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NT HH II HH "A Family Tradition for 131 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 4, 1997 -19 Sketches of Scugog by Paul Arculus Sketches of Scugog is a historical column written by local resident and historian Paul Arculus and published in the Port Perry Star the first issue of each month. LJ 4 LJ] On the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 6, 1869, the town of Whitby experienced one of the most auspicious events in its history. At 20 minutes past 10 that morning, a specially decorated train pulled into the Grand Trunk Railway Station. Its prize passenger was the 19 year old, His Royal Highness, Prince Arthur, the seventh child of Queen Victoria. Also on board were Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and a huge assembly of the elite of Canadian society. They had all come to Whitby to join the Prince in the ceremoni- al turning of the first sod of the Port Whitby to Port Perry Railroad. The dignitaries stepped off the train and into awaiting horse drawn carriages for the short ride to the site for the sod turning. The procession consisted of almost 100 carriages. They proceeded in dignified order through the town. Eager crowds cheered and waived flags all the way along the festooned route. All available church bells were rung, can- nons were let off and a variety of bands played their hearts out at a number of loca- tions. At the grounds, to the delight of thou- sands of spectators, over 100 local school children sang the National Anthem. A sketch of Blondin crossing the Niagara River on a rope on August 17, 1859. The great French tight-rope walker carried Henry Colcord on his back. A number of the usual lengthy addresses were given by a variety of dignitaries, con- cluded by the young Prince who said: "Gentlemen, I thank you for your address and heartily appreciate the sentiments of your loyal devotion to your sovereign and attachment to the institutions of Her Empire, which you have just expressed. Sir John McDonald, Prince Arthur turn sod for Port Perry Railway I regret that my present visit, like the one of my brother, the Prince of Wales, does, unfortunately, not admit of a long stay amongst you; but I am glad that, notwith- standing the shortness of the time, my visit here is associated with a work of public utili- ty, which I trust may prove a source of increasing prosperity to this neighborhood." With his speech over, the Prince, accom- panied by Joseph Bigelow and Mr. Dumble the newly appointed contractor, descended the steps to turn the first sod. A beautiful silver spade and a special birds eye maple wheelbarrow had been created for the cere- mony. The entire procedure, including the speeches had taken just under an hour. The young prince was then escorted to the palatial Trafalgar Castle, home of Sheriff Nelson Gilbert Reynolds, where a sumptu- ous luncheon awaited them. (Trafalgar Castle was purchased by a consortium in 1872 and it became Ontario Ladies College. In 1979 it became Trafalgar Castle School). Later, the Prince boarded the train, along with the Prime Minister, to head east while the rest of the dignitaries returned to Toronto. The people of Whitby continued to cele- brate well into the night with fireworks and torch light parades. Prince Arthur had no way of knowing that he had turned the first sod for a railroad which would eventually destroy a small com- munity named after his father, Prince Albert. Now that the eventual completion of the railroad seemed a certainty, all the major businessmen of Prince Albert began to con- sider the advantages of moving to the com- munity at the terminus of the railway. But, being practical businessmen, they had seen the problems in the management of the rail- road, they decided to wait until the railroad was a reality. In his speech, the Prince had referred to his brother's visit. Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales and future King Edward VII had visited Canada West in 1860. He was the first member of the royal family to tour British North America. It is quite likely that Edward discussed with his younger brother, the journey that he had taken when he was only 18 years old. In his commentary he is sure to have referred to his journey on the Cobourg and Peterborough Railway. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, came to Newfoundland in 1860 to begin an extensive tour of British North America and the United States. Each community on the route tried to outdo the rest with an elabo- rate celebration of his visit. The early part of his journey included several days in each of St. John's, Halifax, St. John, Fredericton, and Quebec City. On his way to Montreal, by train, Edward insist- ed that George - Etienne Cartier teach him some of the lively French Canadian songs, aided by the ever present champagne. The two were still enjoying the harmony and the effects of the champagne as they stepped, somewhat unsteadily off the train at Montreal for another round of celebrations. At Ottawa, the Prince laid the cornerstone of the new Parliament Buildings and then took a ride on a timber raft down the chute of the timber slide which bypassed Chaudiere Falls. While in Niagara Falls, the Prince was given a special performance by 36 year old Jean Francois Gravelet, better known as Blondin. He crossed the Niagara Gorge on a high wire. Blondin offered to carry the young Prince on his back across the gorge. The Prince calmly responded; "Thank you, but not today." Also in honor of the royal visit, that evening the Falls were illuminated for the first time. The Prince's tour included a number of railroad oriented affairs such as laying the final stone of the Victoria Railway Bridge in Montreal and, for some strange reason, a ride on the infamous Cobourg and Peterborough Railway. The Cobourg and Peterborough Railway was completed in 1854. It was probably the most ill conceived railway to be built in was always in financial difficulty. It was one of the most costly railroads of its time to build. It was among the most expensive to maintain, largely because it was so poorly built, in spite of the initial cost. Shortly after the Prince's visit, with credi- tors lining up, the job of issuing a writ of sei- t ~ dy Ye p C') a : py FE . 7 SEA As cacti L 4 Ld p! is frpgrrrrrttfil. « se" A yoda nls i. : a «Sy British North America. Its trestle bridge across Rice Lake was poorly designed and inadequately built. Since the bridge across this sometimes treacherous lake, was made of wood and supported by wooden piles dri- ven into the lake bed, it was constantly under repair. It had to be closed down every winter once the ice began to have an impact on the structure. The Canadian Journal, an engineering or commercial blunder can scar- cely be found in Canada..." When the immensely successful Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton railway extended its line to Peterborough in 1858, its reputation as a prosperous and reliable rail- roaditook the Peterborough business away from the Cobourg line. From that time on, the C & P R hovered on the edge of bankrupt- cy. This meant -that even less money was available for maintenance and repairs. On September 7, 1860, Prince Edward offi- cially opened the Victoria Hall in Cobourg. He then boarded the C & P R at Cobourg and proceeded leisurely to Rice Lake. Unsure of the reliability of the trestle bridge across the lake, the management of the line decided to 1866. rREX. 1866. COBOURG & PETERBORO( RAILROAD. NOT TRANSFERABLE. _..-D 1866, unless otherwise ordered. Pl re I TE TET Ir SUN until ee th EE EY (TunN OVER.) Ticket from ihe Cobourg / Peterborough Railroad in 1866: be cautious and ordered a steamboat to take the Prince across the lake. On its way to pick up the Prince, the steamer developed boiler trouble and arrived but was unable to carry out its assignment. In spite of a strong wind and quite rough water, the Prince was eventually put in an open boat and rowed across Rice Lake while the train made its way slowly and cautiously along the trestle bridge. The Prince and his party boarded the train again on the north shore of the lake. Later, he made his way to Owen Sound and, on the way south his special train reached an impressive 55 miles an hour. He then went on to Windsor and crossed into the United States where he made a significant impression on President James Buchanan during his stay at the White House. The Cobourg and Peterborough Railroad TRAFALGAR CASTLE in Whitby, where Prince Arthur was entertained after officially turn- ing the sod for the Port Whitby and Port Perry Railway on October 6, 1869. The building later became the Ontario Ladies College and is now Trafalgar Castle School. zure was assigned a to : Northumberland : county sheriff. He had to serve the 4 writ at the Harwood offices of the railroad on the wg south shore of Rice Lake. At Cobourg, BY he boarded the last coach of the train bound for Harwood. BM The conductor of Wl the train rec- FA ognized the sheriff 4 and was aware of 8 his intentions. Just before the crest of the grade north of Cobourg, the con- ductor uncoupled the coach containing the unwary sheriff. The coach slowly gained momentum as it made its way back down the grade to Cobourg. Once the coach had finally stopped at Cobourg, the sheriff set off by horse and bug- gy to race the train back to Harwood. By the time he had arrived in Harwood, all of the company's valuables had been loaded on to the train and taken across Rice Lake and in to Peterborough County, outside the sheriffs jurisdiction. During the winter of 1860-61, immediate- ly following the Prince's journey, parts of the bridge collapsed totally. It was abandoned and left to disintegrate. Some of the piles are still visible in Rice Lake today. The railroad declared bankruptcy but it was saved in 1866, through government intervention and by amalgamating with the Marmora Iron works, to become the Cobourg, Peterborough and Marmora Railway and Mining Company. A massive infusion of money from the government, a Pittsburg steel company and a Quebec financier enabled the company to have a short revival. Within two years it slipped back into mon- ey troubles, but somehow managed to sur- vive until 1893 when the limited and ques- tionable assets of the company were taken over by the Grand Trunk Railroad. The Cobourg to Peterborough line was finally shut down two years later. One of the most curious aspects of this whole affair was that the promoter and con- tractor for this calamitous railroad was none other than John Fowler, one of the key pro- moters and an original board member of the Port Whitby and Port Perry Railroad. Fowler's competence and honestly were fre- quently brought into question while he was involved with th C & PR. An even further ominous factor was that in 1858, John H. Dumble became the manag- } ing director of the disastrous Cobourg and Peterborough Railway. He was the newly appointed contractor for the PW & PPR, the man who had joined Joseph Bigelow and Prince Arthur in 1869 in turning the first sod for the railway. Like Fowler, many of his dubious business practices gave rise to many controversies. With these men taking a leadership role in the management and construction of the PW & PPR, the future of the railroad would cer- tainly appear to be a gloomy one at best. Their appointments certainly raise serious questions about the capability of its board and directors.