In The Days When Dobbin Beat The CPR, Published 21 July 1947 Angus McDonnell, a Prudential Insurance man from 85 Sparks street writes in to get some clarification if he can about a railway story. Angus breaks down and admits he was born not far from Mile End station in Montreal, "in the days when the Bleury cars turned back at Mount Royal avenue, and there were only three important points in that section of Montreal -Outremont yards, Frcntenac brewery, and Shamrock lacros.se grounds. "My father spent 41 years on an engine with the CPR and 35 of these as an engineer. Now you know why I like railroad stuff whether Austin Cross writes it or anyone else." When our Angus speaks of Mile End station, he and I could have a quiet cry together. It was picturesquely located in the North end, and was a sort of focal point for that part of Montreal. In the old days, you could catch a train there if you missed it at Place Viger. Harry Hyland, scheduled once to play a hockey game at Quebec, missed his train at Place Viger, grabbed a horse drawn cab - believe it or not - and the old hoss hauled Harry and the hack, up the grade to Mile End fast enough to beat the CPR. At least so the Montreal Herald said, in 1910, |