- Brian McConnell
Brian Douglas McConnell (
29 February 1836 in Gaspe BasinQuebec ,Canada —13 July 1930 in North Bay,Ontario ,Canada ) was one of Canada's “pioneer railway builders.” He was educated as aCivil Engineer at Sorel inQuebec City (1846-1853).After graduating, McConnell was articled to the land surveyor
Robert Hayden in 1853 and began professional employment at the office ofThomas Keefer in 1854. While at that firm, he worked as arodman on the construction of theMontreal Aqueduct .Between 1854 and 1870 McConnell lived in Quebec and worked on such contracts as dredging and improving
Montreal Harbour (1863) and theQuebec Harbour (1866).McConnell is best known, however, for his work on the
Canadian Pacific Railway . He was among the eighteen civil engineers to originally survey the north shore ofLake Superior in 1878. At this time, he was employed by theGovernment of Canada as the C.P.R. had not yet assumed charge over the project. Having completed his work inNorthern Ontario , McConnell returned toMontreal and became the superintendent for the city’s water works where he remained until 1892. He was the resident engineer for the city of Westmount (1893-1896) and finally entered into private practice and remained as such until 1916.He was a member of the
Canadian Society of Civil Engineers , theEngineering Institute of Canada , the Land Surveyors ofQuebec , theNew England Water Works Association , and a member of theChurch of England . McConnell’s early work on theC.P.R. and subsequent achievements makes him an important figure in the history of Canada, and Canadian engineering. McConnell's official biographer is historian, Daniel Hambly.
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