Report on the Condition of the Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge (1860)

Final report of John A. Roebling, Civil Engineer, to the presidents and directors of the Niagara Falls Suspension and Niagara Falls International Bridge Companies, on the condition of the Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge.

Erie & Niagara Railway Collection, 1864-1884

William Alexander Thomson (1816-1878) was a promoter and developer of railway systems in western Ontario. He incorporated the Fort Erie Railroad Company in 1857, purchased the Erie and Ontario Railroad in 1863, and incorporated the Erie and Niagara Extension Railway Company in 1868 (later renamed the Canada Southern Railway). Thomson was also elected to the House of Commons for Welland in 1872, and re-elected in 1874. He was known for his support of public management of the currency and is seen as a pioneer advocate of government monetary policy. He was also an advocate of radical agrarian economic doctrine, believing that Canadian laws favoured mercantile interests over those of the producers of goods, and that this hindered national development.

Photograph - Baie Comeau, welding railway line

A photograph of men working to weld the railway line at Baie Comeau. The caption reads, "Welding railway line as rails joined immediately behind the temporary staff house".

Photograph - Baie Comeau, Last Railway Spike

A photograph of the "last spike in the Baie Comeau railway. Photo shows, left to right; A.I.Cunningham, managing engineer of the Ontario Paper Company driving the spike: V.G. Younghusband, vice president of the Foundation Company of Canada; R.W. Shaver, construction manager for the paper company; K.W. Bash, general superintendent, Foundation Company; and His Lordship the Bishop of Quebec.

Photograph - Baie Comeau, Railway line

A photograph with the caption "Railway line, on trestle, immediately behind millsite".

Grantham Township record book

A minute book for Grantham Township, Ontario. It records the proceedings of meetings from 1818-1854 and the names of parish and town officers from 1818 to 1842. Names include: Chisholm, Ball, Steele, TenBroeck, Shipman, Laraway, McKerney, Adams, Pawling, Merritt, Rolls, Robertson, Lampman, Phelps, Darling. Also notes the laws agreed upon for the period, mainly dealing with livestock.

Indenture of Release to Woodstock and Lake Erie Railway from Executors of Samuel Zimmerman

Indenture of release regarding a loan of 12, 500 pounds which Samuel Zimmerman (deceased) is said to have lent and advanced to the Woodstock and Lake Erie Railway and Harbour Company. This is put forward by the executors who include: Joseph A. Woodruff, Richard Woodruff, John L. Ranney and Richard Miller. This document releases and exonerates the Railway Company from any debts to the executors. [The outside of the document says 1857, but the actual date is Feb. 10, 1858].

Indenture of Release of All Existing Contracts and Agreements with Woodstock and Lake Erie Railway Co.

Indenture of release stating that all existing contracts and agreements made by the Woodstock and Lake Erie Railway Co. are cancelled. This release was between the executors of Samuel Zimmerman's will and the Woodstock and Lake Erie Railway Co. February 10, 1858.

Indenture between The Corporation of the Township of Grantham of the County of Lincoln and Samuel DeVeaux Woodruff

Indenture of bargain and sale between The Corporation of the Township of Grantham of the County of Lincoln and Samuel DeVeaux Woodruff of St. Catharines regarding part of the road allowance between Lots no. 12 and 13 of the 8th Concession of the Township of Grantham. This was registered January 8, 1874 in the County of Lincoln - instrument no. 1650, October 24, 1873.

Abstract of title of part of Lots no. 12 and 13 in the 8th Concession in the Township of Grantham

Abstract of title of parts of lots nos. 12 and 13 in the 8th Concession in the Township of Grantham – Orsen Phelps to Owen Cifford and abstract of title of parts of Lots nos. 10 and 11 in the 9th Concession in the Township of Grantham – David Grass to Owen Clifford. This is a handwritten 2 page summary. This is part of the Owen Clifford Estate signed by W.W. Powell, registrar, Feb. 20, 1871.

Description of Mr. Samuel DeVeaux Woodruff's property on Ontario Street

Handwritten description of Mr. Samuel DeVeaux Woodruff’s property on Ontario Street which was sent by E. Gardiner to the Railway Company. This is a 1 page handwritten document. The land consisted of parts of Lots 20 and 21 in the 5th Concession of Grantham, June 26, 1901.

Contract signed by Robert Duffin of Grantham Township

Contract signed by Robert Duffin of the Township of Grantham Labourers to break stone for the proposed road from Queenston to St. Davids, 1838.

Presentation from the Office of Macdonald and Rykert regarding the Case of O'Connor vs. the Great Western Railway Co.

Presentation from the Office of Macdonald and Rykert regarding the Case of O’Connor vs. the Great Western Railway Co. This is a handwritten, 9 ½ page double sided document). Some of the witnesses for the plaintiff included: Robert Johnson, John Ryder, Edward Duffy, Gilbert Gregory, John Cutter, James Patterson, Samuel Rush and Francis Bigger, among others. They claimed that the Great Western Railway Co. was destroying their land. Jacob Dittrick claimed that the culverts were not large enough to carry off water. Mr. Jackson noticed injury to his flats. Wild grass was destroying the bottom grass, May 6, 1836.

Indenture between George Rykert and Cornelius Stovin

Indenture between George Rykert, surveyor of Grantham, and Cornelius Stovin, manager of the Welland Railway of St. Catharines, for a pew in St. George’s Church, Jan. 1863.