130 EEPORT OF THE ^o. 3 



through a country where no engineering difficulties will be met with in road con- 

 struction. 



This will not be an expensive road to construct, and I would recommend the 

 expenditure thereon of $36,000. 



This road, besides opening up two very promising mining camps, would later 

 on be of great service in connection with the development of the timber resources 

 in that locality. 



District of Algoina. 



On the Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie road, I would recommend the expen- 

 diture of $50,000 on the AVestern section of this road. 



District of TemisJmming. 



I beg to recommend the construction of trunk and other roads along the main 

 line of the Temiskaming and JSTorthern Ontario Eailway, and along the Earlton 

 and Elk Lake and the Charlton branches thereof, extending west as far as the 

 Montreal Eiver, and east for a distance of about 20 miles, through the agricul- 

 tural lands. Also short roads into the more important mining sections around 

 Gowganda and Swastika. 



I estimate that $75,000 will be required to carry out this work. 



I would also recommend the construction of new trunk and other roads along 

 tlie Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Eailway, and the Porcupine branch 

 thereof, and in the townships east and west of the said railway between Matheson 

 and Cochrane, including the cost of grading and improving roads cut out last 

 season. 



$125,000 will be required for these roads. 



Northern Part of the Districts of TemisTcaming and Algoma. 



From the information gained last season in constructing roads along the 

 Transcontinental Eailway, I am convinced that for the next few years, at all events, 

 settlement along this line of railway and throughout the Clay Belt should, as far 

 as possible, be permitted only in the best sections, where the land is most suitable 

 for agricultural purposes; in localities well drained by the larger or main streams 

 tributary to the Moose Eiver; where the land is higher and less subject to summer 

 frosts and requires less drainage; or in sections which have been burnt or partially 

 burnt over, thus reducing the cost of clearing; and where the drainage has been 

 improved by the burning off of the moss. 



I, therefore, beg to recommend that first the roads which were cut out and not 

 graded last year (owing to the inclemency of the season) should be graded this 

 season and extended where settlement is most likely to take place. The work of 

 last season in this locality extended east and west from Cochrane, and in a small 

 section adjacent to the Quebec boundary. 



In the vicinity of the Groundhog Eiver, one of the eight largest tributaries 

 of the Moose Eiver, it is suggested that a new section be opened up for settlement. 

 There is a very large area of fine agricultural land tributary to this stream, which is 

 about 50 miles west of Cochrane. This area extends south of the Transcontinental 

 Eailway for nearly 50 miles, and for about 30 miles North. Twenty or more years 

 ago, fire swept over a very large area along this river, and it is now grown up with 

 a small second growth, and v/ould be much more easily cleared and brought under 



