George F. Abbott

“ The situation on the bluffs of the Ottawa river is commanding, and gives fine opportunity for architectural display. The group of Government buildings is surpassingly fine. The Parliament House and the department buildings on three sides of a square are exceedingly effective in color and in the perfection of Gothic detail, especially in the noble towers. There are few groups of buildings anywhere so pleasing to the eye, or that appeal more strongly to one's sense of dignity and beauty. ”

“ CHAUDIERE FALLS.
A little more than 100 years ago Heriot wrote thus in his "Travels through Canada": "A waterfall occupies the breadth of the river, and dashing over a rugged and irregular cliff, of about 30 feet in altitude, exhibits to the view of the traveller, in the midst of a territory where dreary solitude prevails, an object at once brilliant, enlivening and picturesque. ”

“ The long climb is well rewarded by the views from the top, which can hardly be surpassed on the continent. The country for miles around is at one's feet. Here can be seen 20 miles of the Ottawa river, the thread of the Rideau canal, the Gatineau and Rideau rivers, and the Chaudiere Falls, while the majestic scenery to the north and west have a fitting foil in the peaceful and more level land to the east and south. ”

“ Making their home at the seat of Government are 3,600 of the country's Civil Service, who, with their families, form no inconsiderable portion of the population. Resident at Ottawa are the members of the more important bodies which control the country and its destinies: the executive, administrative and judicial officers. The wealth of the city is increasing, due largely to its natural resources. The natural beauty is being aided by carefully considered artificial improvements, and before long Ottawa will be known as one of the most beautiful cities on this continent. ”

“ The light from the top of his tall incinerator tower is conspicuous at night for miles around. This mill, and its yards, were the only exceptions in the path of destruction by the great fire, even the bridges being twisted into shapeless masses of iron. ”

“ The ground has been prettily laid out, and one of the finest views in the city is obtainable from the top of this splendid promontory. Ranged around the top of the cliff, and appearing to command the river at all points, are seven British cannon, now used only for the peaceful purpose of firing salutes at the opening and closing of Parliament, and at such times as Royalty appears officially at the Capital. ”

“ In seasons of high water in the Ottawa, the lower parts of the little village, and also many suburban residences, are frequently flooded, and boats are rowed ever the streets. The spire of the little French church is a striking object in the landscape. ”

“ The building which shelters the Supreme Court of Canada and the Exchequer Court of Canada lies at the foot of a bank which slopes from the western front of the West Block. The building, which is of Nepean sandstone, is pretty but unpretentious. The Supreme Court is the highest court of Canada, and has appellate, criminal and civil jurisdiction. It consists of a chief justice and five puisne judges. The Exchequer Court is presided over by a single judge, and has original exclusive jurisdiction in all actions against the Crown. ”

“ Over 100 trains come and go daily. The city is on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and every train from the Atlantic to the Pacific which takes the shortest route, must pass over the Alexandra bridge. The Grand Trunk Railway passes through Ottawa on its way from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes. ”

“ At the head of the stairway to the right is the lobby of the Senate Chamber; just inside the door, at the left, is a portrait of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901, but who had been thirty years on the throne when Parliament first sat in these halls. On the walls here, and in the corridor at each side of the Chamber, are portraits of former speakers and statesmen. The Chambers of the two houses are identical in design, size and shape, being 82 by 45 feet. The galleries of each chamber accommodate about 1,000 persons. ”

“ The prophecy was made when in the company of the English Engineer officer who was sent to construct a waterway from the Ottawa river to the Great Lakes, and whose name is inseparably connected with the birth of the city. A still earlier epoch calls our attention. In 1613 Samuel de Champlain, the founder of Quebec, whose tercentenary was celebrated but recently, ascended the Ottawa river on his way to Lake Huron, and was unquestionably the first white man to stand on this site. ”

“ Canada is essentially a country of water powers, and rivers with falls or varying height abound. But no district perhaps is richer in "white coal," as this power has been called, than the country around Ottawa. Inside the city limits alone there is 100,000 horse power, and within ten miles of the City Hall 230,000 horse power is available ”

“ At the far edge of the lawn is one of the Government greenhouses. Continuing north a pretty view is seen from the parapet. Ascending the steps we reach a mound on which are a couple of Russian cannon, nearly hidden within the shrubbery, but seeming to protect the statue of Queen Victoria (see p. 22) . ”

“ The corridors are divided into sections by means of fire doors to separate them in an emergency, although the hotel is absolutely fire-proof, no wood, except frames for doors and baseboards, being used in its construction. The main corridors lead directly to fire escapes, iron balconies and stairways inside the building. All the windows and service floors will be screened with the best Canadian-made fly screens, and a special refrigerating room will be provided to freeze the garbage until it is removed from the building. ”

“ An heroic sacrifice is recorded by the statue of "Sir Galahad." This monument, at the head of Metcalfe street, commemorates the death of a young Ottawan who, in an attempt to save the life of a companion, plunged into the icy waters of the Ottawa. ”

“ The floor is inlaid with Canadian woods, and the book shelves are richly carved in Canadian white pine. In the centre is a white marble statue of Queen Victoria, by Marshall Wood, the English sculptor. The building was completed in 1876. At the time the Government removed to Ottawa the library contained 55,000 volumes; there are now 350,000. The accommodation for books is now entirely inadequate. The collection of books and pamphlets relating to Canada is very complete. When Parliament is not sitting books may be obtained under certain restrictions. ”

“ Other kindred industries have followed, among them manufactures of pulp, paper, matches, indurated fibre ware, woodwork of all kinds, furniture, pianos, and cars, while a large business is done in the manufacture of tents and army supplies, calcium carbide, bricks, and commercial mica. Last, but not least, that immense industry the manufacture of Portland cement. The harnessing of the unemployed water powers must, in the near future, result in the city being one of the greatest manufacturing centres on the continent. ”

“ Simplicity of architecture is characteristic of the handsome stone building on Sussex street where the records of Old Canada are stored. The wide green lawn forms an effective foreground. Round the parapet of the building will be seen the Arms, carved in stone, of the different provinces, while at either side of the entrance door two bronze tablets inform the reader that one Gilles Hocquart, Intendant of New France, in 1731, made the first proposal of a building for archives, but not until 1906 was the present structure commenced under Hon. ”

“ The building houses the Geological Survey with its extensive natural history and anthropological collections, and the National Art Gallery. The eastern wing, on the first, second and third floors, is occupied by art, the rest of the building by the Geological Survey. On entering the building one finds one's self in a large rotunda from which one gets an impressive view of the exhibition halls on each side, and of the successive floors and galleries above. ”

“ Laurier Bridge, named after Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Premier of Canada, crosses the Rideau Canal and railway tracks at Laurier ave., in front of the Armouries, and connects the Sandy Hill district with centre town.
Union Bridge crosses the Ottawa river immediately below the Chaudiere Falls, and the finest possible view of the falls is had from the north end ot the bridge. Turning about is a most picturesque view of the Parliament Buildings and the Ottawa river. ”

“ From a village with a population of 1,000 persons in 1828, Ottawa has become a city of 90,000, or, if its sister city of Hull and the suburbs of both cities be included, of about 115,000 persons, with an area of over 52,000 acres. ”

“ The difference in level between the Ottawa river and Lake Ontario is 458 feet. This is overcome by 47 locks, the majority of which are 134 feet in length by 33 feet in width; of these, 8 are in the heart of the city. ”

“ The Militia of Canada consists of Permanent and Non-Permanent units, and is administered by a Militia Council stationed in Ottawa, though each Divisional area, of which there are six, is self-administered. ”

“ Facing us is Parliament square, 700 feet by 600 feet, an open space which enables the buildings on the four sides to be seen to advantage. The use of the lawn is permitted to members of the Civil Service for cricket, tennis and other sports. ”

“ Standing at the northerly point of Parliament Hill, or, better still, from the tower of the Parliament Buildings, one sees the magnificent Ottawa winding its course from the islands in the far distance at the left, down the Chaudiere Falls, past the great lumbering industries before one's feet, till it flows underneath the Alexandra bridge at Nepean Point, then, joined by the Gatineau river, it passes the pretty little village of Gatineau Point, whence it continues its course to meet the St. ”

“ Cars leave during the summer at the hour, and then every 20 minutes for Hull, Ottawa Golf Club, Country Club, Rivermead Golf Club, Deschênes, Aylmer and Queen's Park. During the winter cars run every half hour. Cars to Hull only, run very frequently. ”

“ An old style of French architecture has been used for the Chateau Laurier, and it is built of granite and light buff Indiana sandstone with copper roof. It contains 350 bedrooms; all are outside rooms, and two-thirds of them have private baths. ”

“ A lumber centre from birth, the twin cities still hold their own. On the banks of a mighty river, down which logs and timber must continue to float for many years, there have necessarily arisen mills to deal with the product of the forests on the banks of that river and its tributary streams. ”

“ Wright of Ottawa, has his green houses, with some 400,000 feet of glass covering part of the magnificent display of flowers which subsequently find their way to Ottawa and elsewhere. Visitors are admitted at all times. ”

“ Chaudiere Falls (1 mile) . Take car with green square, or green light, going west. After passing the Water Works commences the district destroyed by the great fire of 1900, thence, passing through lumber yards, to the falls. Car line ends 200 yards further, in the centre of the E. B. Eddy Cmpany's buildings. Connection may be made close by for Aylmer, etc. (see above) .
Rockcliffe (2 miles) , and Rifle Range (3 miles) . Take car with green square, or green light, going east, via Sussex st. ”

“ On the up trips, Wednesday and Saturday, steamer calls at Queen's Park wharf, if not crowded when leaving Britannia, and on these days a caterer is on board from whom light refreshments may be procured. ”

“ The river was first called by the early French explorers the Rivière des Algoumequins, or river of the Algonquins, but was afterwards known as the Rivière des Outaouais, from the tribe that lived on its banks. ”

“ The farm, which covers 467 acres of ground is for the purpose of experiments in all branches of agriculture, horticulture, and arboriculture. Every known variety of Canadian tree, shrub and plant will be found. Here are tested soils, fertilizers, and the vitality of seeds. The whole work is of incalculable benefit to agricultural interests. ”

“ Government House is not usually open to visitors. A book is kept in the main hall, in which the names of callers may be inscribed; from this book invitation lists are made out. Rideau Cottage, the residence of the Military Secretary, lies immediately to the east. ”

“ The first settler took up land a little over 100 years ago, and with varying vicissitudes the spot became in turn a landing place to portage over the falls, a trading post, a supply station, a community, and finally the great milling and industrial centre it now is. ”

“ Immediately north of the Chateau Laurier, and entered from Rideau street just east of the hotel, lie 6 acres of Government property (named after Major Bolton, an English Engineer officer) . This beautiful park is one of the oldest sites of an Ottawa residence. Carriages are not permitted to enter, but they may be met at St. ”

“ The assay department, where the fineness and standard of the ingots, coinage bars and coins are ascertained; The die department, where the coinage dies are made; The mechanical department, where the power is generated, renewals are made, and repairs to the coinage machinery effected; The refinery, where the gold ingots, received from depositors in accordanc with the Mint regulations, are refined by the electrolytic process. Operations began in January, 1911. All the machinery throughout the Mint is electrically driven. The fuel used in the great furnaces is oil. ”

“ The present University building is of armoured concrete, and stands prominently in the centre of spacious grounds on Laurier avenue. Besides the University Oval and other grounds for athletic sports, there are large recreation halls, and also an infirmary, with doctors in daily attendance. The Science Hall, on Wilbrod street opposite the University, is of solid stone. It contains the physical, chemical and mineralogical laboratories all very completely equipped, and a museum containing a large collection of geological specimens. The Rector of the University is Rev. ”