Way Back When   The photo above was snapped by Harry Hartley in 1913 when Mr. Hartley was baggage master at Swift Current. The line up is as follows:  H. Bradshaw, J. Thorneycroft, J. McLeod, W.B. McKibbon, A. Birtles, Herbert Smith, J. Wilson, Harold Bergh, and Nelson Angus who can be seen just inside the doorway.     Today's diesel powered shovels and "cats" would make short shrift of this muddy bank cut one mile from North Troy, Vermont, on the old Orford Mountain Rd., which has since been taken over by the Canadian Pacific. But in those early days it was a case of pick and shovel and old Dobbin. The boys who worked the cut apparently realized it was a tough job as they nicknamed the project "Culebra Cut, Jr." after the famous Panama Canal engineering feat.     Employees of the bridge and building department, Ontario District, Parkdale Shops, taken in 1888. Top row:  Edward Patterson, Archibald Taylor, William Smith, Harry Dunn, Fred Abbs, John Aikens, David McArtney. Centre:  James Dunn, Alan Stewart, John Stanners, O.F. Phillips, William See, and Benjamin Franklyn. Bottom:  John Wanless Sr., James Campbell, Frank Taylor, Robert Maquire, Peter Duclos, William Leventure, and John Wanless Jr.     Archie McNab, the young fellow seated on the roof, extreme right above the headlight, can recall only his fellow fireman, Jimmy Ward, leaning on the dome, extreme upper left, and A.A. Scott, shop foreman, fifth from left in the bottom row, in this old time picture. The photo was taken at Vancouver shops around 1904 when an engine was turned out to have a coat of arms put on it. If anyone can recall who the other employees are they may wish to write "Archie" at 17 Hull Avenue, Winnipeg.     Tiptoe through the years to the Moose Jaw Telegraph office as of March, 1906. Doff your derby and be pleased to make the acquaintance of, left to right:  Miss Josephine Lovelace operator, John Schofield messenger, and D.W. Gibson telegraph agent. The office was then located on the east side of Main Street - a block north of the station.     © 2005 William C. Slim       http://www.okthepk.ca