A photograph album created by an unknown person, documenting the 1910 train trip completed by Sir Wilfrid Laurier, as Prime Minister, across western Canada. In July and August, Sir Laurier traveled on a special Grand Trunk Pacific train from Fort William, ON to Prince Rupert, B.C. and back, returning to Ottawa September 7, 1910. He was accompanied by numerous colleagues, including his private secretary, E. J. Lemaire; Minister of Railways and Canals, George Perry Graham, M.P.; Edward Mortimer Macdonald, M.P.; and Frederick Forsythe Pardee, M.P.
The B&W photographs are captioned in white on the black paper pages of the album. The photographs are only roughly in chronological order. The owner of the album titled the first page, "The Grand Trunk Pacific Trip." The acronym "G.T.P." is used for Grand Trunk Pacific railway throughout the album. Minister Graham is identified in the photographs by the acronym "G.P.G."
Photographs include:
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Various photographs of the group chatting and milling around the train, occasionally posing for the photographer. Several of these photographs also show the train's crew.
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A large welcome sign on the bridge in Fort William, ON.
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Two photographs of the August 5th train wreck between the Laurier special train and a freight train on the C.P.R. track east of Moose Jaw between Belle Plaine and Pense. The train car is torn apart like a toy. No one in the prime minister's party was seriously injured.
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One photograph of a man in a buggy, captioned "Joe" Clarke. This appears to be the future mayor of Edmonton.
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Captioned photographs of the welcome received at Inverness [?], Winnipeg [MB], Melfort [SK], Selkirk [MB], Yorkton [SK], Medicine Hat [AB], Calgary [AB], Wetaskiwin [AB], Rosthern [SK], Banff [AB], Golden [B.C.], Prince Rupert [B.C.], and Victoria [B.C.].
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Photograph of the "Welcome to our Premier" arch made of oats in Yorkton, SK.
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Several photographs of Indigenous people.
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Two photographs of "Buffalo at Banff," including a calf.
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Several beautiful photographs of the Rocky Mountains.
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Several photographs taken from the deck of a ship off the coast of Prince Rupert, B.C.