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Notes - Exhibit Number Fifteen 1. Since the Isbesters are believed to have been living at Ottawa in October 1879 (their son Alexander John Isbester was born at Ottawa December 18, 1879) the newspaper clipping from which this verbatim copy was made probably appeared in the local Ottawa newspaper a day or so after it appeared in the Montreal Star on October 2, 1879. 2. Reference to James Isbester leaving for Moncton on October 2, 1879, "for the purpose of completing the laying of rails on the Intercolonial" is not understood. 3. It was on July 6, 1876, that the first train from Halifax, Nova Scotia, over the Intercolonial Railway arrived at Quebec. (See Canadian National Railways Volume I page 194 by G. R. Stevens). In order to do so on this date rails must have been laid by then. In view of this what is meant by "completing the laying of rails." Possibly some of the work on the Intercolonial Railway was of a temporary nature and was not made permanent completely until October, 1879. Possibly iron rails were replaced with steel rails. As contractor, what work was James Isbester responsible for ?. 4. The clipping says that shortly after the completing of the laying of rails on the Intercolonial Railway James Isbester was to take charge of the works on Section B of the Pacific Railway. The headquarters for carrying out the work on Section B was at Rat Portage (later Kenora). This suggests that it must have been in late October of 1879» or, more likely early 1880, that the Isbester family moved to Rat Portage from Ottawa. Their third child Menota Isbester was born at Rat Portage on May 1, 1882. Work between Winnipeg and Port Arthur with the driving of the last spike near Eagle River, some 20 miles or so, east of Rat Portage on June 19th, 1882.