^cfitioii of the Q)Hinno itmt fhii/ic ^iniiiiati fhtiluiw i^^ont^itnii for power to extend to ^ititlt ^te. J^lnrie, unit for otiier ^Inienilmeiit.'i, i^hiitii nil conneitiufi fon^nniie.'i eqnnt rif^lita it{ cierij rea^eit: TO THE IIONORAHI.i:, TIIK IIOUSH OF COMMONS OF CANADA. Tilt; I'ctition of The Ontario anil I'acific Junction Railway Company respectfully sliewcth : 1. That it is i,'reatly in tlie commercial interest uf Canada that a line of railway should bo constructeil without delay froui Sault Ste. Marie to connect with the railway systems of Ontario and Quebec, and that such line should afford equal traffic facilities to all connectinti railways. 2. That your I'ctitioneis have a Charter to construct a line of railway from a point at or near (Iravenhurst, in the District of .Muskoka, to a point at or near Lake Nipissinj^, so as to connect with the Canadian rt.»;ific Railway or any railway to be built to reach the St. Mary River or Lake Superior. 3. That very full surveys have been made between Gravcnhurst and Lake Nipissing, and it is the intention of this Company to reach the eastern terminus of the Canadian I'acific Railway at the earliest possible tlate. 4. That no company has yet taken active steps to construct the line from Lake Ni|)issing to Sault Ste. Marie so as to enable this Company to form tl;e connection contemplated by its Charter, and )'i)ur Petitioners therefore desire to have their Charter powers extended so as to enable them to build a branch or extension to the Sault. 5. The Hill already before your Honorable House respecting your Petitioners' railway ])rovides for an extension northward to reach a point on the Upi)er Ottawa south of Lake Temiscaming, .'iid the construction of that bianch will greatly tend to develop and improve a considerable portion of the Province of Quebec as well as of Ontario. 6. Your I'etitioners desire to so amend their said Hill as to provide for power to build such extension to .Sault Ste. Marie, and also to insert therein the fullest provisions to protect all connecting lines, whether carr)ing the traffic of Ontario or Quebec, from any und.ic preference or discrimination, and to place them all upon a basis of absolute equality in respect of tolls and traffic facilities. Youi I'etitioners therefore ilesire that the following jjrovisions may be added to the said Bill now referred to the Railway Committee of this llonor.ible House, that is to say : "and to construct an extension froui any convenient point on their main line to .Sault St.'. Marie ; and all the powers and conditions relating to the railwa} which the said Company was heretofore autliori/ed to construct shall be applicable to the ex- tensions hereby authorized. 2. " The said Company may also lay out, construct, and work a railway bridge over the River St. !ilary at or !5ear the Sault Ste. Marie ti) connect witii railways in the State of Michigan, one of the United States of .Amevica, and lor that purpose shall have power to unite with any other company incorporated, or which may be incorporatetl unc'er the laws of the said State of Michigan, or of the United States of America, and to enter ':-to an;- contract or agre> meiK with such company respecting the construjtion and m.iintenance thereof; and it may be made ?. contlition of such contract or agreement that the net revenue 'Jerivable from such bridge shall be used exclusively ii? the payni.Mt of the principal and interest of any bond, security, or debt (vintractcd for the construction thereof, or that the interest on sucii boud, r,v.curity, or debt, shall form a part of the running expen.ses of the railway. 3. " Until such bridtjc has Ikcii constructccl, tlic said Company shall h.tvc powiT to construct, charter and navigate scows, boats, ami steiuii and other vessels, for the purpose of crussin{j the said St. Mary River, and of carryint; passen^;ers and ijoods over the said river. 4. "It shall be lawful for the Conip.iny to take, receive and hold a fjrant or grants of public lands from the Ciovernment of any Province in ('aiiada, in aid of the construction of the railway, and to survc)- and subdivide tlie same in such manner as they shall sec fit, and to liiise, nu)rty,.ij,'e, sell or {^rant the said l.mds, or any part thereof, upon such terms and conditions and for such price in money or in bonds or stocU of the Comjun)', or other securities, as the Directors of the Compaii)' may from time to time deter- mine, subji ct to any agreement which may be made between the Company and any I'rnviiici.il Government respecting' the said <;rant or grants of land. 6. 'The said Comi)an\' sh.ill ;it all times work and operate its railvvay so as to at'ford iipial facilities for the receipt, transfer and transportation to. from or over the same o( the tr.itfic of all other lines of railw.iy in C.iiiad.i which may connect with the railway of the said Companv, and the said Company shall establish, levy and collect ei|ual tolls, rates and changes in respect of the tratTic re- ceived Ironi or to be ilelivered to all such other railways, anil so that the same shall be received, transferred, transported and delivered, and the tolls and charifos in respect of the same shall be levied and collected on terms of absolute equality, and without iliscrimin.ition ol a?iy sort in favor of or a<^ainst the traflRc of any other such railway. 6. "The eij^hth section of the Act of Incorporation of the said Company, passed in the thirty-seventh year of the reign of Her Majesty, chaptered sevent_\-four, is hereby repealed and the follow- ing section is substituted therefor : ■' The said Company may receive, either from any Dominion or Provincial (iovernment, or from any persons or bodies corporate, municipal or politic, who may liave power to make or grant the same in aid of the construction, equipment and maintenance of the said railway, bonuses, loans, or gifts of money, or securities for money, ;ind upon accepting such aid the said Company may agree to any conditions as to rumiing powers or traffic arrangements in favor of other lines that may be imposed by any Government granting such aid ; provided that such conditions sliall not have the effect of discriinin.iting in favor of any Company against any other Company. 7. "The fifteenth section of the Act is hereby repealed, and the following section is hereby substituted therefor : " Tlic lionds liereby authorized to be issued, shall, without registration or formal conveyance, be t.iken and considered to be the first and preferential claims and charges upon the said Com- pan\-, and the undertaking tolls and income and real and personal property tin reof. now or at an\' time hereafter acquired, save and e.vcept an\- public lanils that may be received from any Govern- ment in aid of tlu- constructicjii of the railway, and not actually used and occupied b\- the railway, and each hoh'er of the said Honds shall be deemed to be a Mortgagee or Incumbrancer upon the said securities //v rn/a with all the other Bondholders. L. ;• v^^ ' 8. " Tin: twenty-first section of s;viil Act is lierohj' rcpcaitd, and the lollowiiip; section is substituted tiicrefor : " The said Company -.liall iiave power to make running arran^,'euients witii .ui\- Railway Company or Companies in Can- ada upon sucii terms and conditions as the companies may aj^ree upon, ^uljjeet to tile approval by two-thirds of the vt)tes of tiiesiiare- hoklers \otin;,' in person "r l>)' proxv', at a special ^'encral meeting to bn held for that purpose ; and in all such runnini^ arrangements no undic advantages shall be 'dven to an\' one company over another. .Any agree inetil or deed in any case contemplated by this clause lor the purpose ot giving effect to the powers herein con- tained, which shall be s(j sanctioned, shall be valid and binding in all Com Is and [ilaces for the [lurposes afores.ud." Your Petitioners therefore pra\' : That your Honorable House may be pleased to pass the said Bill with the said amendments. And your F^etitioners will c-ver pray, etc. , Signed J. I). KDCiAR. IVcs't. C). & I'. J. Ky. Co. (Signed) JAMES J. FOY. Acting Sec. (). & I'. J. Ry. Co.