The Fortiflication Railway and Coal Co.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3025, 6 January 1899, Page 5

The Fortiflication Railway and Coal Co.

*■ ■ ..: v .:^i,i L.jiit ij^:: p ••••'■■ ':■ ■ ■*• j ';.•'• 1 ~>^i^--'U t.;;q.T diifi i .-.-'io.-t' ' *•«■' ii.'; j ,-i!O:k . : A, , steam servlca^waa Inaugurated on. the, f Tokpmajr|ro-rlv«f. on Tuesday, . wbin'tjie" Fortification dpmpany'a new steamer made • jbfiir first trip. : (; inyitatlonß had been sent out., to a number of iiharehpldera and abpntj forty i^enton Ijoard the-- steamer., aft F^lcbnerß jEhe.day and the start auspicious. Mrs^lnlay M^Lepd broke, a bottle of ohampagrie,oy«r the bows for luck and the ateamer <Was;/, ohrjstened "Enterprise." Glaaaeahayiog been obarged, , „: , ..■'-tMjr.,,.J « W,/jft»«te on behalf, of the shareholder« asked those on board .to 'drink, to the health < of the Company ,Th«y wished them. every auaoeae. If they disdmbtgOt the. railway yer; they had tho ■team boat there; and lib: thought that at the present time thecs Qonipany was In a pretty fair way of advancement. Before very long, the eo*l wonld^Ba 'coming- up in the B^eamer and he wished the directors every jrajoess, ■i' Mr 'Flnlayi M^Leod, minagiog director 'thanked those . present on beb*lf of the Company for the hearty manner in which they had drunk- the health of the Comp*ny Before verjp long they hopei to have the RallWay. fie would not delay them aoy longer, butwonld'ask Mm Petrieto turu on the Bteam so that they might get under wayMra Petrie having done this, the " Enter prise " moved off down the river amid ohepra. "The "Enterprise "had not of coarse, been built for speed so that the trip down the river Was a little more protracted thun was at first ' expebted. But the morning was perfect, arid the exonraionista in good spirits No pains Were spared to minister to the oomfoft of the guests so that the ample tline^lgbioh they had to admire the scenery, 'did not hang heavily. Mr Secretary j,.M'Leod proved himself an adept In supplying everyone with the particular kind of liquid refreahmeat their soul desired. On arrival at the pit the mine was explored, and a party armed with candles wandered about examining the great deposit of coal with interest. Of the magnitude of the supply there can be no possible doubt. It is Inexhaustible and once the ooal is fairly on the market and begins to make a name, the success of this venture must be assured. The return journey was made in quicker time than the voyage down, and the p»rty landed again at Falconer's well pleased with their outing. Cheers were given for Mr Finiav M'Leod and the direotors and tha exouraionists wended thelr-way home in time for tea. The " Enterprise " is a stern- wheel steamer and waß built principally by Messrs Maofarlane, of Balolutha. She has the following dimensions : Length 40ft-, breadth 12f 3in, depth 4ft. Mr F. Roberts, architect, superintended htr construction, and the stern wheel end gearing was made by Me, era J. Sparrow and 00. She is fitted with an engine and boiler of six. horse power, made by Marshall and Sons of Birmingham. She is a substantial looking craft, and will be require J to carry about 10 tons of coal at a time up and down the river. The boxes of ooal will be run out of the mln^ straight oa to the deck and will ha <H°. charged by a* derrick into dray a which will back in under the "ahoot" near F«*looners. It is expected that the trips betweeo the mine and the "shoot" and baik ag<vio, wtl 1 (when aU is complete) not ocoupy more than I.J hours.