His name has been publicly mentioned as one likely to receive honors at the hands of the King at no distant date. As “coming events cast their shadows before,” this is not at all improbable.
Senator Cox was one of a syndicate to build the Canadian Pacific Railway in opposition to the syndicate formed at Montreal. His name is now prominently connected with the Grand Trunk Pacific project.
His success in life has been phenomenal when his humble beginning is considered, and is a tolerably fair model for young Canadians to imitate in the battle of life.
SIR WILLIAM VAN HORNE.
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne.
Born near Joliette, Ill., February 3, 1843. On quitting school he began life as an office boy at the Railway Station there, and later became telegraph operator on the Illinois Central Railway. He was afterwards despatcher then superintendent of telegraph, and in a short time was made divisional superintendent of the Chicago and Alton Railway, and in 1872 general superintendent of the St. Louis and Kansas City and Northern Railway; from there he went, in 1874, to the Southern Minnesota Railway as its general manager.
In 1878 he returned to the Chicago and Alton Railway as general superintendent, but two years later he was called to the position of general superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, and in 1881 he was asked to take control of the Canadian Pacific Railway, then in process of construction. Under his vigorous and energetic direction the line was built in one-half of the time required by the contract between the government and the Company.
He has been successively Vice-President and President of the Company and is now Chairman of the Board of Directors.