Collingwood Schreiber
Encyclopedia
Sir Collingwood Schreiber, KCMG
(December 14, 1831 – March 23, 1918) was a surveyor
, engineer
and civil servant. He is best known for his efforts in contributing to the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway
.
, Essex
, England
to the Reverend Thomas Schreiber and Sarah Bingham. Schreiber trained in England, and then migrated to Canada
in 1852, along with the rest of his family. He shortly thereafter began work as a railway engineer with the Hamilton and Toronto Railway. After four years with the firm, Schreiber left to work with Sanford Fleming. After working on various private railways, in 1864, Schreiber received his first government appointment and by 1873 he was the chief engineer for all government railways.
Subsequently, Schreiber became intimately involved in the construction of the CPR. In June 1880 he replaced the retiring Fleming as the chief engineer for the project and by July of that same year had become general manager
of all government railways in operation. He arranged financing and conducted repeated inspection tours, often with general manager William Cornelius Van Horne
. Without his efforts, it is certainly possible that the CPR would never have been completed.
In 1887, Schreiber was a founding member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers
, and in 1892 he was made the deputy minister of railways and canals, a position he held until the age of 73 in 1905. In 1893, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
and, in 1916, a Knight Commander. Schreiber continued in government employ until his death in 1918.
Despite living in an era rife with corruption, Schreiber always paid more attention to engineering than political concerns. He found a job for prime minister
John A. Macdonald
's nephew, but flatly refused to promote people with influence unless their performance merited it. He repeatedly clashed with political "meddlers", and was disliked by various ministers in the Macdonald and Laurier
administrations he served under.
Schreiber died in Ottawa
, Ontario
. The township of Schreiber, Ontario
is named after him and contains a plaque commemorating his life and achievements.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(December 14, 1831 – March 23, 1918) was a surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and civil servant. He is best known for his efforts in contributing to the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
.
Biography
Schreiber was born in Bradwell-on-SeaBradwell-on-Sea
Bradwell-on-Sea is a village in Essex, England. The village is on the Dengie peninsula. It is located about north-northeast of Southminster and is east from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the District of Maldon in the parliamentary constituency of Maldon whose boundaries were...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to the Reverend Thomas Schreiber and Sarah Bingham. Schreiber trained in England, and then migrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1852, along with the rest of his family. He shortly thereafter began work as a railway engineer with the Hamilton and Toronto Railway. After four years with the firm, Schreiber left to work with Sanford Fleming. After working on various private railways, in 1864, Schreiber received his first government appointment and by 1873 he was the chief engineer for all government railways.
Subsequently, Schreiber became intimately involved in the construction of the CPR. In June 1880 he replaced the retiring Fleming as the chief engineer for the project and by July of that same year had become general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of all government railways in operation. He arranged financing and conducted repeated inspection tours, often with general manager William Cornelius Van Horne
William Cornelius Van Horne
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, KCMG was a pioneering Canadian railway executive.-Life and career:Born in 1843 in rural Illinois, he moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois when he was eight years old...
. Without his efforts, it is certainly possible that the CPR would never have been completed.
In 1887, Schreiber was a founding member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers
Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering was founded in 1887 as the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers, renamed in 1918 as the Engineering Institute of Canada , and re-established in June 1972 as member society of the EIC under the slightly different but current name...
, and in 1892 he was made the deputy minister of railways and canals, a position he held until the age of 73 in 1905. In 1893, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
and, in 1916, a Knight Commander. Schreiber continued in government employ until his death in 1918.
Despite living in an era rife with corruption, Schreiber always paid more attention to engineering than political concerns. He found a job for prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
's nephew, but flatly refused to promote people with influence unless their performance merited it. He repeatedly clashed with political "meddlers", and was disliked by various ministers in the Macdonald and Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
administrations he served under.
Schreiber died in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The township of Schreiber, Ontario
Schreiber, Ontario
Schreiber is a municipal township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on the northernmost point of Lake Superior along Highway 17. The town, with a population of approximately 900 people, is almost completely located inside the geographic township of Priske, with a small western portion of...
is named after him and contains a plaque commemorating his life and achievements.