300 feet and even 400 feet in depth under the level plateau on each side; these great river troughs are at the same time reported, not unfrequently, to be about a mile and a mile and three quarters in width. It appeared, therefore, of the utmost importance to examine further into this subject with the view of finding a route for the railway through the central plains as direct as possible, avoiding, as far as practible, the obstacles referred to, or overcoming them at the least difficult points. A double expedition was organized to proceed by different routes, between Fort Garry and the two most eligible passes through the Rocky Mountains, viz: The Howse Pass and the Yellow Head Pass. The instructions given this expedition were such as to elicit the desired information. THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS TO THE PACIFIC. It appeared from all the information that could be gathered from different sources that, of all the passes through the Rocky Mountains, those named the Howse and the Yellow Head Passes would prove most eligible for the railway. Within the Province of British Columbia other most serious obstacles to railway construction in any desired direction presented themselves, and the selection not only of one of these passes, but also of a terminal point on the Pacific coast, seemed to depend on the success which might attend any attempt to discover the most practicable line for a railway across the interior of the Province. The survey in British Columbia was divided into districts, one between Howse Pass and Shuswap Lake, a second between Shuswap Lake and the Straits of Georgia by the Lower Fraser River, a third between Yellow Head Pass and the Upper Fraser River through the Cariboo country. Engineers were appointed to conduct the surveys in each of these districts, and six surveying parties were organized, with the view of thoroughly exploring the country, and gaining information which would lead to the selection of the most eligible line for the railway. GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF STAFF. In a work of such magnitude, beset with difficulties of no ordinary kind, and under circumstances which called for as much information as possible, with the least possible delay, it was important to organize the staff on a scale and in a manner calculated to secure satisfactory results. The uninhabited, trackless and seemingly impenetrable nature of a great deal of the country to be explored, rendered it the more important that every means should be taken to prevent failure in obtaining the information sought for, or disaster to any of the parties engaged on the several branches of the survey. A Commissariat Department was organized to attend to all matters connected with the procuring and transportation of supplies. As far as it was possible or expedient, a uniform system was instituted for operations in the field, and for recording information obtained. General and special instructions were drawn up for the guidance of every member of the staff. To simplify correspondence, and lessen the chances of mistakes in connection with the Commissariat Department, and also for easy general reference, the several divisions of the Survey were designated by letters of the alphabet, and as reference will frequently be made to them in the detail Reports which accompany this, the following explanation is hero presented :- Division B. Extending from Mattawa to the confluence of the Montreal and Ottawa Rivers. Division C. Extending from the Ottawa to a point near the head of the Montreal River. Division D. From the Montreal River to a point about midway to the west branch of Moose River. Division F. From the last named point to Moose River. Division F. From Moose River to Small Black River, north of Lake Superior. Division G. From Small Black River to Long Lake. Division H. From Long Lake to Red Rock, at the mouth of Nepigon River. Division I. From Red Rock to Lac des Iles. Division K. From Lac des Iles to the canoe route to Lac Seul. Division L. From Canoe Route to Lac Seul, to White Fish Bay, Lake of the Woods. Division M. From White Fish Bay to Red River, near Fort Garry. Division N. Expedition northerly by Rivers Ottawa, Abbitibbe, Michipicoten and Moose, to James' Bay. Division O. Expedition to examine the country west of Fort Garry to Kootanie P.) Plain, near the Howse Pass, and Jaspar House, near the Yellow Head Pass. Division Q. Between the North Thompson and Yellow Head Pass. Division R. Between Cariboo and Tête Jaune Cache. Division S. Between the Columbia River and Howse Pass. Division T. The Eagle Pass between Shuswap Lake and the River Columbia. Division U. Between Lytton, on Fraser River, and Shuswap Lake. Division V. From Lytton southerly toward Burrard Inlet. Division W. From Sault Ste. Marie, along the north shore of Lake Huron, to French River. As rapidly as the various parties were organized and commissariat arrangements made, they began to move forward each to their respective field of operations. The total number of engineers, surveyors, levellers and assistants employed, together with axemen, boatmen, packers, &c., would not be far short of eight hundred. The first detachment left by the River Ottawa for the interior on the 10th of June. Those for the region north of Lake Superior left Collingwood on the 20th June. In British Columbia, a portion of the staff left Victoria for the Mountains on the 20th of July.* PROGRESS OF THE SURVEY. Some general observations respecting the progress made in the prosecution of the survey may be now submitted. Full detail information may be had on reference to the reports and documents which accompany this. It has been found impossible to maintain regular communication with many of the parties engaged on the survey during the winter, but judging from the Progress Reports last received, the undersigned feels confident in stating that the surveys projected in June last between Mattawa, on the Ottawa, and Nepigon Bay, on Lake Superior, are now, with one exception, completed, and that only two breaks in the survey exist between Nepigon Bay and Fort Garry. No serious engineering difficulty has been met with in passing from the valley of the Ottawa to the country north of Lake Superior; it is impossible, however, to speak so favorably of the country covered by Divisions G. and H. of the survey, embracing over one hundred miles easterly from the River Nepigon. This section is excessively rough and mountainous, and the survey made through it did not result in finding a practicable line for the railway. Although the attempt made last year to find a short line across the Cariboo country in the required direction, proved unsuccessful, all farther efforts have not been abandoned. The work of exploration has been carried on during the winter, and a diligent search will be continued wherever success is at all possible. Some hopes are entertained that a line may be found from the North Thompson across the Selkirk Range to the Quesnel Lakes and thence viù Quesnel Mouth to Bute Inlet but should this fail, a careful examination will be made about fifty miles farther to the south on a line projected through by Horse *The day on which British Columbia entered the Dominion. Lake and Lake La Hache. Should all these explorations prove failures, it is confidently believed that it will be quite possible to reach Bute Inlet by a practicable line from Tête Jaune Cache, going round the Cariboo country on the north side along the banks of the Fraser River, and thence across the Chilcotin Plains. The only serious objection to the latter.route will be its length. The gradients can scarcely fail to be favorable, on account. of the line following the river for over 250 miles on a uniform and gradual descent. Beside Burrard's Inlet and Esquimalt, other harbours accessible from the Pacific have been spoken of for the terminus. Of these may be mentioned Alberni, at the head of Barclay Sound, another harbor at Nootka Sound, Bentick Arm, also Port Essington, or some suitable point at the mouth of the Skeena River; it is somewhat premature, however, to discuss the merits of any of these points without further information respecting the means of reaching them from Tête Jaune Cache. In concluding a summary of what has been accomplished since the survey was instituted in June last, it is greatly to be regretted that more definite information has not yet been received respecting the explorations now in progress east and west of Lake Nepigon, in the rear of the rugged belt along Lake Superior.. Assuming, however-and enough it is believed is known to warrant the assumptionthat all difficulties in this quarter will be obviated, it may be claimed that the practicability and the general direction of the railway line from Ottawa to Fort Garry, thence across the great plains and the Rocky Mountains to Tête Jaune Cache has approximately been determined, and that from the last named point at least one line to the waters of the Pacific Ocean has been found practicable. It will be interesting to compare some of the features of the line referred to in the last paragraph with the Union Pacific Railway in the United States, for this purpose a diagram accompanies this, showing thereon profiles of both. From this diagram it will be seen that the Union Pacific Railway, extending from Omaha to San Francisco, runs,for 1,300 miles, or three-fourths of its entire length, at a higher level than the Yellow Head Pass, and that this point, the great summit of the Canadian Pacific Railway line, is less than half the elevation attained at several points on the line now being operated across the Continent. A table giving the distances between some of the principal points in the country extending from the Ottawa Valley to the Pacific coast is appended hereto. It is not to be supposed that this table has any great pretensions to accuracy, except in the case of railways built or surveyed, in other cases the distances are simply ascertained by measurement on the maps of the country, and it is not at all certain that even the best maps are free from grave errors. Be this as it may, there are no means of checking the distances, until the chain of surveys are connected from end to end and the results known. It is believed, however, that even rough approximate distances may be useful to the Government in considering the question of the railway, and for this purpose they are presented. One or two points brought out by the table of comparative distances are worthy of note. Montreal and Toronto are the chief commercial centres in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario, and it is important to ascertain how they can best be reached from the interior, say Fort Garry. According to the Table, the distance between Montreal and Fort Garry by the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, is 1,180 miles, while by railway projected through Sault Ste. Marie, Duluth and Pembina, the distance is 1,440 miles, and by way of Chicago and St. Paul, the distance is 1,843 miles-showing that by the three all-rail routes, made or projected between Fort Garry and Montreal, the Canadian Pacific line is 260 miles shorter than the line passing through Sault Ste. Marie, and 663 miles shorter than the route at present travelled viâ Chicago and St. Paul. Taking Toronto as a starting point, and using the Northern or Nipissing Railways as far as Bracebridge, thence connecting them with the Canadian Pacific Railway at Mattawa, it appears from the Table that the total distance to Fort Garry, is 1,110 miles, while by way of Bracebridge, Sault Ste. Marie, Duluth and Pembina, the distance is 1,290 miles, and by way of Chicago and St. Paul, the distance is 1,507 miles, thus establishing the fact, that of the three all-rail routes, made or projected between Fort Garry and Toronto, the Canadian Pacific is 170 miles shorter than the route via Sault Ste. Marie and Duluth, and close on 400 miles less than the railway route via Chicago and St. Paul. It will be further seen, that during the season of open navigation, the distance between Toronto and Fort Garry via Nepigon, is 1,074 against 1,274 miles via Duluth and that part of the Northern Pacific Railway east of Pembina-giving a saving of 200 miles in favour of the Canadian Pacific, and Branch to Nepigon, of which saving 40 mites is rail and 160 miles water. Viewing the Canadian Pacific Railway as a "through" route between ports on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the comparative profile referred to in a previous paragraph, and which accompanies this, illustrates the remarkable engineering advantages which it possesses over the Union Pacific Railway. The lower altitudes to be reached, and the more favorable gradients, are not, however, the only advantages. A careful examination into the question of distances, shows, beyond dispute, that the continent can be spanned by a much shorter line on Canadian soil than by the existing railway through the United States. Referring to the Table again, it will be seen that the distance from San Francisco to New York, by the Union Pacific Railway, is 3,363 miles, while from New Westminster to Montreal it is only 2,730, or 633 miles in favor of the Canadian route. A closer examination of the Table will show that by the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, even New York, Boston and Portland, will be brought from 300 to 500 miles nearer the Pacific coast than they are at present. A comparison of distance between distant points which may form traffic connections with the Inter-Oceanic Railways of North America, bring out some important facts referred to in the Table. Compared with the Union Pacific Railway, the Canadian line will shorten the passage between Liverpool and China, in direct distance, more than one thousand miles. When the decidedly better grades obtainable on the Canadian line are taken into consideration, with the saving in actual distance above referred to, it cannot be doubted that the Canadian Pacific Railway, in entering into competition for the through traffic between the two oceans, has the fairest possible prospects of success. It has been found impossible to make any comparison with the Northern Pacific Railway, projected through the Territories of the United States to Puget Sound, as no reliable information could be obtained respecting distances, gradients, elevations, or probable route, except on that portion of the undertaking east of the Red River. In concluding this Report it may not be out of place to remark that a survey of such magnitude through a country for the most part uninhabited and destitute of the means of shelter or subsistence could not be prosecuted without encountering risks and hardships to the individuals engaged. The serious responsibility of keeping all the various parties properly supplied with at least common necessaries of food was fully appreciated from the beginning, and although supplies may, in isolated cases, have run short, no actual suffering from want has been reported. It greatly grieves me to report the loss of seven poor men, who perished last summer through forest fires while engaged in carrying provisions to one of the surveying parties north of Lake Superior. No other very serious disaster has occurred, although several narrow escapes have been met with. Since the winter set in several men have been badly frozen. It is impossible to speak too highly of the courage and endurance displayed by members of the staff, more especially of those who, in order to carry out the wishes of the Government with as little delay as possible, did not hesitate, after the summer's campaign had terminated, to remain out on the exploration during the winter. Some of these parties have been out for nearly ten consecutive months, embracing the whole of winter with all its severity. The service under the circumstances of country and climate could not fail to be a very severe one. It was impossible to supply them adequately with shelter or change of diet, in consequence of which several painful cases of scurvy have resulted. All hardships and deprivations have, however, been braved and endured in a manner deserving of the highest commendation. It is extremely gratifying to be able to report that, with very few exceptions, all the members of the staff, including those engaged in the Commissariat Branch, entered on their several duties with great zeal, and exerted themselves in every possible way to bring the work to a successful issue. It is due to the officers of the Hudson Bay Company to state that wherever they were met with, they extended to the parties engaged on the survey much very acceptable kindness and assistance. The Indians along the whole route proved remarkably friendly when the nature and objects of the several expeditions were explained to them. Many of them rendered valuable service in various ways, in connection with the work of exploration. I have the honour to be, Sir, Hon. H. L. Langevin, C. B., Minister of Public Works, &c., &c., &c. Engineer-in-Chief. |