3800 Miles Across Canada

: 3800 Miles Across Canada BY J. W. C. HALDANE Civil and Mechanical Consulting Engineer ILLUSTRATED LONDON SIMPKIN, MAESHA.LL, HAMILTON, KENT c<: CO. LTD. 1900 THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, G.C.M.G., LL.I)., D.C.L., ETC., ETC., LATE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA, THIS RECORD OF A TOUR, THE INTEREST OF WHICH AVAS MUCH INCREASED ]iY HIS KINDLY RENDERED ASSISTANCE, IS IRcspecttullB 2)eDicateJ5 RY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. The manner in -which my works on Engineering, referred to at the end of this vohime, have been received l)y all classes of readers at home and abroad, has encouraged me to prepare another, entitled 3,800 miles across Canada, which is written in a popular and attractive style throughout. To enable me to attain this desirable object, I recently traversed that country to Vancouver Island, remaining for various periods at the numerous places of interest referred to in the following pages. During my visit to the Dominion, I gathered as much special information as possible regarding its immense field for the industrious and enterprising; its boundless resources for trade and commerce ; its steamship connections with Japan, China, Australia, the British Isles, and other parts of the world ; its people ; its scenery ; its engineering features ; incidents of travel, and, indeed, everything else from every point of view which could help to make this volume useful and interesting to readers. As I had the honour of making the tour under the kind auspices of the Governor-General—Lord Aber- deen—and other influential people in Canada, every source of trustworthy knowledge was thrown open to me, of whicli I fully availed myself. From his late Vlll Excellency I have also had the honour of receiving the following letter for publication : — London, W., Aj^ril 5th, 1899. J. W. C. Haldane, Esq., My Dear Sir, As you are good enougia to purpose to dedicate your book on Canada to myself, I beg to offer my assent to your obliging proposition. Having been officially resident in Canada, and having had the opportunity of meeting you during your tour in that country, I am personally aware of the extent and comprehensiveness of your travels, which will doubtless have given you ample opportunity for collecting a large mass of information, which Avill, I hope, be perused by many readers with interest and advantage. Believe me. Very truly yours, ABEEDEEN. Those just referred to, and many others as well, w4io generously aided me in my enterprise, have been mentioned in detail throughout this volume. It may be added that I was for many years em- ployed, firstly, as an apprentice in the works of the North British Railway Company, and Messrs. Denny Brothers of' Dumbarton, and, subsequently, on the staff of Messrs. Neilson & Co., and Tod & McGregor of Glasgow, and, lastly, of Messrs. Laird Brothers of Birkenhead. In 1873, I commenced business as a consulting engineer in general practice in Liverpool, and, as I have not only written professional books which have received the highest appreciation of the press and of the public, but am also tlie author of several equally esteemed lectures which are described at the end, I have reason to hope that this new treatise will meet with a similarly kind reception. The plates have been taken from the choicest photographs, and the folding map is the latest and most complete production I could obtain. It may further be stated that I have written in freehand, unconventional, and simple style, trusting that much which might otherwise prove uninteresting to many may thus be somewhat enlivened. Finally, I have throughout the book adopted, when appropriate, the terms "Happy Traveller," and " Chiel," with the object of avoiding as much as possible the phrases ^'I did this," and "we did that," for obvious reasons. J. W. C. H. 30 North John Street, Liverpool, December, 1899. — —A CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. PAGE Quebec and its Neighboukhood. —How the Author's Infor- mation was obtained —Various Classes of People interviewed—Their diversified Opinions—The Author as the "Happy Traveller''— His own treatment of People and Things—Liverpool to Quebec—Felicities of the Voyage — Sights and Scenes of Quebec — Wonderful Saguenay Chasm—How caused— Quebec Province — curious Ship-launching Story of 1750—Quebec City, the Originator of Atlantic Steam Navigation—Cunard Brothers' Share in the Undertaking Boyal William from Quebec to London, 1833 —Her Career as a Spanish War Steamer — Origin of Cunaid Company, 1840 Steam Navigation of to-day 1 CHAPTEE II. Montreal and its Surroundings.— Jacques Cartier, the Columbus of Canada— Origin of the Name—Cham- plain, its Benefactor— Maisonneuve, the Founder of Montreal—Topography of the City—Some of its prom- inent People — A former Governor-General and his mistaken Guest— Origin of McGill University— Its first Principal— Subsequent Career—Dean Bovey— His New Engineering and Physics Buildings—Wonderful success of the University—How the "Happy Traveller" was Interviewed — Montreal and its Public Buildings — Electrical Tramcars and their Peculiarities —River St. Lawrence— Its Leading Objects of Interett—A great River Steamer 17 CHAPTEE III. Canada, and its Travelling Resources. -Dimensions of the Country— Its Division into Provinces— Canada as it —— was—Two Methods of originating a Railway—Origin of the Canadian Pacific Railway —Explorations and Surveys of the Country—Wonderful Rapidity of Con- struction—Laying the last Rail—Immediate Results Course of the Line across the country—Other means of Travel by Land and Water—Montreal, Ottawa, and Georgian Bay Canal— Its object—General Plan—Enor- mous Lake Traffic— Commercial Advantages of the New and Direct Route to the Sea—Subsidiary Advantages Engineering Features of the Canal — Opinions of eminent Canadians regarding its value 3G CHAPTEE IV. Westwabd Bound. —Montreal to Ottawa—History of the City—Its Parliamentary and other Public Buildings Chaudiere Falls—A Railway and Steamboat Centre—Its chief Industries — Unique Wood Pulp Paper, etc., Works — Their River Motive Power—Gigantic Saw Mills — Their Peculiarities — Hints about Travelling Trunks — Summer Costume — On the road to Fort William—Aspect of the Country—A Sleeping Car- Arrangement and Method of Working—Courtesies of the Car—Heading for Lake Superior—Lovely Surround- ings— " Striking" the Lake— Charms of Mountain and Sea and Sky—The Belles of Schreiber— " The Chiel" amongst them— Shades of Night again—Arrival at Fort William 50 CHAPTEE V. Province of Ontario. — Its Immense Proportions — Geo- graphical Position —Vast Water Transportation Re- sources—Peculiarities of the Province — The Great Lakes—Early days in Northern Ontario—Its Physical Features and Resources—Marvels of the Minor Lakes A Gold-Mine Story—A new Era for the District—Diffi- culties and Triumphs of the Early Colonists— Qualities necessary to obtain Success— Opinions of Settlers Southern Ontario—Guelph Agricultural College—Its Immense Advantages—Experimental Farms and their —— Uses—Farming an advanced Practical Science —Timber Industry—The Trees of Canada—Bee-Hive Hamilton — Fruit Growing on a Gigantic Scale—Bush Fires Their Causes—Government Protection of Forests 65 CHAPTEE VI. Ontario Furthee Considered. —Fort William— Grain Eleva- " tors— C. P. R. Lake Route— " Central Time —Twenty- four hour System—Good Friends in the Train— Rat Portage—Glacial effects on the Land—Wondrous Lake of the Woods—Its innumerable Islands—Country honey- combed with Lakes and Waterways—Prosperity of the District—Immense Water Power for general Purposes How obtained—Action of Turbines— Great Hydraulic Installations at Lachine and Chamblis—Lake of the Woods Flour Milling Works—Gold Reduction Works Gold Mining of the District —Its great Future—Boat and Canoe Transportation—The Muskoka Region 79 CHAPTEE VII. Province of Manitoba.— Rat Portage crowds for Winnipeg Exhibition —Curious Difficulty—Entrance to the great Prairie — "Western Canada" — Its Extent and Re- sources — Grain producing Powers— Climate—Systematic Division of the Land— Manitoba and its Peculiarities Rapid increase of Population—The Prairie for 800 miles—An Ancient Lake, the cause of its great Fer- tility—Mistaken ideas concerning the Province—As it is in Winter and Spring—Its great popularity—Winni- peg during the Exhibition—Another unexpected Diffi- culty—"Give you a Cot with 20 others, Sir?"—Did better— Origin of Winnipeg—Rapid Extension—Great Future—How some Cities have grown 95 CHAPTEE VIII. A Trans-Continental C. P. R. Train Popularly Con- sidered.—Railway Works at Winnipeg—Rolling Stock Practice— Composition of a Mail Train— Peculiarities of the Locomotive—The Spark-Arrester—Cow-Catchcr —— XIV Incidents—The Tender—Baggage Car—Colonist Car^ Tourist Car—First-Class Car—Irish Amateur Signal- man — European and Trans-Atlantic Systems com- pared —New System of Electric Train Lighting—Train Officials—The Conductor—Brakesman—Dining Saloon Staff— Sleeping Car Attendants—Engine Driver and Fireman— "Hell-Fire Tom"—How two frightful Acci- dents were averted—The Safest Occupation 109 CHAPTEE IX. Winnipeg of the Present and Future. Winnipeg as a City— Its Public Buildings, &c. —A Government Centre The Chicago of Canada—Heavy Tramcar Trains—Exhi- bition and its Visitors —Enterprise of the People Prairie Children's First Visit to a City—The Australian Bush-reared Author's similar experience—Cause of Win- nipeg's Prosperity —How the C. P, R. enriched a Desert — Eventful Career of Winnipeg — The famous ' ' ' ' Boom —Crashes —Speculative Extortioners—Primitive means of Transport —The Wilderness of

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