110 EEPORT OF THE No. 3 



Appendix No. SS. 



Hepokt on the Construction of Uoaus and Bjiidges^ Undek the Piiovisions of 

 THE Northern and North-western Ontario Developmeis r Acts, 



1913 AND 1915. 



(During the Season of 191 T.) 



To the Honourable, the Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines: — 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit the general report ol the work done in the 

 construction of roads and bridges, under the provisions of the Northern and North- 

 western Ontario Development Acts, 1912 and 1915, during the season of 1917. 



Operations were carried on over practically the same territory as in previou.* 

 years, in the Districts of Kainy IJiver, Kenora, Port Arthur and Fort William. 

 Sault Ste. Marie, St. Joseph Island, Manitoulin Island, Algoma, Sudbury, Nipis- 

 sing and Parry Sound, as far south as Sundridge, also in the Districts of Temis- 

 kaming in the vicinity of Englehart, Matheson and Cochrane, up to the last of May. 



The Avork, during the early part ef the season, was somewhat retarded owing 

 to wet weather; the greater portion of the season, however, was very favourable for 

 road construction, except that labour was difficult to procure and wages were ex- 

 ceptionally high; so, also, was the price of food supplies and material. The 

 labourers employed on the work were chiefly settlers or those living in the districts. 

 During the seeding, haying and harvesting seasons the work was postponed so as to 

 give the settlers every opportunity of carrying on their farm work. Good results 

 were obtained in most instances for the money expended, notwithstanding the high 

 price of labour and supplies. 



During the season, up to the 81st of October, $485,493.33 was expended on 

 construction and repairing of roads, and purchase of plant. A])proximately 2T5 

 miles of road, new and old, was worked over during the season, of which 55 miles 

 was entirely new road, the balance being roads cut out in previous years and graded, 

 improved and surfaced with gravel or rock; 10 miles of road was re-surfaced Avitli 

 crushed rock and 125 miles surfaced with gravel; 6 bridges, over 100 feet in length, 

 and 20 bridges, over 30 feet in length, were constructed; 281 corrugated iron cul- 

 verts were put in place, and 200 wooden culverts constructed. Most of the ol«l 

 roads built in the last five years were gone over with road drags or small graders, and 

 ditches cleaned out. 



During the season the International Highway from Port Arthur and Fort 

 William to Duluth was opened up for traffic. Fifty miles of this road is within the- 

 Province and has been constructed and almost completed within the last four years. 

 It is now possible for the residents of Port Arthur and Fort William to reach the 

 larger cities in Minnesota and Wisconsin by motor car. 



Five years ago it w^as not possible to leave the Town of Fort Frances, in the 

 Rainy River Valley, with a motor car ; it is now possible to motor from Fort Frances 

 to the City of Winnipeg, the distance having been made in seventeen hours. 



The trunk road between North Bay and Sudbury, 80 miles, was also opened for 

 through traffic in October, the distance having been covered in three and one-half 

 hours. 



The North Bay and Bracebridge trunk road has been practically completed to 

 Sundridge, a distance of 50 miles, and from North Bay to Mattawa, 50 miles. 



