The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-15
Canada Greatly Tickled Over the
Prospect of Second Trans
continental Road.
The Canadian Northern People Dcnv
That They're in the Deal
Looks Like It, Though.
Two Routes for Grand Trunk Are
Discussed-Government to Be
Asked for Subsidy.
From a Staff CORRESPONDENT.

From a Staff Correspondent
Montreal Dec. 12.-Canada can't get
over the announcement of the Grand
Trunk transcontinental Business men
and the newspapers can't talk about it
enough. 1t pleases Canadian pride i'm
mensely to have another transcontinental
in prospect. 1t is a sort Of definite proof,
they take it, to all the world that there
are still some very spacious portions Of
Canada north Of the Canadian Pacific that
are suitable for population.
Just what the route Of the road Is to
be- and what connection it is to have with
the Canadian Northern, Is doubtful NC
KenZie & Mann, who are the CANADIAN
Northern, declare that they are to have
a transcontinental all their own, and that
they have nothing to do with the line
proposed by General Manager Hays Of the
Grand Trunk.
Senator Cox, who Is supposed to be the
J. Pierpont Morgan Of Canada, ana,
guess Is such. undoubtedly knows what
the future holds in store; but he won't
tell. 1t is the general opinion, however,
that the Canadian Northern Will be ab-
sorbed by the new project. Those who
have thought otherwise have said that 1t
was the intention Of the Grand Trunk
Pacific to start in at North Bay and swing
I'D to the north Of Lake Superior, through
q good agricultural country, which the
Ontario surveyors declare to exist be-
tween the Divide and Hudson's bay, and,
keeping we'll away from the lake, strike
westward into the Saskatchewan valley,
through Yellow Head Pass, and then down
to Port Simpson on the Pacific, some $500
miles all told.
The Probable Route.
But one of the most substantial and
best informed men in Canada told me
that he was confident that the route
Of the new transcmtinental will be as
follows: It will build a line from North
Bay to the $780," using, perhaps, the line
that Clergue is building from the 500 to
Sudbury. Then it will use Clersues Al
gonna Central up the north shore OF Lake
Superior to it's present terminus. Thence
it will build a line not far from the Lake
Superior coast to Port Arthur, where it
will meet the eastern terminus OF the
Canadian Northern, which will thence be
used westward. SO far as it is completed,
to q point in southeastern Saskatchewan
At the western terminus the Grand trunk
Will take up the unfinished project or the
Canadian Northern and extend the line to
the Pacific coast at Port Simpson,. My
informant said that the Grand Trunk was
looking for a paying business as quickly
as possible, and would not, therefore,
build far to the north of Lake superior
through a country that will not support
railway for years and where it would take
wears to complete the road. After 1t was
DONE it would be without a Lake Super
Tor port and the all-rail haul would be toe
costly for the transportation Of wheat
from the Saskatchewan valley. The Can
adian west needs another outlet just az
soon as It can get 1t, and the Crane
Trunk wants to supply that outlet at the
earliest possible moment The develop
ment Of northern Ontario will be left tt
some third transcOntinental to be bull
at q later time. There is said to be {
great wheat country south Of Hudson's
,,s,,
trary to the common impression, much O.
it Is prairie land, or. at least, is thinlS
wooded. The east and west line that ulti
mately taps this country will have 1t!
port on the st. Lawrence. Clergues AL
gonna Central will probably reach it ant
also Hudson's Bay within a few years
In anticipation of that time an American
syndicate has already run off with fish
ing monopoly for 12C miles of the coast o
James Bay. Hudson's Bay has unlimited
fisheries which need only a transpOrtatio
route to make them valuable.
BY building to the 800" the Gram
Trunk can tap the American northwest.
Now. for Subsidy.
When the Grand Trunk project wa
first announced, it was stated that II
governmental assistance would be aske
for But before enthusiasm began to COG
Mr. Hays took the public into his con
fidence and told them that assistanc
would be asked.
And there will be "a merry winter i
Ottawa.
Some say the Grand Trunk will ask
subsidy Of $4,000 a. mile, some say
will ask only a guarantee Of it's bonds
The more probable plan is for the gov
ernment to take the company's bonds i
return for a cash and land subsidy, wit
the privilege Of buying the road at
stated time. if it desires, the cash ad
varced and the value OF the land to b
charged against the purchase price. Th
government is also to have control G
rates, according to this plan.
AS the Canadian government is one c
the most subsidy-cursed governments /
the world, the prospect of the Gran
Trunk getting 25,O00,OO0 out of it dis
mays but few. There has been loud pro
test In some quarters, but the Canada
government is SO paternalistic that Yer
few doubt that the new project will b
handsomely bonused. In Canada it is ia
more natural for a railway to ask for
subsidy than not to. Up here railway
are not considered among the undertai
ings which can be carried through with
out the help of the government
Theodore NJ Knappen.