East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-01-28

Edmonton. Alta, Jan. 2S-H. Mus
kett King. vice president of the AL
berta, Peace River and Eastern Rail-
way company, which holds a domin-
ion charter to build and operate a
railroad from Hudson's Bay to the
Pacific coast, 1850 miles, announced
here today that construction work on
the first division, from Edmonton to
Peace River Crossing. about 400 miles,
will begin early the coming spring
The minister of railways for the
Canadian government has approved
out route between Cochrane, in south
ern Alberta, to Peace River Cross
ing" he added. This line will be
eventually built to Fort McMurray
and thence easterly to Fort Churchill,
or Hudsons Bay, and westerly
through the Peace River district to
the Pacific ocean. We shall apply
for approval of the route to Fort Nc
Murry as soon as construction work
on our Edmonton-Peace River Cross
ing division is well under way.
Our company is backed by the
strongest financial group in Great
Britain and we have ample capital to
carry the enterprise to successful
conclusion. Our directors recognize
the fact that the railroad is needed
to open the north country and to
carry western wheat to the Pacific
seaboard, where it will be shipped as
soon as the Panama canal is opened.
line of steamships will eventually
be established at the eastern terminus
to carry grain to Europe. We are
anxious to begin work right away and
d large portion of the line will be
built this year"
Mr. King said that the company's
surveyors are now locating the line
in the Lesser Slave Lake district and
he added. the staff of engineers and
surveyors will be enlarged at once
and supplies taken into the country
in preparation for an early start on
grade work.
Lord Vivian, director, intends to
go over the ground next spring
Spring Reid. a prominent American,
has been added to the directorate to
fill the vacancy caused by the death
of James Hillington Synge. Lord
Farrer is president Of the company
The management will be in the hands
of strong Canadian directorate with
Mr.. King, as chairman, and +. G..
Wright, a broker of Montreal, as
vice-chairman. Hon. Guy Wilson, d.
5. o, NJ. P, of the Wilson Shipping
line, has been compelled by poor
health to resign from the directorate
of the railway and other concerns in
which he is financially interested. but
he will only retain an active interest
! in the control of the Wilson Ship
ping line and the British Canadian
Agricultural Tractors, Ltd. of which
he is chairman.
Mr.. King said that during his stay
in London, where he left on Decem-
ber. 10 to sail for this country, there
was meeting of the directors All
the members are eager to assist in
developing western Canada's hinter-
land and are confident of the success
full issue of their plans. None of the
directors will receive any fees until
the railway is revenue producing. Mr..
King and others concerned in the ac-
tual management are receiving only
nominal payments toward their ex-
penses.
Three towns. with at least two in
dustries in each. will be built on the
line of the railway. British Cana
dian Agricultural Tractors, Ltd, is
one of the allied companies already
manufacturing farm machinery in
western Canada. Several branch fac
tories are to be opened in Albert.
The Peace River Lands, Ltd. a sub
sidiary company. which owns 920,-
600 acres OF agricultural lands in the
Peace River district, Mr.. King an
nounced. is planning to bring farmers
from England and Dutch dairymen
and growers from South Africa. A
syndicate has also been formed to
bore for oil