Necessary provide, the staff for the operation and
repair of the line.
"2. Mr. Wood to proceed with Governor Dallas to St. Paul, with as
little delay as possible, and on to Fort Garry, if necessary; and to
make all arrangements required for transporting the telegraph wire,
insulators, fittings, instruments, and other materials to Fort Garry;
for distributing all materials from Fort Garry; for cutting, preparing,
and distributing the poles; and generally for commencing and for
completing the work (including a system of posts at proper distances
apart) in an efficient manner, and at the earliest period.
"3. Mr. Wood to receive the cordial aid and cooperation of the staff of
the Hudson's Bay Company in carrying out this work, under the orders,
instructions, and control of Governor Dallas.
"4. Mr. Wood's travelling and other necessary expenses, and the
salaries and other necessary expenses of his assistants, to be paid,
and, in consideration of his services, he is to receive the sum of ten
thousand (10,000) dollars, as a fixed payment; one-third to be paid on
the storage of the materials as above at Fort Garry, one-third upon the
completion of two hundred (200) miles of the telegraph, and one-third
on the completion and operation of the whole line between Fort Garry
and Jasper House; and further, should the whole be completed prior to
the 15th October, 1864, Mr. Wood is to receive a bonus of two thousand
(2,000) dollars, so soon as the line has been one month in operation;
and should the whole cost of the work not exceed thirty thousand
(30,000) pounds sterling, Mr. Wood to receive a further bonus of
fifteen per cent. on all savings upon that sum, payable when the line
has been in operation twelve (12) months.
"5. Should the telegraph lines between Fort Langley and Jasper House,
and Fort Garry and the United States boundary near Pembina be ordered
to be constructed, and the Hudson's Bay Company desire it, Mr. Wood to
undertake the construction, on proportionate terms.
"(Signed) EDWD. W. WATKIN.
"(Signed) O. S. WOOD.
"Montreal, August 10th, 1863."
"MEMORANDUM by Mr. Wood as to supply of Materials.
"MONTREAL,
"August 10th, 1863.
"DEAR SIR,
"We shall want 40,000 insulators - they will cost from $6 to $8 per 100;
35,000 red cedar top pins will cost $3 per 100; 40 sets of telegraph
instruments at $60 per set; main and local batteries, $500.
"As some of these articles ought immediately to be prepared, since
their preparation takes a little time, I will at once, in accordance
with our understanding of this morning, order a small quantity, and the
remainder when I receive your confirmation of the whole arrangement. In
the meantime I shall go to New York personally, to arrange the exact
form and description of insulator, it being very desirable to have this
article of the most perfect description.
"Yours faithfully,
"(Signed) O. S. WOOD.
"EDWD. W. WATKIN, Esq."
My official letter to Sir Edmund Head from Montreal, 24th July, 1863,
summarized all my proceedings up to its date.
"MONTREAL,
"July 24th, 1863.
"SIR,
"I have the honour to acknowledge your official letter of the 6th July,
requesting me to proceed to the Red River Settlement, for the purpose
of reporting upon the state and condition of that Settlement, of the
condition of the adjoining territory, the prospects of settlement
therein, and the possibility of commencing operations for an electric
telegraph line across the southern district of Rupert's Land; and
associating with me in this inquiry Governor Dallas, of the Red River
Settlement, with whom you request me to communicate at once.
"I observe that the Committee consider the lateness of the season will
preclude me from doing more than procure such information as will
enable them to commence further inquiries at the opening of the next
season.
"In consequence of verbal communications received before leaving
England, and suggestions unofficially received from members of the new
Committee, I have deemed it my duty, though unofficially, to
communicate with the Canadian Government, and with those gentlemen
likely to form the Government of Canada, should any change of ministry
take place on the opening of Parliament, so as, as far as possible
(unauthorized as I was), to prevent antagonism to the operations of the
new organization pending official communication and explanations from
the Governor and Committee.
"No one can be better aware of the state and views of parties in Canada
than yourself. The leader of the present Government expresses a strong
opinion in favour of the settlement of a separate Crown Colony in the
Hudson's Bay district, and this also is the view taken by Mr. Cartier
and Mr. J. A. Macdonald, and is strongly concurred in by Mr. Cazeau,
the Vicar-General, who, as you are aware, leads the Catholic party in
Lower Canada. On the other hand, the feeling of Mr. Geo. Brown and the
'Grits,' as heretofore expressed, has been in favour of annexing the
Hudson's Bay territory to Canada, thereby securing that preponderance
which would practically settle the question of the future government of
the whole country.
"The views of the Duke of Newcastle, and also, so far as I understand
them, the views of yourself and your colleagues, being in favour of the
establishment of a separate colony unconnected with Canada, I consider
the discussions which have taken place have now put the question in its
right position here; but at the same time I shall endeavour to see Mr.
George Brown, and give such explanations, unofficially, as may at all
events prevent his considering that he has not been consulted in this
important transaction.
"I have also placed myself in communication with many of those who have
advocated the settlement of the North-west, including Professor Hind,
who has explored much of the district; and, at my request, Professor
Hind has written a memorandum, and letter upon the gold discoveries in
the Hudson's Bay territory, which I now enclose.
