Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-11

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4 Xsv 49, psspssee vrsa Mnesea
Davsa, DnglaaA - EAAtaase.
Some time ago syndicate Of Eng
lish capitalists sent corps Of en-
gineers to explore the Labrador
coast for the purpose of reporting
upon the feasibility Of adopting for .
line of steamships the shortest pas
sage between this country and Great
Britain. Tho tenor Of the report was
such that company is being formed
to carry out the project The desire
Of the company is not only to make
an appreciable reduction in the time
OF passage between America and
Europe. but also the connection of a
far-off. but interesting. country with
States and Canada
Alter careful study the eng ineers
selected Port Marnham. which is sit
usted not moro than forty miles
north Of the straits of Belle Isle, as
being not only the most easterly har-
Dor upon the American continent,
but forming at the same time an UNI
cqualed tei minus for an ocean com
merce on the nc hand and railroad
traffic on the othe-. Outside of its
favorable position as the connecting
link between Europe and the great
West the surrounding country is
rich in natural advantages which are
expected to contribute to the success
OF the steamship line.
The whole of the north shore of
the st. Lawrence is characterized, as
in Battle harbor. by an immense fish
ing industry (under the supervision
OF the marine department of Cana.
da). supporting q large feet of fast
sailing schooners, which in the
spring OF tho year are engaged in
the sealing industry.
The country through which the
proposed railroad is situated is char
acterizcd not only bv these many
commercial advantages, but il has =
most delightful climate from June to
September 1t is worthy of notice
that the snowfall along the route and
in Labrador is only one half of the
yearly volume falling in the neigh
bOrhood OF Quebec: besides il is OF
extraordinary dryncss: hence the
value of this climate both in summer
and winter may safely he assumed
for invalids seeking pure. dry air
Striking across Southern Labrador
the expedition found that the coun-
try, which has hitherto had bad
reputation as being inaccessible for
economical railroad build was
not only practically level or almost
the entire distance. but was also
admirably adapted for railroad con-
struction-sO cheap. in fact. that the
entire railroad would cost little more
than the existing lines over the roll
ing prairics of the Northwest
The whole of the route selected
for the proposed railroad is exceed
ingly picturesque and passes in the
vicinity Of numerous lakes. says the
Railroad Gazette. many of which are
| Of large area, but of no great depth.
It has taken. of course, . geological
age to form them, for their existence
is due not to IN upheaval or depres-
sion Of the formation, but simply TO
the long and continued atmospheric
corroeion. which has created some Of
the prettiest lakes that human eye
has ever seen.
The whole OF the route is tim bered
with fir and spruce and little juni-
per. The minerals found are peculiar
to laurentian formation. such rs
plumbago, mica, iron and asbestos.
Titsniferous ores exist in large guam.
titles. hut the other minerals have
not been exhaustively reported upon
The eastern terminus Of the steam.
ship line will be Milford Haven
which has often been spoken of as .