“A man of commanding powers, perhaps the ablest man in Canada," said James Creelman “As an operator of railways, probably has not a superior on this continent, which is equivalent to saying that he has not an equal in this line in the world," wrote Canadian Life & Resources They were talking about Thomas George Shaughnessy (1853-1923), the gentleman who took such an interest in starting an orchard town on Okanagan Lake. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he married Elizabeth Bridget Nagle, and they had two sons and three daughters. Shaughnessy entered the employ of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in 1869 and in 1882 he joined the staff of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He became president of the railway in 1899 and continued as such until 1918. He was rated as a millionaire by the Montreal Star in 1911, one of the twenty-three men who were at the basis of Canadian finance. Knighted by Queen Victoria in 1901, and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (1907), he was created Baron Shaughnessy in 1916. The Canadian Pacific Railway had already realized the success in carrying on business with Lady Abderdeen’s Coldstream Fruit Ranch. By 1900, the CPR was considering purchasing more orchard land to provide fruit for their new hotel chain, and focused on BC’s interior; one area being the Trout Creek Ranche (Summerland). They looked at the irrigation requirements, soil conditions and financial risks but realized there wasn’t the required 10, 000 acres of land. The CPR abandoned the idea for the company, but Shaughnessy decided that he would personally continue the project and formed the Summerland Syndicate. By 1903, his Summerland Development Company had purchased the Barclay Ranch and surrounding lands. He hired J.M. Robinson as the company's manager, but Shaughnessy would often visit Summerland arriving with much fanfare aboard the sternwheelers. Prairie Valley was once called Millionaire's Row (through which the Kettle Valley Railway later travelled). It received this name because some of Canada's most wealthy men had purchased land in this valley, even though they did not reside here. A number of CPR executives felt that Shaughnessy’s project was a worthwhile investment and along with some wealthy business types from eastern Canada purchased orchard property in Summerland; Sir Herbert Holt, a successful businessman, Sir Edward Clouston, the General Manager of the Bank of Montreal, Sir Edmond Osler national president of the Dominion Bank and Charles Hosmer, a Montréal tycoon to name a few. Fruit ranches were also purchased by CPR executives Sir William Whyte, Western Canada Director and R.B. Angus, co-founder of the CPR. Next: The Promoters: selling the idea of a heaven on earth >>
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The railway, typified by this very old lantern, always had a profound effect on the communities that it passed through; some were created because of it and some prospered more because of it. Summerland was no different and fought for all its worth when the “powers that be” threatened that the railway would bypass the town! Apparently it was all about an
"infinitesimal" bridge (described in a later story) but many weren’t worried because
Sir Shaughnessy, the man who was dearly fond of Summerland, invested in it and certainly had everything to do with railways of that time! 
