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The Story of the Canadian Pacific Railway hrou oa el t gh it he steam imes Hop ab rd the Pacific Rai rav s h m t era n t Canadian lway and t istory fro to moder es tim rn steam era ode the to m m rough its fro l th history ve ra d t ific Railway an Pac an oard the Canadi p ab Ho The Transcontinental Railway n July 1, 1867 four provinces joined Otogether to form the new country of Canada. The four provinces – Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario – were joined three years later by Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. Then in 1871 British Columbia decided to join Canada, but only if the Canadian government promised to build a transcontinental railway. British Columbia set a 10 year deadline for the completion of this link to the rest of the country. British Columbia–The Promise The people of British Columbia CPR remains one of Macdonald’s agreed to join Canada after Prime greatest legacies and has been the Minister Sir John A. Macdonald subject of numerous books and promised that a railway would be songs. These include Pierre Berton’s page 2 built within ten years to join this books, The National Dream (1970) westernmost province to the other and The Last Spike (1972), and provinces. The result was the birth of Gordon Lightfoot’s well-known the Canadian Pacific Railway. Today, song, Canadian Railroad Trilogy. Keeping a Promise lthough many thought it build the railway bribed under Prime Minister in earnest. British Columbia’s was impossible to build government officials. This Alexander Mackenzie, 10-year deadline was A such a railway, Sir John caused a scandal, was not very fast approaching A. Macdonald, Canada’s first known as the interested in and Macdonald prime minister, was determined Pacific Scandal, building the knew he had to to keep his promise to the people which was the railway. It do something of British Columbia. However, reason Macdonald’s wasn’t until to show the Macdonald’s Conservative government lost the election of 1878, when Macdonald province the government soon ran into trouble 1873 and the Liberals came to was re-elected prime minister that railway was on when private financiers hired to power. The Liberal government, construction of the railway started its way. Canada’s First Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald John Alexander Macdonald, who colonies there was the vast Parliament passed the was born in Glasgow, Scotland on expanse of land in the West BNA Act, creating January 10, 1815, came with his known as Rupert’s Land. the Dominion of parents to Kingston, Upper Canada Canada. For the in 1820 when he was only five years During his years as a key role he played old. After receiving his education politician in Upper in bringing about and becoming a lawyer, Macdonald Canada, Macdonald Confederation, was elected to Upper Canada’s supported joining the Queen Victoria Legislative Assembly at the age of colonies together to form knighted Macdonald, 29 and by 1857 was Premier of Canada. After meetings in giving him the title of Upper Canada. In Macdonald’s early Charlottetown, Prince Edward Sir. Macdonald, elected as years as a politician, Canada, as we Island in 1864 and Quebec Canada’s first Prime know it today, did not exist. Instead City, Quebec in 1865, In this Minister, held that there were several British North Macdonald and the other caricature of Sir office from 1867 American colonies – Newfoundland, Fathers of Confederation John A. Macdonald, to 1873 and again Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, worked out a deal that CPR president Cornelius from 1878 until Van Horne used his New Brunswick, Lower Canada would form the basis talent as an artist to his death on (today called Quebec), Upper of the British North poke gentle fun at June 6, 1891. Canada (today called Ontario), and America (BNA) Act. On Canada’s prime British Columbia. In addition to the July 1, 1867, the British minister. page 3 Building a Nation he best way to show that the railway some of the most treacherous geography was coming to British Columbia in the Fraser Canyon. Many workers lost T was to start building tracks. So, the their lives building this section of the Canadian government hired an American transcontinental railway, but the contractor, Andrew Onderdonk, to start tracks built by these men showed construction. Over the next seven years British Columbians the railway 15,000 men, including many Chinese was on its way. Canada had labourers, built 545 km of track in British kept its promise and British Columbia from Port Moody to Eagle Pass. Columbia decided to remain The work was dangerous and cut through part of the country. CPR Honours Chinese Workers On May 27, 2005, Canadian Pacific For many years, the contribution of labourers. More recently, the Royal Railway named the railway the Chinese railway workers went Canadian Mint launched a two-coin interchange in Kamloops, largely uncelebrated. commemorative set marking the British Columbia Fifteen years ago 120th anniversary after Chinese of the completion labourer Cheng Ging of the CPR and the Butt. The Cheng important part Interchange honors played by the the many labourers Chinese workers who toiled, some in building the sacrificing their lives, railway. In 2005, to build the western CPR, once again building track section of the CPR from CPR, working with the to expand in the West, took the Port Moody to Chinese community, opportunity to celebrate the Chinese Craigellachie, BC. erected a monument in Toronto workers from the 1880s with the honouring Chinese railway dedication of the Cheng Interchange. page 4 Birth of Canadian Pacific Railway ith construction underway in the West, the Canadian general declared the Canadian Pacific W government still needed Railway Company “official” and the of railway track. But soon things someone to complete the rest of the railway company was born. The next day, started moving along after the railway from the East. That is when a George Stephen was named the railway hired William Cornelius group of investors stepped company’s president. The government Van Horne. CPR offered Van forward with the money and gave the company $25 million and Horne a salary of $15,000 a year, know-how to complete 25 million acres of land to build a very large sum of money for the project. On Canada’s first transcontinental railway. the 1880s, to become the railway’s February 16, 1881, Unfortunately, things didn general manager. His job was to ’t get off to a Canada’s governor very good start. During the first year of finish building the railway over the construction crews laid only 211 kilometers Prairies and through the mountains. William Cornelius Van Horne In addition to being a on trains with their “trunks all smart business man aboard.” Author Barbara Nichol Van Horne was known was so inspired by Van Horne’s for his great intellectual elephant sketches she wrote curiosity. He had many a book of verse using his interests, including illustrations. This children’s book geology, gardening, was published in 2001 and is sketching, and art appropriately called, Trunks collecting. He was one All Aboard. of the first people in William Cornelius Van Horne is Canada to acquire The story of the CPR would most famous for overseeing the artworks by French impressionist probably be quite a different one construction of the Canadian later, he became the president painters. After his retirement, Van if Van Horne had not been at the Pacific Railway. This was a great of CPR, a job he held until his Horne indulged in his passion for railway’s helm in its early days. achievement, but just one of the retirement in 1899. Van Horne sketching. On a trip to Europe in Today, Van Horne is remembered ways Van Horne left his mark on was appointed Chairman of 1909, Van Horne sent hand drawn as “the aristocratic railway builder the railway and Canada. Van CPR’s Board of Directors that postcards to his grandson in of the Canadian Pacific” in the Horne became one of CPR’s first same year, a position he held Montreal. He loved to draw Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. vice presidents in 1884. Four years until his resignation in 1910. elephants, including elephants page 5 Conquering the Mountains n 1882, with Van Horne in charge of It took him two seasons to find a pass that the construction, crews laid 673 kilometers railway could use to cross the Selkirk Mountains. I of track. The dream of a transcontinental The pass was called Rogers Pass in honour of railway was getting closer to being a reality. But, the Major. In addition to having the pass named first there was one big problem to overcome – after him, Rogers was rewarded with $5,000 how to get through the mountains? In the late and a gold watch for his work. Today, CPR uses 1880s CPR did not have the modern equipment it tunnels under the mountains, while the Trans- does today, so laying tracks through the mountains Canada Highway follows the original CPR route was a difficult task. Major A.B. Rogers, a surveyor, over Rogers Pass. started looking for a possible route in 1881. Connaught Tunnel The Rogers Pass was so steep trains needed pusher locomotives to help them get over the top. In the winter avalanches often blocked the tracks and many people lost their lives, either caught in an avalanche or digging out from one. It soon became clear that a tunnel through the mountain would be safer than going over Rogers Pass.

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