Railroad The coming of the railway to P.E.I , was the topic of much public debate. One of the chief advocates of the railway was J.C. Pope . In the provincial elections of 1870, Pope led his Reform Party to power and immediately introduced a bill to have a railway built from Alberton to Georgetown . This Bill was passed despite the belief by many that the project was too costly. Early in 1871, surveying began, railbed was laid and stations were built. Late in 1872, faced with strong public and parliamentary opposition to his railway policy, Pope had no choice but to call an election. He was soundly defeated. The new government, however, realized the necessity of a good railway and approached the Canadian Government with its financial problems. In 1873, after much negotiation, Prince Edward Island joined Confederation as the Dominion's seventh province on condition that the federal govern¬ ment pay the cost of completing the railway system and maintain a ferry service between the Island and the mainland. Meanwhile, crews were laying rail from Alberton to Georgetown . Cardi¬ gan saw its first regularly scheduled train in the summer of 1874. In 1875, there was rail service throughout the whole system. This first railway was built on narrow track. In 1926, this was changed to the wider standard gauge to bring it in line with the rest of the Canadian railway system. One of the first trains in Cardigan . The railway was expected to bring great prosperity to Cardigan . The village and its surrounding districts did benefit as the railway provided an easier means of transporting farm and fish products, dry goods, and other freight such as the mail, which was delivered to Cardigan and then sent by courier to outlying districts.