6 
NATURAL RESOURCES OF QUEBEC 
access to a number of settlement areas. The opening of this new country 
by railway is expected to produce considerable mining activity. This 
portion of the province is timbered principally with spruce and balsam, 
the two most valuable pulpwood species, and the settler in this region 
possesses the advantage of being able to sell as pulpwood the trees felled 
in clearing his land. Important settlements are now growing up in the 
Abitibi and Timiskaming districts near the Ontario border, and also in 
the vicinity of Lake St. John. 
A Network of Railways.—The older settled portions of the province 
are well supplied with railways. At Confederation in 1867, Quebec had 
less than 600 miles of steam railway; on December 31, 1925, the total 
railway mileage of the province was 5,267 miles. Additional mileage was 
constructed in 1926 and 1927. The railways are almost all comprised 
under the two large systems, the Canadian National and the Canadian 
Pacific. The map of the Eastern Townships shows a network of railways. 
The St. Lawrence valley is also particularly well served. A principal line 
of the Canadian National railways from Halifax, entering the province 
in the Gaspé district, extends the whole length of the St. Lawrence valley 
to Montreal, passing through Lévis, opposite Quebec. Another principal 
line of the Canadian National runs eastward from Montreal through the 
Eastern Townships on its way to Portland, Maine, on the Atlantic coast. 
Both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific have lines connecting 
Quebec with Montreal, and the latter with Ottawa. The Laurentian 
plateau is traversed by the main line of the Canadian National system 
running from Quebec city westward to the Pacific coast. A branch of 
the same railway extends from Quebec to the lake St. John district and 
a branch connects the main line at Taschereau with the recently opened 
gold and copper mines at Rouyn and Noranda. The Canadian Pacific 
sends several branches from the St. Lawrence and Ottawa valleys up into 
the picturesque Laurentian country; one extends from Montreal to Mont 
Laurier, another from Ottawa up the Gatineau valley to Maniwaki, and 
another from Ottawa to Waltham. The Canadian Pacific also sends a 
branch from the main line at Mattawa north into the heart of the Temis- 
kaming district. 
ROADS* 
A Good Roads Policy.—Quebec holds a leading place among the 
provinces of Canada for good roads. This is due to the policy of the 
Provincial Government inaugurated in 1912. Since then, by grants and 
subsidies, it has encouraged and promoted the making, improvement and 
maintenance of municipal roads and highways. By Act of Legislature, 
1927, the Government is authorized to maintain at its expense all improved 
" * Revised by the Department of Roads, Quebec.