Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-27
"CzAR, OF NEWFOUNDLAND.
His Name II Reid, and He Runs the
Entire Island.
(Ouebec Letter

Entfrc Istauu.
Quebec letter.
The extent Of Millionaire Menier's soy
ereignty over the comparatively inslgnia-
cant Island Of Anticosu Is completely
overshadowed by the enormous extent or
the possessions Of a single Individual on
the adjacent Island Of Newfoundland. lie
Is undoubtedly the largest landowner on
this continent Newfoundland Is one
sixth larger than Ireland and r. G.
Reid, commonly called Gear" Reid
owns one half OF il in fee simple Two
hundred thousand people regard him
pretty much as IL he were their feudal
baron, and look 10 him TO exploit their
country before the world. No man. no
Car. even. ever held the destinies ok
a country more closely IN his fingers than
Mr.. Reid does with his island. Seven
thousand square miles Of II are absolutely
his own, with IT'S enormous wealth Of
timber and mineral lands. and every mile
OF its railway system will eventually be-
come his private property. The latest
contracts which he has signed with the
government OF the island have secured
TO him privileges for which a prominent
statesman has declared that he could
easily have obtained 100000 in Enaland
1t raised such violent opposition I'M tho
Colony that the Governor declined q,
sign it before submitting Il 10 the I'm.
perial Government. Mr.. Chamberlain re-
turned it with the remark that no mat.
ter what personal opinion he might hold
respecting sucD contract, he could nor
interfere TO prevent the management by
a self-governing Colony Of its own
finances.
few years ago Gar Reid was
penniless Scotch boy. He began lie in
Australia, and subsequently made some
money by building sections OF railway
FOR the Canadian Pacific. In 1893 he oil.
fered 10 construct a railway for the Gov.
eminent Of Newfoundland across tho
island for $1,000 a mile. His offer was
accepted, and the railway built. Thar
the government found itself I'm such
financial stress that IL could neither
equip nor operate the line. Reid offered
TO obtain the equipment, and operate the
road, but valued the cost No 10000 a
year. The government gave him 5000,
year as mail subsidy, and 5000 acres
OF land in fee simple for every milo OF
main or branch line operated by him Cor
period Of ten years.
Mr. Reid was not content he bouobt
new concessions. He offered 10 operafe
the road free at the expiration OF tho ton
years, providing that at the end OF forty
additional years the road should De AZ.
lie also stipulated for further grants of
land. for the railway and telegram mos
nopolies Of the island. The government
agreed 10 the terms and then 10 was THAI
the great cutlery arose that resulted i1
the reference Of The contract % JOsonh
Chamheriain. Nh. Chamberlains reply
has not quieted the agitation. however
and petitions are being extensively signed
throughout the Colony praying the Colo
NAL Office 20 cancel the contract ON tina
ground that the island has been sold FOR A
song. so strong Is the public sentiment
IN the island against the Reid contract
that Gear" Reid has Just found N ueces-
sary, In order 20 prevent q public UPRISING
in some parts Of the Colony t0 isuo
public notice declaring that DE Intends 10
take possession of no NewfOundlqndar'
nelds farm, or garden. or any other prI-
yate property but only tho uugranted
Crown lands.
Mr.. Reid has ordered the construction o.
seven new steamships. One OF these 10 90
run between the island and Labrador ANA
tho other six will mako regular trips b--
tween the various bays and The terminus
OF the railway al 81. Johns The Gear.
Of Newfoundland will shortly be ors OF
turers I'm the world. Newf0undlaud'g mine
RAJ exports are expected soon TO reach
million dollars worth a year A hundred
thousand tons OF iron ore or double las-
year output, was exported from Belle
Isle mine alone this year 4 syndicate OF
British tronmasters has leased the Rav
de Verde mine. and preparing 10 wOrl,
II. The vein is sixteen miles long and
estimated by experts 10 contain NO00n
tons Of finest ore. At Little Bay a now
copper vein nine feet wide has been dis
covered. Mr. Reds prospectors are con-
stantly making hew and valuable finds M
over the island.
Just now the GEAR" and several of his
Sons are seeking Incorporation ne tho
Newfoundland Bleaching pulp C0mp7ny
with a capital Of 100000. and also as tho
Newfoundland Pyrites Company with
capital OF $4,000 The site Of operations
Is ideal IL f. an immense area GA the
shores Of Grand Lake. not far from tho
railway, densely covered with wood of
the very best kind for making pulp.
Close 20 1t are the coal mines. Water
power to any extent Is available Tn tho
marble beds OF the Humber NJ n short
distance, are ineXhaustible supplies NJ
lime. AT Bay OF Islands, AZ no great 1ls-
lance, are immense deposits on iron
pyrites containing 50 per cent OF sulphur
from which sulphuric acid d. made. an
indispensable article for the manuhcfur'
of the best kind Of pulp To this Is t1 Do
added n company for min'-g and exc
porting iron pyTites. for which there S.
everywhere a rapidly-iucre1sing demand
for the manufacture Of sulphuric ag.f fha
resduum being used for the making of ll.
very finest kind OF steel. The supply t
this mineral IS, ineXhaustible. and every
thing points 10 an early recognition m
Newfoundland as one Of the foremost
mining centres OF modern times