The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-02-09
The Great Western Railroad.


! This is the name given to the great Rail-
j road which spans Canada West from Wind
sor to Niagara Falls and connects with the
Michigan Central and New York Central
Railroads, thus avoiding the disagreeable
necessity of fpassing through the beligerent
town Of Erie. a grand celebration Of the
opening Of this road has recently been held
at Hamilton, G. w, the most important
town in the route and to the citizens Of
which place, among whom the most promi-
nent were Sir Allan McNab and Isaac
Buchanan, Esq, it owes its inception.
The Great Western Railroad is the most
substantial one on our Continent, being
built, as are all the English roads, with less
regard to expense than durability. Its cost
per mile being $4,000 and its length 22S
miles. The original capital stock was five
million dollars, but twas subsequently found
necessary to increase it to ten millions. SO
much confidence had English capitalists in
the success Of the enterprise, that when it
was proposed to double the original stock. it
is said that a single member of Il Canadian
and English house. gave his check for mill
lion Of dollars. The stock already com
Inands handsome premium.
This road is built altogether with the i,
I and compound rail, averaging SO lbs. to
the yard, which is above the ordinary weight
of those rails The " Whole line is favorable
for speed, there being few abrupt curves and
in one instance a straight line Of 56 miles.
The euaee of the road is 81. feet, which is
said to be the width established by law in
| the Province The distance from Windsor
TO the Falls is now made in from ten to
twelve hours, but the time will be reduced
III the road becomes permanently balanced
and settled. until it will be made in from six
to eight hours. The fare from Detroit to
the Suspension Bridge is now 5000, but will
soon be reduced to $500.
The most considerable city on the route Of
I the Great Western Railroad is, as we have
remarked. Hamilton, which is situated at
:
! the foot OF Lake Oatario and contains 1900
| inhabitants, of whom 400 are negro men
who have escaped from slavery in our South
crn States Colorcd people arc privileged
10 vote in Canada so soon as they become
I freeholde.s and are rated as possessing / II
Of property. This property qualification Is
essential 10 every vote in that Province.
| The following are the names OF the towns
| and distances on the above road coming
wcst:-From Niagara Falls to St. Gather
| inc. Il miles; to Hamilton, A; Paris. 6a:
/ Woodstock 50: London, l2o; Chatham. l53;
/ Windsor. OBS miles.
! The Great Western Raiaoad was com
menced on the 18th Of May, lsl5, bnt has
been mostly built within the last three
wears In the language Of President Bu-
chanau. It is the most rect route between
the Eastern and Western States and nearly
straight line from Boston to Chicago -
The country through which this road passes
! is vet very thinly settled. particularly be-
tween Windsor and London, which is flat
with heavy forests beyond the latter point
the land is more rolling and diversified. with
farms interspersed.
The prosperity usually conferred upon a
country by Railroads is experienced IN Can
ada, and property Oh this road has advanced
from - to 200 per cent. vii lands which
! formerly sold at from two to three dollars
prr acre, now command from FIVE to ten
dollars; and improved lands which could
have been purchased at from twenty-five to
thirty dollars per acre now rate at from nifty
to seventy five dollars. In a few years, a>
our western roads generally, it will add more
than its cost to the real wealth Of Canada
We have been thus particular IN giving
tho statistics of this road, as it is now IN
successful operation, is trustworthy, and Is
destined, especially since the difficulties b!
which Erie has rendered hersclfso obnoxious
to the travelling community, to be the route
hy which every one will go East.