The Canadian Pacific has put the Beaver back on its Crest, Published 22 February 1946 'Cross Town with Cross The Canadian Pacific has put the beaver back on its crest. It should never have been taken off anyway. For as long as I could remember, the beaver always symbolized the old CPR. Then under the Beatty regime, somebody got a brainwave, and they threw out the beaver. What actually happened was that some solon high up in Windsor Station decided to abandon the beaver and use their new crest for bookkeeping purposes. In other words, they had one crest for railways, another for steamships, another for communications, another for hotels, and so on. As if it made any difference anyway. Everybody knew the Canadian Pacific, and the public didn't give a Tinker's Cuss what department it was. It was the CPR, wasn't it? So now President D'Arcy C. Coleman has restored the beaver to its pristine place on the Canadian Pacific shield, by official degree. If it is any comfort to the president, he's got me right behind him in this. The beaver recalls the old days. There was the original Beaver Line of steamships, long before the last war, which, if I am not mistaken, the Canadian Pacific bought from Elder Dempster. Then the CP Steamships started out this war with five Beaver ships, such as the Beaverburn, Beaverhill, etc. They were ten thousand ton ships, and not much slower than passenger liners. One of them brought out the Royal Scot in 1933. Now they're all gone but one, they tell me. But new Beavers are springing up to replace the old, and I was glad to see that President Colenjan recently christened the Beaverdell, when he .was in England. Nor am I likely to forget any-more than President Coleman is that the most northerly point on the main line of the CPR is at Beavermouth, at Mile 2439.7. It Is not far west of here that you enter the famous Connaught tunnel. You are aware too, of how far north Beavermouth is, if you try to take pictures there in winter. In December, it is almost dark there at 4 p.m. * * * I have an old folder of the Canadian Pacific for 1919 at home, and when I take it out and look at it, I think how much finer it is with the beaver on top than the present beaverless shield. There are, however, apparently two opinions as to how good a beaver the CPR has on top of its new shield. I consulted Captain V. A. Bower, The Evening Citizen's own fish and game expert, and he gave me the following written opinion. I quote from Captain Bower: "The CPR's new beaver, which is apparently actually an old beaver brought back, from the viewpoint of a woodsman might be classified as a good beaver, as far as beavers go in drawings. But he looks like he has been carrying too big trees. His tail is not as large as the proudest of the beaver can usually boast and the manner in which his head joins his body is no masterpiece of art. But in general he is not bad." I myself liked the old beaver better, as viewed "en profile." This new beaver switches his tail over the Canadian Pacific crest and looks at you, three quarter face. However, I am not going to quibble about full face or profile, lest I get into a feud with Mr. Karsh, who has photographed more than one beaver in his time. The main thing is, however, that the beaver's back with the CPR, and it was a good day's work when they induced him to get on top of the old shield again. |