Wanted—J. R. Booth.

The facts connected with the new grain route from the west are well worthy the study of the people of Toronto. The Canada Atlantic, which was the seedling of the line, was built from Ottawa to Coteau Landing, on the St. Lawrence River, some years ago. Mr. J. R. Booth was the chief owner. Mr. Booth then conceived the idea of extending the line to Parry Sound, tapping at that point the vessel traffic of the upper lakes. The work was undertaken, and in a comparatively short time completed. A modern elevator of a capacity of 1,250,000 bushels was built at Parry Sound, and a half million bushel elevator at Coteau Landing. Docks at which the largest vessels that sail the upper lakes could tie up were constructed to the extent of 5,000 feet. The road was well built with steel rails weighing 72 pounds to the yard. Five fin lake steamers were purchased by the company and put on the routes between Chicago, Duluth and Parry Sound to act as feeders to the railway, and as a result of this bold enterprise ten million bushels of grain and nearly 200,000 tons of general freight were handled this the first season of full operation. The railway traverses a section of the Province largely undeveloped, and under the stimulus of railway facilities communities are springing up along the line.

The author, it is not too much to say the sole author, of these achievements is Mr. J. R. Booth of Ottawa. Mr. Booth's faith in this enterprise and his courage in prosecuting it is all the more remarkable and commendable in that he was already a man of great wealth and might have been content to keep in the surer paths of percentage finance. The reason for referring to Mr. Booth and his enterprise at this moment is that Toronto is in the position where Mr. Booth, while pursuing his own legitimate self-interest, might do a great deal of good to the community. Those who have looked into the matter believe that this city is situated on a better freight highway from the west than even Ottawa is. If there were within our limits a man or men of Booth's courage and prevision, backed up by a bank account of similar proportions, the problem that is waiting to be solved might be solved quickly. Mr. Booth established a steamboat line, built elevators and constructed a railway to carry out the idea he had in his mind. The Toronto enterprise is by long odds more simple and more easily handled. A line of steamers and a modern elevator might be all that was at first required, although our local Booth might ultimately have to construct a line of railway. Certain we are that the same determination to overcome obstacles and to compel things would succeed in establishing the Collingwood-Toronto grain route just as Mr. Booth has in the case of the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway, and there would be plenty of employment for both routes.

Railways: C.A.Ry., O.A. & P.S.Ry.

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