Читать книгу End of the Line - Don McIver - Страница 5

Every author benefits from the contributions of others. Sometimes it may be no more than an interested response to an enthusiastic recounting of a single element of the story or a comment that helps the writer avoid the risk of becoming too immersed in detail. Others have provided continuous encouragement. To all those who have supported this initiative I am very grateful.

Today, newsworthy events are documented with a flood of instantaneous images. The episodes described in End of the Line occurred when photography was in its infancy. Those illustrations that have survived add immeasurably to the poignant authenticity of events as they unfolded a century and a half ago and I am greatly appreciative of those who helped make their inclusion possible.

Mac Swackhammer of the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology supplied the cover illustration that so perfectly captures the mood the morning after the disaster. Margaret Houghton, enthusiastic author and archivist with the Hamilton Public Library, generously provided material from the library’s collection. Cathy Roy and Andrew Porteus with the Niagara Falls Public Library helped illustrate aspects of Samuel Zimmerman’s remarkable career in that city.

Hamilton’s major historic site, Dundurn Castle, stands literally within eyesight of the fateful bridge over the Desjardins Canal and the man who built the elaborate mansion was intimately involved in the affairs of the railway. Dundurn’s curators Kenneth Heaman and Tom Minnes, along with Richard Barlas with Hamilton’s Culture Division, helped identify and provide some fascinating glimpses of the wonderful world that the castle represented.

Molly Hawkins, the great-granddaughter of Adam Ferrie’s young widow, kindly provided some of the family history and her cousin Tom Stewart was able to provide the illustration of Mary Dallas later in life.

Rick Berketa of Niagara Falls solved my problem of obtaining a photograph of the Zimmerman gravesite by simply driving to the graveyard with his camera.

I would like to extend gratitude to Barry and Jane Penhale for their invaluable advice and to Cheryl Hawley for the comprehensive, but extremely sensitive, job of text editing.

To these, and the many others who have helped with this project, I express my thanks. I would especially like to note the support provided by my family.