1852.] 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



21 



from t!ie East and West., and notwitlisfanding snme £4,.'>00 Iiavc been 

 expended in tlio foundations and pieparations for tlio old bridge, by 

 lliis agreement with the Canal Oonipany tlie new bridge will cost 

 when completed less than to have proceeded with the work as original- 

 ly intended, and the Railroad Company will effect a material saving, 

 besides having a much safer bridge. 

 The grading done oa the Railroad up to June 1st, 1352, is as follows : 



• Total number of cnbic yards moved, 2,G73,GI6 



Rock and indurated earth of this amount, 340,493 



The amount of Masonry laid, to June 1st, is as follows ; 

 Total number of cubic yards, 14,780, 



In addition to this amount of masonry, a largo quantity of stono 

 has been delivered, and is on hand, as well as timber and plank for 

 foundations. 

 Total amount of Feat, board measure 1,086,378. 

 The total amount of expenditure for Grading, Masonry, Bridging, 

 Sirperstructure, Fencing, Engineering, and Building, up to June 1st, 

 according to the books of my Department, is as follows : 



£ s d 



For Grading, including grubbing and clearing 1G95G2 12 5 



" Masonry, including foundations andstone delivered.. 32041 19 5 



■' Bridging, including timber delivered, 7120 2 11 



" Supenstructure -- 4G87 



"Fencing 390C 17 5 



" Engineering, etc 23087 4 7 



"Building 179 8 



Total... , £239885 1 9 



The Engineer department of the line now consists of the Chief 

 Engineer, Associate Engineer, nine resident Engineers, eighteen Assis- 

 tant Eiigineers, seven Draftsmen, two Office CI rks, and the usual 

 number of Rod and Tapemen for each Assistant. 



An Assistant and party are stationed at the following points : Stam- 

 ford, St. Catherines, Grimsby, Stoney Creek, Hamilton, Dundas, Fair- 

 child's Greek, Gait, Paris, Eastwood, Ingersoll, Hofl'man'.s, London, 

 Wardsville, ThamesviUe, Chatham Light-house and Windsor. Two or 

 three additional parties may be required after the 1st of July, until 

 the Iflt of January next. The Draftsmen are employed at Hamilton, 

 wliaro all of tha plans and maps are made. 



In addition to the above Engineering force, two Land Surveyors, 

 with parties, hare been in the field obtaining and defining boundaries. 

 Maps of the different Townships through which the line runs from 

 Niagara River to Chatham, have been completed to place o[i file in 

 the ofiices of the County Registrars, showing the width of land taken 

 on each lot — the number of the lot — the concession, and the name of 

 the owner. 



By resolution of your Board, passed in April last, all of the bridges 

 and culverts <m the road, from the Niagara River to WoodhuU's Creek, 

 west of London, a distance of 128 miles, are being constructed for a 

 <louljle track ; those already built can be enlarged without material 

 additional expense, when required. 



Notwithstajuling the unprecedented freshets during the last twelve 

 months, and tlio remark.ably severe winter just passed, the works upon 

 the line have passed the ordeal witliout injury, except a slide at. the 

 Flaniboro' road, which may cost from £1,250, to £1,500 to remove, 

 and make the road permanent. 



I was directed by your Board on the 15th of March Ian, to advertise 

 fiu' tenders for such buildings as would be required by the Company 

 for the manufacture of the Cars necessary for an outfit, the Directoi's 

 having decided to have them built in Hamilton, where they could be 

 more directly under the supervision and inspection of the Engineer or 

 some one appointed to overlook their construction. Tiicse Car shops 

 consist of one building, 50 by 150 feet — two stories — with Engine 

 house attached, 25 by 40 ; one building, 75 by 124 feet ; and two 

 buildings, 40 by 100 feet each. The first two are to be made of stone, 

 and the last two of wood. On the first day of A]iril, (he contracts 

 for these were given to Messrs. Searth and Firth for the stone buildings, 

 and William Dodds for the wood, who have commenced erecting the 

 same on t'.iC grounds of the Company, and will complete them by the 

 first day of August next. The necessary machinery. Engine, <fec., will 

 then be ready to put up. 



On the 20th of April by order of the Board I advertised for tenders 

 for the fallowing cars, to wit : 



25 Passenger Cars. 

 4 Express and Mail Cars. 

 8 Baggage Cars. 

 20 Emigrant Cars. 



100 Platform, Lumber and Iron Cars. 

 150 House Freight Cars. 

 100 Gravel Cars. 

 25 Repair Cars. 

 15 Hand Cars. ' 

 Thrsp r-ars with the oxcpptinn of the Gravel, Rppnirnnd Hand Cars, 



are to be of the large size, with § wheels and of the best description, 

 the Passenger, Express, Baggage and I'lmigrant Cars to have the first 

 quality of wrought iron wheels. 



The competition for building the.se cars was spirited, and the con- 

 tract was given to McQuesten, Williams, Dul ton, ami Brainard, who 

 are now making contracts for the necessary machinery and materials. 

 The rate at which this contract was given out is highly favourable to 

 the Company, and is consitlered as low as the same quality of Cars 

 can be purchased in the United States, thereby saving the Company 

 the transportation and duties, which items in themselves will more 

 than repay the cost of the buildings to be erected, even were they not 

 needed by the Company on the completion of the road. 



In pursuance of a resolution of the Board I shall immediately con- 

 tract for such Locomotive Engines as will be required on the road 

 before the opening of navigation in 1853. 



The contractor for the piling in Burlington Bay is now at wort, the 

 necessary piles and timber for completing the docks having been con- 

 tracted for during the past winter. It is my intention to have the 

 station grounds of the Company in Hamilton filled up, and the 

 wharves completed, by the 1st day of November next 



The iron rails, weigliing from 65 to 80 pounds to the yard, purchased 

 by the Company last winter are coining forward, and will be delivered 

 at Hamilton, Dundas, Welland Canal, Windsor and Chatham during 

 the course of the suninier. 



From a knowledge of the character of the work, and taking into 

 consideration the difficulties to be encountered in the prosecution of 

 the same, I do not think it prudent to name a day for the opening of 

 the whole line before August 1853, il ring which month, unless difli- 

 cnltics now unforseen and not anticipated, should arise, I do not doubt 

 trains will make their regular trips between the Niagara and Detroit 

 rivers. 



Since the commencement of the work in 1850 I have had an op- 

 pcrtunity of carefully overlooking the plans, estimates, and calculations 

 of my predecessor Mr. Stuart, and I feel no hesitation in saying that I 

 think his estimates were sufficient to complete the work upon the plan 

 and in the manner specified by him. Some alterations have been 

 made whereby the cost of the work will be increased, in other cases 

 reductions have been made ; but after making allowances for the 

 increase of cost in consequence of building Bridges and Culverts for 

 double track, for the substitution of culverts and embankments in 

 many cases for temporary trestle work, for stone instead of brick work, 

 etc., the cost of the road will not exceed the original estimate. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



ROSWELL O. BENEDICT, 



Chief Engineer. 

 Engineei's Office, G. W. R. R. \ 

 Hamilton, June 10, 1852. 5 



Present State and Prosrress of Telegraph Lines in Canada. — 

 2,437 Miles of Wire. 



Lines in Canada were first established soma si.x years ago, 

 commencing at Montreal and extending westward, and to the 

 «Niagara River, and subsequently to Quebec, and on the Ottawa River. 

 The lines from Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, and to Buffalo, 

 have proved lucrative to the stock-holders from the date of their con- 

 struction. The line west from Hamilton to London, has not done as 

 well so far as profits are concerned, from the fact that there has been 

 no branch wires leading to it, and no through connection with the 

 American line at the West. This, however, is about being remedied, 

 and the line extended to Detroit, and there connect with five lines that 

 now pass through that city. The original capital of the present lines 

 in Canada, was double per mile what is now required, on account of 

 the reduction of prices for all kinds of material. The last report of 

 the Montreal Company exhibits the following. 



Capital of the Company $60,000 



Profits of 1849 17 per cent 



do 1850 17i„' do 



do 1851 ., 20W do 



The three year's profits 55 per cent. The Company report a reserve 

 fund on hand of $15,800 equal to 27 per cent, of the original capital 

 after paying dividends. It is understood the stock has been mostly 

 bought up, and is now in some eight or ten hands. The Toronto, Ham- 

 ilton and Buffalo Telegraph Company Stock, has been recently con- 

 solidated with the Montreal Company. Tlio present Telegraph 

 Companies after a monopoly of six j'ears, arc now destined to find a 

 powerful and energetic riv.il interest in the field. Through the influ- 

 ence of several wealthy gentlemen residing in the Upper aud Lower 

 Provinces, Mr. Snow, who has been extensively engaged in getting up 

 companies in the States, and connected with the construction of 

 over 5000 miles, was induced to visit Canada, with the view of estab- 

 lishing a grand Trunk Telegraph Line, from the Detroit River and the 

 foot of Lake Huron to Quebec, connecting with the American Lines 

 at various points, and also with the Line from Quebec to Halifa.x, with 



