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FORM NO. 25. 10M-5-12. MACKENZIE, MANN & CO., LIMITED EASTERN LINES ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT UCD L 17/1 IN YOUR REPLY REFER TO FILE
I wrote T. B. Dillon before last Xmas. to Synge St. & I have not since heard from him--- Frank. Flanagan has never answered me either. Why I wonder?
If you are coming here I hope you will call & see me.
R.P.OL--- 85 Gloucester St Toronto, Ontario 4-August 13 My dear Professor,
Your letter of 24th July to hand-- I have tried to get in touch with Geffery. thro O'Farrell, but the latter has lost track of him, and was himself anxious to know where he was_ It is a good idea to form a Canadian Branch of the Engineering Society, and as you have asked him to undertake it I will be glad to assist any way I can. I have many opportunities of nominating men for jobs and have filled 4 within the last 2 months. _ I may say, however that as far as construction of our Trans Continental line is concerned. - It is nearly through and there is not much likelihood of our taking on many new men until the line has been completed some time, when, branch lines will probably be started.
Of course you understand the man on the spot has a better chance than any of our men at home _ and I could not have got properly in touch with them in time. - I tried to fix Bourke but failed. To reply to your query as to my progress since I left you - March 1911. From March to {?} June 1911 I was with
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[preprinted letterhead] FORM NO. 25 10M-5-12.
MACKENZIE, MANN & CO., LIMITED EASTERN LINES ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
IN YOUR REPLY REFER TO FILE
TORONTO, CANADA [/preprinted letterhead]
UCD L17/2
the C.P.R. on maintenance as [Rodman?] - Draftsman, and subsequently Transitman. - In June I joined C.[R.?] as Resident Engineer when I was sent to Locate 22 miles on the Montrial [bland?] and City - and then had charge of 7 miles of Construction in Montreal --
That closed down in January, 1912, when I came back to Toronto and had charge of a party locating a line which we are going to build out of Toronto thru Hamilton - Niagara Falls to Buffalo.
I was at that all 1912. - Novr 1912, I made the survey, of our existing line from Toronto Northwards to Sudbury, and Gowganda (end of steel) 313 Miles - Revised the location in [same?] park. Surveyed all the station grounds and took soundings of all our [Trucker?] Trestles (about 84.) with the object of replacing them, with concrete and steel structures - and got out an estimate of the cost of same -- January 1913, that work was further and I was told I would be laid off: in [co?] with 10 other parties - as there was no more [pvt?] work opening up - went to the Chief Engineer of Construction for a pass home, which I got. - Three days after the seat for me and asked me to come and work in his office for 12 months, - what I agreed to do - March 1st of this year I was appointed, to my present position, which is Assistant to the Chief Engineer --
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[pencil marked]UCD L17/3[/pencil marked]
[preprinted letterhead] FORM NO, 23. 10M-5-12.
MACKENZIE, MANN & CO., LIMITED EASTERN LINES ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
IN YOUR REPLY REFER TO FILE
TORONTO, CANADA [/preprinted letterhead]
I have a large staff, and charge of the monthly returns of Construction on all our lines in Eastern Canada. I have to look over these returns, which show work done and material used each month - everything - mile by mile and foot by foot - from the preliminary clearing of the Right of Way, to the number of spikes driven. I have to keep check on the Field Engineers and Contractors, - and turn the returns into money, - and see to the Accounting Dept., so I have about $1,500,000.00 to loan each month. Altho' it doesn't look like it, the work is very varied. Engineering question arise as to whether the methods in particular cases were good or not, and Legal question with regard to Contractors. The work is very hard often work at my [?] and have to keep an elaborate and accurate system of filing.
About 1400 miles of Construction to keep track of and to be able to pick out what was done at some particular part of it, at a moment's notice, for some of the Presidents. I think I have nothing to [kut?] about as far as getting on is concerned.
Replying to your question. I do not care to say definitely when I will be home but very probably within the next 5 or 6 months. - best regards to Mrs Purcell. & best wishes
your servant [signed]R. P. OConner.[/signed]
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[envelope front]
[pencil marked][underlined]received Sep 10th 1913[/underlined][/pencil marked]
[postmark] TORONTO, ONT. AUG 11 8 - PM 1913 [/postmark]
[postmark] CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION TORONTO AUG. 23 - 1913 - SEP. 8 [/postmark]
[green postage stamp] CANADA POSTAGE [image of man, crowns, leaves] 1 ONE CENT 1 [/green postage stamp]
[green postage stamp] CANADA POSTAGE [image of man, crowns, leaves] 1 ONE CENT 1 [/green postage stamp]
[to] Professor. [C?]. F. Purcell. M [9 or A?]. [St or lt?] [strikethrough]National[/strikethrough] University [strikethrough]of Ireland[/strikethrough] [inserted][underlined]College[/underlined] [underlined]Earlsfort Terrace[/underlined][/inserted] Dublin Ireland. [/to]
[pencil marked]UCD L17[/pencil marked]
