The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-20
Tunnel Connecting Port Huron
and Sarnia Opened.
THE EVENT DULY CELEBRATED
Sir Henry Tyler's Toast to the Queen-A Trib.
ute to President Harrison-wimans
on the Blindness of Protection.

IN front of the station. At 12:30 the in
augural train started. 1t pulled directly
to Sarnia depot, where a number of invited
guests and citizens of Sarnia were taken
aboard, Then the train steamed out to the
edge of the town to reach the approach to
the tunnel. Here a triumphal arch
was erected. Mayor Watson and
the officials of Sarnia met the
president of the Grand Trunk railway
and the mayor read an address. President
Tyler made a brief speech of acceptance
A company with Sarnia officials boarded
the train and proceeded on the trip through
the tunnel. When they arrived on the
other side they passed through another tri-
umphal arch, whore Mayor McIlwayne
and the Port Huron city officials were
waiting on the platform to receive them. A
large assemblage of citizens was also pres
emit. AS soon as the railway officials
stepped fro2 the cars the mayor read an adj
dress. At the conclusion of the reading
the mayor presented Sir Henry Tyler
with an engrossed copy of the address
and Sir Henry responded with a
neat speech of thanks. The people
cheered and waved their handkerchiefs and
the train pulled out to the Chicago & Grand
Trunk passenger station where all got off
and embarked on the steamer Omar D.
Conger for Sarnia.
This triumph of modern engineering has
been achieved under the swift outlet OF
Lake Huron to supercede the ferry system
OF transporting the traffic of the Grand
Trunk route from the American to the
Canadian banks. The tunnel under the
river is over a mile long and is lined
throughout with rolled iron plates bolted
together In segments. The tunnel and ap-
proaches are little over two miles in total
length. At the ends of the approaches are
functions with the Grand Trunk railroad
on the Canadian side and the Chicago 81
Grand Trunk railroad on the American
side of the river. The cost of the tunnel
proper is 81, 100000.
The guests arrivsd at the freight sheds.
which had been turned into banquet hall,
shortly before 3 o'clock. The exterior was
almost covered with green fir boughs and
the interior was festooned with flags and
bunting. On the east side were three long
tables running with the building, the
guests facing the river. At the other side
were thirteen short tables set crosswise.
At the center middle long table sat Sir
HenryTyler. To his right was Sir j ohm Ross
commander ln-chief of the troops in Can
ada. To the left sat Sir Governor Wimaus.
Others on the left were Senator Smith.
one of the directors of the Grand Trunk
United States Consul Genera. Knapp, OF
Montreal; d. Mcintyre, Congressman J.
Logan Chapman, Senator BouIton. of
Ottawa; Adiutant General Farrar, Hon.
Mr.. Ross, of the Ontario cabinet; J.
Latom, M P. for Latnpton county; Senator
! Vidal Sarnia. To the right after passing
John Ross were Sir Growski l.. Argent,
general manager of the Grand Trunk
system, Richard Harcourt, of the
| Ontario cabinet; Erastus Wimans,
John Bell counsel of the Grand Trunk
Hon. Mr.. ellison, of the Ontario cabinet
George M. Pullman, Charles Mackenzie
member of parliament, and on the end was
Joseph Hobson, who built the tunnel.
| The postrprandial work began with 9
toast to the Queen, offered by Sir Henry
Tyler. He spoke as follows:
VI arise, gentlemen, to propose to you
the health of her majesty Queen Victoria
Queen of the United Kingdom, Empr ess oil
India, and sovereign of the British empire
II is matter of common knowledge that
her majesty has reigned ffty-four years
previous sovereign of England
but there are considerations con
nected with her reign far more
| important and of much higher interest
than the mere length of DAYS. During tht
| lifetime of her majesty there have occurred
| events which have transformed the face OF
the earth. 1t is during the lifetime of hel
majesty that railways have for the frs
time been constructed, ocean steamships
have been employed, telegraphic communi
cation by land and sea have been brought
into use and the most remarkable discov-
cries have been made in chemistry, astron
! omy and other sciences. In drinking Their
| heartily to the health of her majesty we
may protitaoly remember how much has
| occurred in her lifetime and should now bs
grateful that while she has reigned as Ions
as she has, what is more important, has
reigIed SO worthily and gained our affec
ton by the eXmaple she has set as wife
as widow, as mother and as a Queen ;
| The queel's health was solemnly drank
and Sir Henry again came in with few
words for the president of tie United
States. Parts of lis speech were as follows
II am confident you will receive the mex
toast with equal heartiness-His Excel
lency the President of the Unied States
the elected representa- We of 65, 900 OOi
people. The president occupies durint
his term of office a unique position amongs
the nations. He presides over a countr,
con aiming within itself the products of al
climes from Alaska's ice to the orang,
groves of Florida. 1t will be bad tim,
for Great Britain, when the United States
ceasing to levy protective duties, compete.
with us more actively in the markets. O.
| the world.'
Consul General Knapp responded to this
toast.
The remainder of the toasts were, 9TH,
Governor General of Canada" responded
to by Sir John Ross and Sir CasimiI
Growski.
1.-The Governor of the State of Michi
GAM responded to by Governor Wiman
1.-The Success of the Grand Trunk and
ST. Clair Tunnel company, and Sir Henry
Tyler" responded to by Sir Henry Tyler
"rhe Engineer of the Tunnel" re
sponded to by Joseph Hobson. TRAD
and Commerce." responded to by J. w
Palmer. and Erastus Wimen responded |,
RAILWAY President Of the Continent'' ant
1.-THE Press"
Mr. Wiman, in the course of his remark
said: "The great tunnel which to-day i.
open for the first time for traffic, is fount
a fitting compliment of the magnificen
achievements of the Canadian railway sys
TENS, but while British capital within
British territory has done so much towar,
rthe development of the most importau
portion of the United States, how strang
is it that relative progress has not bee,
made within Canada itself. 1t is an inter
esting problem to solve to account for tn,
retardation of progress made more remark
able than the world has ever befor
witnessed. In vain is the caus,
sought for in natural or physica
or financial disabilities. 1t seems to resid,
only within the political condition which
while extremely favorable TO Canada 81
far as freedom and good government ara
concerned, nevertheless, by her foreign
policy has materially retarded her prog.