The Minneapolis journal., 1903-02-26
RAILROAD PROBLEM OF MANITOBA
Some Light It's Various Northern
and the Grand Trunks PansThe Hudson Bay Route
Wild DreamThe Bay Open Salt Sea Never Frozen
Why the Hudson Bay Company Has Steadily Closed

Special to The Journal.
Winnipeg, Man., Feb. 25.--WranElinE
over railroad facilities and deals" has so
far occupied the foremost place in the
present session of the Manitoba legisla-
tive assembly. In all probability this will
continue until the house adjourns and be
the chief point upon which the Robin
government will appeal to sthe country in
the election which must be held within
the next few months. Second only to this
will be Mr.. Robbins pronounced anti
American attitude. In keeping with the
policy of the Dominion conservatives, Mr..
Robin has allied himself with the manu-
facturers of Montreal and eastern Canada
and is prepared to increase the prices
which farmers have to pay for implements,
ETC., lin the west by the imposition of a
tariff high enough to exclude American
i1nportati tions. In regard to railroad mat
ters Mr.. Robin is strongly opposed to
granting the American roads any pppor-
tun1ty to compete with the Canadian car
riers. either with present facilities or by
building new roads in Manitoba. He pro-
poses, he says. if given another four
years term of power to compel the Can
adian Pacific tosmeet theGC Canadian North
ern rate Of 10 cents per bnshel for wheat
from Winnipeg to the lakes, if by no
other means by paralle!ing the entire road.
The Northern Pacitic's Plan.
Much curiosity had been manifested as
to who are behind the application Of c..
e. Hamilton Of ST. Paul for charter to
build 1,500 miles of railroads in Manitoba.
Now it has been officially announced that
this application is made on behalf of the
Northern Paciic.The strange thing, how
ever, Is that the proposed lines are laid
out with view to connecting with the
Great Northern branches just south of the
international boundary. There is a strong
public sentiment that the Northern Pacific
should be permitted to center Manitoba
and it is hardly likely that the sapplica-
ton will be sidetracked, as a similar one
was last year on the ground that the pro-
noters had not disclosed their identity
or approached, the government in the
proper manner.
It seems, however that the Manitoba
ing to be content with passive resistance
to the enterprise of American railroad
men, but intend to offer the most active
opposition. This has developed in an
other application for a railway charter,
similar in scope and intention to Mr..
Hamiltons s. on the part Of T. Mayne
DAILY, K. c., formerly minister of the in
terror in the conservative government Of
the Dominion. Mr.. DAILY says he is acting
for one of the leading Canadian railroads
not the Canadian Pacifc-so it must be
the Grand Trunk. Like the present roads,
its outlet is to be at the head Of the lakes,
where the congestion is just as great as
on the rails in the interior, and ever will
be, even with the vast fleet of steamers
the Canadian Pacific is preparing to put
on the lakes and the Atlantic. 1t is no
wonder therefore that the Northern Pa
cifca application has many friends among
politicians as well as the public. It will
receive practically the unanimous support
Of the liberal party in the legislative as
sembly.
Grand Trunks Change.
The change of plans for the Grand
Trunk Pacific, which is now proposed to
be run through Winnipeg has been made
to secure Mr.. Robbins support as he
would not countenance the project on any
other condition. If that road is built and
the promises Of the promoters are carried
out. 1t will be the greatest factor in rail-
road competition for western Canada, as
the promoters declare they will be able
to carry wheat from Winnipeg to the
seaboard for less than the present rate of
the Canadian Pacific to the lakes.
Shortest Route.
The proposed Northern Pacific lines
would furnish the shortest route from
south, central and northwest Manitoba
to Lake Superior, and they evidently aim
at a connection with the Canadian North
ern road som ewhere north &of Portage la
l.,
knowledge, there is no traffic arrange
ment between the Canadian Northern road
and the Northern Pacific or Great North
ern, and never will be while he controls
the Manitoba legislature. His principal
objection to American railroads getting a
foothold in Canada is that it would be
impossible to control their rates. and he
is making great boastings over the reduc-
tion in freights on the old Northern Pa
cific road taken over by the Canadian
Northern, with its new line to Port Ar
thur, and promises to- secure a uniform
rate of 10 cents per bushel for wheat if
given another four years of power.
Hudson's Bay Route.
While it, is agreed that the transporta-
tion problem is the vital question upon
which the continued progress of western
Canada depends, well-informed men are
beginning to doubt the wisdom Of tying
everything up to routes via Winnipeg and
Lake Superior. Thomas Greenway, the lib
eral leader in the Manitoba house. has
strangely enough taken up the champion
ship of the Hudson bay route. It was
through his influence that the building of
the Hudson Bay railroad was not COM
pleted nearly twenty years ago, after forty
miles had been constructed and $1,000, 600
appropriated. The Abandoned roadbed has
been taken over by the Canadian North
ern and will be opened this year as far as
Oak Point, on Lake Manitoba, but with
no thought, it is believed. Of extending
any further or carrying out the Hudson
bay project. In the meantime there are
many indications that the purpose OF the
Grand Trunk is to absorb the Cana dian
Northern, and some Of the knowing ones
declare that compact to that. end has
already been entered into.
The friends Of the Hudson bay route are
not idle. They claim that, sooner or later.
they will command the whole of the grain
carrying trade of the Northwest Terri
tories and cut Winnipeg and knock the
lakes out completely. Application will be
made to the dominion parliament next
month to authorize the building Of a, rail
road from Regina-7the capital Of the ter
ritories-to Hudson bay, where there are
two good natural harbors, at Fort Church
i'll and Port Nelson Cor York Factory.
To many the Hudson bay route seems a
the best. it has not long ago been utilized.
They say the bay is frozen over nine
months of the year and shipping would
asked what he thought about the route,
c.. Chipman. the chief commissioner OF
the Hudson's Bay company, only looked
wise and refused to commit himself. At
the present time two ships that make one
trip a year each between Fort Churchill
| and Liverpool are the only vessels that
navigate the bay. The company has al
ways maintained that navigation is open
on The bay only three months in the year,
but it is admitted that 1t Is but a five
days Journey between the two ports and
| Liverpool for modern steamer-haf the
/ best time that can be made between Fort