The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-02
Railways In Nova Scotia.


We were favored yesterday with q visit from Hon.
Joseph Howe, late Provincial Secretary of Novs
Scotia and now Chief Commissioner Of Railways for
that Province.
Mr.. Howe is well known as q public man. having
for the last twenty years been at the head Of the
liberal party in that Province, and for many pears
past at thehead of its governme nj, holding the Office
81 MT hors resigned ns Pc
Nova Scotia at the head of the Board Of RaiIwsy
missioners, under the law Of the last session.
providing for the building Of railways in that Pro-
vince.
Mr. Howe evidently enters with the Same zeal
upon his new vocation as be embarked his energies
and his facie pen in the advocacy of the princOaA
OF " responsible government years ago, when that
solid men" Of Nova Scotia and Canada. We hope
Mr.. Howe may meet Is much success in this neW
field Of labor as attended his efforts In the carrying
now 50 wen established throughout British North
America We have formerly had doubts a. to Che
policy of building railways through the agency, or
by means Of, governmental management-but this
those engaged in the carrying out Of their respective
portions of the European and North American Rail-
way. Our desires in regard to the carrying out thse
work have been, that, In Nova Scotia, New Bruna-
wick and Maine, each should adopt its own method
Tor Its accomplishment, while all should harmonic
upon all questions affecting Ns structure or ts future
management.
Fortunately all questions of the latter Descriptions
are now adjusted. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
have both adopted the guage of 81 feet making II
uniform with the line of the Grand Trunk Railway
Of Canada and when the various sections, the dis
jecta nebra, in Csnada Maine and in the Provinces
east become connected, they will form an unbrokeu
line Of railway, OF uniform guage, from Halifax to
Detroit. -
In 1853 Nova Scotia Professionally agreed % adope
the COMPANY principle" similar to that of New
Brunswick, and six months time was allowed after
the royal assent for the organization Of the company
On the failure Of this, "the government schemes
was 10 come into operation.
The war In Europe che ked, and in fact defeated
the plans OF those who sought to inaugurate the
company within the six months, ami at the end Of
that time Mr.. Howe introduced and carried through
Parliament his scheme for government line.
The work was commenced on the Sth OF June
1854, at Halifax, aud section of some ten miles Ia
unoer contract to be opened this year. An add
tonal section OF fifteen miles will be opene In 1855.
The first twenty-five miles forms common trunk
for the lines running to Amherst, to Windsor. and
to Pictou, and we learn from Mr. Howe that they
intend to push the trunk line to the frontier of New
Brunswick, so Is to meet their line at that point "a
soon as it can reach 1T, from 81. Joha. They will
then extend branch lines to Windsor and Pictou
as occasion may require.
The Province Of Nova Scotia has an oyerHor,n9
treasury, and Is free of debt. For some Years 20
come the city Of Halifax viii furnish ready mar
ket for her debentures, at per cent, and as tha
Line proposed will form an important link in tina
Great Trunk Railway from Halifax to the United
States and Canada. no fears are entertained AZ "a
the paying qualities of the line.
Our people will recoect that Dr. Howe pledged
himself at our City Hall. in the fall of 1851 to com
plefe that portion Of Z. & N. A. Rail way in NovA
Scotia az soon as Maine should build her part n IL.
ard as the work Is now in progress from Halifax
this way we must be up and doing, or forfeit our
pledges thus mutually given. New Brunswick and
Nova Scotia are both at work. and their lines undsc
contract for a good portion of the distance. Ina
line from Waterville to Bangor will be completed
the present year, but from Bangor to Calais tho
means for boildiag the ninety-five milss are ST.
unprovided. We have no doubt, however, that be-
fore the fall of the leaf the coming autumn, sonnA
The visit If Mr. Howe, and the explanation by him
given, have awakened o new and fresh interest foe
The carrying out of the European a7d North Ane-
srican Rsilway.-State of Maine.