would be redeemed.

Suddenly, in June 1880, Sir John Macdonald, speaking at Bath, made the
announcement that a group of capitalists had offered to build the road,
on terms which would ensure that in the end it would not cost Canada a
single farthing. Four months later a contract was signed in Ottawa by
which the Canadian Pacific Syndicate undertook to build and operate the
whole road. An entirely new turn had been given to the situation, and
the most important chapter in Canada's railway annals, if not in her
national life, had been begun.

[1] 'Lord Strathcona may still remember the man who came into his
office at Winnipeg and said: "Look at me; ain't I a healthy sight?
I've come by the government water route from Thunder Bay, and it's
taken me twenty-five days to do it. During that time I've been
half-starved on victuals I wouldn't give a swampy Indian. The water
used to pour into my bunk at nights, and the boat was so leaky that
every bit of baggage I've got is water-logged and ruined. I've broke
my arm and sprained my ankle helping to carry half a dozen trunks over
a dozen portages, and when I refused to take a paddle on one of the
boats, an Ottawa Irishman told me to go to hell, and said that if I
gave him any more of my damned chat he'd let me get off and walk to
Winnipeg."'--W. L. Grant in _Geographical Journal_, October 1911, p.
365.

[2] The Northern Pacific was at many stages in its history closely
connected with Canadian affairs. It had originally been projected in
New England: the first proposal was to use the Central Vermont and a
Canadian road to be built or acquired as the eastern links, then,
crossing into Michigan, the railway was to strike northwestward to the
Pacific. When control fell into the hands of New York and Philadelphia
interests, these plans were dropped, but later the new management
negotiated with Governor Archibald of Manitoba, as well as with Sir
John Macdonald, to endeavour to put through an international road, the
first section running through Canada to Sault Ste Marie, the second
through Michigan and Minnesota, the third through the Canadian plains,
and the fourth through the Rockies to the sea on American territory.
Nothing came of the negotiations, though it may be noted that the
Canadian Pacific to-day has carried out precisely this plan, in
addition to its all-Canadian line.

[3] This correspondence will be found in the Journals of the House of
Commons, vol. vii, 1