The Great Railway

This book, the first volume of a two-part history of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), chronicles the decade between 1871 and 1881, covering the initial, bold, and reckless decision by the young nation of Canada to construct the world's longest railroad across its vast, largely unexplored territory. Based on extensive primary sources like diaries, letters, and public documents, the narrative details the political and financial battles surrounding the railway's inception, including the scandalous awarding of contracts and the public outcry over the Pacific Scandal. It reconstructs the saga of the surveyors and construction men who struggled to overcome the geographic challenges of the Canadian Shield and the mountains, highlighting the era's ambition and corruption. This volume, subtitled *The Great Railway, 1871-1881*, covers the period from the railway's beginning until a new syndicate took over to complete the project.

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