A WORLD'S ROMANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 8

A WORLD'S ROMANCE.

CANADIAN RAILWAYS. The 'history of the Canadian Pacific Railways, one of the worlds greatest romances, was briefly dealt with at to-day's luncheon of the Junior Chamber of Commerce by Mr. A. W. Essex, New Zealand manager for .the oomjiany. -Mr. Essex revealed how the company in 1880—after the Canadian Government had, a few yeans before, started an the task of laying a railway line across Canada, and given up t>he jab after leiss than 200 miles had 'been laid—took up t)he work and, under contract to fiiusth the line in ten years, actually finished it from coast to coast in five years. What were then considered insurmountable difficulties were overcame, and tiies© were not confined to construction and finance only. From 1883 C.P.R. had progretjbod, and to-day the com-

pany's lines extended to 21,071 miles, and the a sse>ts wer« estimated at 1,384,8tt2.000 dollars. To equi]> the trains. said Mr. Essex, required 30,000 blankets, and over ' 50,000 pieces of linen. For suppliers., ■wages, etc., the company paid out each year over 330,000,000 dollars. There were over 70,000 employees. Mr. Essex showed how, with the expansion of the railways services, the company ha<l inaugurated steamer services, a series of hotels, a communication service, and controlled mining and other industries.