St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-18
A PRACTICAL PREMIER.
The Leader Of the Manitoba Government
Taking an Interest in the Hud-
sons Bay Route.
A Railroad to be Built to the Rich and
Fertile Territory From the City
Of Winnipeg.
Support to be Given the Project and
Controlling Interest to Vest In
the Province.
An English Syndicate Investing
Money in 1t, Together With Cam
adfan officials
Ho! for Hud.on,s Raw.

SPONi"A " lnC OtODe
WINNIPEG, Man., May 1.-THE legisla-
ture OF Manitoba, which has been in session
here for about two months, has at last de-
veloped an important item of news that will
awaken much interest throughout Canada
and in the Northwestern states. Hon.
John NorQuay, premier of the provincial
government, has announced the determine
ton OF his government to take up the Hud-
sons Bay route enterprise as a pro-
vlncial measure and to appeal to
the provincial electorate for new
lease OF power on that issue. This
departure IS the more surprising because
that gentleman, about two months ago. in
a speech delivered by him at Emerson, de-
clared that there was no immediate neces-
slty for the construction of the Hudson's
Bay road. The statement awakened SO
much hostility among the people toward
his administration that he found it neces-
sary to meet the opposition with some SUBJ
stantial measure in behalf of that enterprise.
10 make the question Ineligible 10 the
readers of The GLOBE, it may be stated that
the
FERTILE PRAIRIE REGION
OF the Canadian Northwest extends to
within 300 miles of the western shore of
A4HdoOil OuSs llC 1IOIl The avail
able harbors on that shore to LiyerpooI by
water is somewhat less than from Ouebec
or New York to the same point, or abouU
2, 900 statute miles. Taking a point 500
miles southwest from the bay as a central
distributing point for the Canadian North.
west the distance that would be saved bv
the proposed Hudson bay route over that
now adopted by way of the Canadian Pa
clhc and the st. Lawrence would be over
1,200 miles of railway transit In 1884 the
question had become so popular that the fed
eral government sent out an expedition to
inquire into the navigation of the bay and
strait, and observation stations were estab-
llshed and have been maintained until the
present date. The result, as formulated
by the Dominion government, is that those
waters are not navigable beyond a period of
four and half months in each year. The
people of this province, however, do not
believe the federal reports, but holding that
they are largely influenced by Canadian Pa
citic officials, who are naturally opposed to
the line, they cling to the belief that the
navigation season is not less than six months
in each year. The Winnipeg & Hudson's
Bay Railway company has now been char
tered
FOR SOME FIVE YEARS,
but it has accomplished nothing except
some surveys, although it has received a
land grant of IL, 800 acres per mile for the
whole length of its proposed road, about
75O miles. Mr.. Hugh Sutherland, member
OF parliament. president of the company,
has been in England for the past two
months negotiating for the necessary capt.
tai with which to open the route. He has
met with some success, which has resulted
in important correspondence between the
Manitoba p0Vnrnmonf nd bir,nco1f INV ;oI,
it seems the former have been drawn
into the undertaking. About month
ago the speaker of the house cabled Mr..
Sutherland in London that the legislature
had regranted its 81, 600, 900 subsidy, pay
able on the completion Of the line, and was
ready to cooperate in every way possible to
insure his success. 1t now seems that Mr..
Sutherland's English mission has been sue
cessful to the extent of organizing a strong
syndicate, which is ready to act under and
with the Manitoba government in construct
ing the necessary railway line and that the
government in question has agreed to enter
into the compact. Mr.. Norquay, in his
budget speech on Thursday. said that ne
gOtiatiOns had proceeded on
BEHALF OF THE ENTERPRISE
to point where, in his opinion, an opening
presented itself, affording an opportunity
for the provincial government to step in
and assure the success of the measure. To-
day he was interviewed by the GLOBE cor
respondent, and intimated that at the close
of the session he would proceed to England
and make arrangements for floating the
bonds of the province to the extent of
$1,000, 900, the funds to be used along with
the capital (S5, 900, 000) which Mr.. Suther-
lands syndicate proposes to furnish, and
along with the moneys to be realized from
the bonds, stock and land grant of the COM
pany. By these means it is expected that
$40, 000,0 900 will be ultimately realized,
which amount is necessary to open the route
properly. The Manitoba provincial gov
eminent will hold controlling interest in
the road so as to protect the people of the
Northwest against eXtortienate freight
rates, and its own treasury, until the bonds
issued are paid off and Cancelled. The
movement will most assuredly reinstate
Mr.. Norquay in the confidence of the peo-
pie, and if it is not an electioneering dodge,
will bring great measure of success to the
enterprise. Mr.. Joseph Mulholland,
leading merchant here and a director of the
Hudson's Bay Railroad company, stated to
the correspondent tonight that, while he
had hitherto opposed the premier, he
would give him cordial support in the
present undertaking.