CHAPTER XVIII

The Great Northern Giant—The Early Days of the

C.P.R. and its Big Promoters—Where the Aristocracy

of Brains Ruled—A Huge Undertaking

and a Broad Policy—A Conspicuously Canadian

Enterprise—Something About the

Men Who Ruled—My Fidus Achates—Captains

Courageous—The Active Men

of To-Day—And Interesting Facts

About the C. P. R.

The completion of the Canadian Pacific railway placed Canada prominently

on the map of the world and magically transformed a widely scattered

Dominion into a prosperous and progressive nation.

* * * * *

It was in 1857—sixty-four years ago—that the search for a path across

British North America was begun by the British Government. Other schemes

had been promulgated which involved a diversion through the United

States to avoid the rock-bound north shore of Lake Superior, and the St.

Paul and Pacific railway was projected to connect the Minnesota city

with the Pacific coast through the prairies and mountains of Canada. But

it was to be an all-Canadian route, and in the early days of its

construction a policy of utilizing the waterways was adopted—a futile

one in the light of after events. The building of 3,000 miles partly

through an unknown territory was a gigantic undertaking, and the very

boldness of the scheme engendered a feeling of doubt which was only

dispelled by the inexorable logic of facts.

The great national work was first assumed by the Federal government, but

on February 15th, 1881—just forty years ago—a charter was granted to

the Canadian Pacific railway company, and through that company’s

untiring energy, unceasing efforts, unflagging perseverance and

boundless faith in the undertaking, the success of the great work was

completely assured. Ten years were specified for the completion of the

railway; in five years—and five years ahead of the contract time—the

road was completed from ocean to ocean.

The marvellously rapid construction of the road was one of the grandest

achievements of the age. The engineering difficulties were appalling.

The granite hills of the east and the fastnesses of the Rockies were

pierced, and river, lagoon, coulee, morass, rocky defile and broad

stretching prairie were crossed and covered with an iron trail, over

which daily speeds the iron horse with its long train of heavily laden

coaches.

Big Undertaking, Broad Policy.

For completing this herculean task, the present company was given a

subsidy of $25,000,000 and 25,000,000 acres of land, the larger portion

of which was practically worthless then, owing to its inaccessibility.

This land grant has been frequently quoted as a munificent gift to the

Company by the people of Canada. Its greatly enhanced value, however, is

attributable to the inauguration of a liberal immigration policy by the

C.P.R. and the expenditure of millions of dollars in advertising and

peopling the land. In its early days, the company was at times sorely

pressed financially, but through wise administration and careful

management, its difficulties completely disappeared and to-day—well,

it’s the “C.P.R.,” of which in former times its worst detractors at home

were when abroad the loudest boasters about its marvellous success.

The policy of the company has of necessity been somewhat broader, by

reason of the variety of its activities, than that of a purely railway

enterprise, and, under Lord Mount Stephen, Sir William Van Horne and

Lord Shaughnessy, its affairs have been administered with what Sir John

Willison terms “A Nation Vision,” and this is largely responsible not

only for the company’s own success, but for the unique position which it

occupies in Canada and abroad. In fact, it was due largely to this

broadness of view that the company’s prestige in America, England and

Europe has reached such a high pinnacle. If there was anything necessary

to add to this it was the extra-ordinarily important work which the

company was privileged to do during the late war, involving activities

so numerous as to be beyond the scope of any ordinary enterprise. The

company had more points of contact with the war than any other

enterprise outside of Great Britain.

It is now in the fortieth year of its existence, and has had four

presidents during that period—Lord Mount Stephen, who occupied the

position for seven years; Sir William Van Horne for eleven years, Lord

Shaughnessy for nineteen years; and the present incumbent for two and a

half years.

The company was fortunate in possessing chief executives whose personal

qualities and official abilities were such as to make them specially

fitted for the problems which had to be met during their particular term

of office. It is safe to say, however, that the problems of to-day are

without parallel in the previous history of the company, and therefore

require different methods and different men.

Conspicuously Canadian.

The policy of the future will be an extension of the policies of the

past, namely that the company should be a good citizen of Canada, which

means contributing to Canada’s advancement and its own success, and

taking, as it always has, its share of the country’s burden. In this

democratic age it is possible that methods may be adopted which would

not be thought of in previous times. It is certain that the company and

its patrons will be closer together than ever before, because a greater

mutual understanding is necessary if the unique problems of the present

time are to be dealt with satisfactorily.

Historically, that’s pretty nearly all that is going to be said about

the Canadian Pacific Railway, except that when rail communication was

established between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in November, 1886,

the company had 4,306 miles of track. To-day it operates or controls

more than 18,000 miles. That’s going some. But it’s not all. A

magnificent ocean service has been established on the Atlantic and the

Pacific, and on the inland lakes and rivers of Canada its craft ply. It

has become the “World’s Greatest Highway,” carrying the traffic of three

continents. It lodges and feeds globe-trotters, so that a person may

travel from Great Britain to China and Japan exclusively under its

protecting care, on its trains, ships and hotels. It has developed

fishing, mining, agricultural, immigration, forestry and other resources

and industries. It is not a mere transportation company, as all railways

were before its construction. It is an Empire builder.

Let me speak now of those courageous captains of industry to whose

activities and counsel are due the great success which has crowned their

indefatigable efforts to make the Canadian Pacific the wonder of the

world.

The First President.

George Stephen—now Lord Mount Stephen—who came to Montreal from

Scotland, an unknown youth, was its first president. He was an earnest

worker and a wise counsellor, as was his fellow director, R. B. Angus.

In all the hazardous conditions and financial worries of his presidency

he never lost heart. He, with his co-workers, pledged their entire

fortunes to ensure the company’s very existence. There were dark days,

darker perhaps than the world will ever realize, with apparently a

hopeless future to face, but their courage never failed them. Their

grandest monument is the C.P.R.

Lord Mount Stephen was possessed of that caution which is proverbial of

the Scotch. His was a broad mind and a far-seeing vision, dependable in

any emergency; self-sacrificing and thoughtful of others. He was of a

modest, retiring disposition and his favorite sport was fishing in his

salmon pools in New Brunswick. Like infinitely few others he did not

accumulate his great wealth exclusively for his own personal enjoyment,

but years ago generously gave large sums and valuable properties to

those of his kin. None were overlooked. He is spending the evening of

his life at Brocket Hall in his native land. His large statue in Windsor

Street station is a testimony of his life’s work—a mute reminder for

years to come that to him Canada owes a debt of gratitude it never can

repay.

A Temporary President.

The C.P.R. once had a temporary president in the person of Rev. Father

Lacombe, O.M.I., the well-beloved missionary of the farther west. The

arrival of the first through train from Winnipeg to Calgary was the

occasion. At luncheon in President Stephen’s private car, at which were

several directors and Father Lacombe, it was playfully suggested that in

recognition of his invaluable services during the building of the road

through an unknown country, largely peopled by savages, the good priest

should be elevated to the presidency of the C.P.R. An emergency meeting

of the directors was hastily called. Mr. Stephen resigned his office,

and Father Lacombe was elected in his stead. His term of office lasted

exactly one hour, during which he installed Mr. Van Horne as general

manager, but did not enunciate any particular policy, and gracefully

retired without drawing his salary. Then Mr. Stephen was reinstalled as

president.

Sir William Van Horne.

Prominent amongst the men connected with the construction and completion

of the C.P.R. was Sir William Van Horne, who was the first general

manager of the road, and afterwards succeeded Sir George Stephen in the

presidency. To splendid personal executive ability, indomitable

perseverance and wide experience are largely due the great successes

which crowned his unceasing labors. Sir William was unconventionality

personified, and whether in his palatial residence in Montreal or at his

desk or in his private car, was a perfect host.

He was a man of great versatility—a railroad organizer, practical

engineer, surveyor, electrician, antiquarian, painter, author,

geologist, botanist and student of history and men and a mind-reader. He

generally was seen in private with a long Havana cigar in his mouth, and

he usually accentuated his language by extra big puffs of circling cigar

smoke. The construction of the C.P.R. within five years of its inception

now seems to have been an impossible task, but it was accomplished, and

accomplished under frequently most discouraging conditions. After he had

resigned the presidency in 1899, instead of retiring from active life,

he built another line of railway which traversed the island of Cuba.

Sir William loved to indulge in reminiscenses, and dwell on the

hardships of early days. One story he delighted in telling was of the

dark days of ’84, when Jack Frost had played hob with the wheat crop of

the west. Grain was selling at a mere song and to increase the price,

Alex Mitchell, an experienced grain man of Montreal, was sent up to

Winnipeg by the C.P.R., but not publicly as a representative of the

company. On his arrival, prices took a jump upwards and he bought and

bought and kept on buying until all the available storage facilities

could hold no more, and the wheat was stacked in bags or dumped in huge

piles at stations. The enemies of the C.P.R.—and there were lots of

kickers in those days—not knowing the circumstances—had these piles of

wheat photographed, and sent all over the country to show the awful

extremity of the farmers and their ill-treatment by the C.P.R. And—yes,

it was C.P.R. wheat all the time.

He Helped Make History.

When the Riel rebellion broke out in the early spring of ’85 the C.P.R.

was not completed and the troops from the east could not be sent through

the United States. The gaps between the two ends of the track on the

north shore of Lake Superior aggregated many miles, and the weather was

severe. But Sir William’s genius was greatly in evidence. He ordered all

the construction gangs to make their sleighs as comfortable as possible

with straw and blankets, and established camps at convenient distances,

where coffee and a bite to eat were freely dispensed. Without any

particular hardship the eastern volunteers were carried over the gap,

and the much-needed reinforcements to the western troops hurriedly

forwarded, by which means the rebellion was more quickly suppressed.

Having a keen sense of humor, once he built a spur-line from near the

station at Winnipeg, to Silver Heights, a summer residence of Sir Donald

Smith, afterwards Lord Strathcona. When that personage arrived one day

shortly after, and wanted to leave the car at Winnipeg, he was asked to

remain. When the special train ran over the new track for a while Sir

Donald noticed familiar objects, and when he reached Silver Heights, he

grasped his head and wondered if he had gone crazy. He couldn’t

understand that where there had been no railway track before there was

one now.

A Well Informed Porter.

Jimmy French was Sir William’s faithful porter on the private car

“Saskatchewan,” and Jimmy was a character. One day, down at St. John, en

route to Sydney, Cape Breton, a couple of newspaper reporters

unceremoniously rushed into the car seeking an interview and met Jimmy.

“Where’s Sir William, and where is he going?”

“Don’ you peoples know that a privat’ cah’s a man’s house, and you

wouldn’t go inta a genleman’s house without rappin’, now would ya?”

indignantly demanded Jimmy.

The reporters mollified him, and then Jimmy enlightened them: “Don’ know

where Sir William is, but I do know he’s goin’ down fishin’ to Great

Britain.”

Another time when Hon. Edward Blake, who had been retained by the

company in an important case in British Columbia, accompanied Sir

William in his car to the Pacific coast, Jimmy, whose ordinary language

was somewhat lurid, had been warned not to use any cuss words in Mr.

Blake’s presence, as he was a very religious man, and abhorred

profanity. All went well, until at a divisional point in the west, the

car was being watered. By some accident, the water went the wrong way,

and instead of filling the tanks, deluged Jimmy, who thereupon broke out

in a violent torrent of abuse and consigned the culprit to the lowest

depths of the sultry place, where, they say, there is eternal

punishment. The air was blue. Being over-heard, he was taken to task for

his pyrotechnical language, and ordered by Sir William to apologize to

Mr. Blake. Jimmy was in a bad fix, and thought thoughts, but didn’t go

near Mr. Blake. Finally he was commanded to apologize, and he went

meekly to Mr. Blake and penitently began the apology.

[Illustration: LORD STRATHCONA—LORD MOUNT STEPHEN—SIR WILLIAM VAN

HORNE]

“I’m sorry, Mistah Blake, that I swore and cussed as I did, an’ I’ve

gotta ’pologize, but ye see, Mistah Blake, that blankety, blank son of a

black, blank his blank eyes, soaked me good an’ hard wif’ his blankety

blank ol’ water an’—”

But he got no further, for Mr. Blake, convulsed with laughter, said it

was all right. And Jimmy told me afterwards that it was a hell of an

apology.

Early Advertising.

When the passenger service of the C.P.R. was inaugurated, the citizens

of Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and other large centres were puzzled and

astonished one morning on seeing numerous billboards decorated with

streamers on which were printed: “Said the Prince to the Duke: ‘How high

we live on the C.P.R.’ ” and “What the Duke said to the Prince: ‘All

sensible people travel by the C.P.R.’ ” “Parisian Politeness on the

C.P.R.” “Great Salome on the C.P.R.” “Wise Men of the East Go West on

the C.P.R.” and “By Thunder-Bay passes the C.P.R.,” the final four words

of the latter being in comparatively small type.

They created quite a little stir at the time, being something novel in

advertising. Twenty-five years later an advertising man recalled the

advertisements and gave as his opinion that they were no good, and also

intimated that they were really idiotic. “And yet you remember them for

a quarter of a century?” I asked. “They must have been pretty good

advertising.”

And they were.

His Work in Cuba.

At the time that Sir William Van Horne was constructing his railroad in

Cuba, the “Foracker Resolution” was in force, and its terms prohibited

any public concession to build railroads or other public works during

the life of the U.S. Interventory Government. In spite of this, however,

Sir William went ahead with the Cuba railroad, by getting private

right-of-way agreements with owners of land over which the railroad was

to run. He skipped all public roads and lands, and at the conclusion of

the office of the Interventory Government, the Cuban Administration

authorized the road so that the missing stretches were constructed, and

the road went into operation almost immediately.

When Sir William was constructing this railroad, he decided to install a

typical railroad hotel in Camaguey, and with his keen eye for detail he

had an idea for its decoration.

“Why not fit up one of the parlors,” said he, “with panellings of the

beautiful native woods of the island? It seems to me that such a room

would interest visitors greatly, and give a handsome effect.”

His suggestion was carried out to the letter. Next time he arrived in

Camaguey the hotel was practically complete, and Sir William recollected

his hardwood room and expressed a desire to see it. There was a singular

lack of enthusiasm on the part of the officials, and they didn’t make

any effort to hurry out Sir William, who was deaf, dumb and blind to the

beauty of the weather, the excellence of the service, and the sudden

death of anybody’s great-grandmother. He wanted to see that hardwood

room, and with drooping eyes and ears, everybody, checkmated, led him to

it.

It had been panelled in all the different varieties of beautiful native

hardwoods, according to schedule, from ceiling to floor. It had given a

beautiful effect, as Sir William had foreseen. And then a gang of native

painters, putting finishing touches on halls and corridors, had wandered

in, observed its painlessness, and given it two heavy coats of ivory

white.

Like the black on a colored person, it wouldn’t wash off, and

ivory-white that parlor still is and provoked Sir William’s great

disgust to his dying day.

When Sir William passed away, there was general sorrow, and a feeling

that in his death Canada and the world had lost a great man whose name

will live in history.

Lord Shaughnessy.

T. G. Shaughnessy was the natural and logical successor to the

presidency. He had made a name and acquired distinction in railway

circles through the great purchasing system which he formulated, and

which, by the way, was adopted by the city of New York. It had been a

life’s study with him, and beginning at the age of fifteen with the

Milwaukee road, he quickly rose in the service and was selected in 1882

to take charge of the purchasing department of the C.P.R. In two years

he was made assistant to the general manager, and in five became

assistant to the president. In 1891 he became a director and

vice-president. Then came the presidency to him in less than eight

years, and with it honors from the King, who created him a Knight

Bachelor, a Knight Commander of the Victorian Order, and greatest of

all, a Peer of the Realm—Baron Shaughnessy, K.C.V.O., of Montreal,

Canada, and of Ashford, County Limerick, Ireland. In another way he has

gained an equally high distinction in that of being “the greatest living

Canadian,” as he is claimed to be by those who, knowing him best,

appreciate his many estimable qualities of head and heart, his great

executive ability, his unerring business judgment, his untiring energy,

and his undoubted honesty and integrity. He ever enjoyed the fullest

confidence of his board of directors and of his subordinates, and was

always “the court of last resort” in cases of disagreement between the

company and its employees, owing to his high sense of honor and fair

play.

While Lord Shaughnessy has acquired wealth, it was not for money alone

he labored unceasingly, but from an earnest and honest endeavor to

benefit Canada, through making his railroad a powerful factor in its

development. Many instances could be given where the interests of the

country overshadowed those of the company, and Lord Shaughnessy never

hesitated a moment as to what course to pursue when duty called. For

instance, during the continued strikes some years ago in the western

coal mines, there was every prospect of a dire scarcity of coal on the

prairies. Regardless of cost, he instructed that hundreds of thousands

of tons of Pennsylvania anthracite should be purchased and distributed

at advantageous points to furnish the settlers with fuel should the

threatened shortage materialize. Fortunately, the strikes were called

off just in time to avert the impending catastrophe, but to ensure the

settlers an ample supply, the C.P.R. refused to buy the cheaper coal at

the mines, and utilized its own more costly supply. And this cost the

company a round million of dollars. But it would have saved many a

settler from perishing on the prairies had not the strikes been settled.

Lord Shaughnessy’s Big Heart.

Maintaining the strictest discipline, usually dignified, he was one of

the kindest of men, and frequently looked leniently upon the errors of

omission and commission of those under him. His generosity was

unbounded, and in helping many a “lame dog over the stile”—well, that

was a matter solely between the benefactor and the benefited. His home

life has always been an ideal one, with Lady Shaughnessy an able and

kindly helpmate, and dutiful children to brighten the hearth. But, as in

the case of many another household, keen, bitter sorrow has entered. I

shall never forget when the news came of the tragic death of his son,

Fred, who lost his life in the defence of his country in France in 1916,

how rapidly the heart-broken father had aged, and how sympathetically he

grasped my hand, and with tear-dimmed eyes recalled memories of the dead

boy, of whom I, too, was especially fond. Poor, dear Fred, his memory

will linger long with many, for he was a bright cheerful lad—we always

looked upon him as a boy—with many admirable qualities. Nor shall I

ever forget his coming to me when he was in the service of the C.P.R.,

and bemoaning his fate. “It’s awful,” he would say to me, “to be the

president’s son. Of course, I don’t mind obeying the rules and

regulations of the company, and I work the same hours as anybody else,

but hang it all, it’s a constant complaint that I am favored because I

am the president’s son, when, perhaps, I am favored less than the

others. Why, father wouldn’t allow it. I am going to quit.”

And he did.

Of a naturally modest, retiring disposition, except when aggressiveness

demanded other qualities, Lord Shaughnessy disliked the limelight into

which his prominence in social and business circles forced him, and I

doubt if he did not enjoy a quiet game of solitaire or a few hours on

the links far better than he did the great glittering banqueting board

or other public festivities. He is an ideal host, and enjoys having

companionable people with him. I remember meeting him one morning when

the Eucharistic Congress was being held in Montreal. He wore a bright

cheery smile and laughingly remarked: “Yes, I had a very pleasant

morning. Met Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ireland at the station and

drove them to my house. When we arrived there, the Cardinal kindly

remarked, ‘Make yourself at home, Shaughnessy, we are.’ ”

It was that little touch of human nature that appealed to him.

He Eschewed Public Honors.

Although closely and prominently connected with many public movements,

especially those of a patriotic and charitable character, an

exceptionally able and forcible speaker, with a full knowledge of the

world’s affairs, Lord Shaughnessy could never be induced to enter

political life, although he was frequently approached with tempting

offers to devote himself to public affairs. He could have at different

times been a Cabinet Minister or the leader of the Opposition, but he

invariably declined. The presidency of the C.P.R. was the height of his

ambition. Besides, between you and me, his ideas of how governments

should be run—on strictly business principles—would probably not have

retained the staunch support of the practical politician and the ward

healer and others of that stripe. This incident may give an idea of his

attitude:

[Illustration: BARON SHAUGHNESSY, K.C.V.O. ]

In 1911, several weeks before the general election, a

telegram—prompted, no doubt, by the appearance of Sir William Van Horne

at several of the Conservative meetings—was received from an Ontario

news agency. It read:

“Sir Thos. Shaughnessy,

Montreal.

“Reported here that ‘C.P.’ behind anti-reciprocity movement. Is this

correct?”

Without a moment’s hesitation the following reply was dictated and sent

off:

“Yes! ‘C.P.’ behind anti-reciprocity movement—‘Canadian People.’ T. G.

Shaughnessy.”

He held pronounced views on the temperance question, and, while not by

any means a total abstainer, believed that intoxicants should be greatly

restricted and sparingly used. When the Montreal _Witness_ attacked the

C.P.R. for selling liquor on its dining-cars, I called upon my good

friend, John Dougall, the editor of that paper, and explained that the

flask had almost entirely disappeared from the smoking-rooms in the

trains through passengers being able to get a drink in the diner. It was

the same old story of Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit. My argument

was that the C.P.R. was as great a temperance reformer as any temperance

organization, for no trainman was allowed to go on his run if there was

the slightest taint of liquor on his breath, and sobriety was required

of all employees when on duty. Besides, when one happened to fall from

grace, he was called on the carpet, and a repetition of his offence was

punished with dismissal. Then I instanced that once, out at Moose Jaw,

when Lord Shaughnessy saw some trainmen entering the bar at the

company’s hotel, he called to Sir William Whyte: “Whyte close that bar.”

Several hours passed and Lord Shaughnessy noticed that the bar was still

open. Calling Sir William, he sharply said: “Whyte, I told you to close

that bar. Why wasn’t it closed?”

“I am going to do so to-night at closing time.”

“No, you’re not. Close it now.”

And it was closed instanter.

His Repartee Like Rapier Thrust.

With the sole object of encouraging the thoroughbred horse industry in

the Province of Quebec, Lord Shaughnessy not only became a member of the

then newly-formed Montreal Jockey Club, but also imported a

fashionably-bred race mare. Although highly recommended this mare “Silk

Hose” finished in most of her races a very bad last. In one when she had

galloped past the stand probably thirty lengths behind the other

starters, Charles M. Hays, then president of the G.T.R., who was

standing beside Lord Shaughnessy, remarked, “That’s a fast mare you

have, Shaughnessy.”

“Yes,” replied Lord Shaughnessy, “she’s about as fast as a Grand Trunk

train.”

After her unsuccessful racing career, “Silk Hose” was placed in the

stud. Her first foal, a filly named “Lisle Hose,” seemed to inherit the

mother’s hoo-doo. She became ill as a yearling; was sick as a

two-year-old, and the following season—died. The morning after she

“kicked out,” Tom Callary, his secretary, told his lordship that he had

bad news for him. “What is it?” he asked. “The trainer has just told me

that the filly died last night—”

“That’s not bad news,” replied Lord Shaughnessy. “That’s good news; we

won’t have to feed the blessed thing any longer, will we?”

When her second foal—this one a colt—became sick also as a

two-year-old, and was thereby unable to race; and when, the following

spring—unlike the maple trees—he did not show the least inclination to

run, Lord Shaughnessy told Callary to do whatever he pleased with the

colt. This colt, that had been named “Silk Bird,” eventually got to the

races. Before the first start his secretary informed Lord Shaughnessy

that he thought the colt had a good chance to win.

“What is it,” asked his lordship, “a walking race?”

He never could be persuaded to make a bet, remarking on one occasion

“that he wouldn’t bet on that horse even if it were alone in the race.”

And yet this colt, probably the best thoroughbred raised in the Province

of Quebec, won, not only his first start but also nine or ten other

races, including the King’s Plate of 1916. But the winnings of that

season, that should have gone to recoup the losses sustained during the

several lean years, were distributed under his Lordship’s direction, to

the hospitals and charitable institutions most in need at the time. Many

people must have wondered when they saw the name “Silk Bird” amongst the

lists of subscribers, more especially as the contributions were rather

“hefty.” And then to cap all, and, as it were, to make it unanimous, his

Lordship gave away the colt.

As I stated previously, Lord Shaughnessy absolutely refused to bet on

the chances of his colt, but there were employees by the score who

backed “the C.P.R. horse,” (as he was known throughout the country) at

every start. And as he won with prices ranging against him from “evens”

to as high as forty-to-one, his supporters, unlike his owner, came out

well ahead. No better indication could be had of the loyalty to, and

affection for, “the big boss,” than by the manner in which all those

under his Lordship pulled so whole-heartedly and so consistently, in

good years and in bad, for the success of the Shaughnessy colors—old

gold and scarlet—whenever and wherever they appeared on the Canadian

tracks. On race days the secretary was bombarded with telephone calls

from vice-presidents right down to call boys, enquiring as to the colt’s

chances, his condition, the name of the jockey, etc., etc. But Lord

Shaughnessy knew nothing of this very important feature of his

secretary’s duties.

Hats Off to the Chief.

When Lord Shaughnessy relinquished the presidency, he became chairman of

the board, and is to be found in his office every week-day when in town,

maintaining an active interest in the affairs of the company. When his

successor was appointed, Lord Shaughnessy, much to Mr. Beatty’s chagrin,

insisted upon changing offices with him, and the new president

reluctantly took possession of the more pretentious quarters. The next

day there was a presentation of a silver shield which Lord Shaughnessy

had given to the Order of St. John’s Ambulance Association. It took

place in the board room of the Windsor Street Station. The ex-president

was a few minutes late, and he cheerfully apologized, quaintly adding:

“But it makes no difference. I am only a supernumerary now.” And that

showed the kind of man Lord Shaughnessy is.

Beloved by all, with an affection that permeates the ranks from the

higher to the lower grades, still in harness, Lord Shaughnessy’s evening

of life is pleasantly passed, and the hope is fervently expressed, not

only by those who have grown grey in the service, but by thousands of

others, that the “T.G.” of years ago, of “Mr. President,” of “Sir

Thomas” and “My Lord” will long remain to be the “guide, philosopher and

friend” of those, who, like myself, have learned his actual worth, fully

realize the true nobility of his character, and fondly cherish the

inspiring memories of his unfailing loyalty and deep-rooted affection

and friendship.

Hats off to the Chief, boys, hats off!

The Present President.

If I were writing an article about a man, in which I was desirous of

exposing the intimate characteristics not generally known, I think I

would start with the fundamentals of character, ability and the most

obsolete virtue of modesty. I would then pass on to the consideration of

other personal qualities, such as humanness, sense of humor and

magnetism, and I would tell the extent to which they existed in the

subject of the sketch. The next step would be to give instances

indicating the possession of the characteristics described, and, if

anything further were necessary, I would allow the reader to assume some

of the characteristics from the number of activities not connected with

his official position that he indulged in.

There is a great deal to be said of the presiding genius of the C.P.R.

in this way. To be the youngest president of the greatest transportation

company in the world is something to be proud of. But Edward Wentworth

Beatty would be the very last one to boast of that or any of the other

high honors that have been showered upon him. Why his head wasn’t turned

at the overwhelming, fulsome flattery and never-ending high compliments

and congratulations and beautiful bouquets that were lavishly thrown at

him by voice and pen, is a wonder to those who do not know the man. It

could be said that a mighty big percentage of ordinary humanity would

have at once affected an English accent, donned a monocle and taken to

spats. He didn’t even flicker an eyelash. He must have attended scores

upon scores of schools in his youth, and spent most of his time playing

football all over the universe, for I have met a mighty multitude of his

school-fellows, and a regular regiment of brother chasers of the

pigskin, every blessed one of whom claims to know him well. All this

doesn’t faze him either. He keeps on the even tenor of his way serenely,

familiarly calls his close associates by their first names and is far

more approachable than the average man in a similar position of lofty

responsibilities. High honors have not affected him in the slightest. He

has the same old familiar spirit of his youth and early manhood, with

all the same kindly good-natured characteristics and the same creditable

creed——to do well whatever there is to be done. He is the “Prince

Eddie of Wales of the C.P.R. and of Canada.”

His Father a Transportation Pioneer.

Born in Thorold, Ontario, on October 16, 1877, his father being Henry

Beatty, a well-known steamboat man on the Great Lakes, whose steamers of

the Beatty Line were amongst the pioneers of navigation on those inland

waters, his early youth was spent at Thorold, where he was an apt

scholar in the town school. At ten years of age his family moved to

Toronto where he attended the Model School, Harbord Collegiate, Toronto

University and Osgoode Hall, and in 1898 was articled as a law student

with the law firm of McCarthy, Osler, Hoskin & Creelman. On the

appointment of the last named as chief counsel of the C.P.R. at Montreal

in 1901, Mr. Beatty went with him and five years later was appointed his

assistant. He was elevated to the chief solicitorship in 1910. Four

years later, on the retirement of Mr. Creelman, he succeeded to the

office of chief counsel, and also made a vice-president of the company.

Mr. Beatty’s high ability had already been fully recognized, and on Lord

Shaughnessy’s retirement, he was chosen to succeed him. Everyone will

candidly admit that it is a difficult task to fill Lord Shaughnessy’s

shoes, but the ex-president will as candidly admit that they fit his

successor admirably.

[Illustration: E. W. BEATTY, K.C. President of the C.P.R. ]

* * * * *

The president makes no pretence to oratory, but he is a forceful public

speaker, who says what he means clearly and succinctly, and has the

magnetism to hold his audience deeply interested. The kind of speech

that he makes is one that is frequently punctuated with applause, and

his enthusiastic reception on rising is invariably magnified into an

ovation when he closes his peroration. He always catches the crowd. He

has no fads, and, well, he just has an old head on young shoulders. He

still enjoys witnessing athletic sports which he indulged in during his

boyhood days, likes a good play at the theatre, though I am afraid grand

opera may be a little too much for him, delights in a horse race, and

plays solitaire and other card games which require four or more players.

He still pays the bachelor tax, and I don’t believe he would refuse a

drink of Scotch in Quebec or British Columbia, but he wouldn’t chase off

to Mexico or Cuba to get one. His politics are “Canada and the Canadian

Pacific Railway.” He enjoys the unbounded confidence of his large circle

of friends, and the 100,000 officials and employees of the company look

to him as one pre-eminently fitted to fill the high position which came

to him because of his great personality, clean forceful character, and

his many estimable qualities of head and heart.

David McNicoll of the Old Guard.

Amongst the old guard of the C.P.R. the name of David McNicoll will long

be remembered. He was with the company almost since its inception,

joining the staff in 1883. He had previous railway experience in

Scotland and in Canada, to which country he came when a young man, and

when he joined the C.P.R., at the age of thirty-one years, his energy

and ambition found the vent they could not find in the positions he had

previously occupied. Passenger agent, passenger traffic manager,

assistant general manager, vice-president and general manager, he

graduated from the comparatively humble position to that in which he

exerted plenary authority, and always to the advantage of the company.

His judgment was sound, his observation keen, his knowledge of the

C.P.R. in all its ramifications remarkable; his perspicacity notable.

Close to his desk was a series of maps. These he studied by the hour

when a policy of expansion was to be decided upon. He knew every bit of

rail on the system; he made the west his familiar companion; he was

wedded to the great corporation to which he gave his best powers. A

tireless worker, he never spared himself, and mastered even the minutest

detail in all his labors, and it was this constant attention to his

duties that broke his health. While generous to a fault, he had full

possession of the proverbial Scotch thrift, so that no one was surprised

when it was told of him that in a certain office there were five clerks

and only four desks, and another desk was required, he wanted to know if

it wouldn’t be better to fire the extra clerk instead of buying a new

desk. He had also Scotch reliance and determination, and was a hard man

to bluff.

A bank manager, with a real or fancied grievance, angrily bounced into

his office one day and threatened that if a certain thing wasn’t done

and done P.D.Q., he would give orders that not a single passenger or

pound of freight, or express parcel or telegraph message would be given

to the C.P.R.

“Well, sir,” replied Mr. McNicoll, “Just let me know when you issue that

order, will you, and I’ll issue an order to all C.P.R. agents to refuse

the bills of your confounded old bank.”

The bank manager discreetly pulled in his horns.

Mr. McNicoll was one of the builders of the C.P.R., and he should be

accorded a fair measure of the glory which attaches to those who helped

to bring the company up to its present proud position.

Vice-President Ogden.

Prominent among the high officials is I. G. Ogden, who is known as the

financial genius of the C.P.R. During his long connection with the

company, dating from 1881, forty years ago, when he started as auditor

on western lines, with headquarters at Winnipeg, until to-day, when he

is vice-president in charge of finances, Mr. Ogden has steadily risen in

official positions. In 1883 he was appointed auditor for the entire

system, in 1887 was comptroller, and in 1901 became vice-president.

There is no more popular official in the company’s service, and many a

grateful heart there is for his help in hour of financial depression. Of

his abilities—why, he wouldn’t have been where he is if he were not big

enough for the job. Of course, he is not as young as he used to be, but

his years fall lightly upon him, and he trips along the corridors as if

he were a care-free lad, and tackles large questions with a full

knowledge of the details and great comprehension of his responsibility.

“I.G.,” whose initials on the corner of a cheque and at the bottom of

many a pay roll have disseminated happiness and sunshine to thousands,

was honored by having the immense Ogden works near Calgary named after

him. He doesn’t take very many holidays, but when he does the waters of

the Rideau Lakes are considerably lowered by the big catches he pulls

out at his camp on the shores of that lake. Mr. Ogden has always

surrounded himself by capable men like John Leslie, the kindly and

always tactful Comptroller, W. J. Moule, whose untimely death was a

distinct loss to the Company, H. L. Penny, Ernie Lloyd, J. H. Shearing,

C. J. Flanagan, Jim Steele, Charley Black, the late F. E. Shrimpton, G.

C. Gahan; the affable and evergreen George Jackson, W. J. Percival, W.

H. Langridge, H. J. Dalton, W. M. Taylor, E. J. Bulgin, W. H.

Blackaller, W. J. Sudcliffe, E. Emery, W. J. Cherry, B. Arnum, R. Urwin,

and others who have grown old or are getting gray-haired in the

Accounting department.

In the early evening of his life—because years do not always make age

with some—he is as genial and jovial as ever, with a keen appreciation

of the humorous. His frequent sallies always provoke laughter. One of

his best was when some time after the formation of the Montreal

millionaire club, the Mount Royal, which led to the desertion of some of

the habitués of the well-known fashionable St. James’ Club for the new

attraction, one day a friend, who had been conspicuous by his absence

from the St. James and presence at the Mount Royal, dropped in casually

at the former, and when Mr. Ogden saw him gaily greeted him with,

“Hello, old man, slumming again?”

[Illustration: I. G. OGDEN D. McNICHOLL

R. B. ANGUS ]

Mr. Ogden is an indefatigable worker, and seldom is away from his office

unless called to New York or elsewhere on business—or to Rideau Lake.

My “Fidus Achates.”

There could be no warmer friend or congenial spirit or lovable companion

than William Stitt, general passenger agent of the C.P.R., who

represented the company in Winnipeg and Montreal and for several years

in Sydney, Australia. He had a great personality, was generous to a

fault, and had a happy knack of making and keeping friends. A

pleasant-faced Scotchman from Kirkcudbrightshire, which he always

contended I could never pronounce properly, though I

could—“Kirk-cu-brig-sheer”—he was happily mentioned by a lady writer

in one of the Australian papers upon leaving that country: “No man could

possibly be as innocent as William Stitt looks.” That was William to a

T. Full of Scotch wit, always affable, and pleasant spoken, he had

gained the undying friendship of a host of friends, amongst whom was

myself. Circumstances frequently brought us together in our work in

Windsor Street Station and on the road. To tell all our experiences

would require a volume by itself, but a few incidents should be

recalled:

Once we were occupying a drawing-room on the C.P.R. train to Quebec.

During the night, I went to the toilet, and the opening of the door

awakened him.

“What time is it, George?” he drowsily asked.

“It’s 4.10, Weelum,” I replied. I always called him “Weelum” after the

character in “Bunty Pulls the Strings.”

Weelum immediately resumed his slumbers, but I didn’t, and after tossing

around for half-an-hour or so, I grabbed him by the hand—he was

sleeping opposite me—and cried, “Weelum, Weelum, wake up.”

He accommodatingly did, and then I very seriously said to him: “Weelum,

do you know that when I said it was 4.10 it wasn’t. It was 4.15.”

“Oh, go to blazes, you old heathen yon. What did you want to wake me up

for to tell me that?”

“Weelum, say, Weelum,”—but he would not listen to what I had to say.

Finally I managed to make him hear me, and I explained that I had been

brought up by good God-fearing parents, who had admonished me never to

go to sleep with a lie on my lips, and that my conscience wouldn’t let

me sleep until I had confessed my sin.

His unmistakable directions as to my immediate destination, which wasn’t

Quebec, were forcibly given, and to the sweet music of his impassioned

declamation as to the innumerable varieties of a blithering idiot that I

was, I peacefully fell asleep, while his continued sarcastic remarks

were rendered inaudible by the roar of the wheels.

Floored James Oborne.

On another occasion, we were out in James Oborne’s private car through

the Muskoka country. James, as you know, besides being general

superintendent of the C.P.R. was a total abstainer, and as pernickety as

they make them on the liquor question. As James and I were sitting

together one morning in the rear end of the car, Weelum’s name came up

incidentally, and I remarked quite off-hand-like:

“Weelum is a grand man, a nature’s nobleman, but—but—”

“But, what?” demanded James.

“Oh, I don’t like to tell, but, between you and me, Weelum crooks his

elbow too much.”

James was astounded; it wasn’t possible, and he wanted to know if he

drank very heavily.

“Like a fish,” I mendaciously retorted.

Just then Weelum entered, and James Oborne immediately informed him of

what I had told him.

“Oborne,” said Weelum, “did he say that? And I suppose he told you he

never touched a drop himself. Oh, but he’s an awful liar. Did you notice

how frequently he goes into his bedroom?” And James bowed affirmatively.

“Well, the old villain has a bottle of Scotch in there. That’s why. Do

you know that the last time he was in my place, he drank up every drop

of liquor there was in the house?”

James reproachfully looked at me and silently awaited some sort of an

explanation.

“It’s true, James, alas, it’s only too true,” I unblushingly remarked.

“But he hasn’t told you the whole story. You know what a charming woman

Mrs. Stitt is. Now, I leave it to you, James, I leave it to you, what

would you do if a lovely woman like Mrs. Stitt came up and put her arms

around your neck and with tears streaming down her rosy cheeks would say

to you: ‘For goodness’ sake, George, drink up all the whiskey there is

in this house, or William will have the D.T.’s?”

Mr. Oborne was completely obfuscated, and to the day of his death was

undecided whether I was an inveterate liar or William a confirmed

drunkard.

Don’t think I got the best of it every time. Weelum generally evened up

on me. One day at a little gathering, somebody or other remarked that

everybody knew me and that I knew everybody.

“Nothing of the sort,” says Weelum. “Not a word of truth in it. He’s an

awful faker. Why I went to see some prominent people who were about to

make a trip to the coast, and I told them that George would be on the

train, but they didn’t know him at all. I called in the colored porter,

and explained that this party was going out, but that George Ham would

be on the train, and to see him about them. The porter said: ‘George

Ham—who is he? Never heard of him.’ ”

And Weelum led in the laughter in which everybody joined.

Haunted by Presentiment.

When Weelum passed away suddenly on April 1st four years ago, I was in

Los Angeles, and could not sleep the previous night. There was a

premonition of impending misfortune haunting me, so I hurried to the

local C.P.R. office next morning where Polly—Mr. A. A. Polhamus—handed

me two telegrams. While I am nearly as blind as a bat without

spectacles, I hastily and distinctly read the despatches without

glasses. One was from Charlie Foster, saying that Mr. Stitt was

dangerously ill; the other of later sending was from my secretary,

Bessie James, that he had died that morning in Captain Walsh’s office,

adjoining mine. I was grief-stricken, and sadly walked over to where

Alex. Calder and John McKechnie, two dear old Winnipeg friends of both

Weelum and myself, were awaiting me, and wistfully whispered: “William

Stitt is dead.” Their sorrowing downcast looks were pathetic. There was

a sickening tugging of the heart-strings and tear-dimmed eyes, for we

mourned as many another did over the passing away of one of the dearest

souls God ever put life in.

Captains Courageous.

Vessels of the C.P.R. plough the waters of two oceans, and I don’t know

how many lakes and rivers, but enough to require a large fleet. Let me

tell you something about the sailors bold who have been for years in the

company’s service, and some of whom distinguished themselves during the

great war.

Capt. Troup, now manager of the B.C. coast steamers, was a “swift-water”

man whose early training among the rapids of the Columbia River served

him in good stead on the Columbia and Kootenay lakes. He has made a

wonderful success of our coast fleet, and is still going strong. His

able assistant was Capt. Gore, who is now pensioned.

Capt. Rudhlin, who was of the original crew of the Hudson’s Bay

Company’s _Beaver_, the first steamship to ply the waters of the Pacific

Ocean, served many years with the C. P. Navigation Company, and after

amalgamation with the C.P.R., he was the first commander of the crack

_Princess Victoria_. Capts. Hickey and Griffin keep the boats on the

triangular run going with such regularity in all weather that residents

of Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle set their watches by the _Princess_

boats.

Of the transpacific officers, Capt. Marshall brought the _Empress of

India_ out in 1890, and after successfully sailing her for many years

was appointed an Elder Brother of Trinity House, the highest honor open

to men of the mercantile marine. Capt. Lee commanded the _Abyssinia_,

when first chartered for the China trade, and took the _Empress of

Japan_, when built in 1891, and had great success with her until his

retirement on a well-earned pension.

Capt. Harry Mowatt fitted out the _Athenian_ for the Skagway trade when

the Klondyke firs opened up. He made a wonderful record for his ship as

a horse and troop transport to the Philippines during the

Spanish-American war, and went to Liverpool as marine superintendent

when the Atlantic Steamships Line was inaugurated in 1903, where he did

yeoman service during the early anxious years of the new venture.

Capt. William Stewart, a fine example of the old school North Atlantic

skipper, was in command of the _Lake Champlain_ when first acquired by

the company. He took over the _Empress of Britain_, when built.

Originally a ship’s carpenter, he helped to build and was the first

commander of the barque _Lake Simcoe_. She was also his first ship.

Going home on the _Britain_ on his last voyage before retirement a

vessel on fire was sighted. Approaching closer, the barque was found to

be abandoned but was identified as the _Lake Simcoe_. He and his first

ship ended their career together.

Capt. Frank Casey, first commander of the _Empress of Ireland_, with a

humorous cock to his eye and the most delightfully soft Irish brogue,

was popular with passengers and greatly beloved by his brother officers.

Crossing the banks of Newfoundland in dense fog he could always smell

ice, and while he took regulation soundings his officers say it was only

a matter of form for he would call the depth and bottom before it was

officially reported.

Capt. Murray, who succeeded to the _Empress of Britain_, was very

popular, highly respected and is deeply regretted. He was killed in the

Halifax explosion while engaged in war transport work for the

Government.

Capt. Walsh, who was taken over with the Elder Dempster fleet in 1903,

still remains as manager of the C.P.O.S. at Montreal. He has sailed the

seas over for many a year, and was in the Gold Coast of Africa trade

before joining the C.P.R.

And then there was Capt. Evans, “Bully” Evans, not nicknamed as you

might suppose, but from his many years of piloting cattle ships. He had

a keen sense of humor and a wonderfully hearty and infectious laugh. His

gruff, bass voice and sometimes frowning eyebrows, hid one of the

kindest hearts that ever beat, and now, alas, it’s stilled for ever.

Capt. Smith sailed the Milwaukee for years. She went a long way in a

long time. Early in her career, before his command, she lost her nose in

an argument with the east coast of Scotland. The new one supplied by the

generous owners served a purpose, but did not add to her speed, and

although she was credited with 9.2 on her trials her fair sea average

was nearer 2.9. Capt. Smith was heading her out into the broad Atlantic,

when a submarine broke water on his starboard bow. He was unarmed save

for a ten-foot log of wood he had mounted on the bow, and some

detonating caps. Swinging his ship bow on, he trained his “ordnance” and

one cap exploded so realistically that the sub. promptly ducked. A few

hours later the _Hesperian_ went to the bottom through, it is supposed,

the same submarine.

Capt. Boothby, whose brother is the English author, Guy Boothby, and

Capt. Hodder, who stood six feet two inches in his stocking feet and

weighed three and a half pounds for every inch of his height, were born

of the sea. I nearly “beat up” Capt. Hodder once, but explained

afterward I had refrained principally on account of his size and his

sex. One of his boys was torpedoed three times, and he thought the last

time was particularly hard luck as the boy only saved his pyjamas and a

red flannel undershirt.

Capt. Gillies brought the _Keewatin_ out from the Clyde on her way to

her home on the Upper Lakes. Like Silas Wegg, he occasionally dropped

into poetry and could see a joke less slowly than most of his

fellow-countrymen. He was less concerned about the subs. than he was

about the instructions for avoiding them. His verses on the trials of

the commander of a convoyed ship are amusing now, but at the time of

writing they contained as much truth as they did poetry.

Capt. Jimmy Turnbull, who served with great distinction in the great

war, was decorated, mentioned in despatches, and has since been promoted

to the highest commissioned rank in the R.N.R., that of full captain.

_Multum in parvo_ with a vengeance.

Capt. Clews, whose jovial face and perennial smile compel a return in

kind, was going to New York for a few days, and hearing that except for

an uncle he was without friends in the American metropolis, I offered

some letters of introduction. On his return, he apologized for not

having presented them, but explained he found it impossible to get away

from his uncle. Long afterwards it developed that the uncle in question

was Henry Clews, the great banker.

Capt. Griffiths, now on the _Empress of Britain_, Capt. Griffith Evans,

now I think the senior of the Ocean Service shippers, and Capt. Parry,

are all fellow countrymen of Lloyd George, and very properly proud of

it. Capt. Webster is also well among the seniors, but as fit and hearty

as ever. Capt. Kendall, to whom belongs the credit of the capture of Dr.

Crippen, Capt. Murray, who was chief officer on the _Lake Champlain_

when I crossed on her sixteen years ago, bore a gallant part in the

action and was severely wounded when the _Carmania_ sank the _Cap

Trafalgar_.

Masters of the Inland Seas.

On the Great Lakes Capt. E. B. Anderson was as well known as the

_Manitoba_ was popular with the travelling public. He never told, if he

ever knew, the date of his birth, but it is believed he was nearer

eighty than seventy when he retired. It would have required much

stronger proof than his appearance to credit him with more than fifty

summers.

Capt. Jim McAllister commanded the _Alberta_ for many years and

afterwards lived in Vancouver and Fort William. To the day of his death

he stoutly maintained that there not only had never been, but there

never could be, the equal of the _Alberta_.

Capt. Louis Payette was on the bridge of the _Assiniboia_ making his

ship fast in the Canadian lock one day in 1909 when the _Perry Walker_

smashed the lock gates and let both the _Assiniboia_ and _Crescent City_

drop down eighteen feet with the full force of Lake Superior behind

them. There was an anxious few minutes, but Capt. Payette’s coolness and

good seamanship minimized the damage and he was able to finish his

voyage with passengers and cargo intact.

All of the five present-day skippers on the Great Lakes were born and

brought upon the shores of the wonderful Georgian Bay—a Bay only in

name, and in reality one of the Great Lakes and the only one entirely

Canadian. Four of them are of Highland Scotch descent and equally at

home in Gælic or English, two in fact had their early education in the

weird but musical language of their forefathers, and acquired the tongue

of the Sassenach in later years. Capt. Malcolm McPhee is very proud of

the “_Keewatin_,” and the reputation he has made for her arrival on the

stroke of the clock is a byword on the Lakes. Capt. James McCannell of

the “_Assiniboia_,” is a Scot of Scots, and regrets that the kilt is

hardly suitable for the bridge during the November gales on Lake

Superior. He has been known to carry a private piper on his crew. Capt.

John Mclntyre is one of the seven boys, six of whom are lake captains

and first-class seamen all. Capt. Murdoch MacKay is another stalwart

specimen of Canadian of Highland descent. His Gælic is fluent and very

useful during moments of stress when ladies are within hearing. Capt.

Frank Davis is of English descent and highly popular with all who travel

on the good ship “_Manitoba_”. Built in Owen Sound, she retains the

connection with the original home port of the fleet and calls each week

during the season to pay her respects to the beautiful city of the

Sound.

The Active Men of To-day.

There are so many of the first and second brigades of the C.P.R. men who

did yeoman service in building up the company in its earlier days when

everything was not so roseate as it is to-day, that to recall them all

would make this article look like the register of the heavenly choir. A

great deal more could be said of them than the limits of this writing

would permit, but it would be unfair if they were not mentioned. Amongst

them are the vice-presidents: W. R. Mclnnes, who has been with the

company since 1885, and who has risen from a clerkship in the purchasing

department; George M. Bosworth, who joined the staff in 1882, became

freight traffic manager and vice-president and is now chairman of the

Canadian Pacific Ocean Services; Grant Hall, who dated from 1886, but

after a few years’ connection with the I.C.R. returned to his first love

and rapidly rose in the service until he reached his present position.

A. D. MacTier dates from 1887 as a clerk in the baggage department. He

became a stenographer to the general superintendent, and filled other

positions: general baggage agent, general fuel agent, assistant to the

vice-president, general manager of eastern lines, and finally

vice-president. D. C. Coleman came into the company in 1899 as a clerk

in the engineering department at Fort William, and afterwards was

general superintendent, assistant general manager at Winnipeg, and then

his present position. Harry Suckling in 1874 went with the Credit Valley

road, and the next year became its secretary-treasurer, local treasurer

of the C.P.R. in Toronto in ’83, assistant treasurer at Montreal in ’86,

and succeeded Mr. Sutherland as treasurer in 1908—they being the only

holders of the office. Fred L. Wanklyn has been chief executive officer

for many years. Col. John S. Dennis in 1903 inaugurated the irrigation

policy of the company in the west, by which large areas of land were

reclaimed. Working from Calgary, with excellent results, he was promoted

to the office of assistant to the president in 1912, and is now Chief

Commissioner of Colonization and Development. It took a few years for J.

S. to make his irrigation venture a success, and during that time he

learned the truth of the old adage that “a prophet is not without honor

save in his own country.” In 1915 the consulting engineers of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, who made a thorough investigation of the

Alberta irrigation project, said, “Some day a grateful people will honor

this pioneer empire builder in much the same way as Italy has honored

Count Cavour in the valley of the Po.” That time has come to pass, and

Col. Dennis has lived to see the success of the scheme which he worked

so hard to accomplish.

* * * * *

Robert Randolph Bruce, the “Pioneer of the Happy Valley” (Columbia), one

of the picturesque figures of the West, was on the payrolls of the

company from ’87 to ’97. He came to Canada straight from Scotland. When

he landed in New York and walked up Broadway, bits of purple heather

still stuck to his clothes. He had $40 in his jeans and under the vest,

and now he’s a mine owner and bloated capitalist. W. B. Lanigan (Billy)

commenced work in 1884 with the C.P.R. as a telegraph operator at

Sharbot Lake, and got going up the scale rapidly until now, an expert

freight man, he is freight traffic manager of all the C.P.R. lines. He

was born at Three Rivers, P.Q., the home of Jacques Bureau, M.P., and

they were schoolmates, Billy being the model boy, and Jacques nothing of

the sort, with the result that Billy naturally gravitated towards the

C.P.R., and Jacques just as naturally gravitated towards politics.

Associated with Mr. Lanigan are Harry E. Macdonell who has seen service

from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Bob Larmour, who has been stationed in

the east and the west and the centre—New York, Fort William, Winnipeg

and Vancouver—and is now in Montreal. Major William Kirkpatrick, who

after many years’ service is now freight traffic manager at Winnipeg.

William C. Bowles started as a clerk in the Soo, and now is general

freight agent at Winnipeg, E. N. Todd and A. O. Secord at Montreal, H.

A. Plough at Nelson, W. B. Bamford at Nelson, B.C., Marsh Brown at

Toronto, and Hamilton Abbott, who was the first freight agent at

Calgary. H. A. Beasley is another veteran now managing the E. & N.

Railway (C.P.R.) in Vancouver Island. A. Hatton has risen to be general

superintendent of transportation.

Some of the Western Men.

In the west is P. L. Naismith, who in 1900 was manager of the A. R. & I.

Co., and is now manager of the important department devoted to the

expansion of the country’s natural resources. Allan Cameron, now general

superintendent of the Natural Resources branch, joined the company in

1883 as a clerk in the freight department at Winnipeg, and afterwards

was promoted to the office of assistant general freight agent at

Vancouver. After spending four years in the company’s service in China,

he was transferred to London, England, and moved to New York city,

holding in both places the position of general freight agent. From this

position in 1903 he was transferred to Calgary where he became general

superintendent of lands, department of Natural Resources. In this

department is also Norman Rankin, who has been with the company for

years and has high literary ability. W. H. D’Arcy has been general

claims agent at Winnipeg since the memory of man, and Chas. Temple has

recently been promoted to chief of motive power and rolling stock at

Montreal. Frank Peters joined the C.P.R. staff in 1881 in the cashier’s

office at Winnipeg. The next year he was agent at Brandon and afterwards

freight agent at Port Arthur and Winnipeg and after being stationed in

the Kootenay became assistant to Vice-president Whyte at Winnipeg, and

is now general superintendent of the B. C. division. Alfred Price was

operator and clerk in the general offices of the Credit Valley in 1879;

after being superintendent on various divisions he is now general

manager of eastern lines at Montreal—and a mighty good one too, for it

is said of him that there is no better railroader in North America.

Another expert, Charlie Murphy, fills a similar position on Western

lines. Then there are general superintendent John Scully of North Bay,

Horace Grout, of Toronto, Ken Savage of Montreal, H. P. Timmerman, now

Industrial Commissioner with Graham Curtis as his assistant, and Jack

McKay of Saskatoon.

* * * * *

Tom Walklate has been buying lumber and ties for the C.P.R. since 1885,

and is still buying them but not at the old prices. Chris. Kyle, who was

locomotive foreman in ’89 and afterwards master mechanic, is now

supervisor of apprentices with headquarters at Montreal. Bob Miller

started railroading in 1873 and was station agent at Windsor street

station for ten years, and is now passenger train master there. No one

knows when Ed. Whelan, at the Windsor Street Station started selling

tickets, and his namesake Thomas at the gate has a voice like Caruso,

while John Cullin, who looks after the offices, is still to the fore.

Prominent Passenger Men.

In the passenger department are such indefatigable workers as Charlie

Ussher, who since 1886 has been in the fold. From a comparatively minor

position he has steadily risen until now he is passenger traffic

manager, and also has charge of the chain of hotels of the entire

system, and spends the rest of his time either in his office or on the

train. Charlie McPherson, whom his friends call Cluny, came to the

C.P.R. from the Rock Island in 1886, and has been stationed at Montreal,

Boston, St. John, Toronto, and is now at Winnipeg, where he is assistant

passenger traffic manager. He is a Chatham, Ontario, boy, but wandered

into foreign fields at an early age. Then there is Charlie Foster,

assistant passenger traffic manager at Montreal. When I first met him in

1891 he was a junior clerk at St. John, N.B. He has during those thirty

intervening years risen from the ranks, and he is one of that kind of

fellows whose future is not behind him.

* * * * *

Others who have risen from the ranks are W. H. Snell and Col. Walter

Maughan, of Montreal; Harry Brodie, of Vancouver; Geo. Walton, of

Winnipeg; W. B. Howard, and N. R. DesBrisay, of St. John, N.B.; Dave

Kennedy, of every place; Dan Steele, high muck-a-muck at Sherbrooke;

Billy Fulton at Toronto; Billy Grant an old timer of the old timers at

Hamilton; George McGlade, of Brockville; “Burroughs, of Belleville;”

Billy McIlroy, now stationed at Detroit; J. B. Way, at the Canadian Soo;

Joe Carter at Nelson; Charlie Philps, of St. John, N.B.; and the

company’s representatives in the United States—Fred Perry in New York;

Tommy Wall at Chicago; E. L. Sheehan, at St. Louis; Mike Malone, at

Cincinnati; A. A. Polhamus at Los Angeles; Fred Nason at San Francisco;

Teddy Chesbrough at Atlanta, A. G. Albertson, at Minneapolis, L. R. Hart

at Boston, G. B. Burpee at Cleveland, R. C. Clayton at Philadelphia,

Clarence Williams at Pittsburg, B. E. Smeed at St. Paul, Fred Sturdee at

Seattle, D. C. O’Keefe at Tacoma, E. L. Cardie at Spokane, C. E. Phelps

at Washington, and George Walton at Buffalo, all of whom have been with

the company for years and upheld the interests of the C.P.R. in the land

of the Stars and Stripes.

* * * * *

Geo. C. Wells, whose word is always accepted in railway conferences,

began as a clerk in the passenger department in Montreal in ’92, and now

he is still at work as assistant to the passenger traffic manager.

* * * * *

George Hodge came into the vineyard in 1890 as a clerk in the passenger

department, and steadily rose officially until now he is assistant to

the vice-president. Fred Hopkins came to work earlier than George—in

’82—in the passenger department and rose to be assistant general

passenger agent. Emile Hebert’s connection with the company dates away

back in the ’80’s. To him is assigned the duty of looking after

French-Canadian patrons, and he does it so successfully that many of his

compatriots imagine that he is the president of the C.P.R. and believe

that Ambroise Lalonde, another veteran, is general manager.

* * * * *

Good old Alexander Calder, of Winnipeg, has been associated with the

company ever since its birth, and is still doing business at the same

old stand. His son Arthur has been with the company for very many years,

and now fills a position on the executive staff.

* * * * *

Charles Buell is of the ’95 product, and after a quarter of a century’s

service is now staff registrar and secretary of the pension department.

“They” say that Charlie knows the age, sex and previous condition of

servitude of every blessed one of the 100,000 employes of the C.P.R.

Billy Dockrill, Harry Ibbotson, Jimmy McKenna, and Walter Brett are

veteran travelling passenger agents still on deck. R. J. Smith, for

years with the company, is now chief ticket agent at Montreal; Fred C.

Lydon, who came as a boy, is city ticket agent at Montreal. Geo. Beer

and Billy Corbett are well known figures in the Toronto office. Billy

Jackson, outside ticket agent at Clinton, is said to be the oldest

ticket agent in Canada. W. H. C. Mackay, St. John, N.B., and Jerry

Chipman, Halifax, and Arthur Shaw, of Montreal, have been with the

company for goodness knows how long. Tom Riddell has been in the claims

department since a boy, and is still there.

The present chief engineer, John M. Fairbairn, started in 1892 as

topographer on the Soo Road, and quickly rose in position until in 1918

he reached the top of the department. P. B. Motley came as a draughtsman

in the same department in the same year, and is now engineer of bridges.

And of the others—their name is legion, Angus McMurchy, of Toronto, is

perhaps the oldest solicitor of the company, and is still in harness.

H. W. Sweeney was an office boy in the treasurer’s department in ’86,

and after being clerk, cashier, paymaster he was appointed local

treasurer at Winnipeg in 1908, and still fills that position most

efficiently.

Billy Cooper, who is now the head of the sleeping car department,

commenced work as a clerk in the general superintendent’s office in

Montreal in ’91. He has able assistants in the other old-timers, Bert

Mathews, of Winnipeg, and Frank Tingley, of Vancouver, Sid Wertheim, of

Toronto, and Jimmy Downs, of Montreal, who can get more lower berths for

passengers than any other person—and these are all veterans.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

E. N. Bender entered railway work in 1880 as secretary to the general

storekeeper of the Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway, now

a part of the C.P.R. system. In 1902 he succeeded A. C. Henry as general

purchasing agent, and has with him a capable staff, many of whom are

old-timers.

James Manson (Jim) began railroading with C.P.R. in 1882, then rose to

be superintendent, and after experience in Winnipeg and Toronto was

transferred to Montreal, where he is assistant to Vice-President Grant

Hall. His duties are manifold, and as varied, and he is a fixture for

life in smoothing over the rough edges of his fellow-workers.

Harry Oswald is an old-timer, dating away back, and from a subordinate

position is now assistant secretary, and secretary of no fewer than

eighty-one subsidiary companies.

Teddy Moore came when he was in the bloom of youth which he still

retains, and has charge of the insurance of the company which reaches up

to the millions.

George Jackson, after many years of service, is now auditor of claims,

and Allyn Seymour rose from a minor position to be general tourist

agent.

The Train Staff.

Amongst the old-time conductors still shouting “all aboard” are Davy

Bell, Ed. Chapman, Aaron Burt, Jack Johnson, George Wood, Charles

Clendenning, Ab. and Dick Harshaw—now promoted to superintendencies,

Billy Hassard, W. Goodfellow, Dan Cameron, Frank McLean, now at the gate

of the Union Station Toronto, Sandy Younger, Howard Moore, the brothers

Ed. and Duncan Park, Oscar Westover, Joe Legros, Wm. Reilly, Morley

Munro, A. Houle, John Sheldon, on the Boston run, Steve Yates, Bob

Clarke, Mac Beaton, Wm. Campbell, A. Conrtney, O. Brushey, Dan

Carmichael, Bob Young, James McWilliam, Ed. McCreary, George Henderson,

Joe Lappin and Frank Norman.

Amongst the oldest drivers were James Fisher, who ran an engine from

Montreal to the end of the line in B.C., in the early days (one trip

only); Harry Floyd, who had the Prince of Wales as his companion on the

run over the Trenton division, his Royal Highness saving Harry the

trouble of blowing the whistle; Dick Christopher, Ed. Tout, and Tom

Leonard, a brother of J. W.; Wm. Wilson, John McInnerary, Wm. Johnston,

James Mahoney, and John Douglas. Alfred Stewart is now assistant

superintendent on the Atlantic division. Roadmaster Gus Erickson, who

has risen from the ranks, told the scientific world of Europe, through

my writings, why the mountains of the Canadian Rockies wore haloes, and

John Riordon (Jerry) is still on his job.

A valued old-timer is Ike McKay, who has been with the company for a

score or more of years.

The Advertising Men.

In the publicity department in the early days were such men as Ed.

Sandys, Roy Somerville, Molyneaux St. John, Harry Charlton, Wilfred

Crighton, and now the presiding genius is John Murray Gibbon, who is

also an author of considerable note, and he has surrounded himself with

a capable staff. During all the years some of the best descriptive

writers in the world have written up the C.P.R. until, with its

newspaper advertising, and handsomely printed booklets, its name is

known everywhere.

Chief Chamberlain was with the company years ago, and after being chief

of police in Vancouver returned. Men in his department include Col.

MacLeod, of Winnipeg; J. P. Burns, J. Cadieux and Inspectors Spragge and

McGorman, of Vancouver; Neliher, at Calgary; Ashman, at Winnipeg;

Chesser, at Moose Jaw; MacFarlane, at North Bay; Morse, at Toronto;

Catlow, at St. John, N.B.; and Logan, at Montreal—all veterans.

The Ocean Service.

Notable among the officers of the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services are

Wm. T. Payne, manager for Japan and China, who has resided for many

years in Yokohama, and has received high honors from the Imperial

Japanese Government. Charlie Benjamin joined the traffic department in

St. Louis, Mo., and rose to be passenger traffic manager of the C.P.O.S.

Weldy Annable, who started in the Ottawa ticket office, transferred to

Montreal, and after a term as general baggage agent was promoted to his

present position as general passenger agent. Percy Sutherland is general

passenger agent in Hongkong, a son of J. N. Sutherland, general freight

agent at St. John, N.B., and Toronto for many years. Billy Ballantyne is

the capable and popular assistant general passenger agent at Montreal,

and Willie Webber, who welcomes the coming and speeds the parting

traveller at the gangway of the Atlantic steamers, smooths away their

troubles and spreads that gospel of service which is the motto of the

C.P.R. W. T. Marlow, now at the head of the Ocean Services freight

department, and Dick Clancy is another popular old-timer among the

veterans. The former started in Toronto in the early days and served for

many years in the Far East before reaching his present position.

The baggage department, over which Joe Apps, a veteran of the veterans,

presides, with assistants like W. E. Allison and T. W. McGuire, of

Montreal, and Joe Sparks, of Winnipeg, and amongst other workers Mrs.

Tracey, who has been in the department for years, is an important one.

Last year the total pieces of baggage handled numbered 6,353,308;

bicycles, 13,317; dogs, 21,494; baby carriages, 27,905—all sensible

babies travel by the C.P.R.;—coupes, 3,475; and cans of milk,

2,831,858. Space forbids mention of the number of cases of hard liquor

carried into the arid districts lying between the Ottawa River and the

summit of the Rocky Mountains, but—.

It can be readily understood that it is utterly impossible to mention a

tithe of the names of the thousands of C.P.R. men whose long service

entitles them to recognition, but instances of many will demonstrate

that C.P.R. men remained with the company for long periods, irrespective

entirely of their walk in life. Many joined when the company was formed;

others came in as the lines on which they worked were absorbed, and

there are over 1,000 employees on the pension roll, and some of the

veterans of the early ’80’s are still at their accustomed posts. I am

sorry I can’t recall them all.

On the Retired List.

Amongst those who have retired from the service but who are still in the

land of the living, are many grand old veterans: Mr. H. J. Cambie, who

did most valuable work in British Columbia from the earliest days of the

company, and while not now on active service acts in an advisory

capacity. W. R. Baker, C.V.O., was with the Canada Central at Ottawa in

1873, and afterwards with the C.P.R., and then general manager of the

Manitoba & Northwestern for several years until it became part of the

C.P.R. system when he was appointed executive agent at Winnipeg and, in

1905 he became secretary of the company and resigned in 1917, being

succeeded by everybody’s friend, Ernest Alexander, who had graduated

from the president’s office, and still efficiently fills the position of

official scribe of the company. Arthur Piers, who in 1870 was with the

Great Western of Canada, in ’82 came to the C.P.R. as assistant to the

general manager when the main offices of the company were on Place

d’Armes Square, and his office staff consisted of himself and the office

boy. In 1891 he was appointed superintendent of the company’s

trans-pacific steamships, and afterwards general manager of all their

steamship interests until his retirement in 1913, on account of ill

health. He is now residing on England, and is just as much a C.P.R. man

as ever. His son, Arthur, keeps up the family traditions of loyalty and

efficiency at his office at Windsor Street Station. My old friend, Mel

Duff, started in 1891 as the office boy above referred to, and is now

the very capable manager of the Great Lakes steamers. W. R. Callaway,

still as young as he used to be, is now with the Soo line. William

Downie lives at one of my several birthplaces, Whitby, Ont. General

Superintendent J. T. Arundel has taken to farming at Oakville, Ont.

Harry Charlton is now the efficient publicity manager of the Grand Trunk

at Montreal. Hayter Reed and his charming wife, who are living at St.

Andrews, left their indelible impress on the entire C.P.R. hotels

system. Frank Brady is now one of the bosses on the Canadian National

system. James Fullerton, the capable ship’s husband at Vancouver, and

Sam Buchanan who filled a similar position for the Great Lakes Steamship

service in 1891, are enjoying the luxury of a rest, and Reggie Graves,

of the Place Viger Hotel, is now managing two hotels at Iroquois Falls

for the Abitibi Paper and Pulp Company. Davy Brown, the evergreen old

boy of Vancouver, whose genial welcoming handclasp is just as warm as it

was thirty years ago, is still very much alive, and W. F. Salsbury, for

many years local treasurer at Vancouver, has recently retired.

Politics Interfere With Business.

Fred Gutelius, as good an operating man as ever lived, came from Heinz’s

lines in British Columbia, and when general superintendent in Montreal

was induced by the Hon. Frank Cochrane to take charge of the

Intercolonial, which he vainly endeavoured to run on business

principles, and resigned in disgust at his dismal failure for political

influence was too great to overcome. He is now vice-president of the D.

& H., with headquarters at Albany, N.Y., where his duties are not

interfered with by every ward-heeler. Hugh Lumsdun, an old civil

engineer who came to the company in 1884, and after twenty years’

service resigned to accept the chief engineership of the National

Transcontinental. He is now living in retirement at Orillia, Ont. N. S.

Dunlop, who made the entire line from St. John to Vancouver a road of

roses, still resides at Westmount. James A. Sheffield was superintendent

of sleeping, dining and parlor cars and hotels from 1882 to 1902 when he

resigned on account of ill health. Wm. Cross in 1882 was assistant

mechanical superintendent in Montreal, and became master mechanic. In

1887 he was transferred to the western division and was promoted to the

office of assistant to Vice-President Whyte, in 1904, and after a

quarter of a century’s service was pensioned. Billy Grant, now Col.

William A. Grant, was private secretary to Sir William Van Horne for

many years.

H. H. Vaughan, who was superintendent of motive power and assistant to

the vice-president for many years, retired to become head of an

industrial corporation. Col. George Burns, of the audit department,

resigned to be of service to his country during the war.

Driver Harry Mills is now Minister of Mines in the Ontario Government,

and Andy Ingram, who was in the baggage department, is chairman of the

Ontario Railway Board. Frank McLean was at the gate at the Toronto

terminals. A great character was Peter Stephen, who joined the merry

throng in 1880, and after years of service at Smith’s Falls was

pensioned in 1915. Conductor Billy Brown of the West, resigned to become

general superintendent of the C.N.R., and Ab. Chapman, of Ottawa, was

presented with a gold watch on his retirement after fifty years’

service. D. M. Telford was local treasurer at Winnipeg three years ago,

and is now living in retirement. Harry O’Connor, of Winnipeg, commenced

with construction, and ended as fire commissioner. W. D. Evanson, of the

audit department, is now Comptroller of Winnipeg, and Jimmy Morrison,

who for years was in the passenger department is general passenger agent

of the C.N.R. John Morrow, right-of-way agent, retired some years ago.

Company Never Evicted a Settler.

Fred T. Griffin entered the company’s service in 1883 as a clerk in the

land department, and seven years later succeeded L. A. Hamilton as land

commissioner on the retirement of that gentleman who had initiated a

generous policy and it was both his and his successor’s boast that the

company had never evicted a settler, but had allowed many who had left

the country for various reasons to return and re-occupy their farms as

if nothing had ever happened. Mr. Griffin retired in 1917. H. L. Penny

entered the audit department in 1881 as a clerk, and became general

auditor in 1889. After thirty-three years arduous service he resigned in

1914 on account of ill health. George L. Wetmore was another old-timer,

commencing his duties as foreman of construction in 1883. He became

divisional engineer at several points on the north shore and St. John,

N.B., and was pensioned in 1915. Geo. H. Shaw was with Robt. Kerr in

Winnipeg for many years, and resigned to go with the C.N.R. W. B.

Bulling, who ranks amongst the pioneers of the C.P.R., resigned some

years ago and lives in Montreal. Sid Howard is another old-timer who

quit railroading to enter commercial life. Ben Grier and Geo. L.

Courtney were prominent in railway and steamship circles in Victoria,

B.C., but both retired, and Ben is, or was, president of the local Board

of Trade. John Corbett, who looked after the export freight for the

C.P.R. in Montreal, resigned some years ago and is now living in

Philadelphia. Eddie Fitzgerald, who when a lad was a messenger in the

House of Commons, a coveted position in those days, became assistant

chief purchasing agent of the company and on resigning became

vice-chairman of the board of the Hudson’s Bay Company with headquarters

at Winnipeg.

* * * * *

Amongst other prominent men connected with the C. P. R. were E. H.

McHenry and W. F. Tye and John Sullivan, now of Winnipeg, where he was

elected an alderman, and amongst the real original first ones was J. M.

Egan, the general superintendent of the road of Winnipeg, who left to

accept the presidency of the Central of Georgia Railway and the Seaboard

Line, and is now farming not far from St. Louis, Mo.

* * * * *

Ed. James is another old-timer. He joined the C.P.R. in its earliest

days, and from a telegraph operator rose until he became general

superintendent, and afterwards accepted the general managership of the

Canadian Northern, from which he resigned and is now living in

Vancouver.

Col. E. W. P. Ramsay, who made a high record during the war, having been

mentioned in despatches and honoured with a C.M.G., was an apprentice in

the mechanical department in his youth and afterwards engineer of

construction of Eastern lines—the building of the Lake Ontario shore

line being one of his achievements. Charles W. Monserrat in 1889 was a

draughtsman and later a bridge engineer. He had charge of the

construction of the Quebec bridge, having left the service in 1910.

Other Old-Timers.

John Persse is a prosperous business man of Winnipeg, and W. O. Somers,

of the traffic department, W. J. Ross, bridge builder, now of Port

Arthur; of superintendents James Murray, Fred Jones, C. W. Milestone,

Tom Kilpatrick, W. A. Perry, J. A. Cameron, C. J. Ambridge and G. D.

Henderson; of old conductors Joe Fahey, Leary, Billy Fogg, Larose, Billy

Chester, now a prominent figure in labor circles, and Billy Brown, now

general superintendent in the C.N.R.; of engineers, Ash, Kennedy, J.

Brownlee, Armstrong, H. Phipps, Carey, also Bob Willoughby, Tom Carter,

Frank Nelson, Mark Baker and Dunham, whose terms of service range from

twenty-five to forty years. Doctors Good and Jones, Blanchard, Brett,

now Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta; and Andrew Mackenzie, car service

agent, is now of the Dominion Coal Company.

Some Who Have Passed Away.

There are many men whom death has called, bright lights in the early

days of the C.P.R., and amongst them Judge Clarke, of Cobourg, was one

of the ornaments of the Canadian bar. His legal acumen was of the

greatest service to the company. Another historic personage was Mr.

Henry Beatty, father of the president, who designed and built the

original vessels for the Great Lakes. From this nucleus has grown the

splendid fleet of ocean, lake, and river steamers, which in itself would

entitle the company to front rank among the outstanding transportation

systems of the world. He was associated with the company until his death

in 1914. Other outstanding figures are T. A. McKinnon, George Olds and

Lucius Tuttle, of the traffic department. Harry Abbott, of Vancouver,

did invaluable work in construction days in the mountains of British

Columbia, and Richard Marpole, of the same city, who started with the

construction of the road in Algoma in 1882, after many years’ arduous

and efficient labors in the mountains of B.C., became the chief

executive officer on the Canadian Pacific Coast. Mr. Marpole had a

wonderful grasp in railway matters and died in June, 1920, deeply

regretted.

Some Reminiscences.

W. Sutherland Taylor’s connection with railways commenced in 1868 when

he was secretary of construction on the Toronto, Grey & Bruce road, and

afterwards treasurer of that company. When the T., G. & B. was absorbed

by the C.P.R. he became its treasurer and retired in 1908 when he was

succeeded by another old-timer, Mr. H. E. Suckling, who is still

actively and efficiently serving the company. Mr. Sutherland Taylor and

I were old cronies, and we frequently used to indulge in reminiscences.

One of his memories was that when a lad he was going down the Rhine and

fell in with a very nice Danish family of father, mother and several

children. To him they appeared to belong to that highly respectable

class which consists of fairly well-to-do old families. He became

intimate with them, and when a little later he met them again in Berlin

their friendship was renewed and he was invited to lunch at their hotel.

During the luncheon one of the boys, Master George, misbehaved himself

and received a gentle cuff on the ear and was dismissed from the table.

Years after Mr. Taylor discovered that the head of the friendly family

had ascended the throne of Denmark and was none other than King

Christian IX., and that of his youthful companions, the eldest daughter

had been married to the Prince of Wales and had become Queen Alexandra

of Britain, and her sister, Princess Dagmar was the Empress of Russia,

and the others were afterwards King Frederick VIII., of Denmark and His

Royal Highness Prince Wilhelm of Denmark, and George had occupied the

throne of Greece, that Princess Lyra of Denmark had married the Duke of

Cumberland, and Prince Vladimar of Denmark was wedded to Princess Marie

of Orleans. Never before has a wandering young Canadian boy

unconsciously got into so much of the white light which beateth about

the throne.

Sir William Whyte came to the C.P.R. in its early days, and after

filling several important positions in the east, went to Winnipeg, where

he was Vice-President, in which position he exerted a wide influence

throughout the west.

Then there was Robert Kerr, who as a boy was connected with the old

Northern Railway of Toronto, and in 1884 entered the service of the

C.P.R., with headquarters at Winnipeg and afterwards at Montreal,

filling the position of passenger traffic manager. He was the son of

Capt. Kerr, an old steamboat man of Toronto, who was in command of the

favorite _Maple Leaf_, which plied on Lake Ontario, and with whom I

sailed as a non-paying passenger many a time. Robert Kerr served with

great distinction during the civil war, fighting for the North. Mr.

James W. Leonard, who passed away in April, 1919, was another old-timer

who is not forgotten. In his youth he was connected with the old Midland

Railway of Canada, and afterwards with the Credit Valley, and in 1880,

when it was absorbed by the C.P.R., he became a superintendent and

afterwards general manager of the road. Mr. Charles Drinkwater was

secretary of the railway in 1881, and in 1908 rose to be assistant to

the president. In his youth Mr. Drinkwater was secretary to Sir John

Macdonald, and gained an insight into parliamentary matters that were of

great assistance to him and to the company in matters of legislation in

Ottawa.

* * * * *

A. C. Henry, who succeeded Mr. Shaughnessy as purchasing agent, was with

the company from its beginning, and died at a comparatively early age,

and when he died there was general regret for he was highly esteemed.

One of the oldest employees of the company was Charles Spencer, who in

1864 was a conductor on the Brockville & Ottawa, and naturally was taken

over by the C.P.R. when that road was purchased by the company. He was

for years on the Montreal-Ottawa run, and was a great favourite with the

travelling public. It was not until 1913 that he was pensioned, and he

died at a ripe old age five years later. He was father of Charles and H.

B. Spencer, two men who were closely connected with the C.P.R. Charlie

became general superintendent and resigned in 1905 to accept a higher

position in the Canadian Northern, and died some years ago, but Harry,

who commenced work with the Canada Central (now C.P.R.) in 1870, as

telegraph operator and assistant agent at Ottawa, is still on duty as

superintendent in his native city. W. J. Singleton was another of the

early workers, being agent at Ottawa, in 1882, and afterwards

superintendent until 1909, passing away early in 1911.

E. J. Duchesney, who did wonderful work at the time of the Frank

disaster; Molyneux St. John, of the publicity department, an

accomplished writer, was assigned to become editor of the Winnipeg _Free

Press_, and afterwards was appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod at

Ottawa.

Others Gone But Still Remembered.

P. A. Peterson was chief engineer in 1881, with John Canadian as chief

clerk, who composed nearly the whole staff, and in 1903 was consulting

engineer, and left the service the same year. The names of Major Rogers,

who found the Rogers Pass, General Rosser, who was the last Southern

officer to accept the inevitable, J. S. Schwitzer and A. B. Stickney,

who was chief engineer in the West in the early days, are still

remembered, although they have been laid at rest for many years. E. V.

Skinner, who represented the company in New York city from 1887 to 1908,

was a very prominent figure, and Horace Colvin, who was the company’s

representative in Boston from 1887 to 1903, has also passed away.

Another prominent figure was Archer Baker, who was an accountant on the

Brockville & Ottawa road in 1870, and after several promotions was

stationed at London, England, and was European manager of the company

until his death in 1910. Alex Notman was a well-known figure and

represented the company at several points. He was best known in Toronto,

and when he died the company lost an energetic official. Then there were

A. R. G. Heward, who was with President Van Horne for many years; Fred

Tiffin, who was the company’s first freight agent at Toronto, and

resigned to join the I.C.R. forces, he being succeeded by J. N.

Sutherland, who has also passed away. The memory of J. Francis Lee, of

Chicago; Con Sheehy, of Detroit; and Tom Harvey, of the Soo, Michigan,

all of whom have gone to their last rest will not soon be forgotten,

neither will Fred Gauthier, of Winnipeg, who, commencing as a freight

clerk in ’82, became assistant purchasing agent in 1900, and died in

1919. Albert Dana was another one who commenced as general storekeeper

in Montreal in 1881, and in ’86 entered the purchasing department in

which he reached a high position and died recently. Jack Taylor came

from a family of railway men, and began work as a train despatcher in

Ottawa in 1878. In 1911 he was made general superintendent on several

western divisions. General Superintendent R. R. Jameson, John Niblock

and J. A. McLellan are gone.

Medical Staff.

Dr. Girdwood was the first chief surgeon and retired in 1902. Among the

medical men on his staff scattered along the lines of the C.P.R. were

Dr. Pringle, who for many years did excellent service on the north shore

of Lake Superior, and Dr. McKid, of Calgary; Dr. Orton, M.P., and Dr.

Brett, now Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta, and still in the land of the

living, and Dr. Kerr, who afterwards was a prominent physician in

Washington, D.C.

An old-timer was W. H. Kelson, who was general storekeeper from 1882 to

1904, and Jimmy Callaghan, who was with the company from 1886 to his

death in 1912, and L. A. Genest, general storekeeper at Winnipeg, have

departed this life. Geo. W. Henry was in the treasurer’s department for

many years. His father was one of the officers who guarded Napoleon

during his captivity at Elba.

Bob Morris, the general baggage agent at Montreal, Joe Heffernan, of

Guelph; Joe Milward, of the freight department, who was killed in a

bicycle accident at Boston, were connected with the Company for years.

George Duncan, of Ottawa, who came with the company when a boy,

represented the C.P.R. at Ottawa for many years until his death. We all

remember Major Lydon, who formed the famed Highland Cadets, and who

still insisted on working after being pensioned.

* * * * *

Memory also recalls Wm. Harder, of Winnipeg; John H. McTavish, the first

land commissioner, and Alex. Begg, his assistant, W. Skead, and R. G.

Barnwell, of the tie department, J. D. Farrell, now president of the

Oregon Railway and Navigation Co., and Dan O’Leary, who constructed

bridges, Supt. Con. Shields and Wm. Brown, brother of Davy, John Niblock

and J. R. Cameron, T. J. Lynskey, the first one, Al. Percival and Jack

Landers, old-time conductors, and of engineer Dick Smith, Allan McNab,

one of the pioneer locomotive engineers of the mountains, Jim Brownlee

and Jim Stewart, who ran old “69.”

* * * * *

Conductor Harry Hall, after many years of conducting trains, became the

representative of the labor interests at Ottawa. Peter Stewart passed

away after many years of service, and so did Dad Clarke, who switched at

the Toronto terminals. Another Dad Clarke—its wonderful how long they

were affectionately called “Dad”—was for a long time in the purchasing

department and died as the result of an accident at Ottawa several years

ago.

* * * * *

Conductors James Ferris, John Forrester, A. St. Germain and Ed. Barnes,

all veterans, have passed away.

* * * * *

And who can ever forget Charlie Panzer, the roadmaster; old Gideon

Swain, who bossed the Winnipeg station for years; Hampton, of the

Windsor Station, who used words as big as the side of a house, and that

dear old friend of everybody—Constable Richards, now guarding the

pearly gates in the other world?

Officials Honored by King.

The King has recognized the valuable service of many C.P.R. directors

and officials by giving honors to Lord Mount Stephen, Lord Strathcona,

Lord Shaughnessy, Sir William Van Horne, Sir Thomas Tait, who did

splendid railway work in Australia; Sir George Bury, for his work in

Russia; Sir George McLaren Brown, of London, England, for what he did

during the late war; Sir Arthur Harris, Sir William Whyte, Sir Augustus

Nanton, and Sir James Aikins, of Winnipeg; Sir E. B. Osler and Sir John

Eaton, the merchant prince of Toronto; Sir Vincent Meredith and Sir

Herbert Holt, of Montreal; and for many years an official of the company

has been and still is Sir Gilbert Johnson, who bears the Nova Scotian

baronetcy. W. R. Baker was given a C.V.O. by King George, and deserved

higher honours for his services during royal visits to Canada.

The Dominion Express Company.

The Dominion Express Company has been managed since its inception by W.

S. Stout, of Toronto, the president, being ably assisted by T. E.

McDonnell, the general manager, and W. H. Burr, the traffic manager. The

names of Billy Walsh, of Toronto, now passed away; V. G. R. Vickers, who

has retired to enter commercial life; Goodwin Ford, of Winnipeg, and

Jack Murray, of Toronto, will long be remembered. The first president

was Sir George Kirkpatrick.

The Live Wires.

With the telegraph branch of the C.P.R. the name of Mr. Charles R.

Hosmer will be long identified, for he was the head and front of the

undertaking at its inception. He is a director of the company besides

being incidentally a capitalist. Long associated with him was James

Kent, who inaugurated a press service and press bulletin for the

passenger trains in the West. After thirty years in harness he retired

in 1916, and was succeeded by John McMillan, who has been with the

company since 1883, and worked his way up from a junior in the

construction of telegraphs to the topmost position. The wires of the

C.P.R. reach every part of the civilized world, besides several

countries that are apparently not entirely civilized. Bill (W.J.) Camp,

his assistant, was a C.P.R. electrician in 1886, and there are Geo. H.

Ferguson and many others in this branch of the C.P.R. who have been with

it for many years. B. S. Jenkins and John Tait and Jack Stronach were

old Winnipeg workers. William Marshall is now assistant manager at that

city, but he has only been with the company since 1886, and other

veterans are Jim Wilson, and Ed. Grindrod, the first superintendent and

inspector in B.C., who did good service during the floods in the

mountains some years ago.

[Illustration: SOUVENIR OF THE DRIVING OF THE LAST SPIKE ON THE

C.P.R.—THE FIRST C.P.R. LOCOMOTIVE—THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE IN TORONTO. ]

Important “First” Trains.

The first through train to cross the continent in Canada left Montreal

on June 28th, 1886, and reached the western terminus, Port Moody, right

on the dot on July 4th. It was a momentous event, for it was the

beginning of a service that has revolutionized the travel of the world.

At the send-off, the immense throng at the old Dalhousie Station was an

enthusiastic one, and would have been more so, but Col. Stevenson’s

battery was a little late in arriving to fire a parting salute, and

time, tide and the C.P.R. flyers wait for no one. There were only two

sleepers attached and they were comfortably filled. The only newspaper

man aboard was myself, and I had written up the trip from Montreal to

Winnipeg in advance, and sent it by mail—for I had been on the road

frequently—only adding the names of the more prominent passengers by

wire from Ottawa. When the papers reached us on the north shore of Lake

Superior, Mr. Dewey, the superintendent of the postal service of Canada,

who was on board, was astonished at the length and accuracy of my

report, and wondered how and when I had written it, and as I did not

enlighten him, except to say that he had seen me writing on the train,

his mystification remained with him until his death. The trip was a

glorious one, and the reception all along the line was like a royal

progress. The people of fire-stricken Vancouver came over to Port Moody

in great numbers by the old _Yosemite_ to welcome us. There was no

public reception at Vancouver, for there wasn’t any place to hold one,

the original city having been almost totally consumed by fire just

previous to our arrival. The flames had destroyed almost everything, but

the courage and hope and faith of the pioneers who bravely struggled

against the blighting effects of the calamity, and they did this

successfully, as can be seen to-day in the magnificent city which has

arisen through the splendid results of their indomitable energy and

unceasing labors which made Vancouver what it is.

Greeted Train With Music.

I have travelled on many a “first train” since then, but none of more

importance than the first Imperial Limited which left Montreal for

Vancouver on the evening of June 18, 1899. The train was the acme of

comfort for the transcontinental traveller. In order that an opportunity

might be given of judging of its equipment, I invited a number of

Montreal and Quebec newspapermen to make the run as far as the Federal

capital on a special car attached to the new train. Fred Cook was then

the dean of the Press Gallery, and Parliament being in session, I sent

him a wire telling him of the party, and asking him to meet us at the

Central Station when the train arrived at midnight. Fred has the

reputation of being able to organize a symposium or birthday party in

quick time, but on this occasion he did more than I reckoned. He can

also crack a joke or take one with the best. I heard the story later of

what happened from his colleague, Frank McNamara, who has been for some

years in newspaper work on the Pacific coast. Showing my telegram to

McNamara, Cook said, “Frank, we have to do this reception in the best

style. Will you join?” McNamara said, “What is the proposal?” “Well,”

was the answer, “I will get Jimmy Ellis (the Mayor) to come down to the

station and present the keys of the city to George and the press men,

and we will also have a fine band of music to welcome the guests, and to

speed the Imperial Limited on its initial trip.” “Bah,” snorted

McNamara, “where are you going to get a band at that hour?” “There has

been a band tooting around the streets of Ottawa for the past week, and

for a fiver I am sure they will come out,” was the reply. It was a band

of the genuine German variety of five pieces. McNamara fell in with the

suggestion, and both hied themselves off to Billy Clements’ hotel on

Besserer Street, where the sons of the Fatherland were staying.

They saw the leader, who at first demurred at the suggestion, fearing

trouble with the police. When Cook told him that the Mayor was to be

there and that he would guarantee that everything would be all right,

the Germans consented for a ten-spot to be at the station with their

instruments. And so at midnight on that eventful occasion, the first

Imperial Limited rolled into the Central Station at Ottawa. The special

car with the press party stopped in the yards owing to the length of the

train, and we had to walk up the cinder path until we reached the

platform. There, at the end of the platform, were those five confounded

Germans blowing away for all they were worth “The Watch on the Rhine.” A

procession was formed and, headed by the band, now playing “Rule

Brittania” (was it a premonition?) with the mayor on my right and the

ex-mayor on my left, and thirty newspaper men following two by two, we

started up Sparks Street to the Parliament Buildings in which a brass

band played for the first time in history. It was one of the funniest of

my many varied experiences. Guests in the old Russell House, awakened

from their slumbers, stuck their heads out of the windows and gazed in

wonderment; the bobbies at the street corners, seeing the mayor in the

party, stood and grinned; citizens on the streets enquired, “What’s up?”

Swinging up Sparks and Metcalfe Streets, and then across Wellington

street and up the centre walk, still headed by the sons of the

Fatherland, we marched into the Parliament Buildings. Of the joyous time

we had for the next hour or two I say nothing, but next morning there

appeared in the newspapers all over the world an account of the arrival

of this wonderful train at Ottawa; of the civic reception, and of the

triumphal procession through the streets led by the band of the

“Governor-General’s Foot Guards.”

The world believed that Ottawa had stood still to let the Imperial

Limited pass through.

A Belated Prosperity.

Walking down Notre Dame Street one morning in the summer of ’92 I met

Sir William Van Horne, who enquired about the Maritime Provinces, where

I was then doing missionary work for the C.P.R. I told him that it was a

pleasant country to roam around in—especially in the summer time—but

that until more energy was developed in public utilities, increased

prosperity could not be expected. The Provinces needed a great

developing agency like the C.P.R., instead of the Government-owned road,

and until such a developing factor was secured the same old conditions

would prevail. I also told him that while the practical politicians of

both parties were strong advocates of Government control of the I.C.R.

for the peculiar advantages and influences it afforded the political

bosses, I didn’t believe the great mass of the people were of the same

mind, but would gladly hail the advent of the C.P.R. He said, “Well, go

down and buy it.” He didn’t give me any money, but I did try, and found

that nearly three-fourths of the newspapers there favored a change. All

went well, with the powerful aid of the Toronto _Globe_ and other

Western newspapers, but in ’94 Sir John Thompson, then Premier of the

Dominion, declared that if the control of the I.C.R. was transferred to

the C.P.R. or any other private corporation, he would resign. That ended

it, and the Maritime Provinces remained somnolent until other developing

factors and more capital infused life into them, and years after gave

them the prosperity that would have been theirs a quarter of a century

sooner.

An Old-Time Roadmaster.

John Riordan was an old and efficient roadmaster of the C.P.R. western

lines, and he ever had an eye to the company’s interests. One day, a

navvy was taken ill with cramps, and there being no medical man within

hailing distance, and no proper remedies, John seized a sizzling hot

mince pie and clapped it on the suffering man’s stomach. He quickly

recovered, and when John reported the matter, he was quizzingly asked

what he had done with the pie, and he naively said: “Shure, sor, I put

it back on the shelf.”

John was a thoroughly loyal employee, and when there was a strike on, he

wired his brother, then on strike at Deloraine, in an effort to bring

him back to the ranks.

“Tim Riordan,

C.P.R., Deloraine,

You are now roadmaster for the Deloraine division.

(Sgd.) John Riordan.”

Quickly came back the answer:

“John Riordan,

C.P.R., Winnipeg,

You are a d—— liar. I am not.

Timothy Riordan.”

When Coal Was Costly.

Superintendent Oborne had great economic ideas. He spent quite a time in

ascertaining whether two short whistles from a locomotive were not

cheaper than one long one. He noticed one day that a lot of coal was

dropped off the tenders between Winnipeg and Brandon, and instructed his

assistant, Ed. James, to have it gathered up. Of course, Ed. strictly

followed instructions, and a week later was asked how it was

progressing.

“Fine,” said Ed., “we’ve picked up two tons already, and are still

picking.”

“Splendid,” encouragingly replied the boss. “And how much is it

costing?”

“$65.00 a ton.” As coal was then laid down at Winnipeg at $4.50 a ton,

the collection of black diamonds was instantly discontinued.

Gate-Keeper, I Hope, in Both Worlds.

Constable Richards, head-gateman in the castellated stone structure of

the C.P.R. at Windsor Street Station, Montreal, was everybody’s friend.

A large sized, well-built, active man, for many years he more than

satisfactorily fulfilled his onerous duties, until at a ripe age he

passed away mourned by all who knew him. He was an Englishman first and

last, and on St. George’s Day, it was for years a great pleasure for me

to pin a red rose on his manly breast. One time, I was away in Los

Angeles, and didn’t remember that England’s patron saint’s day was on

the morrow. But I did think of it in time, and wired to N. S. Dunlop,

who was then in charge of the company’s floral department, to send Mr.

Richards a rose with my best wishes. When I returned home a fortnight or

so later, Constable Richards was on duty at the gate, and when he saw

me, he grasped my hand, shook it heartily, and exclaimed: “I knew

wherever you were, you wouldn’t forget my rose. It came all right, but

how could you send it by wireless?” N. S. D. had put on my card, “By

wireless from Los Angeles.”

* * * * *

My old friend honestly believed that the C.P.R. was the only railway in

the world and Lord Shaughnessy the greatest man. One time in rearranging

increases of salaries, he had been overlooked on account of having

passed the age limit, and it was only when Lord Shaughnessy returned

home and greeted him at the gate that he had an opportunity of airing

his grievance. He told the Baron the case, and the next day was rejoiced

to find that he had received a substantial increase and the back pay,

which he never knew came from the Chief’s own pocket.

* * * * *

If Constable Richards is assistant to St. Peter as guardian of the gate,

I will take my chances on getting in without any difficulty whatever,

and will hear his cheery voice resounding through whatever is up there:

“Hey, you fellows, make way for the Colonel.”

Don’t Own the Alphabet.

You may realize from what has been written about Canada’s big

corporation, that the C.P.R. is—But listen to this: It appears the

company issued notices to some hotels, restaurants and storekeepers,

protesting against the unauthorized use of its initials, “C.P.R.” One

such notice was mailed to Timothy O’Brien, who was the proud proprietor

of the “C.P.R. Barber Shop” in a prairie village. Tim’s reply is

entitled to a niche in the temple of fame, and is here reproduced

without comment:

“Dear Sir:—I got your notis. I don’t want no law soot with yure

big company, or I don’t want to paint a wife and family to

sport. I no yure company owns most everything—ralerodes,

steemers, most of the best land and the time, but I don’t know

as you own the hole alphabet. The letters on my shop don’t stand

for yure ralerode but for sumthin better. I left a muther in

Ireland, she is dead and gawn, but her memories are dear to me.

Her maiden name was Christina Patricia Reardon, and what I want

to no is what you are going to do about it. I suppose you won’t

argue that the balance of my sine what refers to cut rates has

got anythink to do with yure ralerodes. There aint been no cut

rates round these parts that I nos of.

(Sgd.) Timothy O’Brien...”

The officials of the big railroad are reported to have acknowledged

themselves answered.

Flour for Lady Macdonald.

When John Niblock was superintendent of the C.P.R. at Medicine Hat, Sir

John and Lady Macdonald passed through to the Coast on the second

transcontinental train from the east. John was out on the line, and

missed the Chief—but disappointed as he was, he was not altogether

phazed. He wired to Medicine Hat for the agent to send a bouquet of

flowers to the Earnscliffe, the car Sir John always used. The telegraph

operator was a green hand, and couldn’t send very well, so when the wire

reached Calgary, it read:

“Send boq flour to Lady Macdonald with my compliments.

(Sgd.) John Niblock.”

The operator couldn’t make out what a “boq”—the contraction for

bouquet—meant, and so substituted “bag.” When the agent lumbered down

to the Earnscliffe, the steward absolutely refused the flour as he was

already stocked up. So Lady Macdonald lost both the bouquet and the bag

of flour.

Good-bye, My Reader, Good-bye.

And now the curtain is rolling down, for seventy-three years make a very

long act. Recalling three score and ten of them—thirty-three of which

have been spent in the service of the company—remembering the

all-important events that have happened during that period, and the

radically changed conditions of life and living, remindful of the

numerous retirements and demises of fellow-workers in the world-wide

vineyard of the C.P.R., one cannot but realize that the corridors of the

company’s offices will not long be trodden by the older ones of this

generation, and that many of us will soon perhaps not even be a memory.

With free one-way transportation to the Great Beyond, and a full

consciousness of all our good deeds and misdeeds, of the things we

should have done and have not done, and of the things we should not have

done but did, with no pretensions to having been too good, nor

apprehensions of having been too bad, and with a solemn belief that if

we were unable always to be right, we sought to be as nearly right as we

could, we shall fearlessly face the great overshadowing problem: “Where

do we go from here?” The answer will come from the unknown world.

T. H. BEST PRINTING CO. LIMITED, TORONTO

TRANSCRIBER NOTES

Mis-spelled words and printer errors have been fixed.

Inconsistency in hyphenation has been retained.

Inconsistency in accents has been retained.

Illustrations have been relocated due to using a non-page layout.

Some photographs have been enhanced to be more legible.

When nested quoting was encountered, nested double quotes were change to

single quotes.

Space between paragraphs varied greatly. The thought-breaks which have

been inserted attempt to agree with the larger paragraph spacing, but it

is quite possible that this was simply the methodology used by the

typesetter, and that there should be no thought-breaks.

The map of freight trains has been split into three images. The

original was a fold-out which cannot be rendered appropriately in this

media.

End of Project Gutenberg's Reminiscences of a Raconteur, by George H. Ham