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w- 
 
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 § 
 
THE SAW-DUST NUISANCE 
 
 I^T THE RIVER OTTAWA. 
 
 By ANTOINE RATTE. 
 (Assisted nv R. j. WioKsrEr.., Atturxkv, <>cc.) 
 
 KVKMN,; 'urrNM ,,„,,,,. ,,|..,^^^.^_ 
 
"•rmmmmm^ 
 
Tl]c Saw-Dust NiiisaiiGG in the River Ottawa-. 
 
 MKM<»I;ANI>I M l;V ANTtHNt. U \'|•TK. 
 
 (.l.S.S^s/( '/ ''// /i. ./. W'irlt'shcil , Adnnnii. rtv.) 
 
 ( Vn A\N \. tlif I 'apitiil lit' tilt' 1 ><Hiiiiii(iii nf ( 'niiiida, i> sit luitf 
 oil tilt' Koiith luuik iif tlic ()tl;i\\,i or <iiiiii<l Ki\ rr, alioiit l^iu 
 mill's froiii its i:i<>\illi. ainl alioiit tiif sa.'in' (li-tanc*' wfvt of 
 Montreal. This livcr is ^till atVcctioiiat' I y kiiou ii In tlu- in- 
 habit., nts oft In- * )ita\va \'allty iimliT tljf |>i-ou(| naiiir of ••'I'lir 
 (trand Rivi-i-."' Hut tliis ro-nioincii was j::i\cn yi-ars a^o. aiiil 
 atrcrlic'i is l.lind to t lie I'aults of t hf lielovrd one. lor no person, 
 lookiiii; (iowii ll|»oli its siirCaee — or wiiere the surface ou^lit to 
 be — would fall it a ^raud river, but rather a hard-\\orke<l iiiill- 
 sliiice or lail-raei-, so lull is it of Hie refuse from the water- 
 milln at the Ciiandieie l-'alls. This river is called, in foreij;n 
 t'ncyelopa'diaK, '"a noble stream." and "a bountiful ami beuuti- 
 ful stream" — but then foiei^^n dictionaries and Ka>''«'ttH'rs do 
 not always exert thonsilMs to |irocm"e thf !at''sl information 
 about a river wliich is iirincipallv n^i^-ii to iloat saw-lo^^s to the 
 mills an<l there cut them u|> for the American muiket. 
 
 Tom Moore, the poet writes : 
 
 " Ltitwii's tiik' ! Tliis tn'inliliii^: iiinoii 
 SSliull s( e iiM tlii.tt (iViT lliy .siir;;i's sunn " 
 
 lint then Moore Wit> a poet, and he vrole this ulwiut the yar 
 ISU<). at which j)eriod it nii.'^lit have been |Hi;---ible to se ■ the 
 ima;^*' of the sati llile r Heeled from the ticnililiiif; surface of 
 the Ottawa. In the >( .ir of Our Lord ISStj the j>oet would lave 
 some trouble to find a spot on th*- rivir*'- snifa< <• .-^udicicntly 
 clear of nuick to atford even as ^-ood a relhclion as that of a 
 bojiriiinv^-house lookinj^'-c^lass. •• To float ovei- thy surges*' now 
 means to paddle on a few oases of com para tivt^ly < lear water. 
 divided by hideous <leseils of saw-dusl. slabs, laths, ed;.'in<::s 
 aiul blocks, varied by the jireHenco ot an (K'casif)nal esca|)e(l 
 saw-Iojj;. 
 
 Into this ipUISs the unhappy gondolier or canoeist, or sailor, 
 plunges with a groan, and alter some minutes of hard labour 
 and ])erspiration ho ejuerges with a straineti lx)at, often a 
 broken oar, and always a ru filed temjter. Had the ira-ciblo 
 St. Peter occasion io row over the Otta'.va, from my Itoat- 
 house, he would, I am sure, call (.town tire and brimstone up«>n 
 the saw-nilllH at the (.'hau(lier(> Fulls. lUit we have now no 
 
workers of iniraclfs Jo lu'lp tli«' opprt'SMctl. ;in'l tlif cnitlily 
 s^iiintK wlio in»\v move dncc tliis riser, ruiinot iijov the )»ou(.'rs 
 that 1»<' !>>■ tlu'ir mak'dictions or piaycrH. Tho iMnlHriin'ii put 
 soMH' 1.."»()n voti's into thf op|)oMito Hcalt'. iiml tlu- saints arc Kent 
 (o- tlii'ir (xcrlastinK- ii'ht. 
 
 lift lis (!oii)<i ilimn to fit^iitts: Tvv«>iit.v-t\vo years a^" I 
 l»oii;.':lil. and paid casli tor. my present jtropcrty, ii water lot 
 lift w een lloltoii ;ind ( 'atliciirt t-trffts adjoininij; thf |>rf inisfs of 
 the Ottawa liiv-.'r Na\ i^^aiion < 'onjpaii,\ : a ntost d«'siral)lf sit- 
 uation hoth as t<t land ai>d svjiier. wiien I piircha^fd. 1 meant 
 tiiat this (iioperly sii.tuN! alVord m«', witi) ni\ faniily. ;i liviii;^ 
 in my lifetime. Miid lliiil, on my dcith. thf hnsinfss <if w;iter- 
 man slumld l)e carried on liy my family and son. Hemovinf^ 
 the luifMs as a factor in the compntalion. my Judj^nient was 
 
 corrt'ct. 
 
 Had thf ri\cr remnined in the same ('(iMdition as 
 
 wheu ]|^.l)on;^hl, wiial with the natural increase in tlu' poj)ula- 
 tioii"a1id the j^rowinj; taste for hoatin.L; and water excursions, I 
 would have more than doiilile.l tlie value of my [iroperty and 
 cajdtal, and ha\e died ha|tp\ in thf knowle<l^f thai my family 
 Were well j)rovidfd for. 
 
 Vt the time of the removal of tlie Civil Service em])l(\vees 
 to Ottawa, when liiis city was made the < apitai of the Do- 
 minion, no liner stretch of river navij:;ation was to he found in 
 Ameiica. than that prfsented hy th(> Hiver ()tlaw;i in its re;ich 
 from this city l<» (iren\ilk'. a distance of sonif si.vty-tive miles. 
 The rivfr was hroad, tlie currents leeMe, the water pure. th(^ 
 hottom and shoi'es sandy, channel Wfll lij;lite<l. (he i);iulvS wooded 
 and sylvan, no tloatin;:: ohstructions or ruhhish. the scenery 
 ma;^nificenl . .■iinl the tishin^ exeellfnt. 'Plie special charm to. 
 all r»'si(Unls in and visitors to the. then, small <ity of ( )ttawa 
 was undenialily hoating on the broad bosom of the nobl»' River 
 Ottawa, which curves round the city of thf same nane- . Kvery 
 person owned, or owned in'])arl, a boat, and the suninun" even- 
 ings saw the water colored witli pretty craft lilh'd wirli joyous 
 crews. Hut !>oon all ihis ( hangtu. To an Ann'ric an eye a river 
 is only created for feeding canals, ami its ra]>ids and falls only 
 formed to drive mills. Several citizens of the n(>ighbouring 
 republic looked up<»n vhe < 'liaudier.' Falls, and behold lliey 
 were seen to be scry good — for driving .saw-;idlls. These men 
 sei/A-d the op]iortunity, oecame t'anadian citizens— built mills 
 - -biMight enormous tracts of pine lumber l\)r a few dollars, and 
 tlien the seltish race for wealth I)egan. From official sources, 
 1 liave ascertained that tlie nvimb«>r of l(»gs of all descriptions 
 cut at the C'haudiere inilF in IStiti amountod to only D»i(),;V.iy ; 
 whe.-eas in bSHl tlu^y reached the enormous figure of 8,777.<?2r), 
 or an increase of 2,S'2<),!)08 during that sliort period. What is 
 the result V Boating is almost killed otf ; the water is poUntcd, 
 and has to be iilten'd before using it for cooking purposes; 
 sail-lH)ats cannot i)lough their way through the nd)bish tloating 
 down from the wasteful mills; steam-yachts foul thc'ir prcv 
 [)eller wheels, and canyot plougli their way through the wooden 
 
5 
 
 cru-tt ; lioat-; HIT ii|tsrt li\ ilic nars rjiicliini^ in lln' Moclx.s ; ourn 
 hnjik ; |)''isMii.s liiivc k'i'ii tlrowiiiMl (r<»m iiiislalviii;;' th<' -^ iw 
 (lust acciiiiiul.'itioi) for tlii' iliy ^xxnxl, and many iniir<' tall 
 into tlif wal«'r anil an- lisiuMl nut %n itii ilitHiMilty, My ln.at- 
 ln>ns«' is Ix'iiiK pn'^beil liowii \>\ the wci^lit of saw-(iii>l |»;n kiij 
 Ih'Iwccm its tloats. — til'' lloor \\ ill sonii 1m< awa-^li. 'I'lir U'd of 
 the ii\ 'r i< last ItccominK U'vcllcil up witli lli'- i iiornioUH 
 (pianl ity of saw -ijnst lorn from Ihr > anailian f'>ir,,i |ii' ului r hv 
 (III' ^^a^!l•fnl .\mrii('aii sau-ti'»'tli. Sunday i.-- now lln only 
 day when llicn^ irt a cliant-o \\,y -i boat to niov.- at all. And 
 why r HrtMU--»' tii<' avariciou,^ iiull-ou ricisaro lioiind to n s|Kri 
 tlif oldij^atioii-i t>f tilt' ( hristian .-^unday -no doulit L:ru>l>:uij^l\ . 
 
 Ii«'t mi> h1io\\- what an* my privatt' lossrs thr-u^h this inon- 
 ojioly in lumhcr. and the unwarrant ihlc finvilt';,'cs confcrn'd 
 on t ii" null-ov. nci's. I>trausi> it nuist lit- undcr-'tood that tin- 
 (io\(vnincnl has spci-ially (Xiiniitcd t hi ( )tta\\ a l>'i\ "i- for (wo 
 miles fiom and li»low tlu' ( 'haudit'rc Kails from ihc oprratioii 
 of tilt' ikivcr and StroaJus ]'rou-( (ion .^r(. w 1m< ii jiroliiliits tin" 
 t hrowin;; in of mill nfusf?, ttc. In tin year 1^(17 I was niak in^ 
 two thousand tloilars a year as a hoatnuu) and l/oat-housr- 
 ktrp(M-. H«.'tw«*»Mi the years 1H74-7H I was niakin^i; one thouH- 
 and dollars. l-'n^m thf year 1S7',> (n the present time I 
 have hi en making; only five hundred dollars a year — and ihis 
 too with a hettei" stock of hoats a,nd inuiro\ed and enlarged 
 lioat -house. Jn the year IS7n 1 hail deposited in lh(< Ontaiio 
 hank three thousand four hundred dollaiN wliich I h:i\e lo^t, 
 and am in deht to (he amount of four lumdrid dollars. 
 
 If the uullers are determined to exact theii- pound of llesh 
 from the (roveinuM'nt, in return for drivin;; their hordes of 
 worknu'ii to the jjoll.s to su.^tain any ministry *vh ieh lijls 
 their money-haj-'s, I must retuv from husiniss. and ask the 
 millers to ]>urchase my ri,i;ht and titU>. and reeompen.st* ni * for 
 lo.sses. »'te. 
 
 If they are willing to settle on this basis, my claim ^-tand.s 
 as follows : — 
 
 For the Landed T'roperty . . . ^:>(».()(K) 
 
 For the 1 {oat-House and" Boats . . .^.uoo^ 
 
 Damages from ]>'H to 1S7S . . . ."i.uoir 
 
 Damae-es from h'-:7{) to ISSt) . IU,.">(M» 
 Money drawn from tlu; ( >ntai io Bank atid 
 
 e.xjiended ...... ;{.luO 
 
 Debts owing; at the present thne . . |(K) 
 
 Total !^74,:U)0 
 
 For this sum I would auree to hind myself to re(i:e from 
 the :>oatint;- business, in any lorni. and hold the mill-owners 
 harrnh'ss for the future. 
 
 If the niamifacturers of saw-(hist d< iiy my jast and rea- 
 sonable claims for eomiienHation, I must sue for dumages in thy 
 
fi 
 
 • Mtiii-ts. ruiit';!^ I ;itu I will not Im- il.lt rifil I'roiii this roiiiM', 
 I'itlicr l»y llic fiist !•> iiw <»r tlu' l(Hi>\v|»"|j^). tliiit I Jiiii o|)|u>^iM| 
 t(» V(>rv wciililiy iiK n, whose iiittnHt.'-. iHt' KcHisli. iitiil whose 
 |i()W< r <iM'|- our l;iw inakrr.s i.>> ^rc.il. 
 
 TJie rciihoiis ^^i\ en for J I |>er|M't»iii(ion oT the saw-diiii imi,- 
 aiiee l)y the luaiiiitaeturerw ol It arc, ctii'lly. the t'oilowin;! ; — 
 
 The haw •iiiiil'4 have liiiilt < )Hawii. and keep its |i<.|ailat ion 
 in IimmI iiihI eioihiny. the ilehiis oi lour niillit'iis ot ioj^s is 
 iKdliin^; when east into sneli a inii^hty stream atui n Hwirt-iMin- 
 nin;; inie; i.lhir livers in i.nr own and rorei<jn eiiunlri"s are 
 Heated in Msindlar inaniiei': the eesl of alterations in the mills. 
 m-cesKary tojidmitot the saw-<lust hein^ '"'nitd awav heloie 
 reaehin;;' the water, would Im' se ;^'r< at as ut preclude tlnir 
 adoption. 'I'lu' mills would \ irt'>iail\ have to lie rehuilt. 
 
 '!'() these ]il( as I can shortly and easily re|»ly l»y extra»'ts 
 I'min till' report. iiat«'<l Keh-narv. IS7;{. of the Commissioners 
 a;ip<iinteii on the reeoinni ndation made hy the ( onimiltee of 
 rarliament on Haid<i;i;^' .nul I'ommeree. to cnipiir*- into .uid 
 rep(»rt on the jille;;ed ohslruetioni^ of i;avi;;ahle .stn-ams and 
 rivers hy deals, i-ciyin^s. saw-dii.sl. and other refuse from s.iw- 
 niills. Th<se ( 'ommi:-;sioners w<'re the lion. II. H. Kdlaly. a 
 distin^uislu'd etij;in er of Toronto- Mi-. K. W. Sheplierd. of 
 Montreal; and Air. .lo.m Mather, of Chelsea. These jrentleuu?! 
 did theif work \ei-y I IkwouuIiIn . I)y p'lsonal examination :ind 
 soundin;;s. and l»y eonsideration l.oth > if (iu' opinions and \ iewj^; 
 of tho.se parties wlio maintain tliat the dirchar^e of saw-dust 
 into j'ivei-s is not injurious to navigation and should not he 
 prohihit.'d. .ind iIh < viiienee produci d to show the eontrar\. 
 \i/.. Ih: t saw-dust is injurjous. 
 
 With reference to the statement that iliin enaetmeut pro- 
 vidiu'4 tliat saw-dusl nm>t he kept out of the river ()ttawii, 
 he • iiforced it would compel the jiroprietors of the Chaudieie 
 mills to close aiid remove el.M'w here. I he( 'onuuissiouerr> remark: 
 — " From our ohserval i<m of the very little exp(>nse attendant 
 fipou the eollectin:;- and t!ie carr_\ iie^- otV of the saw-dust I'rom 
 those mills where it is practised, althouuh hy im-ansvery insuf 
 licient and v»'ry inade(|uale and very imperfi-cl in comp'arison 
 with wh;d mi:;hl easily he de\ ised, we are of opinion thai the 
 enfof cment of ii hy hjidslalixe enaciiiieni. would entail upon 
 the n-.ill jiroprietors pMierally hut a very trilliny; pereenta,u;o ou 
 their piotits. We hi'Iie\(* that sliould it he t\entual!y decided 
 hy the Jie;;i-,|;;ture. on more e.vtendiMl information tiiaii has y( t 
 bt'cii addiu'cd as to the injurious ell'ecls ot saw-dust upon 
 navif.'^atioii. that none of it shall in any case he allowed to he 
 thrown into livers, these lai<;er capiiali-ts (at the Chaudiere 
 Falls) w oidd soon devise means for otherwise ^etliuK ''id of the 
 nui.sauce than i)yc]ohinj<upand removin;^ their estaiiHshnu'iits." 
 At the conclusion of their report they write; — '• T}ie viinv.s and 
 opinions siihmit ted in this report «)f all those w ho maintain , hat 
 the discharge ol saw -dust alone cannot and <lees not iiniMir t hi- 
 liJivit;ation. it ma> he ol)served, are contiued specially to the 
 
lu'i'oilM' hiird li|). tlic ruri't'llt. iHfn'lwnl ny tlir < ont raft i.m i<\ 
 tlu» rivrr, will ilitii ciirry tlir s;i\v-<lns(, still coiitiimtvl to Im 
 tliiosvn iiitc flu- -river, at |trt-«iii (|S7',») at Llf rati' of :il»i)iii 
 linlit iiiillioiis of ciihic f('<>t uiiiiiallv of Hi\v-tlii-.t aloiu-, inil<' 
 in'iidciit of flal H. «'t('., t'tf.. furilu'r «lo\\ii. until it is liiiull\ 
 
 llcpositi d. tlO out' htlnW-, wllllf. 
 
 tain a \ ast ii« r. asi' in the Irado i«r this cit.v anti livrr. inuxt 
 ki'i |» pace with the rapiilly in< rfa-ilii)^ ]»ros|>( iit\ of thf ( o!intr\ . 
 an<l that ovcry |H)rtion of rivor frontap' in tin n» i;4hl>orlio<>(lof 
 the city, nnisf hoconic daily ol more \;ilnr. as it will all In' 
 if<|uirt'(i for shipyan!- . huiMiii;; and rcpaiiinj- -;li]»s, w har\ I's, 
 landing:; places, rlr." 
 
 to the 
 iiision-- arr i>ro- 
 
 'nit> whoh' tenor of thi^ n'|ii)rt is -tiniivi;. 'ij.|,<wed 
 pretensions of the linnhei men. and tli' 
 
 |ihetie. * 
 
 We nnist r'liietnhei' alsothat .his n port was written at the 
 .f L'a 
 
 v> e III iiM I ' iiiemiii-i ii i.-m iiiai i 1 1 1~> i i jnii i w.ifs \\ i u leii ;i i iiie 
 
 ie;^itniinj4 of U'.e year \>u^. and thai the evils they 'lis<'()\i'red 
 ind ennmiented upon s(» SI verely have increased fourfold, as I 
 iiave hIiowu elsewhere. 
 
8 
 
 Lyt'll writes Mi.it " ItnciH Iiav«» over Im'Ou tliini^H of vitality ami 
 lH'a\ity totli«« poet, sili'iit iiioiiitnrs t<t tli*' inoiali'^t. nini !ivc«'Hts 
 of ••oiiifori ainl civili/ulidn to all iiiiiMkitiil;" anil Sir Mum | din -y 
 Davy savrt. "A full .itnl rioar river is. in i,iv oj'iiiion, the moxt 
 jMH'tieal (>l»jr>ct ill iifiliire. In Ktij^laml amf tliv I'nilefl States 
 iriliiiid aiiil (vi'ii coaHtal WMti-rs are |iroteeteil trom |Hiilii 
 lion \)\ striiii^ent la\v:^. Why Khonid we in ('ana<I;i Im- leKS 
 ( i«Ml-hivin;j: tliiin the iiihahilMiits of K;.'V|>t and ( hina; I'apms, 
 an they jiH', they hoM Haeiel their riverw. and thus aeknowledj^e 
 thelK)U!dies In-stou'ed hy tlieni. We fnrp-t Ihut "all are hiil 
 parts of one .stupendous who'e." and that *" the varions jimduc- 
 tions of nature wr>n^ not made for um to tread u|»on." h\il 
 nature will reveiij^e Ijer'-'elt rn >st surely for <iur siMish and nier- 
 cennry treat nirnt of la-r nohlist work>t, ' .\fan. with an axe. 
 marks the eiirth with ruin." hv enttin"; down our forest trees 
 !n a wasteful manner. 
 
 "Sliniixi' tint «liiTi' tiiaiii''' liivi'il t.'i trii'i', 
 
 AB if for H'lil.i a ilvvrllil :|i-|i|ii<'t), 
 
 Ami rV"iy ill iini iiml ;ian« IihIIi liiixoil 
 W.t.lilii llii! rarailisi' h.i<> (U)^<I, 
 TlnTi' iiniii, I'lmiii iiiM'il DfiHHtrtf'a, 
 b^lioiild iiiiir it into wilit^ornct-*." 
 
 A hap|>y sensihility to the he;iuti<'s of nainre sh<tuld he 
 cherished in our eiti/ens hy theji ruh'rs. It eti^a^es them to 
 contemplate the Creator in Jlis mar\elloii.s works; il puriliew 
 and li;trm(iiii/.es the soul aiiil pr-'pares it for moral and intollect- 
 ual disi-ipliiie. 
 
 Wa><hin;;ton Irving f-ives 'is the foliowinv,' : — " I thifik it is 
 an invMlualtle adxanta^e to he horn ;ind l)i()UKht up in the 
 nei;.;hl)orliood of sotne ;.';i'and and nohle ohje<'t «>f nulure — a 
 river, a lake, or a mount.iin. We m.du' a friendship uith it, 
 we in a manner allv ourselves to it for life. It remains an 
 object of our nride an^l atT<'ction, a rallying jioint to eall us ■ 
 liome ajiaiii alter all (,ur watiderin^s."' Why should we hf dc- 
 ]>riveil of this feel in;;j of pride in what Inmnteous nature lias 
 jjiven tt).usl Perisli the <lollars gained at Huch a sa<Milice. 
 Shame on the men who do this Met. Josejdius menti(»ns a 
 river in ra'esline, which, in compliinent to the Sahhath. n'stod 
 every seventh day ! Our river rests every <lay from doing the 
 work which it was created for. accorilinji^ t<^ '^y*'!'. ^^^'^'' "Acting 
 / as iin irrigator of the earth's surface, adding alike to the heauty 
 of the laudscape and the fertility of the soil: carrying olf ini- 
 ptirities and forming an a\ailal)le means of conuuunication 
 -with the interior of a ( ontinent." 
 
 I again pU'ad for ju.stice to myself and th<> rivt>r which 
 owes me a living — and would give me one were it not for/orcc 
 wmjV''/rf in the shape of an Oi;iler-in-Council, I will conclude 
 in the wonls of the poet, AValler :— 
 
 "Of fiuiiiiUH litio.s we tiio founders know ; 
 But rivers, old i\n thi; seas to which tla-y },'0, 
 Aro. nature's bounty ; 'tis o' moro renown 
 To iiiiikt> a river Ihiin to build a t<Jwn." 
 
 ANTOINE RATTfe. 
 Ottawa. NovemlK»r. IH«6.