Rama Timber Transport Company
Encyclopedia
The Rama Timber Transport Company was a Canadian
canal and railway company that was incorporated in 1868 to construct and operate the Black River & Lake St. John Canal & Portage Tramway.
The sole purpose of the company was to transport logs from the Black River and its tributaries to the waters of Lake Couchiching
and Lake Simcoe
in Rama Township
, located in the former County of Ontario
.
The idea for a canal
was initiated by Bell Ewart lumberman Henry W. Sage
. After a decade of intensive logging on Lake Simcoe, the availability of timber in the region was shrinking. To supply his mill, Sage purchased timber berths in Oakley Township Muskoka, in October 1866. Sage's plan was to float
the timber down the Black River from Oakley, not realizing the Black River does connect with Lake Couchiching, but flows to the Green River, about a mile below the outlet of Lake Couchiching, at Washago.
At first Sage considered removal of his mill at Bell Ewart to a site near the confluence of the two rivers. Lumber from there would still have to be transported to the Northern Railway
at Bell Ewart. To gain support for his idea of building the canal, Sage wrote to Bradford
lumberman Thompson Smith, owner of timber along the Black River and Head River
. In a letter to Thompson Smith, Sage wrote: "with the canal built there will be plenty to do, without it I think business will be limited."
Officials of the Northern Railway of Canada
also supported the canal idea since the decline of timber on Lake Simcoe had also led to a decline of revenue
for the railway.
An Act to Incorporate
the Rama Timber Transport Company, was passed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, March 4, 1868. Shareholders of the Company, as listed in the charter, included: Henry W. Sage, owner of the Bell Ewart mill; DeWitt Linn, Sage's (brother in law) mill manager; Thompson Smith, of the Bradford mills; Frederick William Cumberland
, Managing Director of the Northern Railway
; William Lount, an Orillia barrister
; along with Humphrey Lloyd Hime; Dalrymple Crawford and S. W. Farell.
The first director's meeting of the Company took place at Orillia, in November 1868. The directors were listed as, F. W. Cumberland; H. W. Sage; Thompson Smith; John Thomson, of Longford Mills and Clarence Moberly, Chief Engineer of the Northern Railway
.
The inclusion of Moberly to the board of directors
, offers a hint to the lack of details of the construction of the "mile long" canal. A "750 foot long" railway (the "Portage Tramway") was constructed across the neck of land between the north-west corner of Lake St. John and Portage Bay on Lake Couchiching. Logs from the Black River began flowing through the canal in April, 1869.
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...
canal and railway company that was incorporated in 1868 to construct and operate the Black River & Lake St. John Canal & Portage Tramway.
The sole purpose of the company was to transport logs from the Black River and its tributaries to the waters of Lake Couchiching
Lake Couchiching
Lake Couchiching, from the Ojibwe gojijiing meaning "inlet", is a small lake in Central Ontario separated from Lake Simcoe by a narrow channel. The Trent-Severn Waterway enters Lake Simcoe by the Talbot River and exits this lake by the Severn River which empties into Georgian Bay...
and Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...
in Rama Township
Ramara, Ontario
Ramara is a township municipality in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.Ramara was formed in 1994 through the amalgamation of the townships of Rama and Mara. The municipality stretches along the northeastern shore of Lake Simcoe from Gamebridge to Orillia, and along the entire eastern shore of Lake...
, located in the former County of Ontario
Ontario County, Ontario
Ontario County was the name of two historic counties in the Canadian province of Ontario.The original Ontario County existed from 1792 to 1800 as part of the Eastern District, and consisted of the islands in the St. Lawrence River...
.
The idea for a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
was initiated by Bell Ewart lumberman Henry W. Sage
Henry W. Sage
Henry W. Sage was a wealthy New York State businessman, philanthropist, and early benefactor and trustee of Cornell University....
. After a decade of intensive logging on Lake Simcoe, the availability of timber in the region was shrinking. To supply his mill, Sage purchased timber berths in Oakley Township Muskoka, in October 1866. Sage's plan was to float
Log driving
Log driving is a means of log transport which makes use of a river's current to move floating tree trunks downstream to sawmills and pulp mills.It was the main transportation method of the early logging industry in Europe and North America...
the timber down the Black River from Oakley, not realizing the Black River does connect with Lake Couchiching, but flows to the Green River, about a mile below the outlet of Lake Couchiching, at Washago.
At first Sage considered removal of his mill at Bell Ewart to a site near the confluence of the two rivers. Lumber from there would still have to be transported to the Northern Railway
Northern Railway of Canada
The Northern Railway of Canada was a historical Canadian railway located in the province of Ontario. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a predecessor to the modern Canadian National Railway.- Early history :...
at Bell Ewart. To gain support for his idea of building the canal, Sage wrote to Bradford
Bradford, Ontario
Bradford is the primary country urban area of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, in Canada. It overlooks a beautiful and prosperous farming community, known as The Holland Marsh, located on the Holland River that flows into Lake Simcoe...
lumberman Thompson Smith, owner of timber along the Black River and Head River
Head River (Ontario)
The Head River is a river in southern Ontario which flows from Head Lake to join the Black River which joins the Green River, about a mile downstream from Lake Couchiching, where it becomes the Severn....
. In a letter to Thompson Smith, Sage wrote: "with the canal built there will be plenty to do, without it I think business will be limited."
Officials of the Northern Railway of Canada
Northern Railway of Canada
The Northern Railway of Canada was a historical Canadian railway located in the province of Ontario. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a predecessor to the modern Canadian National Railway.- Early history :...
also supported the canal idea since the decline of timber on Lake Simcoe had also led to a decline of revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
for the railway.
An Act to Incorporate
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
the Rama Timber Transport Company, was passed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, March 4, 1868. Shareholders of the Company, as listed in the charter, included: Henry W. Sage, owner of the Bell Ewart mill; DeWitt Linn, Sage's (brother in law) mill manager; Thompson Smith, of the Bradford mills; Frederick William Cumberland
Frederick William Cumberland
Frederick William Cumberland was a Canadian engineer, architect and political figure. He represented the riding of Algoma in the 1st and 2nd Ontario Parliaments and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1871 to 1872....
, Managing Director of the Northern Railway
Northern Railway of Canada
The Northern Railway of Canada was a historical Canadian railway located in the province of Ontario. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a predecessor to the modern Canadian National Railway.- Early history :...
; William Lount, an Orillia barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
; along with Humphrey Lloyd Hime; Dalrymple Crawford and S. W. Farell.
The first director's meeting of the Company took place at Orillia, in November 1868. The directors were listed as, F. W. Cumberland; H. W. Sage; Thompson Smith; John Thomson, of Longford Mills and Clarence Moberly, Chief Engineer of the Northern Railway
Northern Railway of Canada
The Northern Railway of Canada was a historical Canadian railway located in the province of Ontario. It was eventually acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway, and is therefore a predecessor to the modern Canadian National Railway.- Early history :...
.
The inclusion of Moberly to the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
, offers a hint to the lack of details of the construction of the "mile long" canal. A "750 foot long" railway (the "Portage Tramway") was constructed across the neck of land between the north-west corner of Lake St. John and Portage Bay on Lake Couchiching. Logs from the Black River began flowing through the canal in April, 1869.