It was not until 1881, under
Sir John Macdonald's Premiership, that a contract was signed with
a new Company to complete the Canadian Pacific within ten years,
but so rapid was the progress made, that the last spike was
actually driven on November 7, 1886, five years before the
stipulated time. The names of three Scotsmen will always be
associated with this gigantic undertaking: those of the late
Donald Smith, afterwards Lord Strathcona; George Stephen, now Lord
Mount-stephen; and Mr. R. B. Angus of Montreal. The last spike,
which was driven in at a place called Craigellachie, by Mrs.
Mackenzie, widow of the Premier under whom the C.P.R. had been
commenced, was of an unusual character, for it was of eighteen-
carat gold. In the course of an hour it was replaced by a more
serviceable spike of steel. I have often seen Mrs. Mackenzie
wearing the original gold spike, with "Craigellachie" on it in
diamonds.
There are few finer views in the world than that from the terrace
of the Citadel of Quebec over the mighty expanse of the St.
Lawrence, with ocean-going steamers lying so close below that it
would be possible to drop a stone from the Citadel on to their
decks; and the view from the Dufferin Terrace, two hundred feet
lower down, is just as fine.
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