54 IIQAPS AND RAILWAYS. 



THE THORBUKN UAILWAY POLICY. 



In 1889 the Thorlmrn Govei-nment annoniiced as part of their 

 policy the extension of the railway northward i'roni the Placentia 

 Junction. Public opinion \\as strongly in favour of this as the 

 only means of utilizing the agricultaral, forest and mineral lands, 

 and providing new outlets for the industry of the people. The 

 successs of the Harbour Grace line and its rapidly increasing 

 traffic furnished a sufficient warrant for further extension, and 

 convinced all intelligent men that in tliis country the giaml 

 desideratum of progress is a railway to open up the interior and 

 connect the extern districts with eacli other and with the capital. 

 The Government wisely decided that the northern extension 

 should be built under a contract. Accordingly they advertised 

 for tenders in England, tlie Suited .State.; and Canada, in order 

 to obtain such information a< to cost and otlier particulars as 

 would enalile tliem to formulate a plan to be submitted to the 

 Legislature. In the Legislative Session of 1889 a Railway Ex- 

 tension Act of a comprehensive cliaracter was passed through 

 l)oth Chambers with little opposition. Tlie Government were 

 pledged to carry out a survey of tlie line to Hall's Bay that year, 

 to immediately commence construction, pending a contract, and 

 to jn'ovide for the completinn of the wliole line witliiu ten years, 

 the rate of construction to be at the rate of not less than 25 miles 

 per annum. The work of construction was commenced in the 

 fall of 1889 from Placentia .Junction northward. I'efore wiut>'r 

 set in some ten or fifteen miU'S were l)uilt. 



Sill AV. AVHITEWAY AGAIN riiEMIEK. 



Tlie general elections took ])lace in XnvcmbL-r, 1889, witli the 

 result that Sir William Wliiteway was again called on to taki' 

 the reins of government. He s])ecilily sliowed tliat he had lost 

 none of liis {ormcr confidence in railwav extension a< a means of 

 developing the I'esources of the colony. An Act was passed in 

 the .session of 1890 ])ro\i(ling for the eoiistiuetioii of a line ol' 

 railway tinmrd^ Hall's liay, with a luancli to Prigus or Clarke's 

 Peach, autlioi-iziug a loan of .S'4,.")00,000, an<l empowei'iiig the 



