The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-24
CANADIAN GRAIN WILL
GO VIA PANAMA CANAL

Montreal, Nov. 24.-Many opinions
have been Ventured as to what effect
the opening of the Panama cana Will
have on trade. Few men recognized
as authorities will state positively
just which portions of the North
American continent will receive the
widest benefit. No city on the Pacific
coast, no matter how small, will ad-
nit that the Panam canal VIII 90 II
no good. On the other hand every sea
coast town, including those on Puget
Sound, is making big efforts to prop
erly equip itself in the way of WharVes'
docks and harbOr facilities to handle
a greatly increased sea traffic FROM
southern California to Prince Rupert
in British Columbia, local prophets
are predicting long seasons of pros
peritv to follow close on the heels Of
the formal opening of the channel be-
tween the two continents.
There are no authorities who nave
ventured opinions that say that the
Pacific coast cities Of Canada VIII not
rear vast rewards from the trade
stimulation due to the opening of the
canal. Vancouver, the trade center
and largest city of British Columbia,
is looked upon as one of the most IA
vOrcd points. Both federal and pro-
vincial governments as we'll as the
railroads Of both Canada and the
United States are spending millions
of dollars in harbOr facilities, railway
terminals, grain elevators and IKE
cuuipment to make Vancouver ready
for q tremendous increase in trade.
1t is somewhat difficult to secure de-
tails as to the plans OF the
Pacific Railway company, the largest
transportation company in the world
because none Of it's officials have au-
thorized any interviews on this sub
iect. 1t is well to note, however, that
Sir Thomas ~ShaughncSsy in a recent
interview declared that the corpora
ZION of which he is the head intends
TO lay out about one hundred million
dollars in double tracking, tunnel
building, new rolling stock, additional
motive power, new steamships, more
buildings and modern equipment 1or
handling a much larger business than
has heretofore fallen to the Canadian
Pacific railroad. notwithstanding the
fact that in the past five years the
growth of business. the increase OF
traffic. the construction Of new lines
and the additions to equipment on the
Canadian Pacific have been so enOr-
NOUS. that company has minated
that it's future programme Of enlarge
mont will make its past efforts small
or in comparison.
1t is freely admitted by the officers
of the Canadian Pacific that its entire
transcontinentaI line from coast to
coast will be double tracked and i'm
proved with every modern device
known to the railway world by the
time San Francisco opens its eXpos1-
ton celebrating the completion Of the
Panama canal. Grade reductions,
which involve the building Of a tunnel
through the Selkirk mountains IN
British Columbia, and line revislons
involving huge expenditures are being
carried forward with all the energy
known to the engineering world. And
these are only part Of the programme
which the Canadian Pacific has
mapped out to place itself in readi-
ness to receive the benefits Of the
Panama canal.
Work on the FIVE mile tunnel
through the Selkirk mountains was
started early this year ard Is now pro
coeding rapidly. The building Of this
tunnel will do away with four and
One-half miles Of snow sheds, Will re-
duce the rail distance through these
mountains four and one-half miles
and make the grade over the SelIirks
514 feet less than 1t Is at the present
time. With the new tunnel in oper-
alton. no snow slides can reach the
tracks. The construction Of this tun-
mel will involve the expenditure Of at
least 5000, 900. With this TUNE An
ished, there will be no more than six
miles all told Of 2.2 grade through the
mountains. These changes, together
with others which are under a in
British Columbia. will give the Cana
dian Pacific a water grade from a
point a few miles west Of Kamloops
through to It's Pacific coast terminals
in Vancouver. At Vancouver the
Canadian Pacific Is spending upwards
OF 8 1000, 900 in a new station. more
docks and additional facilities for
handling a considerably greater traf-
1lc from the Pacific.
While the Great Northern and the