Charles Melvin Hays: Canadian Railroad Man-- "Some Appalling Disaster"

From Wikipedia. //// Born May 16, 1856. Died April 15, 1912. //// Began his railroad career as a clerk at age 17 and rapidly worked his way up until, in 1896, he became general manager of Grand Trunk Railway in Canada. In 1909, he became president. //// A big desire of his was to build a second Canadian transcontinental railroad. However, his company faced bankruptcy and he went to England to seek financial assistance. //// He was on his way back aboard the RMS Titanic and reportedly, the evening before the ship struck the iceberg, made a comment about the steamship companies seeking passengers by building newer, bigger and faster ships, saying, "The time will come soon when this trend will be checked by some appalling disaster." //// He assisted women aboard the lifeboats and then he, his son-in-law and secretary perished. His body was recovered by the Minia and he was buried at Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal. ////

Charles Hays' Chateau Laurier in Ottawa

From Wikipedia. .//// Opened in 1912 and, with its 429 rooms, one of the grand hotels of the world and very impressive from the outside. It was commissioned by Grand Trunk Railway President Charles Melville Hays and built for $2 million. It was his desire to have similar hotels built all along his railroad. //// He had some problems getting this one built as it is located on land that was part of Major Hill Park, but Canadian Prime Monister Sir Wilfrid Laurier (for whom it was named) assisted in getting the land. //// It was built from 1909-1912, in tandem with the construction of Ottawa's Union Station for railroads. A tunnel connected the two structures. One of the reasons Hays was on the Titanic was so he could be at the hotel on its grand opening on April 25, 1912. //// The hotel is now part of the Fairmont Hotel and Resort Chain which also has the Jaspar Park Lodge (1923) in Jaspar, Alberta; the Macdonald Edmonton (1923) in Edmonton, Alberta; Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia and Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. //// A Man With a Vision. --DaCoot

Canadian Titanic Victim Charles Hays Promoted Railroads and Tourism

From the April 16, 2012, Montreal (Canada) Gazette "Titanic victim promoted tourism to ship's owner" by Phil Reimer. //// CHARLES MELVIN HAYS, president of the Grand Trunk Railway, died when the famous ship sank. His home office was in Montreal and he was returning home after attempting to get funds to complete a railroad from Winnipeg to Prince Rupert. //// While in Canada, Hays was attempting to convince the White Star Line (Titanic's owner) to bring tourists to Canada.) At the time, most cruise ships carried immigrants as third-class and Hays wanted tourists to be able to go that class. //// Hays had just completed the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and its grand opening was set for April 25, 1912, but that was delayed until June after the Titanic sank. Hays had plans to build other magnificent hotels like this all across Canada. //// Of the 130 Canadians aboard, just 45 survived. //// Someone You Never Hear About. --Cooter