09/13/2025
From Winnipeg Free Press.
From The Attic: "STEFANSSON FORESEES SUCCESS OF BAY LINE" MBFP, SEPTEMBER 11,1929
(Excerpts from an article published originally in the WFP, September '29)
Speaking with optimism of the possible success of the Hudson Bay railroad to the Churchill harbor, Viljhalmur Stefansson stated in an interview at the Fort Garry hotel, last evening. "The project docs look to be promising. It is most likely -that the optimists will have the best of the argument in the course of ten years. Not having any special knowledge of Hudson Bay I am not saying whether the optimists or pessimists are right." Nevertheless the famous explorer of the Northland; drawing from his experience and knowledge of the country, suggested various possibilities making tor success. Dr. Stefansson arrived In Winnipeg yesterday, upon completion of his trip to Churchill. He was accompanied by Karsten Anderson, a member of the third expedition, who has spent four and a half years in the Arctic. The journey to their homes In New York will be continued this afternoon. As a solution of the problem of the lack of freight to fill the box cars on the return trip from Churchill, Stefansson suggested reindeer produce and fish.... ..."Even the pessimists agree that the fish taken from the Bay waters tastes better than the same kind taken farther south," he said. Two camps at Churchill, separated by a mile of distance and a difference of opinion interested the visitor. "In the pessimist camp," he said; "I found the greatest optimist, Captain Mack, who has sailed in the Bay most years since 1903. The captain declared the talk of the ice, which is now hanging off Churchill, preventing the incoming of ships, to be nonsense.... ...On his way back from Churchill, Dr. Stefansson was the guest of The Pas and his assistance in the campaign for a northern highway was requested by the newly-formed Pas Highway association. , "I would be glad," Dr. Stefansson said, "to give all the aid I can to this highway project. It will be another step in the opening of the north, a logical advance of civilization in to the new northern empire and another blow to the old prejudice that the north is disagreeable and worthless. Your highway will bring thousands of people to the country north of 53 and that will mean it will bring added thousands of tourists every year to southern Manitoba. When tourists in the United States learn that they can come to what they look upon as the sub-Arctic, many more of them will enter the western provinces to make the northward journey. You will know yourselves what the business advantages will be for both north and south when the two are connected by highway, 'I know that a road Into this Northland will add tenfold to western Canada's attractions as a tourist haven. "I have spent many years of my life in breaking down the prejudice and belief against the frozen north. A highway would make of every visitor a new missionary for the northland. There is one point in the construction difficulties I would like to stress. If your government in Manitoba learns in its survey next month that a road wholly through Manitoba would be a costly project, I would suggest a road traversing both provinces, and the financial burdens carried by both provinces. This is a question of opening up the northern part of Canada, and it would be a tragedy if the mere fact of a provincial- boundary Hue were allowed to interfere. We are all Canadians, and there should be no such thing as Jealousy between our provinces. There need be no fear, either that any part of the west, would suffer through a Joint highway. The whole west would benefit, the north would benefit and Canada would benefit. "I would suggest this northern highway as a great step in the development of Canada, a great step in the progress of the great north, and I am glad to be an advocate of The Pas Highway Association."
