The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-05
10 EUROPE BIZ HrDSUS's by.
The Project OF Building II ESi'rcrd from
Winnipeg to Fort hurchiu E;nfa Hackers.

The Project Of building - EEi'rcnd fom
Winnipeg TO Fort Churchin E;nts Hackers.
WASHINGTON. Juno 4.-The announcement is
made in London that the money has nj last
been procured for establishing: tho new Horth-
western grain route by rail to Fort Churchill.
and thence by steamer through Hudsons
Straits to England.
Whea this scheme was first proposed. few
years ago. II was regarded by many. i, not asa
joke at least as visionary. TO attempt to
establish new railway and tranSoccanc
route in such latitudes. in avowed COMPETE
ton with tho existing s"Lthryly lines. seemed
q great risk And when tho enterprise was
started in earnest. and promoters and capt.
talists were found FOR it. it received II setback
from certain practical measures taken Cor tho
express purpose of ascerta!nin. whether tho
new route was feasible.
Tho main difficulty. OF course is not in con-
structing the lind portion Of the route. That.
to be sure. will absorb much the larger part of
the funds. aud is not free from difficulties.
Surprising the limo to run from Winnipeg to
Fort Churchill. on tho west shore OF Hudson's
Bay. or to Port Nelson. which is nifty miles
serious unIertnIing to Lu!Id and d" maintain a
railway in such n region. Still there are no
very heavy grades. alt ough the country is
broken. Fully, hundred miles Of the route
II
size. aud there is little land for farming: but
there would hn few costly, rock cuttings. The
it could hardly be hoped 10 build up. the coun-
try with so, much land for settlers in less in
clement and moro productive parts Of Canada:
course tho navigation of HuIson's Straits.
The bay. 9 great inland soa 1000 miles In:
it has been usrertuned 10y careful observations
and explorations some Of them undertaken
expressly with view 10 Judging OF the riuc-
straits cannot be counted unon to give rErrss
and ingress formore than two or three months
each yenr. or four at the utmost.
The Dominion Government. having been
urged to lend aid TO tho Hudson Bay project.
liminary investigation OF its possibilities. Its
rsS step W vas, AN Mnprohriar,Hn Of $1,000
persons. along the bay and straits. Tho 4eXt
Year the Alert. under Liept Gordon. under
difficulty with tho Ice around Cane Best that
she vas forced to l anann E the attempt
sh, was imprisoned twenty-one days. and
when freed. OF tho Stl' OF July She had
bsn return % st. JOHNS shs for MADE rS,a aaon sG
expedition in August and succeeded in
Visiting tho stations. although the ice was so
Jiino could not be counted on for onen water
the other s. hand it was evcntthnt during some
question. therefore. i reduced TO determining
whether the nayignb!e season in the straits Is
long enough 10 pay for building and running
Tho main reliance Of tho project is. of
COURSE to furnish an outlet for the grain OF
Manitoba and tho saskatchewan region. and
that Of Minnesota aud Dakota. by Offering II
shorter and cheaper route TO Liverpool. But
now thcro is talk even "f II new transcunti-
mental line. starting from Port simpson Oh tho
Pacific. 300 miles north of Vancouver. and
terminating ut Fort Churchill. whore tho
steamers would bo taken. This last project
seems even more hazardous than tho ROAD
from Winnipeg TO Fort Churchill. II istruo
that it would DO shorter, than the Canadian
Pacific. but it could hardly expect to compete
with the latter. especially during its contract
mon opoly for twenty years Of tho Northwest
carrying tralo by rail. one such railroad for
Canada seems al that will be required before
the end Of tho present century. to say tlie
United Stntos ropds. tho proposed Peace
River and Hudson Bay hallway can hardly DO
very tempting To- cautious t.ni, capitalists. w..
Churchill would ha only 700 miles long and
to Port Nelson. ut the mouth OF Nelson River
only $50; whilo from Fort Churchill tho voyage
is 9, $50 miles to Liverpool. II il easy to soc
how II distances hre measured out on the map
with pair OF dividers and a scale of niles the
proiect may appeal to enthusiastic seekers for
now railways. But Il is well not to lose sight
Of the Wilderness through which the road
masses and the shortness OF the season during
which the ocean route Is open.