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Leaving Ottawa for
the West, it is possible to travel by two routes, either direct by
the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Ottawa
Valley, or by the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, or that of
the Grand Trunk Railway, via Toronto and Western Ontario. If the
latter is adopted, the main line route may be reached again by way
of the Grand Trunk Railway and North Bay. On our outward journey,
however, we took the first of the two routes, branching off on our
return at North Bay, and visiting Toronto and other places in what
is known as the “Garden of Canada.”
The line from
Ottawa goes by way of Carleton Junction and Renfrew, and enters the
Ottawa Valley at the latter place. From Renfrew to Mattawa, a
distance of 120 miles, it is continually in view of the Ottawa
River. As already mentioned in previous letters, the scenery in this
district is exceedingly picturesque. The river is broad and its
banks are well timbered, and in many places it is below the level of
tho surrounding country. In the autumn time, when the leaves are
beginning to change their colours, the sight is exceedingly
beautiful. The railway crosses many streams, along the banks of
which may be found perfect paradises for the angler and sportsman.
Between Ottawa and Pembroke, a distance of 124 miles, the country is
fairly well settled with British and other European immigrants, and
satisfactory progress is apparently being made, judging from the
appearance of the farms, the excellent quality of the cattle
everywhere to be seen, and the additional clearing that is annually
taking place. Westward of Pembroke the country is not thickly
inhabited ; indeed, houses are few and far between, although in the
near future the attractions of the country, when the emigration
movement revives, will doubtless lead to a further accession of
population. From Mattawa to Sudbury the Scenery is of the same
character as that already described, a well-timbered, rocky country,
with valleys here and there capable of cultivation, and watered by
rushing streams, in which the maskinonge, trout, bass and other fish
abound. On this stretch of line the principal place is North Bay,
the junction with the Grand Trunk Railway already referred to; and
Sudbury has sprung into importance in recent years, not only on
account of the nickel deposits in the neighbourhood, said to be the
most extensive in the world, but from its position as the junction
with the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault Ste. Marie Railway, the
line running from Sudbury through Algoma along the shores of Lake
Huron to Sault Ste. Marie, over which it is conveyed by a bridge to
the United States.
The ride from
Sudbury to Heron Bay, where tho first sight of the magnificent Lake
Superior is obtained, is not particularly inviting. The line
traverses a more or less wild region, similar in character to that
already described, but here and there very interesting and
picturesque views are obtained. From Heron Bay the railway skirts
the shores of Lake Superior to Fort William, a distance of nearly
200 miles. Not only are the views of the lake that are obtained
singularly grand and interesting, but the scenery inland along the
line of the railway merits a similar observation. No one who has not
travelled over this piece of road can appreciate the immense
difficulties that were encountered by the engineers in building it,
and it quite justifies the remark that has been made, that the
Canadians, in determining on the building of the Canadian Pacific
Railway, must not only be credited with enterprise, but with
considerable audacity. The railway curls about in some places almost
like a corkscrew, and viaducts, tunnels, bridges, and cuttings occur
rapidly one after the other along nearly the whole route.
The country through
which the railway passes, between Ottawa and Fort William, has not
yet yielded much return to mankind, for the simple reason that its
wealth is not yet either appreciated or probably known. For a
portion of the way, however, agriculture is gradually developing,
and in favourable places indications of the lumber industry may be
seen in floating logs and in occasional sawmills. The principal
towns are Almonte, with a population of 3,500, a manufacturing
centre, and tho site of largo woollen mills. Pakenham (population,
2,200) and Arnprior (population, 3,500) are also manufacturing
centres. Then there is Pembroke, with a population of nearly 5,000,
the most important town between Ottawa and Fort William, the centre
of the lumbering trade on tho Upper Ottawa. Mattawa, with a
population rather under 2,000, is an old Hudson Bay trading post,
and is a place from which sporting expeditions are arranged,
facilities being found there for tho supply of all materials and the
necessary guides. Sudbury has already been referred to, but there
are practically no further places of importance except those which
obtain their populations by being railway divisional points, until
Nepigon is reached. This is another favourite centre for sportsmen,
especially those who seek the speckled trout, which is found in
great abundance, and in all sizes, both in the Nepigon Lake and in
the rivers which run out of it. Port Arthur, with a population of
3,000, was formerly a more important place than it is now, but, the
Canadian Pacific Railway having lent its influence to Fort William,
another town on the lake 5 miles away, its position has been
somewhat eclipsed. It is likely, however, to develop in the future
more than it has hitherto done, as the iron mines in the
neighbourhood are exploited. Fort William derives its importance
from the fact that it is the port of arrival and departure of the
magnificent steamships of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company,
which ply to and from Owen Sound. It is also noted for its immense
elevators, where the grain from the wheat fields of the West is
stored prior to its shipment to the Eastern markets. |
