I love a mystery! Especially family ones! -----Original Message----- From: MarCat <marcat@ameritech.net> To: CAN-MB-WINNIPEG-L@rootsweb.com <CAN-MB-WINNIPEG-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, March 02, 2000 6:46 PM Subject: Re: [MBWINNIPEG-L] Help please >Hi Bette, > >My you have been busy with all the "look-ups"..you are a good person! >Thank you for keeping an eye out for our Gillson line..I really >appreciate all you do. > >Best regards, > >Mary in Michigan > >Bette Kosmolak wrote: >> >> Hi Mary, >> My guess would be the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) which seemed to be >> more prominent on the prairies than the Canadian National Railway (CNR) but >> try both! And I'm watching for Gillson's everywhere! >> Bette >> -----Original Message----- >> From: MarCat <marcat@ameritech.net> >> To: CAN-MB-WINNIPEG-L@rootsweb.com <CAN-MB-WINNIPEG-L@rootsweb.com> >> Date: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 12:43 PM >> Subject: Re: [MBWINNIPEG-L] Help please >> >> >Hi Bette, >> > >> >Thanks for all the very interesting info about the railroad building in >> >Winnipeg. I will keep this in my files, which are bursting at the >> >seams. I'm still looking for John Herbert Gillson, b. 1873 in >> >Collingwood, Ontario, moved to Winnipeg about 1899 with his family and >> >disappeared about 1908..never to be heard from again. John was my >> >husband's paternal grandfather. I just keep my eyes open for any info >> >on Winnipeg that I think might be a link to what happened to him. I >> >heard at one time that John worked on "the" railroad..which one? Don't >> >know. >> > >> >Thanks again Bette. Take care now. >> > >> >Best regards, >> > >> >Mary in Michigan >> > >> >Bette Kosmolak wrote: >> >> >> >> I keep reading, with great interest, about the railroad being built in >> >> Winnipeg and would like to know what years this took place >> >> >> >> Hi Mary, >> >> According to George Bryce in History of Manitoba "With a few and >> unimportant >> >> exceptions, the railway system of Canada cannot be said to have commenced >> >> until after the passing of the Railway Act of 1849...." "So, whilst in >> 1852 >> >> Canada could only boast of about thirty miles of railway, she has (in >> 1886) >> >> over ten thousand miles." >> >> >> >> "In 1875 the Pembina branch, sixty miles long, on the east side of the >> Red >> >> river, was graded. On November 3, 1878, the great opening day had >> >> come......a train started from St. Boniface to carry a special party...to >> >> witness the "driving of the last spike" a few miles north of the boundary >> >> line near Emerson [that is the boundary line between Manitoba and USA]." >> >> "Among the Manitobans present were: >> >> Senator SUTHERLAND >> >> James H. ROWAN, >> >> Consul TAYLOR >> >> G.B. SPENCER >> >> A.G.B. BANNATYNE >> >> Capt. SCOTT >> >> W.H. LYON >> >> T. NIXON >> >> G. BROWN, >> >> Alex. LOGAN >> >> Thomas HOWARD >> >> D.W. STOBART >> >> G.S. McTAVISH >> >> W.F. ALLOWAY >> >> J.F. BAIN >> >> S. BLANCHARD >> >> A.F. EDEN >> >> Jacob SMITH >> >> J.S. McGUIRE >> >> C.N. BELL >> >> The train officers were: F. HAYWARD, conductor; C.D. VANAMAN, engineer, >> J. >> >> DONAVAN, fireman. The train consisted of a locomotive, three flat cars >> and >> >> a caboose." >> >> "The new era of affairs was usehred in by the railroad. It made possible >> a >> >> journey from Ontario to Winnipeg in three days." >> >> >> >> Mary, this is the only place I have read the above, although I'm sure >> it's >> >> documented somewhere besides this book. Manitobans, however, generally >> >> consider the highlight of the railroad story was the arrival in Wpg. of >> the >> >> Countess of Dufferin - but now that I think of it, this steam engine >> >> arrived, I believe, by boat! >> >> >> >> However, I would think would not be unfair to say the railroad boom in MB >> >> was 1875-1890 or so. >> >> >> >> Bette in Victoria >> >> >> >> ==== CAN-MB-WINNIPEG Mailing List ==== >> >> CAN-MB-WINNIPEG-L Mailing List >> >> http://www.rootsweb.com/~mbwinnip/canmbwinnipeg.htm >> > >> > >> >==== CAN-MB-WINNIPEG Mailing List ==== >> >Manitoba Districts - Volunteer Opportunities >> >http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmb/districts.htm >> > >> >> ==== CAN-MB-WINNIPEG Mailing List ==== >> Canada GenWeb Awards >> http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6625/cgwaward.html >> Vote for your favourite CanadaGenWeb site > > >==== CAN-MB-WINNIPEG Mailing List ==== >Canada GenWeb Awards >http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6625/cgwaward.html >Vote for your favourite CanadaGenWeb site >