a passage on naval armaments, to show that a military road would bo useless, and then diverges into social elhics to prove that it is unnecessary. He says ; page 10 : — " In 184S INIajor Robinson " recommended the Northern Route on military grounds, since then, *' from the revolution in Naval Armament^ its claim has entirelv " disappeared. Then it would have been comparatively safe from *' attack from the water ; now, from gunboats, steam frigates and " armor plated ships, for seven months of the year, it would be '* exposed to the enemy. " Treaties and Orders in Council have thrown open the waters " of the Gulf and Bay to the world. " There are no grounds of alarm from our American neighbours. *' Their Commercial and other interests are so much in common *' with ours, and like ours, all on the side of peace, that should any " disturbing element arise, it will be disposed of in the future as " in the past, by the pen and not the sword. "*' Better then accept the situation at once, and build the line on " a commercial dasis, knowing that as a military work, should war " occur, it would be in danger wherever placed. If constructed " as a military road, it would invite attack ; while, as a commer- " cial enterprise, its peaceful mission would be its sliield.^^ This is the flimsy reasoning used by Mr. Lawrence to make us lose sight of the very consideration which first suggested the road. His wish to deceive is apparent in the very first line of this extract. He says : '■' Major Robinson recommended the Northern route on " military grounds ; *' thus conveying the idea that among several' routes. Major R. advised the Northern route for military reasons,, when he well knew, or at least every one else well knew, that the sole object of Major Robinson's survey was to find a suitable route- for a military road, and that this has never been lost sight of either by the British or Provincial Governments, is just as well known/ to every one but Mr. Lawrence. The late Duke of Newcastle, when Colonial Secretary, said emphatically, in the course of con- versation with the delegates, that no line which didnwt secure the advantages of a safe military road would ever receive the assent of 34 the British Government, and this has been the unvarying tenor of all subsequent dispalehes. That, any improvement in ''^ Naval Armament ^^ should be urf^od against the necessity of a Military roady is an argument (luilo worthy the brain of this would-be philosopher, and on a par with that in which he says a military road would invite attac-k, while the peaceful mission of a commerci-dl one would be its shield. When human nature generally attains the high point of perfection arrived at by Mr. J. W. Lawrence, and nations have outlived the passions and prejudices that now sway them, this kind of reasoning may possibly have some weight, but while, as at present, there are subjects of dispute between the American and British Governments, which may at any moment lead to a rup- ture of the peaceful relations which now happily exist, true wis- dom dictates the use of all means to make our position as secure as possible, and to this end the military character of the road will not be lost sight of because Mr. Lawrence cannot see its necessity. On page 11, Mr. Lawrence says : — " As the Provinces of Quebec " and Ontario have to pay eleven-thirteenths of the cost of the *' Intercolonial Railway, and have never made its construction a " condition of Union, as New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have " done, as set forth in the I45th section of the Act of Union, it is " only right that the route to be chosen, be one which will secure " to their commerce a short highway to the best port on the Bay " of Fundy, by the shortest and most favorable line. This all " important consideration should never be sacrificed for any sec- " lional interest." We fully endorse this, and this very consideration, as we have shown in the course of our remarks on the several routes, induces us to support the Northern Central route, as, apart altogether from the military aspect of the road, the interests of Quebec and Ontario are as fully secured by it, as they would be by the Western line No. 5, as we shall now prove. By some ingenious management of figures, taken from Mr. Fleming's imperfect survey, he conveys the impression that the Northern Central necessitates a great many more miles to be built, 35 and a great many more miles to be run. Now we sliall take Major Robinson's figures, ns being more worthy of conlidcnce ; by tliem we find that from River du Loup to Halifax tliere will have to be built by the Northern Central, 450 miles, only 19 miles more than he elaims by No. 5 Western. These 456 ean be built according to Major Robinson's estimate for !^35,000 per mile, whi'^ Mr. Fleming estimates $46,000 per mile for the 437 which must be built by the No. 5 Western. Now in construction alone the saving by the Northern Central route will be ^4,142,000, and the cost of maintaining and keeping it free from snow will be much more than will be required for the latter. In regard to the ilislance to be run^ the saving by tlu^ Northern Central will be 24 miles, for according to Major Robinson's survey, the distance from River du Loup to Halifax by the Northern Central is 570 miles. While by Mr. Fleming's survey the distance of the Western No. 5 is 594. From this the reader may judge of Mr. Lawrence's fairness, and his fitness to be a guide in this matter. \ / On page 12, Mr. Lawrence cjuotes from a professor of Civil Engineering the following; which bethinks tells in favor of his Western Line : — " From the great cost of the superstructure of a " railway, and the continually increasing expense of keeping it in " repair, it is highly desirable that it should be as straight and con- " sequently as short as possible. As the earth-work of a railroad *' costs almost nothing for repairs, while the expenses of mainte- " nance of its perishable superstructure is very great, and propor- " tional to its length, as is also the cost in fuel, wages, and wear " and tear of the engines, and running of the road, it will often be " advantageous to make large expenditures in order to lessen the " length of the road." This on the face of it is a strong argument for the Northern Cen- tral, for all the cost of wear and tear of engines, fuel and main- tenance of the road, is in its favour, from the enormous grades on the Western Line, and the great preponderance of snow which it will inevitably have to encounter. But we can quote just as good authority against his engineer, and against his favourite line. Another Professor of Engineering writing of this very Interco- *' lonial road, truly observes : — The idea of constructing a rail- 3* 86 " road in a straight lino, from one point to nnothor iircansc it is the " shortest, is an erroneous one. A point of th(! greatest importance " is to select a route where th(! slopes are easiest, and the most " level and firmest surface is to be found. The rout«! with this " advantage is th<^ prefcraljlc onn to advocate the Frontier route. lie founds its claims upon, iji shoiter distance to be built and run, the smaller sun; It will cost, ,• lul the o-rcatcr amount of tralfic it would afford. He dees noi pretend that it would serve to open up any gn-ater eAi«-nt ol new country, nor that 40 it would serve; any other interests than those of Agriculture and Lunibcring. Mr. Buck takes the bold stand that the most suitable position for a military road is along the ene?ny\s border, for which idea he cer- tainly deserves the thanks of the War Office, and should be elected honorary member of United Service Club. He then quotes no less august authority than John Bright and J. W. Lawrence to show that there is no fear of aggression from the United States. He says that Mr. Lawrence's «6/e« is perfect ; with which we agree, if the word nonsense is added. John Bright and Mr. Buck, with J. W. Lawrence to back them will hardly succeed in indoctrinating men of common sense with their Utopian ideas, and we rest quitg easy in the conviction that the military character of the road, as one of its features, will be insisted on by the governments, of the Dominion and of Great Britain. He gives the following table to show the cost of the Frontier line : — 189 miles fi'om liivor Du Loup to Woodstock @ 833,400 $'6,312,G0O 1 J "> " Moucton to Truvo @ i;'46,000 5,1290,000 §11,602,000 I'loijosed purchase of Woodstock Briinch, 15 miles 170,000 8t. Andrew's Railway, 40 miles 700,000 tiepairs and Renewals on " including addi- tional Sidings and Station Buildings 100,000 $12,578,000 He gives the mileage to be constructed as 304 miles, but omits to add Western Extension S2 miles, which we are justified in putting at the same estimate as that between Moncton and Truro, viz : $46,000 per mile, this will make !g,3,772,CJ0 to be added to his $12,578,000, making a total of $16,350,600, which is $390,600 more thdi we have shown the Northern Central will cost. Ho proposes to buy the St. Andrew's Railway, 40 miles, for $700,000 which is $17,500 per mile. It must be a strange road if it can be built for that, and entirely unfit for a portion of the Intercolonial, so that we are quite within the mark if we add $17,500 more per mile for rebuilding it, this will add $700,000 more to the cost of his frontier line, and make the total of $17,050,000, just the nice sum of $1,090,000 more than the Northern Central will cost. I 9 I » The London Economist of the 9lh instant has the following, \vhich would show that tins road, which has been over 15 years in building, and is now^ in a delapidated condition, requiring exten- sive repairs, may be bought for even a smaller sum than Mr. Buck names, but tliis only proves that a proportionably larger outlay than wc have estimated, will be required to reconstruct it. " From a statement of the liquidators, it appears that a sale of the line has been advertised to take place in Frederieton, New Brunswick, on the 7th December ne^t, on behalf of the St. Stephen's Banking Company, who are creditors for about £7,'200. As official liquidators appointed in England cannot by law con- trol the proceedings in Colonial courls, they think it doubtful A^helher these proceedings can be stopped. The debentures debt aS said to be about £250,000. The line is likely, according to recent reports, to be sold for a nominal consideration." « This may serve to show how much reliance can be placed upon (he ligures and arguments of Mr. Walter Buck, C. E. He gives the population of the different counties through which the North Shore, the Central, and the F'rontier lines would pass, and shows that the Frontier line will have a population of 338 inhabitants per mile, nearly half of which number he confesses is furnished by Aroostook County in J^laine. T'.;; . rgument based upon the number of population to the mile of 'jiPuiiiJ iliront^h which a railwny passes is more specious than ,= .. 1, )Ut as Mv. Buck has made a parade of it in support of his riVMi;-^ • !ine, by lugging in the citizens of a foreign power, who will