Fascinating history of the Ontario Northland Railway through 1962, explaining how the pressure from early settlers and fear of French-Canadian influence led the government of George W. Ross to begin construction of the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway. The author traces the construction which triggered the discovery of valuable silver and gold deposits, the influx of miners and settlers, the eventual extension north to James Bay, and the dominance of the Ontario government and Toronto financiers during these years. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. End papers show system map with CN, CP and Algoma Central. 215 pages with index.