Names and numbers
The Parry Sound Colonization Railway Company
date unknown
Dimensions
as reportedConfirming the purchase to the Ottawa Journal, Mr. J.R. Booth said: "Yes, I have bought the Parry Sound Colonization railway... I have purchased it and it will never become a part of the Ottawa and Parry Sound trunk line" (a wording the Journal corrected a few days later as a typographical error for "now" instead of "never"). The line was originally projected from Emsdale on the Northern Pacific Junction line, 20 of its 50 total miles having been built west by Mr. W.G. Read of Montreal and already ironed and in operation. It was subsidized by both governments at $6,400 a mile the whole way to Parry Sound; by acquiring the charter, Booth secured that bonus for the 30 miles still to be built, an advantage a competing line building from scratch would not have.
Ottawa Journal 1892-10-14(Interview with Booth on the purchase. Transcribed ...),Ottawa Journal 1892-10-20(Follow-up noting the earlier "never"/"now" typogra...) , 1892-10-14
History
16 facts
| Date | Statement | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Major promoters from PS met with minister of Rys and canals. Minister was not encouraging as they had not mapped out business case. Promoters changed orientation of Ry to make it likely to become part of line from Ottawa. It seems likely that the promoters met with Booth at this time? | Bell pp.45-52 | |
| 1885-03-30 | Incorporated under Ontario Act 48 V Chap 78 to build from a point on the GTR's Toronto and Callander line to Parry Sound. | CNRHist | |
| 1889 | Sir John A. MacDonald promises subsidy of 3200 per mile would be honoured providing local investment comes through. | Bell pp.45-52 | |
| 1889-01-24≤ | The Parry Sound Colonization Railway Company will apply to the local legislature for an act to amend its charter and for the extension of its line to Renfrew, or to some other point on the C.P.R. | Mercury 1889-01-24(Almonte Gazette per Churcher's header, but the exi...) | |
| 1890 | Acquired locomotive #1 from the CPR. | Railroad History Bulletin #147 | |
| 1891 | Construction Begins | Stevens p367(Thanks to Jeffrey P. Smith) | |
| 1892-7 | 20 miles of track from Scotia Jcn to Bear lake in operation. Booth tours line in July. Rumours that CPR was buying PSCRy. | Bell pp.45-52 | |
| 1892-09-30 | It was reported that Mr. Booth had purchased the Parry Sound Colonization Railway — the line from the Northern Railway to Parry Sound, which had at one time been reported to be under C.P.R. control. Reported as a rumour by the source, not stated as confirmed fact. | Eganville Leader 1892-09-30(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) | |
| 1892-10 | Booth's acquisition announced. | Bell pp.45-52 | |
| 1892-12-21 | Ottawa people showed appreciative interest in the building of the Parry Sound Colonization Railway (owned by Mr. J.R. Booth, the terminal end of the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway): a meeting held on December 21, 1892 found citizens strongly in favour of giving Booth a bonus. Some twenty-five miles of the road had been completed west of Emsdale, where it crossed the North Bar branch of the Grand Trunk, and were in running order. A large number of men were in the woods cutting the next season's log supply for Georgian Bay mills (one firm alone with 400 men in camp); lumber from these logs was then shipped mainly by barge to the United States via Georgian Bay, Lake Erie and Tonawanda, but was expected to switch to the all-rail route via Ottawa and Albany once the Parry Sound road was completed. Four or five small villages had sprung up along the line, with several small sawmills under construction, and large quantities of bark, ties, pulpwood, cordwood and hardwood logs were being hauled for shipment. | Canada Lumberman 1893-01-01(Reporting a meeting held "on 21st inst.", i.e. Dec...) | |
| 1894 | Emsdale (1.82 miles north of Scotia) was listed in a July 2, 1894 GTR time table as a "Union Station" with the Parry Sound Colonization Railway. While the PSCR joined the GTR at what would become Scotia it used the "established community" of Emsdale as its terminus. There was a south to west wye connection to facilitate this operation. Was the route of the OA&PSR already established as passing through Scotia? Or did it aim for Scotia because of the PSCR? In any case, no station was built at Scotia until after the opening of OA&PSR. | Correspondence with Jeffrey P. Smith | |
| 1894 | Line opened Scotia to Eglington, 30 miles | CNRHist | |
| 1894-07-20 | The Parry Sound Colonization railroad received a grant for $64,000 for twenty miles. | Mercury 1894-07-20(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) | |
| 1895 | Line opened Eglington to Rankins, 10 miles | CNRHist | |
| 1896 | Line opened Rankins to Rose Point, 7.75 miles | CNRHist | |
| 1896-10-05 | Amalgamated with Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Ry. Co. under Canada Act 60, V Chap 8. | CNRHist |