These pictures concern the Canal from Lake St. John (pronounced Cinjin) to the Black River. This is a little known matter in Orillia. These operations involve those of the Longford Lumber Company of which John Thomson, father of Wm. Thomson and Mrs. Dr. A. E. Ardagh, was the head. Their operations were principally in Longford Township and were very extensive. They had acquired the Township from the Canadian Land and Immigration Company. In order to facilitate their operations in bringing logs down the Black River, which extends into Haliburton Co., they built a Canal from the Black River into Lake St. John. Their mill was on what is known as the “Portage” between Lake St. John and Lake Couchiching. The slide shown on 132(c) connected the two lakes. Remains of the slide were in existence until recent years.
The Carriella operated from Orillia to the portage above mentioned and Washago. It operated in the 1870’s and 1880’s.
The existence of the old Canal is largely unknown by Orillians but it is still in existence and the extent of the lumber operations is indicated by the same.

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