Lakehead University - Yearbook (Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada)

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LAKEHEAD TECHNICAL INSTITUTE YEAR BOOK ORIGIN OF PORT ARTHUR — (Continued) Coinciding with the opening of the new townsite, an event of national importance since it was the first independent settlement to have been estab- lished west of Sault Ste. Marie, S. J. Dawson, a civil engineer who had previously been connected with the Canadian Government in some important public works in the St. Lawrence Valley was now appointed to make a survey of a possible wagon and water route which could be established between the infant settlement of the Lakehead and the Red River Colony, the latter still under the control of the paternalistic rule of the Hudson ' s Bay Company. After considering alternate routes, Dawson finally recommended a wagon road to Lake Shebandowan, thence pretty much over the old Canadian canoe route to the West end of Lake of the Woods and thence from the Northwestern angle another wagon route to the Red River settlements. By 1867 Confederation of the Canadian provinces became an accom- plished fact and negotiations were immediately opened up in London, Eng- land, for the purchase of all the rights of the Hudson ' s Bay Company in Rupert ' s Land, which extended then from the mouth of the Kaministiquia River to the Rocky Mountains. S. J. Dawson was then instructed to go ahead with his project of linking the East with the West with his wagon and water- way highway, which became known as the Dawson Route. Negotiations having been successfully carried out in London by two Canadian representatives and the Committee of the Hudson ' s Bay Company for the transfer of all their rights the Canadian Government was therefore ready to assume authority over the Northwest Territory. Unfortunately, just as they were ready to do so, the Red River Valley was plagued with a re- occurring grasshopper migration which, like the locusts of Biblical days as recorded in Genesis, darkened the sky and covered the land, destroying everything as they went along. To assist the Red River Colony the Cana- dian Government decided to rush along the construction, particularly at the far end of the Dawson Route in order to offer some relief by creating work for the Red River inhabitants. The construction from the Northwest angle on the Lake of the Woods to the Red River Valley or Fort Garry went on merrily during the summer of 1869. Paradoxical as this may seem to students of history this relief measure undertaken by the Canadian Government with the best of intentions was one of the causes that led to the Red River insurrection in 1869. It was not the sole cause of the trouble, but certainly one of them, if not the most serious one. It thus became necessary for the Canadian authorities to restore order along the banks of the Red River in the newly-formed Province of Manitoba and the Government did act with resolution and despatch. Colonel Garnet Joseph Wolseley, afterwards Lord Wolseley, who was serving as a com- manding officer in the Canadian militia in Eastern Canada, was appointed in charge of the Expedition to Fort Garry, and arrived here with his officers and soldiers in the early summer of 1870. A fellow-passenger on board the steamer Chicora was Thomas Marks, the pioneer merchant of Port Arthur, with whom Colonel Wolseley must have found a great deal in common on the trip across Lake Superior. As they were disembarking from the steamer, Colonel Wolseley asked Mr. Marks the name of the place. Upon being told that it was called The Station, Wolseley stated, Let ' s name it ' Prince Arthur ' s Landing ' after Prince Arthur of Connaught. The young Prince was then in Eastern Canada. — 22 —

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LAKEHEAD TECHNICAL INSTITUTE YEAR BOOK Mr. J. P. Bertrand is an authority on the history of North-Western Ontario and has long been regarded as our local historian. We would like to express our sincere thanks to him for this essay. — EDITOR. ©ngin of port Brtbur OLLOWING upon the Union of Upper and Lower Canada in 1841, the Canadian Government, representing the Union of Ontario and Quebec, taking an example from the people of the United States, began to think in terms of Western expansion, having in view the purchasing of the rights of the Hudson ' s Bay Company in Rupert ' s Land, which extended from Fort William to the Rocky Mountains. The first important event during that period of our local history was the purchasing by treaty of all the Ojibway lands from the various bands ex- tending from Batchewanaug Bay, near Sault Ste. Marie, to Pigeon River and extending Northward to the height of land. This very important treaty, which was signed by the representatives of the Crown and the accredited Chieftains from the various bands of Ojibways, was duly signed at Sault Ste. Marie on the 7th day of September, 1850, is known as the Robinson- Superior Treaty. According to some stipulations of that Treaty, a number of blocks of lands were set aside as reserves for the Ojibways. This Treaty was brought about possibly earlier than anticipated on account of the great mining boom along both shores of Lake Superior which had began in 1841 along the Southshore and finally extended to the North side of the Lake on Canadian territory. During the seasons of 1845 and 1846, no less than one hundred and thirty locations had been staked. These particular locations were two miles in frontage by five miles in depth. It can readily be seen that a good part of the North shore of Lake Superior was claimed by prospectors. Only 27 of these mining claims were made good. The others were allowed to lapse. The government of the day had yet no right to the land since it had not been purchased by agreement from the Ojibways until 1850. After that date, upon the completion of the agreement, all the Ojibway lands bordering on the North shore of Lake Superior, became the property of the Crown, to be known as Crown Lands. They were administered by departments known as those of Lands, Forests and Mines. The year 1957 will mark the anniversary of the most important event in the history of Port Arthur. It will be the centennial of its founding. It was, in fact, in 1857 that a townsite consisting of 534 acres was carved out of virgin forests, surveyed into lots and sold by auction. Robert McVicar, who had seen distinguished service with the Hudson ' s Bay Company in the Northwest Territory, was appointed Crown Lands Agent. He became the first permanent white settler to set foot in what is now the City of Port Arthur. His modest log-house and office was located at the intersection of Arthur and Cumberland Streets. In time these lots were tak en up by new settlers but evidently there was no rush to establish the new settlement, since by 1870 the total popula- tion only represented 200 inhabitants. Robert McVicar acquired considerable property adjoining the townsite, and his descendants at a later date were the largest owners of real estate property in and about the young town of Port Arthur. McVicar Creek and McVicar Street were named after him. — 21 —

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LAKEHEAD TECHNICAL INSTITUTE YEAR BOOK ORIGIN OF PORT ARTHUR— (Continued) Having restored law and order in the new Western Province of Manitoba the Canadian Government then turned its attention to railway construction, the beginning of which was made from West Fort Wililam in the early sum- mer of 1875 as a Canadian enterprise. In 1881 this Government owned section was taken over by the Canadian Pacific Railway. By 1886 Canada was now linked by rail from the Atlantic to the Pacific, an achievement un- heard of in railway construction up to that time. Considering that the popu- lation of Canada barely exceeded 4,000,000 inhabitants it did show vision, enterprise and resolution on the part of both the Government of the day and the directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The young town of Prince Arthur ' s Landing had by this time gone through a great deal of expansion, including one silver mining boom in the early ' 70 ' s and entering upon a second silver mining boom which began in 1882 and lasted pretty much until 1888. Coupled with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway Port Arthur became a town of great importance. In a booklet prepared by the Canadian Pacific Railway at that period the town of Port Arthur was referred to as The Silver Gateway. It will be of interest to the readers of this article to learn how the name came to be changed from Prince Arthur ' s Landing to Port Arthur. It became evident during the early C.P.R. construction of the North Shore Line that Prince Arthur ' s Landing was no longer suitable as a name for the terminus of the first trans-continental Railway. A number of names were then brought to the attention of our town fathers for their consideration, such as Port Royal, Ogama, Bayport, Shuniah, Prince Arthur, Algoma, Rock- ford, etc. If the town fathers were slow in making up their minds as to the proper name for this terminus, William Van Home, then general manager of the Pacific Railway, noted for his quick decisions, decided upon the name of Port Arthur, which appeared on their station, located on the property now occupied by the city car barn, between Van Home and Wolseley Street. A year later in 1884 the name of the post office was also changed to that of Port Arthur and when the town was incorporated in May of the same year it also adopted the same name. Explanations for the change to Port Arthur from Prince Arthur ' s Landing, as decided upon by the authority of the Canadian Pacific Railway, has been recorded by the Sentinel, the leading Lakehead newspaper of the time and repeated in the Port Arthur Illustrated, published in May 1889. It was supposed to be partly as a companion to Port Moody, the Pacific terminus, and a compliment to Prince Arthur and partly for President Chester Alan Arthur, then President of the United States and rather popular with the Canadian people. He used to spend his summer vacations in Canada. He was actually the first President to manifest any interest in Canadian affairs and a deep affection for the Canadian people. It is doubtful if any other city on the continent can claim to have been named after two such historical figures, Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the 7th child of Queen Victoria became a Field Marshall in the Imperial Army. In time he was appointed Governor-General of Canada. President Chester Alan Arthur, a man of very great charm, possessed of a fine physique, did make his contribution towards better understanding between the American and Canadian people. It is to be hoped that our City Fathers will take full cognizance of the centennial of our city in 1957 and in co-operation with our schools, our churches, our Historical Society, our Chamber of Commerce and our Service Clubs organize a celebration which will be worthy of the event. —J. P. BERTRAND. — 23 —