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<»^' •, 
 
 .« 
 
 'fe EP O R T 
 
 OF THE 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CITY OF MONTREAL, 
 
 ON THtC 14TH JANUARY, 1884. 
 
 Utontral : 
 
 1886. 
 
 '■ Mmt.W. - 
 
 4 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BE ON It 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL 
 
 or THE 
 
 CITY OF MONTREAL, 
 
 ON THE 14TH JANUARY, 1S84. 
 
 1886. 
 
 f-^-? 
 
i 
 
 EXTRACT 
 
 from the Minutes of a Meieting of the Council, held on the 
 
 14th January, 1884. 
 
 On motion of Alderman Stevenson, seconded by Alderman MoShane. 
 
 Retolved: That a Special Committee composed of three members of the Council 
 be named to make investigations into the cause of the recent inundation and former 
 inundations of certain portions of the City, and that they be authorized to associate 
 with them one member of the Board of Trade, and one member of the Corn Exchange, 
 with instructions to report to Council, as early aa possible, what proceedings may be 
 necessary in order to prevent similar inundations in the future, and that said Special 
 Committee be composed of Aldermen Stevenson, Laurent and McShane. 
 
 (Certified), 
 
 Ch8. Glaokheteb, 
 
 City Clerk. 
 
 The same Committee was re-appointed on the 10th March, 1884, and on the 
 16th March, 1885. 
 
 MKMBWR8 OF COHMITXEE: 
 
 Aldbrman Stevenson, Chairman. 
 Alderman Laubent, D. A. P. Watt, Esq. 
 
 " MoShane, RosEaT P. MoLea, Esq. 
 
Id on the 
 
 rs of the Council 
 tioD and former 
 ized to associate 
 Corn Ezobange, 
 ceedings may be 
 hat said Special 
 ne. 
 
 lity Clerk. 
 
 )84, and on the 
 
 BEPORT OF THE INUNDATION COMMITTEE. 
 
 Beconunending a Survey from Victoria Bridge 
 to Bouchervllle. 
 
 To the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Montreal t 
 THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE 
 
 appointed to conBlder the question of the 
 periodical Inundation or the City of Montreal 
 reepeotf ully report : 
 
 That shortly after their anpolntment a 
 numhei of meetinurs were held, and a larire 
 amount ot valuable informaMon secured. Bv 
 toe examination ot witnesses, some ot whom 
 appeared at the request of the Committee 
 •nd othera volunteered statements on the 
 subject. 
 
 II. I .P°°"""*^^™*^<' *' ffenerally known 
 that they were deHirous of collectlnff to- 
 ffcther any facts beariuff upon the subject, 
 and in order to ascertain whether any 
 observations had been made by the adjoin- 
 ing muniolpalllles, they addrMsed com- 
 munlcatlons to the municipal autijorltles of 
 Hochelafira. Lonjrue tolnte. Bouchervllle. 
 Varennes. Louerueuli, 8t. Lambert, La- 
 P"'™, Verdun and other plaaes in the 
 vicinity. The information oStamed from 
 tne last mentioned sources was very meatrre. 
 as no continuous system of observations 
 appear to have been in any cast) attempted, 
 and treneraily it may be said that the want 
 ot reliable data on this important subject is 
 somewhat lemarkable. As miirht be ex- 
 ^^\^i wide dlflferences of opinion were 
 elicited as to the causes of, and the remedies 
 for, the Hooding of tbe city of Montreal it 
 belnjf Kenerairy conceded that the con- 
 dltlona producing these Inundations vary 
 from year to year. ' 
 
 On two points, however, all agree, that the 
 removal of obstructions now existinff be- 
 tween the Victoria bridge and the Bouoher- 
 Tille islands, on both sides of St. Helen's 
 Island, and tne geneitU widening and 
 ktraurhtening of the deep water onannel of 
 the river, are both calculated largely to 
 diminish the liability to Inundation, aswell 
 as to mitigate Its extent, under all circum- 
 stances. 
 
 Aa a result of their present enquiry, your 
 Committee have, therefore, no difficulty In 
 reaching a reoommendaticn. to the effect 
 that a careful survey of the bed ot the river 
 P«tween the points mentioned, be at once 
 iMUtuted, and they suggest the obvious 
 advantage which would be derived by secur- 
 ing the co-ooeratlon of the Harbor CJommls- 
 elonera, who aimady possess the beat exist- 
 ing data and bare aJso the requisite staflT 
 and appUanoea for Immediate work. Their 
 ohief engineer, Mr. Kennedy, estimated that 
 such a survey could be made for a very 
 moderate sum, and oompleted lo a few 
 weeks. 
 
 Your Committee therefore recommend to 
 the Council thegrantintT of an appropriation 
 of say $500, for this purpose, that being 
 the amount which Mr. Kennedy estimates tl 
 would cost 
 
 The evidence adduced before the Com- 
 mittee, comprising statements made by 
 Jlessrs. John K(>nnedv, harbor engineer, J. 
 M.Npl8on. nla assistant. Geo. H. Hensbaw, 
 C E., L. Leaage, Hunt. M. W. W., P. W. St. 
 George, fity surveyor. Alfred Brtttaln. 
 assistant city surveyor. Captain Chs. Leger. 
 
 ellot, Alderman Mount, Messrs. T. B. de 
 rOTbols, Jas. Shearer. .Joel C. Bakor, John 
 Galbraltb, J. O. Dinning and C. O.Jones, Is 
 submitted herewitb, and which, In the 
 opinion of your Committee, ought to be 
 printed for hiture reference. 
 
 As this question is of paramotmt Im- 
 portance to the City of Montreal, your Com- 
 mittjw suggest the desirability of either 
 continuing the present Special Committee, 
 to superintend the survey above referred 
 to, or to have this done under such other 
 superintendence as thf t^ncll may see fit 
 to determine. 
 
 The whole nevertheless respectfully sub- 
 mitted. 
 
 A. A. Stbvbnson. 
 _, , Chairman. 
 
 M. Laubent, 
 J. MoShane, Jun_ 
 Bepresentltig the City Gounoll. 
 
 T. Obamf, 
 Representing the Board of Trade. 
 ^ David A. P. Watt, 
 Bepresentlng the Corn Exchange. 
 Committee Boom, City Hall, 
 
 Montreal, 10th July, 1884. 
 Fiiwnee Committee's Report 
 OONOUBBDrO. 
 
 respectfully report that, as directed by 
 the Council, they have considered the ac- 
 companying report of the Special Com- 
 mittee on Inundations for an aopropriatlon 
 of $500 for a survey of the bed of the St 
 Lawrence, between the Victoria Brlage and 
 the Bouchervllle Islands, and that they 
 concur in the recommendation therein 
 made. 
 
 The whole aovsptheless reapeotfally sab* 
 mttted. 
 
 J. Obbnieb. 
 J. Faibbaibii, 
 M. Lavbemt. 
 
 _ .,, • _ J. H. MOOMBT. 
 
 Committee Boom.'Clty Hall. 
 MoNXBiAU llth September. 188^ 
 
 .•1. 
 
THE EVIDENCE. 
 
 ■▼IteBM Of Mr. O. O. JoiM)*, BmU Estate 
 Afent. 
 
 BUILD ANOTHSB BBxDQB. 
 
 MontraAl Innndfttion, 
 
 Ur. ORarrmofi' 
 
 1 tiad Intended (rlTlDflr my views throuffti 
 the press, JiUt will avail mvsoir of the oppor- 
 tunity w:ih;li tLla nicetinir pivsonts. 
 
 We aro III! a^ri^'d tlmt tho llooflinff is 
 caused hy Ico darns. Now, can wo In nny 
 way affoct th« Icn so os to provHUt It 
 diniminw up V I thint vrn can. I may nny I 
 aKH>o In tho main wUh tbe opinions of thoe" 
 (rentlemcn contalnoil In the Witneas, whicli 
 appeared In the first article ou this subject, 
 but think too much streea was laid upon the 
 frazil as belna such a factor in caus- 
 ing the dama My expoiiouce of run- 
 ning water has led me to the conclu- 
 sion that it requires fiomothlnjr soildoi 
 than frazil to block a mi«:bty stream like 
 the St Lawrence. I believe It is the solid 
 masses of Ice alone we have to deal wlih, 
 and not with the fraziL lean understand 
 after the dam Is formed how the Hraaller 
 pieces help to complete thu work, but tho 
 small pieces would never form a dam, and 
 If the larger pieoes could be chopped up 
 fine, there would oe no <lammlug and con- 
 sequently no floTKllng. You -may ask how 
 all this chopplnj,' Is to be done. I will tell 
 you how, by building another bridge. I 
 think it generally admitted thiit since tho 
 construction of thd Victoria Bridge the loe 
 noo'ls have been few and far between. 
 
 Now, if one bridge will have such 
 eflect what would not a second one 
 have ? In my opinion it would chop the Ice 
 so fine thatlt would bo impotent to create 
 any dam. I am further Ptren>;thoned in this 
 opinion from what came under my observa- 
 tion and knowledge durlug the last hitjh 
 Spring floods some ten years ago. The ice 
 hero— at Longueuil— was solid. The weather 
 having been cold, it showed no signs of 
 breaking up, but a diCferent state of things 
 prevailed ur) West and South: they bad had 
 warm thawy weather, causing sudden 
 freshets and the br(>aking up of the rivers 
 flowing into the St. Lawrence. Conseqaently 
 the ice came down in solid masses, and 
 finding the ice here unyielding, went under- 
 neath, douDtless grounded, and caused the 
 flood. (While looking at the flood, a man 
 from Beauhamoia told me the loe had all 
 comedown from the rivers and lakes above 
 the night before.) Now had there 
 been another bridge, the ice coming 
 In contact with this second set of abut- 
 ments would have been broken up Into such 
 small pieces that, though being drawn un- 
 derneath the suiid loe, could not have caused 
 a dam, and Montreal on that occasion would 
 certainly have escapod a most disastrous 
 flood. 
 
 This bridge should be located just below 
 the Victoria, where It would In no way Inter- 
 fere wUh navigation. The other advantages 
 to be derived apart from this, botb to the 
 wity and country from s second bridge, are 
 
 too well known to dwell upon at this tttn«. 
 I have already pointed them out In the press. 
 Any money expended In this way would not 
 he thrown away, but would bring 
 in a goo<l return from railwav, ear* 
 riagn and passenger traRlo. I would 
 tlierefore, suggest that, before money is ex- 
 7»-^n'^e.^ in experimenting, another bridge 
 ««e nrnt l)Ullt I would not say that this 
 would !><' a perfect remedy for tho evil wo 
 are diic-ushlnir, but it would greatly ameiio- 
 rate it ly lessttnlng the frequency of tbe 
 tloodings. 
 
 C. u. Jones. 
 Montreal, April Ist, 1884. 
 
 Evidence of Mr, John O, Dinning. 
 
 BBMOVK MOFFATT'S ISLAND, ISLE BONDS 
 AND THE ST. HBIiEK'S ISLAND SHOALS. 
 
 1. The current rushes toward It at the 
 rate of twenty miles an hour carrying the 
 ice a'^iiiust it. Driven therefrom it la forced 
 outliuto tbe channel, carried to He iioude 
 and Jams there. MolTatt'a Island removed 
 and the space deepened sav to six teet, the 
 ice would l)e carried against tbe upoer end 
 of iSt. Helen's Island and the north aide of 
 the river behind the Uland, thus disposing 
 of tho creater portion of the lake ico wheq 
 It arrives. 
 
 2. llemove the shoals which exist from 
 tho upper to the lower part ot St. Helen's 
 Island, deepening tho space to at least ten 
 feet, thus leaving a wider channel foiwthe 
 Ice to pasn down. 
 
 3. Uemove He Ronde entirely, deepening 
 tbe space to exient of eighteen feet, con- 
 tinuing tbe ean.e throughout the length 
 of the bay of Longueuil. tbus providiug a 
 channel deep enough and broad enough for 
 tho free passage of the ice, thus freeing the 
 city from Inundation. 
 
 4. Should a jam occur at the BouohorvlUe 
 Islands, remove the small Island on the 
 south side of the river, and deepen the 
 space to 18 feet. 
 
 Had Montreal been inhabited by Ameri- 
 cans, St Helen's Island would have been re- 
 moved flity years ago, had it catuted the 
 flooding ot the city. A disgraceful apathy 
 has always existed in lower Canada, whilst 
 Ontario goes on leaving us a century behind. 
 
 Tbe remedies proposed could, by proper 
 management, be effected by the employ- 
 ment of the many able bodied men, who are 
 too lazy to work. These are to be found in 
 hundreds, in the Oaoi and House of In- 
 dustry. 
 
 The sand and stone removed from the 
 river could be disposed ot for building pur- 
 poses, and for repairing the roods. Tbe 
 roads in Spain are repaired b convicts, 
 guarded by soldiers. 
 
 John O. Dinnino. • 
 MoNTBBAL, 29tb March. 1884. 
 
 Note.— The above is a synopsis of tbe 
 nine letters pubUshed in Thb Stab. 
 
 J. U. D. 
 
t at this tlnw. 
 outlDtbflpreati. 
 way would not 
 would brlDflc 
 rnllwnv, enr- 
 fQc. I would 
 i^ nionoy \h ex* 
 inothor brldK« 
 say tUnt tbla 
 )r th« evil wo 
 :roBtIy amello- 
 quoDcy of the 
 
 c. o. Jones. 
 
 , Dlnnlnv. 
 
 , ISLE BOMDB 
 KKV SHOALS. 
 
 vard it at the 
 • cnrryiujf tbe 
 otn It la rorood 
 to He Koudfl 
 iland removed 
 ) SIX teet, the 
 the upoer end 
 
 north uide of 
 bhua dlsposlnir 
 > lake iCQ wbei) 
 
 Ich exist from 
 
 1 ot St. Helen's 
 oat Jeaat tt»n 
 jbancel foiwthe 
 
 ely, deepenintr 
 teen foft, con- 
 ut the loneth 
 19 provldiufir a 
 ad enouarh for 
 lus freelufr tbe 
 
 e Bouohorvllle 
 Island on the 
 id deepen the 
 
 k1 by AmerU 
 have been re- 
 it cauaed the 
 aceiul apathy 
 ianada, wnilst 
 entury behind. 
 Id, by proper 
 the employ 
 men, who are 
 to be found in 
 House of lu' 
 
 ived from the 
 ' bulldioff pur- 
 roads. The 
 by convicts, 
 
 a. DonnMO. • 
 
 14. 
 
 lopsls of the 
 Utah. 
 
 J. O. D. 
 
 KrldMiM of Mr. John OalbniUh. 
 
 IBEOT PIEBS AND DOOMS ABOVB LACBINR 
 
 BAI>IDS. 
 
 Mr. Job-' (JalbraithsaUl modt of thaso who 
 badulreiiijyjrlv<>n thi'lrevldoiico bdoro ihrt 
 Guiiniliti'o. or thtouirh tho presH. !i;iU ju.illy 
 attributcii IUoMohI loivtfrcat oxieii' l.ttiio 
 fornmtlonor a'lciiorlci', wliich l-i dioiIuuo 1 
 in great nbun'lano.1 itt tho ripkls ami xi',m\ 
 water ttNivo, ulmklnn up tli • iiior > .suiillow 
 parts of thorlvor wIiIM' tliTivn- l.isiill I )\v 
 anddrlviu^'ih • nial.i Itolvor tUiMVUfi-iiit > 
 tho d'.M'iK'v clmim I, ( ;iudin;r ii.HiiirL.n'f ol ilio 
 surlaoo Ico lUiit bu ,b,' lIih il.no lor loM In- 
 tho Bnirid Fovi'ri> oil that p oiliici'l tlji- 
 anchor Ic, imM lljiia priKlueiiijf u ncwnti,! 
 KroattTdiillcnliy. «iieiim iiaacxisiod all tho 
 pas!, Winter iiel)W oui- citv. 
 
 Mr. Hoiltfoa. (.'oiinictui's Eii;,'liu'or for ih t 
 buildiuHT of tho Vloti>ri:i Brldire. pm.llslird n 
 book In 1801, iioln,' u dcsoiiption ot his 
 Kroal work, ami taljcHoci-asio'i to iniiUo iho 
 samo r<«iTiarkH r"i?ard'iiK t lie .MoMlroal llo )(U 
 andnomnnliad n inont llvolvuiipiociatiou 
 of ih«d Ulcultv, Its courso and extent. Such 
 then beinj^ tho cause of our Hoods they 
 puffhr, to prevent the production of auclior 
 ice. 
 
 Ho satrl there was a great deal of misap- 
 
 f>reh<)nalonooneerniQ« anchor Ice, and how 
 t U formed. He had seen a lotler in tho 
 Chuette turowiujr ridicule upon the stato- 
 niPut that therocnuld bo anchor Ico. 
 
 Ill answer ton question about tho wideiilnff 
 and (loe.wnluK of the channel holow tho city 
 a*, a iireveiiilve, Mr. Galbraith expressed 
 the belief that overy effort iu that direction 
 would h(» of sorviee; but the ilifllculty of 
 srettinflftt fiulHeient fall of water below tho 
 pity would render those efforts compara- 
 tively valueles-i. 
 
 The person who wrote that arliclo In the 
 Qazette could not have been long a resloent 
 of this country, or he would have known 
 better. 
 
 Anchor ice formed mostly in tho Lachine 
 rapids and In the waters above them, where 
 the water was open, and appearr -riora like 
 cart-loads of 8luil«re than solid ,'■■. He bad 
 seen lar«e cakes oi lee rke from ;h'i bottom 
 of tho water. It only formed when the tem- 
 perature was about 10 or 15 dogrwa below 
 zero, and where there was a roekv bottom : 
 it would not form on wood or mud. 
 
 Anchor Ice and frazil were entirely differ- 
 ent; anchor Ice formed at the bottom and 
 fruzd in the body of the water; frazil is 
 anchor ice, or rather ice In its inception 
 form, but haviuur failed to attach itself to a 
 conductor by tlie rapidity of the water mo- 
 tion; snow falling into the water and beiuir 
 j()ne(-aled under different conditions, then ice 
 Will sink in the water and add to the frazil 
 floatin;^ there, and help to produce the ob- 
 struction complained of. He attributed the 
 lormatiou of anchor ico to the water on the 
 top becoming cold and fallinsr to the bottom, 
 where, if It met with some srood conductor 
 whieh would carry off its latent heat, it froze 
 Bolld and only reappeared at the return of 
 miltl weal her, wheo it was liber.-jr^d and 
 eim 1 to tho surface. The reason why there 
 was so much anchor i'e In the St. Lawrence, 
 he bplieved to bo on account, ot t'lo vast ex- 
 teiJt of onen water iu and for ten miles above 
 the i^achine rapids, affording sufficiout time 
 to eff 'ct a process of euualizatlon of tomnera- 
 ture down to the freezing point before reaoh- 
 
 Ing the cover below tho rapids and thus bo- 
 comlnar fastened to tho rocky bottom, belna 
 hol|>ed much bv thouKltatlou of tho rapidt 
 Inbocoininjf Btlll moro llrraly rooted thore- 
 bv. If they (.ould devise hoiuo means to pro- 
 vlile a cHiverin« for i lie water aiid no prevent 
 tho heat Irom rad.'atiii:,', tlio anchor ica 
 wouM not form. 'I'hl , lie thomilit, mlaht 
 bo done bybidldhif au nie of piers, with 
 b K) ns thnnv.i ac'/Oit l.i \>'i;it<M' lo laci'lruta 
 the priHOis of takia„'. 'liie v/;vter would at 
 oiicelji,'.'i,i tofroe/.e l;i Wiiit>r at tho siiles 
 niul ifnvliia'.l. ex end l>.U!k iiitil tho whole 
 of theoiieu witerwiHildliolioxoiiover. The 
 • (l;iMi iitCuiilloii had ha I this olToot. The 
 pier ., lio thou„'ht, should b • built acrtMs the 
 rU'ci- about a mile iiiiove iim llr.st break o'. 
 the Lachine Ila;;ld8.c.irobi)in^ taken to have 
 them suIUcieutl.,- close io,'o'Jier to eiroct the 
 cloairir of that part ot the i iver, the piers 
 thusfoiiulutf tue i>ociis8tt:ybh;)iilderto the 
 ice-cover. For purposes of uaviiratlon, the 
 cunti e space in iiilii-ohannel (-ouidbi male 
 wide euoutfh for steamers to pet thiou«h 
 with safety. Tho barrier thus formed 
 would keep tho upper ice sutllclently long in 
 thoSprln;^ of tho year to give time for the 
 'CO in front of tho cit y to undert^o coobldor- 
 ableUquofacilon and loss capable of redst- 
 inar the upper ice wheu Itahould come down: 
 and In this way would save us from the 
 apnn^' lloo 1 also. Lachine would suffer no 
 ineouvonlenco by it, but on the contrary 
 would bo greatly bouedtod by tho ico brid;re 
 CO formed. 
 
 Mr. Galbralth said also that tho waUv is- 
 suiujr from under this propose ; cover, would 
 reta n a large porllou of its natural huat and 
 would reach the cover below tho rapl Is 
 without havinsr parted with it, to that degree 
 nee ossary to produce anchor ice, except in 
 extremely cold weather, aay 35 degrees bo- 
 low zero. 
 
 Mr. Baker said ho agreed with Mr. Qal- 
 braith that whore there is a cjvi-i la^to pro- 
 vent radiation, nothing will freeze under- 
 neath. Thus, anchor ice would not form 
 umler surface ice. The 81. Lawrence was 
 one of tho greatest factories of anchor ice 
 in the world, owing to the open wat^r at the 
 Lachine ranlds and Lalie St. Louis. 
 
 Mr. Galbralth continued to say, that if the 
 water below aad above our city wore leas 
 rapid and turbuleut, so that a higher degree 
 of temperature would sufflco in effecting its 
 close, the difflculty would not bo so great. 
 Ihe most dilfloult thing was to start the 
 formation of tiie ice for tho covering, and 
 this was tho benefit of the boom. It would 
 also serve to retain the upper ice until that 
 below the city had a chance to break up. 
 John Oalbbaiih. 
 
 Kvidanoe of Bfr. Joel O. Baker. 
 
 THK PBINOIPAL OBSTBUCTION AT BOUOHEB- 
 TILLEL 
 
 Mr. J. C. Baker said that when a young 
 man he was in the habit of going at Christ- 
 mas and Easter by way of tlio river to hia 
 po'Bd in the couuLv- ot Miisisquol, ani, 
 therefore, had frequent opporiuniiiei ot 
 watching tho state of the river at the-o 
 times, and t ho changes it underwent. What 
 caused tho dam wasthe Iroz^u ice and frazil 
 that came down and caused an obstruction, 
 and made a very perfect dam. Those ob- 
 struotlons do not occur generally in deep 
 
Wfcter. but Id shallow plaoea; nttd thpy tend 
 
 to scixip i.ui It (iiM'p oh,iiiiii'l. l'li»To*i lor 
 a tfiHiil miiiiy y,-m„ Uaa bIiovwI dowu about 
 as lur us iJouiaorvill"'. ami bv a cUart i btt 
 l)lac(;8 wb«r.i tliu i)b>»t«uotloiw Untk bluoo 
 oouia bo very Kiwlly B.fii. Tli« impoilaai 
 li'ttturo. wiiti that wo havo a d.-ep oJiauu"!, 
 anil II wti coul'l liiivo Ir. wl.lo us woil u^ duon. 
 U woulil Mi-i vo U) ciiry off llio Ici ami frazil, 
 llmionicily, ilioii.i,.rn, mwuoU lohliii to bii 
 lliH Improveiui'iita to tho nblp cbaunol. nil of 
 wiilcU 111! cousdomU horvoil lo croulo n 
 waterway for i liu luo. 'Ibf ioo hIiovoh Ui'loro 
 the jTticilou or tiio Victoila brld;,'e were 
 niiicli KRMtcr and moro ironuiMit Tho only 
 leiwlbio romody hociii.'U lo him to b« to 
 
 Slvo all llio loom im)»,II)Io to allow tliia 
 oatlii/ lc<) to K,'t nut ol tlio way. Tlio Lu- 
 C'liino rapldi woro oui» of tlm biffjfiMt iiianu- 
 iic urioaot fm/lMu iiio wond. This frazil 
 luiiBt bo ciirilcl down, and cannot in any 
 wiy iKicli'ckiiil wii.iout checking ibo water 
 aitliohaiuo ilino. Ho bad bfen couvinfe-l 
 lor many year:! tliai, all ilio Improvt'iiicnts 
 umlortulvHn by tu« liarl>or Coiiunisaioiiers 
 tt) tb.i»hip chumi.'l w.'io lu tUe dir.jct IuIit- 
 e tottbo fUv, an ti'udiiiflr to icinovo tlio 
 qiilloulLv. WhiMovcr tliey could wkl.'u, 
 uo.'pi'u and Htialf,Mten tho uUiinii.'l thoy 
 Would bo doln.r niiieU townrda rome.lyiutr 
 Ihi i gruat ditlluulty. 
 
 .\lr. Thoniaa Cramp nskod If tho main ob- 
 etriiotlon tfenenlly .ook place near tbo same 
 
 Hpol/ 
 
 Yea; {roiicrally about tho Bouch«rvillo 
 i.lunls, hut I hiivo nollced obbtruci ioiia at 
 oiiior plaws, osp'cially about Mollatt's 
 isl iiid and at othor placi-s aiiovo tho barbor. 
 iJuUho tfioat dilliculty haa beon below the 
 iitti bor. aud the ouher obstructions were only 
 secondary. ' 
 
 ,, Ai'"- t:ramp - Thon the obstruction at 
 Louchorvn'o lalanda la tbo real polnfi' 
 
 Thatibiuyoi)lnioii. \ou have ant 'o bo 
 tbore lo Kot to ilm root of ih« evil, and bv 
 thid way ouly will tho difficulty be romedlod. 
 
 .Vlr. Cramp.— Have you paid any aUentlon 
 to the maLi«r thl« yoar? 
 
 ^ ^'?"> \ ji'^ve been over a considerable 
 portion of tho ground this year. 
 
 .Ur. Cramp— la ihw phenomenon about the 
 same ibn your ua in past years? 
 
 Thoro can bo no doubt thai It is. 
 
 Mr. Ciamp— You then attribute the Im- 
 muuity wo havo eujoyed for many years 
 iroin liooda to tho iiiiprovomenis totheshiu 
 channel? 
 
 Yiw, I crtrtaluly do, and think that theso 
 can bo tho ouly remedy tor tho dimculty in 
 ibu lutuie. 
 
 Tlio Ciialrman—Dooa tho frazil form 
 every year or ouly la certain years? 
 
 It lorma every year more or less. 
 
 Mr. Cramp- Tho moat; serious enemy is. 
 IhtTororo, iho frazU? 
 
 Air. Baker— .'es. l think so. 
 
 -Vlr. Cramp-Oi you think that If by at^y 
 nrtiiiclal meana tho Ice could be detained la 
 itaeouiSiia paasii^o could be oOlaiuoU for 
 the frazil? 
 
 The loo Itself would not make a close dam, 
 but the frazil Ki alao carried la by the 
 water and makes a perfectly Impervloua 
 dam. Iheliazil without broken ice would, 
 1 think, be carried down, as it has not sub- 
 
 stance snottffh to n^matn and form a dam. 
 
 Mr. Cramp— How lomr havo you been p»jr« 
 iBK atUmtiou to ibH Hubjuct? 
 
 I eoiumenoud my obatu vatlons fliNt ia 
 184'J. .My oU-tervatloU4 havo t)oou of a 
 iioroonal uniuro, I havo writton 8i-v»raJ 
 letters to iho publirou llie HiinJ.ict, and my 
 opiulon on the matter of lloailitjf ice and 
 frazil are eniirely my own, d.'nvo I from 
 ivM-sonalolwervailou. I have copies of tho 
 lett.«ra in (jucstlon, and aiu williutf to sub- 
 mit tueiu to your oomiul. tee lor cousldera- 
 tion. 
 
 J. C. Bakes. 
 
 Kvldenee of .Ur, J.tinos Hhearnr, 
 
 OLBAK TUB CHANNEL SODTH OF 8T. BKUIN'S 
 IHLAND OF ALL UBaTHUOTIUNS. 
 
 Mr. James Shearer, thou^fht tho 8urfa09 
 Ico hud mure to do with ihu Hood than tlio 
 iruzil. TiiolaU) llood was auioie peculiar 
 oue. Wo had a vtry cold Fail with uo snow 
 lor alluio, unl the ice, oi couiHe, formed 
 very thick, for 11 waa a well kiiowu faoL that 
 the loriiiatlou of ioo wa^ much slower wh»a 
 lUo snow lay thick on tho ground. Thou 
 came a stroug aouthweat wiu>l whlcb luat- 
 ed for several days an<l broko up tuu surlace 
 Ice, Bouillu:; down tho solid Kreeu blocks, 
 which blocked up the south chiiiiuel coiu- 
 plotcly aud tue uorl b oue partially. Then a 
 jaiii formed at Uoucherville of these blocka 
 ibo frazil Ullluif up the interstices. But the 
 Jam waa not hero altot^ether, (or while the 
 water rose twenty-one foot four inches at 
 tho foot of the caual, itonly ro^ twelve 
 foot at Lon^ruoull. It the Jam waa wholly 
 ut Bouohervillo, LoukuouII shoul't bo bub- 
 mer^ed to the depth of about eight feet. 
 Tho cauao of this was the south channel 
 being completely blocked w'th ice aud the 
 whole of tho water having to pass by tne 
 north channel. Tbo south channel was full 
 of islauda and boulders, and tho ice being 
 obairuotod thereby, piled up on it to the 
 bui^htof fifteen lectin blocka of duo foot 
 ia tuickueas. He cousidered the onlv cure 
 waa to clear out tho south channel of all 
 obatruotioua, and wbeu the river rose aa it 
 did thia Sprluir, tbo water would have a 
 channel 2UU0 feet In widtn and six teet lu 
 depth to pass through. They should not 
 deepeu tho chanaol.aa that would lower iho 
 water opposite tho City. This plaa would 
 not affect the navigation, as in Summer tho 
 south chauuel would be aa shallow as ever. 
 The wharf at St Lambert snould bo lioao 
 away with, aa it lay directly in the current. 
 The long wharf should alaobo removed lor 
 a similar roanou, but thoy should not touch 
 He Koude, otherwise they would low^-r 
 the water in the harbor. Tne ship chauuel 
 should be widened and deepened, the 
 <lebrla taken out being placed at thii 
 sides of the river so as to keep up the 
 loveL There waa deep water round tlio back 
 of St. Helen'a Island with only one bhoal of 
 about 2000 luot ia ion^th, and ix this waa 
 removed they would have a steamboat 
 channel there. The Jurisdiction of the 
 Harbor Commissioners only extended to the 
 middle of the river so that they have never 
 interfered beyond it. 
 
 Jambs Shbabeb. 
 
 The 
 
d form A dam. 
 iro yuu beua pa]r< 
 
 ^'iitlous fliNt la 
 iiivii hotiu or a 
 wiittuD Bi'V'tral 
 HutiJ'ict, ani| 10/ 
 lliNiUiiir ic» sad 
 
 II, diTIVHl rioiQ 
 
 ivu uoptoii of tba 
 
 williu^r to nub* 
 
 tor auuuiU*fra< 
 
 J. C Dakeb. 
 
 Da Nhearnr, 
 
 [ OF ST. HXUBn's 
 OTIUNS. 
 
 ((bt tbo ^urfaoe 
 
 u lluuil tbuu ttia 
 
 a mote pecullur 
 
 ill witb uo iinow 
 
 t-'ouiHO, roriut'd 
 
 kiiowu laoL ibat 
 
 lob sluwor wh>'a 
 
 grouuiJ. Tbuu 
 
 nuil wbicb l(kil> 
 
 :e up ttio surlaca 
 
 d (frt'ou ulockH, 
 
 1 cbitnuel uoiu- 
 
 krtially. Thun a 
 
 I ot theae blocks 
 
 ratices. iiuttUe 
 
 >r, for wbtle tba 
 
 t four lucbes at 
 
 aly rose twelve 
 
 :iin WU9 wboUy 
 
 sboul'l be bUD- 
 
 >uul eitftit foot. 
 
 souib cbanuol 
 
 r*tb ioe aud tbe 
 
 to pass by ttie 
 
 ibaDoel was full 
 
 d tbe ice beiaif 
 
 ip 00 it tu tbe 
 
 :)ck4 of 300 foot 
 
 1 tbe only cure 
 
 obanoel of all 
 
 river rose as it 
 
 would bave a 
 
 and six tnut la 
 
 tiey sbould aob 
 
 would loWtT Llirt 
 
 Lbts plan would 
 lioSutaiueribo 
 Bbullowasevei'. 
 )tioul(t be Uouij 
 la tbe curivnt. 
 bo riMuovecl lor 
 liould not tuuuU 
 woulU iow«T 
 be abip cbauuul 
 Ueepeuod, tbe 
 pluo>3d at tbrt 
 o koep up tbe 
 rouoiltlio back 
 ily oue bboal of 
 and 11 liiia wua 
 a a steamboat 
 dlctloD of the 
 oxiended to tbe 
 :hey bare never 
 
 lES ShEABBB. 
 
 Srldaoo* of Mr. T, B. 4* Orosbol*, 
 
 OLKAR THK OOVIwa TBOM XiOHOlTEVUi TO 
 BOnOHKBTILLBi 
 
 ChariH Olaekmeyer, Ettq., CUv Clerk of 
 Montreal .• 
 HiH,— Tbi' Mayor ot BouchervUla bavioflr 
 requtfHtod inetonnswor your lelter, asklnir 
 lotorinntloii on tbo subject ot tbe lannda- 
 tlons. I tnkii ilie liberty to make known to 
 you my obBorvatloim ooncDrnlnK thesn laun- 
 uutuius. lliivlnifalwiiyH lived on L'lle Ht. 
 Joseph, at l!oiiclii'rvilli<. *t has been easy for 
 me to observe tbo Inundations. 
 
 INCNOATION YEABS AT BUCOHBBTIIiLB. 
 
 Tbo Qrst took placn In January, 1800, the 
 fleoond In April, 1802. the third In 1866. the 
 fourth m 1808, the flitb in 1870. the sixth in 
 1872. 
 
 SiQco that yoar we have had no «rrnat 
 Inundation ; tlio water rose occasionally, but 
 DO Jam snoiua to have formed, and tbe water 
 oaused little damage. 
 
 The grreaiest Inundation took plaoe from 
 tbe 2:)rd to the 25tb ot April, 186*2, and the 
 water rose at least 20 inches hUher than at 
 any prnvioua time. 
 
 In t he niotith of Deoomber. 1883, and In 
 January of that Winter, the water rose a 
 little, but a Jam bavinir formed near Lonsuo 
 Pointe, the water subsided here, and when 
 the water was very high at Montreal It was 
 relatively low here. 
 
 CAUSE OF INUNDAnONB AT BOUORBBYHiLE. 
 
 The Inundations at Boucherrille are oaused 
 bvtbo oilint; upof Ice on the lower portion 
 of tbo islaud of Vurennos, and the oattures 
 of the Poinio-aux-Trembles. This Is demon- 
 strated by the HireuKtb ot the current which 
 there throws Itself Into that part of the 
 river to tbe South of the Islauds of Boucher- 
 vllle and which I will call the BouohervlUa 
 river. On the 23rd of April, 1862, 
 the water rushed on with such 
 force towai'ds the Bouoh(>rville river that 
 oaooes couM hardly bo used; the same thlni; 
 happened in 1U72, Tbe bcUture situated in 
 the Uouchervllle river, on the lower portion 
 of the lie St. Joseph, caused a small jam in 
 1870, and a commencement of the same last 
 Autumn. 
 
 OACSE OF INDNDATIONS AT MONTBBAL. 
 
 The inundations at Alontreal are caused by 
 the pllluLT up of the ice iu the batturfB ot 
 Longue Poiuto and tbe Islands of Lonffueull. 
 I win romark thai the parish of BouoberviUe 
 ends at the Molson chaunel, and that the 
 islands sit uiitod blfifber up than this ohannel 
 are in Loujjueuil parish. 
 
 The river forms at this place a cul-de-sac 
 which has no outlet but tbe ship channel 
 near Loutfue Pointe. It was not enouflrh, it 
 appears, that this vicious conformation of 
 the river caused damaite to Montreal; 
 the Harbor Commissioners bad the 
 earth removed by the dredflre dumped 
 all along: the Lon^ueuil Islands, so as to 
 torm a batture and almost block the Bouch- 
 erville river at Its mouth. All the rubbiuu 
 from the holds of vessels cominor into port 
 and the sweepinf^rs of the port were thrown 
 into the same place last Summer, poisoning 
 the Bouoherville river. Several complaints 
 were made and with very little results. 
 . Anotber fact to show how little oare was 
 
 tak«n afftlut ototruoUdfr the rlrer. Durioff 
 tbe Hummer of 1889, tbe Oovnrnmont had 
 the channel deepened between lJiiuch«rvlllo 
 and Lonjrue Pointe. Tbe earth was thrown 
 on each side of the channel. I do not know 
 if it was thus thrown throughout tbe wholo 
 lenirth ot tbe i!ut, but iu several places it la 
 exposed at low water. Irnaiflrin a shoal 
 about thirteen arpeuts long almost across 
 the width of the river. Last Hummer the 
 ferryboat get aground during a storm; it 
 had lust be. got afloat when It ngala 
 struck on the butttM formed by t ho dredges. 
 
 When we examine this year's Jam, we sea 
 that it is very cIoho to this bar. 
 
 'ihe dredges which exca' ated the channel 
 in tbe batlurea of Poiote-aux- Trembles and 
 at the head of the Hte. 'I'hen'Ho also threw 
 the earth into the river In places dangerous 
 lor the Ice; It was even thrown Into a pretty 
 deep ohannel opposite the north side of the 
 lie a Cardinal or lie & Dufaulz. This earth 
 should always 1)0 throwu at. the end ot an 
 Island, and nuver at tbe side. 
 
 Thu Hlope ot the river between tU.> ooi* 
 tureHol Longue PolLte and those otPolnte« 
 aux-Tremblee being Inconsiderable, 1 am 
 pertiuaded that a Jam formed un thu oattures 
 ot Polnte-aux-Tremblea and the lower por- 
 tion of the Islands of Varonnus would cnuse 
 an inundation in Montreal if the Boucber- 
 vllle river was olistruoted, as it Is this year. 
 But when there is no Jam in this river the 
 water escapes that way, and this Is what 
 explains how It is that there has not always 
 been an Inundation In Montreal when there 
 was one here. 
 
 THIS TEAB'S JAU. 
 
 The Jam which exists to-day was caused 
 by a sb >f Ing of the ice, composed largely of 
 snow ice. It took place on tho 27tb of 
 Docemtier in the night. The Ice descended 
 St Mary's current and piled up on the 
 batture of Longue Pointe and the Islands ot 
 Longueull. 
 
 The iiouchervllle river was blockaded be- 
 tween the Longucutl Islands, and was free 
 from Ice until the lower portions of He St. 
 Joseph. This blockade was not a Jam ; it 
 occurs at this spot nearly every Autumn. 
 The people here called It la barrure. It con- 
 sists of a bank ot ice too great for the 
 entrance of the river, and which remains 
 there. It is only a few inches thick. During 
 the shove, a portion of this block came 
 down the Bouonervllle river, and stupoed 
 at the foot of the village, forming on Its 
 passage enormous jams. At present tbe 
 Boucbervllle river Is half blocked 
 by Jams. The other portion of 
 the block stopped at tbe small 
 islands of Longueull and on the baiture lorm- 
 ed by the Harbor Commissioners, making a 
 Jam which extends from the property of Mr. 
 Damase Charron on tba Island till near tba 
 
 Eroperty of Mr. J. M. Browning, on the 
 longueuil shore. A portion only of the 
 entrance to the BoucherviUe river is free 
 from Ice. The snow now hides a part of It, and 
 this explains Mr. Nelson's only mentioning 
 one Dortlon of it, that to the west of Mr. Char- 
 rou'B farm. That part which extends to the 
 Longueuil hill was easily visible ac the 
 beginning of January. 
 
 The ice did not move during the shove be- 
 low the Jam on tbe Potnte-aux-Tremhles 
 side. At this plaoe tbo ice was farmed o/ 
 water without snow. 
 
8 
 
 I noticed that^the snow ioe is more danirei^ 
 oils for jamming than the sreen ice. 
 
 HBAini or FBUVUNTINa CrUKDATIOMa 
 
 1 do not think there are any absolute 
 means of rreventlnffinunaations, but some 
 m;,y In of jrreat assistance. Those I will 
 take the libertv to suartfest will, I think, be 
 auvautageousto Montreal and its environs 
 
 I will mention three. 
 
 FiEST Means — To prevent any one what- 
 ever trom throwing earth into the river in 
 pluces dangerous for ice. The earth exca- 
 vatf^a m the port should be thrown at the 
 uupor part of the small islands ofLongueuU, 
 and not on the west side, so as to lengthen 
 tbo island and not to widen It. 
 
 Tba earth from the bcOturea of Polnte- 
 aus-Trembles should be dumped at the 
 lower end of the first Islands of Varennes. 
 _ The channel between Bouchervllle and 
 Longue Pointe should also be examined next 
 Bprm;r, and If the ear "^ has been dumped 
 all alonflr the shores us it la in certain parts. 
 It should be removed without delay. 
 
 Second Means.— It would be necessnry 
 to deepen the river on the Boacnerville side, 
 t. e., at the two extremities of the islands of 
 Lopuueuil and St Joseph, near the properties 
 of Messrs. Damase Charron and G. Descham- 
 bault. Ir a jam should occur on the battvfea 
 or Lonsrue Pointe or Polnte-aux-Trembies, 
 the water would escape by the Boucberviile 
 river, which empties itself lower than the 
 battures of Poiute-aux-Trembles. 
 
 Somebody has sujrgeited excavatlnnr the 
 oatture of Lodkuc Pointe. But let us sup- 
 pose that the jam between the Islands and 
 longue Pointe should be on the batiurea of 
 Pointe-aux-Trembles, the Boucnerville being 
 obstructed as it is now, the water could nat 
 escape by Bouchervllle and the result would 
 be ihe same for Montreal. 
 
 Let us remark that lb would ouly be ne- 
 cessary to deepen the two extremities of 
 the Bouchervllle river, because elsewhere 
 the water is daep. 
 
 Third Means.— This would be principally 
 m view of preventing Inundations In the 
 Auiumn, those which cause the most dam- 
 age. It would not cost much. It would 
 consist in for alng two or three small islands, 
 a few nundred yards of eartn dumped on t!ie 
 lower portion of lie St. Joseph on the Bouch- 
 ervllle side. The reason Ls this : 
 
 From the first frosts of December, 
 the river carries ice towards Boucher- 
 yiile, , but the mouth of the river 
 in the Islands of Longueuil being 
 narrow, the ice Immediately piles ud? 
 leaving the rest of the Bouchervllle river 
 free from ice. When the Ice ascends St. 
 Mary's current, it shoves and breaks down 
 th's harrier, which then piles up on the 
 islands of Longueuil and causes a Jam on 
 that side. See what happened last Autumn. 
 This blockade caused the jam In the Bouch- 
 rrviiio nver. All the residents of the Islands 
 ii'iired the descent of the blockade. This Is 
 always a cause of trouble In the river. 
 
 The small islets I should wish to see 
 foruMMl would have the effect of stopping 
 the first loo in the Autumn, and good ice 
 would form on the whole Bouchervllle river 
 iroiu the lower portion of He St. Joseph to 
 
 St. Helen's Island, and this on the first 
 iroBts. This portion of the river would be 
 strooff enough to resist the shove, which 
 would only be telt along the shore, as was 
 shown by experience for several yoai's. 
 and it would be a surety that no 
 jam would form from the north- 
 east portion or St Helen's Island to 
 Varennes, on the Bouchervllle side. Let m 
 suppose that a jam were to form on t ha bat- 
 tures of Longue Pointe or Polnle-aux- 
 Tremblesra third of the river at least would 
 be free and would give passage to the 
 water. 
 
 I remember three years when the Ice had 
 shoved opposite my property in He St. 
 Joseph and Bouchervllle village. The shove 
 was consideraole. and nevertheless it was 
 only felt a little on the shores of the Bou- 
 oherville river. When all the Bouchervllle 
 river is covered with good ice us far as 
 St Helen's Island, nothing will be able to 
 break this large extent of Ice, and there will 
 always be a free passage to allow the water 
 to pass on the Bouchervllle side. 
 
 These islets would requiro to i)e small and 
 low, so as not to stop tne ice in the Sprlug. 
 They should be built up on the rock men- 
 tioned above. The river is shallow at this 
 place. It would bo outside of the ship cbaj- 
 ael. and would in no wise obstruct naviga- 
 tion. The earth taken from the ship 
 channel might be used for this purpose. 
 
 THB COST OP THESE WORKS. 
 
 The first means suggested would only cost 
 the good will of the Harbour Engineer. 
 
 The third means would coat little. It 
 would be Bumcient to dump a few barge 
 loads of earth on spots selected beforehand. 
 
 Lastly, the second means, the excavation 
 of the entrance and outlet of the Boucher- 
 vllle river, would cost something, it Is true, 
 but I do not think it would coat more than 
 the excavation of the batture ol Longue 
 Pointer 
 
 BESUVOL 
 
 I believe the inundations at Montreal and 
 vicinity to be caused by the ice jamming on 
 the batturea of Longue Pointe and the 
 LonguouU islands, and on the battures ot 
 Polnte-aux-lrembles and the first islands of 
 Varennea These jams are caused bv the 
 Rhovlngof the ice, which descends the St 
 Mary's current and which is the primary 
 cause of all the inundations. 
 
 Aiid that the means of preventing them 
 would be: 
 
 Ist To prevent the obstruction of the bed 
 of the river by the earth excavated by the 
 dredges: 
 
 2nd. To deepen the two extremities of the 
 Bouoherville river; 
 
 3rd. Tpforni twopr three small islets be- 
 tween He St Joseph and the lower porUon 
 of the parish of J3ouchervUle. 
 I i° terminating I must say I am greatly 
 Interested In seeing the end of these Inuada- 
 
 ^S^I?v?it'Man"5_r -^'^ *« «""^^ ''^ th« 
 
 If your committee wishes for more ample 
 information from me, I will have great 
 pleasure to be at your service. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Yotu: bumble servant, 
 
 T. B. DB Obosbois. 
 BouohervlUe.Feb. 15, 1884. 
 
his on thfl first 
 10 river would be 
 be shove, which 
 tbo shore, as ws9 
 r several years, 
 ureky that no 
 >tn the nurtb- 
 en'q Island to 
 llle side. Let u^ 
 form on the feas- 
 or Polnle-aux- 
 ur at iHost would 
 paasajire to the 
 
 rheutbe lee had 
 ierty In He St. 
 lai^e. The shove 
 ercbelosa it was 
 )re3 of the Bi)u« 
 :he Bouoherville 
 Kl ice as far as 
 
 will be able to 
 30, and there will 
 allow the water 
 Bide. 
 
 ) to he small and 
 20 in the Sprlun, 
 1 the rock men- 
 shallow at this 
 ot the ship ohaj- 
 )bstruct navifira- 
 
 from the ship 
 )r this purpose. 
 
 B WOBES. 
 
 i would only cost 
 r Engineer, 
 cost little. It 
 p a few barge 
 cted beforehand. 
 I. the excavutioa 
 f the Boucher- 
 ithing, it is true, 
 cost more than 
 ture of LoDguo 
 
 \i Montreal and 
 ice jamming on 
 >ointe and the 
 the bcMureaot 
 e first islands ot 
 caused by the 
 escends the St. 
 Is the primary 
 
 reventlnflr them 
 
 ictlonofthe))ed 
 :oavated by the 
 
 tremitles of the 
 
 small Islets be- 
 le lower portion 
 
 y I am erreatly 
 3f these inuada- 
 I situated la the 
 
 for more ample 
 ill have great 
 
 e. 
 
 servant, 
 
 DB Qbosbois. 
 
 1> 
 
 Evidence of Aldermaa Meant. 
 
 JBIiAHINO THK OLBBK OF THE WEATHSB. 
 
 Alderman Mount said he desired to ox- 
 plaluhU thuorvot the iuundatioa of 1884. 
 For about t'ourtoun years ho hud bnen living; 
 at the fool of the current, and was in a posi- 
 tion to notice tbe phenomena utlendintf the 
 liver Hood". He considered that tiie inun- 
 dation hiui beiin caused by the manner in 
 which the ioo ha'l formed this Winter, which 
 was quite diff.-rout from other years. This 
 Winter tae ico tjjk first early in December, 
 then eii-'ht or ton tiays thaw ensued, wheu It 
 was sometimes above and so.netime^ below 
 freezluqr poiiit. The ice then sboved down 
 ae far as Loiijjuo Pointe on to tho shoaU.and 
 remained.untii it tool; u second time. Dur- 
 ing the mild weather, bowovor, the snow or 
 frazil pacUtjii and for;ned a barrier, which, 
 he couTiiderod was tho cause ot the iuuuda- 
 tlou. About tho 4th or 5tb of January tbere 
 was severe weather asain,but tbe ice was* not 
 sulllcioiitly strouar to break up tbe b , <r 
 which hud formed, and which was i. is 
 opiniou I bo cause of the flood. Until the ice 
 baa reacbed wbal we call "Les trols roches" 
 It 13 said not tu bn iirm ; when the leu is 
 strong It remains firm and there cannot be 
 any shove. 
 
 J. VT. Mount, M.D. 
 
 IMdenoe of Mr. P. W. St. George, City 
 Surveyor. 
 
 BBOOMMENDINa S5IENTIFI0 INVESTIOATIOXt 
 
 Mr. P. W. St. George, City Surveyor, said 
 that the olaa submitted oy Mr. Brlttain 
 showin;^ tho level of tbe water in the river 
 at dlHtircut dates, shows that on the 3rd 
 Januarv tho waier had risen four feet, and 
 that tboio w:i3 no dam bntweuu tiA» City 
 and Lon jfuu Pointe. it was monticnod in 
 tbe papers that Longueuil was not adected 
 by thtj 1 loO ; but this was not so, as the water 
 In Louguouil was at tbe same boignt as on 
 tbe HocUeluga shore. 
 
 This year, Mr. J. M. Nelson, Asa't En- 
 
 gneer of the Harbour Commissioners, has 
 ken burvoj's and prepared plans from 
 which valuable information could be bad, 
 and he would ask tbat these plans be sub- 
 uitteJ t^) tho Committee. 
 
 He would also rowmmend that Engineers 
 be appointed by th» Oovornmont to investi- 
 gate tbis ice pbeuemenon for a number o( 
 years us oue could uot^ form an opinlna on 
 one year's experience. 
 
 Pekcival W. St. Qeobqe. 
 
 Elddeiice of Mr. Alfred Brlttain, ilvsistant 
 City hui-veyor. 
 
 BIVEU LEVEIi3 AND THE WATEB. 
 
 In 18G9 I oxamiuod into tho facts in con- 
 nection wiih LUe rising of tho river opposite 
 tne city in iho nioriiba ot. January aud April, 
 with a view of determining the best location 
 lor tbe outiall (>f the cit v newerage. it be- 
 ing un accepLed fuct tbac tho rise of water 
 in the harbor was caused by lee obstructljus 
 oppo-^ite or below the city, i conllnud my 
 obsorvailons to this sice ot the river, and 
 between Victoria iJridgtt and Lungue 
 Pointe. 
 
 The only records which I found avaiftible 
 were : Ist. A report of tbe lioyal Engineers 
 in 1841. on tbe poriodical floodiug of Mont* 
 real. lind. Tho gauging of tbo water on 
 Lock Sill at the euiranco of tho Lacbine 
 canal. 3rd. Levols taUeu troiu Jacques 
 Cartier Square to Haiidysid;^ Crock, on the 
 previous April, by Mr. Joseph Smith, who 
 was at that time Deputy City biuveyor. I 
 also saw several persoQS wlios^j uamca were 
 given mo by Mr. Maequutou as being 
 ukely to have made usulul observatious ou 
 tbo subject. 
 
 The report of the Royal Eugiuoors shows 
 that these Hoods always existed, more or 
 less, during January and April, and that 
 their frequency and o.-itent is leas 
 now than formerly. Plans also must 
 have accompanied this report, but 
 I found uo traces of them; tbey 
 would be of littio service, as owiug to the 
 changes In tho city since tbey were made 
 their designs would be impracticable ut 
 the present date. 
 
 Tbe daily record of the height of water at 
 tbe entrance of the Lacbine Caual allbrds no 
 meaus of Uelermining whether tho height ot 
 water recorded was cau^:ied bv tbe loo 
 grounding opposite that portion of the city 
 or lower down the river. 
 
 Tto levels taken by Mr. Smith in 1869, ex- 
 tending from Jacques Cartier square to 
 Longue Pointe, permits a protllo ol tbe sur- 
 face of tbe river during flood to bo made be- 
 tween those points, and was the (mly avaii- 
 kble record up to that date which showed 
 the relative height of the river during flood ; 
 they give a fail or 4.33 between lluiaseau 
 Migeonand Uandyside Creek, and clearly 
 show that a large jam ot ice existed be- 
 tween those points. The flood water in the 
 harbor was unusually high tbat Spring, 
 being two feet above tho revetment wall at 
 Jacques Cartier square. 
 
 1 took a series ot levels during tho Winter 
 of 1870; they are sbown ou tho accompany- 
 ing diagram. The flrst was taken on Janu- 
 ary lltb, when tbe water was at its highest 
 point during that season, being one toot 
 below the revetment wall, with a 
 fall from thence to Longueuil terry of 
 4.30; and from theuce to Longue 
 Pointe Church ot 8.30. After re- 
 maining a tew days at about that elevation 
 the water went down, and ihe next rise 
 took place in April. An examiaai ion of the 
 weompanying diagram siiows that a oon- 
 sMeiable change in tne proportion of fall 
 at tho points of oljservation, botwoen 
 Jacques Cartier Squaro and Lou^'uo Poiute, 
 took place; and that during tao iulervol 
 between January aud April, oosttuciions 
 had formed on the sboals iu the neighbor- 
 hood of Longiio Poiiito and from tbenoe 
 upwards. It also shows that t:i(.< grouudin-' 
 of tne ice ou these lower sboals raised the 
 water there several tout iu beigbt without 
 causing a correspourling rise ol wat 'r op- 
 posite the city, for on the 10th of April 
 tbo water was withiu two luet ot the tup 
 ot the I'ovotmcnt wail and romaiaod at the 
 same height ut that placj until the 12tii 
 U >ring this interval of time great quauti- 
 tiea of drift ico came down from Lapialrle 
 Basin, aud by cboklug tlie channel raised 
 tne water about two feet, betwoeu lioche- 
 laga and Longuo Poiuie, wituout making 
 any change in its height opposite Jacques 
 Cartier Wharf. 
 
10 
 
 From levels taken durlnnr thli Winter It 
 appears that the fall of the water between 
 Jacques Cartier Square and Lout^ueuil 
 Ferry varies from 2' .00 to 2'.4. If the rise 
 of water opposite the city was caused by 
 the acGuiuulatioDs of Ico on the shoals 
 lower down the river, it would 
 be shown by a correspondlD« reduction 
 *f the fall between tlieso points, pr iu othor 
 vrords tlie rapid would bo drowned out; but 
 the diagram shows tiiatsuch is uot the case, 
 because when the water is at its biurbuut 
 opposite Jacques Cartier Square there is 
 an increased tall from thence to Longueuil 
 Ferry. 
 
 I took corresponding levels m the succeed- 
 ing year, 1871, they are recorded on the 
 dia>rram in a siraillar mauner to those 
 taken in 1870 and coutirm the oonulusious 
 arrived at trom the levels taken the previous 
 year. 
 
 The diagram submitted by the City 
 Surveyor, Mr. St. George, shows In dilTereat 
 oolors,the flood lines in 1869, 1870, 1871. 1883 
 and 1884; the January floods nro shown by 
 a firm line, and thu April floods by a ilutted 
 line. In every case these Hues show that 
 the height of the water between ilocholaga 
 and Louf^ue Poiute is raised in tho Spring 
 by the accumulatiDn ol ice between these 
 points; without causing a corie*pondmgr 
 rise of water oD0o-*ite the city. This is very 
 niarlsed iu the flood linos of 1870 and 1871. 
 
 Althoush I found no record of in^itruiuent- 
 al levels taken previous to 1869, tho 
 evidence of residents on the rlvtr 
 bank aemonstrnted that in some oases 
 an extensive dam hod formed below 
 Boucherviilecauslng the village to be fl^x >('.e;i. 
 Tho leveU taken in 1867 clearly shot * dam 
 formed between Buisseau Migeon and 
 Handvslde Creek, and the village of Lou- 
 gueuil was flooded by it. The levels taken 
 in 1870 and 1871 show tho ice grounded 
 all along the slioals from Longue Pointe to 
 flochelago, but no special dam was formed. 
 This year the levels taken by Mr. Nelson, 
 Assistant Harbor Engineer, clearly shows 
 that the principal dam is just below Longue 
 Pointe Church. 
 
 From the above records it appears that 
 the location of the ice dams is not uniform, 
 and that in some cases no special dam Is 
 formed bietween Bouchervllleand Uochelaga, 
 although the ice always accumulates during 
 the Winter months on the shoals between 
 t'lieeo points, and causes the water to rise 
 there without causing a corresponding rise 
 of water opposite the city. 
 
 The average fall of the river is less aneoted 
 between Jacques Cartier whart anc. Loo- 
 gueuil ferry than at any other part of the 
 ohannel, as the depth and rapidity of the 
 current between those points keeps it free 
 from drift ice and frazil. If the floods od- 
 poeite the city were caused by the dams of 
 toe below Hochelaga, Bt Mary's current 
 would be drowned out, but the levels taken 
 ahows that it is not the case, and that during 
 floods the fall of water is greater in that 
 current than during ordiR.-jry circumstances. 
 The evidence uniformly goes to demon- 
 strate that tho rise of water oDPoatte the 
 city is caused hy a dam being formed on 
 the aboals below the Victoria Bridge on the 
 south side of the river. The old Grand 
 Trunk wharf, and Moffatt's Island form the 
 nucleus of the dam. and It is rendered 
 flolla by the drift ice and frazil. That this 
 
 wharf is a serious obstruction and diverts a 
 large quantity of water Into the nortb 
 channel, that would otherwise pass down 
 the south channel, there is liitle doubt At 
 ordinary summer level tne water is from a 
 foot to eighteen inches higher on the up 
 side of the wharf than upon the down side, 
 and during Winter thisbecjiues a holid dam, 
 and almost the whole volume of water, in- 
 creased by frazil and drift ice.Uas to pass St. 
 Ueleu's Island by the north chaunol. 
 
 That extensive ice dams occur above 
 Moffatt's Island ana raise the water oppo- 
 site tho entrance uf tlie Lachiue Caualis 
 alsu ubowu by levels taKen during the last 
 two years to locate t he position of an out- 
 tall sewer for Point tst Ciiarles. These 
 levels show that the fall of ttio river, from 
 one hundred yards above Victoria Bridge to 
 the entrance of tho Laohitie Caual is as 
 foilow-j, viz. : When the river is at sum- 
 mer level the (all between these points 
 Is 8'.0. 
 
 When the river is at flood level the fall 
 between these points ir* '^'.03". 
 
 Tbeso flgures show that thu natural fall of 
 the water between these poiuts is drowned 
 out by the uccumulaliuu of dritt ice and 
 frazil In precisely the Haiue manner that it 
 occurs between Longuu Poinie and Uoche- 
 laga. AliVKED BkITI AIN. 
 
 Montreal, 27th March, 1884. 
 
 Kvidenoe of Mr. I,onlH liesaife, Saperla- 
 tendent Montreal Water Works. 
 
 HIGH WATEB LEVELS FBOM 1853 TO 1884. 
 
 Mr. Louis Lesage, Suporiuteudcnt Mont« 
 real Water Works, had no plans to propose, 
 but could make suggestions. Ho sub« 
 mitted a tabular statement ol: the high water 
 levels from 1853 to 1884 taken at lower 
 entrance of lock No. 1. Lachiue Canal. 
 
 The table showed twelve Winter floods, of 
 which seven were followed by Spring floods, 
 and one was yet uncertain. Of tea Spring 
 floods only three were uot preceded by 
 Winter floods. 
 
 He further said that the obstruction in the 
 channel was generally caused by ibe large 
 quantity of ice shoving down on the shores 
 of Longue Pointe and Varennes. 
 
 Louis Lesaoe. 
 Supt., of W. W. 
 
 Height of water above datum (M. W. W.) at 
 lower entrance of Lock No. 1, Lachine Canal, 
 at flood times. Lowest water of the same win- 
 ters given in red flgures: 
 
 li 
 
 .1 
 
 
 H 
 
 «M 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 -J 
 
 11 
 
 
 ^5 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 •< 
 
 il 
 
 1863 
 
 Deo. 
 
 -0.6 
 
 16.3 
 
 
 
 AJJU 
 
 1854 
 
 6 
 
 -1.1 
 
 18.9 
 
 
 
 185S 
 
 3 
 
 -1.11 
 
 20.6 
 
 
 17.9 
 
 24 
 
 1868 
 
 la 
 
 -0.10 
 
 ls».3 
 
 
 17.6 
 
 9 
 
 1869 
 
 11 
 
 1.3 
 
 17.5 
 
 17.5 
 
 
 4 
 
 1861 
 
 22 
 
 1.0 
 
 17.4 
 
 
 22.7 
 
 24 
 
 1862 
 
 7 
 
 -0.4 
 
 17.6 
 
 
 16.5 
 
 23 
 
 1863 
 
 13 
 
 -0.3 
 
 
 
 17.9 
 
 25 
 
 1864 
 
 11 
 
 1.4 
 
 18.0 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 1865 
 
 16 
 
 -2.4 
 
 17.10 
 
 
 21.9 
 
 10 
 
 1867 
 
 6 
 
 -2.5 
 
 18.8 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 1869 
 
 6 
 
 -0.6 
 
 
 
 ♦21.5 
 
 25 
 
 1870 
 
 13 
 
 Nov. 
 
 -1.4 
 
 17.8 
 
 
 17.6 
 
 18 
 
 1873 
 
 26 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 
 19.6 
 
 2S 
 
 1883 
 
 
 16.10 
 
 
 
 
 
 1884 
 
 
 
 19.0 
 
 
 
 
 •X'hla went up to 21.7. 
 
ictlon and diverts a 
 er luto the nortb 
 berwise pass down 
 I is iiitle doubt At 
 tQo water Is from a 
 talKher on tbn up 
 ipon tbu down side, 
 dCJinos a bolld dam, 
 jiuwe of water, in* 
 tice.bas to pass St. 
 L'th cliaunol. 
 lams occur above 
 ise tUo water oppo- 
 a Lachiue Caual is 
 Ken (lurinff the last 
 position oi an out* 
 )t. Cljurles. These 
 1 of ttio river, from 
 e Vlutorin Bridge to 
 acbme Caual is as 
 a river is at sura- 
 wecu these points 
 
 flood level the fall 
 
 It tbu natural fall of 
 e poiuts is drowned 
 un of driic ice and 
 laiue manner that it 
 ) I'oinie and Hoche- 
 Llil'IlED Bkittain. 
 , 1»84. 
 
 H Ijen»fin, Saperla- 
 Water Works. 
 
 'BOM 1853 TO 1884. 
 poriutendcnt Mont* 
 lo plans to propose, 
 [estion.'j. lie sub« 
 ^ntotibobiArh water 
 iH-k takon at lower 
 iacbiue Canal, 
 Ive Winter Hoods, of 
 red by Spring; floods, 
 tain. Of leu tjpring 
 i not preceded by 
 
 be ob'^truction in the 
 caused by the lartre 
 down on the shores 
 arennes. 
 Louis Lesaoe. 
 Supt., of W. W. 
 datura (M. W. W.) at 
 No. 1. Lachine Canal, 
 ater of the same win- 
 
 I 
 
 -J S* 
 ^ ■Pa 
 
 n" ft 
 o 
 
 ft 
 
 3 
 
 
 9 
 
 April 
 25 
 
 6 
 
 17.9 24 
 
 3 
 
 17.6 9 
 
 £ 17.5 
 
 4 
 
 .4 
 
 22.7 24 
 
 .6 
 
 16.5 23 
 
 
 17.9 25 
 
 .0 
 
 13 
 
 .10 
 
 21.9 10 
 
 .3 
 
 22 
 
 
 •21.5 23 
 
 .0 
 
 17.6 18 
 
 11 
 
 Top of revetment wall at Jacanes Cartler 
 Bquare is 19.6. „ 
 
 The above table shows 12 Winter floods, of 
 which 7 were followed by Spring floods and 
 1 is yet uncertain. It shows 10 Bprine floods, 
 only three of which were not preceded by 
 Winter floods. 
 
 Louis Lebaob._ 
 Bupt. of W.W. 
 
 Montreal. March 19, 1884. 
 
 Bvidenoe of Mr. I^eger, Pilot, 
 
 BT7ILD TWO BOWS OFPIEBS ABOVB IiAOHIMB 
 BAFIDS. 
 
 Material plates. No. 24, 6 feet loner, 4 feet 
 wide by 2-8tbs thick would cost tl47. 
 
 Making and fitting on plates would cost 
 tl47. 
 
 Would reauire 250 pounds of >i inch ra« 
 bolts. 6 incbea \ig., to secure the plates, 
 which would cost 7o. per lb, which would 
 make sum of tl7 50.< 
 
 Which would form total of $311 50. 
 
 KSTIMATIOM OF COST OF FIEB8. 
 
 Spiers, 100 feet sauare, 15 feethlsb, 
 requiring 13.000 leet each of flat and 
 sauare hemlock. 78,000 feet at lOo 
 per foot t 7800 
 
 640 tolses stone per pier => 3840 toises 
 atte 23,040 
 
 Workmanship of 78,000 feet timber at 
 4cpor foot 3120 
 
 $33,960 
 Mr. Michel Leser, one of Ibe pilots of the 
 upper lakes, was examined^nd displayed a 
 plan to the Committee. His opinion was 
 that floods could be obviated by the erec- 
 tion of piers and booms at outlets of the 
 lakes, especially at the outlet of Lake 
 St. Louis, which would stop thd ice in its 
 course and leave a passa^re for the frazlL 
 
 his 
 
 Chabi>es X Leqeb. 
 mark. 
 
 Mr. Michel Letter continued bis Informa- 
 tion to the Committee. As be thought that 
 the plan which he submitted at the last 
 meetiuflr was not fully comprehensible, he 
 would elve further details about ib In Lake 
 St. Francis the ice generally broke up about 
 fifteen days utter that at Montreal. The 
 consequent shove caused a dam below the 
 city, which was quite impervious. He pro- 
 posed the construction of two rows of piers 
 or booms, one from lie Dorval to Ht. Nicho- 
 las, and another Just above the Lachine 
 rapids. In reply to a question by the chair- 
 man, be said he bad not prepared an esti- 
 mate of the coet of such construction, but 
 would do 80 for the next meeting. 
 
 his 
 Charles X Lbobb. 
 
 mark. 
 Witness: A. Ooeselin. 
 
 19.6 25 
 
 1.0 
 
 Kvldeno* of Mr. O, H, Henshaw, Civil Engi- 
 neer. 
 
 WIDEN THE SHIP CHANNEL AT LONOTTB 
 POINTE, OPJEH A NEW OHANNEI; AT 
 BOCCHEBYTLLE AND OLEAB THE CHAN- 
 NEL SOUTH OF ST. HELEN'S ISLAND. 
 
 Mr. Henshaw said that he 'i.^.d always 
 been proud of Montreal, and f : w&>'s tried to 
 do some good to it He bad ai ? os had the 
 idea that something might be uonn towards 
 making the harbor of Montreal a Winter 
 
 port. His opinion was that we could have ik 
 narbor in which vessels could be. prevented 
 from ice. He had bad a good deal of in- 
 formation, and he thought that a great deal 
 of credit was due to the city of Montreal for 
 ascertaining certain fact^i in this matter; be 
 bad bis theory in this matter, and he hoped 
 that the theory which be would presently 
 
 &ive would accord with the f^icts that bad 
 Ben brought up by our engineers. 
 
 One of tbo most important pieces of evi- 
 dence, which he bad beard no far, was that 
 ot Mr. De Grosbois, which did certainly re- 
 flect much credit on that gent leman, and he 
 agreed with him In what be bad said. 
 
 MoNTBEAL, January 24, 1884. 
 
 Geologists tell us that the valley ot the St. 
 Lawrence, in tact the great ioterior of the 
 continent, was in past agt>s a great basin 
 which has been by lurus repeal eilly 
 depressed and elevated, the successive 
 stratilications at present existing therein. 
 Doing deposited during each submergence, 
 from material eroded from its shores and 
 highlands. This erosion, speakiug in gen- 
 eral terms, produced in the course of the 
 last of these changes tbe alluvial soil whicb 
 at this moment covers tbe vallov of tbe 
 rlvor, and through which it has cut its pre- 
 sent course. 
 
 Beferring to the particular part of tbe 
 river which at present demands our atten- 
 tion, that Is between the Laoliine rapids and 
 the toot of the Island of Montreal, you will 
 perceive that as the river excavated its bed 
 and shrank to within its present sbores, 
 numerous islands came into existence. 
 Xhese islands were foi med by the presence 
 of obstructions which made it easier for the 
 stream to cut its way on both sides of them 
 than to carry them off, that is to say, the 
 river followed what Is called the law of least 
 resistance, according to which tbe stream 
 first divided at the bead, and then became 
 again united at the loot as soon as that 
 law permitted. Here, at tbe heads ot Heroa 
 and Nuns' Islands you can see the groups ot 
 boulders which remain of tbe original bar- 
 rier which produced these islands, also the 
 small island and ledges above St Helen's, 
 etc. 
 
 Looking at the conformation ot this part 
 of the river there can be little doubt that 
 before the shore line took its present shape,' 
 its main channel ran in a direction more 
 conformable with its general sweep than it 
 now does; thus, with Its north shore about 
 tbe same as at present, it flowea at a 
 comparatively even width throughout, its 
 main body taking the south or rather east 
 channel at Ht Helen's Island until it reached 
 Longue Fointe, then not so defined, buC 
 more rounded like Fointe aux Trembles, 
 below which there appears little reason for 
 supposing any material change. The north 
 channel at St. Helen's Island would bo small 
 and, very likely, at first discharged nearly 
 all its waters through the passage between 
 St. Helen's and He Konde. At this period all 
 the islands now seen, and perhaos more, 
 were in existence, and teyoud some reduc- 
 tion in size from wearing away by tbe 
 stream, present the same appearance to-day, 
 except in one very notable instance to whloa 
 I shall presently refer. 
 
 As tbe river continued to cut its way, 
 always obooelng the aottest places oonsiM* 
 
12 
 
 ent Willi the correlaMou of its forces, it be- 
 $taa {rraduully lo excavate here, on tbe outer 
 eido ol iiH curve, the Laprairie buy, aud im a 
 coueequeuce oi the cbanflre of curves so 
 pmdULod, le„'an nUo to hollow ouc tu« 
 Donh or wesL cUatuiul, known as ttie bt. 
 Mary's current, an well as tbn tiays now 
 ct>ii:pi'iaB the harbors or Montreal anil 
 Uofiie'aga, a process much aided lny the 
 hurs of rock which impeded the natural 
 iltH'peninj? of the other channel ; the absence 
 ol uhii'U iiulue'l mltfht have prevented tbe 
 forniiii ioQ ot iho north channel tit all. Tdhs 
 Moseo that this new curva, worn alonff tne 
 Hcchelu,,'a shore, is re&lly what has made 
 whutwocall "Loujfue Poinle," this being 
 the pltieo where the two currents ruuniuif 
 8ide by side fairly resume a united course. 
 
 Now i wish to draw yonr attention to the 
 remarkably exceptional character of one 
 group umon^ all these islands, to which 1 
 have ailudtid, namely the Louchervillo 
 Islands. It you havo attentively followed, 
 and uilmit my reasouing so tar, 1 
 think you will also airroe with me in 
 oonuidi'i'in^r that, orliriually, these iiiiands 
 weie uiiiied as one, hawngrtho samevoa- 
 eral oval form as all tiiS rest, aud than as 
 the north channel began to monopoliz.t tbe 
 volume of thi) river and lushedtoita junc- 
 tion with tbe other off Lougue Pointo, tn > 
 latiei' was tiitust more upon this iel.tud 
 forming first a buy and finally a channel 
 sepaialinflr one part from iho other. Tula 
 channel, on account of its currenc behit; 
 reduced In speed, would, at its lower end, 
 separaLo into several small passages foim- 
 iu.^ ail these sn^all islands. You see tbey 
 all partake of the same fronerul form witb 
 theie-'t. But this is not all. You perc.'ive 
 that tbo main island Is traversed by several 
 small channels or rivulets absoluieiy at 
 rlfirht ancles with the cimrso of ibo river, 
 divldin^r it up into pieces, luuch as a cook 
 Would divide a lout; flsh for frying; and 
 here I think in these apparently iubi;z'uifi- 
 cant water ways we will find the key lor the 
 Bolutiou of the main diiSculiy, if not of tbo 
 whole question. 
 
 Between those Islands and the south shore 
 thorn is a narrow channel navigable to 
 vessela of small draught, the whole lying 
 well out of tbe line of the ' main current of 
 the river. Now surely, it might be expected 
 that tiiese narrow passages, and even tbe 
 channel along the eboro, lying as tboy do in 
 a sort of eddy, would silt up ; aud yet there 
 is no tradition that 1 know of, of their ever 
 having I. oen dilTerent from what they now 
 are. Tbo names ot the islands have existed 
 from very early times, and tbougli the 
 passages have been long encumbered with 
 
 fia=>8 and sedge tbey havejnever been closed. 
 t is therefore to the conditions of their 
 formation that we mu^t Iook, to explain 
 theii preservation: and to do this wo will 
 first look briefiyat another question, name- 
 ly, the formation of what is called frazil ice. 
 This question, upon which afereat deal has 
 been BBid and written, I would like, vory 
 much to take up at length, but at prob^eut 
 it would take us too lar Irom our subjeet 1 
 will Lherelore only eay that what 1 havo 
 every reason to believe is the trm> tho.irv, 
 one wuicb I may be pardoned lor looking 
 upon with some satisfaction as being my 
 own, is this, as applied to this special 
 looality. 
 
 m very cold weather the water pnsslna 
 down the Lachiuo Bapld^ becomes practl* 
 tally reduced In temperature te ow freezing 
 point, ami pass'iug beneath the slower mov- 
 ing waters at i heir foot quicidy r<»lrigerat«8 
 the stones and bouMers spread ovtu' the 
 bottopi ot the great area boluw, converting 
 it Intoa veritable nursery for thu prodiio- 
 tiou of frazil H'a\ TiK're is plenty of ovideuoe 
 of i.his latter laet, which I wiil not now stay. 
 lo give. Tbe frazil thus tornied Is cou- 
 tiuimlly heiui; broken oft in small quantities 
 and fioateil down, but when a sudden thaw 
 occutv, it detaches ifsell in large masses 
 like h'aps of gigantic icy bar.H, and floats 
 down until it finds a place shallow enough 
 to bold it between the under surlace of tlie 
 ice and the bottom, where it stays nvA is 
 packed in, and extended liy siic-cee.dlng 
 masses, until the wa'er way is no na^r )wod 
 as to cause a more or loss sudden rise of 
 water. Tbe fluctuations or partial I'rills.that 
 lollow rlyes aiK duo to the liii-akieg away 
 ot [larts of these dams wheu lilted oy tue 
 rltjo. 
 
 Thus we may fairly assume thai frazil Ice 
 is the immc'diate cause of the rise of the 
 river in Winter, for it is only m tbe breaking 
 up <M the river iu Spring that masses of ice 
 at all capable ot blocking sucii ii channel 
 are on i he move. This choking ot ibi> river 
 by fiazil leoisot yearly oceuiTene,>, lor there 
 is always more or less of rise, therefore it 
 is only when the conditiims are most 
 favorable lor the proiluctiou of ibis sub- 
 stance that a ilood occurs. Again; so long 
 as the normal course ot the slreani li not 
 iulerfereJ with, tlnue will be little difference 
 ot locality in tue deposit, but only of quantity, 
 Oneother fact, weaie apt to lose bly^htoi, 
 must be borne steadily in mind, tmd that U, 
 that the volume ot the river in Winter, ex- 
 cept in beav.v thaws, scarcely ever surpasses 
 that of low water in Summer. This n im- 
 portant to remember because It is this low- 
 ness of the water which narrows the space 
 between the surface lee and the bottom. 
 Hence, tbe lower the waterat the beginning, 
 the more rapid and exteubivo is the forma- 
 tion of the dam, it all other conditions are 
 the same. 
 
 liearing all this in rain I, let us see what 
 course the frazil ice once in ntotioii will take. 
 The south channel being shallow and ob- 
 structed would attract but little, and the 
 mass would be carried by tliecurrent direct- 
 ly down against the city, and, depositing its 
 quota among the wharves, it would sweep 
 along the Hochelaga shore towards Longue 
 Pointe. A small portion would be atiract- 
 ed by the current between Ht. Helen's Island 
 and He Ronde, but the proportion of this 
 would be 80 small, that the removal ot this, 
 latter island, so strongly advocated i)ysoine, 
 would not probably make a noticeable differ- 
 ence. Arrived nt Longue Pointe it would 
 shoot out a talus in tbo direction of the 
 shoal at that olace, across tbe main chan- 
 nel, and towards tbe opening in tbe Boiicher- 
 vllle Islands. Immediately the river would 
 begin to rise, in Droportion to the obsUue- 
 tion formed, until tbo force of the current 
 liecainoBuffleleatto break off or deflect the 
 end of the talus and carry away I he surplus 
 rittzll, to lodge among the Islands bebw. 
 
 Tbo river oy this time ha-> risen enough 
 to enable a considerable quantity of Jiuid 
 fromaiiove to descend the south chauui*!, 
 tnllowlDf; of ooursd its deepest part, and ob- 
 
le water passing 
 . l)ec'>mi>3 pracuN 
 .uiv leowfrHPzlug 
 h llio tilowor inov« 
 uickly rulrk'erates 
 i tipi'wul ovor the 
 below, convortinij 
 ■ lor Uxi produo- 
 ploiity of ♦n-nienoe 
 , will liiit nowsliiy. 
 3 tor mod U cou- 
 ItiBiiiull (uianliiles 
 lu II suiUltiD thaw 
 ID Lvrje masses 
 burs, iiud flouts 
 Hsliiiliuw ouoiiifU 
 icr surlut'o of ilie 
 I it btuys iii:<1 is 
 -d l>y wiceo(!Uluj< 
 ay is so nari- )\ved 
 is suciden risH ol 
 )r piiitml fnllb.that 
 M l)n>akii'g awuy 
 Ueu lilted Oy tuu 
 
 utno tha! frazil k*e 
 I llif riso of tiia 
 liy in t ho breuklD:; 
 lliat iQuusKS of ice 
 ' Huuii a cliaiiuol 
 okiiig ol tlic rlvor 
 c!untiLii>.<,l<jr there 
 f rise, tbcrt'lore it 
 litiouB are most 
 itiou of Ibid suO- 
 I. A>;aiu: so lou;; 
 .he sireiiiii Is uot 
 beiitrludifToreuce 
 M oiiiy ot QiuintUy, 
 ; to lose tiiuhtoi, 
 mind, and tliat U, 
 vor iu Winter, ox- 
 joly ever surpasses 
 mar. This u iui- 
 luse it is thid low- 
 iiaiTows tho space 
 and tlio bottom, 
 rattlioliecriunin;?, 
 >ive istliH lorma- 
 her conditions are 
 
 I, let us see what 
 uniotionwiiltaUe. 
 : shallo'.v and ob- 
 ut lutlo, and the 
 thocurrentdirect- 
 iud, ilepositinK its 
 3, it would sweep 
 B towards Longue 
 would 1)6 atiraoL- 
 St. Heloa's Island 
 )roportion of this 
 iie removal oi this . 
 dvocatedi)y8()ine, 
 a noticeable dilTer- 
 a Fointe it would 
 I direction of the 
 I the main chau- 
 n;riuthel3oiicher- 
 y the river would 
 ii to tho obstfue- 
 3e of tho current 
 c off or deflect the 
 aw;iy t ho surplus 
 islands boluw. 
 ha-- rideu t"Uaii;,'h 
 quantity of J'luid 
 ho south cbauuol, 
 pest part, and ob- 
 
 18 
 
 stmcting tlie shoal in front of Longueuil, 
 until, opposite Long Point, it is thrust aside 
 by tlie main northern current and fills up 
 the channel or cul de sac between the Bou- 
 oherville islands ; practically confining the 
 whole volume of the river to tlie present 
 shift channel. And now we come to the ex- 
 planation uf these small lateral passages 
 which so curiously divide the Bouchervule 
 islands. The confined water of the main 
 channel rises coi. iderably higher than that 
 of the narrow channel along the south sliore, 
 and hence, in escaping beneath the ice, these 
 little channels iiave been cut. Thus these 
 channels are winter torn, and are not silted 
 up in the summer because every winter they 
 are washed out bv the same agency that 
 originally produced them. 
 
 Tltis, then, is my theory of the cause of the 
 winter floods which aft'ect the city of Mont- 
 real, based upon my investigations into the 
 character of frazil ice and its effects : and I 
 pretty confidently expect that the result of 
 the examinations undertaken by the city and 
 Harbor Engineers, now in progress, will 
 confirm it in every important point. 
 
 The Remedy. 
 
 Assuming my theory to be correct, I 
 would confidently recommend : 
 
 Ist. Widening the ship channel at Long 
 Point by cutting the flanking shoal entirely 
 away, close up to the shore, and so straight- 
 ening as well as widening the channel. 
 
 2nd. The conversion of the cul de sac 
 in the Boucherville islands into a channel 
 of relief, by giving an exit below. 
 
 3rd. Removing Moffat's Island and clear- 
 ing the south channel of all large boulders 
 and projecting rock ledges. 
 
 All this would not, of course, prevent the 
 forn.ation of frazil ice, but it will remove it 
 to a safe distance; and, for the same reason, 
 very largely diminish chances of ice jams 
 in the spring if not entirely remove them. 
 
 It would be as idle to attempt the entire 
 prevention of rises in the river as to do away 
 with the ebb and flow of tide ; but we may 
 reasonably expect to be able to kee() these 
 rises from becoming floods. 
 
 I would add, in reference to my third re- 
 commendation, that the exca.vation of the 
 south channel at St. Helen's island to a 
 depth sutticient for the river traffic in the 
 summer, would be still more effective, and 
 I confidently predict that this will some day 
 be done, but unless it is made part of a more 
 comprehensive scheme of harbor improve- 
 ment, it is not to be recommended, since, by 
 itself, it would have the effect of lowering the 
 harbor level during the dry summer season, 
 which also means a reduction of depth upon 
 the lower still of the canal lock. 
 
 Geo. H. Hemshaw, C.E. 
 
 Kvldence of Mr. John Kennedy, Harbour 
 Engineer. 
 
 Mr. John Kennedy, Chief Engineer of the 
 Harbor Commissioners, produced a num- 
 ber of charts and maps showing accumula- 
 tions of ice at various points in the channel, 
 depth and width, taken at times of flood. 
 He explained that tb« flood of last fall at 
 Montreal was caused by a general diminu- 
 tion of the capacity of the diannei from 
 the Victoria Bridge to below Loiigue Points 
 and not by an ice jam forming a itaiii at any 
 definite point. — Levels taken during the 
 flood show only about a foot of bucking up 
 of the River at the large ice juui at l^oiigue 
 Pointe, but from that to tlie iiridge tiiere 
 was a gradual increase of the t^urfuce inclin- 
 ation to an average of about 20 ins. per mile, 
 as against 6 ins. per mile in dimmer. A 
 coating of Irasil ice on the botiom an J ac- 
 cumulations under the surface ice might 
 easily increase the surface slope of the water, 
 say an inch per mile, and even this little 
 increase extended for miles would have a 
 very marked etfect on the water level. — Add 
 to this solid accumulations or jams ut var- 
 ious points, still fiirther reducing the chan- 
 nel and increasing the slope, and floods are 
 easily accounted for at Montreal. 
 
 Floods occur at many points between 
 Cornwall and Quebec as well as at Montreal } 
 at Cape la Roche tor instance, ihe water 
 rises in such a way as sometimes to flood 
 Batiscan. — Three Rivers is also Hooded 
 every five years. Ice jams are frequent at 
 Cornwall, and the water powers oi tlie large 
 factories and mills there are sometimes 
 drowned out all winter. From these lacts 
 it may be gathered that the ice accumulates 
 every place where a rapid current changes 
 to a slow one, and that it otten jams in such 
 a way as to increase the hydraulic inclina- 
 tion more or less abruptly, and thereby 
 causes a flood. In the case of Montreal it is 
 well known that the ice "takes" first at the 
 Boucherville Islands, and the river from 
 that to Lachine is open much later. It the 
 frost is very severe during that time floating 
 ice and frasil are formed very fast in the 
 open water of tlie Lachine Rapids and La- 
 prairie Basin, and those are floated down to 
 the stationary ice till the whole harbor is 
 not only covered with packed ice, but im- 
 mense quantities are carried under until the 
 area of the channel is greatly reduced, 'i'be 
 combined effect of the friction of the surface 
 ice and the choking up of the channel be- 
 neath is to increase the surface slope of the 
 river, from about the Boucherville Islands 
 to the City, to a greater or less extent, 
 and in some years to such extent as to flood 
 the lower streets. The recorded levels and 
 careful observations are fiew and incomplete, 
 but, so far as they go, they show that 
 floods are due to tiiis gradual rise over a 
 considerable distance, and nottq the ice jams 
 
u 
 
 which appear so formidable upon the sur- 
 face. 
 
 In 1862, at the time of the flood, levels of 
 the water in tlie river were taken by tlie 
 Road Department which he tlioMglit were 
 Btill on record in tlie Koad Department. 
 
 He waH of opinion that frasii forms every- 
 where in open water and extreipe cold wea- 
 ther, whether the water be in rapid motion 
 dr other wise. He is not aware of any re- 
 medial measures yet proposed which could 
 be relied upon to prevent floods. The dredg- 
 ing hitherto done had made only an inxig- 
 nincant ditch in the l)ed ot the river, as com- 
 pared with its whole enormo.is volume. 
 There are no local obstructions in the river 
 at Montreal by the removal of wiiich we 
 could hope to entirely relieve Montreal. The 
 building of piers at the toot of lakes St 
 Francis and St Louis might do some good, 
 but would not affect the general question. 
 
 Mr. John Kennedy, Harbour £n>ilDeer, 
 ooattnued bia eTiilence as to ttio natui'f and 
 extent o( tbe several iuun>latlona whiub bad 
 ooourreil during: ttie last twenty years, au J, 
 althou>;h not cow ui'epared to oCe^ any aug- 
 
 f^eatious lor the prevention of floods in 
 uture, was of opinion tuat tney could be at 
 least mitigfiiled. Tho inior mation as to the 
 Important facta and condiiioos which ac- 
 company floods are so meaKre and frag- 
 mentary that it would >>e unwise to base a 
 scheme of prevention upon it. He strout^ly 
 advocated a comprehensive series of 
 obeervations and survey of the river from 
 Varenaes to Lake St. Louis, for the puroosn 
 of obtaining; full and accurate information 
 as to all the fa-^ts accompanyintf floods. 
 This could only L : done at considerable ex- 
 pense, but It IS the first essential step to- 
 wards dealing with this important question. 
 Mr. Kennedy in reply to a question by 
 tbe Chairman said he thought thai if the 
 main channel about the Boucherville Islands 
 wore widened and straiffhiened it would be 
 better, or at least ia the right direction. He 
 could not say what this would cost without 
 further surveys. The probable cost of mak- 
 ing the surveys between the city and tbe 
 boucherville Islands would be about ioiM, 
 after which the cost of widening and deepen- 
 ing the channel could be very easily deter- 
 mined. 
 
 Mr. Cramp asked how long it would take 
 to make a survey; to which Mr. Kennedy 
 replied that in Summer a survey could be 
 made in about a month's time. 
 
 In reply to a question by Mr. Jones. Mr. 
 Eennedy said some of the pieces of ice 
 which pass through the harbour are very 
 larse and some very small. Some of tbe 
 pieces were so large that it was puzzling to 
 know how they could pass under the Vic- 
 toria Bridge. He did not think that the 
 construction of another bridge would do any 
 real good towards proteotln* the city from 
 floods. JoHM Kennedy. 
 
 MoKTRBAL, 3rd April, 1884. 
 To the Chairman of the Flood Committee, 
 
 Dbak Sib :— I desire to record the follow- 
 ing remarks in reply to the opinions express- 
 
 ed bv the Harbor Engineer at your meeting 
 on Tue^ay last, which the lateness of the 
 hour prevented my making on vhat occasion. 
 It is neither reaVonatile to expect, nor to be 
 desired, that Mr. Keniiet'^, occupying as he 
 does soimportaiitanotHcial position in rela- 
 tion to the siiliject, should be other than ex- 
 tremely cautious in eitlnr adopting or con- 
 demning views which firther invedtigaiion 
 may, or may not, prove o be erroneous or in- 
 adequate. 1 therefore take his remarks to be 
 rather the exprc. sions r f his present impres- 
 sions than the tc»u'.* ofsettleil conviction. 
 
 I entirely agree with him as to the actual 
 facts presented by him. There can be no 
 question that the river is high from one end 
 to the other, and that floods take place at 
 other pointi beside Montreal, but ihe pre- 
 sent question does not concern them ; neither 
 is there any doubt as to the very slight win- 
 ter variations in the hydraulic slope of the 
 river, observed during floods; but this fact, 
 taken only by itself, constitutes no agree- 
 ment, or rather might reduce it to the ab- 
 surd alternative, that there either could 
 never be a flood, or that there mu-'t always 
 be a flood. Of course Mr. Kennedy does 
 not mtan this, and I mention it only for the 
 benefit of those not well acquainted with 
 technicalities. If, however, it is his opinion 
 that tlie whole river would have to be treat- 
 ed in order to remove floods from Montreal, 
 then I cannot agree with him. The hydrau- 
 lic slope of the river is composed of many 
 various slopes, due each to the nature of the 
 obstructions encountered, and is an average 
 of all. I hold it, therefore, quite possible to 
 materially alter the slope at one spot, with- 
 out at all affecting the general hydraulic 
 slope of the whole. In fact it is a natural 
 alteration of this kind, though in an opposite 
 direction to that desired, that has caused the 
 flood. 
 
 Again, no doubt, in summer the ship 
 channel, as Mr. Kennedy says, is but a 
 scratch in the bed of the St Lawrence, but 
 to my mind in winter its relative importance 
 is vastly increased, since, judging from the 
 few cross-sections taken, it, together with 
 one or more of the natural channels, consti- 
 tutes at certain places the sole outlet for the 
 volume of the river, and consequently has 
 to make up in heiglit what it lacks in width ; 
 unless, therefore, it can be shown that there 
 is no larger area below the obstruction than 
 at it, I can see no valid reason against en- 
 larging theopening at the obstruction. What- 
 ever possible difference there may t)e between 
 Mr. Kennedy's opinions and mine, I think 
 at least he will agree with me in this s that, 
 considering the statements made as to the 
 coincidence of floods with certain dams of 
 ice, by Mr. Orosbois and others, the public 
 will be scarcely satisfied until such exam- 
 inations are made as will prove or disprove 
 their agency in causing floods in the city. 
 
jeer at your meeting 
 li the lateneHH of the 
 ing on .hat occasion. 
 le to expect, nor to be 
 K'y, occiipyiiig as he 
 icial poHiiion in rela- 
 Id be otl)er than ex- 
 nr adopting or con- 
 farther investigation 
 
 o be erroneous or in- 
 ke hiR remarks to be 
 f his pre-ent imprea- 
 settled conviction, 
 iiiin as to the actual 
 I. There can be no 
 is high frou) one end 
 
 floods take place at 
 ntreal, but ilie pre- 
 >ncern them ; neither 
 I the very slight win- 
 ydraulic slope of the 
 floods ; but thip t'act, 
 jonstitutes no agree- 
 
 reduce it to the ab- 
 
 there either could 
 t there mu-it always 
 B Mr. Kennedy does 
 ention it only tor the 
 rell acquainted with 
 ever, it is his opinion 
 )uld have to be treat- 
 loods from Montreal, 
 h him. The hydrau- 
 * composed of many 
 li to the nature of the 
 ed, and is an average 
 fore, quite possible to 
 pe at one spot, with- 
 iie general hydraulic 
 [1 fact it is a natural 
 though in an opposite 
 i, that has caused the 
 
 n summer the ship 
 nedy saye, is but a 
 the St Lawrence, but 
 ts relative importance 
 ice, judging from the 
 en. It, together with 
 ural channels, consti- 
 Lhe sole outlet for the 
 ind consequently has 
 'hat it lacks in width ; 
 a be shown that there 
 the obstruction than 
 lid reason against en- 
 he obstruction. What- 
 ! there may be between 
 IS and mine, I think 
 with me in this ; that, 
 uents made as to the 
 with certain dams of 
 ind others, the public 
 fled until euchexam- 
 irill prove or disprove 
 g floods in the city. 
 
 15 
 
 I may add that the facts adduced, so far, 
 by the investigation have produced a strong 
 impression in my mind that we have narrow- 
 ly escaped perhaps the heaviest spring flood 
 that has ever visited our city. Hail the late 
 unusual thaw of ten days and nights been ex- 
 tended a tiew days longer, a movement of the 
 ice of a very dangerous cliaracter must have 
 taken place. This has, however, happily 
 been averted until the ice has b-^ome so 
 rotten as no longer to be capable of adhesion 
 in large masses ; but the lesson it tenches is 
 certainly not to told our hands with the 
 Turk, and cry Kismet, it is fate. 
 
 I remain, dear Sir, 
 
 Your very obedient servant, 
 
 Geo. H. Hbkshaw. 
 
 Mr. Louis St Denis of the City of Montreal 
 testified as follows : 
 
 I am a pilot and am well acc[uainted with 
 the St Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. 
 
 I would recommend, in order to prevent 
 future inundation, that piers should be 
 built across the Chateauguay shore from 
 the south to the north channel, so as to re- 
 tain the ice there and keep it from choking 
 the river lower down. 
 
 The piers could be ^built on the shoals 
 where the water is not more than three feet 
 in some places and a little more in other 
 places. A part of the work can be done 
 this winter. For further reference I would 
 refer you to my plan. I am well recom- 
 mended by several Marine Inspectors. 
 
 Louis S. Denis. 
 
 Evidence of Mr. J. M. Nelson. Asilatant 
 Harbor Kngloeer, 
 
 DYNABIITB CSELESS. 
 
 Mr. J. U. Nelson stated that there was ^ 
 dia^ereace of only four inches in the level oi 
 the water between Lonurueuil and Huobe- 
 la^a on the 3rd January last. Between 
 Montreal and the 1 >" point there was a 
 fall of three feet f^c . inches, which was 
 a little more than normal, the fall in Suca- 
 mer being two feet three Inob^s, 
 
 The south cbaanul was noas ly blocked up 
 this year, there boin^ no current to speak of 
 and thd water \r&i turced round ot. Helen's 
 Island, and passed down in the north chan- 
 nel or oppoiiite the city. 
 
 The jam at fiouuherville was over two 
 miles in length and one mile in breadth. Ue 
 considered the idea ot blowing it up with 
 dynamite wa^ almost; Imprauticable, and 
 would have litti3 or no eSoct, as it consisted 
 of cakes ot ice at the top and frazil below, 
 and, with a brittle, yleldlngr substance like 
 this, dynamite, having no reetstaaoe, it 
 could not do much ffooi. If the daui was 
 blown up it could jam lower down. 
 
 J. M. Mklsom. 
 
 Plantaoekut Sprikob, Ont., 
 
 April 27th, 18S6. 
 
 To His Worship the Mayor, the Alderinm 
 and the Oilixetus oj Montreal. 
 
 Gentlkhen, — I herewith address to you a 
 paper written by me on the important sub- 
 ject of the flooding of tUe city of Montreal and 
 Its environs. Were it not for the loss of my 
 flood notes, reports, &o., which I had kept 
 for many year{',and which were being in use 
 by the late City Surveyor,! might have made 
 this paperoi more value as to precise details. 
 
 As It is, I have thrown together some par- 
 ticulars and explanations from memory. I 
 have added thereto such remarks, opinions 
 and suggestions as, in my humble opinion, 
 the importance of the subject merits. 
 
 Had I remained in the council it would 
 have been my duty to make use of the pre- 
 paration made for it. 
 
 If 1 have failed to afford sutficient explan- 
 ation on any part of the subject which it 
 may be in my power to extend, it is only 
 necessary to call on me to do so. 
 I am, gentlemen, 
 
 Yours very respectfully, 
 Wh. Uoddbk. 
 
 ICE SHOVES AND MONTREAL 
 FLOODS. 
 
 This subject is now and has been one of the 
 most important before the City of Montreal, 
 It is a subject that has received much atten- 
 tion during the last half century. The loss 
 and damage suffered by the people diiring 
 that time must have exceeded tue amount 
 it would have cost tj have placed 
 the streets that are below high water 
 mark, sufficiently high to enable the 
 people to use them without interruption, and 
 assist in furnishing a partial remedy. 
 
 Many years ago the corporation fixed upon 
 a higher level for flooded streets, and have 
 done much, particularly in St. Ann's ward, 
 to raise them, some parts of which have re- 
 ceived as much as four to eight,ten and twelve 
 feet offlUing. It is true there remains much 
 to be done to finish that part of the required 
 work, and it should be very well understood 
 that raising the streets is not all that is 
 needed to save citizens from periodical 
 flooding of their premises. 
 
 I'he people naturally look to their repre- 
 sentatives in council to consider and adopt 
 measures of relief, and also should look to 
 their representatives in Parliament to con- 
 sider whettier or not the causes are outside 
 of the bouadariesof the municipality of Mon- 
 treal, and they should come to the assistance 
 of the city corporation in obtaining the per- 
 formance of what is needed to be done on the 
 river and harbor works outside of the limits 
 of the city's control* and obtain legislatiofi for 
 
II 
 
 il 
 
 the corporation, aivinf} powers to do their 
 part ot tlie work without liabiliiv for 
 damages. Tlie great etforts made to keep 
 down taxes, the desire of tnenibera repre- 
 Heating other 8ectiorii< of the oity to obtain 
 all tliey can from the city treasury to im- 
 prove their sectionH, have often made it 
 difficult to obtain suitable expenditures on 
 tlie flooded section of the city, whiich are the 
 outleis for tlie trade of the city to ite harbor, 
 the canul, and railway stations. It would be 
 out of place for me here to give particulars of 
 the persistent efforts of mem bers of council re- 
 preaeiitiiig tlie Hooded sections to secure a full 
 share of uUention, nor is it necessary I should 
 speak of what was done in my time of mem- 
 bersuip— the work done speaks for itself j if 
 more was not acconipliMiied it was due to 
 the magnitude of the required work, the im- 
 possibility of reconciling tlie different opin- 
 lons^on the causes of flocwing, to justify enter- 
 ing upon a lull and perfect system of relief, 
 and tJie difhc liy oi bringing together all the 
 interests outside of the city limits, that, 
 sooner or later, must participate in the ex- 
 pense of the necessary work and its benefits. 
 
 I can well understand tha difficulties of 
 the position of an alderman, particularly if 
 he had much business of his own to look 
 after, while he is at work on extensive and 
 troublesome municipal questions, and if at 
 ail zealous in the performance of public 
 duties, his own interests are damagedjunless 
 he is more fortunate than is usual in having 
 about him thoroughly reliable persons. 
 
 Then, again, an alderman is surrounded by 
 a multiplicity of persons interested in smaller 
 questions turning up f'om day today, press- 
 ed upon him by electori.each often unwilling 
 to look at any subject excepting as it trou- 
 bles or beuetits himself. Tlius tlie aldermen 
 are subject to great trials.hindered often from 
 full study of great questions, and eventually 
 either become disgusted wita the humiliating 
 position, and retire, or take an independent 
 stand in what they consider right, and have 
 all sorts of unjust motives heaped upon them 
 till they feel it impossible longer to continue 
 the connection, and leave tne work they 
 were engaged in to be longer delayed or to 
 fall into the hands of persons unwilling or 
 unable to give.the necessary time and study to 
 the task. 
 
 Feeling, as I do, the full force of the fore- 
 going expressions, 1 have no diHicTilty in 
 understanding how that the death or re- 
 moval of a civic officer and the retiring of 
 aldermeu who labored on such important 
 questions may to some extent account for 
 delays, particularly when it is considered 
 bh»t the great majority of the council repre- 
 sent other sections of the city claiming their 
 attention. These considerations have led me 
 to the conclusion that the city council might 
 aptwint a commission, with the mayor and 
 chairman of finance e.vofficio members, who. 
 
 with the assistance of a first class engineer 
 of experience in this country ,acquainted with 
 the action of the ice and the doods, could 
 take all necessary means to consider, report 
 upon, and eventually carry out whatever 
 work the city council might determine to be 
 necessary to be performed within their juris- 
 diction. 
 
 The Oovernment and the harbor commis- 
 sioners, as well as a<ijoining municipalities, 
 are also so largely interested in this question, 
 it is important that co-operation be secured 
 from them. Any legislation nececsary should 
 be at once obtained, that the city may have 
 full powers to act in the adoption of such 
 works as may be found necessary, and that 
 the proposed works may be done without the 
 city being exposed to liability for damages 
 for their performance. 
 
 Following the foregoing introduction! ot 
 the suliject, it may be proper to explain that 
 the writer was too young to observe the 
 action of the ice and* floods previous to the 
 floods of 1837-'38 and of the following spring. 
 I well remember that our shop in 8t. Paul 
 street and others adjoining were flooded, ioe 
 was piled along the river banks, buildings 
 there were injured, the present site of St. 
 Ann's market thence to the river was an open 
 creek which extended to St. Joseph sub- 
 burbs, the old Montreal College was sur- 
 rounded with water as if standing in a lake, 
 extending round to Craig street, that was 
 then an open creek, overflowing its banks 
 from Fortification lane to Jurors street. 
 Skaters resorted to the open creek at the foot 
 of McGill street which overflowed St. Paul 
 street. Point a Caliere, and thence to the 
 Lower Lachine road, along the valley to near 
 the Fraser tiarm, and extending also to the 
 lowlands of Cote St. Paul and from the 
 canal along the lowlands near the Upper 
 La(.hine road banks, continuing through to 
 Uonaventure and Craig Streets. 
 
 The winter flood of 1837-38 was re- 
 markable tor its height and extent, during 
 very cold weather. iJuch loss and damage 
 occurred, property on the river banks was 
 injured, am there was great suftering by the 
 people flooded. Very little assistance could 
 be taken to them tiil the ice was so frozen 
 that sleds could be taken by hand, and 
 skaters could travel from St. Paul street 
 near the old market, now Custom house 
 square, to Lower Lachine around to Bona- 
 venture and Craig Street, and on the way 
 look into flooded houses from the second- 
 floor windows. So great was the outcry on 
 this occasion, and some time after it, that the 
 commission of Royal Engineers was ordered 
 to investigate and report upon the causes^ 
 and the remedies. Their report was presented 
 in 1841. J was a clerk m St. Paul street 
 at the time, and remember adding to my 
 flood notes that I commenced in 1837-38, the 
 expressions of old citizens, disapproving the 
 
flrflt clans engineer 
 iry,acquaint(>tl with 
 I the noodn, could 
 to consider, report 
 irry out whatever 
 ;ht determine to be 
 [ within theirjuris- 
 
 he harbor coiiimia- 
 ing tniinicipalitiei, 
 ed in thinquention, 
 deration be aecured 
 n necepsary should 
 the ciiy may have 
 I adoption of such 
 lecesHary, and tliat 
 « done witiioul the 
 bihty for damages 
 
 ig introduction! ot 
 per to explain that 
 ig to observe the 
 lis previous to the 
 letullowing spring, 
 r sliop in St. Paul 
 I were flooded, ioe 
 
 bank^i, buildings 
 present site of St. 
 e river was an open 
 5 St. Joeepli sub- 
 College was sur- 
 itanding in a lake, 
 ; street, that was 
 rdowing its banks 
 to Jurors street. 
 !n creek at the foot 
 erriowed St. Paul 
 ind thence to the 
 ;the valley to near 
 ending also to the 
 ul and from the 
 s near the Upper 
 inuiiig through to 
 ireets. 
 
 [837-'38 was re- 
 nd extent, during 
 1 loss and damage 
 > river banks was 
 atsuttering by the 
 e assistance could 
 ice was so frozen 
 en by band, and 
 (1 St. Paul street 
 w Custom house 
 
 around to Bona- 
 I and OD the way 
 from the secona- 
 vas the outcry on 
 le after it, that the 
 ineers was ordered 
 upon the causes, 
 port was presented 
 in St. Paul street 
 !)er adding to my 
 Jed in 1837-38, the 
 , disapproving the 
 
 IT 
 
 report of engineers, and contending that the 
 ioe dams that formed in front of the city 
 were not the only or continued cause of 
 floods ; that Hoods liad also been caused by 
 ice shoves that occurred far below the 
 city and far above it. On one of those 
 occasions of general floods the roar and 
 crashing of descending ice, brought out St. 
 Paul street merchants to view the immense 
 fields of ice evidently from the upper lakes, 
 
 rsing down below the city. Piles could 
 seen as far as the eye could discern, 
 evidently grounded on shoals as far as 
 Boucherville or beyond it. 
 
 I remember well tlie cluster of merchant 
 neighbor* viewing the magniticent but terri- 
 ble crushing and piling tields of ice, while 
 the? laughed at the idea of 90 to 100 thousand 
 dollars being of much servjcer and asked one 
 another how many millions of dollars would 
 it take to afford permanei»t relief. There 
 stood within my hearing such men as the 
 late John Torrance, John Frothingham, 
 Jacob Dewitt, Horatio Gates, Wm. Lyman, 
 Esquires, and otiiers, ihen as well-known. 
 In St. Paul Street many stores and shop 
 floors were again flooded, and many goods 
 damaged. I continued to follow enquiry 
 into the periodical cause and effect of such 
 magnificent yet dangerous spectacles, and 
 I gave attention to the remetfies suggested. 
 Those great floods were not confined to 
 Montreal. The changing features of ice jams 
 and floods has beei. such that, within the 
 twelve months, notes have been taken of 
 shoves and floods that at intervals operated 
 upon every low-lying section of country from 
 Sorel to Beauharnois, extending thence 
 across the lake to Isle Perrot and St Ann's. 
 Such extensive floods as the one here re- 
 ferred to were preceded by low waters in the 
 river during the time the ice formed that 
 fall and winter. The early part of the winter 
 was very cold, accompanied by very light 
 snow falls, and the ice on rivers ana lakes 
 formed very thick. In the early part of 
 March mild weather and rain converted the 
 snow on the ice into water, and weakened 
 the ice much more on the upper lakes than 
 upon Lake St. Louis and the harbor ; some 
 ice from above that lake came down to the 
 shoals near Beauharnois, causing higher 
 water above. Frost set in on the third night 
 of the thaw, the following morning travelling 
 on the river to Beauharnois from Point Claire 
 was resumed, and I spent that day on the 
 roadjalong the river through Lower Lachine, 
 Point Claire, to Isle Perrot, thence across 
 through Beauharnois to 8t.Timothe,and back 
 to the city, doing 75 miles, and as I passed 
 along I viewed each point of interest, which 
 produced a conviction in my mind that, the 
 spring flood would be serious and w' ■ - 
 spread, inasmuch as the ice from Beai 
 nois down was very strong, while that on tue 
 lakes above was reported to be much 
 
 B 
 
 damaged by the thaw, and likely to come 
 down earlier than usual. The shoals in the 
 narrows above 8i Ann's lock wei-e cov«re 1 
 by ice jams, the water above was much 
 raiseil, for several days it was dangerous 
 getting on and ofl" the ice there. Early in 
 April the thaw set in. part of the lake ice 
 increased the jam at St. Ann's, and it was 
 faid very little of the water from the Ottawa 
 passed that point, it passed for some time in 
 the Back River channel. That thaw broke 
 up the ice on the upper lakes, rising of the 
 waters in the channels brought it down, till 
 it came in contact with the jams on the 
 shoals between Lachine and Beauharnois, 
 and there increased the obstruction which 
 held back the water, floo<led that town, 
 Chateauguay, part of Isle Perrot, St. 
 Ann's, and Point Claire, and obstructed 
 travel on the land roads till the 
 heitjht of water increased enough to lift the 
 ice jams from the shoals and carry the fields 
 of ice down to the shoals between the Vic- 
 toria Bridge and the Lachine Kapids. There a 
 large portion of it remained for a time, back- 
 ing the flood upon the south shore of the 
 river, and extending beyond and above La- 
 prairie, also on an low pluc s of Lower 
 Lachine road, and the flood came into the city 
 through the drainage outlets under the La- 
 chine canal,and poured rapidly down William 
 street to St Paul street,and down Bonaventure 
 street to Craig street. While thus the city 
 was being flooded from the west, the water was 
 also operating upon the ice jams, eventually 
 carrying them past the Victoria Bridge into 
 contact with the ice in front of and below 
 the city. The contest between the yet strong 
 ice below, and the very large quantities from 
 above was one of the most grand and terrific 
 scenes of the kind ever witnessed. Mountains 
 of ice were piled up on the river banks as far 
 down as Dalhousie C.P.R. station, and across 
 to St. Helen's and St. Lambert. Had not the 
 island been the stopping-place, the village of 
 Longueuil would have been destroyed. This 
 stoppage threw the flood for a time back on 
 the city till it reached sutiicient height to 
 raise the ice jam and divide the flow of 
 waters to both sides of St. Helen's, carrying 
 the flood to parts of Hochelaga, and to all 
 the south shore, on to below Boucherville i- 
 lands. The river craft wintering there were 
 iiijured,and the population all alongsuflered. 
 While this was going on, the ice from the 
 Ottawa was on its way down, a great part 
 
 Eassing by the Back River to meet the St 
 lawretice ice below the Montreal island, and 
 both joined passing downwards. At SortI 
 they met the ice from the Uiclielieu, did 
 niHch damage to the river craft and wharves 
 there, and flooded the place. On this occasion 
 the Montreal flood stood at a great height till 
 the breaking v, of the ice at Sorel, which 
 came from the Swiiawrence.the Ottawa ani 
 the Richelieu. 
 
 I'l 
 
IS 
 
 liitln 
 
 
 We may here Mk what kind of piern could 
 have been placed in the river to hol<I the ice 
 above the Victoria Bridge or above Lachine, 
 and wliat would they have coHt ? That it' the 
 ice was held there how much of the country 
 above the piers would have been floodcd,and 
 who would pay the people that suffered 
 damage? 
 
 In the foregoing I have described as briefly 
 a^ possible what occurred durine a general 
 rtoo<l on one occasion. Fortunately such ex- 
 tensive and far-reaching effects of the river's 
 obstructions are of rare occurrence; they are 
 such as to tax the ingenuity of the highest 
 engineering talent, to fully understand and 
 demonstrate thoroughly perfect remedies to 
 obviate the dilticulties all along the line. 
 
 Tlie question now naturally sujrgests itself, 
 what has this general flood to teach us in 
 uotinection with what suffering Montreal 
 endures from floods ? 
 
 1st. There is no difficulty in arriving at 
 the conclusion that we cannot control the 
 action ot the ice in its departure and onward 
 course, or, in other words, keep it frou) com- 
 ing down upon us without expending a large 
 #um of money, and if authority was bbtained 
 from Parliament it would cause the city to 
 be liable for all damages that might arise to 
 the people and their property that would be 
 in anyway injured thereby. 
 
 2nd. That even if this could be done,there 
 is not any assurance of perfect relief from 
 floiJtls by that means.owing to the nature of 
 the channel from the city front downwards, 
 and its liability to become obstructed at some 
 of the shoals f)elow the city, when all tiie ice 
 below the piers would coilect,and with frazil 
 forming at different points that would be 
 carried down to the place of obstruction, and 
 there cause contraction thatvvouM not admit 
 of the passage of the great volume of water 
 that would come down the St. Lawrence and 
 Ottawa rivers each season that the thaw or 
 rains would set in from the west and south 
 much earlier than they do from the district 
 of Montreal downwards. 
 
 Having explained my experience and in- 
 formation of a general flood extending over a 
 distance of about sixty miles, over twenty of 
 which are above the city, I will now explain 
 a few of the inundations and their causes 
 that have occurred in my time, producing the 
 greatest damage to Montreal ana its adjoining 
 municipalities. I have observed at least six 
 different places that the ice has formed dams 
 by being shoved and piled in as many dif- 
 ferent forms at diffenint times. The effect of 
 each one of these wm to hold back the flood 
 upon the city till the necessary head of 
 water was produced to lift the ice out of 
 the way. This convinced me that the re- 
 moval of the obstructions in the channel from 
 below Lachine rapids to Bout de I'lsle, would 
 have to be considered in the general plan of 
 river works, should such works be intended 
 
 M a perfect remedy. Yet it would be possi- 
 ble to afford partialrelief by performing the 
 most important of the river works, which, if 
 carried out, would facilitate the adoption of 
 city works, with less disturbance of existing 
 drainage, and less ex|>ensive surface works. 
 The nix phteea referred to may be dencribed 
 aafollowH : 
 
 1 . The shoals above the Victoria Bridge — 
 When the ice foruis there and is adde<i to by 
 ice at times descending from the shoals alwve, 
 while the ice below the bridge remains firm, 
 then the accumulations above remain Arm, 
 reduce the water way, and an early thaw 
 above brings down ice as well as water, and 
 thus increases the ice jam and the flood,which 
 I have seen operate in two ways : once the ice 
 \ras driven to the height of about sixteen 
 feet over the south embankment of the 
 Victoria Bridge, on another occasion 
 the ice was piled on the -banks at the south 
 west side of the bridge ; one caused greater 
 flood on the south of the river from St. 
 Lambert to Laprairie till the channel 
 opened near the city, the other sent the flood 
 to Lower Lachine, letting it into the city by 
 the low lands of River St. Pierre and Point 
 St. Charles, thence into the city at William 
 St., St. Joseph St. and Bonaventure st. West. 
 
 2. The Harbour Shoals.— Vfhen the ice 
 forms there to a great strength and water is 
 low, the ice from above victoria bridge 
 shoves to it and piles on those shoals till it 
 reaches the St. Lambert wharf and south 
 banks of the river there; eventually it closes 
 the water-way till the water lifts the ice. On 
 some occasions the greatest weight of ice will 
 be forcetl to a great height on the city side, 
 then the channel will flrst open on the south 
 side of St. Helen's Island, making an open- 
 ing on the Longueuil side and causing a 
 great flood tliere ; on other occasions the 
 strongest and greatest body of ice will form 
 on the St. Lambert Wharf and south chan- 
 nel, then the harbour and city will suffer 
 most from the flood, till it lifts the ice between 
 the city and the Islands. The shove in that 
 case is carried to the shoals below the is- 
 lands and eventually spreads towards Lon- 
 gueuil till it again rests upon shoals or, by 
 force of the water, is carried on till the 
 accumulation so increases as to form another 
 dam, above or below Longueuil, as the case 
 may lie. 
 
 3. The Shoals and Ish Ronde between Hoehe- 
 laga and Longueuil. — When the ice forms 
 above Victoria Bridge and from Lachine up- 
 wards before the harbor ice is Arm, the ice 
 has also become firm on those shoals below 
 St. Helen's Island. A change of weather and 
 ofwind has sent the harbor ice witii some 
 flrom above, down the current to those shoals 
 till they become packed and form a dam, 
 which gains additional strength by ice des- 
 cending to it, backing the waters up to flood 
 the city till agair forced onwards aowii the 
 
19 
 
 it it would be po«ii- 
 by performing the 
 er works, which, if 
 ute tlie adoption of 
 urbance of existing 
 live surface works. 
 to may be detcribed 
 
 ! Victoria Bridge — 
 i and iH adde<i to by 
 im the fihoalsalwve, 
 ridge remains Arm, 
 above remain Arm, 
 and an early tliaw 
 
 well aR water, and 
 
 andtiieflood,which 
 ) ways : once tiie ice 
 )t of about sixteen 
 iibanknient of the 
 
 another occasion 
 banks at the south 
 one caused greater 
 the river from St. 
 till the channel 
 other sent the flood 
 ; it into tlie city by 
 . Pierre and Point 
 Jie city at William 
 iRventure st. West. 
 lis, — When the ice 
 treneth and water is 
 ive victoria bridge 
 
 those shoals till it 
 •t wharf and south 
 
 eventually it closes 
 Iter litis the ice. On 
 est weight of ice will 
 lit on the city side, 
 '<t open on the south 
 d, making an open- 
 lide and causing a 
 other occasions the 
 odyof ice will form 
 irf and south chan- 
 ind city will suffer 
 t lifts the ice between 
 , The sliove in that 
 loals below the is- 
 reads towards Lon- 
 3 upon shoals or, by 
 carried on till the 
 !s as to form another 
 ngueuil, as the case 
 
 londebetwetni Hoehe- 
 V^hen the ice forms 
 id from Lachine up- 
 ' ice is firm, the ice 
 those shoals below 
 ange of weather and 
 ti'bor ice witii some 
 rrent to those shoals 
 1 and form a dam, 
 strength by ice des- 
 le waters up to flood 
 1 onwards down the 
 
 river, or into larger plies on shoals below 
 Longgeuil, or is so broken upas to open the 
 channel. 
 
 4. The Shoalt/rom Hoehelaga and below to 
 Long Point aerou the river and/rom Longueuil 
 down the tame dittance on the Houth tide,— 
 When the ice forms first and flrmly here 
 and below, and the ice continues to desc-nd 
 111 moderate quantities, it packs and Hits the 
 channel, touchinj^ all downward obstructions 
 in the river, and gradually raises the water, 
 still tilling as it receives tlie descending ice 
 till a cold night or two adds to the strength' 
 and a dam is found flooding all above it till 
 the water lifts the ice and cleurs the chan- 
 uel. 
 
 6, The Shoah/rom Long Point downward* 
 acroii the river to touth shore.— It has oc- 
 curred that the same operation as is above 
 described takes place liere w ,h the same 
 ertect. b requently the ettect is prolonged by 
 the descending ice continuing to pack on the 
 shoals upwards till St. Helen's island is 
 reached ; lake ice coming down at times 
 keeps up the supply till Uie whole river is 
 tilled from Victoria Bridge down to the 
 Long Point ice jam, thus the fact of so 
 many miles of ice packed from that place or 
 below It to the city, makes it more difficult to 
 remove or lift, consequently the greater the 
 flood and the longer period it must continue 
 till the force of the water moves it down, 
 son.etitties only to pile up again in some 
 other place below. 
 
 6. The Shoals from Bout d» Ide extend- 
 ing to Boueherville Jtland and the junction of 
 the St. Lawrence and Ottawa riven downwardt. 
 In this place, ice of the St Lawrence and the 
 Ottawa at times meet. If the ice below the 
 place of meeting is strong and packed the 
 coming ice adds to its piles, creates a jam 
 which extends upwards, as in previous cases 
 is explained ; on some occasions it makes the 
 complication more serious and extensive, 
 creating a flood of long or short duration, 
 according to the weather, the strength of the 
 ice below, and the quantity arriving from the 
 lakes above. 
 
 Thus far I have endeavored to shew in a 
 rough way what I have seen different times 
 at tliese places of the action of the ice and the 
 waters of the river, and how they combine 
 to produce the floods that cause so much 
 loss to Montreal and adjoining municipaiiiies. 
 I have explained how a general flood is pro- 
 duced. One of those floods was very alarm- 
 ing and injurious ; two or three others such, 
 occurringin my time, were not so far-reaching 
 or destructive. One such occurring in mid 
 winter would be most serious^ It is fortunate 
 that cold set in to check the thaw and rain- 
 tall 'his year, or Montreal would have suffer- 
 ed dreadtuUy J — too much occurred as it was. 
 One of thegreat dangers lies in a thaw setting 
 in with rainfalls West and Southof Montreal, 
 while the ice at and below the city is strong. 
 
 and resists being moved down by the cominir 
 ice from above. About one out of everv ti ve 
 floods has been a general flood, exteiidinir 
 Mow and above Montreal, an.l about one in 
 three Montreal has become the chief sufferer. 
 Next examine what has been done to remedy 
 flooding. ' 
 
 A fier thegreat flood of 1 8,37-38 the Govern- 
 ment ordereil an examination and report 
 from the Royal Engineers. In 1H41 it was 
 made. From it we learn that their attention 
 was conflned to a section of the river not 
 high enough uji, nor sufficiently low down 
 the river. Evidently they were not aware of 
 the extent and location of the several shoals 
 upon which ice piieil, or, if they were.they did 
 not consider them of importance. The sub- 
 sUnce of their report siifegests their unwill- 
 ingness to recommend any important work 
 upon the river, although ihey mention 
 " leaving it for future consideration. " They 
 recommend works to raise the revetment wall, 
 change the course of the River St. Pierre, 
 close all culverts and drains, draw off the 
 city streams to a lower level, and outside 
 waters to be drained by Craig street— all at ao 
 estimated expenditure of about |94,000. 
 
 When I entered the City Council as repre- 
 sentative of St. Ann's Ward I continued 
 investigating this sut.ject, and I obtained the 
 ODinion of Messrs. Sir Wm. Logan, John 
 Young, John Redpath and John Alolson, and 
 others, which were unanimously given: 
 that the report of the Royal Engineers did 
 not cover tlie whole ground and causes of 
 the floods, that the expense to l* incurred 
 was greatly understated, and that the works 
 contemplated were not sufficient to perfect a 
 remedy ; they also agreed with me in urginc 
 the filling up to the water level all the low 
 parts of the city subject to floods. 
 
 While the tilling up of low places was 
 going on, authority was obtained from the 
 City Council to make surveys of ice jams. 
 This was done from time to time by the City 
 Surveyor and his assistants, the maps of 
 which shew that the ettect is as herein 
 stated, and that when the ice jams extend 
 far below the city tlie difference of water- 
 level between the Victoria Bridge and below 
 Hochelaga is but trifling, tlius the ditfioulty 
 of draining into the river within the city 
 limits is serious when there is a high flood, 
 iiivolving the necessity ol going far below 
 the city to escape the difficulty caused by 
 water breaking up the discliaiging outlets. 
 When the ice jams extend to the foot of the 
 island of Montreal, etc., the Ottawa river ice 
 joins that of the St. Lawrence river on the 
 shoals below, tlie drainage diirtcuity it; fur- 
 ther augmented. 
 
 It was my desire that the late Mr. Mc- 
 Questen, City Surveyor, should make a 
 thorough report of the different ice jams 
 and floods, : d his surveys taken in each 
 winter wh' . he was at work upon it. I 
 
flO 
 
 i 
 
 gave hini tliP uoe of mj ice and flood n<>i<<H, 
 Uken from 1 ''t7-38 onward ; theRC I have 
 not bern able to tin J, tliertfure, I have writ- 
 ten thf H« deaoriptiuiii* in flood* troni niPiiioryi 
 \«'itii(iut giving liie dales and i»'>-*«8ur(>ineQis 
 \ny meinoratiduiii contained. 
 
 It nliould Im) renieinberfd that the city 
 has expended u very large amount in int- 
 proving the fl(X>de<l distriut, Craig and Com- 
 ini(*itionor« ^treeti) oreeka are drained and 
 tilled, St. Paul Htreel, College ttircet, St. 
 JoMcph Htreeti and all HtreetAt l^tween it and 
 the canal, and Point St. Charles, were more 
 or le8S raiHed from four to tun feet, in nome 
 placed there were twelve feet of tilling i Uona- 
 venture street, low places were raised and 
 tunnelled. Tlie water works embankments 
 were raised, and a series of larire and ex- 
 pensive tunnels were constructed, some of 
 which were made to discharge at places I 
 CO jld not approve,— they (iirnish direct and 
 speedy means of conveying river floods to 
 the city, from below tlie Victoria llridge to 
 Point St. Charles, from the harbour to Wil- 
 liam street toQrittintown.and from the same 
 place through to the MoOill street tunnel 
 to St. Paul, Craig and tionaventure streets. 
 The Ihrge amount ex|iehded on drainage and 
 its yet imperfect state, is evidence of the 
 accuracy of views I frequently advocated 
 in council, namely. That oefore such 
 extensive works were undertaken, a perliect 
 svstein should be fully considered with 
 the assistance of the best engineering 
 talent obtainable, and what is done should 
 be a part of the whole, and suitable for 
 the future city of Montreal. It is impossi- 
 ble to expect a City Surveyor, who has the 
 general and ordinary street works of the 
 city to direct and provide for, to give up 
 the time and study necessary to accomplish, 
 witiiin any early period, preparatory meas- 
 ures and calculations tor the works of so 
 extensive an undertaking as perfect protec- 
 tion from floods. 
 
 I do not pretend to possess engineering 
 skill, yet my studies have been in tliat direc- 
 tion, whicli, with the amount of time and at- 
 tention I have haii occasion to give to all such 
 matters, and more particularly to this, and 
 the water works questions, with other public 
 works of improvement in the city of Mon- 
 treal, I may be excused if on so important 
 an occasion, I otter opinions toucliing the 
 , »H0us remedies for flootis which have been 
 
 ■> a ■ id Rui discussed since 1841. 
 ' 58 (>vt;'?i < from the various forms taken 
 b '6 t' jams tliat the floods are caused 
 ?;/ 'fi accumulatio' r:R the siioals and 
 l»\&ti.-- Ml the river ;»:. many places. Some 
 relief «i>ight be obtained hy the removal of 5 
 part of the river obstructions, which is a 
 work that could only be undertaken by the 
 Uovernmeut and the Harbour Commission- 
 ers, whidi work might be made of service to 
 the Montreal Harbour and an advantage to 
 
 inland a^ well u iiea-grin$T vessels, — each 
 piece of obstrucliun that IS removed would 
 assist in th»f re metly. The obstructions begin 
 atiove the VictorinBridge and extend to tlie 
 city front, taking in the St. Lambert wharf 
 and shoals, also the south channel at St. 
 Helen's Island, and the north channel from 
 St. Helen's down. The removal of any 
 one obstruction would not perfect the 
 remedy, inasmuch ns the damage caused 
 by floods extends from the foot of Beauhar 
 nois canal to all the low lands, as far duw i 
 at times as Sorel, when ice jams form on thf 
 islands below Sorel. Therefore, there appears 
 to exist a fair claim on the Oovjprnni.'nt for 
 assistance, such as has been given >h rhiall- 
 er streams and less important places, i'arlio- 
 ment should act at once. 
 
 CITY AND SUBURBAN DRAINAGE. 
 
 When the city undertakes to perform 
 works necessary to keep out river floods, ex- 
 tensive drainage is ',eeaed for surface water 
 from thaws and rainfall:^ over a large area 
 ou tfide ol the city ,— its drai nage,water works , 
 and that of the city must be provided for, 
 and in a great measure taken to discharge 
 far below the cily. Any system which does 
 not embrace all outlying lands draining to- 
 wards the city, cannot w considered reliable. 
 If the connection between citr drains and 
 the river is shut off there will be floods in 
 the spring, caused by the drainage and thaws 
 or rains, unless provided for. Therefore, it 
 is important to make arrangements with all 
 outside municipalities to provide for their 
 part of the expense of drainage, or to become 
 a part of the city. Should the city find it 
 necessary (as I believe it will) to carry 
 drainage through the municipality north- 
 east of the city, power to do so, or annexation, 
 would be necessary. 
 
 The land draining to the city extends from 
 beyond Moi! lanrlfl on the mountain, along 
 the mouii.' :. : . -.'< 'i> its north .'ast end, 
 thence to i, n ' . -.'le end, t' rii,:h (o 
 Petite C''i> ' n '■ jng the higii lands 
 north eao-cil^ lu below Hochclaga. There 
 will be added to this the drainage of St. 
 Gabriel, parts- of Verdun, and all fow lands 
 north of the canal- from the city limits, for 
 some distance above St. Henry. 
 
 The City Surveyor would have no difficulty 
 in preparing a plan shewing the limits of the 
 territorjr which sends its water shed to with- 
 in the city limits, and the distance below the 
 city it shoukl discharge. 
 
 In consequence of the insufliciency of the 
 Craig street and other tunnels, it would be 
 necessary to conetfuet others at higher levels, 
 each commencing at the extreme western 
 proposed extension of city limits, and ex- 
 tending to the proposed south-eastern limit 
 or near it; these discharge into one or more 
 larger tunnels affording sufficient capacity, 
 
 
in(» veucia,— ««oh 
 a removed would 
 ol)HlruclionH beuin 
 Hiiil extend to tlio 
 St. Lninttert wlmrf 
 III) cliannel at 8t. 
 )rtli channel from 
 ! removal of any 
 not perfect tUe 
 e damage cauHcd 
 p foot of Beauhar 
 landH, aafar duw i 
 f janm form on the 
 fore, there appears 
 lie Oovprniii .'-i', for 
 en given » •! i^ll- 
 ant placet*, i'arlio- 
 
 N DRAINAGE, 
 takes to perform 
 ut river floo«l», ex- 
 
 for surface water 
 
 over a large area 
 nage, water workn, 
 L be provided for, 
 kken to discharge 
 VHtem which does 
 lands draining to- 
 ionsilered reliable. 
 a citr drains and 
 
 will be floods in 
 Irainaae and thaws 
 for. Therefore, it 
 ngementfl with all 
 
 provide for their 
 nage, or to become 
 Id the city find it 
 It will) to carry 
 unicipality north- 
 ) 80, or annexation, 
 
 J city extends from 
 e mountain, along 
 ts north .'ast end, 
 end, t' ni,;li (o 
 g the bigii lands 
 lochclaga. There 
 le drainage of St. 
 and all low lands 
 the city limitSi for 
 enry. 
 
 I have no difficulty 
 ig the limits of the 
 mter shed to with- 
 distance below the 
 
 nsufficiency of the 
 inels, it would be 
 .•rs at higher levels, 
 i extreme western 
 ity limits, and ex- 
 outh-eaetern limit 
 ! into one or more 
 lufficient capacity, 
 
 
 and discharging at the lowest possible point 
 on the islaniT of Montreal, to secure a proper 
 outlet, without hindrance from river rtootis 
 or ioe jams. Even if the cily should not 
 undertiike ;juraping of water from the sewers 
 that di-charge mto the hart>our, the day is 
 not tar disUnt when tunnels at higher points 
 in (lie city would l»e necp*>sary. 
 
 h it in dcHire<l to adopt a system of closing 
 ihotrstversand erecting pumping machinery 
 ft is veiy important that dramage provision 
 should first be made (or fl.KxIs entering the 
 fiity from the river above Victoria Bridge, as 
 well as for heavy spring thaws and rain falls. 
 When ice shoves come on, alio'U the same 
 time in the spring, it will be very difficult to 
 escape being Hooded, either from the tunnels 
 or drams that receive back water from the 
 river, while they have enough to do as it is 
 to carry off city and suburban drainage, un- 
 less aided by additional drainage discharging 
 further down the river, or that every place 
 of discharge be supplied with powerful, well- 
 constructed and well-prntected pumping 
 inachinery. I esteem it miportant that there 
 should Ik" established an outlet or outlets 
 further north-eaHt for part of the dramage, 
 •ather than depend entirely on pumping ma- 
 chinery. 
 
 Apart entirely from the flood question, 
 portions of the main tunnels that should run 
 east and west on higher levels are extremelv 
 important from a sanitary point of view, 
 _ Much more might be written on this sul)- 
 jectthat might appear io the c urseofthe 
 discussion on details, that need not now be 
 put on paper. 
 
 The conclusions of this paper may be sum- 
 med up as follows ! 
 
 Ist. The immediate came of floods in 
 Montreal is the descent and accumulation of 
 large quantities of ice on shoals and narrow 
 channels, islands, etc., that are situated at 
 several places in the river from below Sorel 
 to the Liichine Rapids. 
 
 The Government and the Harbour Com- 
 mission are the only and proper authorities 
 to perform works on the river outside of the 
 citv limits on the frontage and elsewhere. 
 
 When the ice forms a dam above the Vic- 
 toria Bridge, the flood enters the city from 
 the Lower Lachine Road and drains. 
 
 When it furnis on f^'soals in the harbor 
 floods enter the drains at Point St. Charles, 
 the low places there and Lower Lacliine 
 road; when itfonnaon the shoals and narrow 
 channels of St. H •Ion, floods enter the drains 
 of CommiK-<ionerH, Williiim, McQill, St. Jos- 
 eph, Bona venture iin 1 Cnv.g streets, by way 
 of the McGdl street tuniipl ; wheu ihe ice 
 obstructs the north and the south channels 
 at St. Helen's island the water rises very 
 rapidly till the ice is lifted and carried to 
 shoals below, either lo proceed down the 
 river and lower the flood or to meet resist* 
 aoce from strong ice below the island that 
 
 rests upon shoftls opposite Hochelag'a, it ia 
 again there hindered from moving and lorms 
 n other dam that prolon..'* 'he flood and 
 produces a height of water that < erflows 
 the revetment wall and extends the flood to 
 all the lower parts of the city; when the 
 obstruction is mov«d down or 'forms 
 between Longue Pointe and tl Boucher- 
 ville islands, or further down the river, it 
 floods low places both sides of the river, and 
 pas/ies up the city tunnels thatdischarge be- 
 low the city, obstructs all oity drainage and 
 hinders the passage away of refuse drainage, 
 thus becomes injurious to health and ofltn- 
 sive to even citizens living on higher levels. 
 
 These floods vary according to the weather 
 to storms and to the strength of the ice at 
 and below Ihe city, as com ;)ar«l to that on 
 the upper lakes and bays. 
 
 2nd. The remediei that havr Seen mggetUd 
 are various and extensive, noct of those 
 that have appeared seem luist conclusions, 
 without a full consideration f the whole 
 question and knowlege of all tii lifficulties, 
 —even engineers contradict ( le another; 
 nevertheless I have endeavored to consider 
 every point of importance, that i iv humble 
 efforts admitted, to arrive at c«.'iclusions, 
 now presented for consideration b- any who 
 may feel disposed to bring a higi order of 
 skill and acquired attainments to t^ear upon 
 the subject. 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 Leave the river works to the Government 
 and the Harbor Commissioners ; obta'p. from 
 the Government and the Harbor C nmis- 
 sion assistanceto rebuild the revetmei wall, 
 elevate and strengthen it all along tl har- 
 bor front, till it reaches the ►nbank nient 
 of the Victoria Bridge. 
 
 Convert the road along the revetment wall 
 into a boulevard, and continue it V., tlie 
 water works embankment, make the v oie 
 sutficiently high and strong to keep out : i^h 
 floods. If the municipality of Ver un 
 annexes to the city, the embankment muht 
 be continued from Victoria Bridge altiig 
 the river front as far up the Lower Lach:ae 
 road as necessary. 
 
 Construct a tunnel under the above roa-i- 
 way of the capacity necessary to carry draii • 
 age below the city,and erectthereapumpni:,' 
 station to be used when re<iuired. 
 
 Fill up to a uniform level all low publii 
 streets and places that ordinary floods occa- 
 sionally cover. 
 
 Annex all outside municipalities that drain 
 and send water into the city, and that are 
 so located as to be on the roiite to be adopted 
 for extending city tunnels to a lower place of 
 discharge 
 
 Construct two main tunnels on higher 
 levels than Craig street to relieve the tunnel 
 there, and let the Craig street tunael and 
 
22 
 
 
 thope about it discharge into one or more 
 largor tunnels, to be constructed far below 
 the city, discharging into the river at s 
 point as little as possible likely to be inter- 
 rupted by back water from high tloods; and 
 build a pumping station to clear tunnels, if 
 necepsary, at high floods. 
 
 It would be presumption for any other 
 than an engineer of great experience and 
 much knowedge of the localities to under- 
 take the task of considering this question 
 in all its detaili^, without obtaining full and 
 perfect information as to all phases of the 
 action of the ice and waters ; and it is out of 
 the question for any person not a first-class 
 engineer, even then, to estimate and deter- 
 mine all Questions connected with the per- 
 fect completion of works in all their details, 
 and furnish precise figures to which the cost 
 would amount. Canada need not import 
 engineers fitted forthe-task, there is suflScient 
 and reliable engineering talent available in 
 Canada to estimate and direct the work 
 without resorting to expensive experiments. 
 
 It is to be hoped that the Government, 
 the Harbour Commission, the Corporation 
 of Montreal, and all the adjoining munici- 
 palities, will not hesitate to join heartily in 
 the important work of reclaiming Montreal 
 and its neighborhood, as well as all places 
 that suffer, and thus demonstrate the anility, 
 the enterprise, and the power to subdue 
 all difficulties necessary to retain for the 
 commercial metropolis of Canada that 
 supremacy which thus far has been so nobly 
 earned by our people. 
 
 The whole respectfully submitted. ' 
 
 WILLIAM RODDEN. 
 
 PlANTAOENET SPBINOa, 
 
 April, 1886. 
 
 N.B. — Since the foregoing was written, 
 Montreal and the surroundmg municipali- 
 ties have suffered from one of the most des- 
 tructive floods that has been experienced. 
 The ice shoves of last winter accumulated 
 upon the shoals fronting the city and below 
 it The cold snap that followed ice shoves 
 had the effect of holding the ice in compact 
 masses, in many places resting on the river 
 bottom, till the thaw set in on the river and 
 lakes above, and there swelled the floods 
 that raised the ice while yet strong, and 
 brought it down before thenarbor ice had 
 weakened enough to be moved away by the 
 force of the descending strong ice and flood. 
 The resisting power of the piles of ice in and 
 below the harW caused the descending ice 
 to fill the channels and back up tiie waters, 
 till the flood Reached » height , ver every 
 other flood but one in the memory of the 
 writer, and caused much more damage than 
 any preceding flood. Some of this damage 
 need not have occurred had there been a full 
 appreciation of the signs of danger to be 
 found in the strength and quantity of ice 
 
 near Montreal, when compar'-ii with the 
 strength of ice above r -d the probability of 
 its early downward movement being caused 
 by the early thaw in the West. 
 
 W. R. 
 
 ON THE PACKINa OP THE ICE IN 
 THE RIVER ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 A Paper by the late Sir William E. Logan, read 
 before the Oeologlcal Society of London, and 
 published In its Proceedlnfts, Vol. III., p. 7fi6, 
 June, 1842. Reprinted, with the Author's per- 
 mlsBlon, in the Canadian i/aturalUt, Vol. III., 
 p. 115, anno 18S8. 
 
 The island of Montreal stands at the con- 
 fluenceof the rivers Ottawaand St. Lawrence, 
 and is the largest of several islands splitting 
 up these mighty streams, which cannot be 
 said to be thoroughly mingled until they 
 have descended some miles below the whole 
 cluster. The rivers first come in contact in 
 a considerable sheet of water called Lake St. 
 Louis, which separates the upper part of the 
 island of Montreal from the southern main. 
 But, though the streams here touch, they do 
 not mingle. Ttie waters of the St. Lawrence, 
 which are beautifully clear and transparent, 
 keep along the southern shore, while those 
 of the Ottawa, of a darker aspect, though by 
 •10 means turbid, wash the banks of the 
 island ; and the contrast of colour they pre- 
 sent strongly marks their line of contact for 
 many miles. 
 
 Lake St. Louis is at the widest part about 
 six miles broad, with a length of twelve 
 miles. It gradual Ijr narrows toward the 
 lower end, and the river as it issues from it, 
 becoming compressed into the space of half 
 a mile, rushes with great violence down the 
 Rapids of Lachine, and although the stream 
 is known to be upwards of eight feet deep, it 
 is thrown into nugh surges of neariy as 
 mtihy feet high as it passes over its rocky 
 bottom, which at this spot is compossd of 
 layers of trap extending into floors that lie 
 in successive steps. 
 
 At the termination of this cascade the 
 river expands to a breadth of four miles, and 
 flows gently on, until it again becomes 
 cramped up by islands and shallows opposite 
 the city of Montreal. From Windmill Point 
 and Point St. Charles above the town, sev- 
 eral ledges of rock, composed of trap lying 
 in floors which in seasons of low water are 
 not much below the surface, shoot out into 
 the stream about 1000 yards; and similar 
 layers pointing to these come out from Lon- 
 gueuil on the opposite shore. In the narrow 
 channel between them, the water, rushing 
 with much force, produce the Sault Nor' 
 mand, and cooped up a little lower down by 
 the island of St. Helen and several projecting 
 patches of trap, it forms St. Marv's Current. 
 
 The interval between St. Helen and the 
 south shore is greater than that between it 
 Hod Montreal ; but the former is so floored 
 
impar''^ with the 
 1 tne probability of 
 [nent being caused 
 West. 
 
 W. R. 
 
 >P THE ICE IN 
 ^AWRENCE. 
 
 Illam B. Login, rend 
 lety of London, and 
 igg. Vol. III., p. 7fi6, 
 th the Authors per- 
 Haturaliat, Vol. III.. 
 
 stands at the con- 
 aand St. Lawrence, 
 ■al islands splitting; 
 , whicli cannot be 
 ningled until they 
 ee below the whole 
 
 come in contact in 
 iter called LakeSt. 
 le upper part of the 
 ;he southern main. 
 liere touch, they do 
 3f the St. Lawrence, 
 ar and transparent, 
 shore, while those 
 r aspect, though by 
 
 tiie banks of the 
 of colour they pre- 
 ' line of contact for 
 
 e widest part about 
 I length of twelve 
 rrows toward the 
 as it issues from it, 
 to the space of half 
 violence down the 
 Ithough the stream 
 if eight feet deep, it 
 irges of neaHy as 
 sses over its rocky 
 x)t is compos«d of 
 into floors that lie 
 
 f this cascade the 
 I of four miles, and 
 it again becomes 
 d shallows opposite 
 om Windmill Point 
 x)ve the town, sev- 
 posed of trap lying 
 ns of low water are 
 ace, shoot out into 
 ^ards; and similar 
 lonie out from Lon- 
 )re. In the narrow 
 the water, rushing 
 ce thp Sanlt A'br- 
 ttle lower down by 
 d several projecting 
 3t. Mary's Current. 
 St. Helen and the 
 an that between it 
 brmer is so floored 
 
 and crossed by hard trap rocks that the St. 
 Lawrence has as yet produced but little 
 eff'eot in wearing tlieni down, while in the 
 latter it has cutout a channel between thirty 
 and forty feet deep, through which the ciiic"f 
 part of its waters rush wiih a velocity equal 
 to six miles por hour. It is computed that 
 by this channel alone upwards of a million 
 of tons flow past tiietown every minute. 
 
 Between thin point and Lake St. Peter, 
 about (ifiv miles down, the river has an aver- 
 age breadth of two miles, and proceeding in 
 its course with a moderate current, acceler- 
 ated or retarded a little according to the 
 presence or absence of shoals, it enters the 
 lake by a multitudeof channels cut tlirough 
 its delta, and forming a group of low flat 
 alluvial islands. 
 
 The frosts commence about the end of 
 November, and a margin of ice of some 
 strength soon forms along the shores of tlie 
 river and around every island andproiecting 
 rock in it; and wherever there is still water 
 it is immediately cased over. The wind act- 
 ing on this glacial fringe, breaks off portion" 
 in various parts, and these proceed mg down 
 the streiini constitute a moving border on 
 the out-'ide of the stationary one, which, as 
 the intensity of the cold increases, is contin- 
 ually augiiiented by the adherence of the 
 ice-sheets whicli have been coasting along it ; 
 and, as the stationary border thus robs the 
 moving one, this still further outflanks tlie 
 other, until in some part the margins from 
 the opposite shores nearly meeting, the float- 
 ing ice becomes jammed'up between them, 
 and a night of severe frost forms a bridge 
 across the river. The first ice-bridge below 
 Montreal is usually formed at the entrance 
 of the river into Lake St. Peter, where the 
 many channels into which the stream is 
 split up greatly assist the process. 
 
 As soon as this winter barrier is thrown 
 across (generally toward Christmas) it of 
 course rapidly increases by stopping the pro- 
 gress of the downward-floating ice, which 
 has by this time assumed a character of con- 
 siderable grandeur, nearly the whole surface 
 of the stream being covered with it; and the 
 quantity is so great that, to account for the 
 supply, many, unsatisfie>l with the supposi- 
 tion of a marginal origin, have recourse to the 
 hypothesis that a very large portion is formed 
 on and derived from the bottom of the river, 
 where rapid currents.exist. But, wliatever 
 its origin, it now moves in solid and exten- 
 sive fields, and wherever it meets with an 
 obstacle in its course, the momentum of tlie 
 mass breaks up the striking part into huge 
 fragments that pile over one another; or if 
 the obstacle be stationary ice, the fragments 
 are driven under it and there closely packed. 
 Beneath the constantly widening ice-barrier 
 mentioned, an enormous quantity is thus 
 driven, particularly when the barrier gains 
 aay posttioa where the current is stronger 
 
 than usual. The augumented force with 
 which the masses there move, pushes and 
 packs so much below, that the spac^ left 
 for the river to flow in is greatly diminished, 
 and the consequence is a perceptible rise of 
 the waters above, which indeed from the 
 very first taking of the bridge gradually and 
 slowly increase for a considerable way up. 
 
 There is no place on the St. Lawrence 
 where all tiie phenomena of the taking, 
 packing and shoving of the ice are so <:ranil- 
 ty displayed as in the neighboiirhoocl of Mon- 
 treal, The violence of the currents is liere 
 so great, and the river in some places ex- 
 pands to such a width, that whether we 
 consider the prodigious extent of the masses 
 moved or the force witii which they are 
 propelled, notliing can afford a more majestic 
 speitacle, or impress the mind more thor- 
 oughly with a sense of irresistible power. 
 Standing for hours together upon the bank 
 overlooking St. Mary's Current, I have seen 
 league after league of ice crushed and broken 
 against the barrier lower down, and there 
 submerged and crammed beneath ; and when 
 we reflect that an operation similar to this 
 occurs in many places from Lake St. Peter 
 upwards, it will not surprise us that the 
 river should gradually swell. By the time 
 the ice has become stationary at the foot of 
 St. Mary's Current, the waters of the St. 
 Lawrence have usually risen several feet in 
 the harbour of Montreal, and as the space 
 through which this current flows affords a 
 deep and narrow passage for nearly the 
 whole body of the river, it may well be ima- 
 gined that when the packing here begins the 
 inundation rapidly increases. The confined 
 nature of this part of the channel a fiords a 
 more ready resistance to the progress of the 
 ice, while the violence of the current brings 
 such an abundant supply, and packs it with 
 so much force, that the river, dammed up 
 by the barrier, which in many places reaches 
 to the bottom, attains in the harbour a height 
 usually twenty, and sometimes twenty-six 
 feet aiiove its summer level ; and it is not 
 uncommon between this point and the foot 
 of the current within the distance of a mile, 
 JO see a difference in elevation of several 
 feet, which undergoes many rapid^hanges, 
 the waters ebbing or flowing according to 
 the amount of impediment they meet with 
 in ttieir progress, from submerged ice. 
 
 It is at tins period that the grandest move- 
 ments of the ice occur. From the effect of 
 packing and piling and the accumulation of 
 the snows of the season, the saturation of 
 these \yith water, and the freezing of the 
 whole into a sojij body, it attains the thick- 
 ness often to twenty feet, and even more; 
 and alter it has. become fixed as far as the 
 eye can reach, a sudden rise in the water, 
 occasioned no doubt in the manner men- 
 tioned, lifling up a wide expanse of the wiiole 
 covering of tue rirer so high as to free and 
 
M 
 
 ptart it from tlie many points of rest and re- 
 sistance ottered l»y tiie tottom, where it had 
 l«en packfd deep enough to touch it, the 
 vavt mass is fet in motion ly tlie whole hy- 
 draulic power of this gigantic stream. 
 Proceeding onward with a truly terrific 
 niHJesty, it piles up over every obstacle it 
 encuunters; and when force<l into a narrow 
 jiiirf ol the channel, the lateral pressure it 
 there exerts drives the hordage up tlie Iwnks, 
 where it sometimes accumulates to the height 
 of (i>rly or fifty feet. In front of the town of 
 Montreal there has lately been built a niag- 
 njflcent revStenient wall'of cut limestone to 
 the height of twenty-three teet above the 
 summer level of the river. This wall I's now 
 ft great protection against the efficts of the 
 ice. Hroken by it, the ice pdes on tlie street 
 or terrace surmounting it, and there stops; 
 but t)e(bre the wall was built, the sloping 
 bank guided the moving mass up to those of 
 gardenM and houses in a \ery dangerous i 
 manner, and many accidents used to occur. ' 
 It lias lieen known to pile up against tlie 
 side of a house more than 200 feet from the 
 margin of the river, and there break in at 
 the windows of the second floor. I liave 
 seen it mount a terraced garden twentv feet 
 aliove the bank, and crossing tlie garden 
 enter one of the principal streets of the town. 
 A lew years before the erection of the revfile- 
 ment wall, a friend of mine, tempted by the 
 commercial advantages of the position, ven- 
 tured to build a large cut-stone warehouse, 
 180 teet long and four or five stories high, 
 cIoFer than usual upon the margin of the 
 harbt.)ur. The cellar-floor was not more 
 than eight feet above the summer level of 
 the river. At the taking of the ice, (he 
 usual rise of the water of course inundated 
 the lower story, and the whole building 
 becoming surrounded by a frozen sheet a 
 general expectation was' entertained that it 
 would be prostrated by the first movement. 
 But the prtiprietor had taken a very simple 
 snd eflectiial precaution to prevent this. 
 Just l«lore the rise of the waters he secure- 
 ly laid against three sides of the building, 
 at an angle of less than 4a<', a number of 
 stout oak logs a few feet asunder. When 
 the movement came the sheet of ice was 
 broken and pushed up the wooden inclined 
 plane thus formed, at the top of which 
 meeting the wall of the building, it was de- 
 flected into a vertical position, and fell 
 back. In this manner such an enormous 
 rampart of ice was in a few minutes pinceil 
 in fnint of the warehouse as completely 
 fhielded it from all possible danger. In 
 some year^ the ice has pilaJ up nearly as 
 high as the roof of this building. Another 
 gentleman, encouraged by the security which 
 this warehou^'e apparently enjoved, erected 
 oneofgrent strength and equaF magnitude 
 on the next wiiter lot, but he omitted to pro- 
 tect it in the same way. 1'he result might 
 
 have been anticipated. A movement of the 
 ice occurring, the great sheet stnick the 
 walls at right angles, and pushed over the 
 building as if it had been a house of cards 
 Both positions are now secured by the re- 
 vetement wall. 
 
 Several movements of the grand order 
 just mentioned occur before the final setting 
 of the ice, and each is immediately preceded 
 by a sudden rise of the river. Sometimes 
 several days and occasionally but a few 
 hours will intervene between them; and it 
 is fortunate that there is a criterion by which 
 the inhabitants are made aware when the ice 
 may be considered at rest for the season, and 
 when it has therefore become safe for then) 
 to cut their winter roads across its rough 
 and pinnacled surface. This is never the 
 case until a longitudinal Ofiening of consid- 
 erable extent appears in some pan of St. 
 Marv's Current. It has embarrasses' "<>any 
 to ^ive a satisfactory reason why thi.. 'ule, 
 derived from the experience of the- peasantry, 
 should be depended on. Buttheexplanation 
 is extremely simple. The opening is merely 
 an indication that a free sub-glacial passa^ 
 has been made Ibr itsel f by the water, through 
 the combined influence of erosion and tem- 
 perature, the effe«< of which, where the 
 current is strongest, has been sufficient to 
 wear through to the surface. The formation 
 of this passage shows the cessation of a sup- 
 ply of submerged ice, and a consequent 
 security against any further rise of the river 
 to loosen its covering for any further move- 
 ment. The opening is thus a true mark 
 of safety. It lasts the whole winter, never 
 freezing over even when the temperature of 
 the air reaches 30" below zero of Fahrenheit 5 
 and from its first appearance the waters of 
 the inundation gradually subside, escaping 
 tlirough the channel of which it is the index. 
 The waters seldom if ever however fall so 
 low as to attain their summer level ; but the 
 subsidence is sufliciently great to demon- 
 strate clearly the prodigious extent to which 
 the ice has been packed, and to show that 
 over great occaaional ar. as it has reached 
 to the very bottom of the river. For it will 
 immediately occur to every one, that when 
 the mass rests on the bottom its height will 
 not l)e diminished by the subsidence of the 
 water, and that as this proceeds, the ice, 
 according to the thickness whicli it has in 
 various parts attained, will present various 
 elevations after it has found a resting-place 
 beneath, until just so much is left supported 
 by the stream as is suflicient to permit its 
 free escape. When the subsidence has at- 
 tained its masimum, the trougl) of the Si. 
 Lawrence therefore exhibits a glacial land- 
 scape, undulating into hills and valleys that 
 run in various directions, and while some of 
 the principal mounds stand upon a bane of 
 500 yards in length, by a hundred or two in 
 breadth, they present a height of ten to 
 
movpnient of the 
 slipet Rtnick the 
 i pushed over the 
 a house of cardf> 
 ecu red by the re- 
 
 tlie grund order 
 re tlie final f>etiin^ 
 )edia(e]y preceded 
 •iver. Sometimes 
 onally but a few 
 een them ; and it 
 criterion by which 
 iwareu'hen the ice 
 'or the season, and 
 )iiie safe for them 
 
 across its rouy;h 
 rhis is never the 
 Jlieninjr of oonsid- 
 
 some part of St. 
 mbarrasset' "Many 
 )n why till, uie, 
 s of the- peasantry, 
 ut the explanation 
 opening is merely 
 lb-glacial passa^ 
 he water, through 
 erosion and tern- 
 hich, where the 
 been sufficient to 
 >. The formation 
 lesoation of a sup- 
 nd a consequent 
 T rice of the river 
 ny further move- 
 lus a true mark 
 ole winter, never 
 de temperature of 
 )ro of Fahrenheit; 
 ice the waters of 
 lubside, escaping 
 ichit isthe index. 
 
 however fall so 
 ner level ; but the 
 great to denion- 
 8 extent to which 
 and to show that 
 s it has reached 
 iver. For it will 
 f one, that when 
 m its height will 
 mbsidence of the 
 •oceedw, the ice, 
 I which it has in 
 I present various 
 d a resting-place 
 I is left supported 
 ent to permit its 
 ibsidence has at- 
 rough of the Si. 
 ts a glacial land- 
 I and valleys that 
 nd while some of 
 d upon a ba^<e of 
 unared or two in 
 leight of ten to 
 
 fifteen feet above the level of those parts still 
 supported on the water. 
 
 On the banks of the St. Lawrence, in the 
 neighbourhood of Montreal, there is an im- 
 nien(<e collection of boulders, chiefly from 
 rocks of igneous origin, and among them 
 syenite greatly abounds. They are of all 
 sizes, but many are very large, and multi- 
 tudes must be tons in weight. From their 
 appearance above the surface in shallow 
 parts of the river it is very probable the bed 
 of it teems with ihem also j and it is re- 
 marked by the inhabitants that the positions 
 of thcfe boulders, both in the river and on 
 the bunks, frequently appar changed after 
 the removal of the ice in the spring. I spent 
 several davs in the autumn of last year ex- 
 amining the boulders along shore, all the 
 way from Montreal to Lacliine, a distance 
 of nine miles ; and on again looking at them 
 in the f^pnng 1 missed t<onie which had par- 
 ticularly attracted my attention, but as I, had 
 not mapped their positions! may inadver- 
 tently have passed them over. But when 
 we consider the manner in which the ice 
 packs and subsequently moves, it cannot fail 
 to appear a very probables^ent in transport- 
 ing these blocks. Closely jammed together 
 down to the very bottom of the river over 
 such extensive areas as have been mentioned, 
 and there solidified by severe frosts around 
 the projecting materials that present them- 
 selves to its grasp, the ice must seise a mul- 
 titude of the loose boulders below ; and not 
 only will these be carried away, occasionally 
 to very considerable distances, when it breaks 
 up in the spring, but firmly set in their 
 glacial matrix, they will, when, in the course 
 of the movements that occur, such masses 
 as hold them are forced over shallow places, 
 act as gravers to register in parallel grooves 
 on the face of such rocks as they encounter 
 a mementj of their progress as they pass 
 along. 
 
 The boulders in the middle of the river 
 may at om;e be occasionally carried t:. jon- 
 siderable distances ; hut it can scarcely be so 
 with such as are Htatione<l at or near the 
 borders. For though these may become 
 pa:ked an J imbedded in marginal ice, and 
 ny the force of a general movement or shove, 
 as it is termed by the inhabitants, be driven 
 obliquely up the'bank, as soon as this ceases 
 they will there be left; and as these general 
 movements occur only three or four times 
 during a season, and are never of long con- 
 tinuance, and even where the marginal ice 
 is driven up the bank the friction it suffers 
 soon causes succeeding portions to pile over 
 one another, it is evident the boulders would 
 not l»e carried by it to any very great dis- 
 tance. When a break-up occurs in the 
 spring, it is the great body of ice in the mid- 
 dle of the river tTiat in carried away, which, 
 separating from the grounded portion on the 
 margin, leaves this to be melted down by 
 
 the increasing temperature of the season. 
 The movements of succeeding winters may 
 push marginal boulders farther and farther 
 on, but they must at the same time have a 
 tendency to carry all within a certain range 
 gradually nearer to the bank, and at last 
 place them in a position at the very limit of 
 their influence. And it is certainly the case, 
 that in the neighbourhood of Montreal there 
 are in many places along the borders of the 
 river collections of boulders sufficiently great 
 to induce the supposition that their presence 
 may lie accountea for in this manner. 
 
 It is not however only on the immediate 
 banks of the St. Lawrence that boulders 
 abound. They are more or less spread over 
 the whole island of Montreal, ana over the 
 plains on the opposite side of the river. I do 
 not pretend to nave ascertained their distri- 
 bution with the precision necessary to permit 
 the expression of an opinion as to the causes 
 which placed them, but I may state that 
 they appeared to me more abundant in the 
 upper part of the island than in the lower, 
 and that proceeding down the vallev of the 
 St. Lawrence they ceased altogether not 
 many miles below the island in question : 
 and It may be further remarked that they 
 did not seem of less weight at the limit of 
 their range than elsewhere. 
 
 M. Le CAPTAINB CHARLES LEGER, 
 
 DE LACHINE, 
 
 exprima sea vues pour la mitigation des 
 inondations, comme suit : 
 
 Pour bien comprendre ce que je vas vous 
 dire il faut que vous m'Scoutiez oien. J'ai 
 navigue sur le St Laurent et I'Ottawa pen- 
 dant une trentaine d'annees, et je connais 
 parfaitement bien ces rividres-ld,. Quand le 
 vent est sud, la glace se brise k pen prSs trois 
 rallies en haut de I'lle Dorval jusqu'au bas 
 de Lachine. Quand le vent est nord ou 
 nord-est la glace se brise toule dans la 
 grande anse de la Pointe-Claire. 
 
 Les 3, 4, 6 et 6 jtinvier 1886, la glace s'est 
 briseeen basde I'lle Dorval, le vent est revir^ 
 nonl-est le 8 Janvier au soir, un gros vent 
 bien fort et puis bien froi<l ; le 9 une grosse 
 tempSte de nei^e et puis le vent pareil, et la 
 glace s'est brisee jusqu'ft la grande anse de 
 fa Pointe-Claire et elle a descendne le 10 et 
 le II , ce qui a cause I'inondation & Montreal. 
 
 Les 15, et 16etl7 Janvier 1886, la glace a 
 passee & Lachine venant de la Pointe Claire, 
 ce qui a fait monter ici I'eau de 15 pouces. 
 Les 22, 2.1, 24, 25, 26 et 27, le frazil venant du 
 Lac St. Louis en dessous de la glace, est 
 doscendu !a riviere en face dc Laciiitic uii 
 abondance, tellement que les canotiers 
 avaient de la difficult^ k tran8p<^)rter la malle 
 d'un cdte k I'autre de la rividre, I'eau au 
 lieu de monter a baissSe de beaucoup. 
 
 Je Buggererais que 10 piers de 50 pieds 
 carr6s cnaque et 10 pieds de hauteur soieot 
 
construits de Pile Dorval i I'lle St. Nicho- 
 las, une distance de 3000 pieds de largeur, 
 B0U8 111(1 direction. Je placerai les piers et 
 lea booms en bas du pied des batturea, 1& oil 
 il n'y a seulement que deux pieds d'eau A 
 I'eau basse, pour arrfiter les petites glaces 
 d'automne lorsque la glace prend par elle- 
 in€me lorsaue toutes les autres glaces pren- 
 nent dans le mdtue temps jusqu'au milieu 
 de rile Dorval. 
 
 Je laisse libre le chenal des steamboats, 
 
 cages, barges, chaloupes qui ne peuvent pas 
 
 |i:, passer aiileurs que dans ce chena!-IA, qui a 
 
 I'lj! a peu pr6H 130 pieds de large et pas plus, je 
 
 barrerai ce chenal-lA avec un boom pour 
 
 arreter la petite glace d'automne. 
 
 An point de vue scientifique concernant 
 jes dommages qui pourraient fitre reclames 
 par suite de I'adoption du projet que je 
 eoumets, je puis dire d'une mani^re positive 
 aue I'eau ne peut monter ou atteindre plus 
 de trois pieds au-dessus du niveau r^gulier 
 de la riviere tant pour les proprietaires que 
 pour lu navigation. 
 
 Je vais essayer de vous faire comprendre 
 que men projet ne peut pas retarder I'ouver- 
 ture de la navigation. L'ann^e derni6re la 
 
 flace du Lac St Louis a dexcendu le 22 et le 
 3 avril et le 27 on a defonc6 et celle du Lac 
 St Francois a descendue seulement que le ler 
 mai 1885, et tous les ans o'est comme cela et 
 la navigation ne s'est ouverte que le 17 du 
 mdme mois, et la navigation s'ouvre seule- 
 ment lorsque les lumieres dea lacs sont 
 ponees. 
 
 Toute I'entreprise peut se faire pour une 
 somme de $36,000. 
 
 '' CHARLES X LEGER. 
 
 marque 
 Temoins, 
 N. Thibeatjlt. 
 E. Christin. ^ 
 
 P. S. La construction de ces piles et es- 
 tacades ne peut empecher eii rien la cir- 
 culation des eauxde la riviere Chateauguay 
 a son embouchure. Si parfois vous desirez 
 de plus aniples informations, je auis prSt & 
 vous donner tous les renseignments que 
 vous aurez besoin, soit concernant Vaudreuil 
 ou I'lle Perrault. 
 
 Montreal, 27 Janvier 1886. 
 
 A Mr. Le President du Comit6 d'lnondn- 
 tion. 
 
 Monsieur, 
 
 N'ayant pas eu I'avantage I'autre jour de 
 m'expliqiier en anglais comme I'aurais 
 voulu le .faire, je prends aujonrd'hui la 
 liberie de vous ecrire ces quelques mots et 
 vous exposer humblement mon opinion sur 
 les causes d'inondations que nous avons i 
 souftrir depuis nombre d'annees, et qui 
 pourra vous mettre en^tatd'etudier la ques- 
 tions plus & I'aise. Or voici mon opinion : 
 
 D'abord vous savez que depuis un certain 
 nombre d'annees Ton gratte le fonds du 
 fleuve, et cette terre qui est nionvce va se 
 repOoii" quclqups parts j moi, coniine vieux 
 ehawseur, je vais toes les ans pJiisij^nrH fois 
 dans ces iles, j'ai remarque qu a I'entr^e de 
 chaq^ie chenai, il y a une batture qui 
 obstrue le nassum de I'eau ; outre ceia> il y a 
 aussi la glace du remou de Longueuil qui 
 prend et part deux k trois fois avant que le 
 pont de glace .«oit pris definitivenient, et 
 cette glace qui a 7 a 8 pjiice.s d'epaissenren 
 partant, s'en va .Veclioner par grands banr.a 
 a I'entreedecliaqiie chenal ou sur d'nutre.n 
 battures, qui snivant moi sont formee.-', (l^^ 
 battures) par la terre que I'on va jeter pr^d 
 des iiots, au ba« d^ Longufuil, alor-* chaque 
 chenal etant bloque, et les battures etant 
 aussi anioncelees de glaces, d'apres mon 
 opinion, ce sont les causes des inondations, 
 et ce sont ces montagnes de glaces qui arrfi- 
 tent le cours de I'eau, etalors I'eau montant, 
 cause tous cea desastres. Je terniine Mr. 
 Le President, en soumettant mon opinion 
 sous votre consideration qui peut-eire vous 
 aidera en quelque chose. 
 Je suis, 
 Monsieur, 
 Votre devone terviteur, 
 
 Joseph Jannard. 
 
 LA CAUSE DES INONDATIONS. 
 
 Je considdre que la crue dea eaux ct pro- 
 duite par I'accuiiiulatiou dea glaces. L^iu- 
 tomne, des bancs de glace desTacs St. Fran- 
 9ois et St. Louis deacendent la rividre, car il 
 faut remarquer que la glace prend plus vite 
 en baa qu'en hautde Montreal, etcesglagons 
 rendusaux environsde Verchdres rencoiitrent 
 la glace solide, et presses par I'eau, ils s'accu- 
 mulentau pointd'obsfruer le passage de I'euu, 
 c'est ce qui explique les inondations d'au- 
 tomne, lea inondationa cessent aussiiot que 
 la glace eat prise sur les lacs St. Franfois et 
 St. Louis. 
 
 Le printemps I'inondation est prodnite 
 par les memes causes que I'automnej les 
 glaces d'en bas, descendent la riviere par 
 bancs, qui quelquefois out jusqu'a 3 ou 
 4 millesde long et mSmepIus, et quand elles 
 rencontrent la glace solide, pressees pni- I'eau, 
 elles s'accumulent et viennent biiucher le 
 passage de I'eau dejA obstrue par les glaces 
 d'automne; de Icl lea inondations, I'eau ne 
 trouvant plus un paasage sutHsant monte et 
 bientdt deborde et cause les dommagea «t les 
 d^gata que noua ccnnaiasons. 
 
 Moyens pour empScher cet inondationa. 
 
 Faire mettre en haut des rapide^, c'est-i 
 dire au pied des lacs, d'une rive A I'autre des 
 pilaf:tres(piers)qui seraient places de nanidre 
 a ne pas nuire A la navigation. Ces pilastresau 
 pied des lacs St. Fr»n5oi3 et St. Louis auraient 
 poureffetde hater la prise dea glauea 4oei 
 
iepuis un certain 
 lite le foiids du 
 flt niouvee va se 
 oi, CDininf vieux 
 ms pjiisi^-nrH fom 
 ! qua I'eritr^e de 
 ine hatture qui 
 I outre celiij, il ya 
 le Longueuil qui 
 t'oifl avant que le 
 letJnitivenient, et 
 :e.s d'epaisseiireii 
 par grands bai.oa 
 lou Kur d'autre.H 
 lont fortnees, (Z«s 
 'on va Jeter pr6ii 
 uil, alors uhaque 
 i>i batture.'? etant 
 es, d'apres mon 
 des inondatioHH, 
 I glaces qui arrS- 
 rs I'eau niontant, 
 Je terinine Mr. 
 »nt inoii opinion 
 li peut-etre voua 
 
 le berviteur, 
 rosEPH Jan.vard. 
 
 MDATIONS. 
 
 (Jes eaux ct pro- 
 e8 glaces. L'au- 
 leslacs St. Fran- 
 ; la rividre, uar il 
 e prend plus vite 
 3al, etceaglafons 
 tiSrea reiicontrent 
 r I'eau, ila s'accu- 
 > passage de I'eau, 
 nondations d'au- 
 4ent auasitot que 
 '8 St. FranQois et 
 
 on est produite 
 I'autoinne; le;) 
 t la rividre par 
 iH juaqu'a 3 ou 
 UH, et quand elles 
 )re8»eert par I'eau, 
 inent biiucher le 
 ue par le^^ glaces 
 datioDfl, I'eau ne 
 utfiaant monteet 
 idommagea etles 
 
 8. 
 
 « inondatlona. 
 
 rapides, c'est-A 
 rive & I'autre des 
 slaces de manidr* 
 n. Cea pilastreaau 
 Jt. Louia auraient 
 des glaces &oes 
 
 87. 
 
 endroita, ui benauite retiendraient lea glafons 
 qui deacendent, ce qui diminuerait d'autantles 
 cauaes dea inondations I'automne, etau prin- 
 tenipa cela retarderait la deacente dea glaces 
 d'en baut et donnernit le tempa aux glaces 
 d'en ba-< de descendre avant que lea glacea 
 d'en baut arrivent. On comprend i^ue si on 
 mettait dea pila«lres au Lac St Louis aeule- 
 ment on pourrait probablement avoir le 
 mSme reaultat, inaia la consequence serait 
 I'inondation de Beaubarnois et dea endroits 
 environnants ;niais en mettant ainsidea pilas- 
 trea au pied du Lac St. Pran9oia on enipeche 
 rinondation decette partie duLac St. Louia, et 
 on sait qu'au Lac St. Francois I'inondation 
 n'eat, paa tlcraindre ; et on comprendraque la 
 quantite dea glaces qui descendront sera 
 conaiderablement moindre. 
 
 De plus, faire A St. Lambert un canal de 
 300 piedade larjgequi iraitjuaqu'a Longueuil 
 ou plus baa, lui donnanttoute la profondeur 
 posf^ihlet out en conaervant une cbute aasez 
 fortej etde telle aorteque I'eau etant miaedana 
 le caoal elleexerce une pression sur la glace, 
 et &la t@te de ce canal faire un baaain de 300 
 par 6'l0 pieda ; d'y mettre 12 portea de lOpieda 
 chaque pour communiquer avec le canal ; ce 
 baaain uevrait 6tre construit de telle sorte 
 qu'A cet endroit il n'y ait aucun courant, 
 que cela soit une eau morte, afin que la glace 
 prenne 14 plus k bonne heure qu'ailleurs et 
 ensuite aAnque les giaoes qui deacendent ne 
 s'introduisent pas dans ce baaain. Le prin- 
 temps quand vient le temps de la debacle, on 
 ouvrirait ces portes et I'eau descendant dans 
 ce canal juaqu'A Longueuil irait forcer la 
 
 §lace et hSter son depart avant que lea glacea 
 'en liaut deacendent. Le tout numblement 
 Boumia, 
 
 CYRIAC LABELLE. 
 363 Rue Workman, 
 St. Cun6gonde. 
 
 To His Worship the Mayor and the Alder- 
 men OF THE GiTT of MONTREAL. 
 
 The Memorial of the Council of the 
 
 Montreal Board of Trade, 
 Respectfully Sheweth, — 
 
 That the Council of the Montreal Board 
 of Trade having carefully considered the 
 matter of the periodical inundations of the 
 lower districts of this city, desires earnestly 
 to recommend that the Civic Authorities do, 
 without loss of time, make a vigorous effort 
 to establish the cauaea of, and find a remedy 
 fort these recurring calamities. 
 
 That the importance of the subject ia too 
 obvious to render argument necessary, and 
 it is needful only to point out that, as a 
 matter of fact, the river never rises above a 
 certain level without causing a considerable 
 money loss from the destruction or damage 
 
 of property and merchandize, while thia 
 loss, gte&t as it is, is of less moment than . 
 the misery caused to large numbers of 
 people who reside in the district so flooded. 
 That, in addition to these obvious evils, 
 the first effect of the rise of the river being 
 to reverse the flow in all the drains and 
 sewers, all the cellars and streets in these 
 districts are saturated with sewage, and 
 therefore that in parts of the city where no 
 outward efTecta of the flood are apparent, 
 aewage gas must, as a matter of course, be 
 forced into the dwellings with consequences 
 to the public health wnich cannot be over- 
 stated. 
 
 That the council of the Board of Trade, 
 while desirous of avoiding all intrusion on 
 the province of the civic authorities, con- 
 ceives it to be necessary to make a specific 
 atatement of the course it is prepared to re- 
 commend, as follows : — The enquiry now 
 being conducted by a special Committee 
 ought to be continued, the fullest powers be 
 given to such committee, and a liberal ap- 
 propriation of money made so that the beat 
 engmeering and professional talent may be 
 engaged to make the necessary surveys. 
 
 It should be the duty of those engineers 
 to report fully on the causes of these floods, 
 and to present a apecific plan or plana for 
 their prevention, with eatimates of outlay. 
 
 The date at which such report is to be 
 made should be now fixed, though it might 
 be hereafter extended if requisite. 
 
 It is obviously necessary that no time 
 should be lost, as the river in its winter 
 condition can now be examined and surveyed, 
 and, in addition, it is hoped that some steps 
 may at once be found practicable to prevent, 
 or at least to mitigate, the effects of the 
 spring-flood which many consider probable. 
 
 That the Council of the Board of Trade 
 believes that the civic authorities will carry 
 with them the approval of the mercantile 
 and manufacturing community, and of the 
 citizens generally, in dealing with this ques* 
 tion in a vigorous and liberal spirit. 
 
 That it having transpired that the Repre- 
 sentative of the Board of Trade on the Inun- 
 dation Committee- ia abaent from the city, 
 the Council have thia day nominated R. 
 Paton McLea, Esq., in hia place, and desires 
 further to say that its members are prepared 
 to aid the proposed enquiry in every way in 
 their power. 
 
 The whole respectfully submitted. 
 
 GEO. A. DRUMMOND, 
 
 President. 
 WM. J. PATTERSON, 
 
 Secretary. 
 Signed on behalf of the Council of the 
 Montreal Board of Trade. 
 
 Montreal, I8th Jan, 1886. 
 
« 
 
 i 
 
 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 BT 
 CAPTAIN CHARLES LBQER. 
 
 Observations on the changen of the wea- 
 ther, wind and level of the water, as noted 
 by Chs. L6ger at Lachine since the I6th of 
 December, 1884, viz z 
 
 Dec. I6th. — All the rivers were open in the 
 morning, the same night, very cold. Dec. 
 17, 18, 19 and 20, very cold, with northeast 
 wind and snow. 
 
 Dec. 21. — All the rivers were froisen over 
 and people were cro!>sing the same on foot, 
 excepfing within three miles of the town of 
 Lachine (to Isle Dorval), which is always 
 open. 
 
 On the same day (the 21st) the wind 
 changed to southwest and blew a gale all 
 day and the ice on Lake St. Louis did not 
 budge, the weather kept cold until the 27th ; 
 from the 28th until January 13th the wea- 
 thei" has been very mild, with a great deal 
 of rain about every other day, with winds 
 from the east and south the greatest part of 
 the time, which caused the ice along the 
 Lachine shore up to the Island Dorval to 
 break close up to the beach, the f^asil ice 
 floated to the surface and moved down the 
 river with the broken'ice which caused the 
 water to rite tome in Montreal. If the piers 
 were built at Lachine the river would all 
 freeze '^ver from the piere to Isle Dorval and 
 would thus prevent the making of frasil ice, 
 and would also keep the ice there instead of 
 drifting down the river to Montreal and 
 cause a jam and rise of water there. 
 
 Everjr year the ice takes by a cold north- 
 east wmd, from Beauharnois to Lachine, 
 with the exception of the three miles above 
 mentioned. 
 
 Before the year 1876 the four gates of the 
 Lachine lock used to remain open from 
 about the 16th June till the 16th September, 
 with only about 6 inches of fall between 
 Beauharnois and Gdte St. Paul locks. 
 
 Since the building of the new canal dam, 
 the water at the heaid of the pier is one foot 
 higher than it was before. From what 
 information I can gather from the inhabitants 
 should the piers cause the water tQ rise 
 during the winter season it would cause no 
 inundation, even 4 feet, in the vicinity of 
 Lachine. 
 
 RespsctfuUy submitted by Chs. Leger, 
 Light pier keeper, 
 Lachine. 
 Lachine, 14th January, 1885. 
 To the Inundation Committee, 
 
 Montreal. 
 
 MoNTBBAL, May 18, 1885. 
 A. A. Stitinsoit, Esq., 
 
 C^irman Committee on Floods : 
 
 This is as near as I can remember the 
 nam<) of the committee. 
 
 A few days ago you were good enough to 
 say you were willing to read a letter of mine 
 in reference to our annual floods, and how 
 to prevent, or, at least, mitigate them. 
 
 In pursuance of that desire, I beg to say 
 that 1 have had a map of Montreal and vici- 
 nity before me for a year, and the more I 
 look at it the more I feel satisfied that 
 three things, if done, would greatly conduce 
 to this desirable object in view. 
 
 First — Muffatt's island and the pier thence 
 to St. Lambert shore, should be removed. 
 
 Second — The channel south of St. Helen's 
 Island should be deepened. In this I find a 
 correspondent of the Gazette, Mr. Sorby, 
 agrees in a letter he wrote some days a^o. 
 
 Third — Isle Ronde should be partly or 
 entirely removed. 
 
 By these acts, I would expect to make a 
 direct course tor the ice on either side of St. 
 Helen's Island, and thus relieve the pressure 
 upon the wharves. 
 
 So much for the city itself. Now, with 
 regard to Point St. Charles, or further up, 
 the difficulty is not so eas^ to solve, because 
 of the formation of Laprairie bay. 
 
 When the lake ice comes down, it natural- 
 ly pushes towards Laprairie, where we find 
 as it were a large mouth with closed teeth 
 (the piers of Victoria bridge) holding it back 
 just at the entrance to a comparatively 
 narrow place, thus preventine the larger 
 mass of ice, which is collected at breakmg- 
 up time, from freely passing down. 
 
 The Victoria" bridge I hold to be in a bad 
 spot for our bi-yearly welfare. However, 
 there it is, and to stay, therefore we must 
 fight around it for success. 
 
 Before closing I might venture a sugges- 
 tion or two for what they are worth. That 
 old pier which runs out into the river nearly 
 parallel with Victoria bridge, ought to be 
 removed or built over so as to point down 
 the river, instead of nearly across, as at 
 present. 
 
 And, finally taking a jump down toPointe> 
 aux-Trembles and the islands that crowd 
 the channel on the south of Isle St. Therese, 
 it occurs to me that the removal of 8ome of 
 them would make a clearer course for the 
 moving ice, and thus greatly conduce to the 
 end in view. 
 
 I don't indulge the idea that I have made 
 any discoveries that are new, and fear that 
 some of my suggestions, if deemed good, 
 would involve too serious an outlay for our 
 purse, but I venture to express my views to 
 
May 18, 1885. 
 
 I Floodt : 
 
 m remember the 
 
 * good enough to 
 1 a letter of mine 
 I floodn, and how 
 gate them. 
 we, I beg to ray 
 [ontreal and vici- 
 , and tl)e more I 
 el satisfied that 
 greatly conduce 
 iew. 
 
 d the pier thence 
 Id be removed, 
 ith of St. Helen'8 
 In this I find a 
 ttU, Mr. Sorby, 
 ome dayn a^o. 
 
 Id be partly or 
 
 cpect to make a 
 either side of St. 
 ieve the pressure 
 
 aelf. Now, with 
 », or further up, 
 to solve, because 
 e bay. 
 
 down, it natural- 
 e, where we find 
 with closed teeth 
 ) holding it back 
 a comparatively 
 ting the larger 
 «ted at breakmg" 
 g down. 
 
 >ld to be in a bad 
 fare. However, 
 erefore we must 
 
 venture a sugees- 
 ire worth. That 
 » the river nearly 
 dge, ought to lie 
 as to point down 
 ly across, as at 
 
 p down to Pointe« 
 iniis that crowd 
 Isle St. Therese, 
 tnoval of **ome of 
 per course for the 
 ly conduce to the 
 
 that I have made 
 ew, and fear that 
 if deemed good, 
 in outlay for our 
 tress my views to 
 
 29 
 
 show you that I am in deep sympathr with 
 the highly important object for whicn your 
 committee is organised. 
 
 I remain. Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 R. TURNBULL. 
 
 Montreal, 29tb May, 1841. 
 
 Sir, — I have the honor to forward here- 
 with a report, witii plans and estimate of 
 the probable expense of relieving St. Ann's 
 Buburbci of tins city, as far as the levels per- 
 mit, from the periodical inundation. 
 
 We have as closely as possible adhered to 
 the instructions ot Uis Excellency, and 
 although the members of the Commission, 
 as appointed by His Excellency the Uover- 
 nor-(ieneral, have not been able to meet 
 together latterly, yet as the outhnesofthe 
 plan were agreed on and put in writing at 
 their last meeting, and an from the first there 
 was no difference of opinion as to the prin- 
 ciples on wiiicl} the plan of relief should be 
 founded, we trust that His Excellency will 
 be convinced that the best endeavors of all 
 the members have been used to further the 
 end in view. 
 
 I have the honor to be, sir. 
 
 Your most obedient humble servant, 
 
 P. COLK, 
 
 Major B. Engineers. 
 T. W. C. Murdook, Esq., 
 
 Civil Secretary, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 MoMTBEAL, 29th May, 1841. 
 REPORT 
 On the causes of the periodical Inundation 
 of part of the City of Montreal called 
 OrifSntown or St. Ann's suburbs ; on the 
 possibility of removing those causes, or 
 of obviating their effects. 
 
 In pursuance of the commands of His Ex- 
 cellency the Governor-General as conveyed 
 in the civil secretary's letter of the 16th 
 January last, relative to the periodical inun- 
 dations in the St. Ann's suburbs of this city, 
 the commission appointed bv His Excellency 
 have the honor to submit the result of their 
 inquiries and examinations, with plans, 
 sections and estimate founded thereon of the 
 probable expense of protecting the city from 
 this c.*vl.imity. 
 
 The subject naturally divides itself into 
 several principal sections. 
 
 DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT. 
 
 1. The rise of water in Montreal harbor at 
 the end of December, or beginning of Jan- 
 
 uary of each year, and on the breaking up of 
 the ice in the Spring. 
 
 The natural and artificial causes leading 
 towards this result, and the consequent 
 flooding of Griffiiitown. 
 
 The possibiiity of removing those causes or 
 of obviating their effects. 
 
 RISE OP ST. FIERRS RIVER. 
 
 2. The rise of water in St. Pierre River 
 and its effects on the inundation of the city 
 and neigh t>orhood with the means of prevent* 
 ing the evil. 
 
 BCWERS, DRAINS. 
 
 .3. The sewers, drains and their courses by 
 which the backwater of the St. Lawrence is 
 admitted into the city before the overflow of 
 the banks and upper quays. 
 
 STREAMS WITHIN THE CITY. 
 
 4. The small streams which usually fall 
 into the St. Lawrence within the jji-ecincts of 
 thecity, and the means of guarding against 
 their overflow when their uiiual course is 
 stopped during the inundation. 
 
 RISE IN HARBOR. 
 
 First. The rise of water in the harbor is 
 obviously caused by the accumulations of ice 
 from the rapids above, which, being stopped 
 by the field ice below, is forced uncfer it Iron* 
 the pressure above until it grounds on the 
 shoals in and below the harbor, and being 
 confined by the narrow channels on each side 
 of the island of St. Helen, forms a succession 
 of dams as far as the head of the Is hind and 
 the new market, from whence the inundation 
 was on a dead level this winter as far as the 
 canal ; and from the information we have 
 obtained it appears that the deviation in 
 other years is not material. The great body 
 of ice in the centre of the river, when 
 arrested in its course, shovu not only down* 
 wards but sideways towards the shores, and 
 even backwards when out of the current 
 as below Windmill Point. ' 
 
 lOE DAMS. 
 
 It then grounds on the shuals and forms 
 accumulations which in some instances have 
 done damage to the houses along the quays. 
 
 The accumulations on the shoals and 
 wharves at and above the new market being 
 nearly parallel to the shore do not, in our 
 opinion, materially affect the rise of water in 
 the river. 
 
 The communications from intelligent and 
 observing residents who have favored us by 
 their written or personal communications 
 show that the accuiuuiatiuns vary in extent 
 and situation. That the relative height of 
 water in different years corresponds with the 
 alternations of frost and thaw before the ice 
 becomes fixed, and that, when the frost is 
 very steady at this period, a comparatively 
 small rise of water may be expected, pro* 
 
so 
 
 bably from the mall quantitj of floating ice 
 wliicli coiiicH down the river. 
 
 0AU8B9 OF UNEQUAL RISE OF WATER IN 
 DIFKGHENT YEARS. 
 
 It is also generally observed that when the 
 ioe pasfles down tlie east channel without 
 choking or " shoving " that there is no 
 excessive rise of water in the harbor, and 
 also that if this channel be choked, as well 
 as the western one, thiu the greatest rise is to 
 be apprehended, us v us the case this winter, 
 the " air hole" or vent being below St. 
 Helen's 
 
 IFFEOT OF THE WHARVES ON THE INUNDATION. 
 
 These facts, connected with the parallel 
 situation of the accunuilations to the shore, 
 and the unilurni level of the inundation 
 above the new market, apparently prove that 
 the wharves have no ott'ecl on the'inundatiou. 
 The proportion to the breadth of the river is 
 very trilling. 
 
 RISE IN FORMER YEARS. 
 
 This view is corroborated by several intel- 
 ligent correspondents, who vouch from 
 personal observation that the water has risen 
 to a greater height belbre these improve- 
 ments were made, and, in particular, about 
 60 years ago, when the water covered the 
 whole of the southern part of St. Paul street. 
 Several years after this, the lower floors of 
 the Grey Nunnery were mundateii to a great 
 depth. In the winter of 1809-11) the water 
 rose high enough to float timber over Qrey 
 Nuu street. 
 
 In later years the greatest rise was that of 
 1837-38 when the water rose about one foot 
 higher than the present year. That in 1839- 
 40, although higher than usual, was two 
 feet lower than that of this year. 
 
 DURATION OF FLOOD. 
 
 The duration of the highest winter flood 
 varies. It generally does not exceed two days, 
 as was tiie case this year and the preceding, 
 but in 1837-8, which was a very nuld winter, 
 the flood was very high, though perhaps not 
 at its highest, during 14 days. Some relief 
 may however be expected in less than 24 
 hours. The city is always more or less 
 affected by it, in the- cellars for several 
 weeks. 
 
 HEIGHT OP FLOOD ABOVE LOWEST WATER. 
 
 The greatest flood is about 20 feet above 
 summer level in the Harbor and about 12 
 feetdifference ai St. Mary rapid, between the 
 two periods at that place. 
 
 SPRING FLOOD. 
 
 The spring flood is lower and of less dura- 
 tion, as the ice is then unequal to support a 
 great head of water, but troni the greater 
 body of floating ice more damage has been 
 occasioned by tiie latter to the houses border- 
 
 ing the quays at this seasou tha.i ly tl^e 
 water. 
 
 The niost remarkable effect of ice wns in 
 1792 or 3, and in 1H32 the water rose to the 
 height of the present quay wall. 
 
 ThetemperatHre has also un effect on the 
 spring flood, and southerly winds, by detacii- 
 ing large portions of ice, increase the accu- 
 mulations or the flood by the accompanying 
 rain. 
 
 If the river is open at the current St. Mary 
 the rise of water is not to be dreaded in the 
 spring. 
 
 From the foregoing facts and the levels 
 taken for the commissioners, and from the 
 coincidence of the accumulations with the 
 narrows and shoals at and below the head of 
 the Island and the new market, we are of 
 opinion that the obstructions aflecling the 
 inundation commence at those points, and 
 continue downwards on both sides of the 
 Island until the river opens below it. 
 
 As before stated, there is no very high 
 flood if the channel is open on either side of 
 St. Helen's, which appears to {jiVove that there 
 is always a sage below suflicient to relieve 
 the town. 
 
 ST. PIERRE RIVER. 
 
 Secondly. Dams of ice similar to those 
 before mentioned are formed above the 
 harbor and in the channel inside of Nuns' 
 Island, which raise the water above them 
 and back it up the St. Pierre River until it 
 overflows its banks, when it flows in a rapid 
 stream downwards on the east side of the 
 canal, and through the culvert at St. 
 Gabriel's farm to the west side. This rise is 
 nearly simultaneous with that of the back 
 water in the harbor, and meets the latter 
 flowing southwards about the St. Gabriel's 
 farm. Its level is about two feet above the 
 harbor backwater, and has therefore much 
 increased the mischief caused by the inunda- 
 tion. It has flowed over the canal bank in 
 several years, and in 1837-8 to a depth of 4J 
 inches, and probably caused the very great 
 flood of that year in GriflSntown. 
 
 The backwater did not, in the present 
 year, flow up the St. Pierre beyond the 
 culvert under the level near Mr. Gregory's. 
 Should it do so in other years it would be 
 diverted on that side from the city by a ridge 
 running from Mr. Gregory's we-twarde 
 across the upper Lacliine road to the Cote. 
 This is tlie dividing ridge between the water 
 of the Holwell creek, atid ttiat of the rivulet, 
 flowing through the Tanneries to the St. 
 Pierre. 
 
 It has been proposed to embank the St. 
 Pitrre, to prevent its overflowing on the east 
 side of canal, but this work by preventing 
 the relief aftbrded by the overflow, might 
 back up the water to a greater height along 
 the banks of the St. Lawrence above the St. 
 Pierre, tnd up the valley of the latter. 
 
180U Iha.i ly tLe 
 
 Feet of ice wn« in 
 : water ro8e to tlie 
 wall. 
 
 ttii effect on tlic 
 winds, by di'tacli- 
 iicrease the accii- 
 ihe accompanying 
 
 ! current St. Mary 
 be dreaded in the 
 
 ;t8 and the levels 
 ?rH, and from the 
 iilatioHH with the 
 below the liead of 
 market, we are of 
 one atlecling the 
 those point", and 
 both sides of the 
 8 below it. 
 is no very high 
 
 1 on either side of 
 to jjt'ove tliat there 
 fhcieiit to relieve 
 
 [VEB. 
 
 similar to tboee 
 rmed above the 
 si inside of Nuns* 
 vater above them 
 erre River until it 
 it flows in a rapid 
 i east side of the 
 • culvert at St. 
 side. This rise ia 
 that of the back 
 meets the latter 
 the St. Gabriel's 
 wo feet above the 
 if) therefore much 
 sedby theinunda- 
 the canal bank in 
 .8 to a depth of 4J 
 sed the very great 
 town. 
 
 , in the present 
 ierre beyontJ the 
 ar Mr. Uregory's. 
 years it would be 
 the city by a ridge 
 ;ory's we.-twarde 
 road to the Cote, 
 jetvveen the water 
 iiat of the rivulet, 
 leries to the St. 
 
 3 embank the St. 
 owing on the east 
 )rk by preventing 
 ! overflow, might 
 ;ater height along 
 nee above the St. 
 )f the latter. 
 
 81 
 
 
 As the farms on the east of canal are not 
 injured by the inundation, ana do not come 
 within our instructions, we avoid tampering 
 with the natural course of the water. 
 
 DRAINS AND 8KWERS, ETC. 
 
 Thirdly. The backwater rises in the 
 cellars of the houses within its sphere, nearly 
 as fai-t as in the harbor, through the St. 
 Ann's creek and other drains, and also by 
 quicksands or gravel below the level of the 
 quay wall. The remedies we shall after- 
 wards submit. 
 
 QtTICKSANDS. 
 
 The influence of the quicksand is proba- 
 biy much less than is generjilly supposed. 
 If it cannot be cut oft", it will at leant require 
 small means to carry it off. 
 
 8TRKAM8 WITHIN THE CITY. 
 
 Fourthly. The streams falling into the 
 St. Lawrtnce, within the precincts of the 
 city, contribute to the inundation, and the 
 mode of remedy requires consideration. 
 
 HOLWELL OREEE. 
 
 The Flolwell creeK is merelj the drain of 
 a marsh, on the west of Uppei-'Lachine road, 
 as far as the ridi'e before mentioned on the 
 city side of the lannerief. It is joined near 
 the brewery of Mesnrs. Dow and Dow by an 
 offset from the St. Pierre, parsing tlirough 
 the St. (Jabriel culvert. 
 
 Tlie latter stream can be confined to the 
 east side of canal during an inundation. 
 The Hulwell creek discharges at Point & 
 Cailiere. 
 
 MOUNTAIN STREAMS. 
 
 Thero is another stream which descends 
 from the Uote d Barron and crosses Bleury 
 street near the upper end. On arriving at a 
 swamp at the head oCSt. Lawrence suburb, 
 it passea by a water course intq the Craig 
 street tunnel, which meeta the Howell creek 
 before its discharge at Point 4 Callidre. 
 This stream will be herealter adverted to. 
 
 REMEDIAL PLANS PROPOSED BY INDIVIDUALS. 
 
 Several plans have been proposed bv in- 
 dividuals for prevention of the rise of water 
 in the harbor. 
 
 EXCAVATION IN THE BED OF THE RIVER. 
 
 The most obvious remedy is to deepen the 
 ahoals in the west channel, and to lower the 
 small island at tlie foot of St. Helen's to 
 about three feet below Bummer level. The 
 eipense attending this plan would be verv 
 great, the effect uncertain, as it would afForcl 
 very little aiiditional relief m the chaunel, 
 which is 37 feet deep at low water. The 
 effect anticipated is that it would afford 
 scope for the escape of the ice below, without 
 forming dams. 
 
 In thesummer it would have the injurious 
 effect of lowering the water in the Harbor, 
 
 but, on the other hand, it would diminish the 
 rapid of St. Mary, by lowering the liead, and 
 allowing the water to spread. 
 
 Another objection to this plan is that it 
 would require several seasons to complete it. 
 
 Although it is not recommended by the 
 commissioners for the present time and 
 purpose, it may deserve attention at a future 
 time, as an auxiliary means of relief, keeping 
 always in view the effect it would have on 
 the harbor. The shoals above the head. of 
 the current St. Mary may be removed without 
 risk. 
 
 PROPOSED MOLE AND IT8 PROUADLE ErFECTB. 
 
 It has been proposed and supp<jrted by 
 several persons whose opinions are worthy 
 of the greatest consideration, that a mole 
 should Ite thrown out, either continuous or 
 in detached piers, from Windmill Point on 
 the shoals towards St. Helen's, or from a 
 point higher up the river. 
 
 Two effects are anticipated by the movers 
 of this plan. First, that by creating dead 
 water above it, the ice would take sooner, 
 and arrest the floating ice at a higher level, 
 and thus prevent the formation of icedama 
 below the harbor. Secondly, that if the 
 mole were formed in piers it would break 
 the ice in small pieces, which it is e.xjxjcied 
 would not form into accumulations. 
 
 The first expectation is, however, pro- 
 blematical, and the second superfluous, 
 Ijecause the greater part of the ice is broken 
 small by the rapids, )iarticularly that which 
 comes down immediately before the ice is 
 flx<-d, and which is equally arrested by the 
 ice below. 
 
 It was at first overlooked that the mole, 
 if continuous, would occupy about one-third 
 the breadth of the river, and then the water 
 thus backed up would very much increase 
 the rapidity of the steam boat channel in the 
 summer, and the only bateau channel would 
 be blocked up. 
 
 At the commencement of the winter, the 
 ice would be arrested, either in fields or 
 masses, above the mole and would flood 
 lands above the rajjids which are now exempt. 
 The water, which in some seasons has flowed 
 over the canal a few inches in depth, would 
 then be precipitated over in a torrent unless 
 the banks were raised to it height which we 
 cannot estimate, and would create evils far 
 more fearful than those it is proposed to 
 avoid i 
 
 EFFECTS OF PROPOSED MOLE. 
 
 If, instead of a continuous mole, piers 
 were placed at intervals, the evils to be 
 dreaded would certainly occur in proportion 
 to the shortness of the intervals, ut it is not 
 so certain that the good effects anticipated 
 would actually ensue. 
 
 The commission do not therefore propose 
 any work of this kind, but it may be a 
 matter of future consideration, as an auzi- 
 
8A 
 
 , 1 
 
 liarjr plan, whether a few piers may not be 
 placed at a time, to aMertain tlie etfect 
 produced, and allovTioit several winters to 
 elapse, before further additions were made, 
 to give a full trial of the ettect. 
 
 We feel ourselves called on to dwell on the 
 necessity of the greatest caution in attempt- 
 ing to cope with, or even to direct so power- 
 ful an agent. 
 
 The couHicting opinions which have been 
 brought forward with respect to the remedy 
 for this evil show that the subject is involved 
 in considerable ditficuliy. It is indeed ot u 
 more than usually complicated nature. 
 
 Cote dbs Neiobs, Moktreal, 
 
 25thJan., 1886. 
 To the Chairman of the Inutidalion Com- 
 
 Sir, 
 
 mittee. 
 
 I have the honor to forward you a printed 
 copy of my letter, sent to the Montreal Herald 
 on Friday last. Should you desire the plans 
 and estimated cost of improvements there 
 described I shall be pleaseu to prepare same 
 for your perusal. Tiie cost would be only 
 very triHing. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. J. Oil JAN. 
 
 HOW TO STOP THE INUNDATIONS. 
 To the Editor of The Herald. 
 
 Sir. — On the IHth of April I wrote to the 
 newspapers in reference to these floods, 
 pointmg out the means employed near 
 i^'enzauue, in Cornwall, England, to prevent 
 the sea overflowing some oOO acres of land 
 that is eight feet below high water mark. I 
 have myself seen storm waves run 2U feet 
 high up the dyke without any water coming 
 up the trapped culverts. 
 
 I have smce studied this matter, and And 
 that tlie floods are caused by an ice bridge 
 tirst taking below the city when the water is 
 low and comparatively still. Then when a 
 thaw in the West causes a vastly increased 
 volume of water to come down the St. Law- 
 ence, the softer weather, coupled with the ac- 
 celerated force derived from falling down the 
 rapids, breaks up the thin ice near Victoria 
 Bridge. This increased volume of water 
 cannot escape under the ice bridge previously 
 formed below the city, as it is tirmly frozen 
 at the lower levels, until it has li'tled the 
 whole surface, whicli it does gradually, 
 beginning at the upper end, the floating ice 
 passing under same and gradually raising 
 the whole sheet. This, in my opinion, would 
 account for a spring flood. 
 
 A winter floixi is from a combination of 
 causes. The ice that has, owing to a thaw, 
 passed under and commenced to raise the 
 
 upper end of the bridge lieconies frozen, 
 making an efl^ctual trap to catch, a»J retain 
 all frazil that floats down. Uy this means 
 the barrier is increased and the water clvannel 
 contracted until the flood has risen until 
 the water is of suflioient weight to break the 
 barrier through. 
 
 Now, sir, for the remedy. I have one 
 that will put an end to these floods, that 
 will make your mighty river keep its b xinds 
 for ever, and will cost the city comparatively 
 nothing. 
 
 Some gentlemen have advised buiMing 
 piers above tlie rapids, but it is the iue from 
 below the rapids that flrst causes the trouble. 
 The impetus given the ;'/ater. by the litU 
 prevents said ice forming; so thick as that 
 lower down the river. Jther gentleiuen 
 advi-^e removinj^ certair tihoals. Isle Uomle, 
 etc. Now, sir, if this 'vere don^ what depth 
 ''f water would you have 'n the ship's chan- 
 nel ? It seems plain if ynu rentove these 
 islands to decrease the height of the water 
 during winter floods, you will at the same 
 time decrease the depth of water in the ship's 
 channel during summer shallows. But tlie 
 gentleman who suggested removing St. 
 Helen's Island, could perhaps devise means 
 to replace it by tiie opening of navigation. 
 
 In m; (pinion every sewer will have to 
 be run into the Craig street tunnel. A 
 aej)arate tunnel could be made to run parallel 
 with the river, a few feet inside the revet- 
 ment wall, and by this means drain Griflln- 
 town. Point St. Charles, &c., in fact all 
 sewers that now empty into the St. Lawrence, 
 said tunnel to be connected at the lower end 
 with the existing Craig street tunnel and the 
 whole carried to a point below the ice barrier 
 previously referred to. It has been proved 
 that the waters do not rise high a few miles 
 I below the city, so if the sewers emptied there 
 I it would be impossible for flood waters to 
 back up into any store, street or even cellar. 
 Then the revetment wall would have to be 
 rebuilt [it wants doing anyways] and raiseti 
 three feet higher ; the whole foot path might 
 be raised, making a wall twelve feet wide and 
 so protected on the river side that people will 
 not break their necks falling over it. The 
 wall would need raising from Bonsecoura 
 market west, and continued up the bank of 
 the river for about a mile above the brid|2e 
 with an earthen embankment, the earth for 
 which purpose could be broughton tramways 
 from near the aqueduct and also partly from 
 the dredgings of the river. 
 
 Now for the means. If instead of keeping 
 prisoners idle,. or, what is worse, employing 
 priiioii labor, to make cheap, though com- 
 paratively useless articles, tin trinkets, &c., 
 ami therebr injuring the trade of the city, they 
 were employed in constructing such works 
 as the above, it would confer an immense 
 benefit upon the honest pojr who are now 
 
>econie* frozen, 
 laiuh, ami retain 
 Uy tliis iMeann 
 le water clutnne) 
 laii TiHisn until 
 ;bt to break the 
 
 y, I )iavtf otM 
 )se tlomld, that 
 keepitd bxukli 
 f comparatively 
 
 dvieed bulMing 
 L is tlie ice fntiii 
 isea the troul*lf . 
 ter. by the fall 
 I thick an that 
 ther geatleiiten 
 taU, lale liomle, 
 on<: what depth 
 ;he ahip'M chan- 
 [1 remove these 
 ;ht of the water 
 ill at the same 
 Iter in the flhip'a 
 Hows. But tlie 
 removing St. 
 is devise means 
 )f navigation. 
 
 vr will have to 
 eet. tunnel. A 
 e to run parallel 
 aside the revet* 
 18 drain Grittin- 
 X., in fact all 
 »eSt. Lawrence, 
 tt the lower end 
 ; tunnel and the 
 V the ice barrier 
 &B been proved 
 ligh a few miles 
 rs emptied there 
 flood waters to 
 t or even cellar, 
 uld have to be 
 ays] and raiseti 
 foot path might 
 re feet wide and 
 that people will 
 5 over it. The 
 om Bonsecours 
 up the bank of 
 ove the hridfie 
 I, the earth for 
 hton tramways 
 Iso partly from 
 
 tead of keeping 
 rse, employing 
 ), though coin- 
 1 trinkets, &c., 
 of the city, they 
 ing such works 
 if an immense 
 r who are now 
 
 flooded out, and cost, M I said beforf, cora> 
 parativelj aothing. 
 
 In foreign countries work of this kind is 
 done by prisoners. In France, I have read, 
 the cornice road troin Marseilles to Oenoa, 
 some 160 miles, built through rock the 
 greatest part of the way, was done almost 
 entirely by prisoners from Toulon, under the 
 flnt Napoleon. In England I have myself 
 many times seen a gane of prisoners at work 
 building the WeymouUi breakwater. It is 
 an immense structure, about live miles long, 
 and would coat many millionsofpounds, but 
 for utilizing that which is in Montreal a 
 " latent power." 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. J. Oilman. 
 
 H6 St. James Street, 
 
 Montreal, 19th January. 
 
 Sir : — At the request of Mr. George 
 Drummond, I beg to lay before you some 
 points in connection with my scheme tor 
 relieving the city from floods, which was 
 published in the Utar la«t week. These 
 points are as follows:— 
 
 Firstly — The still water harbor mentioned 
 as being possible after our drains had been 
 »11 diverted into the Craig street tunnel, was 
 only referred to as an improvemeut which 
 might be carried out ; — it forms no part of the 
 projeot for avoiding the floods. 
 
 iSecoN<%— The extension of the Craig 
 fltNet tunnel down to the Buisseau Migeou 
 is in any case very desirable, for during very 
 high water the drainage lias no proper out- 
 let! but keeps floating about under tiie city 
 with the rise and fall ot the water, gradually 
 mixing with the water in the river, and not 
 only generating gases which must be very 
 iqjurious to tiie uealth of the city, but also 
 depositing large quantities of solid matter in 
 the drains. 
 
 rAir<%— If the drainage of St' Gabriel was 
 all brought under tlie canal to join the ex- 
 teasion of Craig street tunnel, a splendid 
 opportunity would be afforded of flushing 
 the tunnel with water from the canal. 
 
 Fourthty-^)x9 extension of the Craig 
 street tunnel will be required at no very dis- 
 tant date in any case. 
 
 Fifthly — After diverting the drains from 
 the Joarbor, we should have no more com- 
 plaints about the polluted water along tUe 
 river front. 
 
 Sixthly — From remarks I have heard, I 
 would wish to explain how I propose to deal 
 with the drainage during floods. I propose, 
 when necessary, to shut oif the connec- 
 tion between the main drain and the river 
 at the Buiflseaa Migeon, and either pump it 
 
 over the sloioes into the river through a long 
 pipe supported by stays, or through a pipe 
 carried along the bed of the river to some 
 point out of the way of navigation, and pro- 
 tected at its extremity with a crib-work i or 
 else let the drainage flow into a reservoir 
 during the floo«l8, and let it flow out when 
 the water tails siifiioieutly ; on these last 
 points I have no data which would enable 
 me to form an opinion as to which would be 
 the best method. 
 
 Sevmthly— The cost of the scheme I pro- 
 pose can i>e definitely ascertained, and it* 
 success is certain ; whereas, in dealing with 
 the river, unless St. Helen's island be re- 
 mc^ved, which is quite out of the question, 
 no one can tell what the success would be; 
 under certain conditions a flood could be 
 avoided, but under others the water is cer- 
 tain to rise. 
 
 Eighthly— To raise the level of the streets 
 would only give a small measure of relief, bS 
 the cellars and yards would stiil have to be 
 filled and the houses raised — it being re- 
 membered that cellars are very necessary to 
 store provisions in. 
 
 Ninthly— 8inoe writing to Mr. Drummond, 
 I nave seen the report of the Uoyal Engi- 
 neers on the question at issue, and, taking 
 into consideration the changes in the city, 
 their proposal seems almost the same as 
 mine. 
 
 Tenthly— The scheme I propose would 
 not only reUeve the city from floods, but 
 also give us a perfiect system of drainage. 
 
 Mnally—l wrote the letter published ia 
 the Star simply as a citizen who has an 
 interest in the welfare of Montreal. 
 
 I have not, as has been estimated, any 
 " axe to grind " in the matter, as I have not 
 yet found surveying in Montreal sutficient!y 
 profitable to be at>le to invest in flooded 
 cellars on St. Paul street, nor do I expect to 
 derive any professional benefit from my 
 scheme, as the works, if carried out, would 
 be under control ot the City Surveyor j and, 
 in fact, any investigation into the condition 
 of the river would be more likely to be pro- 
 fitable, as Mr. Rielle might be called on to 
 furuisti a copy of the large plan which he 
 has of the river St. Lawrence on a scale of 
 200 feet to the inch, and which comprises 
 that part of the river lying between Lachine 
 and the Boucherville islands, shewing the 
 contours of the ground, the level of the 
 water at various points, and well established 
 bench marks along each side. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 H. iRwm. 
 
 Alderman Stevenson, 
 
 Chairman of the InuadaUon Committee. 
 
84 
 
 146 St. Jamci Stkket, 
 
 4tli February, 1886. 
 Sir I— Allow me to call your attention to 
 one point in the published account of Mr. 
 St. Oeor(5e'B report which I think requires 
 explanation- , , 
 
 Mr. 8t. George cites the fuct that the 
 Worthington engine can only deliver 8,000,- 
 
 000 gallons per day, as proof of the imprac- 
 ticability of pumping the sewerage in tune 
 ofHoixis. , , , 
 
 Mr. St. George seems to have overlooked 
 the fact that the 8,000,000 gallons have to 
 be raised some 200 leet, whereas the sewer- 
 age at the Ruisseau Migeon outlet would 
 only have to l»e lilted some 16 fet-t. 
 
 It follows from this that an engine of the 
 same horse-power as the Worthington could 
 deal with 100,000.0' i) gallons of sewerage at 
 the point stated above. 
 
 Besides, an engine could, owing to im- 
 provements, be now boutiht at the same 
 price as the Worthington, capable of pump- 
 ing about 26 per cent, more, so that, for the 
 same price as the Worthington, we should 
 have an engine able to pump 126,000,000 
 gallons per twenty-four hours. 
 
 Again, the Worthintjton type is by no 
 means the most suitable for low lifts. In 
 the " Soientiflc American Supplement " for 
 9tb August, 1884, you will see an account of 
 a centriTugal pump(for emptying the caissons 
 of a floating aock) which has a capacity of 
 some 208,800,000 gallons per 24 hours. 
 
 With regard to the water from the upper 
 part of the citv, I had no idea that it ais- 
 charged into tue Craig street tunnel. I was 
 under the impression tliat it was conducted 
 along a higher level drain, and emptied into 
 th<> Colborne avenue tunnel. 
 
 In this, as in most other matters relating 
 to tlie scheme I proposed, I could propose no 
 details, as I am unable to get at the necessary 
 data. Surely no sane engineer would pro- 
 poae to pump the drainage ot the higher parts 
 of the city into the river. 
 
 If Mr. St. George would inform Messrs. R. 
 H. Buchanan & Co. Uf the quantity of 
 water to be pumped per 24 hours, and the 
 height to which it would have to be raised, 
 
 1 hav9 no doubt they would give ^ou an 
 approximate tender on very short notice. 
 
 I do not propose to trouble you any more 
 oa this subject, as I think I have succeeded 
 ill turning the attention of the authorities 
 from the idea of dealing with the river to 
 tba more practicable ancfless costly scheme 
 of keeping the water out of the sewers and 
 raising the bankp where necessary. 
 
 This was the objrct I hod in view iu 
 writing my letter of 12tb January last. 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 H. Irwin. 
 
 Alderman Stfrenson, 
 
 Chairmtn Inundation Committee. 
 
 Ovid M. Gould, Esq., tastifled aa follows :— 
 I called here to draw the attention of the 
 Committee to the fact that the City Surveyor 
 has been taking levels of the river, and in 
 conversation with him he stated that he was 
 not authorized to make a very extensive 
 survey :— 
 The levels which have been already taken 
 
 So to sliow that the dam which causes the 
 coding of the cify now seems to be located 
 s<jmcwhere between Isle Ronde and Victoria 
 Bridge. 
 
 I Hiiggestetl to the City Surveyor that it 
 might be possible to blow it up with dyna- 
 mite as an experiment which might nut be 
 so costly after all. 
 
 I would suggest that this Committee re- 
 commend to Council that the City Surve;^or 
 be authorized to make a more extensive 
 survey, and if, after such survey, in his opin- 
 ion it should seem feasible to blow up the ice 
 jam with dynamite, or any explosive, as an 
 experiment, that he be instructed to make 
 the attempt, and so ascertain if the obstruo- 
 tions could not be removed. 
 
 I think that the flooding of Point St. 
 Charles was caused by the water backing up 
 through the sewers. 
 
 Otio M. Oovld. 
 
 Ex- Alderman Tansev appeared before the 
 Committee and testified as follows : 
 
 On William and Kennedy streets, I re- 
 member that in 1847 the water rose to a 
 certain height, and I was compelled to drive 
 in a cart to go to school. This winter, I know 
 that the very house in which I lived in 1847 
 is flooded to a height never attained during 
 the time I occupied it, on account of the 
 raising of the streets in that locality. This 
 shows clearly that the water rose to a 
 higher point now than it did in those times, 
 but the raising of the streets showed it only 
 six inches in some places where it was three 
 feet in those days. 
 
 I am of opinion that the streets of St 
 Ann's Ward snould be raised. It would not 
 cost a great deal to raise the level of the 
 streets, and it would be a step in the right 
 direction towards mitigating the frequent 
 occurrence of the floods ; scrapings from the 
 streets of the city and stone taken from the 
 excavation for the laying of water pipes in 
 St Jean Baptiste Ward could be used to do 
 this work, and tenants could be requested to 
 keep their cinders apart and the same could 
 be used for that purpose. 
 
 The revetment wall is tumbling down and 
 some repairs should be made to it; — the 
 water above McGee's bridge is twelve feet 
 higher than the level of roint St Charles, 
 and we are not flooded from it, for the sim- 
 ple reason that the embankment is suffi- 
 ciently strong and high to prevent the water 
 
ed aa folio wa:— 
 ■ttontion of the 
 be City Surveyor 
 be river, and in 
 attnJ that he waa 
 very extenaive 
 
 en hlready taken 
 hich cau«e« the 
 >ni8 to be located 
 nde and Victoria 
 
 Surveyor that it 
 t up with dyna- 
 oh might nut be 
 
 is Committee re- 
 »e City Surveyor 
 more extensive 
 rvey, inhieopin- 
 blovi up tlie ice 
 explosive, an an 
 tructed to make 
 in if the obatruc- 
 
 ig of Point St. 
 vater backing up 
 
 no M. OouLD. 
 
 peared before the 
 [ojlows : 
 
 dy streets, I re- 
 water rose to a 
 >inpelled to drive 
 lis winter, I know 
 ;h I lived in 1847 
 • attained during 
 I account of the 
 ftt locality. This 
 rater rose to a 
 id in those times, 
 M showed it only 
 here it waa three 
 
 the streets of St 
 id. It would not 
 the level of the 
 step in the right 
 ng the frequent 
 rapings from the 
 e taken from the 
 3f water pipes in 
 lid be used to do 
 d be requested to 
 d the same could 
 
 nblinK down and 
 node to it ; — the 
 ee is twelve feet 
 ?oint St Charles, 
 n it, for the sim- 
 nkment is suffi- 
 trevent the water 
 
 from overflowinjj the bank. And now, for a 
 remedy •gainxt tin frequent diwds at Point 
 St CharleH, I wuui i ^ugxeat that the preneiit 
 bank of tiie tail race on Uie north earn aide be 
 raised at leattt tliree leet, commencing at the 
 wheel-houHe, thence 'to tlie river, and then 
 extend it to Victoria Bridge and from there 
 to Mill street, and then place a sluice gate ui 
 the outlet of the tunnelat that jxjint which 
 could be rfgula(e<i to close or opeu by the 
 ris<; or tnll ut' the water, then tu place a 
 pumping engine or a turbine wheel tu pump 
 the sewu/e uver the bunk into the river if 
 necesHary. Tlie same plan could be adopted 
 for the other uutleta in the city. 
 
 Tue Harbor ComniisHioners nhould raii^e 
 the reveliiu-nt wall from Black's bridge, to 
 the Canadiuii Pacific Railway depot or tliere- 
 abouis. 
 
 Aliiermnn Laurent.— If the streets are 
 raised, will not the propiietors claim duinagen? 
 
 In answer to this question I say that, ax tar 
 as I am concerned, personally'l shall nut 
 claim damages, and 1 would prefer to step 
 out on a macadamized street than to have tu 
 step into the water. 
 
 1 would further recommend that the levels 
 of the water at present be taken, and that ihe 
 streets should be rai'^ed accoiding tu the 
 present level of the water only. By doing 
 so there could be very few houses that wuuliT 
 require to be raised { some could be raised 
 bodily, and more could be raised by placing 
 an extta joist ol 10 or 12 inches on the tirnt 
 floor. 
 
 I would recommend also legislation to 
 protect the city against damages caused in 
 sousequence of the raising of the street^*, 
 also to exempt proprietors and others from 
 any expense in consequence thereby. 
 
 I am uf opinion that prompt action should 
 at once be taken ; I do not approve of any 
 expense for survuys being made, as I consider 
 that the Corporation possesses sutHcient en- 
 gineering skill to carry out the scheme a^ 
 far as the city is concerned. 
 
 D. Tanset, 
 Point St. Charles. 
 
 Mr. Thomas Webb, of the City of Montreal, 
 testified as follows:— 
 
 I have resided in St. Ann's ward for over 
 thirty years ; we have had water almost dur- 
 ing the wiiole of that period. There have 
 been numbers of plans got up to prevent the 
 rise of water in that ward, but they never 
 eucoeeded so far. I took the trouble of 
 visiting this year's flood, being well ac- 
 qHaintetl with everv inrjii of the flooded 
 district, and I saw that a great improvement 
 had been made by raising the streets. When 
 I was a boy, I lived near William j whore I 
 saw eight feet of water various times, this 
 year I find quite dry and free of water. 
 In the premises that I occupied, with this 
 
 year's flood we would have had about 4} feet. 
 At present there are but 10 inches in tlie 
 premises, 
 
 Our city drains into the river j therefore, 
 the water leturiiM by the same way it goer. 
 Anohur ice gets in under the ice, ami chukeit 
 up the channel. 
 
 If you have a survey of the river niaile 
 between MontreHl and Bout de L'isle, you 
 will find that there are thread ifl'erent level;'. 
 There are large hIiuhIs opposite the Uudun 
 Cutton faciury, and anclior ice generally 
 settles there. 
 
 If Ir<le Uuiide was removed, as has been 
 suggei4ied, Loiigueuil would undoubtedly 
 greatly siitrer liy it. 
 
 Uur lirist trouble commences at Bout de 
 risie. It the river is low in the fall, we are 
 sure uf liigh water, as the river here is en- 
 ciiiiibert'd witli small i8landt<,and the channel 
 In crooked. Three nights' frost causes the ice 
 tu lurni suflicientlyKtrong to cross ; then 
 the drift ice commences to clioke the areum ; 
 then -at Longiie Poiiite another rise by th« 
 unohur ice at the lludon Cotton factory, l>y 
 the lung shoals, causes the water to over- 
 flow the city. To remove the islands, Isle 
 Honde und St. Helen, would do no good. They 
 talk of abutments of u^e in the river ; there 
 were 4 or 5 built where the bridge crosses, 
 by the advice of some enKineers, to retain the 
 ice 111 theLaprairie bay. They proved to be an 
 expense and for no purpose, so they weie 
 broken up and carried away by the ice; that 
 proved their great service. 
 
 I would lay : remove those small island.^ 
 below Boucherville island, — t'jat would give 
 more room to form a greater passage and 
 prevent tiie choke here ; then if the river is 
 Iiigh ill the fall we are not in so much danger 
 01 being troubled, as the passage is increased 
 thereby. 
 
 Thos. Webb, 
 196 St. Antoine street. 
 
 CoTG DBS NmoBS, MoNTBBAL, Jan. 20, 1886 
 Alderman Stevenson, 
 
 S'.B, 
 
 I understood that a meeting of the Inunda- 
 tion Committee would !« held in the City 
 Hall on Tuesday lust at 3 p. m. 
 
 Under that impression I wrote the letter 
 left at your house on Tuesday night, intended 
 to have read same myself, and maiJe certain 
 corrections that it seemed unnecessary to 
 writedown. The most pertinent that occurs to 
 me juMt now is after the words " Craig St. 
 Tunnel " I should have said : A separate 
 tunnel could be made to run parallel with 
 the river a few feet inside the revetment 
 wall, and by this means drain Point St. 
 Charles, Grimntown, etc., in fact, all sewera 
 

 se 
 
 thst now empty into the St. Lawrence — said 
 tunnel to be connectei at the lower end with 
 the existing Crsig street tunnel, and the 
 wiiole carried to a point below the ioe barrier 
 previously referred to. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. J. Oilman. 
 
 GUARDING AGAINST FLOODING. 
 MoirrRBAL, April 28, 1885. 
 To the Editor of the Herald. 
 
 Sir, — Surely it is possible in future to 
 prevent the disastrous Hoods in the low-lying 
 parts of this city. 
 
 Near Penzance, England, there is a tract 
 of land, some five hundred acres in extent, 
 close to tlie sea, that is never flooded, al- 
 though it is some eight feet below high tide. 
 A reservoir of about an acre holds all the 
 surface water froin this land ; it is separated 
 from the sea by a high bank ; at low tide the 
 water is drained otf by two culverts, about 2 
 feet in diamater ; eacli culvert is laid in 
 cement and slightly sloped at the mouth ; a 
 piece of leather, strengthened on the outer 
 siide by sheet iron, is hung over said mouth 
 of culvert, forminga valve which effectually 
 prevents any water returning, no matter 
 how high and rough the sea. f hese drains 
 are very simple, would last many years, and 
 ought not to cost more than one flood does. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. J. GiLMAN. 
 
 ^1; I 
 
 INUNDATION MATTERS. 
 
 To the Editor of the Herald. 
 
 1 am gratified to learn through your 
 columns that the City Fathers are beginning 
 to see the utility of my scheme for preventing 
 the inundations. On the 13th of April last 
 I wrote describing the means adopted to 
 prevent inundations in other countries. On 
 January 18th I forwarded supplements of 
 same to the Chairman uf the Inundation 
 Committee, a copy of which appeared in 
 your isHue of January '26tli, suggesting that 
 as the floods were caused by an ice barrier 
 forming below the city it was advisable to 
 rebuild the revetment wall or put another 
 wall on the river side of same, commencing 
 the foundation say ten feet outiiide the 
 existing wall, and sloping the new wall 
 inwards, so that it would come within 6 feet 
 ot the whole wall at the top of the same, the 
 space between wails to be cemented witit 
 puddled clay ; the new wall could be raised 
 three or four feet higher than the old one, 
 with ridged coping stones at the top of the 
 same, coming to a sharp edge to prevent 
 children walking on top. There would then 
 be a protection for pedestrians in winter m 
 
 well tm mnMner. Tht« sloping wall would 
 have a tendency to raise the ice wiien Hhortng 
 against it, and so relieve said wall of part of 
 tbe pressure. I further suggested that a new 
 tunnel should be ma<ie to run paraUel wi^ 
 the river, intercepting all present outletM 
 running from Point St. Charlen along the 
 centre of Mill street under the canal above 
 the first lock, along Common and Comnais- 
 sioners streets, joining the Craig street 
 tunnel at the lower end, and the whole to be 
 carried to a point below St. Mary's Current. 
 We should then require no pumping engines, 
 as, if the tunnel were carried far out into the 
 deep water, it would be imposmble for ioe to 
 clog it, and the " fall " through Hochelaga 
 is sufiicient to clear it at all times, thus 
 saving an annual expense in attendance, fuel 
 and repairs of a very large amount. Also, 
 that an earthen embankment be continusd 
 troni the end of the revetment wall to all 
 points from which the river has been kn»wa 
 to flood the city, probably as high up as the 
 river Jit Pierre. 
 
 I have not been to any meetings of the 
 Inundation Committee myself since Sator 
 day week, as my prediction that the natural 
 heat of the soil, acting on the 'iroposed 
 frozen sawdust bank, would allow the water 
 to get underneath and float it away unless it 
 was bolted down and clenched some where 
 on the other side of tlie world, apparently 
 gave offfence. 
 
 In conclusion, I must apologize for not 
 answering " Probs " letter that appeared in 
 yourcolu:nns one day last week. 1 have not 
 seen the paper he refers to. However, I 
 seldont pay any attention to letters unless 
 signed by toe author. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. J. GlLKAN. 
 
 February 8, 1386, 773 Craig st. 
 
 128 Prinob St., Cut, January 16, 1880. 
 To the Special Committee on Inundations. 
 
 Gektlbmen, 
 
 In thv; Star of January 16th you invite 
 schemes or suggestions to relieve the city 
 troin the floods ; and as I believe they can 
 be eflectually prevented I respectfully append 
 herewith mv ideas on the subject, which, if 
 adopted, will prevent floods : 
 
 Firrt. Take the level of the river ss 
 required for business purposes in the summer 
 time. Then take the highest level the ioe 
 reaches at flood time—both levels^ between 
 the town and 3i. Helen's Island. Next gi't a 
 chart of the river bottom between the town 
 and St Helen's Island. You will then be able 
 to join an estimate as to the extra amount 
 of space required to allow the water to pass 
 without jamming a block at flood time. You 
 can then get space required for the flow of 
 
•ping wsH would 
 ice when shoring 
 id wall of part o(' 
 geRted that a new 
 run paraUel with 
 
 present outletn 
 }harleH along tbe 
 the canal above 
 )n and Gomrois- 
 he Craig street 
 I the whole to be 
 
 Mary's Current, 
 jumping engines, 
 id tar out into the 
 posHible for ioe to 
 bu^h Hochelaga 
 : all times, thus 
 i attendance, fuel 
 
 amount. Also, 
 mt be continued 
 inent wall to all 
 ' it&a been kntiwn 
 » high up as the 
 
 meetings of the 
 self since Satnr- 
 that the natural 
 »n the 'iroposed 
 i allow the water 
 it away unless it 
 ihed some where 
 vorld, apparently 
 
 Dologize for not 
 tliat appeared in 
 week. I have not 
 to. However, I 
 to letters unless 
 
 F. J. GlLHAJl. 
 
 aig St. 
 
 nuary 16, 188C. 
 on Inundations. 
 
 r 15th you invite 
 ) relieve the city 
 
 believe they can 
 apectfully append 
 nubject, whioh, if 
 I : 
 
 of the river as 
 968 in the summer 
 tiest level the ioe 
 h levels between 
 land. Next gt>i a 
 between the town 
 iwill tliea be able 
 the extra amount 
 he water to pass 
 : flood time. You 
 fd for the flow of 
 
 water by cither deepening the river, 
 takine away St. Helen's Island altogether, 
 or only so much of it as would be requisite 
 for the flood water. Removing part or all of 
 SL Helen's Island would be the least expen- 
 sive, as you could einplov prison labor for 
 the greater part of the work. 
 
 I ami Gentlemen, 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 John Abcheb. 
 
 Geographioati SociKTr. 
 Quebec March 27, 1886. 
 2b the Editor o/Thb Star : 
 
 Sib, — I wish to draw your attention to 
 the state of the waters of the St. Lawrence, 
 which enables mariners to sail from the 
 Louise Dock, Quebec, to Cape Ray, New- 
 foundland, and so pass into the ocean. The 
 Gulf of St. Lawrence is always navigable in 
 spring until the bay ice gets fntothe current, 
 and 80 blocks its entrance with rield ice ; 
 between Cape Ray and Bird Rocks this 
 generally occurs at the end of April, but 
 never in March. The point, however, inter- 
 esting to us in April, is the ice blockade in 
 the river Iwtween Quebec and Montreal, 
 especially as it is believed, with our know- 
 leage of "modern science, it ought not to exist 
 ana, if not removable, it it at any rate preoent' 
 able. 
 
 My argument consists in my knowledge of 
 the element of water, its power to receive 
 heat and to resist cold. The temperature 
 of the river ti)-.iay is thirty-four degrees, 
 two degrees above freezing j this is not the 
 case With the land or the ice, they asninii- 
 lale nearer the temperature of the atr, which 
 is frequently very cold, and in March, ex- 
 cept when the sun is shining, rarely at a 
 temperature of thirty-four degrees. 
 
 These fact-- beinjj correct, we have to 
 attribute this early navigation to the river 
 having been kept clear of ice during the 
 winter and it« preparation to receive solar 
 heat early in March. 
 
 A shall of water, at a temperature above 
 freezing, bein^ pushed and worked np and 
 down by the tide has au etfeet oi> the air, as 
 the vapors can be both seen and felt, enpe- 
 cially when this mass of water extends one 
 hundred miles inland, as is the ca<<e to-day. 
 The navigators of the upper St. Lawrence 
 onght to combine in winter, and, by tlie use 
 of modern mechanical science, keep the 
 navigation open by attacking the ice, where 
 it can be done suooesnfully, iinch as Point 
 Levis, the Chaudi^re, Pomtau Platon, the 
 Lake, and so on, and prevent the ice block- 
 ades and subsequent spring inundations. A 
 Dundee whaler could now, with the help of 
 steam, saws and dynamite, work its way 
 through Lake St. Peter to Sorel and so start 
 by the' use of the steamboat wave, all the ice 
 
 which Providence is going to send down in 
 a few weeks— AIDE-TOI ET DIEQ T'AI- 
 DERA. 
 
 I need not add, with open waters at Sorel 
 in March, the men of Montreal will not re- 
 tain their present honorable position in pni- 
 gressive science if thev cannot find some 
 means of removing the impediments lu their 
 trade, and the evils of higli waters to their 
 citv. 
 
 Get open waters both in Lake St. Francis 
 and Lake St. Peter, and as near aa you can 
 to Montreal, and the larger their volume 
 the better, then feel assured two degrees 
 above fivezing will tell it« tale, the nyeht 
 frosts will lie diminii«hed, whilst the day 
 thaws will be increased, and your ice will 
 rapidly disappear, in the direction of Que« 
 bee, where it will be converted into water. 
 
 Remen>her thirty-four degrees is above 
 freezing, and all that latent heat is covered 
 up with ice in Lake St. Peter, and no pr«»- 
 tecteil from the sun's rays and all contact 
 with the air, consequently causing delays 
 and late navigation. 
 
 The captain of the " Aler^ " can do this 
 service as easily as navigating HudsonBay, 
 if he was ordered to report in Montreal, and 
 Canada would gain by having open ports in 
 April instead of in May. 
 
 I enclose the Signal Service Report for 
 25th March, 1886, and 
 
 I have the honor to be, Sir, 
 Your obedient servant, 
 W. Rhodes, 
 
 Vice-President, 
 Quebec Geographical Society. 
 
 signal service report. 
 
 Quebec, March 25, 1886. 
 
 Cape Rosier— Therm. .SI. Dull and 
 cloudy ; variable winds ; heavy open ice 
 everywhere, movintr northeast. 
 
 Manicouagan — Dull and variable ; no ice. 
 Inward at 7 a.m. yesterilay at Moisic, one 
 schooner. Mail courrier arrived 2.1rd, p.m. ; 
 reports shore ice from Point Esquimaux to 
 Point des Monts broken up and Gulf clear. 
 
 Point des Monts— Dull and variable ; no 
 ice. 
 
 Anticoeti— Therm. 30. Light unsettled 
 weather, with variable winds. South Clian- 
 nel — No ice. North Channel— Light close- 
 packed ice in shore. South-west Point — 
 Outward at 6 a.m., schooner " Java " ; 
 several seuling schooner.", ahosit ifslnnd, 
 schooner " Campbell " fitting out at Euglisli 
 Bav for sealing. 
 
 Meat Cove— Dull ; strong north wind ; ice 
 extends tour miles oflT clear water outside. 
 
 Cape Ray— Clear and fine; light north- 
 west wind ; no ice. A schooner arrived this 
 ikm. from the Gulf^witb 1100 scab. 
 
39 
 
 QrEBEO, 2l8t April, 1886. 
 To the Editor oFThe Quebeo Mcrcdry : 
 
 Sir, — The conditions of the river in the 
 harbor of Quebec have bet'n po entirely 
 satisfactory for the last month that I do not 
 think they can be nuiuli improved. The 
 grand battle against the fl lating ice by three 
 «itean)l>oat8 during the winter has been so 
 eminently euccessful, it will, no doubt he re- 
 newed every year ; and, though the steam- 
 boats lost screwH and received other injuries, 
 yet thev demonstrateti the fact that ice has 
 to yield to superior fore when guided by 
 modern skill. In the St. Lawrence there 
 appears to be two ♦•points" letween Quebec 
 and Montreal, where the ice may Jnm in 
 such a way as to become a public injury, 
 viz. : at the Chaudiere and at lioucherville. 
 The Chaudiere did not bridge this year, no 
 doutit from want of material ; as i'rom the 
 ice being kept in movement by the seven 
 hours of falling tide, against the inflow of 
 four hours, it would reduce tlie quantity of 
 ice to pass througli tl>e narrows. The form- 
 ation of a bridge at tlie Chaudiere is always 
 uncertain ; the nature of ice is to disperse 
 and separate, to melt, but not to adhere ; it 
 is constantly trying to return to tlie condi- 
 tion of water and to flow instead of becom- 
 ing fiolid. When an ice jam does form at 
 the Chaudiere it becomes so solid (twenty 
 feel in thickness) that it only yields by 
 melting and by thf pressure of the Lake ice. 
 The effect of no bridge at Levis, and none at 
 tlie Cliandiere. was probably the breaking 
 away of the Platon brid<re, aiiu consequently 
 navigable water up to Three Rivers. The 
 Chaudiere bridge can be prevented as ea'^ily 
 as the Levis, as it is the upper portion of 
 the same water, and can be kept clear by 
 the ordinary ferry boats, especially ifdirected 
 to do mj by the Harbor Commission of Que- 
 bec. 
 
 There appears to be a good deal of simi- 
 larity in the history of these two ice jams, 
 the Chaudiere and tha Boucherville, and I 
 have little doubt a like treatment would lea<i 
 to the same result which we claim at Que- 
 bec, of a better state of attairs ; but the com- 
 mencement must lie made for Montreal at 
 the point of the river where navigation 
 ceased this winter, vi:i., at Three Rivers, 
 and a passage or lane of water kept clear to 
 tiie mouth of the Richelieu (Sorel). These 
 water spaces are found in the Arct.c seas, 
 and blow holes are common in all lakes. I 
 would follow the, line of the current through 
 Lake St. Peter, depending upon the flow of 
 the water through the lake to keep the 
 young ice running ; in fact, run a ferry boat 
 between Three Rivers and Sorel. Tins vear 
 the breaking up of the ice on Lake St. Exeter 
 immediately relieved the inundation of 
 Montreal ; so it would appear if this had 
 been artificially done, Montreal would have 
 
 been saved a great misfortune. I would re- 
 commend Mayor Beaugrand to ascertain 
 who is responsible for the navigation of the 
 St. Lawrence, anii if due diligence has not 
 been used to sue tiiat department for a mil- 
 lion dollars (this would no doubt bring on to 
 the Public Estimates $50,000 for the further 
 improvement of the St. Lawrence), or to 
 show cause why it is a dispensation of Pr^ 
 vidence and nobody is responsible. In a 
 previous letter (27th March) I liave shown 
 that the removal of ice from the surface of 
 the water admits the rays of the sun, and 
 heightens its temperature. This is to-day 
 practically the case, as water coming into 
 onr harbor from the west shows a steady 
 temperature 0134 degrees, whilst water 
 coming from the east varies from 34 to 36 
 dejirees. 
 
 The climatic effect is that we are sowing 
 our gardens in Quebec on the 20th April, 
 whilst for the last 40 years I have never 
 been able to do anytliing before the 26th or 
 29th of April ; our'cows are also in the field, 
 getting a half meal, and vegetation is far 
 advanced. 
 
 The wliole of this subject is of such 
 national impirtance and of so great scientific 
 interest, ana if once taken hold of by en. 
 gineers and by geographers, we shall be- 
 come like Arctic navigators, surprised at 
 our own want of courage, and at the facility 
 with which we have abandoned to Providence 
 an apparent impossibility. I believe Pro- 
 vidence does not expect us to wait until the 
 sun removes the ice from our harbors, and 
 f do not think Montreal will submit to be 
 the last ice-blockaded port on this continent. 
 Even Hudson Bay hopes to compete with 
 the St. Lawrence, and she will do so if she 
 can solve the ice question. 
 
 I have the honor to h^, 
 Sir, 
 YoiTobeilient servant, 
 W. Rhodes, 
 Vice-Pres. Quebec Geographical Society. 
 
 Temperature of the Water of the St- Lawrence 
 oppotite Quebec — continued. 1886. 
 
 pril 
 
 9. 
 
 M 
 
 10. 
 
 << 
 
 12. 
 
 It 
 
 13. 
 
 << 
 
 13. 
 
 (< 
 
 14. 
 
 « 
 
 14. 
 
 U 
 
 15. 
 
 <t 
 
 16. 
 
 (t 
 
 17. 
 
 <l 
 
 17. 
 
 M 
 
 19. 
 
 Falling tide at 2.00 p.m. ..^2° 
 
 •( 
 
 ti 
 
 2.30 p.m. 
 
 ..32" 
 
 l( 
 
 11 
 
 2.30 p.m. 
 
 ..32° 
 
 Rising 
 
 K 
 
 11. ,30 p.m. 
 
 .36° 
 
 Falling 
 
 « 
 
 5.00 p.m. 
 
 .34° 
 
 Rising 
 
 « 
 
 Noon 
 
 .36° 
 
 Falling 
 
 « 
 
 5.00 p.m.. 
 
 .34° 
 
 Rising 
 
 <i 
 
 1.30 p.m. 
 
 .34° 
 
 Falling 
 
 « 
 
 8.00 a.m. 
 
 .34" 
 
 Falling 
 
 <i 
 
 7.30 a.m. 
 
 .34° 
 
 Rising 
 
 « 
 
 3..S0 p.m. 
 
 .34° 
 
 Falling 
 
 « 
 
 8.15 a.m. 
 
 .36° 
 
 Since the last return only two observations 
 have been taken to establish the temper- 
 
8» 
 
 ;. I would re* 
 
 I to ascertain 
 ivigation of the 
 ij^ence has not 
 mer»t for ami 1- 
 )ul>t bi'in$; on to 
 1) fur the further 
 wrence), or to 
 naation of Pro* 
 poiisible. Ill a 
 
 I I ]iave shown 
 the surface of 
 
 f the sun, and 
 This is to-day 
 ler coming into 
 siiows a steady 
 whilst water 
 I from 34 to 36 
 
 we are sowing 
 the 20th April, 
 
 I have never 
 'ore the 26th or 
 tifio in the field, 
 igetation is far 
 
 ect is of such 
 L> great scientific 
 hold of by en. 
 , we sliall be> 
 rs, surpriseti at 
 d at the facility 
 ed to Providence 
 I believe Pro- 
 A> wait until the 
 ur harbors, and 
 1 submit to be 
 n this continent. 
 » compete with 
 vill do BO if she 
 
 servant, 
 
 lODES, 
 
 aphical Society. 
 
 the St. Lawrence 
 ued. 1886. 
 
 t 2.00 p.m.. 32" 
 
 2..S0p.m...S2'' 
 
 2.30p.m...32'' 
 
 11.30 p.m.. 36" 
 
 ' 6.00 p.m. 
 
 ' Noon 
 6.00 p.m.. 
 1.30 p.m. 
 8.00 a.m.. 34" 
 7.30 a.m.. 34° 
 
 ' 3..'<0p.m..34" 
 8.16 a.m.. 36° 
 
 .34° 
 
 .36° 
 
 .34° 
 
 ..34° 
 
 ature of the ice in the Louise Basin. The 
 result has jjiven 32° in each case, the dates 
 being the 9ih and lOth of April. The ice is 
 broken since the last date. 
 
 To Colonel Rhodes, with Mr. Verret's 
 compliments. 
 
 SIGNAL SiiRVIOE REPORT. 
 
 QoEBEO, April 21, 1886. 
 
 Cape Rosier— Tlierm. 41° Hazy: light 
 north-east wind ; no ice. 
 
 Anticosti—Therm. 40° Cloudy and 
 calm ; no ice. The Str. Titania in the same 
 condition as last fall, uninjured by ice. 
 
 Cape Despair— Dull ; north-west wind ; no 
 ice. 
 
 Point Maquereau— Cloudy and warm ; 
 light west wind ; no ice. 
 
 Point Escuminac— Clear and fine ; light 
 west wind ; heavy close packed ice every- 
 where. 
 
 Cape Tormentine — Clear and fine ; strong 
 south-west wind ; ice two miles in extent 
 moving east. 
 
 Meat Cove— Therm. 60 «. Clear and 
 warm ; strong south-west wind ; heavy open 
 ice every where moving east 
 
 Low Point— Clear, fine and warm ; strong 
 south-east wind ; heavy open ice everywhere 
 moving east. 
 
 Cape Ray, Nfll— Clear ar.J fine ; light 
 south west wind ; fishing fair ; no ice. 
 
 St. Pierre Miquelon— Clear and fine {pros- 
 pects of cold weather ; light south wind ; no 
 loe near shjore ; some open ice visible far out. 
 
 two observations 
 ish the temper* 
 
 216 St. Martin Street, 18th Jan., 1886. 
 A. A. Stevenson, Esq., 
 City Hall. 
 Dear Sir :— I read with interest the letter 
 in Saturday's Star bearing on the floods, and 
 having until recently lived on the river bank 
 south of St. Helen's Inland, and where my 
 father still resideiii, I have seen conniderable 
 of the river's changes. The only letter in the 
 Star bearing on the real points is the one 
 written by Dr. Mount, and 1 quite agree with 
 him that the present flood has been caused 
 by the mild weather at the time he mentions. 
 Some of the writers suggest the removing of 
 all the islands on the south shore. Now tiiey 
 are the only protection Longueuil has from 
 being drowned out, as the ice anchors around 
 these islands and prevents shoving to a 
 large extent. One wrtter suggests removing 
 Isle Ronde also, and, if we were Americans, 
 S(. Ueleu's island would also be removed. It 
 is the writing of such that prompts me to 
 write this letter. I would like to ask these 
 gentlemen, whatoaused the flooding of La- 
 prairie Bay and also at Isle Perrot and 
 around the Cascades— was it the deepening 
 the cbaaael at these points 7 Certainty not, 
 
 some people think it is our harbor and 
 river improvements that cause the recent 
 flooding spring and fall, and of course the 
 Government and the Corporation are sup- 
 posed to spend a lot of money — in fact «ill 
 they have, to satisty some people's imagina- 
 tions. The harbor improvements have no 
 more to do with it than the flooding of the 
 other points I have before mentioned, and 
 until we can control the weather it \>* mt- 
 less B pending a lot of money on survevs. 
 Anyone that has watched the river as Dr. 
 Mount has done, must agree with him, a 
 great portion of the city can be made free 
 from flooas by closing the sewers that enter 
 the river above the main Craig Street sewer, 
 at that point to have it pumped into the 
 river. If all the islands on the river were 
 cleared away, and of course the expense 
 would t« something enormous, we would 
 still be as likely to flwiding as at Isle Perrot. 
 I can, if you wish, give a great deal of infor- 
 mation about the forming and breaking up 
 of the river. A good deal of the present cry 
 out is of course " Against the Government 
 J. G. Holland. 
 
 Qdbbeo, 15th Jan. 1836. 
 To Mr. Alderman Stevenson, 
 
 Chairman Committee of Inundations. 
 
 Sir, — Pursuant to your public invitation, 
 will you allow me to make a remark or two. 
 
 If we look abroad, and observe the coun<>e 
 pursued by other cities, both in America 
 and Europe, we shall find that any great 
 question of construction is invariabi/ com- 
 mitted to the handling of quulitiei experts, 
 as they are commonly designated, " civil 
 engineers." These highly educated, and, 
 ivhat is more to the point, specially edu- 
 cated men, have not only for their guidance 
 the judgment and intuitions resulting in 
 their individual persons from long vears of 
 study and the traditions and axioms of 
 their comparatively modern profession, 
 but they obtain, by the time and labor which 
 they are paid to exert and spend in the 
 local investigation of the particular case, a 
 view as complete as possible of its special 
 nature and requirements. 
 
 Now, then, qualified men would b^ .no 
 means despise the evidence of former inun- 
 dations, such as you wish to be laid before 
 your committee. They would use such evi- 
 dence, and form an enlightened judgment oa 
 its bearings and value. Then, they would 
 go into the question of probable expense, 
 and submit a scheme for the approval of 
 the citizens, and their qualified representa- 
 tives. 
 
 In a cause like this, there is something 
 approaching to completeness, up to the 
 mintof an actual laying hold of the work. 
 But when your honorable committee should 
 
 
 i I 
 
bare heard the evidence and the schemes of 
 •II the old residents who have been interested 
 for years in watching the ice-floes, it will 
 •ot, therefore, be in any position to decide 
 upon the future course of the city in relation 
 to security from floods. Much of the evi- 
 denoe^indall the "schemes" will want severe 
 " tifting," such as enjiineers only could give 
 to them, and it is no disparagement to say of 
 the honorable gentlemen of your committee 
 that, in the absence of the qualiftcation 
 alluded to, they will find their duties little 
 other than burdensome, and in the event 
 ineffective for a final decision. 
 
 The expense of a scientific enouiry could 
 not be very great, in view of tne extreme 
 urgency of the case, and it is to be earnestly 
 hoped that a commission of experts will be 
 appointed in the premises. In Britain 
 and in Holland, great works of protec- 
 tion have been in existence on the great 
 waterways for centuries past, ana on 
 the Mississippi the subject is constantly re- 
 ceiving attention, and many important 
 " leveet" have been built; although, if our 
 American neighbors would take up this 
 qiiC'ition as a* whole, and complete their 
 banking as rapidly as might be, they 
 would he immente gainert, for it is a work 
 that should not be attempted in driblets. 
 Asking vour patience for these hasty notes, 
 i remain, Dear sir, 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 HeNBT HaMMINO. 
 
 St Vincent de Paul, 21 Janvier 1886. 
 
 MoMaiEUR, — Permettez-moi d'attirer totre 
 attention au sujet de I'inondation afin de 
 faire oonnaitre mon opinion. Premi^rement, 
 I'inondatioa est cau^ee par les "frazis" qui 
 entrent sous la glace aux pieds du courant, 
 formant une masse solide du fond k la 
 surface dure qu'on appelle la voflte ; cette 
 voilte doit s'eteiid du pied de I'lie St Hetdne 
 allantau Nord, genaut la descente des eaux 
 de manidre qu'il n'ya pas aasez d'espace pour 
 le cours hahituel ; I'eau refoule dans les pla- 
 ces basses, etce n'est qu'apr^^que la glace est 
 raont^e en haut de la ville aue Ics " frazis" 
 diminuent alors Teau reprena son cours. 
 
 Monsieur, voici un projet que je vais vous 
 proposer: 
 
 Je feraie aux eaux basses oreuser un che- 
 nal au Sud de Tile Ste. Heldne de [600] pieds 
 de large par [30] de profondeur, et conslruire 
 une dame onvrantea tous les [25] pieds, une 
 autre & la tete de I'lle et une- digue solide, et 
 yous aurez par ciiQioyen un fort pouvoir 
 d'eau qui pourrait~etre utilise, et quand le 
 clienal du Nord serait bloque on pourra 
 ouvrir au Sud et je crois que cela fera beau- 
 ooup pour empecher I'inondatiou. 
 
 Votrotr^B humble serviteiir, 
 
 DIOYME MEILLEUR. 
 Pilot. 
 
 Georoe W. Stepheks, M.P.P., appeared 
 before the Committee and said : — 
 
 The question of inundation has occupied 
 the attention of the Council at v(krion» 
 periods since the year 1860. 
 
 During the term of the late Mr. McQues- 
 ten, City Surveyor, and while I held office, 
 various remedies were discussed, and in- 
 structions given that in future the levels of 
 all new buildings should be given above high 
 water mark, and a plan was adopted of 
 raising the grades of the streets. This was 
 done m many instances. 
 
 There are two ways of getting rid of the 
 inundation difficulty. 
 
 Ist. By sluice gates and receiving tanks at 
 the outfalls of the main sewers, pumping the 
 sewage during the stage of high water. 
 
 This could be done by establishing three 
 pumping stations, one above the Mill Race, 
 roint St. Charles, one at the Custom House, 
 Point k Callidre, a third at Colborne Avenue. 
 
 Intervening small sewers to be connected 
 to the main sewer interiorly. 
 
 The Point St. Charles district could be 
 done ver^ cheaply, as the aqueduct embank* 
 ment, with a little repair, already affords 
 protection to this district between the Canal 
 Bank and the river side. 
 
 An experiment could be tried immediately 
 with this section. The cost would be incon- 
 siderable. . 
 
 The second remedy is to raise the streets 
 throughout the inundated districts above 
 flood level bv depositing thereon the ashes of 
 the City and> the earth procured from exca- 
 vations. 
 
 The expense could be met by a local 
 assessment. 
 
 Under the local assessment by-law of 
 Toronto, construction or reconstruction, 
 (but not ordinary repairs or maintenance of 
 drains, sewers, roads and sidewalks, or for 
 levelling, grading, paving, bridtte-building 
 curbing, sodding, or planting, street sweeping 
 lighting and watering) are charged to the 
 parties immediately ^nefited thereby. This 
 plan is ailopted for* the most part throughout 
 American cities. The adoption of this system 
 would prevent what is called ward grabbing. 
 The reason why our older wards are ne* 
 giecteld, is that the taxes raised from thent 
 are largely spent in developing the unin»- 
 proved parts of the suburban wards, most of 
 which contribute ligittly and draw heavily 
 on the common revenue. If new works 
 were, as they should be, charged upon the 
 locality directly benefited, a large sum 
 would' be set free over the city f^r general 
 purposes. 
 
 The water in the St. Lawrenoe opposit* 
 the city will rise to flood-he^bt as long aa 
 there are batteries or shoals for the ice to 
 lodge upOD and weather which produ«ee 
 f^nuil. . 
 
ik 
 
 p.p., appeared 
 i : — 
 
 I has occupied 
 sil at varion» 
 
 > Mr. McQiies- 
 i I held office, 
 issed, and io- 
 e the levels of 
 ren above high 
 »s adopted of 
 sts. This was 
 
 ting rid of the 
 
 eiving tanks at 
 ), pumping the 
 h water, 
 khiishins three 
 the Mill Race, 
 7 U!9 torn House, 
 borne Avenue. 
 
 be connected 
 
 <(rict could be 
 educt emhank- 
 klready affords 
 ien the Canal 
 
 d immediately 
 rould be incon- 
 
 aiee the streets 
 listricts above 
 >n the ashes of 
 red from exca- 
 
 ket by a local 
 
 lent by-law of 
 econstruction, 
 naintenance of 
 ewalks, or fbr 
 iridtfe-building 
 Ureet sweeping 
 larged to the 
 thereby. This 
 irt throughout 
 of this system 
 ran! grabbing, 
 irards are ne> 
 ed from them 
 ng the uoim- 
 ivarda, moat of 
 draw heavily 
 ' new works 
 rged upon the 
 
 1 large sum 
 ty f"r" general 
 
 renoe opposite 
 bt as long as 
 for the ice to 
 kich produoes 
 
 The long wharf at St. Lambert ought to be 
 blown up. This would take awav one 
 obstacle and reduce the swiftness of St. Mary's 
 .current. 
 
 The raising of the streets in the flooded 
 districts would increase the value of pro- 
 perty. 
 
 I do not think the flooded districts are 
 rendered unhealthy by the mixing of the 
 sewage with the water, or that much sewage 
 is flooded into cellars. The objectionable 
 and unhealthy feature is the allowing the ice 
 to remain in the cellars all winter, and the 
 consequent damp and chilly cellars. 
 
 Sewage forms but an inflnitesimal part of 
 the flooding water. 
 
 As a matter of fact sewage air does cot 
 come into houses while the sewers are full 
 of clean water to the arch of the sewer. 
 
 There being no vacant space in the sewer, 
 there can be no formation of air there to be 
 sent back into the houses. 
 
 A comparatively empty sewer may gene- 
 rate unpleasant air ; a oewer ftill to the arch 
 with water does not. 
 
 There is no necessity of spending any 
 money on outside engineering talent. Messrs. 
 St. G'Hjrge and Brittain are perfectly com- 
 peteiit to deal with the question luraotically. 
 
 Gig. W. StsFBGira. 
 
 GoTEAC DU Lao, 25 jsnviw 1886. 
 
 M. L'EoHEVIN STETBIiaON, MOHTaiAL. 
 
 Chsr Monsieur, 
 
 Je viens de voir par les jonmaux du 23 
 que voua avez resolude prendre dee mesores 
 pour empgcher de nonvelles inondationt. 
 Gomme il eat du devoir de ehaque citoyen 
 d'aider en quel<}ue8 maniiree, je m'empresse 
 de vous suggerer un moyen, rooyen peu 
 ooftteux, tr&s efficace, et dont depuis vingt ans 
 ^ai eu occasion de joger ae I'effieaoite. 
 li'ioondation provient de renoombrement de 
 
 Slace et de " frasis " qui s'y rencontrent 
 aos les ohenaux trop etroits. Pour en 
 arrdter les effets il euffit de faire un hbn^t 
 
 enivant I'expression habituelle) ti-averaant 
 fleuve oh il y aura beaneoup d'eau i peu 
 pr^s deux lieues plus haut que le lieu dW 
 Oombrement, oe moyen est pour I'automne. 
 Pour eelle du printemps il faudrait barrw 
 le Lac St. Louis pa? ie mdme moyen. Par 
 cette manidre ce sera peu coilteux «t tr^ 
 efficaee suivant vingt ans d'exp4rience. Pour 
 
 {^ua aiiipicB luivriiiaiiuua at ic inuycfi osi 
 
 adopte, veuillez ro'eerire^ si «eei doit paraitrc 
 dans les journaux je vous prie de n<> pas 
 donner mon nom et signez-n un citoyen du 
 Coteau du Lac. 
 
 P. S. UeffSstque produirait ce" Bdme " 
 eerait que la glace se ferait avant que les 
 grands froids se feraient sentirj de sorte que 
 guand la g'ace serait prinie vous n'auriez paa 
 a apprehender I'eau parce qu'elle aurait deji 
 pris son cours aoua la glace dej& eolide, en 
 somme pour les iles de Boucherville lee 
 chenaux seraient toujours libres et I'eau ne 
 ser&it pas gSnSe dans son cours. 
 Votre, 
 
 G. PAIBMBm. 
 
 Votre, eta 
 
 O. FAxMuonr. 
 
 MoKTRiAii, 25 Janvier 1886. 
 Jaoqitbs Orimibr, Eor. 
 MoirsiKnR, 
 
 Puisque le Comite de I'Inondation invite 
 tout le monde k donner le concours de sea 
 idees sur les movens & prendre pour rem^dier 
 & ce mal que I on ^pelle " Pinondation " 
 
 ^'e me permettrai de vous soumettre biea 
 lumblement mon projet^ ie croyant bon et 
 sAr, surtout pour les iuondations ordinaires, 
 c'e«t-4-<lire pour arreter I'enlree des eaux 
 dans les caves par les tuyauxqui out rapport 
 avec le St. Laurent 
 
 D'abord, je propose que Ton enl^ve les 
 tuyaux cjui se dechargentle long de la riviere ; 
 qu'aux Dords du fleuve il n'existe plus ces 
 embouchures par lesquelles I'eau pressee par 
 I'el^vation du St. Laurent trouve ce moyen 
 de slntroduire dans les caves. Ces tuyaux, 
 une fois enlevSs, que I'on pose un immense 
 tuyau pouvant recevoir tons les ego&ts de 
 la ville, et qu'on ledirigeen has de la viile 
 aesez loin pour gue I'ewvation des eaux ne 
 puisse s'efever jusqu'& la ville. Peut-£tre 
 que vous trouverez mieux d'^go'lter la vilTe 
 par le cdt^ de la Bividre des Prairies, maie 
 je pense que ce serait mieux vers le bas du 
 St. Laurent. Par ce moyen nous sommes 
 s&rs d'arrSter toute inondation ordinaire. 
 II nous restera les grandes inondaiions & 
 maitriser, tellesque celles de cet hiver, I'eau 
 ayant submerge le Griffintown, et I'hiver 
 dernier I'eau ayant submerge la Pointe St. 
 Charles, je ne vois que la construction de 
 certains mQrs vers ces basseurs, ou si la 
 choHe est possible de construire d'immenses 
 grilles par lesquelles ces eaux pourraient 
 ausai Streintroduites dans votre gros tuyau — 
 voil& moa oher Monsieur I'humble opinioa 
 de 
 
 Voire d6vou6 serviteur, 
 
 Ghaales Desjabdiks. 
 
 MoNTR^At, 25 Janvier I88S. 
 
 A Moiiiiciir Ic Caloiiet A- A. SicveilSOa, 
 PrUidmt de la Commitnon Munictpale 
 ehargie de la quettion de Pinondation du 
 SL Laurent, 
 
 Monsieur, 
 J'ai la les moyenspr^conis^s par le Oomit6 
 
 de I'iooodatioB, ess moye»s plus oa moint 
 
 ■ I 
 
42 
 
 s 
 
 ing^nieuz ne supportent oependant pM un 
 examen attendf, et il sont g^niralement i 
 cdt6 de la question. Et cependant le pro- 
 blime & r^soudre est Bitnplp,et je n'ai meme 
 pas le nitrite de la ddcouvertede sa solution. 
 Beaucoup dft villes se sont trouv^es dans le 
 indme cas que Montreal, peut-dtre avec des 
 ooura d'eau moins considerables que le St. 
 Laurent, inais au fond le principe reste le 
 mdme. L'amoncellenient des glacea est 
 causd par le peu de rapidite du courant; 
 ce peu de vitesse est encore brisfi en partie 
 par rile Ste. Heldno, les glaces jet^es par 
 le rapide de Lacbine dans une eau r«lative- 
 ment calme, se prominent leutement jusqu'^ 
 lx)ngueuil et ne tardent pas & s'agglomerer 
 et produire ces montagnes de glaces que Ton 
 reniarque si souvent sur le St Laurent. Le 
 eeul moyen pratique, et le meilleur marchS^ 
 de cr6er un courant plus vif tout en agran- 
 dissant le lit du fleuve, o'est le draguage. 
 C'est une operation assez simple aiijourd'hui 
 que par suite de la creatiou des canaux de 
 Suez et de Panama, I'industrie pos^Sde ces 
 puissanis dragues qui, avec si peu de main- 
 d'oeuvre font uo travail siconaiddrable. Je 
 n'entiinds pas parlerd'un draguage fait d'Jine 
 fa9on inconsidSrSe, mais un draguage bien 
 d6tennin6 suivant uu profii en long 6tabli 
 par des Bondages t^t oreant au centre du 
 fleuve un chenal aseez profond pour attirer 
 la masse des eaux et cr6er ce prScieux 
 courant qui se cbargera d'amener dans son 
 fil suivant sea rayon d'action, les glafons en 
 derive. 
 
 Deux ou trois dragues suffiraient pour 
 mener rapidemeut & bonne fin ce travail ; 
 mais il faut absolument que ce soit ces 
 puissants dragues du module de celles qui 
 ont creuse Suez et Panama, car les dragues 
 ordinaires ne feraieut pas un travail appre- 
 ciable. 
 
 Le fait d'61ever le niveau des rues, outre 
 ou'il serait trds-coAteux, condamnerait & 
 rinsalubritS toutes les maisons aotuellement 
 construites dans cette partie de la rille. 
 
 Si vous apprSciez, Monsieur, ces avis, 
 quoiqu'il soient assez sommaires, et s'il 
 pouvaient vous interesser, je pourrais me 
 charger de i' execution des profits et sDndages 
 ayant dej4 ex6cute des travaux semblables, 
 et veil 8 preBenter alors des plans precis sur 
 lesquels il serait facile de oaiculer le chiffre 
 de d^blais & exSouter, suivant un projet de 
 radier uu bas fond, uniforme. Ce chiffre 
 combine avec la limite de temps servirait 4 
 determiner le nombrede dragues necessaires. 
 
 J'aimerais & executor ce travail sous la 
 haute direction de MM. les membres du 
 Conseii Muuiclpal,' ^t ju semis heureuz si 
 vous vouliez bien prendre en consideration 
 mes oifres de service, non pas comme entre- 
 p.aneur mais comme exeouteur, sous vos 
 ordres. 
 
 Si vous le desirez Monsieur, vous pourriez 
 voiu adresser pour reference ill, le Dooteur 
 
 d'Orsonnens, dont je suis un parent eioigne 
 et qui connait bien ma famille. 
 
 J'ai I'honneur, Monsieur, de vous prier de 
 bien vouloir agreer les salutations de , 
 
 Votre serviteur, 
 
 Maink. 
 
 Monsieur Charles Leger, pilot de Lachine, 
 P.Q.,donne son opinion sur la causes des 
 inondations periodiques. 
 
 MoKTRl^AL, 13 Juillet 1886. 
 
 Outre les renseignements que j'ai donnes 
 au comite special sur les inondations, je 
 desire ajouter que la cause des inondatioudi 
 periodiques & Vaudreuil et & I'lle Perrot 
 n'ont rien & faire avec les inondations & 
 Montreal qui sont causees par suite de la 
 descente des glaces du Lac St. Louis, et je 
 suis en etat de jprouver d'une maniere 
 positive ce que j'amrme. 
 
 Entre I'lle aux Chevaux et la dernidre 
 eddse du Canal de Beauharnois se trouve 
 une chAte connue sous le noni de la 
 " Jument Blanche," cette chute contient 
 une cavite qui englontit tout ce qui y passe. 
 Vers le 10 Fevrier 1885, une tempete est 
 survenue et une quantite considerable de 
 neige et de frasil a compietement bouche 
 cette cavite. Ce fait se reproJuit tous les 7 
 ou 8 ana vers la fin de Janvier et le com- 
 mencement de Fevrier. II y a une quaran- 
 taine d'annees ce fait s'est reproduit vers la 
 fin du mois de Fevrier lorsque I'eau a 
 inonde les bAuments de mon pdre i I'lle 
 Perrot. 
 
 Vers la fin dw mois de Janvier et le 
 commencement du mois de Fevrier lorsque 
 la cavite de la shute de la Jument Blanche 
 se trouve remplie par la neige et le frasil, tel 
 que ci-haut mentionne, la glace monte par- 
 dessus la dernl^re eduse du Canal de Beau- 
 harnois ainsi que par-dessus le rocher " Bris 
 de I'Eau," situe au pied de I'lIe aux 
 Cheva-ix, ce qui cause le retard dans le 
 placement des phares 4 cet endroit, et qui 
 detourne le cours naturel du St. Laurent 
 vers lafaucille en hautde I'lle aux Chevaux 
 et passe par-dessus la pointe des Cascades et 
 inonde llle Perrot ainsi que Vaudreuil, 
 Teau continue son cours par la petite riviere 
 de St. Eustache. 
 
 La glace du Lac St. Francois qui est 
 d'une longueur de 33 mil les et cl'une largeur 
 de 6 milles vient desoendre dans un espace 
 d'un ^ de mille entre le Cdteau et I'lle de 
 Clarke. Cette glace pourrit avant de 
 descendre et ne contrioue en rien aux 
 inondations de la ville de Montreal. 
 
 CHARLES + LEQER. 
 marque 
 Xemoins, 
 
 Chs. Abnoldi, 
 E. CHRiSTlir. 
 
48 
 
 1 pareut 6IoigD6 
 
 le. 
 
 le voufl prier de 
 .tions de , 
 
 iteur, 
 Maink. 
 
 ilotde Lachine, 
 led causes des 
 
 Juillct 1886. 
 jne j'ai donnas 
 iiionuations, je 
 lea inondatioti:) 
 A I'lle Perrot 
 inondations A 
 )ar suite de la 
 3t. Louis, et je 
 i'une uianidre 
 
 et la dernidre 
 nois se trouve 
 ! noni de la 
 chute contient 
 ce qui y passe, 
 le tempSte est 
 onsiderable de 
 temetit bouche 
 >iJuit tous les 7 
 rier et le com- 
 a une qiiaran- 
 produit vers la 
 rsque I'eau a 
 m pdre i I'lle 
 
 Janvier et le 
 i'evrier lorsque 
 iment Blanche 
 ! et le frasil, tel 
 ice monte par- 
 Canal de Beau- 
 e rocher " Bris 
 de I'lle aux 
 retard dans le 
 endroit, et qui 
 lu St. Laurent 
 e aux Chevaux 
 ies Cascades et 
 ue Vaudreuil, 
 a petite riviftre 
 
 ftncois qui est 
 t d'une largeur 
 lans un espace 
 «au et I'lie de 
 rit ayant de 
 en rien aux 
 Ureal. 
 
 f- LEOER. 
 rque 
 
 TO THE CITY OP MONTREAL. 
 
 ma SPECIAL OOIIMITTEB OV INCMDATIOKS 
 
 Respectfully report, 
 
 That, as directed by the Council, they 
 have been engajjed, during the past three 
 months, in carrying; on the work necessary 
 to test the feasibility of .le plan proposed in 
 a former report, for the protection of the 
 city from sewer floods. This consisted in 
 constructing puddle dams near the outlets of 
 the main sewers leading to the river, with 
 the view of preventing the rising waters, on 
 the breaking up of the ice, froia backing up 
 into the street drains, and thence into the cel- 
 lars of business places and streets in the low- 
 lying districts. 
 
 The outflow of the sewage being thus ob- 
 structed, pumping stations were required to 
 pump the sewage over these dams into the 
 river. 
 
 It was deemed advisable, this year, to 
 limit the work to those sewers west of the 
 Custom House, which receive and discharge 
 the sewage and surface water of the St. Anirs 
 ward, that being the district which suffers 
 most from tbexe periodical flood ings, al- 
 though the portions of St Antoine, West and 
 Centre ward'', which drain through McOill, 
 St. Francois Xavier and other streets into 
 the William street tunnel (having its outlet 
 in front of the Custom House), likewise en- 
 joyed the benefits resulting from this under- 
 taking through the blocking of St. Fran9ois 
 Xavier street drain at the foot of that street, 
 •ud its connection, with the pumping cut bv 
 a wooden box drain 2' x 2* and 60 feet long, 
 which your committee caused to be con- 
 structed. 
 
 Six pumping stations were established : 
 Na I being in Commissioners street, near the 
 Custom House, which received the contents 
 of the sewers of William, McUill and other 
 streets as far east as St. Francois Xavier. 
 The sewer at this place is 14 feet six inches 
 wide and 12 feet deep. The cut was 40 feet 
 long, 16 feet wide and 18 feet deep, (with two 
 side cuts iO x 8 x 15) in which was con- 
 structed a solid dam of puddle clay, 20 leet 
 CD the surface, tapering to 12 feet at the 
 Itottom, and properly secured by heavy tim- 
 bers, with a nume and sluice gate of the full 
 dimensions of the William street tunnel ;the 
 other twentv feet required for pumping and 
 discharge basins. In excavating here, an 
 object of great interest was discovered, the 
 existence of which seemed to be known to 
 very few, viz : the ancient stone bridge, 
 erected during the occupancy of the French, 
 to span the open creek, wiuch at that time 
 ran along the present line of Commissioners 
 street. The masonry seems as strong and 
 substantial to-day as when flrst erected. 
 
 The cut at No. 2 station, in Mill street, 
 near the canal tail race, at Tate's Dock, was 
 41 feet long, 24 wide, and 17' 6" deep, with 
 
 a dam of bine clay, flume and sluice gate, 
 protected bv timbers 20' 6" x 8'. This 
 station received the contents of a large num- 
 ber of drains in Point St. Charles. 
 
 Nos. 3, 4 and 6 stations were located at the 
 foot of Forfar, (ionwav and Britannia streets. 
 
 No. 6 station, in St, Etienne street, near 
 the abutment of the Victoria Bridge. 
 
 For the further protection of this part of 
 the city, it was found necessary to construct 
 an earth enbankment from Forfar to Bri- 
 tannia street, 477 feet long, average depth 
 7' 6" ft., average width 9 6" ft., with a 
 small flume and flood-gate in surface drain 
 on Britannia street, and a similar enbank- 
 ment, south of that street, on river front, 12 
 feet long. 4 feet wide, 3 feet deep, with a 
 sluice and gate. 
 
 It was also found necessary to erect enri- 
 hankments at various places above Victoria 
 Bridge on the Rifle Ranges and the Nuns' 
 farm. These consisted of: 
 
 1 . A dam and embankment at top of 
 ranges, 22 feet long, 20 feet wide and 7 feet 
 deep, with flume and flood gate, the flume 
 being 20 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 3 feet 
 deep; 
 
 2. A long enbankment, about 350 feet, 
 average width 5' .6", average depth 6' .6", 
 with one flume and gate, the flume being 20 
 feet long, I' .6''x2'; 
 
 3. A second enbankment, length 273 feet, 
 average depth 4 feet, average width 5 feet, 
 with flume and fl«v)d gate, the flume 14 feet 
 long, I' .4" X 1' .9"; „ ,„ 
 
 4. A dam and bank at back of Butts 18 
 feet long, 10 feet wide, 6 ft. deep, size of 
 flumelSft, 1' .10"xl' .16"; 
 
 6. A dam in front of Butte, 12 feet long, 7 
 feet wide, 7 feet deep, with flume and gate, 
 size offlume 13 feet, 1' x I' .2" ; 
 
 6. A bank and dam north of Rifle ranges, 
 12 feet long, 12 feet wide, 4 feet deep, with 
 flume 13 feet long I' .4" x 1' .5" ; 
 
 7. A dam and embankments, on the Nuns 
 farm, 24 feet long, 12 feet broad, 6 feet deep, 
 with flume 21 feet long V x 2' .6" ; 
 
 8. An embankment and dam, also on the 
 Nuns' larm, 50 feet long, 8 feet wide, 3 feet 
 high, with flume and gate ; flume 12 ft. long 
 \VxVL' 
 
 The work was not given out by contract, 
 but was done under the immediate super- 
 inteftdence of Mr. Richard McKeown, who 
 carried it out to the entire satisfaction of the 
 Committee. The same remark is applicable 
 to Mr. James Wright, engineer, who had 
 charge of the machinery. 
 
 The Committee had the advantage of the 
 co-operation of Messrs. Walter Shaiily,ifl.P., 
 C.B., John Kennedy, Harbor Engineer, 
 Louis Lesage, Superintendent of the Mont- 
 real Water Works, P. W. St. George, City 
 Surveyor. F. B. Lavall6e, Deputy Citv 
 Surveyor, also took an interest in the work 
 and gave very valuable assistance. 
 
 Ill 
 
 \ w 
 
Inntead of IeMin({ or hiring pumping tna- 
 ehinery, an had been originallv intended, 
 your CommiUee found it would W more in 
 the city's interest to purchase the pumps re> 
 ()uired. 
 
 Accordingly thev procured fVom the Morris 
 Machine work, ISaldwinsville, N.Y., five 
 Heald and Siwo No. 12 centrifujfal vertical 
 pumps, each capable of disoharfting 10,600 
 gallons per minute. Three of these were 
 placed in No. 1 cut at Gommissionrrs street, 
 and the two others in No. 2, Mill street 
 The total capacity of the five beinjr 76,000,- 
 000 gallons per day of 24 hours. Powerful 
 hand pumps of modern pattern were suffi- 
 cient for stations 3, 4 and 6, and a 6* rotary 
 •team pump, owned by the Road Departnu at, 
 was used in No. 6. 
 
 The Grand Trunk Railway Com pa sy gavi, 
 your Committee most valuaole assiPtonce by 
 granting the use of three locom^tives, <»n 
 which considerable alterations were i.->Rd«, 
 to flt them for driving the larse puropM on 
 Commissioners and Mill streets. They 
 answereil the purpose admirably, and your 
 Committee would recommend that, on ex> 
 amination and approval by an expert, they 
 be purchased by the city, and retained for 
 similar work in fnture years. They can be 
 procured for |1260 each, aa they stand at 
 present, including all charges for the altera- 
 tions made to adapt them for this work. 
 The Committee cooaider that it would be 
 impossible to get the same amount of motive 
 power in any other way for a like sum, and 
 fhey therefore consider that the acceptance 
 of the terms iiamed in the letter to Mr. 
 Wallis, mechanical superintendent O.Tit., 
 which is submitted herewith, would be most 
 advantageous to the city. In the event of 
 the Council not purchasing these locouto- 
 tives, the cost of their alteration, and their 
 return to the G. T. R. works, will have to be 
 defrayed by the cky. 
 
 Whatever plans or schemes may ultimate- 
 ly be adopted for the prevention of floods, it 
 is quite evident that, so long as the water in 
 the river does not rise higher than the revet- 
 ment wall, the pumping of the sewage iw- 
 nishes an effectual and comparatively in- 
 expensive method of keeping the cellars and 
 streets free from inundation, and will doubt- 
 less be continued in future years. The ex- 
 periment of this year, notwitbataiiding 
 numerous difficulties and drawbacks, proved 
 to \ye quite as satisfaotory as the most san- 
 guine could desire. There is anvpl* evidence 
 to show that for 8 or 10 days previous to the 
 17th of April, the water in the river kept 
 
 StrBully riSiQg, SSu attained a Icrri whicit, 
 
 but for the oammiDg and pumping of the 
 sewers, would have flooded nearly all the 
 cellars in St Paul, Commisaioners and the 
 lower portions of many other streets, is the 
 business part of the city, as well as in St 
 Ann's wajd. Seocca of peoplt taaiify that ia 
 
 former years, with the wrater in the river at 
 a similar height, they had been inundated to 
 a depth of several feet, whilst this year, up 
 to the day above named, they were perfectly 
 dry. On that day, however, the water x)ver- 
 flowed the river banks and revetment wall 
 in a disastrous (" ^liige, having risen to the 
 unprecedented lieigTit of 44 feet 4 inches 
 above the bottom sill of the lower look of 
 the old Lachine Canal (that he\u\t the 
 datum line adopted by the Harbour Board 
 for that purpoee). In the great tlootl of 
 18f)I, tne depth of water was 41 feet 8 inches, 
 so that this year exceeded 18fil by 2 feet 8 
 inches. Front SatiinJay, the 17th, nt noon, 
 until TucHday the 28th, when the ice jam in 
 the river gave way, punipint; operations 
 were of course suspended. But as soon as 
 the water commence'l to recede, work was 
 again resumed, and within 2 or .3 hours, the 
 sluice gates in all the flumes were opened, 
 and the pumps were kept in operation until 
 .he end of the week. 
 
 ^ The expenditure already made in connec- 
 tion with this amounts to about (8,000. 
 and your committee estimate that it will 
 require between $4,000 and $5,000 to cover 
 outstanding accounts and the work yet to le 
 done. Should the Council determine to 
 purchase the O. T. R. locomotives, $3,750 
 will require to be added. An account of 
 this expenditure, and also a statement or 
 in*'3ntory of the plant now in possession of 
 your Con^mittee is appended to this report 
 The value of the machinery and plant on 
 hand, exclusive of the locomotives, is tie- 
 tween $3,000 to $4,000, all of which will be 
 available for use in future yeartf. 
 
 Workmen are at present engaged in reetoc* 
 ing the Rifle Ranges and Nun's farm,to their 
 former condition. The work will be com- 
 pleted in a very fiew days> 
 
 The cut at Mill St. station was found to be 
 in a most unsuitable place,the soil there being 
 a sort of qnicksitnd, and there being a num- 
 ber of oM flumes and pipes at that particu- 
 lar spot. There ia a much better location, 
 160 feet higher up the street, which is clear 
 of all obstructions, and which will have to 
 be adopted in future years. The pumps^ 
 framing, etc., were therefore taken up, and 
 the brick work of the drain restored. 
 Through the kindness oCMr. Conway, the 
 pumps and other plant used at that station, 
 have been stored ia the goyernroeut yard 
 attjoining. 
 
 The pump» at Commissioners street sta- 
 tion have not been removed. Everything is 
 left ^nst as it was after the flood, awaiung 
 the uecisioa of the Council as to what action 
 is to b« taken on the recommendations of th« 
 City Surveyor, which accompany this re- 
 port. Something must be done immediately 
 however, to remove the large bank of earth, 
 so that the people in the neighborhood may 
 not hfty* ca«se of complaint 
 
in the riv«r at 
 1 inundated to 
 this year, up 
 were perffctty 
 lie water ^over- 
 3vetiuent wall 
 I riaen to the 
 eet 4 inchen 
 lower lock of 
 lat beiiiiT the 
 [arbour Boant 
 
 freal tlood of 
 feet 8 inches^ 
 n by 2 feet 8 
 1 7th, nt noon, 
 the ice jam in 
 ni; operations 
 iut as 800U an 
 de, work was 
 r 3 hour", the 
 were opened, 
 peration until 
 
 de in connee- 
 about |8,000. 
 e that it will 
 6,000 to cover 
 work yet to be 
 determine to 
 otives, $3,750 
 .n account of 
 Btateiuent or 
 poH8e88ion of 
 
 9 this report, 
 and plant on 
 lotives, Ih tie- 
 which will be 
 re. 
 
 aged in restot* 
 i farm,to their 
 will be com- 
 mas found to he 
 oil there being 
 being a nuin- 
 that particn- 
 itter location, 
 vhioh isclesr 
 will have to 
 The punnp<s 
 taken up, and 
 lin restored. 
 Conway, the 
 that station, 
 ernnieDt yard 
 
 TS street sta- 
 Everything is 
 ood, awaiting 
 
 10 what aulKMi 
 idations of the 
 ipany this re. 
 e immediately 
 wnk of earth, 
 iborhood mmy 
 
 BSflOmilllDATIOlia BT Tna01IMITl4B. 
 
 Tonr Committee are of opinion that the 
 GounciA should adopt measures for carrying 
 on permanently the work undertaken by 
 them this year, and as every tiling apper. 
 lAining to streets and sewers properly comes 
 witi.in the jurisdiction of tlie Uoud Com- 
 luittee your Committee think that the mach. 
 iiiery, plant and other materials now under 
 charge ofyourCummittee, should u: once be 
 hajided over to the Hoad Committee so as to 
 ensibi'- them to take steps for the protection of 
 the present stations, and to perfect arrange- 
 ments during the summer for next season's 
 work. The special Committee could then be 
 discharged from further obligations in cun- 
 uection with this mutter. 
 
 The experience gained by yourcomniittee, 
 in connection with these foregoing experi- 
 ments, warrants them in recommunding for 
 the consideration of the Council : 
 
 1. That properly constructed flood gates 
 be placed cTuring next summer, at the mouth 
 of all the main sewers, to answer the same 
 purpose as the puddle did this spring, and 
 the requisiter pumping machinery erected in 
 Iheir vicinity, to uupiy the eewage into the 
 river. 
 
 Care should be taken that one or two extra 
 pumps should always be available in caue of 
 accident. Craig street tunnel emptying at 
 the foot of Colborne Avenue would require, 
 say, two No. 16 pumps having a discharg- 
 ing capacity eaoii ol 16,600 gallons per 
 minute. 
 
 2. Commissioners street station, through 
 which William street tunnel is discharged, 
 should have an additional No. 12 pump, 
 making four in all. 
 
 3. (orlar, Conway, Britannia and St 
 Etienne street drains should all be connected 
 with Mill street station, and two additional 
 No. 12 pumps supplied, making four in all, 
 as at Commissioners street. 
 
 The cost of these works is estimated by the 
 City Surveyor's report (hereunto annexed) 
 to be in the neighborhood of $10,000. This 
 •mount could with great propriety be taken 
 out of the drainage loan, inasmuch as the 
 greater part of the work in question would 
 m any event have to be done by the Road 
 department at any early date. 
 
 SOHBUSa 8UOOI8TBD BT CITIZBNS. FOB BBUBOT- 
 INQ THE BVIL. 
 
 Numerous plans or projects have been 
 laid before your Committee respecting divers 
 works in the bed of the river, which their 
 respective Rdvoc.it«s claim would tend to 
 prevent, or at least greatly mitigate, the evils 
 of inundation. Amongst these are : 
 
 1. The construction of piers or break- 
 waters across the foot of Lake St. Louis, 
 Lake St. Francis, or other points above the 
 Lachine Rapids. These piers, it is claimed, 
 
 wouM have the effbot of preventing the ke 
 breaking away in the tall, when the ice 
 bridge is tbrming, and would also hold it later 
 in the spring than at present. It these ex- 
 pectations were realized, the chuuiiel in 
 front ot and below the city, would be less 
 likely to be choked in the tail, with tlie 
 tloatmg ice, which, during a thaw, uumes 
 down III great quantities Iroui these two 
 lakes, and woulu render it more likely that 
 the ice in the Harbor and it« vicinity would 
 get away in the spring belore the lake ice 
 cofiies down. It is also claimed that the 
 construction of these piers would be very 
 beneticial to all the municipalities below 
 Luohine, on both sides of tlie river. Your 
 Committee deem tliis project to be one of 
 great importance, meriting an early and 
 earnest consideration at the hands of the 
 Govemmetils and the Council. 
 
 2. The removal of the old Railway wharf 
 at St. Lanilierts, and otherwise clearing as 
 well as deciiening the south Cliunnel ol the 
 river from Victoria Bridge to Lougueuil. 
 
 3. The straightening, deepening and 
 widening of the ship channel, as tar as 
 Longue Poiute. 
 
 4. The removal or shortening of the Long 
 wharf, which, it is.olaimed, projects unduly 
 into the channel of the river. 
 
 6. The removal of Isle Ronde, and the 
 clearing of the channels in the neighbor- 
 hood of the Bouolierville Islands. 
 
 6. The blowing up of the ice bridge, at 
 different times and places duriag the spring 
 months. 
 
 With regard to the above, your Committee 
 have only to say that as they relate to 
 matters beyond the jurisdiction of the 
 Couneil, the river being entirely under the 
 control of the Qovernmeut, they would 
 urge upon the Council to obtain a conferenoe 
 with the Government on the whole subject 
 The Committee hope that the projects above 
 enumerated wiU be carefully cousidered by 
 the Board of Engineers, which, it is under- 
 stood, is DOW or shortly to be appointed. 
 
 FINAL REOOMMEMDATIONS. 
 
 Your Committee are, however, of opinion 
 that no time should be lost by the Council, 
 in taking measures to secure : 
 
 1. The adoption of higher levels through^ 
 out the low-lying districts, of the City, which 
 new levels should be gradually worked up^ 
 under the supervision of the Road Depart- 
 meut, at the expense partly of the City, and 
 partly of the localities benefited. 
 
 2. The reeoustructiou, and at a higher 
 level, of the worn-out revetment wall, to- 
 gether with the construction of Levees around 
 the whole of the Point St. Charles District, 
 an equitable proportion of the cost of these 
 works to be borne by the Dominion out ol 
 the general revenues of thecountrv. 
 
46 
 
 8. The applioktion of the Dominion and 
 Local Parliaments, now in session, for 
 legislatioiii ',o enable the Qovernor-in-Counoii, 
 in conjunction with the City Councili to 
 initiate and complete the necessary works, 
 and also to authorize (be Council to 
 negooiate a loan for the city's share c<f the 
 exuense. 
 
 In conclusion, your Committee liope.and 
 trust that the general interest which has 
 lately been awakened on this most important 
 subject will not be allowed to uubniae, and 
 that the Council, having at la^t taken the 
 iilatter in hand, and accomplished some- 
 thing in the right direction, will never 
 slacken its ettorts until some etfeotive means 
 are found to remedy to a great extent, and in 
 time entirely prevent, tlie recurrence of 
 those disastrous inundations, v/hich periodi- 
 cally cause incalculable loea to merchanu 
 and manufacturers, and produce indescriba- 
 ble misery and suttbring in the homes of the 
 working classes, whose dwe.iings are 
 situated in those portions of the City more 
 immediately aj^'ected thereby. Montreal, in 
 the past, has been equal to every emergency, 
 and her citizens and City Councu c^n 
 surely never rest satistied until all danger of 
 iuuiiaatious is entirely removed. 
 
 The whole nevertheless respectfully sub- 
 mitted. 
 
 Committee Boom, *) 
 
 City Uall, I 
 
 Montreal, May 10th, 1886. J 
 
 A. A. Stktknson, Chairman. 
 U. Laurknt, 
 J. MoShank, jr., 
 
 UOBKRT PaTON MoLkA, 
 
 Rmramting the Board of Trade. 
 
 D. A. Watt, 
 Repreteniing the Com Exchange Auo- 
 eiaHon. 
 
 TO THE CITY OP MONTREAX- 
 
 THB 8P£0IAL OOMMITTKG IK IKUM0A710W 
 
 BeipecifuUy report : 
 
 That the expenditure incurred in connec- 
 tion with their work from the beginning of 
 February to date amounts to $12,700, or 
 $4,700, in excess of the original approbation. 
 
 In addition to this, however, there is the 
 question of the Locomotive to be considered. 
 The Grand Trunk Railway Co. offers to sell 
 the three engines furnislaed to your com- 
 
 mittee for $3,760, and slioiild it be decided 
 to take them the total additional appropria- 
 tion required will be $8,600. 
 
 Should the City not< purchase the 3 en- 
 gines the sum of $1,666 will have to be paid 
 for repair.4 and alterations which had to be 
 made to them } $30 for the ut>e ^f them, and 
 $300 for removing them back to the Com- 
 pany's yardH, or $2,000 in all, which would 
 be practically loet to the City. 
 
 Your Committee could therefore reoom- 
 mend their purchase and assumption by the 
 Road Committee, together with the other 
 plant remaining on hand, amounting lo 
 $3,827, as per "Inventory," that your Com- 
 mittee receive a further appropriation of 
 $8,500 as above stated, tc pay for the en- 
 gines and all outstanding claims, and that 
 the Road Committee be directed to carry out 
 Nucb permanent inundation work as may be 
 determined upon in accordance with the 
 City Surveyor's report. 
 
 The whole respectfully submitted. 
 
 City j:Iall. -I 
 
 .Montreal, I4ih June, 1886. / 
 
 A. A. Stxtimsok, Chairman, 
 M. Lacrbht, 
 J. HoSaANijjr., 
 RoBT. Paton MoLia, 
 Btpreunting the Board tf Trade ; 
 
 D. A. Watt, 
 Repreunting the Com Exchange Aeeoeia- 
 tiot:. 
 
 TO THE CITY OF !.fONTREAL. 
 
 THZ riNAHOl OOMMITTII 
 
 Retpeetfully report: 
 
 That, as directed by the Council, they 
 have considered the accompanying report of 
 Xh'i Special Committee on Inundation for a 
 pupplementary appropriation, and that they 
 concur in the recommendation therein made. 
 
 The whole, nevertheless, re8})ectfuily sub- 
 mitted. 
 
 Committee Room, '\ 
 
 CitvHall, [■ 
 
 Montreal,'l7th June, 1896. J 
 
 J. OBiHim, 
 J. H. MooHir, 
 JiiB^Mia PirbaClt, 
 Wm. Fabril. 
 

 
 U bedeeided 
 lal appropria- 
 
 
 lase the 3 en- 
 ave tobeftaid 
 ich had to be 
 >^f them, and 
 i to the Com- 
 which would 
 
 
 refore re^an- 
 nptioQ by the 
 til the uther 
 inouiiting to 
 at your Cow 
 >ropriation of 
 y for the en- 
 me, and that 
 d to carry out 
 >rk as may be 
 ace with the 
 
 
 itted. 
 
 , 
 
 kairman. 
 
 
 
 
 \ange A$$otia- 
 
 
 TREAL. 
 
 
 ■1 
 
 
 3ounoil, they 
 ring report of 
 idation for a 
 nd that they 
 herein made, 
 tectfully sub- 
 
 
 • i ■ . 1,