1898-99. | MEMOIR. 
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MEMOIR. 
BY KIvASs*TULLY, C:E, 
In preparing the special memorial volume for the semi-centennial 
year of the Canadian Institute, it is assumed that extracts from the min- 
utes will be given«connected with the formation and progress of the 
Institute to the present time. My remarks, therefore, will be confined 
to a few extracts from the inaugural address which I read at the first 
meeting of the Engineers’ Club, on June 6th last. This club was 
formed with similar objects to those which were originally proposed at 
the formation of the Canadian Institute, and I regret to state that Sir 
Sandford Fleming, K.C.M.G., Thomas Ridout, C.E., and myself, are the 
only surviving members of the original society. At the first meeting of 
the Engineers’ Club, a resolution was unanimously passed, “That an 
address of congratulation to the Canadian Institute from the Club should 
be prepared during the summer recess, and passed at the next meeting 
in September.” The following are a few extracts from the address :— 
“Tt should be borne in mind that Toronto was a wilderness in 1793, and 
the population was not 25,000 in 1849, fifty-six years later, (the popula- 
tion is now estimated to be about 200,000). There were no railways in 
Ontario ; there are now nearly 6,700 miles. In the year of Confederation 
1867, there were 2,087 miles of railway in the Dominion, and according 
to the latest statistics, the number of miles of completed railway in 1898 
was 16,870, besides 2,248 miles of sidings; the paid up capital amounts 
to $941,297,037. 
“The St. Lawrence canals were only opened in 1847, the traffic 
between the Upper and Lower provinces having been previously ac- 
complished by Durham boats and bateaux, until the route by the 
Ottawa and Rideau canals was opened in 1832. The total expenditure 
on the several canals of the Dominion was $87,067,096.31, including 
repairs, Maintenance and operation to June 30th, 1898, and it is ex- 
pected that the recent enlargement to 14 feet will be completed this year. 
“The first telegraph line in the Dominion was put up by the 
Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara and St. Catharines Company in 1847. In 
1895 there were 28,815 miles of line, 68,244 miles of wire, and 2,556 
offices. 
