Talk:Nipissing (federal electoral district)

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Nipissing County Town Election 1895.

In 1895, the District of Nipissing was a vast geographical territory. Its principal population and settlement occurred on the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) line that cut across the southern portion of the district. The CPR amalgamated with the railway (Canada Central)that had a line from Pembroke to Mattawa prior to 1882. That former railway had extended its line to Callander (later called Bonfield) when the CPR took over in 1882. The CPR then built its line to North Bay, Sturgeon Falls, Sudbury and beyond. There were many other stops along the line in Nipissing. In 1895, the District of Nipissing extended from the western part of Renfrew County to Algoma Mills. Then it was all the land north of that line up to the Albany River which was the northern boundary of the province. The area north of North Bay was mostly uninhabited since easy transportation was unavailable. This part of the district was mostly fur trading and lumbering in the Lake Temiskaming region. Access to Lake Temiskaming was through Mattawa to the present town of Temiskaming and then by boat to the head of the lake. The major settlements by the early 1890s were Mattawa, North Bay, Sturgeon Falls and McKim Township (Sudbury). Mattawa was well established as a lumbering and trading centre at the junction of the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers. A Hudson Bay trading post had been established on the river for some years. However, it was the lumber resources that attracted most interest and accounted for the livelihood of the community and area. North Bay was a railway town. It owed its existence to the CPR. Its designation as a CPR divisional point was the impetus for fairly rapid development and growth. John Ferguson, a relative of one of the principals that established the CPR, arrived in North Bay on one of the first trains. He was a young 18-19 year old but had a sense that North Bay would be a good place to make an investment. He purchased 282 acres of land in what is now the centre of North Bay. He registered a plan of subdivision (Plan 10) and proceeded to sell lots. While he later branched out into other entrepreneurial enterprises, it was his land development that provided him with the financial advantage to become the town's pioneer success story. Sturgeon Falls existed before the arrival of the CPR in 1882. Early pioneers, like Mr Holditch, had come across Lake Nipissing from the southern village of Nipissing (Parry Sound district) to found the town. It was a trading and lumbering centre started by English-speaking pioneers but soon became a popular destination for French-Canadian settlers. Proceeding west along the CPR through towns like Verner and Warren, the rail line reached McKim Township (Sudbury) which was the next divisional point. Again, it was the CPR expansion that accounted for French-Canadian and English settlement in this area. Steve Fournier and Francis Cochrane were rising politicians and active citizens and James A Orr was publisher of the Sudbury Journal. The District extended west to Algoma Mills then north across the CPR line and up to the Albany River. The District of Nipissing was given representation in the Ontario Legislature in 1890. The Liberal member was John Loughrin from Mattawa. There was a move to petition the Mowat government for county status. However, this was an unrealistic and far too ambitious dream for a territory as vast as Nipissing. The towns were too far apart. In southern Ontario, 60 miles was considered as the maximum distance one should have to travel to the county town. Most counties were much smaller. The advantage in the south was that rail travel was available and made these shorter distances manageable. The Mowat government decided to create the Provisional Judicial District of Nipissing and establish a district town. To avoid dissension, Mowat determined that the district town (district and county town are used interchangeably) would be chosen by a vote of the electors. Three towns were in the running: Mattawa, North Bay and Sturgeon Falls. For about a year prior to the election, the subject of the selection of district town dominated conversation at picnics and gatherings throughout the district. (To be continued...)