Home | Articles | Documents | Events | Sources

Eastern Extension Railway

By John R. Cameron

The Eastern Extension, from the Nova Scotia Government Railway Pictou Branch to the Strait of Canso and beyond, was a slow process. There was no simple way across the Strait, and no significant manufacturing or mining centre east of New Glasgow on the mainland to justify the cost. It was a political railway and, perhaps eventually, a connector to the mines of Cape Breton via rail ferry across the Strait. The causeway, which eliminated the ferries, was not completed until 1955. The original intent was to build the railway as a private undertaking, but it became a part of the Intercolonial early on.

The first attempt was the Louisburg Extension, planning a railway from New Glasgow to Louisbourg [then spelled Louisburg], an ice-free port that could, and later did, serve industrial Cape Breton (1872, c.63). The company was authorized to connect across the Strait of Canso by tunnel (now proven to be virtually impossible due to the depth of the Strait and the heights on either side, creating serious grade problems) or by steam ferry. A new company, the Eastern Counties Railway, was incorporated in 1874 (c.62) to build a railway from New Glasgow to the Strait of Canso and possibly run a ferry across it.

The Louisburg Extension was reincorporated in 1875 (c.66) for much the same purposes as the 1872 company, leaving out the tunnel.

In 1876, the province authorized the Commissioner of Public Works and Mines to contract for the construction of a railway from the Intercolonial at New Glasgow to the "Strait of Canseau", plus a ferry across, and then to the Bras d'Or Lakes and as far east as possible. The Act (c.3) authorized a subsidy of $8,000 per mile and 150,000 acres of Crown land, plus 2,000 acres per mile on the Cape Breton side. A generic railway statute to incorporate the Halifax and Cape Breton Railway and Coal Company (c.74) was passed to create a corporate structure that a successful contractor could use as a charter (c.4). The Eastern Counties Railways, possibly mindful of the increased subsidies, extended its deadline (c.71).

By 1878, the railway was in course of construction. Land costs were settled fairly reasonably in Antigonish County (c.32), although one person in Tracadie had to obtain a statutory extension of his appeal period (c.76). The Cape Breton Railway, Coal and Iron Company was incorporated (c.55) as a blanket corporation for any contractor prepared to build the railway from the Strait of Canso "eastwardly through the Island of Cape Breton" (c.56).

The contract for the construction of the railway was awarded to Harry Abbott, who assigned it to the Halifax and Cape Breton Railway and Coal Company (1879, c.65). An exception was that the province would not attempt to have the federal government transfer the line between Pictou and Truro to the company until the line between New Glasgow and the Strait of Canso was completed. The line had to be kept in operation; "one passenger train over the whole line each way each day, except Sundays, and such freight trains as may be sufficient for the prompt conveyance of the freight offered for carriage". Failure for any three-month period could see the province take over the entire railway. This limitation was the subject of serious (and unsuccessful) litigation by a major bondholder. The incorporating statute was amended to confirm the incorporation of Abbott and others under the enabling Act (the wording suggests an attempt to override the outstanding litigation) (c.70) and to confirm borrowing authority (c.71).

In 1883, the government, acting on an agreement of 1880, extended in 1882, agreed to acquire the railway for its cost, less grants paid. Abbott and his associates had to take their profit from the construction of the line (which they did). Cabinet was authorized to resell the line to the Dominion government (c.21). In 1884 (c.1) the province confirmed the conveyance of the Eastern Extension (by then the Nova Scotia Railway), the Pictou Branch (Truro to Pictou Landing) and the ferry steamer "Norwegian" to the Dominion for $1.2 million, plus rolling stock at cost and interest from October 1, 1883. The railway was actually transferred January 10, 1884.

The balance of the legislation dealing with the Eastern Extension, at least as far as the Strait of Canso, deals with right of way claims. Antigonish had to get its tax rate corrected: 1885, c.54. The claim of Charles Gregory was authorized in 1886 (c.55), although this was a construction claim (see notes on litigation). Guysborough paid the whole of the damages for the railway in the county and successfully sued St Mary's (the other municipality in the county, but quite distant from the actual construction from Auld's Cove to Mulgrave) for contribution. Legislation provided for the apportionment (1886, c.92). The Intercolonial was extended from Stellarton to Pictou and the town gave the land for the station at Pictou (1886, c.106). In 1889, it was agreed all municipalities would pay the land cost for this line (c.84) and Pictou Town was given authority to borrow up to $10,000 for the purpose (c.94).

The land issue did not settle quietly. There was significant litigation over the cost in Pictou County and, as late as 1902, the province recorded the expenditure of up to $1,500 to cover expenses incurred in connection with the Eastern Extension arbitration (c.42). Undoubtedly because the province sold the Eastern Extension to the federal government, the municipal units that paid for its right of way claimed refunds (Antigonish, Pictou, Guysborough and St Mary's). The province referred this issue to a three-person commission to report on "the justice and equity" of the claims (1905,c.3). In 1907, the commissioners were directed to report on an equitable solution (c.50).

[SOURCE: A Legislative History of Nova Scotia Railways, by John R. Cameron, 1999.]

[ Article Index ]