The Monitor Volume 27, Issue 3 December 2011 memorable day, Mr. Phelps, who had left Burlington on Inside this issue: Travellers’ Lament at a trip to Boston, found that having mixed up the trains at An Open letter to the Friends 3 Brockville~ Part 1 Essex Junction, he was back on the “Shuttle” returning Director’s Message 4 By Douglas N.W. Smith to Burlington. Giving full vent to his frustrations, Mr. Education Programming 5 In the latter portion of the Phelps ended the last two verses of his poem with the A Glimpse at Christmas around the World 6 nineteenth century, the Hon- following immortal lines: What’s New 6 ourable Edward J. Phelps “I hope in hell, Volunteers 6 composed a piece of dogger- His soul may dwell, Friends of the Brockville Museum 7 el, entitled “The Lay of the Who first invented Essex Junction.” Exhibits 7 Lost Traveller”, lamenting Our Year at a Glance 8 the fate of the passenger These lines formed an epitaph for all railway pa- whose attempt to change trons whose journey included a change of trains at the Calendar of Events 9 trains at Essex Junction, myriad of railway junctions in North America. While it did not become as famous as Essex Junction, in 1907 Brockville was celebrated as a point to bring despair to the traveller desiring to transfer from the Grand Trunk to a Canadian Pacific train. Rather than compose a rhyme for the popular press, George Taylor, MP for Leeds, took his complaint to the House of Commons where his complaint was recorded in the pages of Han- sard. As the journeys of many of the Dominion’s highest politicians were affected, the demand for better connec- tions fell on attentive ears. Unlike today, when five trains per day whisk passengers from Toronto to Ottawa without a change of trains, the traveller in 1907 found himself with very lim- ited options. At the time, no through trains were operat- ed. CP’s Toronto-Montreal overnight train included a Toronto-Ottawa sleeping car that was switched between Vermont ignominiously failed. In this small village, the trains at Smiths Falls. Coach passengers had to physical- Central Vermont Railway’s Montreal-White River Junc- ly change trains. The single day schedule between these tion main line and Burlington-Lamoille Junction branch points required a transfer at either Smiths Falls from line intersected. CP’s Montreal-Detroit trains or at Brockville from the Under the small train shed at Essex Junction, the GTR’s main line trains. Due to the limited number of traveller could be confronted by up to four passenger trains, any dabbling with their schedules was a serious trains destined to the four points of the compass at the matter to anyone having business in Ottawa. same time. The unwitting could step aboard a train only While the GTR had completed the first line be- to find himself heading off in the wrong direction. One tween Montreal and Toronto in 1856 and had subse- 1 quently developed an extensive network of lines in eastern portion of the Dominion. The earnings from Southern Ontario, the GTR was unsuccessful in se- the eastern lines would generate the income to carry curing its own access to the capital until after the turn the transcontinental line until the Prairie Provinces of the century. It was not until 1905, when the GTR became settled and traffic built to remunerative lev- acquired the Canada Atlantic, that it finally reached els. During the latter portion of the 1870s, Duncan Ottawa over its own rails. The CPR outflanked the McIntyre, a member of the syndicate, had acquired GTR during the 1880s and secured a firm grip on the controlling interest in the Central Canada and in Ottawa-Toronto travel until the completion of the the early 1880s in the St. Lawrence & Ottawa. The Canadian Northern’s direct line in 1915. Canada Central, which had almost reached Mattawa Prior to the advent of the CPR, the GTR had a in 1881, was amalgamated into the CPR that year to monopoly on rail service between Montreal and To- form part of the main line between Montreal and ronto. Two small and financially shaky lines, which Vancouver. The western division of the grandilo- were built to connect the St. Lawrence River to the quently titled Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa & Occi- lumber stands of the Ottawa Valley, provided con- dental Railway between Montreal and Ottawa was venient links between the GTR and Ottawa. The first purchased from the Quebec Government in 1882. rail line to reach the nation’s capital, the Bytown & With the completion of the Ontario & Quebec Rail- Prescott, arrived in 1854. Built to what was then a way between Smiths Falls and Toronto in 1884, CP “narrow gauge” of 4 feet 8 ½ inches, the Bytown & had its own Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto route. Prescott could not interchange cars with the broad Recognizing that its monopoly on traffic in gauge GTR which was built to then provincial stand- the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto area was about to be ard of 5 feet 6 inches. The line was renamed twice broken, the Grand Trunk opened negotiation with the following reorganizations, becoming the Ottawa & bondholders of the St. Lawrence & Ottawa during Prescott in 1855 and the St. Lawrence & Ottawa in 1882-1883. However, with Mr. McIntyre firmly in 1867. After the Grand Trunk reduced its track to 4 control, the CP was given a 999 year lease on the St. feet 8½ inches in 1873 (which became the standard Lawrence & Ottawa in 1884. Once CP took over the for North American railways in the 1870s), it co- line, it rescheduled the passenger trains to avoid con- operated with the St Lawrence & Ottawa to provide a nections with the GTR at Prescott and ceased to stop sleeping car service between Ottawa and Toronto. at the GTR station. The second line to reach the capital from the St. Lawrence River was the Brockville & Ottawa – Canada Central Railways which completed their Brockville-Carleton Place-Ottawa route in 1870. Built to 5 foot 6 inch gauge, they interchanged cars with the GTR until the GTR adopted standard gauge for its tracks. Due to its poor financial position, it was not until 1880 that the money was available to start standard gauging the Canada Central. In 1881, the syndicate that would successfully complete the Canadian Pacific Railway took over the faltering transcontinental project from the Dominion government. They recognized quickly the importance Delays could be encountered for many reasons. Here a of developing a network of lines in the industrialized Grand Trunk express train has halted to have an overheated axle beneath the coach doctored. 2 An Open Letter to the Friends of the Brockville Museum Dear Members, I just want to express my appreciation for the support you have given to me in archives over the past year. Without this support I would not be able to continue the work that is done in con- serving and cataloguing the various donations that find their way into Archives. This past year has been extremely busy and cost- The conductor and engineer discuss their orders before their ly with the addition of the McCormick Collec- Toronto to Montreal train departs the first Toronto Union tion, The Inniss Collection Station. This building was replaced in the 1920s by the and lastly, The Recorder present Union Station. and Times Collection. So far, we have preserved and recorded thirteen bankers’ boxes of negatives as well as seven bankers’ boxes of other relevant material from the Recorder and Times. There were also 14 bankers’ boxes of nega- tives from the Inniss Collection that have been preserved and catalogued. The purchase of the computer and scanner for my use has enabled me to work from home and with the assistance of my wife, Carolyn, we are scanning and cataloguing many interesting pho- tos from the pages of the Recorder and Times from the 1950s to 1970s. When this project is The Grand Trunk station in Brockville opened in 1872, replacing a completed, I want to make several DVDs to ena- small stone station building from the 1850s. The Grand Trunk ble all to see a great photographic record of the became part of the Canadian National Railways in 1923 after the history of Brockville during that time period. Grand Trunk sponsored line to the Pacific Ocean ended in financial failure. Today the station is operated by VIA Rail Canada. Back in Thank you again for your support, the early 1900s, the Grand Trunk trains used the south side of the John Mack, Volunteer Archivist building, while the Canadian Pacific trains operated on trains built on the north side of the building. This view taken in the early 1950s shows the Brockville station before the brick was covered over. Source: Mattingly Collection, Canada Science and Technology Museum. 3 Director’s Message Each year, around this time, I go back through museum becomes in the fall and winter months. Amy’s my day planner (yes, I still use a paper one) and look at school, hospital and nursing home programs get into all the activities we have been involved in, here at the full swing, bus tours continue into October, the Friends museum. We started the year with the adult lecture se- of the Museum’s major fundraiser, our silent auction, ries, The Friends Annual General Meeting, Flag Day and the beer tasting are all in the fall months. I should and Family Day. In March, we had a new fundraiser, also mention the Brockville Artists Studio hosts their ‘The Spelling Bee’, as well as the usual children’s annual show and sale, and the Brockville Farmers Mar- March Break programs.