Railway development.

Projected lines, surveys, construction, betterments, etc.

...

James Bay Ry.—W. H. Moore, representing Mackenzie, Mann & Co., had a conference with the board of control of the Toronto city council, Aug. 28, with a view to obtaining the co-operation of the city in securing from the Dominion Government subsidies towards the construction of the line. The company, Mr. Moore explained, proposed to construct 450 miles of line from Toronto to make connection with the Grand Trunk Pacific Ry., so as to be ready to exchange traffic with that line as soon as it was in operation. The James Bay Ry. has already four miles of its line built, giving Parry Sound a connection with the Canada Atlantic Ry., and has surveyed a considerable portion of the remainder of the line. The line proposes to pass through the Muskoka and Parry Sound districts, touching various Georgian Bay points, and west of Lake Nipissing to Sudbury, thence northerly. The country through which the line will pass, Mr. Moore says, would be a traffic producing one from its first operation. The board of control passed a resolution favoring the construction of a line, and appointing representatives to go before the Government. A few days later a deputation representing Toronto, Toronto Junction, and other municipalities waited on the Government and stated the case for the railway. The projected line will, it is claimed, shorten the journey west by many miles, and divert transcontinental traffic to Toronto; will connect with the Grand Trunk Pacific, tap the country extending as far north as James Bay and make it tributary to Toronto, and will open up extensive belts of agricultural and mineral lands. The Ontario Government has already recognized the necessity for that line by granting it subsidies in cash and land. Dominion assistance is asked for in order to push forward and complete a project which has hung fire for several years. The line will serve no less than twenty townships, containing good agricultural land, between Parry Sound and Sudbury, and will also serve to develop fertile areas north of the latter town. Some of the townships north of Sudbury are already partially settled, including those of Blezard, Hanmer, Lumsden and Capreol. North of these again are the townships of Wismer and Hutton, containing extensive nickel and iron deposits. At Sudbury the line will get in touch with the industries at Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma Central system. In the northern district lumbering is extensively carried on, and fin e crops of oats and all kinds of vegetables are grown. Wheat has not been raised to any extent, but for the reason chiefly that there is as yet not market for it. The Government promised to give full consideration to the matter. (July, pg. 236.)

Railways: J.B.Ry.