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Turning of First Sod of G. T. P.

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Description

Front: Turning of the first sod for the construction of the GTPR, took place at an official ceremony, September 11, 1905, at Fort William, Ontario, by Prime Minister Laurier. From there a 190-mile section of track was built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Construction Company, connecting with the NTR, near Sioux Lookout. "It was September of 1905 that Sir Wilfred Laurier first broke ground for the construction of the new branch line in Thunder Bay. 10,000 people were in attendance at the sod-turning (Fort William had a population of about 8,000 at the time). In his book, Titanic Lives, Rob Rondeau claims that Charles Hays, the president of Grand Trunk Railway who later died on the Titanic, was also there to witness Laurier break ground for the new line. The day was a cause for celebration, and the Prime Minister dramatically proclaimed that the area would become “the Chicago of the North.” See article: http://www.chroniclejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-grand-trunk-pacific-railway-comes-to-the-lakehead/article_14058f24-2b1b-11e6-8f38-5fcc3ba7dd44.html Back:

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Canadian Postcard Collection

Details

Title: Turning of First Sod of G. T. P.:
Creator
Subject: --
Description: Front: Turning of the first sod for the construction of the GTPR, took place at an official ceremony, September 11, 1905, at Fort William, Ontario, by Prime Minister Laurier. From there a 190-mile section of track was built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Construction Company, connecting with the NTR, near Sioux Lookout. "It was September of 1905 that Sir Wilfred Laurier first broke ground for the construction of the new branch line in Thunder Bay. 10,000 people were in attendance at the sod-turning (Fort William had a population of about 8,000 at the time). In his book, Titanic Lives, Rob Rondeau claims that Charles Hays, the president of Grand Trunk Railway who later died on the Titanic, was also there to witness Laurier break ground for the new line. The day was a cause for celebration, and the Prime Minister dramatically proclaimed that the area would become “the Chicago of the North.” See article: http://www.chroniclejournal.com/opinion/columns/the-grand-trunk-pacific-railway-comes-to-the-lakehead/article_14058f24-2b1b-11e6-8f38-5fcc3ba7dd44.html Back:
Publisher: W.G. Macfarlane
Contributor
Date: 1905-09-xx
Type: StillImage, print
Format: nonprojected graphic, 1 postcard, Real
Identifier: macrepo:102812, local: CPC-01447
Source
Language: eng
Relation
Coverage: --Canada--Ontario------Fort William [Thunder Bay]--
Rights