▁in ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁and ▁also ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Hob son ▁lived ▁in ▁Gu el ph ▁from ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 8 6 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 8 7 0 s . ▁From ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁to ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁engineer ▁to ▁George ▁L owe ▁Re id , ▁chief ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Western ▁Railway . ▁He ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁Well ington , ▁Grey ▁and ▁Bruce ▁Railway ▁from ▁Gu el ph ▁to ▁South am pton . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Railway ▁Bridge , ▁across ▁the ▁Ni ag ara ▁River ▁between ▁Fort ▁Er ie , ▁Ontario ▁and ▁Buff alo , ▁New ▁York , ▁was ▁contract ed ▁out ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁for ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁over ▁$ 1 ▁million . ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁about ▁a ▁half ▁mile ▁long . ▁The ▁engineer - in - ch ief ▁was ▁E . P . ▁Hann af ord . ▁Hob son ▁was ▁the ▁resident ▁engineer ▁and ▁lived ▁on site . ▁When ▁this ▁project ▁was ▁done ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁Hob son ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁chief ▁assistant ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Western ▁Railway ▁and ▁further ▁promoted ▁to ▁chief ▁engineer ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Hamilton , ▁then . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁he ▁became ▁chief ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Tr unk ▁Railway ▁west ▁of ▁Toronto . ▁ ▁Hob son ▁was ▁appointed