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