REID, ROBERT GILLESPIE (I—) . A Canadian railway contractor, born at Coupar Angus (Perthshire), Scotland. In 1865 he went to Australia, where he was interested in gold mining and other ventures. and in 1871 he emigrated to America, and had charge of the construction of the international bridge across the Niagara River, the international railway bridge over the Rio Grande, the Lachine Bridge over the Saint Lawrence, three-quarters of a mile in length, and much other important bridge work in the West. In 1893 he made a contract with the Government of Newfoundland colony whereby he was to construct a trans-insular railway from Saint John's to Port-aux-Basques, to be paid for at the rate of $15,600 a mile and completed in three years. It was likewise arranged that he was to maintain and operate the line for a period of ten years in consideration of a grant of 5000 acres of land in alternate blocks for each mile of railway constructed. In 189S he contracted with the Government to operate all trunk and branch railways in the island for a period of fifty years, on condition that these railways should, at the termination of the time specified, become his property. He was also to receive from the Government 2,500,000 acres of land on terms similar to those described in the previous contract; to obtain the Government telegraph lines: to build and operate seven steamers: to build and operate a street-railway in Saint
.Tohn's; to buy and operate the Saint John's dry dock: to pave a designated portion of Saint John's; and to pay $1,000,000 in cash to the Government within one year from the signing of the contract. Much opposition to this transac tion was aroused in the colony and finally re sulted in the resignation of the Governor, Sir James Winter, and his Cabinet, and the election of the Liberal Robert Bond. Reid then agreed to transfer his property to the Reid Newfound land Company. i-alitalized at with the understanding that the telegraphs were hn mediately to revert to Government, that the land grants should be so rearranged as to pro tect the rights of private owners property had been included therein, and that at the and of fifty years the colony might take over all rail ways:, on payment of 8E1100,000 with interest, thereon, and an additional sum, to be determined by arbitration, as reimbursement for all im provements made within that time.