The sun., 1908-08-23
BIRTH OF A TOWN.
Waterfront Space Reserved for Public
MhafYes at Prince Rupert.

Vietorio correspondence Toronto Gi,be.
An order In council by which disposition
Is made Of the waterfront lots at Prince
Rupert was signed last evening. For various
reasons the Government. however. has seen
1T to withhold the details for day or two.
The statute covering the manner Of disposin g
Of these waterfront lots 10 that passed last
session, enbodyinR an agreement between the
Province and the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
Company. Provision is there made for the
division Of the waterfront into lots OF not
less than 900 feet frontage. In the selection
OF which the Government is given one choice
and the Grand Trunk Pncihc three alter
netely It was recognized that to follow
this statute exactly would not well serve the
purposes Of the railway company. with the
result that negotiations were started looking
to an alteration In the plans which would
conserve the interests Of both parties without
deviatine from the spirit OF the statutory
agreement. For two months negotiations
have been In progress, and an order IN council
was signed last evening The railway COM
pany desired II. 900 feet. or over three miles,
along the waterfront. partly within the
townsite. Prince Rupert was q narrow town
site, blocked In the rear by an insurmountable
mountain range. Entrance to the city could
only be around the end OF this mountain
chain, which drops suddenly down to the
water near the entrance to the harbor. To
build a railway through the narrow townsite
away from the waterfront and to provide
terminals within what will become the busi-
ness section would interfere sadly with the
progress Of the city in the future. It asked
therefore that the company should have the
right to proceed along the waterfront, using
II for terminal facilities and thus lea wing the
main parts Of the city unbroken. In these
days Of large vessels, requiring vast number
Of carloads to complete their cargo. ample
terminals are necessary to avoid delays in
loading. On the other hand. the Govern
ment. having In view the results in VAN
couver. sought to preserve ample areas
to give public wharves and TO allow for
other concerns getting wharfage.
From the first application Premier Mcbride
showed q disposition against conceding this
request Of the company foy9s 900 feet OF un-
broken waterfront. After further negotia-
tions looking to alterations agreeable to both
parties 1t was decided that Hon. F. Carter
Cotton, president OF the Council, who u
recognized as the business man OF the Govern
ment, and Mr.. Fulton. under whose depart
ment the work fell. should 90 north and In
spect the site. This was done In company
with railroad onicials. and on their return the
negotiations were renewed.
According to an order In Council 1t Ia an
nounoed on the part Of the Government that
the II 900 feet granted the company Is not
In an unbroken line along the waterfront.
The Province has been assigned blocks at
two or three points along the route In q reas
exceeding 1000 feet frontage. The Govern
ment claims that the interests Of the Province
have been preserved. while at the same time
the @. T. P.'s interests are not sacrificed In
the matter Of adequate terminals. The set
tlement Of this waterfront question. 1t is felt.
will be followed by more active work at the
terminal point. The survey Of the lots will
be carried out now. The work will possibly
occupy about three months. % that lots
may be put on the market next spring sorne
time, the winter months being recognised
as q very bad time 70 offer them.