Cascadilla
Thursday, October 21, 1883
A public meeting was held in the town hall at Horning's
Mills last Wednesday to devise some scheme by which a railway (the Cascadilla
Railway) might be built through the area. Mr. James Huxtable, in stating the objective
of the meeting, reviewed the different efforts that had been made to secure railway
communication with the outside world - by getting an extension of the Credit Valley
Railway from Orangeville; by the building of a branch line of the North West Railway
from Creemore or the Grand Trunk from Georgetown - all of which had failed. He
suggested that a company be formed to build an independent line to tap the Toronto,
Grey & Bruce, at either Shelburne or Melancthon Station. In support of this
scheme he mentioned a visit he had paid to a line built by Mr. Rathbun, of Deseronto,
to connect with the G.T.R., and also of an interview he had with Mr. Whyte, manager
of the Ontario and Quebec Railway, who seemed to consider the scheme quite feasible.
and that the O & Q directors would give it their hearty support.
Mr. Huxtable showed by figures based upon the returns of other lines and from
the experience of competent railway men that such a line, if properly managed,
should financially yield a fair dividend. After some discussion it was resolved
that a committee be appointed to take up subscriptions to procure a charter from
the Ontario Government. So far, so little difficulty has been experienced that
it is confidently expected that the Cascadilla will be an accomplished fact.
Thursday, November 8, 1883
A meeting concerning
the proposed Cascadilla Railway was held in the Horning's Mills Town Hall on Monday
last. Notwithstanding the very unfavourable weather a very large number were present,
James Huxtable in the chair. The meeting having been called to order, the chairman
stated that its object was the appointment of provisional directors. The following
were then chosen: Messrs. James Huxtable, G. L. Airth, William Taylor, Dr. John
Barr, MP, Alex McKennie, Robert McGhee, MPP., Thomas Ferguson, Robert Marshall,
S. P. Hodgson, D. C. Lamont and Richard Hewitt. Insofar as the proposed scheme
is concerned the project meets with every success. At a subsequent meeting the
following officers were appointed: James Huxtable, president; Robert McGhee, vice-president,
and W. M. McKenzie, secretary.