| Transcript |
- VICTORIA ILLUSTRATED. 73
The Canadian Pacific Railway is connected with Victoria by means of steamers running to Vancouver and New Westminster. Victoria furnishes
Canada's overland railway with the greater proportion of the through freight to and from the Coast. The Northern Pacific and the Union
Pacific systems are also connected with Victoria by palatial steamers, furnishing a continuous daily service. The former road receives a
fair proportion of the freight to and from this point. The Union Pacific will in the course of the next two years advance closer to
Victoria than any other railway, the line now being built to the north from Portland and along Hood's Canal, which will terminate at Port
Angeles, twenty miles opposite Victoria, in the Straits of Fuca. The Great Northern Railway is pushing towards the Coast, and will be
connected by steamer with Victoria at the nearest available point--Anacortes or Port Gardner.
It is the aim of Victoria to fulfil the first intention of the Canadian Government, and connect itself with the east
by means of a railway, running north on the Island to Seymour Narrows, crossing by bridge to Bute Inlet, and thence by the old
C. P. R. route to Yellowhead Pass and the east of the mountains. A railway is now being built toward the mountains, which is
expected to finally terminate at Victoria. That city stands prepared to encourage the project with a cash bonus and otherwise to the
extent of over two million dollars.
The E. & N. Railway furnishes communication with all points between this city and Nanaimo and Wellington.
Within the next year it is the intention to connect the Saanich Peninsula of this Island with Victoria by means of a standard guage or
electric railway, and run steamers from its terminus to the islands and Mainland towns, connecting with the American railway system.
The Port Crescent Improvement Company will build a line south from Port Crescent to connect with the Northern Pacific Railway running to
Gray's Harbor, and from the north side of the Straits into Victoria, operating steamers and ferry to make the connections between the
two rail ends. This was the scheme projected by the late Hon. R. Dunsmuir, and there is every reason to believethat, had he lived, this
railway would have now been built, and that the line to the east via Bute Inlet, of which he was the chief promoter, would be well on
the road to completion.
So far as railways are concerned, Victoria's geographical situation is such that any line building to the Straits or Coast for a hundred
miles north or south of Victoria will directly benefit this city.
The Canadian Pacific Navigation Company, besides operating the steamers connecting with the Canadian Pacific Railway, also run a line of
boats along the northern coast to the Alaska boundary, giving Victoria connection with all points of trade on Vancouver and Queen Charlotte
Islands and Mainland. An occasional steamer is also dispatched to the west coast of Vancouver Island, to the Alberni settlement. This is
becoming so well settled that a regular service will shortly be inaugurated.
The steamships of the C. P. R. and Upton lines give Victoria frequent communications with Japan and China. The Chinese head-quarters for
British Columbia are here, and an extensive trade is done with the Orient. Goods by the Upton line destined for Puget Sound are transhipped
at this port.
The E. & N. R. R. Co. make regular connections with Comox and way ports on the east coast by the steamer Isabel. A fast and handsome steamer
is now being built by them at the Albion Iron Works, of this city.
English staple goods and liquors are brought here by a fleet of fast sailing ships, the voyage from England via Cape Horn taking from 100
to 150 days. These ships are principally loaded with a return cargo of canned salmon, shipped from this port. This direct English trade is
of considerable importance to Victoria.
A fleet of small steam and sail craft connect with all minor points along the coast and islands.
From the foregoing it will be seen that Victoria's transportation facilities are first-class, and much better than any other point in the
Province. These facilities will constantly be added to by land and water. When a trans-Pacific line is established with Puget Sound this
port will of necessity be the first and last port of call, and
HEAD OFFICE, BANK OF MONTREAL, MONTREAL, P. Q.
|
|---|
