14
Work train on CPR Bridge at Farwell (Revelstoke).1885
Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada
15
Work train on CPR Bridge at Farwell (Revelstoke) 1885.16
In Eagle Pass, the construction workers met few of the problems they had encountered in Rogers Pass so the work went much more quickly.17
Reminiscences of Colonel Edward Mallandaine. 'Adventures in Eagle Pass' Read by Jules Thomas.29 June 1940
Eagle Pass, Monashee Range, British Columbia, Canada
18
Reminiscences of Colonel Edward Mallandaine, June 29 1940 'Adventures in Eagle Pass'Read by Jules Thomas.
19
By the time the first engine crossed the railway bridge over the river on October 17, 1885, there was already talk of the site becoming a major centre for trade across the country by rail and down to the USA by boat.20
C.P.R. bridge at Farwell (Revelstoke).1885
Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada
21
Community of Farwell (Revelstoke) showing the newly constructed CPR bridge, 1885.22
Edward Mallandaine recalls the driving of the last spike:"On the afternoon of November 6, several of us left Farwell on a train consisting of an engine and tender and three flat cars loaded with rails - the last train to load rails for Craigellachie. A cold, cheerless roughride we had. Shortly after leaving Farwell, it began to snow. This made the rails slippery and when we reached the big gumbo slide, or grade, we were unable to get over it after three attempts. Each time the train would run back on itself and we were obliged to cut off one car. Then we managed to make it over the grade.
"Far into the darkness of the night we travelled, shivering with cold; lying down on top of the steel rails unable to sleep, almost shaken to pieces as the train travelled slowly over the unballasted and rough roadbed. Finally it came to an end. It was pitch dark and we were able to get off and after a great deal of difficulty we managed to snatch a short sleep in a vacant box car. All through the night the rails were laid from both East and West, and early the following morning, November 7, we were astir, watching the rails gradually approaching each other."
23
Driving the last spike of the C.P.R. mainline.6 November 1885
Craigellachie, British Columbia, Canada
24
Donald Smith driving the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, November 6, 1885.25
Reminiscences of Colonel Edward Mallandaine. 'Driving of the Last Spike' Read by Jules Thomas.29 July 1940
Craigellachie, British Columbia, Canada
26
Reminiscences of Colonel Edward Mallandaine, June 29 1940. 'Driving of the Last Spike'Read by Jules Thomas.
27
Edward Mallandaine describes the photographs taken to commemorate the historic driving of the Last Spike."Before doing so three photographs were taken by a little humpbacked photographer named Ross, of Ross, Best & Co., Winnipeg: one when Sir Donald had the hammer over his shoulder, preparatory to striking; one with the hammer over his head, and one with the hammer on the nail head. Then he quickly and in a most workmanlike manner, drove the spike home. Everybody cheered; the locomotives whistled and shrieked; several short speeces were made; hands were shaken, and Major Rogers, the discoverer of the pass named after him, became so gleeful that he up-ended a huge tie and tried to mark the spot by the side of the track by sticking it in the ground...
"As soon as the ceremony was over the last spike was extracted and hammered to bits, and the last piece of rail that was cut off was chipped, and the last tie was splintered and everyone who wanted it secured a memento of this memorable occasion."
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