News clippings compiled by Art Clowes
Revised To: March 18, 2005
Saint John, Telegraph-Journal, The New Brunswick Reader, Page 5 – Saturday, March 12, 2005 – MARCH 15, 1851 – New Brunswick enacts a law to begins construction of the European and North American Railroad. The proposed route is to extend from the Nova Scotia border in Westmoreland County, south to Bangor and Portland, Maine.
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Woodstock, The Carleton Sentinel, Page 361 – Tuesday, May 6, 1851 – PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT – Below we give the speeches of Messrs. Robinson, Gray and Needham on the St. Andrews & Quebec Railroad Bill which we think will prove interesting to many of our readers, who have not had an opportunity of seeing them. We discontinue the debate of the Elective Legislative Council Bill. At a future time we may take it up though at present we deem the subject of the railroad of the most consequence especially as the principle of an Elective Council has not been sustained, and consequently must continue over until another year. [From the Head Quarter, March 29.]
Captain Robinson hoped the honourable member for Queen’s, as well as other honourable members would at least suspend their judgement until they heard what had been done, and the prospects of the company. The company had struggled with many difficulties, chiefly because they first went into the English market at a crisis when railway business in England had been overdone, and a panic existed. They had struggled through, however, and had got £100,000, one half the contemplated cost, subscribed for in the English market. One half of this sum, as described by the honourable Attorney-General, must be paid as required. The Province had guaranteed six per cent interest on £100,000, for thirty years. That would amount to about three percent on the whole. The stock was divided into two classes, A and B, the first was that secured by the Provincial guarantee. Now he (Captain Robinson), had taken stock in this railway, and might have taken the A class, but he felt so confident that the line would pay that he would as soon have shares in the B class and taking his stock in that class accordingly, before proceeding to show by estimate that the line would in all probability prove renumerative, he would quote from the report of the company’s engineer, dated the 16th of January last, to show what they had done. {The honourable member then quoted as follows}:–
“The line after leaving the terminus at (Indian?) Point proceeds in a northerly direction until it crosses the Katie’s Cove Bridge on the second mile, it then for the first three miles winds along the shore of the Passamaquoddy Bay with a succession of easy curves and gradients until it reached the Saint John road crossing at the Chamcook station, the line here leaves the shore of the Bay, and commences ascending faster upon a grade of 30 feet to the mile until it attains a point of 3 feet higher that the highest water in the Chamcook Lake; this point is 93 feet higher than the starting point at St. Andrews, making an average grade of 18 feet to the mile.”
The bridge here referred to over Katie’s Cove was a substantial piece of masonry and many good judges who had seen it wondered that it was built so cheap – the cost being but £700. {The honourable member again read from the report, showing the different curves, gradients, elevations, bridges, &c.; also the engineer’s statement, that from the rocky and uneven state of the ground, the first ten miles must prove much more expensive than the average cost of the line through to Woodstock. He then read as follows}:–
“The maximum grade upon this division (the second miles) is 24 feet to the mile, coming towards St. Andrews, the direction which all the heavy freight, i.e. timber, deals, flour and western produce generally must take.. Going up from St. Andrews the maximum grade is 49 feet per mile, which is not so much consequence, as the return freight being composed of British and West India goods, fish, &c. for the upper British Provinces, being of a lighter nature will overcome the grade with ease. As an example of this, the Western Railroad from Boston to Albany does an immense freight business over continuous grade of upwards of 60 feet to the mile.”
“The curve upon his division are all of such radius as will admit of a speed of 30 miles per hour with safety, with the exception of two, viz, the one already mentioned at the Bar road and the other at the Chamcook Bluff, both of them of 800 feet radius, put in to save heavy works; they however, are short, being 2,000 feet collectively. They must be passed at reduced speed and would detain an express train about two minutes.”
“In conclusion, I would beg to repeat to you, that I am prosecuting the surveys of the second division for the present ten miles to the Fredericton road, (a distance of 16 miles) with all the vigour that the extreme severity of the weather will permit. The party under Mr. Whiteman, making the preliminary reconnaissance to discover where alterations from the old survey can be made with advantage, have proceeded as far as the Corinack meadows, about 20 miles from St. Andrews. The party under my own immediate direction putting in the final location, are progressing rapidly with the work; the whole survey will be finally completed, plans specifications and working drawings will be ready for the inspection of contractors early in March. I have no hesitation in saying that a savings of about £10,000 can be made by altering the location on this division without materially injuring the character of the curves and grades. This division will cost at least 33 percent less for gradation than the first ten miles out of St. Andrews.”
The honourable member next read the account of the cost of the first ten miles, the aggregate being £31,994 5s 10d, of this, upwards of £25,000 had already been paid by the company. The honourable member, then read the following extracts from a work entitled “Remarks on the subject of a line of Railway from St. Andrews to Woodstock, on the River Saint John in New Brunswick, and hence to Quebec in Lower Canada, British North America, published at St. Andrews under the auspices of the company:–
Bangor, (State of Maine), January 1850
Being desirous of ascertaining the quality of Merchandise that is brought from Boston and other ports in the United States to the city of Bangor in the summer, for the purpose of transportation to Houlton, Fish River and the Upper St. John, with the cost of such transportation, – I’m enabled to state from the most reliable sources, that the following is as near the truth as can be arrived at:–
6,000 barrels Flour, 200 lb. ea. 2.27 $13,620
5,000 barrels Pork, 300 lb. ea. 3.00 15,000
10,000 barrels Indian Corn Meal 2.27 22,700
7,000 barrels Fish, &c. 3.00 21,000
8,000 barrels Salt 3.00 24,000
8,500 barrels West India Goods 3.00 25,500
4,000 barrels Tea, Soap, Candies, &c. 2.00 8,000
60,000 barrels Crockery ware, &c. 2.27 136,200
108,500 barrels amounting to $266,020
Traffic of Goods that pass up the Kennebec River, to Moosehead Lake, and the Eastern branches of that river, is
27,125 barrels 66,200
$332,220
The above includes freight and charges on Merchandise from Boston to Bangor and Houlton and Kennebec routes; also from the most accurate information that can be obtained, the quality of Lumber which passes down the Penobscot in one year, is Two Hundred Millions superficial feet, which in part causes the consumption of the above Merchandise.
The following certificates show the quantity of goods moving up the Saint John, under bond, for the American side of the river, in addition, the quantity of Flour, Beef, Pork, Fish, Iron, Salt, Crockery ware, and Dry Goods for the British side, is very large. It is said that in 1845, fully 100,000 barrels passed Fredericton in horse tow boats; and only 10,000 barrels pass through Calais for Houlton, per annum.
Port of Saint John, N.B. – An account shewing the quantities of goods transported by Inland Navigation from this port, under bond, to those parts of the State of Maine, moved by the river St. John, or its tributaries, (including Houlton, Woodstock, Fish River, Fort Kent, Fort Fairfield, Limestone River, &c., during 1849:–
2,521 Barrels Wheat Flour
978 Barrels Pork
12,043 Gallons Molasses
7,976 pounds Tea
8,809 hundred weight Sugar
11,982 pounds Tobacco
100 bushels Indian Corn
300 bushels Salt
2,210 gallons Brandy
1,291 gallons Geneva
65 gallons Wine
39 gallons Rum
11½ hundred weight Coffee
Rice, beans, meat, glass, leather, boots shoes, tobacco pipes, rakes, and brooms, ashes saleratus, pitch, soda, hardware, earthen ware, dry goods, cottons and woollens, lard, furniture, chairs hair mattresses, feathers, straw cutters, washing machine, indigo, alum, clocks and weights, zinc, snuff, shovels, candies, nuts, pails scythes, forks, oil, and turpentine, – computed at 593 Barrels.
Nails, lead, dried fruit, cordage, stoves, pans, iron, codfish – computed at 145 hundred weight.
- Robinson, P. Treasurer
Treasury, Saint John, N.B.
12th January, 1850.
Port of Saint John, N.B. – An account shewing the quantities of Clapboards and Shingles exported to the United States from this port, the manufacture of those parts of the State of Maine, watered by the river St. John, and its tributaries, from Woodstock upwards, during the year 1849:– Clapboards, 2,008,000 pieces, or about 1,339,000 feet; Shingles, 4.418,000 pieces
Alex Grant, Cont’r
Custom House, Saint John, NB, 12th January, 1851.
That this Railway will pay the Proprietors is evident, It is quite superfluous to expatiate further on the great advantages New Brunswick would derive from the completion of this important undertaking, for they have already been proved by the foregoing statements, and other statistics which have been published.
John Wilson,
St. Andrews, NB, January, 1850.
Bangor, 1st February, 1850
We the undersigned, do certify that from information to be depended on, and in which we have the most implicit confidence, that there passed up the Penobscot from Bangor and the Kennebec, during the past year, for the supply of the Upper St. John River on the American side:–
135,625 barrels Merchandise, at a cost of transportation of 332,220 dollars, and that fully two hundred Millions feet of Lumber came down the Penobscot to Bangor.
Wm. Babcock,
- W. Babcock,
- M. Bragg.
I am unacquainted with the trade of the river Penobscot but from the highly respectable signatures to the above, every credit may be given to the same.
Fred Hobbs, Solicitor.
The above goods would no doubt all go by the St. Andrews and Quebec Railway, as the cost of transportation will not be one fifth of the present rates.
Knowing the high respectability of the above parties, full faith and credit is due to their statement.
- Sherwood,
- B. M. Vice Consul, District of Passamaquoddy, U.S.
The following extract of a letter from J. Bell Forsyth, Esquire, dated Quebec, 24th January, 1850, will show the determination of the Canadian Government to carry into effect the resolution of 1836, as before noticed:–
“Are you not aware, the present Government of Canada have passed resolutions – pledging security of the Province, for the construction of half any Railway, which may be built exceeding 70 miles in length; consequently you will only have to make half the road from the Province to Quebec.
- Bell Forsyth.
John Wilson, Esquire
President, St. Andrews and Quebec Railroad Company, St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
He (Captain Robinson) was not aware that he could add anything to convince the honourable members, if they were not convinced by this statement. As far as then could judge from the statistics he had quoted, the line must pay. He had showed his faith in it from the beginning, having taken stock for a considerable amount, induced his personal friends to do the same and spent two years out of the last three working for the company, at a personal sacrifice.
Mr. Gray said that he would support the Bill for several reasons. He could not look upon it as a local measure, but one of great national importance. He regarded the railway from St. Andrews to Woodstock as a part of that great net-work of railways which he hoped to see at not very distant day extending throughout the whole Province. It was scarcely less national in its character than the great European and North American Railway, the bill in aid of which the House sustained yesterday by an almost unanimous vote. He had no doubt but this line would reach Quebec, thus connecting the Bay of Fundy with Canada, and binding the lower Colonies and the Canadas by the indissoluble ties of interest and brotherhood, and preparing them, by the interchange of mutual feelings and benefits for an event that may some time happen, when they will be enabled to take their place amid the nations of the earth. He meant where their destination would sever them from the British Empire. When the line would be completed through to Quebec, he believed it must be a paying line. The inhabitants of Canada suffer so much from their being shut out from the sea five or six months in the year, that they were determined to have Railways. Montreal was seeking a railway to Portland, but a line from Quebec to one of our Ports, through British territory, would secure the carrying trade; especially during the winter months. He would recall to the minds of honourable members a circumstance that occurred some three or four winters ago. In consequence of the famine in Ireland, flour was in great demand, and prices in the English market ranged high. Although that winter there were about 400,000 barrels of flour locked up in Quebec by the ice, and thus was the industry of Canada deprived of the advantage of the Market, which their more fortunate neighbours, the Americans, profited by, for in the spring, when the Canadians were enabled to ship their flour to England, the market was glutted and price had fallen. Were this line completed, such a circumstance could not take place, for the flour would be sent down by railway. When the line reached Woodstock, there was not a doubt but it would be continued through. There was a law in existence, in Canada that compelled the Government to take up and finish a railway in that Province whenever a Company had constructed a line one half the distance. He held in his hand a letter written by the Honourable Hamilton Merritt, a member of the Canadian Government, to a gentlemen in this Province, which adverted to the fact he had just mentioned, and he would read an extract or two from it. (The honourable member then read to the effect that certain parties in Quebec were moving in the matter that the people there were extremely anxious for the success of the St. Andrews line, and that if it us pushed on, before it reached the boundary there will be a railway finished from the boundary to Quebec.) He, (Mr. Gray) also believed from perusing the statistics with which he had been furnished, that the line would pay at once when completed between St. Andrews and Woodstock, and thus, irrespective of its indirect advantages, the Province would run no risk. The honourable members for Queen’s (Mr. Gilbert) had predicted evil results from the Province taking stock in railways, and talked of having it engraved on his tombstone that posterity might see that he had opposed the bills. He (Mr. Gray) would also have his name go down to posterity, but he wished it recorded not on so frail a memorial as a tombstone; he would have it written on the hearts of the industrious people who would no longer be driven from their country to seek renumeration for their labour they cannot find at home – on the hearts of the farmer and the mechanic, who may hence forth look smilingly on their loved one – their wives and children – and say exultingly – “My dears, for the future, so long as God gives me health and strength you shall never want, for I am to meet with full employment and fair renumeration for my labour.” (Immense applause). The honourable member (Mr. Gilbert) had fancied he heard a voice, but it struck his ear with a different note. He heard it from the north and from the south – from the east and from the west – from the great Tantramar Marsh to the Grand Falls – every section of the Province echoing it back to another, and it sounded to him like the note of exultation and gladness that New Brunswick was about to advance in population and prosperity in a degree unparalleled in the annals of her history. (Hear, hear).
Mr. Needham rose to support the bill. He did so on principles. When the bill granting facilities to the European and North American Railway was introduced yesterday he gave it his support; he did so because he believed in the principles put forth in the bill and because he was convinced from figures that the road when completed will pay. It was true he did not made a great effort on that occasion, because none was required, almost every member who spoke being in favour of the bill. True the honourable member for Queen’s (Mr. Gilbert) opposed it, and while he would accord that honourable Gentleman honesty of purpose and intention in his opposition, he would remind the Committee that (Mr. Gilbert) lives near a place they call “No man’s friend!” (Much laughter). That might account in some degree for his decided hostility to the bill. He differed with him, however, in his apprehensions; he (Mr. Needham) did not see the desolation prophesied by the honourable member, as the results of yesterday’s work, but he did see a good time coming, and prosperity following in the train of that bill. Today, it appeared that opposition to this bill was rife, and now the bill of yesterday was supposed to be safe there appeared a disposition to give this bill the go-by. He, (Mr. Needham) thought that the same reasons that were urged in favour of the bill yesterday night will equal propriety be applied to this. He could only form an opinion and base a conclusion as to a road paying, when that road is not in operation, by statistics and when each of these lines produce them, and the results in both cases are satisfactory, if they conclude favourably to one line, therefrom they were bound to accept of similar evidence in favour of the other. Again, the Province was not to be called upon to pay a single until the Company had paid in a certain sum, and so on, never exceeding the sum paid by the Company. This showed that the Province would not take stock where individuals had not confidence that the line would pay and must therefore be considered a safe investment. This he considered would be the great road to Canada. While the European and North American line would connect the new world with the old, this line would connect British North American Provinces together. It was not a local line, as some honourable members had stated; not so much as the contemplated line from Saint John to Shediac last year. It would open up a great country – a portion of the country abounding in agricultural and mineral wealth – and would, as he said before, be the great line from Halifax to Quebec, through British territory. For supposing the line constructed from Halifax to Calais, and this line built, all they would have to do to fill up the gap spoken of by the honourable member from Carleton (Mr. English) would be to construct a line from the Bend of Petitcodiac, connecting with this above the Grand Falls, and there would be a direct line from Halifax to Quebec; and this Province would then be surrounded by an iron belt. He (Mr. Needham) regarded the men belonging to this Company as the Pioneers in the great cause of Railways in this country, and he believed that to their exertions might be attributed even the great European road. (Hear! Hear!) He must congratulate the Company on yesterday’s and to-day’s work, it would made the heart of many a man glad, and relieve the anxiety of thousands; he could almost in his imagination fancy that he heard the bell ring, and the whistle blow, “Clean the Track!” The honourable member for Queen’s (Mr. Gilbert) seemed to lament over the Province at what had been done, – he seemed to imagine that death, misery, and destruction would be the result of their work; but he (Mr. Needham) would be willing (if his time were come,) after the bills had passed, to go off the stage of action, and would write a part of his own epitaph before he went, thus; “Here lies W. H. Needham, whose last act was suppering the Provincial Government in favour of the St. Andrews and Quebec Railway, and for so doing he deserves” — he would leave posterity to fill up the blank (much laughter).
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Woodstock, NB, The Carleton Sentinel, Page 366 – May 13, 1851 – COLONIAL RAILWAY – We take from a late number of the Quebec Gazette the proceedings of a public meeting on the construction of the Halifax and Quebec Railroad. It is to be hoped that the feeling of the want-of-a-Railway in these lower Provinces will not die away until some practicable route is decided upon. Although we think our Legislature may have been rather hasty on the subject, yet it will have this good effect, to show the Home Government that we are determined on a route somewhere even independent of the help of an Imperial guarantee, should that be denied us. The matter must be agitated fully, in order to get a better understanding of this great scheme.
QUEBEC AND HALIFAX RAILWAY
The initiative has been taken by Quebec on the subject of the late despatch of the Colonial Secretary on this important subject. Yesterday afternoon, a public meeting numerously and respectably attended, was held in the Council Chamber of the Parliament Buildings. His worship the Mayor, N. F. Belleau, Esquire, presided and W. H. A. Davies, Esquire, officiated, as Secretary. The meeting was addressed by the movers and seconders of the subjoined resolutions and the greatest unanimity of opinion prevailed as the liberality of the offer made by the Imperial Government and the necessity of immediate action being taken. Our Halifax exchanges by this morning’s mail express the hope that Canada will speak in a loud tone of unqualified approbation of the proposition, and, we can say as far as Quebec is concerned, judging from the feeling predominant at yesterday’s meeting, they will not be disappointed. New Brunswick is the great obstacle in the way, but we trust that when through the instrumentality of public meetings, the minds of her people shall have been fully enlightened as to the advantages derivable from this magnificent project, the hasty decision of their Legislature will be overturned and that they will put their shoulders to the wheel, for its accomplishment. The advantages accruing to New Brunswick, says the Nova Scotian are too manifest and manifold to be peremptorily or cooly received. That Province has, in the aggregate about eleven millions of acres of ungranted lands, through a considerable portion of which, the line to Quebec must necessarily pass. The line to Portland, on the other hand, runs through a territory worth a button. Nothing beyond the mere advantages resulting from the passenger traffic can be counted upon for the benefit of New Brunswick, from the construction of the Portland Railroad. On the contrary, the securing of the Quebec line would, in the very nature of things be the means of opening up and populating the immensely valuable and fertile district through which it would pass, thereby inducing permanent prosperity to the whole Province. Besides this, the New Brunswickers will find that it is not an easy matter to go successfully into the money market of England for the purpose of raising the required amount of capital to construct any Railroad through country after rejecting the guarantee of the British Government for the construction of the line to Quebec. Meantime we cordially agree that the most judicious course that could be adopted would be the selection of Delegates from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada, to meet at some given place, for the purpose of conferring upon the project and the maturing of plans for future operation. If the construction of this road be so important as it is believed, something more than merely meeting to discuss its desirability must be done – although this is very well as a preliminary – we require action and unity of purpose on the part of the Provinces most deeply interested in the success of the scheme. The opposition of the Montrealers, mentioned in our correspondence was anticipated. We believe, with the writer, however, that the united efforts of the east and the west will defeat any obstacle they may interpose.
Proposed by the Honourable Ed. Caron, seconded by A. Stuart, Esquire;
Resolved – That the citizens of Quebec acknowledge with gratitude the liberal offer of the Imperial Government, contained in the despatch of the Right Honourable, the Secretary for the Colonies of the 14th March, last, in regard to the contemplating Railroad from Halifax to Quebec, as affording most satisfactory evidence that the Mother Country, while not unmindful of its own political and commercial welfare, is at the same time, most anxious to promote the prosperity of its North American Colonies, by assisting in the development of their vast internal resources.
Proposed by the Honourable Wm. Walker, seconded by Jos. Cauchon, Esquire, M.P.P.
Resolved – That inasmuch as a Railroad between Halifax, Quebec and Montreal, would open a direct communication from Canada to the Ocean, during all seasons of the year, extending the means of transport now afforded by our canals in the summer, and entirely superseding them in winter, such an undertaking being eminently one of a national charter ought, like our great canals, to be accomplished at the expense of the public treasuries of the Provinces.
Proposed by the Honourable H. Black, seconded by the Honourable J. Chabot;
Resolved – That no doubt can be entertained according to the unbiased calculations and estimates of Major Robinson, the officer superintending the survey in the different routes of the proposed Railroad from Halifax to Quebec, that this Railroad – which would open to all points of Canada a direct and rapid communication with Europe, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and cause an extensive emigration to these Provinces, and become a second St. Lawrence during our long winters, and ultimately yield a revenue exceeding our present most sanguine expectations. That moreover, there is not an instance on this continent of a Railroad of any extent having failed to produce an income greatly beyond the interest of the cost of construction. That supposing the apprehension that this road might continue a few years without yielding a profit, to be well founded, such apprehensions can offer no reasonable grounds to the Legislature for refusing to undertake it, inasmuch as works of this character are not constructed exclusively for profit, or to the production of revenue, but chiefly for the purpose of opening internal communications and developing the resources of a country; thus our canals and other great public works, which have cost the Provinces more than five million pounds, and barely yield a revenue of fifty thousand pounds, have, nevertheless increased more than ten-fold the value of the real estate and the general wealth of Upper Canada.
Proposed by James Dean, Esquire, seconded by P. J. O. Chauveau, Esquire, M.P.P.
Resolved – That the movers and seconders of the above resolutions, be with the Mayor, a committee to draft a Petition founded on the said resolutions to be presented to the three branches of the Legislature, praying them to adopt, without delay, such measures they may deem calculated to meet the views of the Imperial Government and to place the Provincial Government in a condition to enter with all possible diligence upon this great undertaking, and that His Worship the Mayor be respectfully requested to sign and transmit the same to His Excellency the Governor General and the two Houses of Parliament.
Proposed by F. X. Methot, Esquire, M.P.P., seconded by Dr. Morrin;
Resolved – That this meeting express the hope that the other Provinces who are equally interested with Canada in the realization of this great enterprise, will not render it impossible by refusing their concurrence or by imposing conditions which cannot be accepted.
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Woodstock, Carleton Sentinel, Page 366 – Tuesday, May 13, 1851 – RAILWAYS IN THE COLONIES – From the Halifax Guardian – The all absorbing topic of the day, from one end of this part of the British dominions to the other, the topic which thrusts out all others, is: how are we to obtain a continuous line of Railway, facilitating our commerce with the States, and opening up the resources of our own Province? We have no intention in this journal of advocating the adoption of one line of policy more than another, in seeking to obtain this great boon. Our only object in devoting a few sentences to the subject at the present time, is to unite our nearest advice with that of others, that party feeling may as much as possible, be kept in the background in discussing the merits of two great propositions, which are now before us. There is a deep and almost universal anxiety to deal with the question on its merits alone, and the politician, who during the next election, may endeavour to make it a party stalking horse, will assuredly make shipwreck, both of his own prospects and those of his party. The people are too anxious to understand the real state of matters to rest satisfied with anything less than a thoroughly honest exposition of the subject; and that man’s public character is ruined, who, either from personal, or political motives, will endeavour to give a party complexion to it, merely to bolster up a party. We say again, that at the present moment, the people are too anxious to know the truth, to render imposition at all possible. In making these statements, we beg it to be decidedly understood that no insinuations against any party are intended. We see a mighty boom almost within our grasp, and are only desirous of guarding it from the bane of faction, which can only protract the premised good, and might possibly ruin the whole concern.
We believe that almost every one with the exception of a few of our Western friends, who labour under great misapprehensions on the subject, is anxious to have some railway.
The proceedings of the great convention at Portland, the mission to England, the public meetings and the Press all furnish conclusive evidence of the intense public interest which this subject has excited and will continue to excite.
The ability and zeal of Mr. Howe, in his great undertaking, have extorted no small need of commendation, even from his political enemies, which in itself is no insignificant proof of the general honesty of purpose, of an influential party in this Province. The Canadians speak cautiously and slowly, which we hold also to be a promising sign. It shows that they wish to understand what they are about before committing themselves to an undertaking of such magnitude. We admire that caution, because it proves the existence of a deep sense of responsibility. Had they plunged at once, thoughtlessly and recklessly, into the business, there would have been great danger that they might have manifested a like indifference in backing out of the difficulty, and repudiating engagements, should the even disappoint expectation. This very caution on the part of Canada, is a strong guarantee, both of its wisdom and its honour.- New Brunswick, too, in our opinion, notwithstanding the hard terms which have been applied to her by some of our contemporaries, has acted nobly. Fully committed to the Portland Railway , she has stood firm to her engagements, frankly acknowledge her inability to grapple with two such extensive works at once, yet in the most handsome and honourable spirit has renewed the guarantee of £20,000 per annum and ten miles of waste land on each side of the line of the Halifax and Quebec railway. This proposal we have no hesitation in pronouncing at once wise and generous, and we are very much mistaken if it will not have its proper effect upon the Home government.
If we look readily and impartially at all the circumstances of the case, the difficulties may not be after all, so great as they appear. If Nova Scotia is destined to become as important as we often boast it shall, the first step towards that greatness is about to be taken, and it is not perhaps too much to say, that on the judgement and decision manifested now, depend under the grace of God our ultimate destiny and the position we shall occupy among the nations of the earth. The iron rail has been said to be the bone civilization, the pioneer of commerce. Let us now make a great and combined effort, and we may fairly adopt as our motto, “Macetc et prospera.”
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Woodstock, Carleton Sentinel, Page 367 – Tuesday, May 13, 1851 – SAINT ANDREWS AND QUEBEC RAILROAD – Below are the proceedings of the annual meeting of this Company which we take from the Saint Andrews Standard. We are glad to see that their prospects are so encouraging – it is matter of congratulation to this part of the country that we have such an effective Board of Management; most of them being gentlemen of experience and influence. One earnest wish is that a commencement may be made as soon as possible, to break ground on this end of the line. Of course, in this, we do not wish to dictate but we are firmly persuaded that, did the Directors think it compatible with the interests of the Company to push forward the work from this place, material and labour could be afforded at as cheap, if not cheaper rate than could be effected any where along the route. By this means an inducement might be offered to the inhabitants of this County to come forward liberally and take more stock, if not in money, at least in something that might be just as good. We hope our friends at St. Andrews may give this their attention, as any suggestion to further the advancement of the road to completion should meet with every consideration at the hands of those entrusted with the undertaking.
At the Annual General meeting of the Stockholders of the St. Andrews and Quebec Rail Road Company, held at the Town Hall in Saint Andrews on Tuesday, the 6th. day of May 1851.
The President, John Wilson, Esquire, having taken the Chair read a statement of the proceedings and finances of the Company, for the year past which was accepted by the Stockholders.
Statement of the Proceedings and Finances of the Company, for the year past:
The close of the official year exhibits an assurance of successful prosecution on the part of the Company during the ensuing year, more than any past period.
Much of the opposition heretofore shown to the progress of the undertaking and the doubts entertained as to the remunerative character of the line, have been in a great measure overcome, and but few persons remain who are so short sighted as to suppose that the present enterprise can ever be abandoned as unattainable. The directors of the past year beg to report that since their appointment, they have nearly accomplished the Grading of ten miles of the line between Saint Andrews and Bartlett’s. This includes a substantial pile bridge over the arm of the sea contiguous to Saint Andrews, called Caty’s Cove. This bridge spans 550 feet, and is now ready for rails. It has the approbation of several engineers and scientific gentlemen, who pronounce it to be a very substantial and efficient structure, put up at a comparatively moderate expense.
Several other bridges, within this section of ten miles, both of crib and trestle work, are in progress of construction, which, for the wooden superstructure, the Directors confidently hope will be ready for the iron by the 1st. of June next.
The Iron Rails of a hat or bridge form, with the Locomotive and Tender, were shipped from England last fall, in two vessels, the Avon and Ansdale. The former vessel arrived in Saint Andrews in March last, with a cargo of rails, locomotive, tender, etc. The latter vessel has also lately arrived in Halifax with the complement of rails and plates.
The Directors regret that the plates had not been shipped in the same vessel as the locomotive, as the rails might then have been laid down as far as Chamcook, and the ballasting of that portion of the road completed.
The actual expenditure of the Board up to this period, is £33,000. This, it will be observed embraces a large amount for surveying and engineering expended on the route through to Woodstock previous to the letting of any portion of that line.
The Directors have estimated the engineering expenses apart from the general outlay, and feel confident that exclusive of these expenses, the amount already laid out on the part of the Company has not exceeded £3,000 per mile. This sum will be understood to cover the cost of locomotive, tender, rails, bridges, etc., and in fact the whole outlay for the ten miles now contract.
From the report of Mr. Light, the engineer of the Company, and other engineers preceding that gentlemen, as to the local character of the line between Saint Andrews and Woodstock, and its adaption to Railways, the Directors feel confident that the remainder of the road will not exceed $10,000 per mile. During the last winter, the Legislature of the Province very generously voted £50,000 sterling in Provincial bonds bearing an interest of 6 per cent and redeemable in thirty years; the Province to assume a corresponding amount of stock in the Company, not, however, subject to any interest, other than a pro-rata dividend upon the returns of the road after its completion to Woodstock.
Upon the passage of this bill, the Directors concluded to send Mr. Thompson, the Manager, to England, to negotiate with the Board of Directors in London, in order to comply with the requirements of this act, and the Directors have very reason to believe that his mission will be successful and highly advantageous to the interests of the Company. That upon the return of that Gentlemen a full and detailed report of his mission will be furnished by the Directors of the Company. The Directors have to report that a portion of the breast work at Kate’s Cove gave way through the insufficiency of its construction; but at the same time have the satisfaction in reporting that the repairs can be made at a comparatively small expense, as the Timber used in the original construction has been preserved and can be made use of again. The Directors have used strict economy in the expenditure of the funds of the Company and respectfully recommended to their successors in Office a rigid adherence to the same policy.
The Directors also would urge upon their successors to push forward the work with all the practical dispatch that the funds of the Company warrant.
It affords the Directors much pleasure in congratulating the Company, upon this present flattering prospects, but at the same time that they offer these congratulations they feel it their duty to call upon the friends of the undertaking to exert themselves as men engaged in a good cause and upon whose exertions depend the future promotion and progress of so laudable an undertaking.
All of which is respectively submitted.
thereupon Resolved,- That the above statement be printed and that a full and detailed Report be published immediately after the arrival of Mr. Thompson, the Manager, from England.
Resolved Unanimously,- that the Imperial Act, entitled “An Act for Incorporating the Class A shareholder of the St. Andrews and Quebec Railroad Company” and conferring on them certain powers passed 13 & 14 Victoria – Session 1850, receive the assent of the Stockholders present and that the assent of this Company is hereby given to full operation of the said Act. And further Resolved,- That such assent be signified by writing, under the common seal of the Railroad Company, and the hand of three or more Directors thereof in the form and effect prescribed by the 37th. Sections of the Act.
The president having left the Chair and the Honourable H. Hatch being called thereto.
The following gentlemen were duly and legally elected Directors for the ensuing year.
Honourable Rear Admiral W. F. W. W. Owen, Honourable Harris Hatch, Honourable G. S. Hill, Honourable C. Connell, Colonel R. Hayne, Captain J. J. Robinson, R.N., Captain Thomas Moses, J. Wilson, L. Donaldson, William Whitlock, H. H. Hatch, T. B. Wilson, and G. D. Street, Esquires.
Resolved,- That this meeting be adjourned until Tuesday, the 17th. June next, for the purpose of general business.
And after a vote of thanks to the Chairman the meeting adjourned.
- H. Whitlock
Clerk and Secretary
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Woodstock, Carleton Sentinel, Page 367 – Tuesday, May 13, 1851 – THE HALIFAX AND QUEBEC RAILWAY – Lord Stanley had another petition to present on a Colonial subject. It was from an association of persons in this County deeply interested in Emigration to British North America, and prayed that the assistance of Government might extend towards the completion of the Quebec and Halifax Railway. It had been suggested that the waste lands of the Colony should be taken as security.
Earl grey stated that difficulties existed as to the security which was offered for the loan required to complete the Railway. The loan might be raised in the money market of England, on the security of all the resources of Colonies, territorial and general. If the proposal was carried out, the Colonies interested would be liable to pay the expense.
Lord Stanley said it was quite clear. It was true that the whole revenue and land of the Provinces would be a guarantee to the government; but he doubted whether even the whole would be security for the sum required to carry the Railway through new Brunswick. In a Railroad of this kind, if the enormous enhancement was considered of the value of the land through which it was to be carried, and care was taken that the land should be made available for paying off the capital invested, he believed that the Railway would be a profitable consideration – (hear, hears.) Their Lordships then adjourned until Thursday the 1st. May.
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Woodstock, Carleton Sentinel, Page 367 – Tuesday, May 13, 1851 – THE RAILWAY – Saint John Courier – Extract from Mr. Howe’s letter to Earl Grey, of November 25th., 1850:-
“The Halifax and Quebec line requiring five millions sterling to complete it, the united resources of the three Provinces are inadequate to the work, without very liberal aid from the British Government; that aid having been refused, the project, for the present, has been reluctantly abandoned.”
“A Railroad to Portland offers many advantages which one to Quebec does not. It will cost only about one half as much. It must run all the way through a comparatively improved country. It would connect Halifax with Saint John, (and by the river, with Fredericton,) and the large towns of New Brunswick, giving all these, with the villages and agricultural settlements lying between them most desirable facilities for internal traffic. The line to Quebec cannot be constructed by the Colonists unless the British Government make liberal contributions.”
With the above view, the people of New Brunswick entirely coincide; and because Mr. Howe and his followers in Halifax, have, within three short months, arrived at precisely the opposite conclusion, they cannot expect that we should “jump Jim Crow,” reason or none, at their bidding. We cannot understand why what was true in November should be a lie in march:- will the editor of the Nova Scotian be pleased to enlighten us on this point?
We really cannot descend to reply to the remarks of the Nova Scotian regarding the “outside barbarians” of New Brunswick. If such conceited gasconadings go down with the people of Nova Scotia, they must be a wonderful people surely.
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Woodstock, NB, The Carleton Sentinel, Page 378 – Tuesday, May 20, 1851 – A RAILWAY – WITH A UNION OF THE COLONIES – A recurrence so soon to this subject needs no apology at our hands. Our readers will acknowledge that too much cannot be said, in the investigation of a scheme fraught with such incalculable benefits as the one under consideration. Any hasty action involving the outlay of so much money, is to be entirely deprecated, entailing as it might a debt on the Province which may nearly swallow our resources, and in the end drag on us for years to come. We are not to be understood by this, to throw any, the least obstacle in the way of improvement, only that before building we may count the cost, and at the same time plan to the best advantage. By all means must a Railway, and that in connection with a Union of the Colonies be effected.
Had these Provinces been formed into a federal union previous to any question on Railways, we should not now have been harassed, and perplexed with the variety of interests and discord in opinion which at present exist. What now do we see? But then it is taking up our time for naught to point out our situation. When once placed in a difficulty it is useless for use to say how we might have avoided it. The better way is for us to make our escape as soon as we can, and that too in the most easy and speedy manner possible. We would humbly suggest the expediency of at once having a convention at some place most convenient to the Provinces interested. We should name Quebec, Let the citizens of that city, call a Public Meeting and draw up a circular to be sent to the Executive, and leading men of each Province to meet in that place at some early day, say August, for the purpose of maturing the best plan to carry out the two objects mentioned at the head of this article. In the mean time meetings could be held in every district – an expression of opinion elicited – and delegates chosen to attend the convention, who represent the feelings of localities which may have any interest depending upon the plans proposed.
Could the Railroad from Halifax to Quebec be built around Minas Basin and the Head of the Bay of Fundy to Saint John and so on by the way of St. Andrews, Woodstock and the Grand Falls, it would be the best route; yet this we fear in the present state of our resources cannot be accomplished by us, without a large amount of stock being taken by the Home Government. Every means should be resorted to in order to obtain assistance from the imperial funds, and then, when this shall have been found unavailing, to take up with the route which the Province can build independently – which will be a paying line – and which, from the first mention of Railways, we have always been of the opinion was the most likely to be carried into successful operation, viz: the Route from Halifax, via Windsor and Kentville to some Harbour on the Bay shore of Annapolis County, then by powerful Steamers to Saint John and so on to Quebec, in this way leaving the long and circuitous route to be accomplished when the Provinces becomes more able. We think Messrs. Johnson, Frazer, and Hall, the leading men in the Legislature of the western Counties of Nova Scotia abandoned too easily the advocating of the Windsor line, as that road offers very great encouragement for the laying of a railway – being through a settled and most fertile country – without any very great engineering difficulties, with the exception of the Horton and Falmouth mountain around which even now is an almost level post road, as we can fully testify.
The people of Saint John, too, should look to this matter, as they must be infinitely the gainers, thereby making their port the entrepot of all heavy freight to and from the West Indies, and the old Country. They would then lose nothing of the St. Lawrence trade that they should by the railroad going around the Bay. Indeed a railway could be made from some good harbour on the Gulf shore to the Bend, by which they might secure to themselves, the whole traffic of the Prince Edward Island trade. We shall probably take this up more in detail at a future day.
Since writing the above we have seen some mention made of the Canadian Government having arranged to meet a deputation from the Government of each of the Lower Provinces in Montreal, on the Railway question. This has not our approval. We wish to see a general convention of the leading men of all parties in the Provinces without regard to any political bias and that too in some place more interested in a railroad, wholly through British territory. The Montrealers we opine would bring all their influence to bear on the European and North American Railway irrespective of any other route. Let our Quebec folk be stirring in this affair.
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Woodstock, NB, The Carleton Sentinel, Page 394 – Tuesday, June 3, 1851 – RAILWAY DELEGATION – The more we think about it, the more are we convinced, that the Delegates from these Lower Provinces in going to Canada should take the route via Woodstock and the Grand Falls. We should press this upon the Honourables Messrs. Chandler and Howe, as it might be overlooked in the hurry of their departure. Certain it is that by pursuing this plan, they will go to Toronto, with a better knowledge if the Country over which the Railway is to pass, than they would by passing through the United States, the way commonly adopted. We would urge the consideration of this upon the Government, should they not have already attended to it. A word to the wise is sufficient.
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Woodstock, NB, The Carleton Sentinel, Page 394 – Tuesday, June 3, 1851 – RAILWAYS – The Resolutions passed at a public meeting recently held at Dalhousie, Restigouche, upon the subject of the Halifax and Quebec Railway, shall appear in our next, together with some comments upon the same. They are calculated to mislead the unwary, and put our Government in a wrong light before the Sister Provinces. Bad as we judge our House of Assembly to be, yet in this instance we think they have pursued the best course that could be adopted, under the circumstances. Indeed the Railway Facility Bills, are the only ones which received anything like a unanimous support; though it is our opinion they will not receive the sanction of the Imperial Government, at least this year. At the same time; we are satisfied , our Legislature will support but one line to Quebec, through British territory, and that by the way of Dorchester, Saint John, St. Andrews, Woodstock and Grand Falls.
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Woodstock, NB, The Carleton Sentinel, Page 394 – Tuesday, June 3, 1851 – Saint John Courier – THE RAILWAY – We understand that the Honourable Mr. Chandler has been appointed as Delegate from New Brunswick to attend the Railway Convention in Canada. We learn that the Honourable Mr. Howe, from Nova Scotia, will meet Mr. Chandler at Dorchester on the 1st of June, and that they will proceed to Toronto. We have no doubt that Mr. Chandler will satisfy the Convention that New Brunswick is offering upwards of a million acres of land and £20,000 a year towards the Halifax and Quebec Railway, has done quite as much as she ought, or, indeed, can do. We have every disposition to look with favour on this great scheme, but regarding it as an Imperial and Colonial measure, and entirely unremunerative as far as New Brunswick is concerned; we can see no prospect of its being accomplished unless the British Government, together with Canada and Nova Scotia, the parties chiefly interested, undertake to bear their fair proportion of the cost. We are satisfied that the people of this Province have fully made up their minds that neither this nor any other such public work should be undertaken as a Government measure, not that the whole Provincial revenues should be mortgaged for any object whatever.
From all we can learn, Canada will take the same stand that New Brunswick has done, and we trust that Mr. Howe, finding that he made a mistake, will retire and allow the magnificent enterprise brought forward at the Portland Convention be carried out.
Of course it matters not to us whether Nova Scotia portion of the European and North American Railway be constructed as agreed upon, or be undertaken by Government. All we ask is, that it be done. If the people of that Province can persuade the British Government to lend them the money, it is well, but it seems to us to be selfish, unfair, and foolish to ask us to build Five Hundred Miles of Railway, so that they may get the loan of money at 3½ per cent, to build their 130 miles.
As it is entirely out of the question that this can ever be thought of, we trust that they will, as speedily as possible come down to common sense, and go to work in one way or another.
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A. Clowes
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