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