Realized $605 Kamloops. B.C. 8 March 1885 Marcus Smith 4pg Letter to his wife
Lot 98 in our auction Saturday 15th October 2022
Kamloops B.C
March 8th 1885
My dear Nannie
I have returned here a few days ago spent a month below – near the Coast – a great change weather very mild but raining nearly all the time
I spent a week with Tom at Harrison not much doing there as the contractor being short of plans using half of his locomotives in running trains for passengers & freight for which he charges enormous rates higher than they were by coaches and waggons on the Public road – great discontent in consequence – I advised Tom to take advantage of leisure for studying the Mathematical books I gave him – in which science he is woefully deficient does not know even the names of the geometrical figures – all of which I knew perfectly and then use when I was 12 years old – I cannot find out what he did learn at The Upper Canada College. His best course now is to save as much money as he can while he is in employment – then have a whole winter’s study – in Ottawa if he can get a good master – otherwise go to the school for engineers either at Kingston – or McGill’s college Montreal – He has invested in land near the new terminus about $1600 of which he will have paid the second call in a few days – leaving $550 to be paid within 3 months when he will get a title to the land and can sell – he will not lose and may make something considerable by the speculation – at all events it will give him a start in saving money which he might otherwise spend if not invested – I may have to help him out with the last call – I hope that Arthur is really learning something. I am anxious to get home to look after this and other things. However the last year of absence is slipping away – and the worst of the season is over. I got into my office when I returned here and have slept in the small room off it – All very comfortable – The Comforter. Cloud and cuffs came in due course but the overcoat only came a fortnight ago when I was away I don’t need it now as spring has apparently set in – ice gone out of the River and fast melting away on the Lakes weather mild – snow gone – wear no overcoat – It is expected navigation will be opened before the end of this month – Received your letters of the 5th and 11th of Feb when I got home – glad to hear of Eloise’s success in painting and that you are all well and enjoying yourselves in a quiet way.
I hear of an anonymous pamphlet being published which condemns in strong terms the route of the C.P.R. Ry as selected by the syndicate – I have only seen extracts from it in the newspapers – some of it is overdrawn – but from my own knowledge – the route selected is the greatest blunder in Railway engineering that has ever been made
The Major Rogers who made such a brag about finding out a route in one season which the Govt Engineers failed to do in several years is more bosh – his route is worse than the worst of all our routes surveyed – Rogers is a low toned drunkard only fit for Navies’ society
But of course I can say nothing as the Govt is so much bound up with the Comp. Schreiber has put himself in a critical position in regard to Onderdonk ‘s work here – perhaps made money by it – If all were know(n) he would have to be dismissed
Yours ever
M. Smith
