Canadian Pacific Railway Telegraph
In the charter of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company it had power to carry on a commercial telegraph business throughout the Dominion of Canada.
The telegraph lines of this company were constructed concurrently with the railway which was begun in 1880 and completed in 1885.
The following year the company inaugurated the commercial telegraph business and Mr. C. R. Hosmer was appointed General Manager of this branch of the company’s business; this selection was recognized as a fortunate one for the company; no better qualified man could have been found in Canada than he to properly fill this important position. It was no light task he had undertaken, to equip and man the numerous stations as they were opened up for business, covering such a vast extent of territory as well as to enter into competition with a long established telegraph system through the more populous sections in the East. About this time the Postal Telegraph Cable Company was reorganized in the United States, and the Commercial Cable established, and a working arrangement made between these companies and the Canadian Pacific Telegraph for interchange of traffic, which has proven mutually beneficial to each company concerned.
The lines of the Canadian Pacific System traverse from Halifax to Vancouver, including numerous branch lines.
The Postal Telegraph Cable Company cover nearly every state and territory in the United States. A direct connection is made with the Government Cable to Australia at Vancouver and with the Commercial Cable Company at Canso, N.S.
In 1902 the Canadian Pacific Telegraph System had in operation 9,736 miles of line and 41,354 miles of wire, 1,022 offices and transmitted during that year 2,053,000 messages, not including press matter or railway messages.
The Company has two number six copper wires extending from Montreal to Vancouver.
About four years ago Mr. Hosmer resigned; he was succeeded by Mr. James Kent, formerly Superintendent of the Eastern division. Under him there are five divisional Superintendents, namely:—