Historicali w hitby UNFINISHED RAI WAY Comninuters fromi Whitby who use the GO Train every day to go to work in Toronto rnay be interested to know that more than 60 years ago, a progressive project was corn menced to construct a radial line railway fromn Toronto to Oshawa and Bowi-anville. Called the Toronto and Eastern Railway, it was Coin- menced in 1913, and ran parallel to Highway 2. IL started with grand fanfare, but for varlous reasons, IL was neyer comnpleted. The following is the story of the construction of this railway through Whitby starting in 1913 and 1914, and finishing in 1927. As early as Decemnber 1910, an agreement was miade with the Town of Whitby to provide a right-of-way for die Toronto and EAstern Railway along Mary Street. The agreemnent stated that the railway would be coin- pleted by June 1913, but in March of that year, tie manager of the Toronto and Eastern appeared liefore counicil to ask for a six-înonth extension. H-e said that the track could be conipleted thtough the town in ime, but this woulc! mean that the remainder of the fine outside the boundaries of the old town could nuL be conmpleted. Council gave iLs consent for the extension, but the railway ran into problemns. The numnber one problemr was construction of a bridge on Mary Street over Ash Creek. The railway manager re- ferred Lu this job asut "goîd brick", because the place was a sink hole. Three tinen could push a rod dowu 25 feet into Lhe miud, which mecant that the company would have Lu drive piles there Lo get a foundation. The manager said he would gladly give the town $400 if iL would build the bridge. Asked wlhen the roaîd would be coinpleted, the iranager said lie was nuL miaking any predictions. He hiad already losL several silk hats through nîiaking bets as Lu the date of completion. This was Lu be a miodel inter-urbain electrie commiiuter railway, and because of iLs experimiental nature, iL was'rtining into difficulties. lit Septenîiber 1913, work crews were busy grading the right-uf-way on Mary Si: reet. There was considerable grade east of Brock Street and ai good deal of filling was rec1uired. Soniie residents expressed concerni that the rail- way w'ould take rip too iinuclh of the imad, anid the side. walks would haîve Lu be miioved baîck behiind the trees which lîined Mary Street. They did not waînt tu see their beautiful lawns ruinied.by construction work. Meanwhile the sisîk lhule ait Asir creek was caiusiug imore Problenms. A hitge 2,600 potind hiaimniier xvaîs bciiig tused to Y.FREESPRESS, WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 26, 1977, PAGE 7 drive pilesý, and iL was foünd" thatýtieîvhà d ta bedriveil 30 ta, 40 féet down t'O find so lid grokÈn. Agai 'n. the town couricil was asked foran çqxteïîsiofl ta the time limit for completion of the line, and iL was granted until October 1913. Four horses attached to a heavy plow found some dif- ficulty in grading Mary Street, which was described as a l'hard beaten road". IL was July 1914, before the rails and ties were laid Lhrough the Town of 'Whitby. Heavy trains of gravel ran back and forth along Mary Street, depositing' ballast for support of the tracks. By the end of July, a conLifluous track had been laid from Oshawa to Palace Street at the west end of Whitby. By the end of August, the rails had reached Lynde Creek. .Just as the Toronto and Eastern Railway appeared to, be proceeding well, the First Worild War broke out, the finances stopped, and the projeet came Lu a haIt, with much of Lhe hune between Toronto and Whitby uncompleted. After the war, work commeuced again, but financing was a problem. In 1923, Whitby's Mayor R.N Bassett, drove the first spike to inauguraLe the Whitby portion of the hune, but with- out the financial aid frorn the goverrnment that was expected the Toronto and Eastern Railway's future was short-lived. lu 1927, the Canadian National Railway, which had ac- quired the hune,' began teariug up the tracks, and a great dreamn that was far ahead of iLs ime, came to au end. Today, more than 60 years after the work commenced, there are stili signs of the old Toronto and Eastern Railway enbaînkmients between Whitby and Oshawa and Whitby and Ajax. Look for them soetime, iust north of Hiehwav 2. C Capers Sunday was a special Laymnen's Sunday. Ray Flatter. Walter Campbell and Bob Bribecomi were the parti- cipating laymien. Rev. Mllwain was gtîest speaiker ait the Anniversaîry Service of Newton Robinson United Churchi. Brownies nieet Tuesday between 4 andi 6 p.mi. Ctibs mecet every Wednesday at Thornton Comimunity Centre at 6:30 p.m. Choir Practice - Thursday evening 7:30. Westminster Bazaar Everyone has been wvorking fervently un items for dhe Bazaar Lu be held in the chuirch on Novemiber 1 2. Donai- ions Lo any of the following booths wvorld be gratefflly re- cei ved:- Knitting & Sewing, Novelties. Used Clothing. G mcti Thurnb, White Elephiant and Homne 3aikirg.. The Baiaar is te, be held on a Saturday this year, and a i lnchecon will bc served at noon horir. AnnivervSmndY. Westminster xiii hold a special anniversairy service on S unday November 13. Gtiest speaker will be tlie Rev. Roger Maggs. Chaplain of the Oshaîwaî Generail Hospitail. Turkev Dinner_ The annual turkey dinner served on Saturdaîy evening was a delight Lu behold. The ladies responsible deserve ai temendous vote of thanks for ail their efforts. The chutreh was beautifully decorated and the food superb. Not Lu forget the men who also participated, - they tuu deserve a vote of tlîanks. IL was a teamn effort aînd certainly nu dis- crimination was shown. Keep up the good work fellaîs, your help was certainly appreciated. Jovial Investment Limnited (PjçiAcres) This plan of subdivision, located between -Bownan Ave. and Elizabeth Cres., was presented to Coun'cil on May 9, 1977. Council denied the Planning Director's recommiend- ation at that ime, to approve the subdivision. The fastest way to'get your building started and finished 15 to COU us 655m3381 R. Bibeau Construction Ltd. .Brookfln Vw>nW.bmWd bolân 8MW à % Division of Dominion' Bridge Itd. The develuper lias nlo-w reviscd the plan and the Planning depaîrtmnent, ait the request of' the owners, -are reqLiesting that the plan be made the subject of a Public Meetingand that cunsidenable change have beeii propused. The rcvisiuns, in short. consist of' an increase in the lot fruritage of the lots baîcking on to the existing lots on Elj'abeth Crescent. su that cach lut on Elizabeth Crescent lias nu more than twu lots backi-ig un Lu it iand, and , redtic- tiun in the nmult iple dc nsity block. The original multiple density block, reconmmcnded hy the Planning Dcpairtilett %vaîs Imade tip of tuvinhuutsiig, group hlousing. stacked housing, aîpaîtments taike your pick. 1 don't think the resident really did discover just whiat the munltiple denisity block wvas, or the îimiiber uf' peî*sons per aicre Lu cxpect. The Planning departmlent are nuw re(questingthadi t a oubliec mectinwuof' the Admninistraîtive Cominittee bce hcld on THE ELYSIAN',ý" FIELDS ANTIQUES ART CRAFIS Located at Plum Hollow Books. 135 BROCK STREET SOUTH, WHITBY 668-1221 November 7,1977, To the resideuts in Lhe area of Bowmau Ave. and Eli.'abeth Cres., make a note of the date and be sure Lu attend the Public Meeting Lu view the revised plan. Carol, Glen and Andrew Shortt of Garrard Road ventured Lu Ottawa Lu sec the Quieen.From ail reports the Shortt's enjoyed their week-end and had au excellent view of Queen Elizaîbeth and Prince Philip. A week-end Lu remember. The next Corridor Capers dance will be held un Saturday, Feb. 1 8 at Heydenshore. I have already had requests for tickets, s0 executive members, and comnmunity residents get your request iu early. Looks like the next dance will be sold out before Christmas. Thats iLt for 1Ihis week folks, enjoy yourself - M. 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