316 Our North Land. 



consin, Illinois, Minnesota and Dakota, and sustain a commerce 

 many times more extensive than that of the Dominion at the present 

 time. The carrying trade of that commerce will find its principal 

 channel through the waters of Hudson's Bay; and the proposed 

 railway line we are describing, from Port Simpson to Churchill, will 

 not only bring Japan and Europe closer together by thousands of 

 miles than by any other possible route, but must become the chief 

 avenue of transportation for the whole District of Athabaska and 

 the greater portion of Alberta to the south of it. 



As will be seen on the accompanying map of the Dominion this 

 proposed line runs from the Pine River Pass across the plains of 

 the upper Peace River, and its large tributary the Smoky River, 

 through the fertile valleys of the Athabaska, and from the eastern 

 limit of the fertile Prairie Region across the series of watersheds 

 between Lakes Athabaska, Wollaston, and Reindeer Lakes and 

 Hudson's Bay, to Churchill Harbour. The whole distance from Port 

 Simpson to Churchill, for a railway line, is less than 1,500 miles, 

 and the gradients are very much lighter than by any other route 

 across the American continent. 



This will be the direct route across the continent in connection 

 with Hudson's Bay navigation. The distances as compared with 

 other routes are as follows : — 



Transcontinental Short Line. 



From Liverpool to Gape Chidley (Atlantic) 1,940 miles. 



" Cape Chidley to Cape Digges (Hudson Strait) 450 " 



" Cape Digges to Churchill (Hudson's Bay) 550 " 



" Churchill to Port Simpson (Railway) 1,450 <: 



Total 4,390 miles. 



Canadian Pacific Route. 



From Liverpool to Montreal (Atlantic and St. L.) 3,000 miles. 



" Montreal to Port Moody (via Winnipeg) 2,895 " 



Total 5,895 miles. 



Difference in favour of "Short Line" 1,505 miles. 



