The Sarnia Observer and Western Advertiser
June 8, 1854
Northern, Great Western And Grand
Trunk Railroads
Rumor has for some time past been particularly busy with the
railroads. The old dame – it is to be feared she is fast becoming a
bold dame – has several times put a stop to nearly all the railroads
from Sarnia to Trois Pistoles. She has effected innumerable
amalgamations, erected gigantic monoplies, and done the most frightful
things imaginable. But in sober truth, the amalgamation projects have
not exactly ended in rumor. We were amused the other day to see a
formal proposalput to a public meeting at London. C.W., for an
amalmagation between the Great Western and the Grand Trunk Railroad
Companies.Any one who could bring himself to believe that this
proposal was made under any sufficienr authority, must have looked
upon the project as fully ripe; as all agreed upon, arranged and
settled between the two Companies,who had come to ask the sanction of
the town of London as Great Western stockholders. We understand,
however, that the proposal submitted to that meeting seems to have had
a shrewd suspision of this; for it adjourned without taking any
action. The rumors of stoppages on the Grand Trunk; of the abandonment
of this and that section of the road are merely revivals of an old and
almost forgotten romance. Indeen these rumors take a milder form than
they were several months ago, when it was stated by certain journals
with great positiveness that one-half of the line was to be abandoned.
This was declared a settled fact. Since then rumor has abandoned the
wholesale principle of dealing with the Grand Trunk and essayed to
kill it bit by bit. The surprising part of the affair is that none of
the directors either here or in England know anything about these
abandonment resolves. The knowledge of this business seems to be
exclusively confined to a certain class of Canadian journalists, from
whom the palm of prolific invention cannot be withheld. The
Corporation of Toronto however is inclined to be credulous on the
subject. It accepts as gospel truth the gossip of Dame Rumor about the
abandonment by the Grand Trunk Company of this and that section of
their line. Nay, it talks about proceedings in Chancery to compel the
performance of a work, which no sensible man ever looked upon as in
the remotest degree likely to be abandoned. It fights in the shadow
and asks the world to admire it’s valor! It is known to our readers
that a proposal for an amalgamation between the Grand Trunk and Great
Western Railroad Companies was made some months ago. We have reason to
believe that the negotiations have been barren of results; and it may
now be regarded as certain the amalgmation will n ot take place. This
result was probably un-looked for by most of those who were cognizant
of the existance of the negotiation. We do not pretend to be familiar
with the causes that led to the rejection of the proposal; but there
are some obvious difficulties in the way of such an arrangement which
must strike everybody. The line of the Northern Railroad by no means
takes the direction best calculated to secure the largest amount of
frieght. It scarcely touches upon the great northwest country which is
capable of increasing the annual productions of the country to an
extent that few have any adequate idea of. The Northern Railroad will
now be required to go alone; and if it can do so successfully non will
rejoice more sincerely than we. In any event, we do not apprehend any
possible danger to the public interests from the fact of the
government guarantee having been extended to this line. The prospects
of the line will soon become a patent fact; and in any case the lein
held by the government on the road is ample security for it’s
investment. But what revenue the road will yield is a question to be
determined only by actual experience after the work has been completed
and in operation a sufficient length of time to show the amount of
business it will attract. – Leader.
