Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-20
OTTAWA ONT, March, 1871


The recent report of the parliamentary
committee on canals has superseded much
that had intended to say about the ca
nal system of the Dominion, and renders
that part Of my work comparatively easy.
You will fluid 10 that report abpudaut con-
firmation OF my sta' emessts cr'nctr" 3
the energetic manner IN which Gauad" Is
taking up the question of internal trade
and Communication. The proposed APP
| preparations are large, but so are the
work. which call for them. Or the pro
posed enlargement of the Welland Canal
and of the improvement Of the 81. Law
renee River, have before spoke1 There
remains, therefore, to BE- exp'ainrt, the
Ottawa Canal, and the general plan of
uniting the Ottawa River with the l. Ike
Superior region, both by rail aud water.
First, however, let me speak of orr loca |
railways and their interest in the greater
question.
Ottawa has two railroads 10 the ST..
Lawrence. The Brockville Add Ottawa
runs from Brockville to- Amprior, with Il
branch to Ottawa. The ST. L.wrence
and Ottawa lies between Prescott and the
capital The latter is the only one with
which we have to do at this time. 1t was
built about twenty years ago and went
into bankruptcy with extraordiI AIRY
promptness. A first mortgage bond was
| Issued, and some of the stockholders won't
| to England and borrowed about n million
| and one half on that mortgage. The af-
| fairs of the company grew worse and
| worse, and finally the frstmorrgage
| bondholders sent over representative,
Mr.. Thomas Reynslds, to look aft r their
interests. Mr.. Reynolds GOT the road
into his hands by buying up the original
| stock, went TO work theoretically to build
up a business and reputation for the
concern, and 80 far succeeded as to be in
fair way to make it useful and pros
porous line.
The road has good passenger business
during the sessions of parliament, but it
draws it's chief support from the lumber
traffic. The annual production of the
lumber mills Of Ottava reaches the enor-
nous amount of two billion feet. A large
proportion of this-exactly what proper
ton I cannot say, but very large proper
| tion-fnds it's way to market by way of
the river, but the road reaps respectable
income from its share of the business.
Ports which can be reached directly by
water patronize that source of commune
| cation almost exclusively. But parties
shipping to places which are not thus ia
vored find it cheaper to ship all the way
| by rail without reloading, than to ship
part of the way by water, with the ex-
pense and trouble of transferring the car
go to the cars for the remainder of the
journey, Tina lumber going from OF
tawa to Burlington or Albany almost in
variably goes by water, whereas consign-
ments for Boston generally take the cars
| at Ottawa. By an arrangement with the
Vermont Central, a car of lumber or a
smaller quantity can be billed directly
| from Ottawa to Boston, and goss through
without change by means Of the freight
| ferry between Prescott and Ogdensburgh.
This is a new arrangement, and one which
promises to develop an important business
The builders Of the st. Lawrence and
Ottawa Railroad made the great mistake
of terminating on the Southern side of
the city, mile or more from the lumber
district. Mr.. Reynolds ia now making
an extension around the city right into
the midst of the mills, which almost hide
the picturesque Chaudiere Falls. This
will give him control Of larger portion
OF the lumber trade, bringing him into
connection not only with the immense
saw mills, but with the innumerable sash,
door, blind, tub and pail, furniture, and
match factories, and other concerns of the
kind which line the Ottawa River.
| The Rideap Canal, of which 1 have
spoken, is not of much consequence in its
present condition. Il was built many
years ago e . military work, designed to
IL
tween Montreal and Toronto without