AND OTHER SKETCHES 293 



AFTER A RAILWAY BONUS. 



Time has cut a wide swath in the ranks of the spell- 

 binders who thirty years ago represented this city 

 throughout the country. 



There was many a hot fight on in those days outside 

 of politics, some of the fiercest being over the securing of 

 bonuses for the construction of railways to this centre. 



George Laidlaw was the chief of the bonus hunters, 

 and by his sagacity and foresight did more than any 

 other man in laying the foundation of this present im- 

 portant railway centre. 



He was generously aided by many of the best-known 

 citizens of that day. There were W. H. Beatty, John 

 Gordon, Angus Morrison, John Hallam, John Baxter, 

 John Canavan, William Ryan, Alexander Manning, 

 Colonel Arthurs, Hon. John Beverley Robinson, Nathan 

 Dickey, John Ginty, Garrett Frankland, John Taylor, 

 James Scott, John Macdonald, "Square Toes" Medcalf, 

 John Blevins, George Morse and the writer. Verily the 

 scythe-bearer has cut broad and deep amongst those I've 

 mentioned. Out of the score named above all but two, 

 W. H. Beatty and myself, have travelled the through 

 route and ended life's fitful journey. W. H. Beatty is 

 still head of a great legal firm, a wonderfully well pre- 

 served man, almost as stalwart and erect in appearance 

 as in those days when he made the farmers of Grey 

 county believe that the construction of the Grey and 

 Bruce line would put them all on Easy street. Last, the 

 ivriter is still here, and now, as then, wielding the pen and 

 wondering whether the next thirty years will be as pro- 

 lific of results for the city as the past. 



The occurrence I am going to relate took place at 

 Priceville, up in Grey county. We were after a bonus of 

 $300,000, and the Hamilton people were fighting like Tro- 



