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September, 1877, TO CONSIDER THE ADVISABILITY OF WIDENING THE GAUGE OF THE > < ■*m* > « s:e>eech: OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE RAILWAY COMPANY. -^•♦•^- TORONTO: GLOBE PRINTING COMPANY, KING STREET EAST. 1877. L FID2Q Gr^eat Rctilway JS£eettng AT OKANGEYILLE. SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE RAILWAY COMPANY. Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, — It affords me very grcao pleasure in meeting so large and influential a deputation of the representative men of the Municipalities traversed by the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway. I had no expectation of having to appear so soon before you in my present character, and I address you therefore with some diffidence on the subject which has brought us together. I ask, by way of preliminary to the explana- tions which I have to make, that you bear with me while I state a few of the leading facts connected with the early history of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway. These facts will explain to a certain extent the reasons why this meeting has been con- vened, and will show how large was the amount of work under- taken and performed by the Company with the slender means they had at their disposal. THE QUESTION OF GAUGE. Many in this meeting are well aware of the ridicule which was heaped upon the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway during its early inception on account of its " narrow gauge." The pro- niotei-s of the undertaking had to fight this prejudice all the way from Toronto to Owen Sound, and from Orangeville to Teeswater. Utter failure was predicted by the opponents of the gauge and of the road, and it was prophesied that the line would never ascend the Caledon Mountains. It did, however, ascend that incline, and reached the various points which its promoters had under- 1 21 058 y^-^im taken to seive. In speaking of tlie gauge, I take this oppoi* tunity of sayinj? that I acknowledge to no error or to no fail- ure in the choice of gauge made. The road, as a narrow gauge line, has come up to all the expectations held by its promoters. I admit that, in the rapid progress of events, circumstances have corae about which make it now desirable to effect a change, and I admit that, could I have foreseen the future as being so neai, I would not have advised the adoption of the 3 feet 6 inch gauge. You are well aware that the Grand Trunk, the Great Western, and in fact all the railways in Canada at the time the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway was built, were of a 5 feet 6 inch gauge, and that there was no expectation then that that gauge would for a number of years be changed. It was the utter impossibility of raising capital sufficient to build a 5 feet 6 inch gauge that induced the Toronto merchants to adopt the narrow one, they believing that in the section of country now .gerved by this road the absence of railways was a great want, and that the nari'ow gauge would be ample for the requirements of the country. In so far as the traffic is concerned, there is no doubt they were correct. I am not aware that in any one instance has freight ever been left behind on account of the railway's inability to move it- The march of events, however, has been rapid beyond expecta- tion. The Grand Trunk Railvay has now been changed to a gauge of 4 feet 8^ inches ; the Great Western Railway has also been changed to that gauge ; the Wellington, Grey and Bruce, although partially built on a gauge of 5 feet 6 inches, has been changed to one of 4 feet 8| inches ; and the Intercolonial Railway, built on a 5 feet 6 inches gauge, has been altered to one cf 4 feet 8^ inches. These facts compel me to admit that probably the To- ronto, Grey and Bruce Railway would be more valuable to the country were the gauge also 4 fiet 8^ inches. ttti let! However, my object in addressing you to-day is not to pro- mote an agitation for a change of gauge. My desire is chiefly to lay before you, as the parties most deeply interested and most chiefly concerned in the prosperity of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway, a statement of facts as to its present position. Before doing so, I would like briefly to refer to a few historical facts connected with the undertaking. tliis oppor to no fail, row gauge promoters, auces have nge, and I g 80 nea], 3 feet 6 runk, the t the time of a 5 feet that that the utter et 6 inch e narrow served by that the I country. hey were sight ever move it. expecta- ed to a has also I Bruce, as been lailwaj', feet 8J the To- to tJie to pro- iefly to most 3y and )sition. torical CHRONOLOGICAL FACTS. The first Hod of the Toronto, Grey and Brace Railway was turned in October, 18G9. The contricts for construction were let as follows : — From Weston to Arthur in November, 1969. " Arthur to Mount Forest " January, 1871. " Orangeville to Owen Sound " September, 1871. " Mount Forest to Wrbxeter " May, 1872. " Wroxeter to Teeswater " January, 1873. The line was opeaed for traffic as follows : — To Bolton in July, 1871. " Orangeville " November, 1871. •«' Mount Forest " D<'cpmber, 1871. •' Owen Sound " August. 1873. " Teeswater " November, 1874. Thus in less than five years the Company had close upon two hundred miles of railway built and equipped, and every promise made to the Municipalities was redeemed. GREY EXTENSION — CONTRACTS AND FINANCES. With your permission, Mr, Mayor, I will now refer particu- larly to some facts relative to the Grey extension, and the con- tracts in connection therewith. Immediately after the Grey by- law was voted, contracts were let for the completion of the road to Owen Sound. I then proceeded to England and pr.rchascd the iron necessary for that section. It was bought at £7 10s. per ton. In the year following, when the iron was being delivered, so great ■was the advance which had taken place in price, that similar rails sold as high as £14 10s. per ton. During the year 1872, ■and whilst these contracts for the Grey extension were in pro- gress, a serious advance took place in the price of all material and labour. At the same time a distrust of all Canadian rail- way securities set in, caused by the projection of so many lines throughout all Canada, and capitalists could not be induced to invest in or purchase railway bonds. The Company thus found themselves faced with the difficulty of providing funds for the payment of contractors. The Directors knew very well, at the time the contracts were let, that the deficiency in their capital account after spending their own share capital^ the bonuses from the Municipalities, and also the Government bonus, would have to be provided fiom the sale of bonds. At that time, however, they liad tull faith that as soon as they liad a complete road they would have no difficulty in floating the Company's bonds. Tho contractors for the rails, and for the grading and execution of the Grey works, the Company knew, would have been only too glad to have been released from their several losing con- tracts. Either broken pledges in the county of Urey, following on the lapsing of the contracts, and the stoppage of the works, had to be faced, or the building of the line had to be boldly pushed on. It was decid^jd to push on, but unfortunately for the contractors, and also unfortunately for the Company, the san- guine hopes -which the Directors entertained of raising money were dashed to the ground. It is satisfactory, however, to know that heavy as were the losses the Company had to sustain, all tho promises to the Municipalities have been faithfully kept to the letter. Considering the many agitations, and the failures which have so often taken place in trying to build a railway from Toronto to Owen Sound, I must say I think the Board is to be highly congratulated on the eminent success which they attained. The only error and the only great mistake which I am i)repared to acknowledge in connection with the building of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway is, that work was not stopped when it was found that the Company's funds were short. My excuse for that mistake is, that by not so doing the valuable iron contract which we had secured, and upon which a loss of $150,000 would have been sus- tained if it had been cancelled, also the other valuable contracts on hand, were saved to the Company. Gentlemen, you have to-day tlie road, and tho3e contractors and others who built it lost their money. thi th mfl iff CLAIMS AGAINST THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT. It has always been felt that the Company has a strong clain> for aid from the Ontario Government, under the Railway Aid Act, for that portion of the line altogether unaided between Weston and Orangeville. Very many of you who attended with me as a deputation to wait upon the Ontario Government last autumn, to urge the claims of the road, are aware of the i>osi- tion I then took on the subject of a Government grant for that section. I tlien explainel that the iron and the rolling stock of >e, however, « iohU they bonds. Tho J execution 'e been only losing con- r, following the works, be boldly ely for the y, the san- ing money r, to know mstain, all fully kept le failures ilway from rd is to be attained. prepared 3 Toronto, lien it was ie for that which we I been sus- con tracts, ve to-day t it lost tho Company were nearly worn out, and that unless replaced soon the road would certainly have to stop, as the Company had no means of their own, and could obtain none, to relay the road with The unsuccessful result of that meeting you are all aware of. ng claim kvay Aid between attended Brnment ihe posi- for that stock of iron. KBASON OF PRESENT APPEAL TO MUNICIPALITIES. I felt on submitting the matter to the Government that I had exhausted all resources, and that it then only remained for the Board to simply run the road in the interests of the country just as long as they could safely do so. A number of influential friends of my own, and also friends of the road along the line, took, however, another view, and knowing the condition of the track, and knowing what was certain to happen unless something was done, and aid obtained from some source, they advised me that it was my duty at once to lay the case before the representatives of the Municipalities. My friends urged that it would not be in keeping with my general character and position to allow the road to be stopped without making one more and final effort to avert the catastrophe. They urged me that if I was even not more successful with the Municipalities than I had been with the Gov- ernment, at any rate it would be a satisfaction to me tl. ^ I had vindicated my own character in the matter, and had shifted tho onus from my own shoulders to those of others. \ , , ■ PREJUDICES AGAINST THE GAUGE. It was at this time that the Mayor of O) mgeville, and with him several other influential Municipal officers, suggested that a meeting of representative men from the townships and towns should be convened to consider the situation, and I was asked if a deputation of the Board would attend. I assented, and hence, gentlemen, the reason I appear before you to-day. Our friends further urged that it might be better, as the road would at any rate have to be renewed with rails, to at the same time take up the whole scheme of the change of gauge. They urged that although the road fulfilled all the promises of the promoters, the old prejudices against the gauge more or less still existed, the con- sequence being that the villages, towns, and country through which the road passed were not improving or thriving as fast as those upon the broad gauge roads. It was urged that manu- 8 ! ) facturers, large shippers and capitalists looking out for localities in which to settle, had a prejudice against the line of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway on account of its break of gauge. Those and other strong reasons were very forcibly urged upon me why at this meeting something more than the mere renewing of the road should be considered, and the wider scheme brought forward. I must admit that there is a great deal of force in the arguments advanced, as I know in ray daily intercourse that business men have raised the objection, and urged it to my face, that they would not embark in enterprises at the stations of the road where large transit facilities were required, for the simple reason that they could neither receive or ship to a distant market without breakiug bulk. I felt it was my duty to take all those matters into considera- tion and lay them before you, as you are really the parties in- terested in the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway and its welfare. If it is true that the gauge is a bar to the general improve- ment of tha country, and that it is desirable to change it, it is for you to consider the cost. I must admit that lam more anxious to see the road in efficient running order with steel rails, than to change the gauge. If the Municipalities, however, think differ- ently, it is for them to take into full consideration all the in- terests involved. There is no doubt, as I have already stated, that the general situation has altered since the railway was built. You are now surrounded by the standard gauges of the country, and it would be unwise to shut your eyes to the objections and to the grievances already referred to. ADVANTAGES TO THE COUNTRY FROM THE RAILWAY. It will be admitted by every one knowing the country, that the road has been of vast benefit to the locality served by it ; and in support of that statement I trust tlie meeting will bear with me whilst I lay before them a few figures appertaining to the group of townships that aided the railway in Grey, and which the Grey extension traverses. The quantities carried are from the official returns of the Company, and are correct. The figui-es showing the saving to the Municipalities are conjectural, but I believe are very much within the mark ; I will be glad whilst going over them to be corrected if found wrong. I assunle that in that group of e\c\ 10fl at fiOc. (xar l(K)tt>s 3,000 Butter & Cheese 6,000 Fumis at SI per farm <»,000 Timber 400,000 Cub. ft at 82 per 1000 ft 12,000 Cordwood 20,000 Cords at 25c. per cord 6,000 Railway Ties. . .50,000 Tit's , at 5c. profit per tie 2,600 Imports, such as Groceries, Dry Goods, Salt, Iron, Oils, etc., say 14 per 100 acres 24,000 Increased value of projierty in villages, such as Shelburne, l)un- dalk, Flesherton, Markdale, Chatsworth, etc., per annum, say. .$20,000 Or a total saving to these Townships of $132,500 whereas I find that their contribution during the first year, to provide interest and sinking fund to the bonus granted to the Company, amounts to only about $29,000. I need not here dwell upon the enhanced value given by the railway to every 100 acres in that group, nor upon the large amount of Government land and of lands unsaleable even for taxes, before lying idle and valueless, but which are now either worked or are changing hands at very greatly increased prices, knowing full well that I am in the presence of gentlemen who are better acquainted with those facts than I am. I may here say, however, that in the group of townships mentioned the ex- penditure for timber alone each year, which must otherwise have been destroyed, has reached the amount of .$50,000 — upon cord- wood $40,000 and upon ties $0,000. This sum represents the money spent for labour, thus making valuable capital out of what otherwise would be destroyed. I might have dwelt upon the con- venience of the road to travellers, or to those who have to go out and in, I refrain, however, leaving all these advantages, as well as the above figures, out of my calculation. Believing I was within the mark, I showed the above estimate to a gentleman largely connected with trade on the line of the Toronto, Grey and IJruce Railway — I allude to the Reeve of Harriston — who pronounced them very low indeed. If yoti admit the correctness of my calcu- lation, you will see that the wholeof the bonus granted has actually been returned to those ^Municipalities in two years. The Reeve of \ 10 HarriKton also mentioned to me a most extraordinary fact in con- nection with his own townsliip, and I refer to it with very great pride as a Canadian- m mean the Township of Minto, which has already given $80,000 in aid of railways, and may therefore justly b3 called the Banner Railway Township of Ontario. He tells me that the first year the railway tax in that township was 1 7 mills, and that now the whole taxes are only G mills in the dollar. There, at any rate, the good old proverb as to the cheerful giver iai fulfilled to the letter. I take the advantages of the railway to the County of Grey as a fair example of what they are to the othor Municipalities, because, adnatting that the older townships have not the timber and other coarse freights that Giey has, they have in far greater excess cereals, cattle, &c. PROSPERITY AND WEALTH OF THE TOWNSHIPS. I may further call attention to the ability of the Municipalities along the line of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway to grant aid to any scheme that this meeting may adopt for the impx'ove- ment of the road. They have already received back from the Municipal Loan Fuua about one-third of the bonuses granted to this Company, and apart from the figures I have given you already, I would direct your attention to the extraordinary develop- ment and increase in wealth of the group of townships in Grey, before alluded to. I find that their assessed value in 1870 war $3,140,000, whereas in 1877 it is $6,430,000. I find that che Township of Luther, which has hitherto refused any aid to the 'Joronto, Grey and Bruce Railway, has improved from $200,000 in 1870 to $823,000 in 1877, and that the aggregate assessment ol' the Municipalities vt'hich aided the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway (exclusive of Toronto) was in 1870 $8,741,000, while in 1877 it had reached $19,253,000. You see, therefore, gentlemen, the astounding and rapid growth in wealth of those Municipalities. I will not say that each Municipality has benefited in the same degree as those I have been more particularly referring to, but I have no hesitation in saying that the least favoured townshij).s will admit that the aid given to the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway has been the very best investment they ever made. THE ORIGINAL PROSPECTUS. 7t is not for me to urge the adoption of either one scheme or the other. Having built the road, I felt that my labour should then I 11 ct in con- ery great ^hich has )re justly s tells me 17 mills, ! dollar. giver is ly to the til 9 other ips have ley Jiave iipalities o grant niin-ove- rom the inted to i^en yoii develop- n Grey, i70 wur hat che to the 206,000 bssment Bruce k'liile in tlenien, )alities. e same ', but I 'nships Bruce ie. or the 1 then have ceased ; but not belonging to that class which deserts a ship in distress so long as there is a plank to hold on by, you still fini me here, and if I can be of further service to you in helping to bring the road into a first-class position, and making it in uniformity with the gau^^'es of the country, then I shall be glal ; if not, I shall feel that with the explanations made to-day I have done my duty. I have decided to put no more money into the Company, neither would I ask my friends to invest another dol- lar in it. In support of what I say with regard to the money already spent, and the prospects of obtaining more, I shall give you an extract fro:n the original prospectus of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Kailway, showing the expected gross earnings upon the section from Toronto to Mount Forest : "The grain, cattle, pork, goods and passenger traffic tributary to the " first section of the Torcnto, Grey and Bruce Railway will equal, if not ** exceed, for the same length of line, the local traffic of any other railway " in Canada. The following estimates of traffic fiom the first section of " the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Kailway are based upon calculations on " the returns made by the Municipalities, and an intimate acquaintance " with their trade and resources : — Passengers, 140,000 $140,000 Cereals, 2,000,000 bushels 100.000 Flour, 50,000 barrels 15,000 General Goods, 50,000 tons 150,000 Square Timber, 1,000,000 cubic feet 30,000 Staves, Lumber, Bark Posts, &c 10,000 Cordwood, 20.000 cords 25,000 Mails and Express 20,000 Total $490,000 " Allowing 60 per cent, for running expenses, the net earnings would " .amount to $196,000 — equal to a dividend of 18 per cent, on a cost of " $15,000 per mile. Allowing reasonable margin for increased cost or less " traffic (the moderate estimate of which will be undisputed), there re- " mains the strom/cat reasons for anticipating a dividend of 10 per c^nt. " per annum." I must say that that document does more credit to the imagina- tion of its authors than to their heads. Upon the face of that pro- spectus, and knowing the great want of railway accommodation a that time, I and others put largely of our means into the under- taking. That money is all lost and gone; and now, after complet- ing 200 miles of railway, the entire gross receipts during the best year in the history of the road amounts to but some $372,000, or more than $100,000 less than was expected upon the first 90 miles. It may be urged by some that the Toronto 12 men, and those charged with the conducting of the line, have made, or are making, money out of it. I tell you plainly that the original stock put into the line by the Toronto merchants amounted to over $300,000 The money actually lost by contractors and others on their contracts came to about 450,000 Making a total capital altogether lost and gone of . . . . $750,000 or three quarters of a million dollars. In addition, there is the munificent bonus given by Toronto of $350,000. I do not take into consideration the great sacrifice of time by directors and others in the early promoting of the Company, and the subse- quent management of the undertaking, which, with one excep- tion, has been totally unrequited and without reward. I cannot feel any astonishment at the unsatisfactory result when I look upon the multiplicity of lines now occupying the territory at that time vacant. You have now, between the Northern on the north and east, and the Bufialo and Goderich Railway on the west, the following new lines : The North Grey Railway ; the Toronto, Grey and Bruce to Owen Sounl ; the Wellington, Grey and Bruce to Southampton and Kincardine ; the Toronto, Grey and Bruce to Teeswater ; and the London, Huron and Bruce to Wingham, and othei*s are building. I have no doubt that some of those building now will be some time before they are completed, and that their promoters will soon find, if they have not already done so, that it is easier to commence a railway than to finish one- THE PRESENT A FAVOURABLE TIME. Tliere is no doubt that no better time than the present could occur for the carrying ont of any scheme "f either improvement or of widening the ga\ige of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway, lion, steel, and all materials are exceedingly cheap. There is a large amount of unemployed labour available, which could be had at reasonable rates. In sliort, in no period within the last 1 5 or 20 years could the work be more economically completed. There is also no doubt that just now tbe circulation of the large amount of money which would be spent in making the improve- ments along the line would be most beneficially felt. The country is, I think, now entering u| on a new era of prosperity, and it might be a fortunate thing for the Municipalities were they just now to tak( but tlen 13 ne, have that the nerchants $300,000 450,000 8750,000 re is the not take tors and le subse- le excep- I cannot n I look ritory at n on the the west, Toronto, id Bruce 1 Bruce ingham, of tliose ed, and already ish one. t could vement ail way. ive is a be had t 15 or There large i2)i"ove- 3untry might low to take up this scheme and make a fresh starr There is no doubt but that the prejudices said to be operating against the set- tlement of the country would be at once removed ; that the vil- lages and towns upon the route of the railway would receive a fresh impetus in the march of improvement which could not fail to contribute materially to the advancement of the farming com- munity as well. With the cniation of wealth, property and lands of all kinds would increase in value, better houses would be built, and a greater circulation of foreign capital be secured. THE ORANOEVILLE STATION AND TARIFFS. Reference has been made here to the station at Orangeville, and the discriminating rates of freight charged against Orangeville. With regard to the station, I am pleased to say that at one time a station did exist thex*e, and a very good one it was. The Company could, however, not prevent the building from catching fire, nor alter the fact that there was no money on hand to replace it after it had been burnt down. It was and is felt that it is a disgrace to have no proper station accommodation at Orangeville, but still means could not be provided. Extreme poverty is the only excuse which we have to offer in regard to this station. So far as freights are concerned, this railway cannot control the Grand Trunk or any other railway so far as the discriminating of rates is concerned. I would like to ask my friend from Orangeville, who raised the objection as to the Company's tariff, and grudged his five cents on his keg of nails, what he has had to pay in former days for the carriage of nails from Toronto, when there was no railway to Orangeville at all 1 THE OWEN SOUND STATION. Whilst on the subject of the Company's shortcomings in re- gaid to station accommodation, I must admit that one Munici- pality has a claim upon the Company, viz., the town of Owen Sound. That Municipality granted a bonus to the Company to biing the railway up to the centre of the town, and also to build a station. The work was began, but unfortunately the means of the Company ran short, and Owen Sound was left without a stition. I feel that even if I have to sell the coat from off my back that Owen Sound must have a proper itation built. u NO SCHEME PERFECT. It has been remarked that some of the Municipalities did not receive as much benefit from tho road as did others. In reply I can only say, that uo man can perfect a scheme so that it will be purely and literally equitabla to all. I remember, during tlie discussions which took place upon the introduction of the penny postage stamp into Britain, that an Edinburgh man was heard to raise great objections to it because he had to pay as much for a letter coming from Glasgow as ho had when he got one from John O'Groat's. The great aim to keep in view is to make a scheme as near perfection as possible. EXTENSIONS. Reference also has been made to extensions. You, Mr. Mayor, have heard to-day a deputation from Walkerton eloquently plead- ing for an extension of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway to that town. I might, if I indulged in pride, feel a satisfaction in seeing my old friend, Mr. Shaw, pleading so eloquently for tiie Toi'onto, Grey and Bruce Railway here to-day. I remember, sir, when it required all the courage I could muster to put in an official appearance in Walkerton on behalf of my Company, so great was the contempt in which we narrow gaugera were held in that town. You had also a deputation before you to-day from Kincardine, asking and pleading for the extension of the Toronto, Grey anfl Bruce Railway to that thriving town; also one from Winghani, solicitous to have us extend our line there. It is certainly to me a matter of great gratification to see here to-day all those gentle- men whom I have met years ago, most of them in former days opposed more or less to the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway. With reference to those proposed extensions, you have probably M'isiely ruled against their discussion at this meeting. My chief object here to-day is to see if I cannot develop a scheme to [)erfect and complete and thoroughly equip the original stem of the line. Of course I am not insensible to the advantage of these extensions, and as soon as there appears a reasonable ]iio?pect of the present Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway be- ing placed in the position of a first-class road I shall be glad then to take up tlie question of extensions, knowing that .some of them must ultimately be built; but I think, Sir, that until 15 ;s did not In reply le so that er, durins; on of the man was y as much e got one s to make Mayor, tly plead - ail way to faction in y for the mber, sir, an official ?reat was hat town, incardine, jrrey and Vingham, tily to me le gentle- mer days Railway, probably Sly chief :heme to lal stem 1 vantage asonable way be- be glad at some lat until I see my way clear to complete what we have in hand, that you would deem it unwiso in me to undertake further obligations. COMPETING LINES. This territory is now well off for railways. I state to you, INIr. Chairman, and to this meeting, frankly, that I think there is no word which has been more misapplied and more abused than the word " competition." Where there is not enough traffic for one road, how are two or three to live 1 And when there is not enough of work for one staff of hands, how are two or three ad- ditional staffs to improve the situation 1 You may depend uj)on it that those roads which you see now lying half completed and half built, cannot be kept open without traffic. Had the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway as much business as it could do, or one- half of what was claimed it would have in the original pro- spectus, the Company would not now be in its present humiliating position, knocking at your doors for renewals. A single good road, depend upon it, well equipped, in a flourishing state, crowded with business, is infinitely better than two or three poor, sickly, languishing concerns. Every bushel of grain, every passenger — in fact, the entire extent of the traffic that your territory can pro- duce, is now known, and the amount of money your roads can borrow is limited to the interest they can pay, represented by the traffic. It cannot, therefore, I think, be wondered at that capi- talists cognizant of the immense losses already sustained through railway investments in Canada, now refuse to advance money to build more roads — there being no business for them to do — apd that tliey have generally come to regard Canadian Railway Bonds as little better than waste paper. ESTIMATED COST OF THE NEW WORKS, My friend Mr. Gibson, of Howick, has asked me what would be the cost of the change of gauge and the projected improve- ments. I did not expect to have to answer that question to-day, not having yet gone into the matter thoroughly. I may state, however, for Mr. Gibson's information and that of the meeting, that the new works, which would include an iron bridge over the Humber, with an improved location there, straightening the curves generally, reducing the grades, ballasting the lino thoroughly, laying 120 miles with heavy steel rails, buying half a dozen new 4 16 locomotives, half a dozen new passenger cars and a lot of box cars, would involve a cost of about a million dollars ($1,000,000). HOW THE MONEY COULD BE RAISED. The money to be raised might, I presume, be spread over a period of say 20 years, and could be so arranged that no levy of assessment would be made in 1878 — that the first tax on behalf of the railway would ho collected in 1879. Were this once arranged, some rails could be obtained for immediate use this season, and the balance contracted for for early spring delivery, and the work generally completed next year. I may state that it is now con- cedvd by engineers and railway men that with heavier locomo- tives and heavier rails, and a better road bed generally, there is a much better chance of being able to resist the tremendous snow- storms with which this country is sometimes visited, and main- t lining the road fairly open during the winter, than can ever be possible with our present road. THROUGH TRAFFIC. I must concede that the present gauge never having been in- tended for a through road, the line cannot bo expected, as it now is, to compete witli the standard roads of the country for doing a tlirouf;h traffic. If the town of Owen Sound and the other towns along the line are ever to have the full benefit of through railway facilities, and wish to share in the advantages accruing to the great traffic of the West, that fertile region about which we hear so much, they can only do so by making the Toronto, Grey and Bruce liiiilway into a first-class concern. No doubt, that being once done, Owen Sound and the other towns upon the road would be at once jdaced upon as favourable a basis as any in the Dominion for developing a large through business. CONCLUSION. And now as to the summing up of the whole matter — and I must confess I approach the subject with much reluctance, and with a full sense of the great responsibility involved — I mean the complete stoppage of the traffic of the railway. Such a ca- tastrophe means a complete cessation of the employment of that capital now pouring into the district ; it means almost a para- lysis of every industry. I do trust, gentlemen, that you in your good wisdom will take such steps as will avert that threatening contingency, and save the country from so dire a calamity. Rel Ori th( me an 4 17 lot of box 00,000). jad over a no levy of n behalf of s arranged, )n, and tli© the work now con- er locomo- y, there is lous snow- and main- m ever be been in- as it now •r doing a ler towns I railway g to the '^e hear so nd Bruce ing once uld bo at inion for — and I nee, and -I mean ;h a ca- of that a para- in your 5ateninsr RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED. The following were the Resolutions adopted at the meeting of Reeves, Depiity Reeves, and Municipal Councillors held at Orangeville on 7th September, 1877, convened by His Woiship the Mayor of Orangeville, to consider the advisability of devising means to seciire the widening of the gauge of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway to the national, or 4 feet 8^ inches gauge, and generally to improve the line. Dr. Christie, Reeve of Artemesia, moved, seconded V)y Mr. A. Meiklejohn, Reeve of -Harriston : — " That this meeting is of opinion that it is hijxhly ilesir.ible to change tlic gauge of the Toronto, ( !rey ami Bruce Hallway to the st indaril gauge of the country, and to convert the railway into a tirst-class line, and that the present is a desirable time for so