THE WEST SHORE.
361
present folt a direct personitl interest in the evont, hav
ing contributed by hand or brain to aid ita construction.
When everything had been prepared a oommon iron
spike was set in place and the tie hold firmly by Major
A. B. Rogers, the veteran engineer. Hon. Donnld A.
Smith, Manager of the Hudson's Bay Company, and an
influential director of the road, then quietly drove the
spike home with a sledge. Throe hearty cheers wore
given for the Canadian Pacifio Railway, the spot was
christened with the protty name of " Craigloa," and the
modest ceremonies wore ended.
Through trains will not be run until spring, whon the
entire road will be ojKm for traffic When this is done
there will be a new factor introduced into the transpor.
tation problem that will make a marked change in the
present condition of affairs. Distances oompare with
the Central Pacifio as follows:
Coal Harbor to Montreal 2,Wi2
Coal 1 arbor to New York, via Montreal 8,2-1 1
Coal Harbor to Boston, via Montreal 3,107
Coal Harbor to Livornonl. via Miiiitrnnl ft 117.1
San Francisoo to New York , S,IVM)
nan r rancisoo to Uoslon 3,418
Kan Francisoo to Liverool, via New York fl.HUO
Yokohama, Japan,
Yokohama, Japan, to Liverpool, via Contral Pao. 12,0.18
n, to Liverpool, via Canadian Pao. lO.H'sl
It will thus be seen that from China and Japan this
route to Livoriool is more than 1,000 miles shorter than
the one by the Contral Pacifio; and with the line of
ocean steamers that will be put on as soon as thn road is
ready for it, it requires no prophet to see that all the
Canadian and English good and mails which cross tho
continent will do so by the Canadian Pacific; ami it re
mains to be seen, also, if the same will not lo true of the
New York and Boston importations from Asia.
One of the most imtmrtant features of a railway, so
far, at loast, as tourists and those who seek to combine
pleasure with business are ooncorned, is tho scenery
along the route. In this ronpoct the Canadian Pacifio is
uuri vailed by ita predooessors. A brief description of
the main features of the line from Victoria to Montreal
will give an idea, though an imorfoct one, of tho pleas-
ure in store for him who selocta the Canadian Pacifio for
a trip across the continent.
Whether one electa to strike the railway at the Coal
Harbor terminus on Burrard Inlet, or Port Hammond on
Fraaer Rivor, he pursues the same route from Victo
ria. As he sails out of the beautiful harbor an entranc
ing panorama of sea, island and mountain is spread out
before him. Across the Straits of Fucu to the south
rise the snow-capiod Olympian peaks; to the eastward
are the white Mt Baker and the greon-coat4d Cascadxa,
while scores of picturesque islands, covered with porpot
nal verdure, fill the placid water that separate Pugot
Sound from the Oulf of Georgia. Threading this maze
of islaml down the Canal de Haro, tbe steamer crosses
for short distance the Oulf of Georgia and enters the
mouth of Fraaer River, white-flocked with the darting
sails of the salmon fleet, and, passing the prettily located
oity of New Westminster, stops at tho little station of
lort Hammond; or, passing by tho mouth of Fraaer
River, etifeni UnrinH TnM. n few Uliloa uloVO, tu.J uU
anchor at the railway terminus.
from Burrard Inlet to Yale the road passes throuuh
meadows and low hills, skirting the great river and offer.
ing many landHcaic of quiet beauty, each of them imm.
sessing the samo graceful background of mountains; but
at this jH.int it outers the grand canyon of the river,
whore that. mighty stream has cut its way through tha
heart of tho Cascades. Yale itself is so shut In by lofty
peaks that it seems iiiioeHihlo that a railway traiu could
get either in or out For nearly sixty miles above Yale
tho road follows up tho great gorge, running almost due
north, the track the greater portion of tho distance rest
ing on a narrow shelving blasted from the oroiidioular
walls of rook. Alxwe rise the mountain peaks, while far
below rushes the groat river, it waters, confined to their
narrow chaunel by walls of solid rook, surging madly in
thoir effort for freedom. For miles tho train hugs those
precipitous walls, dashes through long, dark tunnels,
whirls across gulches and streams over high trestles ami
bridges, and at one place hang suspended above the
great torrent itaolf on tho cantilever bridge, (Heo pages
.KM, :il!4 and 11(15. ) From this point tho view Is most awe.
inspiring. Above and below is sproad out a full view of
the o'inyoii ami tho river whoso water surge bononth tho
train many foot below tho level of tho bridge. For tha
whole distanoo tha famou stage road from Yale to Cari
boo runs parallel with the track. Fifteen mile alx.va
Yalo it crosses the river ou a auoiis,on bridge. (Sen
page !l"7.) This bridge is 110 foot nhovn low water
mark, and yet tho river rose so high in 1HS1 that it was
only with tho grontost exertion tha bridge wa saved
from destruction by driftwood. This fact give soma
idea of tho power of tho water surging through thn
l raser gorge. 1 he great Canlxio ro.td I 400 mile long,
and wa built in lH('rJ t an expense of 12,500,000 by thn
British Columbia Government, and was a most ulgantio
work for such a young and umlorolopnd province to un
dertake. The road and railway there face each other on
opposite sides of thn stream, until thn latter also enmac
to the east sido on tho cantilever bridge. His milos fur.
thor is the town of Lytton, whore tho North Thompson
joins thn river. The track then follows up thn canyon of
Thompson Iliver (son page )'iH), through a region of
almost equal picturesque gratidimr.whcrn tunnels, br dgos,
trestles and rooky shelve on thn id of piooiplmts fol
low each other in rapid sneceiHtlon. After painting through
thn town of HMtnce' Bridge, where tho wagon road
crosses to thn opiUt side of thn T!iouion, thn lino
continue north till opoiU tho mouth of Bounjartn
River, where it turn sharply to thn east in following thn
river bank, and soon reaches thn foot of Ltka Kamloops,
opxisitn Havoua's Ferry, 21.1 miln from Burrard Inlt,
and terminus of an imtsirtaiit stage route to thn CariUsi
mine, 350 mile to thn north.
Thn traok from Kavona wind along thn south bank
of Lake Kamloop (sen pages 357-) and Tmiiimoii