Evening star., 1905-10-17

very close together foc about 300 miles The
Dominion government is building the track
east of Winnipeg, having started construc-
tion in three different places and when it
is completed from Winnipeg to Moncton it
will be leased to the Grand Trunk Company
for fifty years at a rental of per cent upon
actual cost, payments to begin seven years
after possession. To assist in the construc-
tion west of Winnipeg the government fur
nshes- free right-of-way and guarantees
the interest and principal on bonds to the
amount of 20 per cent of the actual cost
of the road, not to exceed $4,000 mile
Career of President Hays.
This is an American scheme. 1t was con-
ce1ved by an American and will be carried
out by Americans. The president of the
company and the moving spirit of the enter
prise is Charles Melville Hays, a native of
Rock Island, ILL.,. now fifty years of age
/ When he was seventeen he obtained a DO
sltion as clerk in the passenger depart
ment of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad
at St Louis, where he soon attracted at
tention by his ability, energy and zeal
When he was twenty-one the general man
ager of the Missouri Pacific road made him
his private secretary.
In 1856 ne was appointed assistant gen.
eraI manager of the Wabash, and a year
later became general manager of the Wa
bash Western. In 1894 he was elected vice
president and general manager of the con-
solidated Wabash system and was made a
director in all its contributing and aux
lliary lines. On January l, 1896 the direc-
tors of the Grand Trunk invited him to
become general manager of that system
He accepted and remained In that postjon
until 1901, when he resigned to become
president of the Southern Pacific system
under the Hartman syndicate His rela-
tons did not prove satisfactory andt after
few months he returned to his old posi-
ton at the head of the Grand Trunk rail-
way and is now president of a dozen or
more branches of that system.
The New Trunk Line.
For many years the Canadian Pacific and
the Grand Trunk had friendly understand
ing concerning the division of territory.
The latter was allowed to monopoize the
thicklysettled province of Ontario and all
the Michigan and Chicago connections.
while the Canadian Pacific was given free
swing In Manitoba and the northwestern
territories. But Mr. Hays decided that
there was room for two trunk lines through
the British possessions and for several
years has been planning and thinking and
converting people to his idea He has been
assisted by two other Americans-Frank
W. Morse, his vice president and general
manager. who was brought up In Chicago
and got his professional education on the
lines leading out of that city, and Mr. Nc
Guiggan, the superintendent, who will be
the actual builder of the new road
In all his planning Mr. Hays has had the
sympathy and assistance of Sir Wilfred
Laurier and the leaders of the liberal party
who believe that the development and pros
perity of the vast territory lying between
the Arctic circle and the northern boundary
of the United States require the construc-
ton of another line of railway running
parallel to the Canadian Pacific three hun
dred miles or more to the northward of that
road. With that spirit the project was
carefully studied, preliminary surveys were
made and a completed plan was placed be-
tore parliament, a year ago. as a govern
| cs,,ra H.
fered the greatest resistance possible and
succeeded IN amending the law 80 that the
project should be submitted to vote of the
people before adoption. The referendum oc-
sition was indorsed by an immense ma
jority. 1t is claimed that the employees of
the Canadian Pacific themselves voted for it.
Work Promptly Begun.
The next step was to offer the project to
competition. But the Grand Trunk COM
pany was prepared to capture 1t, and pro-
ceeded to 10 SO under a new organization
known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
Company. The first step in construction
j was taken on the 23d of August last, when
contract for building a section of o75
miles OF track. between Portage Ia Prairie
! Ia few miles west of Winnipeg) and Toueh-
wood Hills Tin the new province of Saskat-
| cilewan1, was awarded to the Macdonald
| Mcmillan Company OF Westbourne. Mani
| toba. In competition with twelve 0. her firms
| including six well-known contractors from
| the United States. Ii Is the largest contract
! ever awarded TO any Canadian firm and
represents an expenditure OF about 5000
| 600. The award was made on Wednesday
night at Montreal, and ON Thursday morn
| ing at O'Clock a thousand men. with 800
teams and all the necessary machinery
| began work at Sidney station, few miles
west of Winnipeg This prompe action,
A GUARANTEED CURE FOR PILES.
ars,y,fst raf,,,.y