The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-29

portion lying through the montains OF
British Columbia. 1t is said while this
section was under construction an
army of rom 10000 to 1000 men were
employedf with work with from 1,5O0
to 2.0CO teams Of horses and in the WIN
ter, this force Of animals was
augmented by about 800 teams OF
dogs.
More than 300 miles Of the main line
wer cut through solid rock. No less
than fourteen streams were dlVesteu
from these natural beds, in some cases
by tunneling through the solid rock.
The mountains were pierced by scores
of tunnels and innumerable rivers were
crossed by iron or wooden bridges.
Some 1000 feet long, and one bridge
295 feet above the montain stream /,
spans. Upwards Of $1OO,OO0.0Oo was eX-
pended on the main line up to January
1, 1885. Independent of $35,OOOoOo dis-
bursed by the government.
The late able prime minister OF cana
da. Sir John Macdonald, was a strong
friend of the railway project from the
first, and together with his co-workers
Sir Donald Smith, Sir V. G. Van Horne
now president. and Lord Stephens, and
other eminent Canadians, the great
work was brought to an early compile
tion, and this national highway OF
Canada, the latest American trans
continental railway, is one Of the mar
yels of the day, which every Canadian
points with pardonable pride.
AN HEROIC WORK.
There is something heroic in the tenn
per of these men who planned and
pushed to completion this gigantic en-
terprise. From their resolutions, this
long line has come into existence.
They spared no outlay of treasure in
breaking down all natural obstacles,
overcoming mountain ranges, lmpenet-
rable canons and formidable rivers, to
join by bands of steel Vancouver, It's
Western Pacific) terminus, with QUE
bee and Halifax, its Eastern (Atlantic)
terminus, thus forming Il broad COM
mercial route from ocean to ocean.
To these railway magnates more than
to all other agencies combined does
the Dominion of Canada owe DEBT
of gratitude for her subsequent ana
prospective development l repeat that
this great iron girdle of five thousand
miles, including the branches, has CIV
en- a magnetic impulse to the fields,
the mines and the manufactures or
this once modest plodding colony OF
Great Britain, Transforming it into an
energetic nation with great plans and
hopes and aspirations.
The Canadian Pacific is the only
road in Canada using the block sys-
tenn, and giving a direct route to the
East and branch lines connecting With
the railway system of the United
States, thus becoming powerful COM
petitor with American roads. 1t Is
too, the strongest road, being heavily
subsidized formerly by both the Can
adian and imperial governments and
now claims the proud distinction as
the only rans-continental line on the
American continent with no mortgages
o.. Indebtedness. 1t is purely nation
al enterprise, its ownership being al
most wholly in Canadian and British
hands.
1t is said no country in the world
Is better served by railways than Is
this great dominion which comprises
over 5000 miles. Every place of Inn
portance has it's railway station or
two. The three principal systems are
the Canadian Pacific, with it's 5,1G1
miles; Grand Trunk, 1856 miles, and
Intercolonial, (including the Prince