CHAPTER XXX. SIR JOSEPH HICKSON. By J. Castell Hopkins. Sir Joseph Hickson a Native of England-Trained on the English Railway Systems—Assistant General-Manager on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway--Appointed Chief Accountant of the Grand Trunk Railway-Arrives in Canada in 1862-Becomes Secretary and Treasurer of the Grand Trunk Railway-On the Resignation of Mr. C. J. Brydges made Managing Director-Appointed General-Manager of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1874-Greatly Improves the System-In 1890 Knighted for His Good WorkExtends the Grand Trunk System to Chicago-St. Clair Tunnel Constructed—His Services Appreciated by the Company-Takes an Interest in the Civic Life of Montreal— President of the Royal Commission on the Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic-Holds Aloof from all Political Parties-Dies in January, 1897. S IR JOSEPH HICKSON, late President of the Grand Trunk Railway, was born at Otterburn, Northumberland, England, in the year 1830, and received his education in his native county. He was yet a lad when he entered the service of the North Eastern Railway of England, in which he gained his first knowledge of railway operations-destined to stand him in such good stead in after years. After being some time with this Company, he left to fill a position of trust on the Maryport and Carlisle Railway, in which he served with credit till 1851, when he went to Manchester and took service with the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, in which his promotion was very rapid. Ten years afterwards he became assistant to the General Manager of the Road, and while in this position attracted the attention of Mr. (afterwards Sir) Edward Watkin, then Commissioner, and afterwards Chairman of the Grand Trunk Railway in Canada. Mr. Watkin was even at that time one of the railway magnates of the day. Mr. Hickson was by him appointed to the important position of chief accountant of the Grand Trunk in December, 1861, and accordingly left England for Canada in January, 1862, coming to Montreal, where he continued to reside until his death. His career from that date was one of uninterrupted personal success. He soon became secretary and treasurer of the Company, and this position he filled until the resignation of Mr. C. J. Brydges as Managing Director of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1874, when he succeeded him in the post of General Manager of the system. In his new position Mr. Hickson found himself restricted by external control, but within the limitations of his power he speedily made his policy felt. One of his first acts was to sell to the Federal Government the line between Point Levis and Rivière du Loup, and with the proceeds of this he changed the old gauge to that of the American lines four feet eight and a half inches and effected the connection between Sarnia and Chicago. This was considered a good stroke of policy at the time, because it opened up a new field of effort and enterprise to the Company and marked the beginning of that policy of affiliation and connection which resulted, before Sir Joseph Hickson threw down the reins of office, in an immense system, embracing five thousand miles of track in the United States and Canada. As General Manager he continued until 1890, when he retired from the arduous position after receiving early in that year the honour of knighthood at the hands of Her Majesty in recognition of the ability he had displayed in the management of a great Canadian railway, and for the valuable services he had rendered to this country in the way of developing its industries and resources. During the period of Sir Joseph Hickson's management, the Grand Trunk Railway made rapid strides, forming connections that were of infinite value, not only to the Company itself, but to Canada at large. The most marked of these was the establishment of a direct line to Chicago wholly under Grand Trunk control. By this master-stroke of policy, the best paying portion of freight carried by the Grand Trunk Railway was secured, at the same time giving to Canadian steamship companies some of the most valuable freight which they carry across the Atlantic. This extension to Chicago, on which the astute manager had had his eye for years, gave to the Grand Trunk a direct interest in the American system of railways. Under his charge, the mileage of the Grand Trunk system increased from 1,383 miles to 3,487, which fact speaks volumes for the enterprising spirit of its manager. That great engineering undertaking, the St. Clair tunnel, owes much to Sir Joseph Hickson. There were many obstacles in the way of this latter undertaking, enough to daunt any ordinary man, but Sir Joseph, who had already discerned the great advantages which would arise from the rapid transit of the St. Clair River, cared but little for obstacles. They were made, he thought, for the purpose of being surmounted, and surmount them he did. The tunnel was completed in 1890 at a cost of three million dollars. When in 1881, Sir Joseph Hickson paid a visit to England, the Company presented him with a service of gold and silver plate, to the value of £2,500, as a token of the esteem in which his services were held by the shareholders. He was a Justice of the Peace for Montreal, and was interested in several banking, manufacturing and industrial enterprises, being a Director of some of them. He was appointed by the Dominion Government President of the Royal Commission on the Prohibition of the Liquor Traffic. Sir Joseph Hickson never identified himself with any political party, the good of the country at large and his own business being all he cared for. As a prominent citizen of Montreal, and one who took an unostentatious part in everything that has tended for the advancement of the city and the citizens, his loss was greatly felt when death came in January, 1897. CHAPTER XXXL SIR JOHN C. SCHULTZ. By J. Castell Hopkins. Sir John Schultz a Native of Ontario-Of Scandinavian Descent-A Clerk in a Country StoreBegins the Study of Medicine-Graduates from Queen's University in 1862-Settles in Red River Settlement-His Life in the West-A Close Student of the Canadian North-WestBegins Newspaper Work-Gains the Enmity of the Hudson's Bay Company-Instrumental in Bringing about the Purchase of the Territory-Imprisoned by Riel's Orders in 1869—A Thrilling Escape from Prison-Journeys to Canada-Rouses the Canadians against RielReturns to Winnipeg on the Suppression of the Rebellion-Elected to the Canadian Parliament for Lisgar-A Successful Speculator in Land-His Health Undermined—An Energetic Member of the Senate-Appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Manitoba-Given the Title of K. C. M. G. by Her Majesty-Dies at Monterey, Mexico, April, 1896. The Hon. Sir John Christian Schultz, K. C. M. G., M. D., was born in Amherstburg, Essex County, Ontario, in the year 1841. His father was of Scandinavian descent; his mother of Irish extraction. His early days gave no promise of the powerful physique and remarkable endurance developed at a later period. At school he was, in fact, rather delicate in health. He learned easily and was what Whittier describes as a "silent, shy, peaceloving" lad, who gave little sign of the self-reliance and extraordinary will which after years developed. His early education was received in part at the hands of a retired soldier. After a few years spent behind the counter of a country store, kept by his half-brother, Henry McKenney, afterwards Sheriff of Red River, young Schultz set out to qualify himself for the medical profession. In various ways he learned enough to attend Oberlin College in Ohio, for a time, and afterwards Queen's University, Kingston, graduating from the latter as an M.D. in 1862. With as little delay as possible he started for the Red River Settlement and for some years was lost sight of, except by the few with whom he corresponded. There he toiled, making out of Red River trees the planks with which he and his brother built their first |