Clayton Elgin Bush
Mr. Bush was born August 14th,
1884, at Toronto, son of Elgin and Minnie Alberta (Reynolds) Bush. He
attended public school and Harbord Collegiate, and graduated in civil
engineering at Toronto University in 1909.
He wrote the music to the Varsity song, The Blue and White, and was
founder and president of the first Glee Club at the University.
After graduating, he entered a partnership in an engineering and
surveying firm in Calgary. He laid out the first race course in Calgary
and made a number of surveys in the Dunvegan and Peace River districts.
In 1914,
Mr. Bush enlisted for service in the First World War. He spent three
years in France, rising to the rank of major, and was responsible for
the establishment and operation of a military engineering training camp
in England.
After the war he was one of the first resident engineers with the
Ontario Department of Highways and was responsible for the development
of No. 10 Highway from Port Credit to Owen Sound.
Later he joined the Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission and worked
on the early St. Lawrence Seaway and hydro development surveys. He also
made the original ground surveys and reports for the Ogoki and Long Lac
projects diverting water from James Bay to the Great Lakes.
Following a number of years with Ontario Hydro, Mr. Bush re-entered
private survey practice, contracting for a number of highways surveys in
Northern Ontario.
In 1945
he joined the Conservation Authorities Branch. He was head of the
hydraulic section and in later years served as a consultant to the
branch until his illness.
Mr. Bush was a member of St. Thomas' Anglican Church and life member of
the Engineering Institute of Canada and the C Corps Cyclists Battalion
Association.
Mr. Bush died 17th March,
1963,
at Toronto.
Association of Ontario Land Surveyors Committee on Biography
