Tilling Geneva's Spring Soil

Because of my father's interest in Geneva and its farming, he saved a few old farm equipment publications for about 70 years. They somehow survived seven or eight changes of domicile over the decades and this seems like a good time to share them with you.

Back in the 1930s, farming was an industry with lower 'barriers to entry' and so was the manufacture of farm equipment. With supportive tariffs, Canada had a significant farm equipment manufacturing sector, and a domestic steel industry to provide its chief raw material.

Below are a few representative images of implements used in Argenteuil in the springtime of the 1930s and 1940s. Given their simple robust design, they might last decades after their original purchase. The images are arranged roughly in order of increasing technological complexity - not necessarily in the order in which the implements would be used during the season .. 

Most heavy plowing would usually occur in the fall. In the spring, farmers waited until fields were dry enough to support machinery. They would start preparing a seedbed, often including some fertilizing. When the time was right, seeding would take place. If necessary, mechanical cultivating might be done with some crops to eliminate weed competition for the natural resources needed by the crop.

Naturally, the process was more complex with more variables - but that's the general idea.

*  *  *

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from folder: Massey-Harris Field Cultivators, 1941, collection of LC Gagnon

An Implement for Planting Seeds

(next two images)

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

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A Corn Planter
(next 3 images)

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

.. as peas and beans are legumes (which fix atmospheric nitrogen in their roots), planting them with corn would probably provide both ground cover against weeds for this year's crop, and soil nitrogen for next year's crop. Corn needs plenty of nitrogen.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from booklet: McCormick-Deering Plows Drills and Tillage Implements c1937 - collection of LC Gagnon.

from folder: The Key to Greater Farm Profits, McCormick-Deering, c1937, collection of LC Gagnon

Geneva and Lachute, 1947

 

Doug Matthews and his car - for years he had bee hives and excellent honey (LC Gagnon caption).

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The front of Ross and Alice MacAdam's house at 631 Main Street.

Labour Day weekend, 1947.
Jean, Ross MacAdam, LC Gagnon
Eleanor MacAdam
Peter Riddell (neighbour and brother of choir leader Wayne Riddell) - LCG.

*  *  *

Outing through Kilgour Wilson's farm to climb 'the mountain' north of Lachute.

Ross MacAdam and Gerald.

Looking to the west with the North River in the foreground.

Looking toward Lachute - North River.

Beryl MacCulloch and Gerald MacAdam

LCG caption:
Group at Lachute Road
Jean MacAdam, Bea Rodger, LCGagnon, Alice MacAdam, Beryl MacCulloch, Gerald MacAdam
Eleanor MacAdam, Rosemary Gagnon
Douglas Rodger, Ross MacAdam, Stanley Rodger, George Gagnon.

Geneva's Railway

The Railway from Lachute to St. Andrew's: The Ottawa Valley Railway Company

"Information contained in BRANCHLINE may be copied or used for other publications on the understanding that the author and BRANCHLINE are credited. BRANCHLINE is published by the Bytown Railway Society, a non-profit organization incorporated under Federal Government statute to promote an interest in railways and railway history, with particular emphasis upon the National Capital Region."  

Transcribed by David Gagnon, for Geneva PQ The following article appeared in the October 1987 edition of the periodical.

The late Omer Lavallee was corporate archivist for Canadian Pacific Limited, and an advisor for the CBC/NFB joint production of The National Dream. He was one of the founders of book publisher Railfare Enterprises Limited and was the author of several books about Canadian railroading. A street was named after him near the intersection of Rachel and Saint-Michel in Montreal - the former area of CPR Angus Shops.

The Ottawa Valley Railway Company by Omer Lavallee

One of the forgotten short lines in the Ottawa valley was the appropriately-named Ottawa Valley Railway Company, which was chartered in 1892 under Dominion Act 55-56 Victoria, chapter 54, to build a railway from St. Andrews to Carillon, Quebec, and from Grenville to Calumet, Quebec, connecting at the latter place with the Canadian Pacific Railway. The object of this exercise seems to have been to accommodate the aspirations of St. Andrews East, Quebec, (now St-Andre-d'Argenteuil) to be situated on a railway. Under this plan, the existing Carillon & Grenville (broad-gauge, opened in 1854) would be standard-gauged to form part of the line.

In the event, the desired rail connection for St. Andrews was constructed to the nearest point on the CPR, Lachute, a distance of 10.7 km (6.7 miles). Charles Newhouse Armstrong, a colourful railway promoter with "fingers in many pies", was given the construction contract. It was completed and the line was opened for service on 1 November 1892. Including sidings, the OVR had a total length of 11.2 km (7.2 miles).

The railway's directors and officers were as follows between 1893 and 1895:

• J.R. Thibaudeau, director and president;
• Archibald Campbell, director and vice-president;
• C.N. Armstrong, director and managing director;
• A.C. Wurtele, director;
• Robert Watson, director; and
• M.C.E. Phillips, director, all of Montreal.

A. Dewar of St. Andrews East was the superintendent.

The general office was situated at 17 St. James Street, Montreal.

The route is depicted on the adjacent sketch map, traced from Department of National Defence one-inch scale (1:63,360) topographical map sheet 31 G9, "Lachute", published in 1943 and showing the area as resurveyed in 1942, the OVR's abandoned roadbed is shown in its entirety on that map. The profile of the line was generally level, descending gently from an altitude of 70 m (229 feet) at Lachute to 31 m (103 feet) at St. Andrews East, with no noteworthy engineering nor geographical features.

Early in the 1890s, Thibaudeau, Armstrong and others were involved also in an ambitious scheme, known as the Atlantic & Lake Superior Railway Company, to build a railway from an ocean port in the Gaspe peninsula of Quebec to a point on Lake Superior, to compete with existing lines. It included a provision to bridge the St. Lawrence River at Montreal, proceeding thence through Deux-Montagnes and Argenteuil Counties of Quebec to a crossing of the Ottawa River at Hawkesbury. To implement its strategy, the A&StL began by buying up small existing lines, whose charters could play a role in its plans; among the latter was the Ottawa Valley Railway. This sale was authorized by Dominion Act 57-58, chapter 63, passed in 1894. However, the OVR company retained its separate identity until 1895 or 1896 at which time it was absorbed corporately into the A&StL company, whose other lines were located in the Gaspe peninsula area.

According to the information contained in Railway Statistics of the Dominion of Canada, the OVR was in operation from the date of opening (1 November 1892) until some time in the spring of 1893. It was then closed down, reopening on 9 April 1894. The resumed operations were continued until approximately the end of March 1895. The line does not seem to have been operated after 1895, by which time the A&StL was on the verge of insolvency. The track was lifted in or after 1900, when the Great Northern Railway of Canada (later Canadian Northern, then Canadian National Railways) opened its line between St-Jerome and Hawkesbury via Lachute and Cushing Junction.

The author knows of only one photograph showing an Ottawa Valley Ry. train. This reveals a 4-4-0 type steam locomotive and a passenger car surrounded by a group of people. Reportedly, this was taken in 1892 when the line was opened. The locomotive has not been identified thus far.

The venerable Carillon & Grenville was abandoned at the end of 1910. Part of its roadbed was taken over by the Canadian Northern Railway which opened its line in 1916 between Lazard (Val Royal) and Cushing Junctions via St-Eustache (Deux-Montagnes) and St. Andrews East. At this time, the latter community was at last given its place on Canada's railway network. Two years later, the opening of the Mount Royal Tunnel brought the line into the heart of Montreal at Tunnel Terminal, now Central Station.

* end of Branchline article *

The Lachute and St Andrew Railway is mentioned below:

from: Canadian Pacific Railway annotated time table; July 19 1892; reprint by Railfare Enterprises Ltd

This timetable shows the westbound journey on the CPR transcontinental route as it then existed. Mileages (left column) are calculated from the Montreal departure point: the Dalhousie Square Station of the CPR - at the intersection of Notre-Dame and Berri. (Note that the Grenville mileage is transposed and should read '57').

The main line route continues west through Lachute, Hull, Ottawa, Pembroke, North Bay and Sudbury. The two columns at the right show the mileage from Vancouver and any associated schedule times (reading 'up').

"The Lachute and St. Andrew Railway" reference refers to the "Ottawa Valley Railway".

*  *  *

The Exact Location of the Ottawa Valley Railway

from: Lachute, sheet 31 G/9 west half; 1907-1942; aerial photography by RCAF 1940. Contour interval 25 feet (my collection)

The abandoned roadbed of the Ottawa Valley Railway comes south though the words "Lachute Mills" to the "R" in Argenteuil. The line connected through a track switch with the CPR railway yard at Lachute.

from: Lachute, sheet 31 G/9 west half; 1907-1942; aerial photography by RCAF 1940. Contour interval 25 feet (my collection)

The abandoned Ottawa Valley Railway roadbed passes the "a" in Geneva as it crosses Beech Ridge Road.

from: Lachute, sheet 31 G/9 west half; 1907-1942; aerial photography by RCAF 1940. Contour interval 25 feet (my collection)

The abandoned Ottawa Valley Railway roadbed ends at St. Andrews East - but does not connect with the line of the Canadian Northern Railway/Canadian National Railways line shown on the map.

from: Fire insurance plan dated "Nov 1897" St. Andrew's Quebec; Charles E Goad, civil engineer; (screen capture) Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.

Location of southern terminal of the Ottawa Valley Railway at St. Andrews - this is the best possible resolution. From top: "Station" - yellow; "engine hse" - grey. ("Model School" - pink)

from: Fire insurance plan dated "Nov 1897" St. Andrew's Quebec; Charles E Goad, civil engineer; (screen capture) Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.

Location of southern terminal of the Ottawa Valley Railway at St. Andrews - best possible resolution. From top: "Station" - yellow; "engine hse" - grey. ("Model School" - pink) Shown within larger view of St. Andrews - but details are not legible.

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The Ottawa Valley Railway in North America

First year: 1893. Second year: 1894. Last mention: 1895. The Ottawa Valley Railway between Lachute and St. Andrew's as it appeared in a standard American financial reference.

Henry V Poor (1812-1905) was a railroad financial analyst. Eventually his original firm developed into Standard and Poor's. During the late 1800s, this railroad industry reference manual was about 2000 pages thick. 

from: Poor's Manual of the Railroads of the United States; 1893 1894 1895; Henry V Poor; American Banknote Company, New York (pdf copy from archive.org)

from: Poor's Manual of the Railroads of the United States; 1893 1894 1895; Henry V Poor; American Banknote Company, New York (pdf copy from archive.org)

from: Poor's Manual of the Railroads of the United States; 1893 1894 1895; Henry V Poor; American Banknote Company, New York (pdf copy from archive.org)

Gone, but not forgotten. The Ottawa Valley Railway right of way was preserved as a Bell Canada right of way and during winter as a snowmobile route. This is how the line appeared in the spring of 1994. Heading north from St Andrew's it has crossed a stream and is climbing over the 150 foot map contour line on its ascent to Beech Ridge Road and Geneva. photo:DJGagnon

Argenteuil Railways and a Lachute Map from 1937

My grandmother, Mabel Rodger, took this photo in 1922. After graduating from Macdonald College, her first teaching job was here in Staynerville. This is the earliest confirmed photo (by our ancestors) of a railway subject. Thousands have been taken since.

You can see the shadows cast by the morning sun on the original Staynerville station used by the CPR on its former Montreal to Ottawa mainline. Notice the milk cans at the lower left corner, sitting on the main track platform. 

Rolling in on the main track at Staynerville is an eastbound train heading for Lachute and Montreal. A few years earlier in 1916, a timetable showed that the 'morning' train arrived at around 0815hr. An express and a baggage car are following immediately behind the locomotive, and the milk cans shown in the previous photo will likely be loaded into one of them. Just beyond the platform of the station's freight shed you can see the white chute through which livestock could be put onto railway cars.

On the locomotive a crewman seems to be leaning from the fireman's side window. The running board door of the cab is open - perhaps for ventilation on a warm early summer's day.

The printing data on this Canadian Government topographic map indicates it was produced with the co-operation of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec and from aerial photographs by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The most recent reprint of the map was in 1937. It shows local railway lines at their fullest extent before the track abandonments on the Great Depression.

Segments of this map will appear below to show local transportation infrastructure as it existed back then.

This old map shows compass needle variation, but also includes an insert map of the location of benchmarks (particularly on the CPR line) and the lines of the railways through the Ottawa valley near Lachute. Before modern navigational aids, aircraft pilots could often find their way between major centres by simply following the 'iron compass' - that is, the railway tracks.

This segment of the map shows the connection between the CPR mainline and the spur leading to Brownsburg. The spur was shortened in subsequent years.

This CPR Public Timetable from April 15, 1936 shows the relatively light passenger traffic through Lachute. Beginning in approximately 1900, the CPR line through Vankleek Hill carried the fast passenger trains and the line through Lachute became a secondary line. Notice that trains 422 and 423 use the CPR Place Viger Station, while the other two use the CPR Windsor Station.

Here is Lachute in detail showing the 1937 status of the CPR and Canadian National Railways lines through town.

from: Ville de Lachute 1885-1985; City of Lachute - photo undated.

A photo of the original station used by the CPR at Lachute. 

from: The Railway Builders; Oscar D Skelton; 1920; Glasgow, Brook and Co.

The Canadian National Railways line passing through Lachute (which was removed during World War Two) was originally intended to be part of a much larger transcontinental system - the privately-owned Canadian Northern Railway. The Canadian Northern's tracks are shown on the map above. Before World War One, this railway was already well-established with an extensive branchline network on the Prairies and a new line reaching Vancouver.

Its builders bought and/or built Quebec railway lines which would enable it to transport grain directly from the west to its huge grain elevator at Quebec City - avoiding Montreal and Toronto. The transcontinental line, as shown above, was completed during World War One, but the railway was later forced into bankruptcy by The Canadian Bank of Commerce, and taken over by the Canadian government to form part of the Canadian National Railways.

Before the bankruptcy, the Canadian Northern builders had ALSO completed the Mount Royal Tunnel (not shown above) into downtown Montreal and the line through St Andrew's East (not shown above). Their idea was to have a rail corridor running between Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto using the tunnel and the line through St Andrew's East.

This Hawkesbury-Grenville portion of the 1937 map shows the (former) Canadian Northern Railway crossing of the Ottawa River. You can see spurs into Hawkesbury industries as well as a spur to the wharf on the Grenville side. The Canadian Northern builders had bought the roadbed of the former Carillon and Grenville railway and used part of the latter's roadbed for their line along the river. The spur to the wharf likely originated with the Carillon and Grenville as its business was to speed passengers around the canals during the summer months.

This map segment shows the full length of the Grenville Canal, its horse tow path and its locks. The canal can be seen ending at 'Greece Point'.

Continuing east from the Greece Point, we can see a ferry operation between Chute a Blondeau and Cushing. 

Cushing Junction requires some explanation. This is the junction of the two main Quebec railway lines of the (former) Canadian Northern. The one to the north has come from Quebec City, passing through Lachute and St Philippe. The one to the south has come from Montreal, through the Mount Royal Tunnel, and has passed through St Andrew's East and Carillon. Continuing west from Cushing Junction, trains would cross the railway bridge at Hawkesbury and travel to Ottawa via the south shore of the Ottawa River. From Ottawa, westbound trains would proceed to either Toronto, or via Sudbury to the Prairies and Vancouver. 

At Carillon we can see the original Carillon Canal and locks, and the earlier dam and power house. You will also notice the remnants of the canal built between the Ottawa and North Rivers - I believe this was intended to transport water - not boats.

In the St Andrew's and Pointe Fortune area you'll notice that no spur has yet been built to the gravel pit at St Andrew's. Of particular interest is the CPR commuter line from Montreal via Rigaud which arrives at Pointe Fortune - and stops short of the Ontario border.

Here is a CPR suburban train ready to leave Pointe Fortune in the 1890s.

 Here is another CPR suburban train ready to leave Pointe Fortune in 1912.

Notice that the train length and the apparent power of the locomotive used have increased, suggesting a demand for quick transportation between Montreal and the Carillon area. In the second photo is a cart containing milk cans.

Both locomotives are specially designed so they could run in reverse but still provide good track visibility for the crew. This meant that the engine could be simply run around the cars at or near the end of the line where no locomotive turntable was available.

Both photos from: Canadian Pacific Steam Locomotives; Omer Lavallee; 1985; Railfare.

Leaving the CPR Rigaud to Pointe Fortune branchline, and again following the CNR track east from St Andrew's, we pass Ro(d)gerdale and Lalande. All three stations were locations where full milk cans for Montreal were loaded onto a morning 'milk run' train with the empties sometimes returning on an evening train.

My father made the following notes on local operations probably circa 1930-1950 

St Andrew's - milk was shipped to Montreal from here.
Rodgerdale - milk stop, people sometimes got on/off.
Lalande - Ross, Stewart MacAdam, River Rouge. 

The photos below are NOT from the Lachute area but show the typical Canadian activity of loading milk cans on a train for transportation to a city dairy.

I have been told that around Geneva an individual farmer would transport (for a fee) the cans of a few neighbours to meet the train at St Andrew's. In the winter, a horse-drawn sleigh would be used as most rural roads were not plowed for automobiles until after World War Two. I think there was also a note by my father that the Geneva mik sleigh (and winter sleigh road) headed off in a more cross-country direction as snow accumulation was lower there than on the public road used during the warm season.

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The following timetable shows the 1922 public train schedule of the Canadian National Railways (as reproduced in an article of the Upper Canada Railway Society bulletin of March 1987). The bankrupt Canadian Northern Railway had been taken over by the CNR only a few years before.

Spot the milk run!: Train 82 leaving Hawkesbury at 0530hr and getting to Montreal via the Mount Royal Tunnel at 0750hr.

The following is a Canadian National Railways timetable from 1928 (as reproduced in the CRHA Kingston Rail of May 1993). By this time, the bankrupt former Canadian Northern lines had been combined with the bankrupt former Grand Trunk lines on the same CNR timetable page.

Only a gasoline-electric or diesel-electric self-propelled passenger coach (shown as 'motor train') still provided through passenger service between Montreal and Ottawa via St Andrew's East and the Hawkesbury railway bridge. 

But the milk run from Hawkesbury to Montreal through the Mount Royal Tunnel still survived!

(Montreal to Ottawa fast passenger trains on the CNR ran from Bonaventure Station in Montreal and through Coteau. This was the former Grand Trunk route - not shown.)