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AND REMINISCENCES EXTENDING OVER THE ABOVE PERIOD, INCLUDING THE IXTRODUCTIOX OF THE BONDING SYSTEM THROUGH THE UNITED STATES. WITH A BEAUTiFUL POKTRAIT OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AiM) EMPRESS, AND ALSO KN(JRAV1NGS OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL, AND OF THE COUNTESS OF ABERDEEN. THE ^VHOI.E FROFU8EI-.Y 1 Ll^USTKA^T E: D. BY CONYNGHAM CRAWFORD TAYLOR, Fellow of the Imperial Institute. FOURTH THOUSAND. Fc TORONTO: WILLIAM BRIGGS. PUBLISHER, Wesley BuiLDiNCis. 1894. ' I HON. JOHN BEVERLEY ROBINSON, Ex-Licut.-Oovernor of Ontario TO 'ght |tou. JoTxn gcucrlctj ^oMnsonr ' EXLIEUTEyAiiTGOVERXOR OF ONTARIO, ^ (Son op thb Latb Hon. Sir John Bbverlet Roui.vson, Baronet, Ciiibf JusTire of Uppkr Canada), WHO, As Private Citizex, Mayor, Member of Parliament, or Late Representative of HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA, In the Prkmier Province of the Dominion, has always Exhibited the VVarmkst Interest in all that has tended to Promote the (jBOWth and Progress of Toronto, whether in ARTS, SCIENCES, LITERATURE, RELIGION, TRADE, COMMERCE, , OR MANUFACTURES, these pages are respectfully ueuicated by THE AUTHOR. • ♦ « . . >. » I « PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION. Personal knowledge and observation constitute the most demon- strative form of information. . During my visit to Great Britain, in 1889, I found that wherever " Toronto ' Oailf d Back ' " had been read, it received the highest encomiums. If not for its literary merits, it was appreciated as filling a want everywhere felt, as to the information about our beautiful and prosperous city. In public libraries, leading newspapers, hotels and public institu- tions, it was spoken of in the highest terms, and read with expres- sions of wonder as a revelation of the high position to which Toronto had attained in a comparatively short time. These flattering notices and the fact that whole chapters had been quoted by some of the leading newspapers, have induced me to publish a new edition, which, while retaining the essential history of Toronto for forty-five years, will include full information of the progress of the city since 1888, and many new features in the way of illustrations, which, I hope, will be found interesting as well as useful. The work in every particular will be confined to Toronto talent, which, I may say, I felt proud to find was highly spoken of in Great Britain. C. C. TAYLOR. 36 Grosvenor Street, July^ 1892. A reader ahouKl sit down to a book, especially of the miscel* laneoua kind, as a well-behaved visitor does to a banquet. The master of tha feast exerts himself to satisfy all his guests, but if, after all his care, there should be something or other put on the table that does not suit this or that person's taste, they politely pass it over without noticing the circumstance, and commend other dishes, that they may not distress their host or throw any damp on his spirits. — Erawim. The book is not "a learned work." I say this because my short experience as a writer convinces me that "originality " and " learning " are considered indispensable prerequisites to author- ship by many critics, even if (especially if) the critics themselves are not original and learned. I never knew what an ignoramus I was until I wrote a book, and therefore, I humbly admit that I am not learned, and no production of mine can bear the stamp of erudition ; but as learning, no less than originality, is relative, as a man may be very " deep " to shallow minds and very learned to the uneducated, perhaps I may get a hearing and a reading since the Solomons are decidedly in the minority in these degenerate days. —Howard McQueaby, in Topics of the Times. I have remarked that the true delineation of the smallest man, and his pilgrimage through life, is capable of interesting the greatest man ; that all men are to an unspeakable decree brothers, each man's life a strange emblem of every man's ; and that human portraits faithfully drawn are of all pictures the welcomest on human walls. — Carlyle. Retai ^. j^H i l9l I *>.'«^^l ^''^^H First C First C( tu St N Railwe Pa f ^\ \ CONTENTS. Intboduotobt— Emigration — Departure for New York — First Imprea- •iona of N«w York — From New York to Toronto Pairt. 0-22 1847 to 1857. First Impressions of Toronto— Shopping— Toronto in 1847— Gosaip— Street Pavements — Toronto Post Office— Gas and Water Works —The Circulating Medium— Store Pay 23-43 Retail Importing — Wholesale Trade in 1847— Prominent Men in 1847—- A. & S. Nordheimer— Lord Elgin— Toronto Police Force— First Strike in Toronto— Immigrant Fever — Bathing— Great Fire on King Street — Establishment of Celebration of Queen's Birthday. . 44-54 First Retail Dry Goods Store on Yonge Street — Selling on the Sterling Cost — Business Houses, 1847-1850— Manufacturers— A Tour of Observation 65-61 First Return Visit to Europe — Windsor Castle — Commencement of Commercial Travelling in Canada — Toronto in 185( Public Insti- tutions — Prominent Men in 1850 — Bonding System via United States— First Great World's FaJr— Turning the First Sod of the Northern Railway— Tariff in 1850-51 62-76 Railway Opening and Steamship Contracts— The Industrial Crystal Palace — Progress of the City — The Esplanade 76-91 Rossin House and Railroads — Mercantile Agencies— Erastus Wiman —The Close of the First Decade 91-97 1867 to 1867. Financial Crisis in 1857— The Desjardins Canal Accident— Royal Mail "Cunard" Steamer Peraio— Decimal Currency and American • Silver— Road to North-West Wanted— Current Events— Visit of the Prince of Walus to Canada, 1860— The Death of Prince Albert —Buying in Europe— 1860 to 1865 98-111 The Fenian Raid— Close of the Second Decade 112-118 w yiiL Contents. 1867 to 1877. Page. iii; Confederation — Tariffs of England, United States, and Ctmada, from 1869 to 1876— Metropolitan Church— Toronto in 1870 and 1871— Return of Rev. Dr. Punshon to England — St. James' Cathedral Clock 119-132 ' 1877 to 1887. Protection vergtu a Revenue Tariff — Exhibition Buildings — Current E /ents — The Marquis of Lome and U. B. H. the Princess Louise —Farewell of the Vice-regal Party 133-141 Arrival of the Marquis of Lansdowne— First Visit to Toronto — The Semi-Centennial Celebration — Departure of Toronto Troops for the North-West — Return of the Toronto Contingent — Arrival at North Toronto 142-148 Toronto the Centre of the Dominion — Torinto Custom House— Custom House Staff, 1891 — Comparative Imports and Duty Paid by Cities of the United States and Toronto, for the Year ending 30th June, 1891 149-154 Toronto in 1886 — Meat Markets and Horses of Toronto — Toronto's Natural Advantages — Toronto a City of Churches — Toronto an Educational Centre — Indian and Colonial Exhibition, 1886 — Open- ing Ceremonies — The Canadian Exhibits — Toronto Exhibits — Hon. Sir Charles Tupper, Baronet— Dominion Day, 1886 169-184 1887 to 1892. Rebellion of 1837— The Queen's Jubilee— Fifty Years' Progress- Toronto's Loyalty — Celebration in the Dominion of Canada — Cele* L'.'ation in Toronto — Jubilee Praise and Thankdg'viag Services — Jubilee Service in the Metropolitan Church — At the Synagogue — 185-196 Celebration in London — Jubilee Choral Concert — The Imperial Insti- tute 'Governors-General of Canada since 1847 — Lieutenant-Gov- ernors of Ontario 196-203 Toronto a Musical City — F. H. Torrington — Toronto College of Music — Jenny Lind — ^irs. John Beverley Robinson and Mrs. Beard — The Musical Festival— Toronto a Literary City — The Olobe — The Christian Guardian and Methodist Publishing House 204-223 Free Library — The Manning Arcade— Toronto as a Place of Residence — Summer Resorts — Queen's Park — Exhibition Park— Lome Park — Street Traffic— Canadian Pacific Railway— Cathedral of St. Alban the Martyr 224-234 Toronto Street Railway Company — Commercial Union or Unrestricted Reciprocity — Arrival of the New Governor-General, Lord Stanley of Preston 235-242 ^M H Comii H 1 H 1 ' ■B I I ifll L ^^1 ♦ wM V s Memb >« of ^ ol in fl Mayor r-r^H C{ f^'fl 18 >. ''^^1 WJ wt Tr n Death ^M 18J H Bu ^M Ei^ n ~J ^1 Foi ^1 Toi ■1 San H — C H The Qu WM Her ^m — R jH pan ^i^ The Jfl Co.- ^1 Tore i Contents. IX Vnge. Imperial Federation — r.ight Hon. Sir John A. Macdonahl ~ Xew Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario— Hon. Sir Oliver Mowat, K.C. M.< !. — The New Parliament Buildings - Toronto in 1888 — Central Posi- tion of Toronto— Winter of 1887-88 in Toronto . '243-2r)l Trans-Pacific Steamers — New Bank of Montreal — Canadian Railways — The Grand Trunk Railway of Canada — Canadian Pa'itic Rail- way—The Mali 252-260 Wealthy People of Toronto— The Empire— C&pittil Invested in Toronto — Toronto a Manufacturing City — Manufactures in 1892— The Marquis of Dufferin and Ava — Meeting in the Academy of Music —Death of Sir John A. Macdonald 261-270 Commercial Statistics — Purchases of British Products — Manufactured Exports from Great Britain — Canadian Imports and Exports to 30th June, 1891 — Exports from Toronto, the Produce of Canada — Imports to Toronto, 1891 — Post Otibce Statistics — Comparative Increase of Population in Eight Canadian Cities in Twenty Years , — How Canada Has Prospered under thb National Policy — Total Value of Canada's Exports to Great Britain and the United States. 271-273 Members of the Dominion Cabinet, 1892— Fort of Montreal — Shipping of the World — Comparative F)nances and Population of Toronto in 1879 and 1889 273-275 Mayors of Toronto —Value of Buildings Erected, 1882-1861 — Foreign Consuls in Toronto— Toronto Weather Statistics — Churches in 1892 — Toronto Waterworks— Toronto Gas V»^orks —Toronto Rail- way Company — Toronto Post Office in 1892 — Toronto Board of Trade— Officers for 1892 276-282 Death of Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale — Toronto in 1892 — Forty-five Years' Retrospect— Toronto Street Statistics — BuiMings Lately Completed and in Course of Erection — Forty- Eighth Highlanders — Death of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario — Appointment of New Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario — The Founders of Toronto's Greatness— The Manufacture of Pianos in Toronto— The Norilhoimer Manufacturing Company, Limited — Samuel Nordheimei-, Esq. — Glenedyth — Mr. Albert Nordheimer — Octavius Newccmbe & Co 283-301 Tlje Queen's Hotel— The Red Parlor— Thomas McGaw, Esq. — Mr. Henry Win r.ett— Arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught — Rrsain House — British America Fire and Marine Assurance Com- pany — Toronto Lithographing Company — Oronhyatekha, M.D.— The Late Hon. John Macdonald. Senator— Samson, Kennedy & Co. — Frederick Kennedy — Warring Kennedy, Esq., Mayor of Toronto 302-320 X Contents. 1892 to 1804. P««e. Departure of the Earl of Derby — Arrival of the Earl of Aberdeen- First Public Appearance in Toronto — The Fleming Administration — Massey Music Hall — Massey Music Hall Festival— Fred Victor Mission Building — Toronto College of Music — Toronto Statistics, Five Years' Building Operations — Assets of Toronto Railway Com- pany — Board of Trade — Dominion Statistics — Commerce of Canada and the United States Compared — Toronto Pavements — Toronto Island— The New Union Station , 321-336 The Gerhard Heintzman Piano Co.— The Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets — Appreciation of the Imperial Institute — Opening of the Imperial Institute - Marriage of the Duke of York — Opening of the Manchester Ship Canal— Extension of the Park System — The Mail and Empire— The Governor-General at Rideau Hall— Unveiling the Statue of the late Sir John A. Macdonald — Death of Sir John Thompson— The New Cabinet, 1894 337-349 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. Toronto in 1834 23 Osgoode Hall, Toronto 47 St. James' Cathedral, Toronto 53 Windsor Castle 63 Industrial Crystal Palace, Toronto 78 Toronto in 1854 83 Parliament Buildings, Ottawa 118 Metropolitan Church, Toronto 124 Government House, Toronto 132 Industrial Exhibition Grounds, Toronto 134 Union Station, Toronto 141 Custom House, Toronto ... 151 Trinity College, Toronto . 165 View of Toronto, 1886 158 Salvation Army Temple 165 New Uppev Canada College, Toronto 169 Niagara River— Below the Falls 184 The Thames Embankment and Waterloo Bridge 198 University of Toronto 210 Toronto College of Music 212 The Mail Building, Toronto 218 The Globe Building, Toronto 219 McMaster Hall, Toronto 221 Wesley Buildings, Toronto 225 Cathedral of St. Alban 233 New Parliament Buildings, Toronto 248 Bank of Montreal, Toronto 265 The Empire Building, Tcronto 261 Post OflBce, Toronto 281 New Board of Trade Building, Toronto 294 Newcqmbe Pianoforte Wareroonis 299 Queen's Hotel, Toronto 302 The '• Red Pailor," Queen's Hotel, Toronto 304 The Bedroom, " en »uite," Queen's Hotel, Toronto 305 Rossin House, Toronto 308 Samson, .lennedy & Co.'s Wareliouse 317 Massey Music Hall, Toronto 324 Fred Victor Mission Building, Toronto 327 New Union Station, Toronto 335 i , %' PORTRAITS. 1 rl Page Her Majesty, Queen and Empress Frontispiece Hon. John Beverley Robinson, Ex-Lieut. -Oovernor of Ontario. ... 4 Thomas Thompson, Esq 57 R3V. Egerton Ryerson, D. D 167 His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales 17o Hon. Sir Charles Tupper, Baronet .• 1 83 F. H. Torrington, Esq 209 Right Rev. Arthur Sweatman, D.D 23.1 His Excellency Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, Baron Stanley of Preston, G.C.B 241 Right Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald, G.C.B 244 John Harvie, Esq 256 The Marquis of Dufferin and Ava 266 James Beatty, Esq , Q.C., D.C.L 286 Samuel Nordheimer, Esq 296 Octavius Newcomhe, Esq , 298 Henry Newcombe, Esq 300 Thomas McGaw, Esq . . 305 His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught . . 306 Oronhyatekha, M.D 313 The Late Hon. John Macdonald 314 Frederick Kennedy, Esq 319 Warring Kennedy, Esq. , Mayor . . . ; 320 His Excellency The Earl of Aberdeen, P.C. , (iovernor-General of Canada 321 The Countess of Aberdeen 322 H. A. Massey, Esq 323 Gerhard Heintzman, Esq 337 ■ ' ^\ ' 4 57 167 175 183 209 235 !1H' II ! t' TORONTO "CALLED BACK." "A man's real possession is his memory, nothing else is he poor. — Alexaiuhr Situtlt. \u Until ini( else is ho rich ; in The four decades embraced in the first edition of Toronto " Called Back," havinf^ now extended to the first half of the fifth, and consequently requiring additions to the history of the wonderful growth and progress of the City, man}' of the remarkable events recorded in that period, especially those connected with the reign of Her Maje.sty the Queen, of which I was an eye-witness, as well as the account of the Queen's Jubilee, must be omitted in the pre.sent and subsequent volumes; while, what is recorded, shall be entirely from per- sonal knowledge. The history of Toronto since 1847, with that of every individual mercantile and manufacturing firm is familiar to the writer; and the reminiscences, originally intended only for private reference, will be found to contain much which was never before printed, and only placed before the public at the solicitation of merchants of contemporary standing, who were aware of their correctness, and testified to their value as a commercial history. Should the end of the fifuh decade be reached by the reader, it will be seen whether the predictions of what Toronto will be in 1896 shall have been realized. For some reasons I regret to omit incidents outside of the history of Toronto, as everything connected with the British 2 1 : f I li 10 Toronto "Called Back." Empire is becoming more and more a pai't of Canadian history, and interwoven with it ; and the astonishing progress of the Dominion and its increasingly close connection with all the sister colonies, and the prospect of commercial union amongst the whole with each other and the mother land, would form an interesting volume in itself, while reminiscences of travels, extending over many years, are also a tempting field to enter, but space will not permit. There are gifted individuals who, having made a trip across the Atlantic, and "run through" from Liverpool to London, then over the Continent, and perhaps gone round the world in ninety days, have the faculty of writing so easily, that on their return home they write a book ; but the present writer makes no pre- tensions to such literary ability, although, from an average of travels of 10,000 miles a year, by sea and land, for many years, materials might be furnished for such a purpose. One could tell of passages made in nearly all the old Cunard Royal Mail steamers — the Asia, Africa, Arabia, America, Europa, Niagara and Persia, the last of the ocean paddle- wheel steamers crossing the Atlantic (the Scotia only excepted); with recollections of the celebrated Commanders, who had the proud boast of never having lost a life — Lott, Stone, Leitch, Harrison, Shannon, and Commodore Judkins; also of the splendid steamers of the Inman Line, then of our own Allan Line, and occasional trips in the " White Star ; " of hairbreadth 'scapes from rocks and icebergs, of storms and winds, from the gentle zephyr through all the gradations of ships' " log " record — light and strong breezes, half gales and whole gales, thunder storms, hurricanes, and tremendous hurricanes, with an occasional cyclone, described by a writer as " a magnificent scene. The whole ocean, from the central speck on which he stood to the vast vanishing circle of the horizon, as one boundless, boiling cauldron. " Millions of waves simultaneously leaping in thunder from the abyss and rearing themselves into blue mountain peaks, capped with white foam and sparkling in the sunlight for a moment, to be swallowed up in the darkness of the roaring Introductory. 11 deep the next. A lashing, tossing, heaving, falling, foaming, glancing rise and fall of liquid mountain sand valleys, awful, but ravishing, to look upon." And then might turn to beautiful, calm weather, pleasant company, music, games, mock trials; splendid bills of fare — four meals a day, with every delicacy that money could procure ; refined society, comprising distinguished statesmen, ambassadors with their suites, celebrated divines and historians, poets and men of leisure, merchant princes and buyers, representing all the large mercantile houses, some of the best patrons of the ocean steamers; also of people of all nationalities, English, Irish, Scotch, American, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Turks, Spaniards, Russians, and Japanese ; of the hardships of the steerage as well as the luxury of the saloon ; all of which might make a readable volume. In the hands of the distinguished novelist, Wilkie Collins, whom I have heard read from his own works in this city, the facts with which I could furnish him might be woven into a romance equal in interest to the " Woman in White." The inimitable Dickens, whom I have also heard, and by whose tombstone — which, amongst the numberless monuments in the Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey, in memory of the great poets, essayists, novelists and dramatists in past centuries, is most remarkable for its plainness, and without any epitaph but " Dickens " — I afterwards stood, could have produced out of the materials a book quite as true to life as " Martin Chuzziewit." Or the lamented Hugh Conway might have given to the world another volume quite as popular as " Called Back ; " but simple facts and " a plain, unvarnished tale " are all that are offered in these pages. A residence for several years in Lancashire, with an oppor- tunity of seeing the working of the principle of Free Trade; afterwards six years' travelling through tne United States, and sending large orders to be shipped from England to the prin- cipal cities, from Baltimore to St. Louis, in the face of a tariff which averaged 60 per cent., and watching the growth of the It Toronto " Called Back." manufacturing industries during that time ; and, in addition to all this, the experience of an importer to Toronto, with a tariff gradually increasing from 12^ to 25 per cent, ought to furnish some valuable information. But in writing on the growth and progress of Toronto, it is best to allow every person to draw his own conclusions as to whether our city has been benefited by the multiplication of manufacturing establishments, as well as to the question of how far she is indebted to the present policy for their success. To go over the grourd taken by those who so ably and beautifully described the progress of Toronto in its civic and political phases during the SEMI-CENTENNIAL ' from 1834 to 1884, would be quite superfluous. The programme of the celebration itself forms a splendid record of the events which transpired during that period. The grand tableaux in the daily processions, illustrating the progress of the city, from the rude and uncivilized to the high state of refinement at the present time, were most striking and impressive. If, however, the growth and progress of Toronto as an im- porting centre has been given, the writer has never seen it, and yet, in this respect, there are distinct marks of contrast between the present and the past which are not only striking but marvellous. Perhaps, with the exception of London and Chicago, no other city in the world has made such rapid strides in the march of progress, and this it will be my endeavor to show to the best of my ability. Passing over early experiences in Dublin, before recorded,, and as the question of emigration shall be rather prominently discussed, it may not be out of place to state the causes which led to the writer's choice of Toronto as a place of residence, and of his coming to America in the first place, all of which will appear in the first chapter on Emigration. \ " J Intkodijc'ioky. 13 Emigration. Who should emigrate 'i This '\h a question much more easily asked than answered. The best answer appears to be, " those who are obliged to do so." If this be so, and America has been peopled with those who have come from every country in Europe, how does it happen that there is on every hand such an accunmlation of wealth ? Was all this acquired by people who came here, not from choice, but of necessity ? If so, the possession and use of brain and muscle must have stood in good stead in the absence of other capital. And yet the rule is that few, if any, do leave the Old Country from choice ; and none who are really doing well at home should emigrate with the expectation of doing better, no matter what their occupation or profession may be. But those who are not doing well, who find it difficult, with an increasing family, to keep up appearances, and find it neces- sary to make a change, may safely emigrate with a fair pros- pect of improving their condition. If these pages should meet the eye of any young man wish- ing to know about Canada, and Toronto in particular, he may be able to form a pretty correct opinion of the chances of success from the facts stated. No doubt that in proportion to the population the failures in business in America are more numerous than in Great Britain, especially if the figures of mercantile agencies can be relied on. But if a city can grow in wealth and prosperity like Toronto, in a comparatively short time, as no city in the Old Country (London always excepted) is doing, it is clear that some must become rich where, on the whole, so much has been accumulated. There are exceptions to the rule as to emigration. Some do leave home who are well to do, but have some ulterior object in the future as to the settlement of their families. The hope of doing better for one's self in a new country, the dreams of youth, and correspondence with friends, with the 14 Toronto "Called Back. 1^ IJ!'|i Situ love of novelty and, porhaps, adventure, influence many younj* men. Ho.vin<,' gained an excellent position by remaining in the house ol' Pirn Bros. & Co., from its establishment, while about 2,000 young men had come and gone, and being ont' of the two who alone remained of the original founders, when we had decided to leave for America the heads of the firm were in- credulous at first, but finding our decision was made, the lead- ing partner used all his persuasion to induce us to remain, telling us we would "cry salt tears" when we found ourselves in America. But all to no purpose, we had determined to find out for ourselves what America was like. In the meantime addresses of regret and good wishes were prepared and signed by hundreds of our companions in the business, and arrangements made for a presentation supper at considerable expense. The writer, having conscientious objections to these festive occasions, which generally ended in over-indulgence, with much regret at offending his friends, declined the intended honor, and all his subsecjAient experience has confirmed his opinion that he acted rightly in his decision. A volume could be written on this subject. Having heard all the celebrated temperance lecturers in England and America, including Mr. John B. Gough and Hon. Neal Dow, also Cardinal Manning, Sir Wilfred Lawson, Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Dr. Rees, and a host of others, I can say, I never heard a statement of the evil effects of intemperance exaggerated, but have seen instances as terrible as any they have related in actual life. Where are the 2,000 young men with whom I associated in one house alone ? The history of many I know, but cannot enter more fully into the subject. When the question of temperance is growing to be of such intense interest in Canada and in Toronto, and the future merchants, manufacturers, and bankers of the city are to take part in the movement, the writer, who can safely say he has come into actual contact with more busi- ,.^i ,— T»- Introductory. 15 ne3s young men in Great Britain and America tlian any other man in Toronto, gives it as his deliberate opinion, that nothing short of total abstinence is a safeguard against evil couse- quences, whether travelling or n.t home. The reception of various addresses from societies and friends, in a quiet way, wound up my connection with the beautiful city, which I have never missed an opportunity of visiting, when time has permitted, on my business journeys to Britain. Departure for New York. "Isle of Beauty, fare thee well." On the 17th of March, 1847, our party of five, and a man- servant who accompanied one of our friends, sailed from Liver- pool in the ship Sheridan, Captain Cornish, of the " Dramatic " Line — the other three being called respectively the Garrick, Rosciua and Skldons. Not being pressed for time, we had decided to come by a sailing vessel, and, as far as the writer is concerned, it was the first and last experience in that line. When time becomes money it does not pay to roll on the deep from side to side, in the most beautiful weather, in a dead calm for days together. The voyage was devoid of interest and very unlike any of my after pa.ssages in steamers. The cabin passengers were few, and those of the steerage had a hard time. The Captain, being a harsh man, thought nothing of kicking them should they trespass on the after part of the deck, where they would sometimes lie down to get away from the surroundings of the forecastle. Had we been in a hurry the passage would have been a terrible tax on our patience. Now terrific storms, '., ith thun- der's roll and lightning's flash — and so vivid was the lightning, that from pitch darkness the sea, as far as the eye could reach, was suddenly lit up so as to appear like an ocean of flame. Again followed a dead calm, with a ground-swell so heavy that ! / 16 Toronto "Called Back." in the roll the ni'i"nyarcls would dip in the water; the rolling 80 violent that standing was impossible, and many a fearful pitch took place. When sea-sickness had done its work amonc^st the steerage passengers, the natural passion for a fight soon showed itself amongst our Hibernian friends. The Munster and Connaug it men soon got up a good old- fashioned faction fight, perhaps to illustrate the beauties of " Home Rule " on the " rolling deep." So at it they went, hammer, tongs and shillelahs, pitching each other down the hatchways, head over heels. Matters having become serious, the sailors thought it time to spoil the sport. Handspikes, from " heaving " the capstan were heaved to some purpose, and the Irishmen soon beat a retreat. The most remarkable incident of the voyage was having spoken a vessel one hundred days out from Ireland, short of provisions, which were liberally supplied from our ship. And so twenty-six days passed, and, the laud appearing in sight, we soon arrived in New York. First Impressions of New York. "Hail! Columbia." Our youthful dreams of this city represented it metaphori- cally as having its streets lined with orange trees and paved with gold, but this illusion was soon dispelled. From Liverpool docks — six miles in length and having twenty-four miles of dockage, with massive gates set in ever- lasting granite — to the wooden wharves oi New York, must strike the eye of every one arriving there as a wonderful con- trast. ' On reaching the dock over piles of merchandise and emi- grants' baggage, we found ourselves in a sea of mud. One of our party, on taking " soundings," reported a depth of twelve inches in the middle of the street. On our way to the hotel we were struck with the melancholy Introductory. 17 appearance of the private streets — long lines of houses, having green outside shutters all closed, without the appearance of a tlower-pot, or the face of a chambermaid airing curtains or looking out, presented a striking contrast to scenes so familiar just left behind, when wall tlowers and crocuses were blooming, and where windows were opened every morning all the 5'ear round. It being now the middle of April, we expected s|n'ir'g weather, and feeling hearty after the sea voyage, enjoyed the fresh air. Our astonishment on reaching a hotel was very great to find the guests crowded round a stove, nearly red hot, all very grave, ruminant, expectorant and whittling. Our appearance soon attracted attention, and remarks were made as to the freshness of our complexion (a compliment we could not truthfully return), and we were informed that they "guessed" (the first time we had heard the word so applied) we would not be long in the country before we should lose all that high color. Not at all anxious to adopt the sallow shade, we were by no means encouraged, and having made necessary arrange- ments, and feeling uncomfortable with the sickening heat, rushed out of doors to get relief ; and never for the week we remained in the city did we venture again near one of those health-destroying inventions. The stoves and heating arrangements of the present time are entirely difierent, and in every way adapted to the climate. We soon found that to see Broad wav, including A. T. Stewart's marble store and Barnum's Museum, was to see New Yoi k. A. T. Stewart's was very fine in maible, and the inside arrangements were very superior, but the system of doing business did not appear to us as perfect as that we had just left. We were struck with the signs li "Dry Goods Store," "Flour and Feed," " Help Wanted," etc., none of which we had seen before, and had to enquire what they meant. We found that "helps" meant servants, and as there wt re no masters, the term " boss," which we have never yet known the meaning of, was used to distinguish what in the Old Country is known by the other familiar term. I 18 Toronto "Called Back." On enquiring as to the police, none of that clans appearing to us on the streets, we were told they might be known by the wearing of a small metal badge fastened to the collar of the coat, with the stars and stripes and " E pluribibs unum" in- scribed upon it, and further, that no man in the country could be found to wear a uniform. This accounted for the entire absence of anything 11 the shape of livery on the coachmen. To wear a livery button or cockade would be derogatory to the dignity of men who were all equal. The ladies on the streets were invisible as to their faces, each having a green woollen barege veil .tightly dretwn over the face. The appearance of Astor House illuminated, on the night of our arrival, as seen from the Park opposite, was very fine. This was effected by a candle being placed in every pane of glass in the whole building, and the name " Taylor " in gas over the principal entrance. This wa found was in celebration of one of General Taylor's victories in Mexico. ' The experience of our first morning at the hotel did not alter the unfavorable impression of the previous day. According to our usual custom, our boots were left outside our doors, pretty well coated with mud, and on taking them in found them just in the same condition. In repiy to our enquiries why they were not cleaned, we were told, if we required that labor performed we must make a special contract with a person that they would send ; the arrangement was made accordingly. The cheery voice of the English chambermaid, as she knocked at the door and called "hot water, sir," with boots which might serve as a mirror, by the application of " Day and Martin's " blacking, were all sadly missed. Breakfast was announced by the ringing of a bell, when we found what was to us a novel bill of fare. The selections by the guests were chiefly in the shape of mush, buckwheat cakes, pickles and green tea, while we were satisfied with old-fashioned ham-and-eggs and coffee. The solemnity of the proceedings was quite remarkable ; so far we had not seen the shadow of a. smile on any one's countenance. Having got through we found Introductory. 19 all the other guests had long since disappeared, and then, with- out giving offence, we gave full vent to our feelings by hearty bursts of laughter, and the mutual exclamation, "And this is America ! " How different from all our expectations ! On Sunday we observed in the churches notices that gentle- men were " not to spit in the pews," and the clergymen during the service made free use of the " cuspadores." But "tempora mutantur et nos mutaTnur in illis." We have lived to see the millionaires and aristocrats of New York vie with the " crime de la crime " of London society, and the Central Park equipages, including crests and mottoes, with livery of every hue, rivalling Rotten Row and the carriage drives in Hyde Park ; while a four-in-hand coaching club copies the style, as far as the roads will admit, of the Brighton . Club of noblemen in London Touching crests and mottoes, a story is told of the celebrated Lundy Foot, manufacturer of the snuffs known all over the world as "Irish Blackguard" and other remarkable brands, known only to the writer by enjoying many a good sneeze in passing the mill near Essex Bridge. When Mr. Foot first pjot a carriage, he adopted as a motto beneath the family cr< st, the Latin words, " Quid rides ? " — why do you laugh ? On his first appearance, the Dublin street ,*boys, quick to catch a new idea and enjoy a joke, taking the words in their English orthography, set up the cheer. " Quid rides ! Quid rides ! " The upper ten of New York, no doubt, are more careful in the selection of their mottoes. To see New York to-day is to see an almost entirely new city. Some of the old buildings, as the Astor House and City Hall, remain, but the magnificent warehouses on Broadway and adjacent streets are unsurpassed in the world, and nearly all have been built since that time. A. T. Stewart's fine store was latterly turned into a wholesale warehouse, and the magnificent new marble block, bounded by 10th and 11th Streets and Broadway and the Bowery, a perfect 20 Toronto " Called Back." palace, was opened as the great retail house of America, .ind altogether the finest in the world. The hotels, for magnificence, are of world-wide fame, while Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, the great reservoirs at 42nd and 150th Streets, the Grand Central Depot, all so often described, are now striking objects of interest. The splendid private residences, of 5th Avenue especially, are magnificent in style and finish. From New York to Toronto. By night steamer on the Hudson River the travelling was very fine and comfortable. The steamer Isaac Newton, then called a floating palace, landed us at Albany. The New York Central to Rochester and Buffalo was then taken. The rails consisted of a plain plate c-f iron fastened to the sleepers with iron spikes. We were informed, that for one of these plates to start at one end and obtrude itself into the car, to the danger of life and limb, was a matter of common occurrence. We escaped this danger and arrived safely at Rochester, where, for the first time, we noticed frame houses and plank sidewalks, with both of which we soon became familiar. Arriv- ing, via Buffalo, at the Falls — the station at Buffalo consisting of the open firmament above and the street below — we took up our abode at the Amer?Ci^n Hotel, from which we were to make our first visit to Canada. The icG was coming down from Lake Erie in great masses, and the only means of crossing was a small ferry-boat, which took passengers across to the landing below the Clifton House. On inquiry we found that this boat had not crossed for several days, and it was quite uncertain when any attempt would be •made. The ice became more and more massed, forming the usual bridge. Having waited for several days, the ice at length began to move, when the ferryman asking us if we would risk the cross- ing, we consented. The ice at this time was floating in large packs ; so off we started, with two oarsmen, and with one foot il . Introductory. 21 on the ice and one in the boat they pushed the boat by main force through. To have been carried a hundred yard.s below the landing would have sealed our doom, but having worked our way through we placed our feet for the first time on Canadian soil. Having executed this dangerous navigation we soon tasted the pleasures of land travelling. The stage for St. Catharines was soon ready, and we shortly found ourselves " at sea " on dry land. Having driven a long distance on what we thought was a field or common, there being no sign of hedsje or fence visible, we enquired when we should reach a road. With a smile of 8 'If -complacency and a look of pity for onv freshness or ver- dancy, the driver informed us we had been on the main road all the time. It so happened that the year before, being the year of the memorable potato famine in Ireland, ^1? Govern- ment had spent immense sums in making and repairing roads, to give employment to the people, the consequence of which was the greatest perfection in road-making ; and without exaggera- tion, the worst road you could find was infinitely better than any we saw for years afterwards, not excepting the city macad- amized streets. We soon found, however, that to mention this to our driver only subjected us to his contempt. Our driver appeared to think " the lines " had fallen to him in pleasant places, and was quite satisfied with the state of things; while the writer, years after, on handling "the lines'* (as Americans say for reins) over mud, slush, old planks and corduroy, found it incumbent to drive from his memory the smooth roads, hawthorn hedges, and the beauties of highly cultivated landscapes left behind, and think only of farms without rent, and the r^al necessaries of life enjoyed so abun- dantly, in this land where the inhabitants possess truly a " goodly heritage." / ST. CATHARINES was reached at length, and here we rested for the night, and the next afternoon started with four good horsos in the Mail Stage for Hamilton. \ , 22 Toronto "Called Back." To attempt a description of this journey as it appeared to us at the time would only result in failure. With both hands we grasped the seat to save our heads from bumping against the top of the conveyance, and many times when we got into a deep rut we had to use rails from the fence to pry the wheels out. And so at two o'clock on Sunday morning, covered with mud and thoroughly exhausted, we reached Weekes' Hotel, the clerk at the time being Mr. Riley, so long and well known afterwards in Toronto in connection with the firm of Riley & May, of the Revere House, now the Kensington Hotel. Having been regular church-goers, we were in our places in the red brick Wesley an Church on John Street, at eleven o'clock, and soon found we were on British soil and amongst our own countrymen, under the same Queen and flag. Here we soon found friends, and myself relatives, the first day, and with the natural longing for old familiar faces when far away from home, we walked ten miles to Copetown to see a family with whom we hp'^ been acquainted in Dublin, and were amply repaid for our visit. Again taking the regular Mail Stage, we arrived in Toronto, after a tedious ride, and put up at Mac- donald's Hotel, King Street, then the best in the city. to us *^ TORONTO FROM 1847 TO 1857. First Impressions of Toronto. Our first view from the door of Mncilonald'.s Hotel, which stood on the .site of the present Roinain buildin^if.s, did not give us a favorable impression of the town. From near Bay Street to the corner of York was an immense vacant space filled with rubbish, and at the back a dirty lane, now Pearl Street, with a few of what we for the first time heard of by the name of " shanties." Walking eastward as far as the Market, and, returning to Yonge Street, proceeding as far north as. Queen, we found we had, 80 far as business was concerned, seen Toronto, with the exception of a few wholesale warehouses to the south of King.. Having never seen a view of Toronto, except one which appeared a short time before in the London Illustrated News, our expectations were not of a very sanguine character, — that view repre-^enting the " City " of Toronto something like what a view of Oakville might be at the present time. Why it should be called a city was something we could not quite understand, as even towns *in Canada lately honored with that appellation are far superior in architecture to what Toronto was at that time, — such cities as Guelph, Brantford and London having kept pace with the improvements which have taken place in the intervening years. Everything appeared flat, dull, uninteresting, and especially unfin'shed. !Not a single point of attractiveness could we 3 26 Toronto "Called Back." discover in or about the place, although we were quite taken with the people. The contrast between the city we had left and Toronto was most depressing, and grew nioru marked as we viewed the outskirts. Having letters from friends, we soon found a cordial welcome to several homes, which went a great way to reconcile us to the place. On enquiry, we found, rather to our surprise, that there were two churches having organs, something we had not expected to find : one was in the old Cathedral and the other in the Richmond Street Wesleyan Church. On being introduced to Rev. Messrs. Cooney and Harvard by letters, the former took us with pride to see the new church on Richmond Street, now enclosed in the Wesley Buildings. It then stood on an almost vacant lot, there being no building between it and Bay Street. On entering he pointed with a good deal of satisfaction to the fine organ, which stood behind the pulpit at the time. We attended divine service on the following Sunday, when Mr. Cooney preached, and were much interested. The musical portion of the service was very pleasing and effective. A well- known ex-alderman of the city at the present time was leader of the tenors, and the writer has a distinct recollection of his tlexible voice as he glided from tenor to counter-tenor, and occasionally appeared imperceptibly to run into a falsetto, which added much to the harmony and contributed very greatly to the general effect We were equally pleased in the old Cathedral. The beauti- fully composed and impressively delivered sermons of the Rev. Mr. Grasett were such as should never be forgotten, while the music was of a very high order. During the week we had an opportunity of visiting some of the retail stores, the principal of which were Betley & Kay's, corner of King and Yonge Streets ; Walker and Hutchinson's, P. Patterson's, and Walter McFarlane's. My friend and companion of seven years, dropping into Betley & Kay's, was immediately offered a situation, which he Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 27 accepted, much to my surprise, as we had not decided to remain in Toronto at the time , and here my loneliness commenced. My destination was Brockville, where I intended to go, hav- infj a letter from my grand-uncle (and his uncle) to the Hon. George Crawford, who was to advise me as to my future move- ments. The unwillingness to part with my friend, and the unsolicited offer of a situation, also on King Street, with the desire to have a rest after so much travelling, led to my acceptance of the offer, and so we entered on our new career. To compare the business of King Street in 1892 with what it was in 1847 could give no conception of the difference which it may be imagined we found after leaving the business already described. The prospect of its being only temporary alone made it at all endurable, while it gave time to arrange plans for the future, and get some knowledge of the mode of doing business before deciding where to choose as a future field of operation. The want of S3\stem in showing goods, the bantering about price, and the lack of customers, made it tiresome beyond description. Here we first became acquainted with the habit of " SHOPPING," either for amusement or for comparison of prices before pur- chasing. The custom was almost universal to go from Yono^e Street to the Market before deciding on what or where to bay. The common expression was : " We will look around, and return if not better suited elsewhere." At the same time the anxiety to press sales was painfully apparent, the offer of a reduction in price being the principal inducement held out. This of course led to exaggeration, and often misrepresenta- tion, and was altogether demoralizing to both seller and buyer. The few houses named were, I believe, exceptional in this respect, and were the first to introduce the "one price" system. In consideration of my previous experience, the principal of the business, in which I had made a temporary engagement, 28 TORUNTQ "CALLKD BaCK." immediately took charge of a customer where any deviation from the marked price was asked, well knowing that on no account would I condescend to .such a practice. The arjjuiuents of friends to induce us to settle in Toronto were drawn more from the absence of the rudeness and incon- venience that existed before we were born, or the wonderiul future that lay before the city, than from any especially attractive features the present afforded. Amusements and entertainments there were scarcely any. 'J'here wa,>- the old Mechanics' Institute, where the present police court now stands — then a dirty lane, — where a subscriber could read books or papers. This, and the auction room of William Wakefield (now Oliver, Coate Sz Co.), who, by his genial humor and English physiognomy, did all in his power to entertain his customers, were about the only places of resort of an evening. And so summer came on, and recollections of botanical and private gardens, parks, squares, delightful suburbs, music, lectures, literary entertainments, all crowded on one's memory to make the contrast painful. Suburbs there were none, except Yorkville, then an embryo village with a few scattered houses, the best being the residence of Mr. Bloor, which still remains. As no resident of Toronto went there except on business, the journey was not often undertaken. Toronto busines - men lived either over their stores, or on some street south o. '^ueen. Our first tour of exploration in the outskirts was along Carl- ton Street from Yonge, then a clay toad without houses or sidewalks. Having got as far as the present Homewood Avenue, we found a small gate-house, and on entering the wicket discovered a natural pathway through a thick pine grove. Proceeding north we reached the house now occupied by Homer Dixon, Esq., and finding further progress that way, or egress, impossible, retraced our steps. Our next adventure was along Bloor Street east to the present cemetery fence, and thence backwards again; and these Toronto from 1S47 to 1S57. 29 for a time coiiHtituted our )uttercups nn.- 32 Toronto "Called Back." There were no buiMings on the south side except the old Ciistom House, and only a few scattered along on the north side, leaving the view of the Bay uninterrupted. There was a skating-rink near where the Custom House now stands. Goins: westward from Yonjie Street, on the north side of Front, where the warehouse of Messrs. McMaster & Co. now stands, was the residence of Judge Macauley ; next that of Judge Jones ; further west the residence of Mr. Joseph Rogers, and at the corner of Bay Street was the Baldwin mansion. Where the Queen's Hotel now stands Capt. Thomas Dick had four dwellings; these afterwards were used as Knox College, and subsequently were turned into a hotel kept by Mr. Swords. Holland House, in the rear, on Wellington Street, lately the residence of ex- Mayor Manning, and afterwards the Reform Club, and which was built in 1832 by Hon. Henry John Boulton, and from its peculiar style of architecture, sometinus called " The Castle," was occupied by Mr. Boulton at this time. At York Street corner, a picturesque cottage was the residence of Capt. Strachan, son of the Bishop of Toronto, whose palace adjoined, with the entrance on Front Street. This building is now a boarding-house. Turning up Simcoe to corner of Wellington you saw the Hagerman man.sion, and returning eastward on Wellington, the little white house lately occupied by Mr. Mercer, standing by itself at the corner of Bay, where magnificent warehouses now stand. When Toronto was first settled most of the buildings were erected at the upper end of the Bay, towards the river Don, and it was generally supposed that the east end would become the principal part of the city. As the buildings were extended, however, they began to creep westward and northward. The town in its young days was much scattered, the roads were bad, and communication between distant portions of the town, at least in certain seasons of the year, was difficult ; in consequence, houses of business were started at each extremity, which, in some cases, realized to their owners handsome profits. Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 83 As the town increased the footpaths wore improved, business became more concentrated, and at this time was almost con- fined to the space between York Street and the Market, anii it was doubtful whether, if the best store were removed to either extremity, it would do a paying business. The necessary eon- sequence of this state of things was that the value of property and rents within the limits mentioned had risen enormously. In the absence of street railways the few travellers who had occasion to reach the steamboats in summer (in winter the stages called for passengers at their houses) were limited for accommodation to a few old-fashioned one-horse cabs, owned by well-known drivers, and the number of horses and vehicles of all kinds was so small as to make it an easy matter for any inquisitive person to know the owner of every particular turn- out in town. The only city omnibus at this time was one that ran to Yorkville every hour, and a ride in this was not very exhilar- ating at certain seasons, especially when the frost was breaking up. The jolting was terrific, but as few or none of the Toronto people lived in Yorkville, there was not much travel up or down. An hourly omnibus started from the Market to Parliament Street, but it did not pay and was soon discontinued. The question of meat being an important one, it may be stated, from actual experience, that after repeated endeavors to masticate the beefsteaks, my young friend and myself came to the conclusion that, having heard that oxen were employed in the country for ploughing and other purposes, the Toronto market was supplied with beef from their carcasses after their usefulness as living animals had departed. The supply of vegetables was excellent. Gossip. The extent to which regard for local boundaries, customs, and every-day chit-chat is sometimes carried, can only be realized in a small town. 34 Toronto "Called Back." I - I At home, in this nook, all life is lived under minute inspec- tion of neighbors, and perhaps the unavoidable supervision of parson and" squire. The fierce light that beats upon the throne is not clearer than that which exhibits the young man "sowing his wild oats." He sins under a microscope, and the professional gossip finds rich material for the next social or tea-party by placing him under the instrument for the general entertainment of the company, and so the engagement of lovers is discussed as earnestly as if each person were personally or directly interested in the result of every matrimonial arrangement. In 1847 Toronto bad not outgrown the habits which charac- terize the country town. The gossip which prevails where every person knows^all about the business and social life of his neighbors, was still noticeable, and the absence of all foreign news, oftener than once a fortnight, gave a local character to the general topics of conversation. Every birth, marriage and death furnished material for dis- cussion in every family circle, and very much as it is on board ship, out at sea, the most trivial matters were invested with exaggerated importance. On Sundays, generally, three carriages could be seen at St. James' Cathedral, and a gooa deal of rivalry existed between the owners of two out of three, in the style of the appoint- ments, the coachmen's liver}', and horses and harness; their appearance on driving from church was a standing topic at almost every dinner-table ; the dresses of the ladies coming in for a full share of the criticism, of course of a good-natured character. - The arrival of the English mail, once a fortnight, created a pleasing diversion for a time from the monotony of daily life. The news telegraphed from New York ahead of the mails was given in a condensed form, in printed "extras," which were issued by the newspaper people ; there being no second edition of papers as at present. \ \> Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 35 Street Pavements. So much has been written on the condition of the streets of Toronto, that the subject has become monotonous, and as in 1892 it still continues to engage a large amount of public attention, nothing will be said in this connection from personal observation, the writer preferring to quote the descriptions of a few other parties, some of which were written prior to 1847. The first is that of a lady, ten years previously, Mrs. Jamie- son, wife of Vice-Chancellor Jamieson. This lady, whose name is pleasantly familiar to lovers of art and literature, was for some time a resident of Toronto. She reached the city by way of Nev/ York, Albany and Queenston, towards the end of 1836. Her husband, then Attorney-General, had been a resident for several years, but she arrived unexpectedly, and he was not there to meet her. When she stepped from the boat her foot sank ankle deep in the mud, and there being no conveyance at hand she was compelled to walk through the muddy, uninviting streets to her husband's residence near the foot of Brock Street. It was during her abode here that she wrote her " Winter Studies " and " Summer Rambles." She describes the city as it appeared in winter : " What Toronto may be in summer I cannot teli ; they say it is a pretty place. At present its appearance to me, a stranger, is most strangely mean and melancholy. A little ill-built town, on low land at the bottom of a frozen bay, with one very ugly church without tower or steeple, some government offices, built of staring red brick, in the most tasteless and vulgar style imaginable ; three feet of snow all around, and the grey, sullen wintry lake, with the dark gloom of the pine forest bounding the prospect — such seems Toronto to me now." As a set-ofF to this desponding account, she admits that some of the shop fronts on King Street are rather imposing, and declares, in a patronizing kind of way, that the front of Beckett's V i 3G Toronto "Called Back." (novv Hooper & Co.) apothecary shop is worthy of Regent Street in appearance. A few words from Sir H. R. Bonnycastle, in 1845, may be given. He " was greatly surprised and pleased to see the alterations since 1887, then not one-third of its present size. Now it is a city in earnest with upwards of 20,000 inhabitants, gas lit, with good plank sidewalks, and macadamized streets, vast sewers and ^ouses of brick or stone. The main street. King Street, is two miles in length. St. George's church was built in 1844." Another writer says : " Few who now stroll down the well- boarded sidewalks of King Street reflect upon the inconveni- ences attending this recreation to their sires and grandsires and granddames, who were compelled to tuck up their garments and pick their way from tuft to tuft and from stone to stone. " It was no unusual sight to behold the heavy lumber waggon sticking fast in the mud, up to the axle, in the very middle of King Street, opposite to what is now McConkey's refectory. " The party-going portion of the citizens were content either to trudge it, or to be shaken in a ca^'t drawn by two sturdy oxen. The fashionable cry then was ' Mrs. McTavish's cart is here,' and the ' gee up ' resounded as clearly among the pines and elms as the glib 'all right' of the modern footman along the gas lit street.'' Since those days the art of photography has been discovered, and it is not probable that Mr. Eli Palmer — the only artist of which Toronto could boast in 1847 — cculd have brought his camera with the D-iguerrean process to bear on Mrs. McTavish's cart to get a good picture ir a conveniently short space of time. A late number of London Fun thus describes a scene in the studio of a photographer in that city : ' Mr. Juggins — " Look here, Mr. Photygrapher, 'ow much d'yer want to take me and the missus and the kids altogether ? " Photographer — " Well, I could take a carte of you for five shillings." Mr. Juggins — " Cart be blowed ! Stick us in a waggonette." No doubt Mrs. McTavish would have preferred a waggonette / Toronto fkom 1847 to 1857. 37 al.^o, and had the art attained its present state of perfection an in-tantaneous photograph could have been taken that would have been quite interesting. "A little nonsense now and then Is relished by the wisest men." Air. Wm. Osborne — who had left Dublin, in consequence of the failure of the silk trade, when Fronch goods were fir.st admitted free of duty — was a good specimen of a Dublin gen- tleman, and amongst other stories about the state of Toronto streets in former years, related the following, without in any way vouching for its accuracy : A gentleman, walking on the loose planks forming a side- walk on King Street, espied a good-looking hat in the middle of the street. Curious to see and pick up the hat, he managed to reach it, and on removing it, discovered to his surprise the head of a living man underneath This individual at once appealed for help and deliverance, urginof, as a special plea, that if prompt assistance was not rendered, his horse, which was underneath, would certainly perish. ' - ■ The usual mode of extrication by the use of shovels and oxen was soon applied, and man and hor^e excavated. This being the climax of exaggeration on this muddy ques- tion, it must now be dismissed. Apart from the social enjoyments among friends — and of those we had a full share — there was nothing, either in the business or surroundings, to lead to a preference of Toronto to any other place, when the world was before us where to choose. In business, the farmers were always complaining about some- thing. Prices of produce were too low or too high ; the former from too good crops, and consequent low prices, and the latter because they had not enough to sell. The roads were a constant source of complaint, which appeared to be natural from our little experience of mud and ruts, and when winter came on they generally had either too much snow or too little. 38 Toronto " Called Back." / ( Those leaving home in sleighs, fifty or sixty miles back, found bare streets, and had a hard time to get back to sleighing again. As my friend and myself had never heard complaints of roads before, this topic became terribly monotonous, and the same remark applies to the prices of produce, although in Toronto a trade of the greatest importance. There was the prospect of trade increasing by the growth of towns and villages outside, and the facilities for transport V)y water navigation in summer; but as railroads were not thought of, and there was neither steam nor water power, except what could be got in the Don river for the latter, and bv importing coal for the former, little was said of manufacti es, and the prospect of their establishment was exceedingly dull. The prospect of the growth of Toronto — from the two facts of the great agricultural country at its back, and the harbor and water communication in the front — led to a decision, and within a few months of arriving in the country the writer was in communication with friends in England with a view to importing a stock of goods, which was successfully accomplished the next year. Information as to Toronto in England was not very flattering. A gentleman had a servant-maid whose brother had enlisted in a regiment which was subsequently ordered to Canada. While quartered in Toronto, the young man took to himself a help- mate, an Anglo-Canadian, who afterwards returned with him to England. On his arrival at home his sister paid him a visit. On her return her mistress asked her if she had seen her new sister ; she replied in the affirmative, adding, " But Lor', mum, she's not very dark. I thought she'd be black." As an example of the accuracy of description, Mr. R. Mont- gomery Martin wrote about this time: — "The country bordering Lake Ontario is well wooded ; through the numerous openings the prospect is enlivened by flourishing settlements, the viev/ being extremely picturesque along the White Cliffs of Toronto,(!) heightened on the north by the remarkably high land over Presque Isle, called the Devil's Nose." 'ju^ Toronto fuom 1847 to 1857. 39 es back, sleighing laints of and the ough in :'owth of sport by thought pt wJiat 1 porting and the ivo facts harbor ion, and ter was view to iplished tterino- isted in While I help- th him him a 'en her t Lor', Mont- ifi dering Bnings •1 5 viev/ •J nto,(:) v over ■■■\ ;• The Toronto Post OfiBc In 1847, and up till 1852, the whole business of the Toronto Post OiSice was transacted in a small building on Wellington Street, where the present Imperial Bank now stands. The delivery office was a room about 20 x 40 feet, and the distribu- ting room was an old cellar-'citchen some 20 feet S(|uare. The staff up to 1850 consisted of a postmaster, three clerks, and K, letter carrier. The postmaster was Mr. Charles Berczy, and the clerks, John Armstrong, Christopher Walsh and W. H. Pearson (now manager of the Consumers' Gas Co.), who suc- ceeded Geo. H. \^' n, the present accountant of th** Bank of Montreal, in 18 ■ , . John McCloskey was letter carrier, and a charge of one "copper" was made on each letter delivered by him. At this time, and up till 1850, the English mails were only delivered fortnightly — by stage from Halifax in winter, and partly by steamboats in summer. The rate of postage on English letters was Is. 2^d. sterling, or Is. 4d. Halifax currency (about 27 cents); the postage to Halifax was 2s. 9d. ; Quebec, Is. 6d. ; Montreal, Is. 2d. ; Kingston, 9d. ; Windsor, lOid. ; the lowest rate beincj 4Ad. In 1850 there were only about 400 boxes in the Post Office. Postage stamps were at this time unknown, and the postage on paid letters was written in red ink, and on unpaid in black. In 1851 the uniform rate of postage was adopted, and postage stamps introduced. The only visible representative of Her Majesty on ordinary occasions was either Mr. Walsh or Mr. Armstrong, who for the time being combined in themselves the offices of receivino-, delivery and enquiry clerks ; and as every letter must be taken to the Post Office, these gentlemen were known to every man, woman and child in Toronto and Yorkville who ever posted a letter. The arrival of the English mail, once a fortnight, broke in on m 40 ToiiuNTO ' Called Back." tliu usual monotony, unci brought a rush to the wicket, from which the delivery, hutli general and particular, took place. Up to 1851 the Post Office Department was under the control of the Imperial Government, which was represented by Mr. Stayner, but at this time, almost simultaneously with the intro- duction of the bonding system through the United States, the business was transferred to the Canadian Government, and the uiails began to arrive once a week, via Boston and New York alternately. These mails were conveyed in charge of conductors, of whom there were three — Messrs. McNamee, Malone and Magillivray — tw(j taking the mails to above ports respectively, and one extra to supply in case of need. The conductor taking the outgoing mails, waited at his port for those coming in, and this system continued for many years. During Mr. Malone's time of conducting the mails a circumstance occurred, illustrating the economy of the Government at that day. The writer, in company with Mr. John Kay, Mr. Patrick Hughes and three others, on our way from England, accom- panied the mails from Boston, arriving at Suspension Bridge on Saturday night too late to connect witli the train for Toronto. Feeling anxious to get home, instead of staying over Sunday at the Bridge, we telegraphed for a special train to meet us at Hamilton ; the charge to be forty dollars. On arriving at Hamilton we found an engine and one car all ready, and took on board Mr. Malone and the English mails, with a Roman Catholic clergyman who wished to get to Toronto with us. To this gentleman we offered a free passage, but hoped to receive from the Post Office authorities a share of the cost of the special train. The trip was made within an hour, perhaps then the " fastest time on record." On the following Monday one of our party waited on Hon. Mr. Foley, Postmaster- General, stating the case, and asking for the proportion of the expense for carrying the mails ; his reply was, that the letters would have been in quite time enough for the n;erchants on Monday morning by first regular train. He did not even con- sider that Mr Malone would have had to pay his expenses at a hotel over Sunday, and so we had to pay the whole bill. I ToUUNTO FROM 1847 TO 18J7. 41 jket, from :)Iace. lie control d by Mr. the intro- Itates, the ', and the (ew York uduetors, lone and ^ectively, or takhigf '^ in, and Malone'.s ustratinii r Patrick acconi- 3ridge on Toronto, unday at et us at e car all h mails, Toronto a<^e, but e of the m hour, )liowincr imaster- 1 of the letters mts on en con- ses at a m Toronto Gas and Water Works. In 1841 Mr. James Crapper had been brought out from London by Mr. Furneas, and in the same ship were imported the gas and water pipes to commence the supplying of the city with these two great requisites. In 1847 there may have been altogether about 100 gas lamps, and at this time the Consumers' Gas Co. was established, on the principle that the consumers, by taking up the stock, would themselves get all the benefit, Mr. Henry Thompson sold all the shares, the writer being one of the first to subscribe. Since tliat time the success of the Company is well known. The water supply was very imperfect, especially in case of fire, and even up to 18.50 no arrangement had been made to keep the city furnished with a constant and adequate supply. The licensed carters were compelled under a pen.ilty to attend all fires, for the purpose of conveying water from the Bay in casks. As the first who arrived was entitled to two dollars' reward, these men were in the habit of filling their casks at night, and carting them to their own houses so as to be ready for a race at the first sound of the fire alarm. It was very remarkable, that about this time scarcely a Saturday or Sunday night passed without a fire taking place. Some said they occurred opportunely on these nights, because everybody was at liberty, and the firemen being volunteers, their occupations were not interfered with ; while others went so far as to say that the very love for excitement, in some way to relieve the monotony that prevailed over everything, had led to the wilful acts of incendiarism, which undoubtedly took place, but which were all overruled for the growth and general improvement of the city. The fire brigade in 18.50 consisted of four engine companies, two hook and ladder and one hose company ; Mr. Ashfield being then the chief engineer. The old hand engines were not very powerful, and when the 4 ^ , 42 Toronto "Called Back." firemen grew tired at the pumping, the law eompelle'l any bystandera to " lend a hand ;" while many were willing, many more could be seen taking their departure when there was a prospect of a " draft " for active service. There were some remarkable instances of deatruction of pro- perty, one of which the writer distinctly remembers. A fire took place in a frame building on King Street, one door from the corner of Yonge, then occupied by Messrs. Betley & Kay. The flames from the wooden building were driven by an easterly wind into the millineiy and mantle room over the store of Betley & Kay. On the arrival of the firemen the fine windows were immediately smashed in with axes, when the door might have served as well, and when the fire was extin- guished it was found that a number of fine silk velvet mantles had been placed at the door of the room to prevent the water from spreading to othjer parts of the building. The Circulating Medium. In the house I had just left the daily cash sales averaged £1,000 sterling. This amount was taken in five cashiers' desks, by boys under sixteen years of age, and the rapidity with which the change had to be given may be judged from the number of cheques handed in from about four hundred salesmen. • The coins were farthings, half-pence, pence, sixpences, shil- lings, half-crowns, crowns, half-sovereigns and sovereigns Farthings were strictly charged on all amounts to 2s. 6d , and no salesman could omit them at 2s. 5f d. The desks have fre- quently been swept out to find a missing half-penny, as every- thing must balance. There being no Canadian Silver Currency at this time, the process of making change out of what was technically called " specie " was a perfect study. There were Mexican and United States dollars and half-dollars; United States 6\, 12| and 2.5-cent pieces ; English sixpences, shillings, half-crowns, with a miscellaneous assortment from every other country. - * Coin and bank note directors were used in every place to TOUONTU FUOM 1847 TO 18')7. 43 genuineness of bank ascertain the value of the coin and the ii()te><, especially those from the United States. As each had to make hi-s own change in the absence of a cashier, this was found to be a work of great difficulty, to know when a York shilling ceased to possess that value by reason of abrasion or defacement and became a 10-cent piece, and in- volved many a dispute ; and the same with all the other coins. In payment of a debt the Mexican dollar would go for os. Id., or S1.02, but in independent trading it was just SI. Anyone visiting New York at this time, and buying a news- paper, if he gave a good 25-cent piece would generally lose in cliange, through the manipulation of the boys, from one to four cents, just as the boy happened to have more or less of the small coin.s. Toronto had no newsboys at this time. As for coppers, I have no doubt a great many brass buttons found circulation just by flattening the .shanks. This state of things continued more or less for years, till the* Decimal System was introdrced by Act of Parliament, and the pre.sent silver coinage issued. Previous to this all wholesale or importing accounts were kept in sterling for French and English accounts; Halifax currency, or $4 to the pound, for Canadian, and in dollars and cents for the United States. !i [\ 'I: Store Pay. This kind of business was on the whole more agreeable to salesmen than the system of cash sales. Every builder or contractor made an arrangement with the various trades and stores for a line of credit, by which they could pay their workmen as much of their wages as possible with the smallest amount of cash. Orders were given on the stores, and mechanics' wives went to make their purchases, carefully concealing their written "orders" as long as the knowing salesman failed to draw out the fact of their existence ; the object of the caution on the part of the frugal housewives being to ascertain the " cash " price of 44 Toronto "Called Back" i ij 1 1- 1 the fToods. If the * cat was let oat of the ba^ " the salesmaa at once " stood at ease," knowing well that the customer had no alternative but to take out the value of the order. A few immigrants, in perfect innocence, would present these orders at once, mu. h to the satisfaction of the salesman. The block of buildings known as Ritchey's Terrace and other large buildings, including churches, St. Lawrence build- ings, etc., were largely paid for in this way. The time of " strikes " had not then arrived, the supply of labor was always fully equal to the demand. Retail Importing. The only retail importers of dry goods at this time were Mr. Peter Patterson, who occupied a portion of the present premises of Messrs. R. Walker & Sons, and was supplied direct by Messrs. Heron & Dickson, of Glasgow, who had arrangements to supply not more than one house in each principal town in Canada; and Messrs. Walker & Hutchinson, who also had arrangements for getting their goods direct from Great Britain. Nearly every dry goods firm, as well as hardware and others, called themselves importers, and had tlie term on their signs. This importing, however, was not direct, but was carried on through the wholesale houses to whom they gave their orders, which were sometimes delivered in the original packages. In this way, in after years, we imported almost every class of goods to order, including jewellery and fancy goods for one of the present leading jewellery houses on King Street, raw furs for manufacturing, oil paintings, fire-arms, fancy stationery, and, in fact, any class of goods for which an orde: was given. ! Ill' Wholesale Trade in 1847. In 1847 the wholesale dry goods trade was entirely confined to Yonge Street, south of King. First came Mr. Wm. McMaster, where the Dominion Bank now stands ; next was Mr. John Robertson's warehouse. At the TOBONTO FEOM 1847 TO 1857. 45 comer of Melinda Street, where the new Globe building now stands, was the old red brick store of Messrs. Ross, Mitchell & Co. ; a door or two further south Mr. W. L. Perrin occupied a plain brick building, and below Wellington Street were Messrs. Moffat & Murray, and Messrs. Bryce, MoMurrich & Co. On the east side, north of Wellington, was the warehouse of Messrs. Bowes & Hall, and these comprised the whole of the dry goods warehouses at that time. There being no houses exclusively in the millinery trade, that was done by the same houses. The wholesale grocery trade was represented by Messrs. F. & G. Perkins, Mr. A. V. Brown, and Whittemore, Rutherford & Co. There were no exclusively wholesale houses in the hardware trade, nor in earthenware, jewellery, hats, caps or furs. The oldest house in the latter trade is that of Mr. James H. Rogers; the business having been established by his father in 1815. The large block at the corner of King and Toronto Streets was, in 1847, the finest wholesale house in the city, and was occupied by Messrs. Whittemore, Rutherford & Co. as a whole- sale grocery warehouse, and afterwards they added dry goods, being the only house in which both classes of goods were com- bined. This site Is now occupied by the Quebec Bank, thereby removing one of the most prominent of the old landmarks of the city. lil r i ■!■ Prominent Men in 1847. Amongst the prominent men to be seen on King Street in 1847 was the Right Reverend John Strachan, Lord Bishop of Toronto. Although small in stature, his lordship was dignified in manner, and commanded universal respect. Mr. Peter Brown — father of Messrs. George and Gordon Brown — was a gentleman of venerable appearance and much respected. The Messrs. Ridout Brothers, hardware merchants, Mr. Rice Lewis, Mr. John Harrington, and Mr. T. D. Harris, all in the same business, occupied prominent positions as business men. 46 ToKoxTO "Called Back.' Mr, E. F. Whittemore, of the firm of Whittemore, Rutherford & Co., took an active part in every benevolent and philan- thropic enterprise, and was distinguished for his temperance principles. Mr. Hugh Scobie, proprietor of the British Colonist, was a man of commanding presence and universally respected. I A. & S. Nordheimer. In 1847 this firm occupied premises on the north side of King Street, nearly opposite their present establishment. The senior partner, Mr. Abraham Nordheimer, was an accom- plished musician, and it was quite a treat to witness the enthusiasm he displayed when exhibiting the fine points of the instruments to intending purchasers. Mr. Samuel Nordheimer undertook the outside work, travel- ling a great deal, and to this firm is due to a great extent the credit of having educated the taate of the people of Canada up to its present high musical standard. Prior to this time, if an Old Country family had brought out a piano, although not of the most modern style, they were supposed to have belonged to the better class of society at home ; but even these instruments were few and far between. It was on Mr. S. Nordheimer's journeys, between Toronto and Montreal, that the writer first became acquainted with him, anc soon found that by his universal courtesy, polished man- ners and pleasing address, he was winning golden opinions, not only in the towns and cities, but amongst the better class of farmers ; and the firm being sole agents for the Ghickering & Stodart, and Dunham pianos, soon succeeded in placing a large number of these instruments in the hands of the better class of people all over Canada. The fame of the firm is now as extensive as the Dominion, and their success has been as great as their highest ambition could have desired. In the chapter on "Torontc as a Musical City," reference will be made to their successful efforts to induce the first-class musicians and vocalists of the world to visit Toronto, when it itherford I philan- nperance ciety at tween. Toronto nth him, ed man- ions, not class of kerina: & y a larjve r class of now as as great reference irst-class when it m \ 48 Toronto "Called Back." \ was little known, and had few attractions for these great artists ; but the influence of Messrs. Nordheimer — through their connections in Europe and the United States — overcame all difficulties, and to them is due, from the citissens of Toronto, a debt of gratitude for many a musical treat during the past thirty -five years. Lord Elgin. In January, 1847, Lord Elgin — two months after his second marriage to Lady Mary Louise Larabton, daughter of Lord Durham — sailed for America in the Cunard steamer Hihernia, and encountered unusually rough weather, the voyage being most uncomfortable. They arrived at Halifax on the 20th, intending to proceed to Montreal by way of Fredericton, but the condition of the roads was not suited to such aa undertakingr, so they re-embarked for Boston, arriving on the 25th. They set out for Montreal the following morning, and reached their destination on the 29th, three days' journey, and took up their abode at Monk lands. He was young and healthy, and could work eighteen hours a day ; possessed an amiable temper, and always a pleasant demeanor, and did not consider it derogatory to his dignity to walk to church. In 1849 the Rebellion Losses Bill was assented to, and riots occurred in consequence in Montreal. After this the seat of Government was removed to Toronto, in 1850. Lord Elgin was very popular in Toronto, and his levees were always well attended. During the summer of that year he gave a f^te champetre at his residence, near where the Central Presbyterian Church now stands, and as the view as far as Queen Street was almost uninterrupted, the entertainment was as pleasant as the name was appropriate. The writer has a pleasant recollection of a cordial greeting and a hearty shake of his hand on that occasion. The garden party given by Ex-Lieutenant-Governor Robinson, on the occasion of the visit of the members of the Biitish Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 49 vast Association, in 1885, showed by the surroundings tb' improvement that has taken place since that time. The beauty of the grounds which surround the present Government House, with its luxurious furniture, and conserva- tory, fragrant with the perfume of rare exotics, contrasts in a striking manner with former times. Toronto Police Force. There were about a dozen of policemen, having as a chief Mr. Samuel Sherwood. The chief, being a quiet, good-natured man, did not insist on any strict regulations as to the dress or discipline of the men. They wore a sort of uniform, but without uniformit;^-, except in one respect — they were uniformly slovenly. Day & Martin's blacking and white gloves were not considered at all necessary; the latter had not come into fashion, and, as to the former, the men might say as to their boots what was generally said as to waggons and carriages, that if the mud was taken off they would be just as dirty in a short time again. It could not be wondered at, that in a city so celebrated for mud as Toronto, the buggies were allowed to remain for months in a dirty condition, when only a short time ago London Punch gives a conversation between a tourist in the Highlands of Scotland and his hostler. The tourist says, "Why haven't you cleaned my carriage, as I told you last night ? " Hostler — " Hech, sir, what for would it need washing ? It will be just the same when you be using it again." There was not much improvement in the Police Force till the appointment of Captain Prince, who, by the introduction of a semi-military style of discipline, brought about a complete revolution in every respect, not only in the dress and dis- cipline of the men, but in the selection of a superior class, both as regards physique and intelligence, forming in a short time a body of police equal to that of any city in the world. The best men selected were from the Irish Constabulary, who had been drilled at the barracks in Phoenix Park, Dublin. 50 Toronto "Callkd Back." First Strike in Toronto. In 1847 the first sewing machine was introduced by Messrs. Walker «Sz; Hutchinson. The tailors in their employment, regarding- this innovation as contrary to all their time-honored ideas of the manufacture of clothing, at once rebelled. Had not the old needle been used by hand since the fig-leaves were made into garments in the Garden of Eden ? Then why should a new-fangled machine be invented to supersede the ancient system ? - The machine was only in use a few days when Messrs. Walker & Hutchinson, finding it so objectionable, agreed to discontinue its use, and handed it over to their men to use it as they thought proper. A day was appointed for the display of their triumph over machinery, and the discarded machine was exhibited on King Street, in the centre of a procession of the workmen, after which it was returned to the manufacturers in New York. The firm, in order to remove every trace of dissatisfaction, treated the men to a banouet, given the same evening. Immigrant Fever. The effects of the potato famine in Ireland were painfully visible in the appearance of the immigrants arriving by Que- bec during the summer. It was estimated that 240,000 had died from starvation in Ireland. It was not that the people who had the means failed to stretch out the hand of charity. Wonderful acts of liberality and self-denial occurred, but the whole means of Ireland were inadequate to support her desti- tute poor. The British ships were too few to carry over the provisions necessary to save human life. Then every English heart, while looking with terror at the future, throbbed with sympathy for their dying brethren, and the relief distributed was received with the liveliest gratitude — the writer's brother, being one of the '• relief " agents appointed by the Government, related * } Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 51 many instances of a most touching ?^iaracter in his district and towards himself personally. Enormns sums were subscribed to relieve the distressed. Noble and fearless men ventured into the haunts of famine aud distress, and examined the ovil before trying to remedy it. In the hour of calamity all differences of creed were laid aside, and the Roman and English priests met at the bed of the dying, joining in administering temporal and spiritual aid to the sutierers ; and, by a kind Providence, a fine summer and better crops gradually brought about a better state of things. The late Hon. W. E. Forster, when a young man, represented the Society of Friends in Ireland during the terrible famine, and his services as a distributer of relief earned for him the love and gratitude of many a suffering soul, though it was his strange fortune forty years later to be regarded as the '^^ orst enemy of Ireland. When the world was horrined by the Phoenix Park murders, it came out on the trial of the assassins that Mr. Forster had been selected as another victim, so that, notwithstanding the respect and veneration with which the young Quaker had been regarded by the peasantry while engaged in the merciful work of relieving hunger and soothing the pillow of death in 1846, yet the same peasantry held the kind-hearted, though firm and bluff Chief Secretary in utter execration, and taught their children to curse him as the representative of blood-and-iron tyranny. As the result of imperfect nourishment and other causes, the emigrants who left for America were decimated by ship fever, and hundreds were buried at Grosse Isle, below Quebec, who died on board the ships or at the quarantine station. There were many cases in Toronto, and in attending these Bishop Power and Dr. Grasett contracted the disease, from which they both died, while faithfully and fearlessly discharg- ing their duties. 52 ToKONTO "Called Back," Bathing. Before the Esplanade was formed a favorite place for a swim was off Rees' wharf, nearly opposite the Parliament Buildings, and other quiet spots along the shore of the Bay. Here, on a fine summer's morning, many of the leading mer- chants and clerks from King Street might be seen indulging in the healthy exercise. The only restriction was as to time, there being none as to dress. No person was allowed to bathe after seven o'clock, before which time it was perfectly legal. By those of us who had been accustomed to "disport beneath the crested wave" on the Atlantic Coast, in puris natiiralibus, the privilege was highly appreciated and enjoyed. One morning the writer chose a spot in front of the Com- missariat Depot, which was always guarded by a sentry, who, with fixed bayonet, " walked his lonely round" in front of his box. These sentries appeared to be authorized to enforce the rule as to time. Not knowing it was past seven o'clock, I had quite prepared for a dip, when the sentry advanced a few paces, and, in a very decided tone, said if I went into the water he " would do his duty." Not liking the look of the cold steel, and thinking that in this case discretion was the better part of valor, I quickly dressed, and apologizing for having mistaken the hour, beat a retreat. Great Fire on King Street in 1849. This fire originated eastward of the Cathedral, and spread rapidly as far as Jarvis Street, and northward to Adelaide, then across to the old City Hall and market, all of which were speedily consumed. The Rectory of St. James escaped, but the Cathedral, taking fire from some sparks which lodged on the spire, was entirely consumed. One bucket of water would have extinguished it when first discovered, but there was no \v ..y of reaching it, the fire hose being quite inadequate for the pur- pose. The writer distinctly recollects the falling of the spire. o4 Toronto "Called Back." When the fire had done its work, and the crash became inevit- able, it was supposed the spire would fall outwards, and the spectators kept a lon<^ way off, when, to the surprise of every one, it fell almost perpendicularly, top foremost, the vane on the top striking the Aug at the front door. The buildings on the opposite side were badly scorched, but escaped destruction. Establishment of Celebration of Queen's Birthday. To Toronto belongs the honor of having first inaugurated this celebration. In the year when every throne in Europe was shaken, when Louis Philippe and his illustrious Queen were driven by the mob from the Tuilleries, and every vestige of royalty on which the latter could lay their ruthless hands was destroyed, and vvhen in disguise the royal pair escaped to England as a haven of refuge, never did our noble Queen sit more firmly on her throne ; and the feeling of loyalty appeared to be intensified by the surrounding contrast. At that time it was proposed to celebrate her birthday in Toronto, but it was not till the following year that it was fully kept, and shortly afterwards it was mp' a legal holiday, other cities having taken the matter up and tollowed the example set by Toronto. In 1850 Monsieur !Napheygi, Secretary to the celebrated Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot and orator, who had visited Toronto, assisted in the celebration of Her Majesty's birthday by a grand display of fire-works in front of the Par- liament Buildin2:s. - First Retail Dry Goods Store on Yonge Street. Up to 1849 the retail dry goods trade was confined to King Street, and to a very limited portion of that street. The only dry goods sold on Yonge Street were in connection with groceiies, in a store kept by Mr. James Leask, one door south of Queen Street. ^ i Mr. John Macdonald, having decided to start a store, with the TOIION'TO FROM 1S47 TO 1 8o7. o.> enterprise and pluck which hns characterized all his movements, decided to try the experiment of an exclusively dry i^'oods h\\>\- ness, and in a short time was doinij a thriving trade one door south of Richmond Street, then known as the "Large 103," that being the number on the street at that time, and the figures conspicuously painted in front of the building. The result of this venture is referred to in the chapter on the Model Wholesale Dry Goods Warehouse of the Dominion. irl SELLING ON THE STERLING COST, The system of selling at an advance on the sterling cost gave buyers the privilege of inspecting the invoice books before the arrival of the goods, and if the buyer knew of spe- cial cheap lines, and wished to favor a particular customer, these lots were selected beforehand, and laid aside as soon as opened. In this way Mr. Macdonald secured many a lot which, by judicious advertising, he brought before the attention of the public, and soon acquired the reputation of selling cheap goods. The population of Toronto in 1847 was 21,050. Total assessment, £122,981, or 8591,924; total expenditure, £7,288, or ^29,152. The total importations to Toronto in 1848 were £197,225 os. 3d., equal to $788,901.05. The same year Montreal imported goods valued at £1,603,027 17s. 9d., or 86,452,111.55, or nearly eight times as larj^e as Toronto. In 1849 Toronto showed value imported to be £326,863 17s. 9d., or 81,307,455.55, and Montreal £1,236,533 6s. 3d., or 84,946,133.25, Toronto having within the year brought the pro- portion as compared with Montreal from one-eighth to about one-fourth. ! '1 56 Toronto "Called Back." Business Houses in Toronto, 1847-1850. \ WHOLESALE DDT QOOD8. Bowes &, HalL ■yBryce, McMurrlch & Co. John £wart, jun. & Co. Henry Fowler. (lilmour & Coulson. '* William McMaater. Moifatt, Murray & Co. P. J. O'Neill. W. L. Perrin & Co. John Robertson. Ross, Mitchell & Co. Taylor & Stevenson. -•' Shaw, Turnbull & Co. Topping & Brown. R. Wightman & Co. '! 1. RETAIL DRY GOODS. '^ John Macdonald. -^ P. Patersoo. Betley & Kay. J. Carmichael. Edward Cooper. ' Wil'iam Creighton. . John Eastwood. Arthur Lepper. Walker & Hutchinson. Robert Sargant & Co. George Bilton. Richard Hastings. Walter Macfarlane. .; . Scott & Laidlaw. Hughes & Co. Thomas Lailey. Charles Robertson. John Ritchsy, jun. J. R. Mountjoy. G. B. Wylie. J. Charlesworth. WHOLESALE OBOOEBS. A. V. Brown. Thomas Brunskill. x^ WHOLESALE nUOCKRS — Co7ttiH1ie'l. Fitoh k Matthews. B. Torrancs & Co. F. & O. Perkins. George Munro. /# Whitlemore, Rutherford & Co. RETAIL GROCERS. Alexander Ogilvy & Co. A. M. Smith. K. M. Sutherland. Richard Yates. HARDWARE MERCHANTS. John Harrington. Rice Lewis. «> T. Haworth. T. D. Harris.— ' j Ridout Bros. ^^ Darling Bros.' Hayes liros. ! • ^ P. Paterson Sl Co. ^ t DRUGGISTS. Neil C. Love. Jogeph Beckett & Co. Lymun Bros.& Co. W. H Doel.,^ Hugh Miller. ' J. C, Bettri.lge. » JEWELLERS. Rossin Bros. , E. M. Morphy. George Savage. i J. G. Joseph. . _ ■- - Henry Jackson. . FCURIERS. V, Joseph Rogers. John Salt. J. G. Joseph. ^^ J, Bastedo. ' ivtinnt'f. d&Co. ' - 1 1 i , # 'i. "s ' V , i V ' ■ i 1 / :.-i'^*t.^iii&fi? THOMAS THOMPSON, ESQ., " The Maiden,' lioscdalc. I '1^ Toronto fkom 1847 to 1857. 67 CHINA AND EARTHENWARE. Patton & Co. H. F. Norris. HIDES AND LEATHER. James Beaty. >♦ MERCHANT TAILORS. G. & T. Bilton. Richard Score. C. & W. Walker. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. A. & S. Nordheinier. BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS. Brewer, McPhail & Co. Thomas Maclear. Henry Rowsell. Hugh Scobie. A. H. Armour & Co. BOOTS AND SHOEfi. Edward Dack, Brown & Lhilda. WATCHMAKERS. J. E. Ellis. William Bell. CLOTHIERS AND OUTFITTERS. Thomas Thompson. Evans & Hamilton. FANCY GOODS. James Skelton. SADDLERY HARDWARE. Alexander Dixon. "^ MANUFACTURERS. STOVES. J. R. Armstrong. G. H. Cheney & Co. PAPER. John Taylor & Brother. FURNITURE. Jacques & Hay. IRONFOUNDEB. James Good. STEAM MILLS. Gooderham & Worts. •, SOAP AND CANDLES. P. & R. Coate, Peter Freeland. STARCH. J. A. Cull. PIANOS. •John Thomas. GLUE. Peter R. Lamb. AXi!.6. Samuel Shaw. ' It is worthy of note that the residences of all the leadino- men whose names are given were all south of Queen Street, except one or two who lived on that street. This will give a good idea of the improvement that has taken place in this respect. 5 ly ■■'.» It' 1 68 Toronto "Called Back." The upper stratum of society was decidedly refined and in- tellectual, and not by any means as exclusive as some have represented it. Nothing so invidious in class distinctions existed as was found in Montreal up to a late period, when the line was distinctly drawn between wholesale and retail mer- chants, and in other ways the " upper ten " principle strictly carried out. The number of churches in Toronto at this time was 21, divided as follows : — 4 Episcopal ; 1 Presbyterian Church of Scotland ; 4 Wesleyan ; 1 Presbyterian Church of Canada ; 2 Congregational ; 1 United Presbyterian ; 1 Methodist New Connexion ; 1 Catholic Apostolic ; 1 Primitive Methodist ; 2 Baptist ; 1 Disciples ; 2 Roman Catholic. A Tour of Observation. Before deciding on settling in Toronto, the writer took a trip to New York to consult with his friend and companion of the previous seven years, Mr. Edward Martin, who had preceded him, and had, like Mr. A. T. Stewart, brought out a stock of Irish embroideries, then giving employment to thousands of girls all over Ireland, and sold all over the world. My friend continued in the same trade, adding lace goods when the embroidery business fell off, and retired quite recently with a large fortune. It was thought best that I should make a tour of several of the states as far west as Ohio, then the most rising and pros- perous state in the west. Returning by the New York Central, all the large towns were visited up to Buffalo, and then Erie and Cleveland were reached by steamer. From the latter place, dqwn to Cincinnati, the only mode of travelling was either by the stages or canal boats drawn by horses. There appeared to be nothing, either in the manners of the people met with or the mode of doing business, to induce me to settle on that side of the line. Being invariably taken for an Englishman, and addressed as Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 59 "stranger," I found that an Englishman was more of a foreigner than one of any other nationality. There were whole villages in Ohio owned by Germans or Dutch, on the communistic principle, and no English spoken. Apropos of speaking languages I may mention that having an uncle, who was an elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church, stationed near Syracuse, on my way through I called to see him. Having two daughters at a large school in the centre of the state of New York, he wished me to go and see them. The distance to drive being about twenty miles, we stopped to rest with one of my uncle's parishioners, and in conversation with the lady of the house she asked me whether I had spoken the English language before I came to America. At once perceiving that her question was put on account of my being a native Irishman, I answered her accordingly. Having seen persons from different parts of Europe in that country, and all speaking their own language, she naturally thought I should know mine. We found my cousins boarding with the family of the sheriff of the county, and the lady herself busy with a broom, after using which to good purpose she was soon ready to entertain us in her drawing-room. " Helps " being hard to find, most of the ladies were obliged to help themselves. Being everywhere reminded that I was now in a free country, I have frequently regretted not having crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky, where slavery was in full vigor, and human chattels were bought and sold every day ; and never having ex- perienced any particular oppression in the country from which I had recently come, I failed to appreciate the advantages of the freedom of which I was so constantly reminded as existing in the United States. Describing the gaiety going on in Washington while slavery existed there at this time, Whittier writes : Pitying God ! Is this a woman On whose wrists the shackles clash 9 Is that shriek she utters human, Underneath the stinging lash ? i* 60 Toronto "Called Back." Are they men whose eyes of mjidness From that sad procession flash ? Still the dance goes gaily onward — What is it to wealth and pride That w. '"out the stars are looking On a scene which earth should hide That the slave ship lies in waiting, Rocking on Potamac's tide ? j| This being the year in which Louis Philippe and his accom- plished consort were driven from the Tuilleries, and every vestige of royalty ruthlessly destroyed, and Lamartine & Co. had established the Republic of " Liberie, egalite, et fraternite' in France, additional favor seemed to have been given to these principles. While there was much to admire in the apparent absence of poverty, and a good degree of prosperity which seemed to exist, and an appearance of greater equality amongst all classes the further west I went, it was plainly seen that distinctions still existed and society was divided into classes, as in every other community. There were some illiterate and others educated, some rude and rough in manners, others more refined and cultured. To judge of the manners of the people at the table cChdte of the best hotel in Cleveland at the time, and compare them with those seen at present, the decision must be, that a marvellous im- provement has taken place, as well as in all other western cities. This being the place where a stranger has the best oppor- tunity of remarking the habits of people, my first impression was one of surprise that so little time should be devoted to table enjoyment. When the gong sounded there was a perfect rush, and a grab at everything that could be reached. Vege- tables of all kinds, with pickles, were mixed up, and made to disappear before the waiters had time to present the bill of fare, and then fish, flesh and fowl were taken on the same plate, with a variety of puddings and pies ; all of which were conveyed to the mouth with the knife, the fork only doing duty while the i Toronto from 1847 to 1857. Gl meat was beinf; cut ; and by the time a person not in a hurry got through with his soup, and was discussinj^ the bill of fare, the table was half empty, and almost entirely so by the time the substantials were reached. The most surprising thing was to And these people after- wards quietly sitting round, apparently having abundance of time on their hands. On returning to Canada a trip was taken to Quebec, includ- ing a short stay at the principal towns and cities en route. Were it possible for a large proportion of the per.sons leaving the British Islands to postpone their decision as to their desti- nation till they had travelled through the principal States of the Union, and over a portion of this Dominion, it can scarcely be doubted that by far a larger number would prefer Canada. But as, either through correspondence with friends, or the representations of interested agents, nearly all decide as to the place of their future settlement, they lose the advantage to be gained by actual observation. This delightful trip, entirely by water on the lake and river steamers, could not fail to make a favorable impression. No longer addressed as " stranger," I everywhere found friends, and a thorough " home " feeling was constantly experienced, till on my return to Toronto there was no hesitation as to making it my future home. 'f|- First Return Visit to Europe. The passage to England, on the Cunard steamer Niagara, in the winter of 1849-50 was a m'^ ^t perilous one. When on the Banko of Newfoundland we found ourselves suddenly sur- rounded by immense fields of ice, which increased so rapidly that in a few hours the man at the mast-head sang out, "Nothing but ice all around ! " Having Her Majesty's mails on board, Capt. Leitch was not to be kept long in such a position, and having consulted with his officers, determined to push through. Orders were given to go ahead at half -speed, and after several hours of bumping and grinding, that was terrible to witness. I il ! I !i I il pi ¥ i lil <)2 Toronto "Called Back." the cry came from aloft, " Clear water ahead ! " and on getting out of the ice we found the grand vessel almost as helpless as a log on the water. Every float on both paddle-wheels had been literally torn to pieces, except six, and these vessels not being rigged for sailing, like the modern screw steamers, there was no prospect of progress from that quarter. With the foresight which has characterized the Cunard Line from the commencement, duplicate floats were on board, and the carpenter's crew, in spite of the rolling of the vessel, in a comparatively short time had all the floats replaced, and we were soon again under full steam for Liverpool. Shortly after arriving in London a partnership was formed with Mr. James Stevenson, with whom I had lived for several years in Dublin, and who was then residing in London, as buyer and manager with Munt, Brown Sz Co., Wood Street, London, Luton and Dunstable. Mr. Stevenson came to Toronto in the following spring. Windsor Castle. " Imperial dome of Edward, wise and brave ! Wliere warlike Honor's brightest banners wave. The royal piles that rise elate, "With many an antique tower in massy state." Never having seen Her Majesty the Queen, I expressed a wish to visit Windsor with that object, and accompanied by my brother, who was buyer for the house of Brown, Davis k Halse> of Gresham Street, and afterwards for Cook Sons & Co., St. Paul's Church Yard, went down to that historical town. We knew by the Royal Standard floating from the Castle tower that Her Majesty was at home, and after inspecting the portions of the Castle accessible to visitors during the Queen's residence there, and St. George's Chapel, and getting a splendid view of the surrounding country from the top of the tower, we had not yet seen any indication of the Queen's appearance, and were returning to the railway station to take the first train for London, when, while walking in a private street, without a single person in sight, we heard the noise of horses' feet, and i: ! • I I v\\ .ll it Ml i^^^ Hi: :fl inn WINDSOR CASTLE. H , Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 65 presently an equery in royal livery came in view, and immedi- ately afterwards the Queen and Prince Albert, in an open carriage and pair, enjoying a quiet drive. We, of course, un- covered our heads, and in return had a most gracious bcw and smile from Her Majesty, Prince Albert at the .same time "i> ising his hat in response to our salutation. This was an opportunity seldom enjoyed, even by r.. "dents of London, and often earnestly desired by Americans, and although having seen Her Majesty frequently afterwards, no sight on state occasions was so gratifying as this one. i . 1 Oommencement of Commercial Travelling in Canada. In 1850 the firm of Taylor & S^-^venson was established, and their business carried on at tL c. ler of Yonge and Col- borne Streets, in the building la"- !y c 'pied by Messrs. Buntin, Reid & Co., now the Trader's B^ik banding. It was then newly built, and was one of the finest vs "chouses in the city. Mr. Stevenson having had xtensive connections with all the straw goods manufacturers i. 1 ondon and Bedfordshire, that trade was made a .leading branch. The first importations of these goods, in the spring of 1851, were the largest that had ever been made into Canada, and having sent out circulars, we had buyers from Windsor in the west to Brockville in the east. The whole importations were closed out in a few weeks,' and such was the quantity to be entered and packed that all hands were obliged to work for several weeks every night, except Saturday, till 2 or 3 o'clock, so as to get the goods forwarded within a reasonable time. To obviate this in future, the idea of taking the orders beforehand and shipping the goods direct soon took shape, and in the fall of that year samples were got out from the leading manufacturers, and the writer undertook to travel for orders. After the close of navigation there was only one regular mode of travelling. Weller's line of Mail Stages left daily for Mont- real and Quebec, and in this way the writer, who was the first commercial traveller in Canada, started from Toronto. m M Toronto "Called Back." :' h m <\ J In these days of Pullman cars and commercial hotels, to hear travellers complain of the discomforts and annoyances is rather amusing to those who have ploughed through mud and slush, sometimes carrying rails off the fences to " pry " the wheels of the stages out of the ruts, and again, in snow, carrying shovels to dig out the horses when large drifts were encountered ; all which is known to the writer by actual experience. The accommodation for baggage for nine or ten passengers consisted of a " rack " at the back of the stage, so that baggage trunks and 300 lbs. weight of samples were never even thought of up to the time of the opening of the railroads. To meet this difficulty the writer had his samples sent out in miniature models, so small that samples representing thousands of dozens, for which he actually took orders, could all be carried in a small valise. The experiment was a great success; the goods were all packed in England to the various marks, and in the spring of 1852 were shipped in bulk to the various merchants, from Quebec to Windsor, or sent to Toronto for distribution. During that fall not a single traveller was met on the whole road, but the following season a gentleman appeared as a com- petitor from a New York house, and one or two others, amongst them Mr. Darling, of Montreal, in the hardware trade, and Mr. D. B. Maedonald, in fancy dry goods. The summer trips by steamers were very pleasant, but in the winter there was nothing but hardships, and in crossing the ice at different points very great danger. My rule was, that wherever the mail driver would venture I would go. On one occasion, in crossing from Belleville to Picton, the ice had melted, and in the whole distance across the Bay of Quinte no ice could be seen — the horses being almost knee deep in water. Again, in crossing from Kingston to Cape Vincent with four horses in the Mail Stage, and a heavy mail with a large number of passengers, where the ice was cracking, the horses had to "jump the cracks." Many rivers and canals were crossed in this way. One adventure on the road will give an idea of snow drifts. 1 !•; i ill Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 67 The town of Brockville was always to me, whether in summer or winter, a delightful r. sting-place, a sort of oasis in my travels from east to west, or vice versa. Young men away from home in a new country will appreciate my feelings when I say, that to find a sort of Canadian home, when a young traveller, was indeed a delightful feeling. Here I always rested for a few days amongst my friends — the Hon. George and Messrs. John and James Crawford and their connections, and especially Mr. Sheriff Sherwood, and the late Hon. John Ross, whom I had the pleasure of meeting there frequently. In the winter of 1853 I arrived there from the East in a heavy snow storm ; it was the 23rd of December, and I wished to get to Toronto by Christmas Day. On the 24th the Mail Stage came along, and having supplied ourselves with wooden shovels, we started for Kingston. Having got on a few miles we found the drifts getting worse, and after repeated efforts in literally digging the horses out, we were compelled to put Vip at a small tavern on the road side, and here, with bitter regrets at my folly in not remaining at Brockville, where I might have spent a pleasant Christmas, we were com- pelled to remain all Christmas Day. In the meantime the pathmasters had been notified by mes- sengers that the track must be opened at their peril to allow Her Majesty's Mails to proceed. On the 26th we again started, having much the same shovel- ling as before, when, having got on a few miles, we heard the sound of the down stage's horn, and knew the track had been broken, and arrived in Kingston in a reasonable time. The formation of the Commercial Travellers' Association followed soon after the opening of the railroads, and has grown to immense proportions, as the annual reports of the various associations now existing abundantly show. In the last year (1874) in which the writer travelled in con- nection with the Toronto Association, his orders taken, in the United States and Canada, with some assistance, represented close on half-a-million dollars, and during the year scarcely a day was lost. With the comforts and facilities afforded by the If ll I I ii Hi I 68 Toronto " Called Back." Pullman and VVap^ner cars, enabling' travellers to work all day and travel at niffht, and the best hotels on the Continent competing for the patronage of the commercial travellers, the occupation has become, from being a drudgery, quite a pleasant life. Having served a good apprenticeship, and then given a son to succeed me in the Association, anything connected with com- mercial travelling is still a matter of great interest. Toronto in 1850. FINANCIAL AFFAIRS. RKVENCK. £ Assessment 8,540 Rental 3,417 Fees 1,325 Licenses 994 Drainage 150 Fees & Arrears of Taxes. 2,366 Cash on hand 530 d, £17,322 14 or $69,290 80 KXPE.S'DITCRE. Interest Salaries Koads . . Gas Fire Redemption of City Notes Use of County Jail .... Ward Appropriation .... Incidental Police Ex- penditure Printing and Stationery. Coroner's Expenses .... Miscellaneous Es^' mated Revenue over jiixpenditure £ 8. d 4,800 2,875 1,355 1,277 7 4 1,600 850 600 500 (t 110 280 115 2,994 16 6 8 £17,322 14 or §69,290 00 CITY DEBT. £ 8. Debentures 67,372 15 Corporation Notes 17,346 15 Sundries 2,444 14 I ASSETS. d. I £ 8. 6 Outstanding Rents, Fees, Debts, Taxes and 8 ' Cash on hand 2,436 9 Leaving to be paid 84,727 16 d. £87,184 5 2 or $348,737 04 ' £87.184 6 2 or?348,737 04 Toronto from lb47 to lb57. PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. 69 AthenoDUin and Commercial News Room. Mechanics' Institute. Post Office. Telegraph Office. University (old building). Upper Canada Col lego. Osgoode Hall. Parliament Buildings. The following newspaper, were published : Brit'iNh Colovist, Christian Guardian, Daily Patriot and Ejprcas, Globe, North American^ Canada Gazette, Church, Examiner, Mirror, Watcli- man. It will be seen that of all the papers published in 1850, only two continue, the Globe and Christian Guardian, the latter being the oldest established weekly paper ir Upper Canada. Prominent Men in 1850. ALPHABETICALLY ENUMERATED. bi'. W. T. AikiiiB. Hon. R Baldwin. F. W. Barioii, Principal U. G. College. M. Barrett, First Ewjlinh Master, U. C. College. Charles Berczy, Postmaster. Hon. W. H. Blake, Chancellor. \V. H. Boulton, M.P.P. Hon. Col. Bruce, Sec'y and A.D.G to Earl of Elgin. Hon. R. E. Burns, Judge. Joliu Cameron, Cashier Commercial Bank. Hon. R. E. Caron, Speaker Legislative ( 'onncU. W, G. Cassells, Manager Bank o/B. X. Aiwrica. H. H. Croft, Prof, of Chemistry and Vice- Chancel lor of University. R. G. Dcilton, Banister. Lieut -Colonel DeSalaberry, Deputy AdjiUant-Oeneral. I Hon. \V. H. Draper, Judge (Jueen's \ Bench. J. C. P. Eaten, Vice- Chancellor. '■ George Gurnett, Clerk of the Peace. Rev. Anaon Green, Wesleyan Book Steward. Hon. Francis Hincka, Inspector-Geniral. J. G. Hodgins, Secretary of Education Department. J. G. Howard, Architect. W. B. Jarvis, Sheriff. Hon. L. H. L&iontaiine,Attorney-General Hon. Jas. Leslie, Provincial Secretary. Hon. J. B. Macauley, Chief Justice. W. F. Mendell, Collector of Customs. Rev. John McCaul, LL.D., President University. A. T. McCord, City Chamberlain. Hon. Archibald McLean, Judge. E. J. Palmer, Dagiierrean A7-tist. Hon. J. H. Price. Commissioner Crown Lond.-i. 70 Toronto "Called Back.'" !1 ! Rev. Bishop Power. William Proudfoot, President Bank of Upper Canada. T. G. Ridout, Cashier Bank of Upper Canada. Hon. J. B. Robinson, Chief Justice. Dr. John Rolph. Rev. Egerton Ryerson, Chief Siipt. of Education. Rev. Henry Soadding, First Classical Master U. C. College. Hon. Henry Sherwood, Barrister. J. G. Spragge, Vice-Chancellor. G. W. Strathy, Professor of Music. Hon, and Right Rev. John Sfcrachan^ Lord Bishop of Toronto. Hon. E. P. Tache, Receiver-General. John F. Taylor, Clerk and Master in Chancery. Kivas Tully, Architect and GioH En- gineer. Wm. Wedd, Third Classical Master U. C. College. Hon. C. Widmer, Surgeon. Rev. M. Willis, D.D., Prof DivinUy^ Knox College. William Wilson, Cashier Bank of Mont- real. In 1850, the principal streets running east and west were Front, King, Richmond, Adelaide and Queen ; running north and south were Yonge, Church, Bay and York. These were the most thickly settled and best business portions of the city. The two principal thoroughfares, and the streets containing the largest number of shops, were King and Yonge. A little eastward of the centre of the citv were situated the Market Building and City Hall. The old City Hall was a decent, old-fashioned pile of red brick, the front of which was. on King Street. Beneath and behind was the Market, walled in, and enclosed with gates. After the fire the new City Hall, the present one, was erected of white brick, opposite the Market Square, and running down towards the Bay, This is a very strange looking building, and it was unfortun- ate for the reputation of the architect employed that he had not left the Province before he completed the building, instead of afterwards. The old City Buildings having been destroyed in the great fire, a magnificent pile of buildings were erected in their place, called the St. Lawrence Hall and St. Lawrence Buildings. At this time the St. James' Cathedral was in the course of erection; Knox Church, Holy Trinity, and St. Michael's had been built. W. H. Smith says of Toronto in 1850 : — " Let a traveller. Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 71 starting from Montieal on a summer trip, proceed westward till he arrives at Toronto. He sees a city,* which he is told fifty years ago was a swamp, with street beyond street and building after building. He sees town lots selling for £10,000 an acre where thirty or forty years ago flourished a garden ; a magnificent church being erected where an old settler told him he once shot wild ducks.'* In connection with the old Mechanics' Institute it should be recorded that Mr. Robert Edwards was the polite and obliging Secretary for many years, and it is also due to the memory of Mr. John Harrington to state that it was chiefly through h's exertions and the liberality of the citizens that the proser! Free Library building was erected. The Music Hall in the upp^r part was, for years, the principal place for concerts, lectures and various exhibitions, and many celebrated men appeared from time to time on its platform, including Wilkie Collins, Proctor, Pepper, Punshon and many others. Important public meetings were held, and public balls and banquets took place in this Hall, for any of which its capacity would be insufficient at the present time. The office of the Express Company, styled the European, United States and Canadian Express Company, was on Front Street, and James Burns was agent. Bonding System via United States. In the spring of 1848 there were no new spring goods shown in Toronto till the middle of May, on the opening of navigation. The arrival of sailing vessels, which then conveyed all freight to Quebec, was looked for with great anxiety. The ladies, in the meantime, were compelled to wear their last spring bonnets, dresses and mantles, and the retail dry goods men had a chance of selling off" their old stock from the previous season. The effect of this was that when the goods arrived in Toronto the country storekeepers, who awaited the event, came in a body to the city, and at seven o'clock in the morning it was no unusual sight to see as many as thirty or forty on the street, awaiting ■' i ■ ft ! ; hi 1 ll'.l: 72 Toronto "Called Back.' n t!i I f \ the openino; of the warehor.ses, and ready ♦^.o grab at the tirst lot of goods they could get their hands on — styles and prices being considered a natter of no importance: they wanted British and foreign dt-y goods, and were determined to have them. Tiiere was no time for making prices ; that was to follow after the rush, and each man filled his locker or bunk with an indiscriminate collection, subject to revision on the first opportunity. When, perhaps, his neighbor's back was turned, to make a fair exchange was considered no robbery, should he happen to spy a chance lot of something he coveted in his neighbor's bunk. As the goods were sold at sterling prices, with a certain advance added, the invoice book was then called into requisition, and goods entered accordingly. In this way the whole importations were generally pretty well cleared out in B, few weeks, and as the country merchants were supposed to have laid in their whole season's stock, the wholesale houses had a quiet time in the warehouse after this, however it might be in the countincj house, the financing followino- such a sys- tern requiring much tact and ingenuity. This state of things could not continue with the increasing demand for early spring goods, and something must be done in the way of improvement. While British and foreign goods were arriving at Boston or New York weekly, Canadian merchants were debarred from getting any of their importations from these ports via the American railroads, there being no law to permit it. The firm of Hill, Sears & Co., of Boston, a branch of the London firm of Alfred Hill & Co., succeeded by Thomas Mea- dows & Co., seeing a prospect of getting hold of the Canadian business, supported by the Montreal and Toronto wholesale houses, undertook to make arrangements for a bonding system, aiud after some negotiations with the Government at Wash- ington were successful in their object. In the spring of 1852, permission was given to allow goods for Canada to pass through on the bonding system, at present in operation. The writer, with representatives of two other wholesale houses, spent a week in New York with brokers at the Custom House, completing the arrangements for the despatch of the first goods III >i Toronto froiM 1847 to 1857. 73 liy that route, and after many days' delay on the road, a large lot of goods, comprising the bulk of the spring imports, arrived at Oswego. Toronto Bay was then frozen solid, and as merchants east, west and north were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the goods, there was no other course but to make a channel for the steamer Admiral to get out. This was accomplished by sawing the ice from Yonge Street to the Queen's wharf, and in this way the spring goods arrived comparatively early. First Great World's Pair. The year 1851 was remarkable for the grand project of Prince Albert to assemble a display of the industrial resources of the world. Subscriptions were raised, men of science were chosen to form a committee, and a colossal palace of glass was erected from a design suggested by Mr. (afterwards Sir) Joseph Paxton, head ofardener to the Duke of Devonshire, at Chatsworth. The building from which the design was taken was the smallest of the conservatories of the " Palace of the Peak," and contained the celebrated Victoria Regia lily. When the great palace was built in Hyde Park, a mighty bazaar of nations was summoned. Nor was the summons unavailing. Before the opening Lon- don was crowded with foreigners and native visitors, all anxious to enter the wonderful dome. Even immense London could not aftbrd accommodation for the throngs that poured in ; people walked the streets through the night or slept in cabs, unable to procure a bed. And who that witnessed it can ever forget the opening scene? Her Majesty, in the pride of beauty and glory and domestic happiness, looking around on the representatives of all nations, while the Venerable Archbishop of Canterbury pronounced his benediction on that meeting of the nations in peace and pros- perity. Then day by day poured into that fancy palace the strangely mixed crowd of voluble Frenchmen, grave Germans, sharp Americans, active, monkey-like Chinamen, and sensual-looking ' 1 1 i •' ;• is j<" ,■■ r ii?: ■ <'t\ •'^: 1 ' • 1 ! ¥ i 1 74 Toronto "Called Back." Turku ; while the rustics, who had never travelled beyond their native village, gazed with astonishment, and even with awe, as they entered the lofty t'-n^^nsept, which actually enclosed tall elm trees, and where the tropical plants, the fountains, the statuary, and the rich fabrics of India, realized the tale of the " Arabian Nights," and seemed the work of enchantment. The building was afterwards removed to Sydenham, and was greatly enlarged so as to form the now celebrated Crystal Palace. At this exihibition Canada was well represented, and obtained a large number of prizes and medals. t Wi V 1 Turning the First Sod of the Northern Railway. On October 15th, 1851, the first sod of the Northern Railway was turned by Lady Elgin, assisted by Mayor Bowes, nearly opposite the Parliament Buildings. Mayor Bowes was in full official ' r^stume — cocked hat and sword, knee breeches, silk stockin^fa, and shoes with steel buckles. The earth dug by her ladyship, with a beautiful silver spade, was taken by His Worship a short distance in an oak wheel- barrow, the whole ceremony --reai) .^ great interest. Mr, F. C. Capreol had so .ar seen nis much ridiculed scheme carried into ^f^'^at. No lonf'or iai!i::hed at and spoken of as " Mad Capreol," as the writer hps ofteii neard him called, he had shown great method in his madness. Having been a fellow-passenger with him when crossinrd, charcoal, broom corn and wool are admitted at 2| per cent. ; aiid, still further, as if this were not sufficient, we extend ci..' libe^'aiity and admit pot and pearl ash, wheat and Indiau corn duty free." All dry goods, hardware, etc., f this time paid •& duty of 12^ per cent, ad valorem. % ■T: » i Railway Opening anc" Steamship Contracts. In the fall of 1852 the lor n otive Lady Elgin was tried, on the Gth October, on the Northern Railroad, by order of the Engineer, under whose direction the engine was erected. This was the first locomotive run in Upper Canada. A considerable numbar of persons congregated near the 76 Toronto "Called Back." !-. it' I Queen's wharf to witness the trial, and appeared much pleased with the " iron horse " as he snorted along the track. The rails were laid for about fourteen miles. The contract for the railroad from Toronto to Guelph was given at this time to Messrs. C. S. Gzowski & Co., for £7,408 currency per mile — £355,600 for the whole distance. It was also in 1852 that the contract for the establishment of a line of steamers between Liverpool and the St. Lawrence was completed, the contracting parties being Mr. J. Young, then late Commissioner of Public Works, and Messrs. Kean & McCarthy, the ship owners. The conditions were that Messrs. Kean & McCarthy should keep up a regular line of large and powerful screw steamers to leave Liverpool for the St. Lawerance monthly or fortnightly, while navigation was open, and monthly during ^he winter to Portland ; the maximum passage rates to be £21 sterling, first- class ; £12 12s,, second-class ; and £6 Gs., ihird-class. These steamers began to run the following spring. Two years later the contract was annulled, and an arrange- ment made with the firm of Edmonstone, Allan & Co., of Mon- treal. The small fleet of the last named company has since developed into ihe line well known as the Allan Line of Trans- Atlantic Steamships. At this time Toronto had begun to display a rapidity of growth and stability^ produced by wholesome enterprise, both encouraging and remarkable. In describing its appearance in 1852 it was said that such strides had been taken in improve- ment that the effect produced on the mind of a stranger, when entering the bay and viewing the city from the deck of a steamer, was very pleasing and striking. In the e v ening the spires and domes, lighted up with the rays of the setting sun, the dark woods at the back, and the numerous handsome vi'las which flanked the bay, combined in creating an effective coup d'ceil. A most prominent object at the eastern end was the jail, by no means a picturesque or prepossessing one, but still might be taken as an indication of the generally substantial and appro- s. pleased riie rails Iph was • £7,408 iment of nee was hen late Carthy, Y should imers to inicfhtly, inter to ng, first- These irrange- af Mon- as since f Trans- id ity of se, both ance in nprove- r, when 3k of a ling the ing sun, te vi'las ^e coup jail, by light be appro - f 1 I 4i '11 I' sir M Ml III Toronto fkom 1847 to 1857. 7!) priate character of the buildings, being a solid symmetrical mass of gray lime-stone, sufficiently significant of its purpose — perhaps in the same sense as that in which the traveller stated that he always knew he was in a civilized country when he saw a gibbet ! Be this as it may, the writer has a distinct recollection of seeing two men hung off a platform erected on the west side of the wall which surrounded the building, and which is now replaced by extensive works of the Gas Company. The lighthouse on the point of the peninsula, the Lunatic Asylum, Government Wharf, Parliament Buildings, City Hall, and Trinity Church, all attracted the eye. The sites of the St. James' Cathedral and St. Michael's could also be seen. I , The Industrial Crystal Palace. Exhibitions of the Provincial Agricultural Association of Canada West, incorporated in July, 1847, were held irregularly till 1852. At the close of the Exhibition in Toronto in 1852, it was re- solved to memorialize the Government to appropriate a certain sum of money to purchase land whereon to erect permanent buildinfjs for the holding of their annual exhibitions. To this resolution is due the structure then erected, for in granting to the Corporation of the City of Toronto the fee simple of that portion of the garrison reserve lying immediately south of the Lunatic Asylum, for a public park, the Govern- ment made it a condition that not less than twenty acres should be appropriated for the holding of the Provincial Association's annual exhibitions whenever it might be required for that pur- pose. This condition was accepted by the Council with a liberality which did them honor, at once appropriating £5,000 for the purpose of erecting permanent buildings thereon. On the 15th July, 1852, the corner strme was laid by W. H. Buulton, Mayor, in the presence of a large number of citizens. a ; ,.. j, 1. 1. t I 80 Toronto "Called Back." The band of the Royal Canadian Rifles performed at intervals during the ceremony. The building was afterwards used as a military barracks, and was occupied by the L*3th Hussars, the band of which regi- ment for several years contributed so much to the pleasure of the people of Toronto; and here, in 1860, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was entertained at a public ball. The Anr/lo'American Magazine says: — "Dwelling in a city whose every stone and brick has been placed in its present position under the eyes of many who remember the locality as the sight of primeval woods, the region of swamp ; of some who have seen the lonely wigwam of the Mississauqua give place to the log house of the earlier settler, and this in its turn disappear to be replaced by the substcintial and elegant structures of modern art, — we find we are justified in yielding to the pardon- able if vain desire to tell the wonderful metamorphosis of forty years. " It is meet that we should rejoice over the triumphs of civi- lization, the onward progress of our race, the extension of our language, institutions, taste, manners, customs and feelings. " In no spot within British territory could we find aggregated, in so striking a manner, the evidences of this startling change. In none should we trace, so strongly marked, the imprint of national emigration. In few discover such ripened fruits of successful colonization. " The genius of Britain presides over the destiny of her off- spring. The glory of the empire enshrouds the prosperity of the colony, the noble courage and strength of the lion inspires and protects the industry of the beaver. The oak and the maple unite in their shadows over the breasts that beat in unison for the common weal. " We boast not superior intelligence, we claim not greater or even an equal share of local advantages over the sister cities of our country ; but we assert, in sincerity of belief and injustice to ourselves, a rapidity of growth and a stability produced by wholesome enterprise as encouraging as it is remarkable. " The fine bay in front of the city is formed by the remarkable Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 81 peninsula (this was before the gap was forined) which, com- luencing ut the river Don, stiotchcs away westward, with a singular beml or curve at its western extremity, until it ap- proaches the mainland opposite the garrison. Here a very narrow channel, marked by buoys, admits vessels of almost any tonnage to shelter and safe anchorage. " Over this extended sheet of water may be seen, in summer, many a graceful and tidy little craft, gliding along under the skilful management of the amateur crew — yachting being a favorite amusement and source of recreation to the inhabitants after the toils of the day and the confinement of their occu- pations. A considerable number of steamers, both British and American, arriving and departing almost hourly, and numerous sailing vessels, laden with the produce of the back country or freighted with valuable imports from other lands, impart ani- mation and bustle to the scene, which truly indicates the com- mercial activity of a thriving population ; while the wharves which skirt the bay, with their large warehouses and busy throng of stevedores, porters, carts and cabs, confirm this impression." The assessed value of the property in the Corporation, in 1852, was 812,465,000. The value of dutiable and free goods imported was 82,778,388 ; the exports, 81,036,824. In the past year the beauty of the principal streets had increased very greatly. St. James' Cathedral had been com- pleted, except the spire. This church, built of white brick (for which Toronto has become famous), in the restored style of architecture, was then decidedly the most beautiful amd appro- priate religious structure to be found in Canada. In the order of civil architecture, the Court House, then in course of erection, was considered to be as fine a structure of its own kind as the church. But public buildings may sometimes proceed rapidly, while general distress prevents improvement in domestic archi- tecture. This, however, was not the case in Toronto. A correspondent of the Montreal Herald writes at this time : " Upon King Street we noticed the builders at work in five or . ! IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 2.0 m 1.25 ||U ,,.6 < 6" ► Va / ;> -^ '•^ '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) •72-4503 ^ '^ \ \ [v 82 Toronto "Called Ba.ck." \> v., U t 1 six places, besides observing several new and handsome brick houses, where a year ago wooden ones stood. Our readers who are acquainted with Toronto will remember the corner of Bay and King Streets, which used to be disfigured by some wooden shanties ; these have been completely swept away, to make room for elegant brick houses. While the retailers have been improving their places of business, the wholesale houses have also continued to augment in number and beauty. During the time the Parliament remained in Toronto, between I80O and 1857, many men celebrated in history could be heard to speak. Papineau, W. L. Mackenzie, Cauchon, Cartier, Prince, Merritt, Gugy, Drummond, Dorion, Hincks, D'Arcy McGee, Baldwin, John Sandfield Macdonald, and others. When Mr. McGee rose to speak, the most profound attention prevailed, all admitting the superior charm of his eloquence. No matter what the subject of debate might be, it was invested with new interest, and having at command art, science, poetry and history, his ideas were clothed in most beautiful language, and were full of originality, and given with such a sprinkling of wit and humor as rever failed to delight his listeners. In 1852 Mr. George Brown made his maiden Parliamentary speech, which occupied two hours. On the 28th of December, 1853, Lord Elgin left Toronto, and was succeeded by Sir Edmund Head, in 1854. ' I The Esplanade. It is said that when the Grand Trunk Railway was being built, the Company ofiered to build stone wharves or quays along the front of the city, with iron bridges across the tracks at the principal crossings, and at less than the cost of the present Esplanade, but through the obstructiveness of some, and the squabbling and procrastination of others, of the Corporation, the offer was withdrawn. At present when so much public attention is directed to the proposed new street and general improvement of the city front, it may be interesting to refer to t)ie various schemes proposed IS I Toronto from 1847 to 1857. 85 '1 ■: from 1850 to 1854, and for this purpose we extract a few items from Maclear's Anglo-American Magazine. The "riditor's Shanty" was supposed to be the resort of representative characters, then living under the Sobriquets of the " Doctor," the " Laird," and the " Major." It is only fair to state that Sandford Fleming, C.M.G., C.E., has informed me that he was the writer of these articles in the Canadian Journal, to which he referred me at his residence in Ottawa. These gentlemen met to discuss the current events, and to review the literature of the week. The question of the proposed Esplanade having come up for discussion, the Laird begins : "But, Major, what was ye gaun to say aboot the Toronto Esplanade at our last meetin', when Mrs. Grundy telt us the supper was ready ? I see the newspapers are makin' a great fuss about it now. One day we have a long report from Cum- berland to the Northern Railway directors, another day a letter from the City Surveyor about it, in another it is announced that Gzowski and the Grand Trunk contractors are gaun to make the thing at once. Did ye hear onything mair aboot it V Major — " I was then going to draw your attention to a long letter which appeare^^ in the May number of the Canadian Journal, prior to any of these you have just mentioned, the author of which signs himself ' A Member of the Canadian Institute,' and advocates strongly the importance of making provision for public walks, baths, wash-houses, etc., and sets forth a new plan for the Esplanade, by which the railroads can be brought into the very heart of the city without the necessity of level crossings. I thought at the time that the plan, although probably too costly, and on too grand a scale, was a feasible one, and deserving of more attention than it seems to have received. Since then I am glad to see that the Chief Engineer of the Northern Railway has taken it up, and strongly recommended its adoption, with slight modifications." Laird — " Before we gang any further, I would like to ken the correct meaning of level crossings, for there were nae railroads ••v- i till 'hi i 'Ml 8G •Toronto "Called Back." when I was at schule, maist saxty years syne, and I'm rather particularly concerned in this matter — one of my friends has a water lot near Yonge Street." " Major — " When one railway crosses another on the same horizontal plane, or where a railway crosses a street in the same manner, that is to say, without either being bridged, it is termed a level crossing, and they are th*^ cause of a great many acci- dents." Doctor — " You will recollect, Laird, of that serious collision only a few months ago, near Detroit, when one passenger train ran into another on a level crossing, to the great destruction of life and property. Level crossings have always been a source of danger, and should, at any cost, be avoided, if possible, in crowded thoroughfares." Laird — " I understand it noo. Indeed I thocht it was that, yet I aye like to mak sure ; but I dinna see why the needna gang slower through a town ; there's na use to bias through as if the deil was at their heels." Doctor — " Yes, my good Laird, but there are innumerable chances of danger, however slow the trains may travel, — the locomotives themselves have been known to become unmanage- able and run away. Horses are apt to get frightened, women and children may be overtaken while crossing the tracks, or old gentlemen, like yourself and the Major, who do not hear quite so well as in your younger years, may make even as nar- row escapes as he did at Waterloo." Laird — " Toot, mon, I can hear yon whussle half a mile awa'. I'm no sae deaf as a' that, and maybe there are some older and deafer than me (joking). I'll tell ye, Doctor, gin there be as muckle danger as you say, gentlemen in your profession should keep a calm sough. A broken leg noo and then would aye be mair grist to your mill. I think we'd better cry quits noo, as we're gettin' afF the thread, and I'm anxious to hear aboot this plan of the Major's. It's strange I didna see the letter he spoke of." ■ \ Major — " Indeed, Laird, it's altogether my fault. I lent the Journal for May to a friend of mine, who only returned it a few Toronto from 1847 to 1858. 87 daya ago, but here it is; and, althoufrh the letter is ratlier long, it refers to various other matters, which we may discuss at an- other time. With your permission I will read the letter." Doctor and Laird — " Do. Go on, go on." Major — " There was a lithographed plan which accompanied the letter, and you will have some trouble to understand the letter without it. However, hero goes." [Major reads the letter] : " To the Elditor Canadian Journal, — The water frontage of Toronto, extending over a length of from two to three miles, and up to the present time almost unoccupied, is now about to be used for railway purposes. "Adjoining thereto, and extending about three-fourths of a mile along the south side of Front Street, immediately to the east of the old fort, a tract of land, averaging in width about 100 feet, was some years ago reserved for the public as a pro- menade or pleasure ground, which reserve is also being appro- priated by the railway companies for their own use. "Much has lately been ^written, and far more has been said, regarding the occupation of the water frontage by the railway companies. One party advocates the conversion of every foot of ground now lying waste, into track, brick, and mortar. Another party, with more concern for the healthful recreation of future generations than the convenience of the present, insists on these reserves for pleasure grounds being retained for the purpose they were originally intended to serve. All must admit that the interests of the public and the railway companies are one in the most important particulars, and that every facility should be afforded them in endeavoring to establish their work ; but, if in so doing it be found expedient that these public grounds should be surrendered for the purposes of business — the life and soul of all commercial cities — it ought not to be forgotten that posterity has some claim on the representatives of the public at the present day, and some effort should be made to provide breathing space for those who come after us. " It will indeed be a reproach if, within the limits of the City of Toronto, comprising an area of six square miles, and which, '•i Hi: I ;>' I- i 88 Toronto "Called Back." f' half a century apfo, was just emerging from the wilderness, a few acres be not set apart and held inviolate for these purposes." Doctor — " I quite agree with the writer in many respects. It will indeed be a great reproach if space be not left for a few parks and public walks. She has now, exclusive of the pro- posed Esplanade and Terrace, only one lung for the airing of 40,000 human beings, with almost a certainty of that number reaching 100,000 in ten years. I refer to the College Avenue, a strip of land about half a mile long, by 130 feet wide, and if that be insufficient now for the recreation of the inhabitants, what will it be in ten years hence ? " Laird — "Onybody will admit that the arguments in favor of public works are guid, an' that it's better to hae nae "level crossings," if ye can arrange so as no to hae them, yet if I understand your plan, Major, I dinna think it'll work weel. Look at the number of bridges required to cross the railways, and the trouble it wad be to climb up a slope as high as the tap of a locomotive, just to come doun the other side again, and a' the gudes frae the wharves wad hae to be drawn up to the bridge and doun again to the street, in the same way. I rather think the carters wad gie up work a'thegither." Major — "Ah, Laird, T see you are laboring under a mistake. You have forgotten that Front Street is already about as high as the bridges would require to be, and that slopes would be wanted only from the wharves upward, similar to the present roads from the wharves up to the level of Front Street." [Major continues to read] : " It is proposed to set apart a strip of land throughout the entire length of the city, of a width sufficient to accommodate nine railway tracks, to be level with the wharves, to be crossed only by bridges, and to be used solely as a railway approach and for railway connections, . " Front Street to be converted into a Terrace above the level of and separate from the railway approach, by a retaining wall and parapet, to be 120 feet wide, and planted with rows of trees throughout the entire U ngth. " The entire area south of the Front Street Terrace to be on TOKONTO FKUM 1847 TO l»o7. 89 the wharfage level, and reached by sloj)es from the bridges. The bridges may be of iron, of a simple ornamental character. " It ii also proposed to re.serve certain portions for the land- ing of steamboats, for private forwarders, for baths and wa.sh- houses, or for general public service. The places allotted for this purpose on the plans are situated at the foot of York and Yonge Streets, and at the rear of the St. Lawrence Hall, and are named, respectively, the Niagara, the City, and St. Law- rence Basins. While contemphiting improvements on so grand a scale, the selecting of a site to be dedicated to a great public building shouhl not be lost sight of. I refer to one of which even now the want is felt, viz. : The Canadian Museum, for the formation of which the Canadian Institute is making strenu- ous exertions, and also a permanent iiome for that Society. "The very best situation would doubtless be in the vacant space at the intersection of Yonge Street with the grand Ter- race (where the Custom House and Soap Factory now stand), or south of the railway tracks facing the bridges from Yonge Street, as shown on the plan. " There can be no good reason why the building should not be sufficiently extensive to include a Merchants' Hall and Exchange under the same roof, or offices for telegraph companies, brokers, etc, in its basement, or why it .should not be as ornamental and imposing as its central position would require, or the pur- pose of its erection demand." Mr. Cumberland's report is then read, when the Major pro- ceeds. Major — " After these two documents we come to the last that has appeared on this subject — a letter from Mr. Thomas, City Surveyor. I feel rather fatigued, Doctor, perhaps you will read the extract marked. You will see that the leading feature of Mr. Thomas' plan is to build a street or Esplanade over the railway tracks on stone piers and brick arches, extending the whole length froii Simcoe to Parliament Streets, with flights of stone steps leading up thereto at intervals. I can scarcely yet venture an opinion, but it seems to be rather an extravagant idea of the value of space, to put one street over another on I' If I m ■t, i ' i'i tl 90 TuKONTO "Called Back." Mv' %■■ ! \ 1, ii'i. arches, when the same object can be attained at much less cost by taking in sixty or seventy feet more of the bay." DucTOR reads : " I purpose, therefore, to make Front Street, from Siincoe to Parliament, a business street, and of such a width as not to destroy the Custom House, or the valuable wholesale and other stores already built and now in course of erecti on on the south side of Front Street to the Esplanade, securinsx the frontage of these valuable water lots. " I would then leave from Front Street a depth of from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet, for the building lots, whereon to erect, as may be required, the railway stations, the proposed large hotel, wholesale stores and goods warehouses, with other principal frontages to the railways on the wharfage level on the south ; also to an Esplanade on the south of Front Street, constructed on piers and arches over the lines of rail- way, sixty-six feet in width, on the Front Street level, with an open space of twenty feet area for light and ventilation to the lower storey of the buildinjjjs in front of the tracks. The buildings would have their north frontage on Front Street; passengers would enter the respective stations as the goods would be received on Front Street. The Esplanade, by this arrangement across the most central part of the city, would be in the proper place on the Front Street level, with the railroad cars running underneath, having arched openings on the north side of the railroad to the buildings, and on the south side to the wharfage, being in appearance like a continued station. The passengers would be protected from heat and dust in summer, and the trains from snow accumulations in winter. " The buildings being erected with handsome stone frontin^s to the Esplanade and Bay, would give the city a magnificent appearance, with the arched frontage of the Esplanade as a basement to the whole. " Trees may be planted for shade opposite the piers on the lower level, which would form an avenue for the raised Espla- nade, along the entire distance, which might be limited at the outset, from Simcoe Street to George Street. From that point east and west the railroad may be open. The raised Esplanade TonONTO FROM 1847 TO IMo?. V » 91 over the railroad to havo five lines of rails, with five arches in brickwork turned over them, continuous on ttone piers, backed up with brickwork." Laird — "Ah, doctor, I canna say I like yere plan either. Nane o' them are equal to the ane I had many a chat about wi' my auld friend, Sir R. Bonny castle, now dead, poor nmn, an' wi' Mr. Howard, the architect. Keep awa' yere new-fangled plans frae me ; what wi' yere bridj^es, an' brick arches, an' tree-plant- in', and level crossin'.s, and so on, it's enough to dumbfounder a body. Na, na, gentlemen, the auld plan is a plan ye can all understan', it's a simple one, an' the simplest way is often found the best way." Doctor — "I confess I feel quite taken aback, not having thought of the subject before. It appears to me, however, that there are many good things in all of them, which, if combined together, might fori.i a better plan than any one of them." This ends the " sederunt " of these gentlemen in 1850, and it may be remarked in 1892, that if we cannot have a work as solid and grand as the Thames embankment in London, we can have one which, in point of situation and beauty of prospect, may form a more delightful promenade, and now appears to be the time for prompt action to secure its establishment. I .'1 Rossin House and Railroads. With the prospect of railroads being built, and the consequent increase of travel, the want of a first-class hotel was much felt, and Messrs. Rossin Bros., very popular and enterprising gentle- men, then doing the principal watch and jewellery business, undertook to canvass the wholesale merchants and others in- terested in the growth and prosperity of the city, for subscrip- tions towards building an hotel worthy of the Queen City. The stock was soon taken up, and debentures of £100 or $400 each were issued, one of which the writer willingly took in behalf of the firm, just as all others did, not with a view of making profit, but to promote the enterprise. The ground was secured and the first hotel built and finished, and was placed in the 92 ToKuNTo "Called Back." hands of Mr. A. C. Joslin as proprietor. It being found that it did not pay, Me.s.srs. llo.ssin Bros, bought up the debentures at 60 per cent, di.scouiit, which the holders were willing to lose to keep the concern iiHoat, and in this way it was continued till it was burned down. It wa.s soon rebuilt on a much grander scale, and has jroiie on increasing in size and splendor ever since. In June of 1853 the Grand Trunk Railway was opened to Portland, and at the close of the year the Great Western was opened from the Suspension Bridge to Hamilton and London, and within a month was completed to Windsor, The contract for the road from Toronto to Montreal was signed by Mr. Jackson and his associates on the arrival in London of the Hon. John Ross. The line from Toronto to Hamilton was undertaken by another contractor, at £1,000 more per mile than the Grand Trunk. The writer travelled in the old leather-swung stage from Hamilton to London the night before the opening of the road, and in anticipation of their occupation being about to go the following day, the hotel -keepers at the different places where the horses were changed were especially grumpy. On the 9th of May, 1853, the first ocean-going steamer arrived at Quebec. • ji|'' Mercantile Agencies. The system of reporting the standing of business men by regular subscription rates was commenced in Toronto in 1855. Previous to that time there had been private correspondence with New York, but no regular agency had been opened, nor was the arrangement publicly known. "^ A Mr. Hart was sent to Toronto by the firm of R. G. Dun & Co. at this time, to obtain subscribers, and the firm of Taylor & Stevenson was among the first to give their names. Having received a sufficient number to warrant them in opening an offifft, Mr. Kimball arrived .shortly afterwards from New York, and commenced his agency in the Exchange Buildings, now the Imperial Bank, Wellington Street. Toronto fkom Ls+7 to 1857. 98 itie principle of giving int'ornmtion as to every man in busi- ness was not well received by a portion of the press. Several severe articles appeared, dcnouncinif the introduction of such a system of espionage. The ngents were called pimps, detectives, spies, informers, and eavc s-dropper-, and the business oom- mniiity was called upon to denounce the whole business*, and stamp it out, as a blot upon the resptctal ility of the city. Lawsuits for defamation of character were threatened, and filthout^h the agent and his assistants were well received per- sonally, the .system was looked upon as wholly dlsreputaMe. To think that a man's private business was to be expo.sed by strangers, who had no legitimate means of knowing the circum- stances, was said to be an outrage on public decency, and only a system of black-mail for the purpo.se of extorting money and compelling busines.s hou.ses to sub.scribe to the agency in self- defence. Notwithstanding all this opposition, the business grew in strength from day to day, and merchants found that the infor- mation received was, on the whole, of a more reliable character, because more disinterested and independent, than could be obtained by references from one hou.se to another. It had been known that merchants' references were more or le.ss unreliable, on account of the interest they had in keeping up the redit of their customers, who, if in the books of a house to any great extent, would not be likely to receive an unfavorable character, and in this way other houses would be led to give them credit (jn the strength of these interested statements, often resulting in a loss to the new creditors, while the old had an opportunity of reducing their line of credit, and saving themselves either partially or entirely from loss. In this appeared lo be the .secret of success of the mercantile agencies, the information given being alike to all subscribers, with changes in rating given from time to time, and ail preferences or securities regularly registered and reported. The style of R. G. Dun & Co. was shortly afterwards changed to Dun, Wiman & Co., by the introduction of Mr. Erastus Wiman into the firm. The name of #i ' I -il. ' ff-M'1 V-k m :il- u i li .. .4.' I |::i TOUONTO " CMA.KI) JiACIC" Mil. ERASTUS KIMAN isHoiiitinmtoly conncctiMl with Toronto »is to dosorvo more tlian a passinuf notice. Altlioui^li a resident of the United States, he is still a Hritish subject, a Canadian and a Torontonian, uiid owes his present hijLJjh position more to (Canada than to thi; United States. In Toronto he commenced his career as a ])rintcr boy at Sl.oO per week, vvhieii at twenty ho was proud to have advanced to S-i.')!) per week. From this ho becanje a market repoiter, then couunercial reporter on the statlof the ^rVo^fl, and Superintendent of the Toronto I'^xehanj^'e, ami in 18(10 became connected with the mercantile agency of 11. G. Dun &uCo. He was subsequently promoted to the positi(;n of travelling reportv_r, and '\n 1802 b(>ca«ne mnnaf^or of the Toronto othce, succoedini; Mr. Kind)all. In 1803 he was transferred to the Montreal otlice — both the Toronto and Montreal districts beini; placed under his administration. This continued till 18G6, when he v^as transferred to the New York otlice, and adinitted hh a partner in the firm. Owino; to the war the business had run down, and was sustained chiefly by the amotint of money matle in Canada. This success, with his knowled<^e of printin*;, gave Mr. Wiman great advantages, and lirndy established his posi- tion. The businc^ss has grown to vast proportions. The books of the firm are published (Quarterly, and contain one laiilion names. They employ forty printers, and have standing in type twenty tons of agate, costing one dollar per pound. There are one hundred and six branch establislnuents throuT^h- out the country — forty of the managers being Canadians, with salaries ranging from fifteen .undredto twelve thousand dollars per annum. Ther^ are about one thousand Canadians employed in the business. On the death of Mr. Barlow, the interest of that gentleman passed into the hands of Mr. Wiman, and he became virtually the working-head of the entire agency. The consolidation of the two Canadian Telegraph Companies is due, to a great ex- tent, to his assistance, placing the whole system on a payirig basis, Mr. H. P. Dwighi being made general superintendent. TOUONTO IIIOM 1.S47 TO l.S;";7. U5 The Close of the First Decade. After rnnkin'^ his purchases for the )'"all tratle of 1850, the iter It to T »to (1 found irythi itly camo prosperous. J ho iinportations tor the year exceeded those ot any previous year, reachinir a point ofjiial to IHGG, ten ycirs later. Tlic progress of Toronto (hiring' the ten years ending' in 1856 was accelerated hy the opening' of railways, east, west and north, and by that time its population was 4.'), 000, showini; an increase of 23,000 in ten years ; the number of its houses was 7,476 ; the assessment of property had increased from SGO.OOO to $515,000, and the imports from $750,000 to i?G,G70,500. Toronto had been reaping the first fruits of her connections through the Grand Trunk and '^ircat Western Railways, and the close of this, the first decade, contained in this sketch, found Toronto improved almost beyond recognition to those who had not seen it during that time. The wide streets, con- taining splendid shops, and the numlrjr of handsome churches, all conspired to impress a visitor with the growing character of the place. Dr. Mackay writes of it at this time as " a thing of yesterday, a mushroom, compared with the antiquity of Montreal and Quebec, though rivalling the one and exceeding the other in trade and population. It is built on the American plan of straight lines, preferring the chess board to the maze, and the regularity of art to the pictures(|ue irregularity of nature. The streets are long and straight. There is a Yankee look about the whole place which it is impossible to mistake, a pushing, thiiving, business-like, smart appearance in the people and the streets, in the stores, and in the banks and cV.urches. "Looked upon from ar.y part of itself, Toronto does not greatly impress the imagination, but seen from the deck of a steamer, it has all the air of wealth and majesty that belongs to a great city. Its numerous churches, stores and public buildings, its wharves, factories, and tall chitnneys, mark it for what it is, a thriving place." ff'f ■ d i m 96 TouoNTo ' Called Back. I !| Durinj,' this decade the following buildiri-s had been erected: The General Hospital, Normal and Model Schools, St. James' and St. -Michael's Cathedrals, Knox Church, St. Lawrence Build- inf(s, Nordheinier's Buildings on Toronto Street, the Exchange — now the Imperial Bank, Free Library Building, Post Office, City Schools, the University, several Banks, and the Rossin House Hotel. Toronto was now the headqUft iters of the Royal Canadian Ritles. The science of photography had lately been discovered, and artists styled photographers and auibro typists began to multiply. Manufactures had not shown much progress, and consisted chieriy of wood-working and planing mills, boots, .shoes, safes, soap, spices, paper, and blank books. The reciprocity treaty with the United States was signed at Washington on the 5ih June, 1854. From the time of the introduction of the bonding system through the United States, British goods to Boston generally came to Toronto via Ogdensburg, and from New York via Lewiston, until the opening of the Suspen.sion Bridge, and pas- senj^ers sometimes had difficulty iii making connections in winter. In the winter of ISoG-? the writer had secured his passage to Liverpool by Cunard steamer from Boston, and started in good time to Prcscott, intending to cross to Ogdensburg to connect with train for Boston. On arriving at Prescott a vio- lent snow storm prevailed, and the captain of the staam ferry refused to cross. On telegraphing acros.s to our agents, Messrs. Sfavk, Hill tSc Co., Mr. Stark, who had been a sea captain, immediately came across in a small row boat and offered to row me across. As the storm grew wort^e while thanking the captain for his kindness and couraj^e, I declined to risk both our lives when the steamer would not risk the crossing, and telegraphed to Messrs. Hill, Sears & Co., of Boston, to write to my family in England the cause of my detention. Not wishinnr to i-etum to Toronto, I went on to New York and waited for the next Cunard steamer from that port. TORONTO FROM I80T TO 1867. Financial Crisis in 1857. Returning to make the spring purchases in Europe, and hack to Toronto in February, 1857, there were imlications of an im- pending change. The stoppage for the time of railway operations and the circulation of money was soon felt all over the country, and the testing time of the 4th of March was the crisis, when pay- ments at the banks were so bad ae to cause a number of failures. In a short time the panic ensued with full force, and the whole picture suddenly changed. Railway enterprise suddenly came to an end ; some of the largest houses were compelled to sus- pend payment. Old established houses smashed like glass bottles, and mercantile credit collapsed. To show, however, that this state of affairs was not confined to Canada, one fact may be stated. During this year the deficiency in remittances from the United States to England amounted to nearly fifty millions sterling, the great bulk of which was never paid. British capital to the amount of S4ii . ■'.■■ 104 TouuMTU "Called Back." ijl'M ! ?r i'i'r I' r ^ i^M Laying First Atlantic Cable. In July, Ihof), the Aijamemaon, in laying- the Atlantic cable betwen Vulentia Bay, in Ireland, ami 'J'rinity Bay, Newfound- land, a distance of l,«i50 nautical miles, was in great danger: the coils broke adrift and the cafde was displaced, as she was njarly thrown on her beam ends ; the el(>ctric instruments were all injured and the deck boats got adrift. On the successful accomplishment of the undertaking, on the 17th of August, messages were exchanged from the Queen to the President of the United States. Lord Napier was then British Minister at Washington. Fetes were given at New York, and a reception to the officers of the Agamemnon by the City Council. On that occasion, amongst the toasts proposed was the following: "Tiie people of Great Britain and Ireland, joined to us in the Court of Neptune. May that nuptial tie never be put asunder.' Visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada, 1860. On the 9th of July, the Prince, accompanied by the Queen and Prince Consort to Plymouth, embarked on board the line- of -battle ship Hero, ninety -one guns, Captain Seymour, having as an e.scort the ship Ariadne. The suite of His Royal Highness consisted of the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Lord- Steward of Her Majesty's Household, Earl of St. Germains ; His Royal Highness' Governor, Major-General Hon. R. Bruce ; equerries-in- Waiting, Major Teesdale, R.A., and Capt. Gray, Grenadier Guards ; Dr. Acland, His Royal Highness' physician. The Prince was commissioned to represent Her Majesty in the opening of the Victoria Bridge, and on all public occasions ; to hold levees and receive addresses while in Canada; and in travelling through the United States he was to assume the title of Baron Renfrew. Tho squadron arrived at Halifax on the 29th of July, and., after visiting Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, pro- ; ( TOROMO FROM 1857 TO 18G7. 10.j ceeded to Quebec, where, leaving the men-of-war, they pro- ceeded to Montreal, arriving on the 25th of August. The Royal party remained there for several days, during which the Prince opened the Industrial Exhibition in the Crystal Palace, at- tended a magnificent ball given in his honor, laid tho corner stone, being also the last stone, of the Victoria Bridge, and clinched the last bolt of the Bridge (a silver rivet) with stout and sturdy blows. After stopping at Ottawa, Brockville, and Kingston on the way up, the Prince arrived at Toronto on the 7th of September, and met with a magnificent reception, the preparations being on a scale far surpassing those of the other cities he had visited. The Prince disembarked at the western extremity of the Esplanade. Here a splendid pavilion was erected facing the city ; the hangings were of crimson, blue and white, and the building was adorned with green leaves and festoons of flowers. The whole was surmounted by a Royal crown, on all sides pro- tected by flags. The greatest charm was the entrance arch, which spanned the street and was really magnificent. It was of the Grecian order, but exceedingly rich in ornament, and stood sixty feet high. The pillars were massive, palmated at the top. The interior of the arch was adorned with beautiful fresco paintings, and the whole surmounted with a shield bearing the Royal Arras and a Royal crown supported on each side by a fine display of flags. A semi-circular platform was erected, with tier upon tier of seats, and was ornamented with shields and banners, and more than 10,000 people were in position on it. In the open space was a troop of cavalry, and in the centre was a great level platform, with the dais and throne under a gorgeous canopy. Here the Prince was received by the Mayor, Corporation, Judges, Members of Parliament, Officers of the Army and Volunteers, etc. After the reading of the address the National Anthem was sung by 5,000 children, under the leadership of Mr. John Carter, the Cathedral organist. w » Pfl f i 1 1 bill H ; 1 i. { ■I, m ^ 1 106 ToiioNTo 'Called Back." It is impossible to do justice to the imposing spectacle pre- sented when the vast assembly stood up and united in one tre- mendous burst of cheering, which histed several minutes, the ladies waving their handkerchiefs anil men nearly killing them- selves with shouting the loyal hurrahs, while several bands played the National Anthem. The Prince was intensely aft'ected at this glorious welcome, which was so hearty and magnificent. A procession of militia, firemen and national societies filed past, drooping banners and cheering vociferously. The Prince's carriage followed the procession through the principal streets, cheered by the people, while flowers were strewed before him. Night having come on by this time the city was most brilliantly illuminated, and the whole formed a spectacle which, for magni- ficence, was never surpassed in Canada. The Prince and suite were entertained during their stay at Government House. On Sunday the party attended divine service in St. James' Cathedral, and were met at the door by Bishop Strachan, Hector Grasett, and other clergymen. The sermon was preached by the Bishop, from the text, " Give the King Thy judgments, God, and Thy righteousness unto the King's son." The de- meanor of the Prince during the service was what might have been expected. He joined heartily m the responses, and his entire manner might be copied by some church-going young men with decided advantage. The Orangemen had erected a splendid arch at the intersec- tion of Church and King Streets, with a large painting of King William III. in a conspicuous position. Instead, however, of the party driving under the arch along King Street, the car- riage went down Church to Wellington, and so to the Govern- ment House. It transpired that this was done by the positive order of the Duke of Newcastle. During the week the Prince visited all the principal objects of interest, and planted a tree in the Horticultural Gardens, at the same time opening the rustic arbor then recently erected. He also planted an English silver oak in the Queen's Park, which stands to the east of the guns, and laid the foundation iif <: Toronto from 1857 to 1867. 107 8tone of the statue to the Queen (which has never been erected), Hurrounded by civic, provincial and other dignitaries ; and in addition to all he turned the tirst sod of the Toronto, Qrey and Bruce Railway. He attended a public ball, given in his honor, in the Crystal Palace, wearing a uniform of a colonel of the British Army, unattached, and led otf the dance by taking the hand of the accomplished wife of Mayor Wilson, one of the late Chief Justices of Ontario, and now Sir Adam Wilson. The ball was a brilliant scene, and wound up the enteitainments given in honor of the Prince in Toronto. He next visited Hamilton, and then proceeded to New York, where the demonstrations were almost extravagant, and did the people of that city much credit. The squadron sailed from Portland in November, arriving in England in a short time. The Death of Prince Albert. On the 14th of December, 1861, occurred the most mournful event in the reign of Queen Victoria, the death of the good and universally beloved Prince Consort, Prince Albert, a double calamity to the kingdom, since it also removed for a long period from public life and public usefulness the affectionate and inconsolable Queen. Not Britain alone, but all Europe, and distant India and America, felt this blow as the shock of an earthquake. In every place of worship throughout the land, on that fatal Sun- day morning, the congregations met in deep sorrow, and the tears of multitudes were shed in regret for the bitter loss, and compsission for the heart-broken widow. For even the distant homage due Her Majesty's high estate was swallowed up in the sympathy of woman for woman. Nor was she less revered as the mighty sovereign when recognized by all as the weeping widow, and true and earnest were the prayers raised for Her Majesty and her fatherless children. England never saw King or Consort who so greatly won the % i.> V:-' 108 ToiuJNTo "Cai,m:i) Hack." rospoct, tho contidonco and lovo of his pnoplo. lJncanu) not only an oxanijilo to tho country, hut to all Kuropo. 'I'ho hhvssinj^s con 'or rod on society hy the j»ootl Trinco Alhort can never ho forjj;* tton, and posterity will ropvrd with rovoronco tlio natno of a I'rnico who, thouj:fh early ronioveii from i>arth, loft hohind him tho ^lory of a holy and useful Ufa *'<)»ly tho iictiitHM of llio just Siiioll «woot and blosMom in tl»o dust." Buying in Europe. Forty years n^o tluM'o was no stoan\ communication between Canada and (ireat Britain. Tho travel was conlined exclusively to tho Cunard line, (>vory alternate week from Boston and New York. Thoro wjvs little or no travelling* across tho Atlantic for plea- sure, nno, and tho absence of express facilities rendered it quite an object to make use of these " buyers " for the conveyance of letters anil parcels to friends on tho " other side," or, as it was universally called, "at home." If you were " goinjjf honje," and your friends found it out, it would be just as well to provide an extra trunk, as you could not refuse to carry a letter or a parcel for a " friend," and having undertaken tho friendly com- mission, you had to run the gauntlet of mail agents, and either drop the letters into the mail bag on board the steamer, and so break faith with your friends, or conceal the mail matter as best you could. There may be a few to wliom a sea voyage is a pleasure, but to n\ost persons crossing the AtlaVitic becomes a wearv and monotonous duty, altogether apart from tne dangers incurred. ^1^'^ Hi Toronto from 1857 to 1867. 109 Not a few of the buyerH with whom the writer was acquainted met with a water} pjrave. Wilson, of Toronto, Silver, of Halifax, and Cameron, of Montreal, are amongst the number. The rule is, that the pleasure of the trip i.s confined to terrd fii'Tna, and to combine business with a reasonable amount of pleasure is both desirable and profitable. Ah one of the magnificent ocean steamers floats at anchor in the Mersey, or the St. Lawrence, or her dock in New York, she appears to the beholder a " thing of beauty," and on going on lioard, how often the exclamation is heard from untried passen- gers and their friends when they enter the main saloon, and gnze on the elegant carpets, luxurious sofas and arm chairs, mirrors, panels and gilding, the racks of shining glasses, satin damask curtains, handsome piano, etc., " How beautiful every- thing is, and how nice it must be to cross the ocean in such a vessel ! " Their admiration increases as they view the steward's pantry adjoining, with its glittering electro-plate and piles of earthen- ware, all fitted in so as to weather every storm, with a place for everything and everything in its place. Then the houses on deck for butcher, baker, pastry cook, ice, vegetables and meat, and the perfection of ranges in the cook's galley, are all in- spected with pleasure. The bedrooms are next visited, with the purest of bed linen, toilet utensils, marble basins, dam&sk curtains, electric bells, and so on to the engine room, and from stem to stern, the size of a pin's head of anything cannot be found out of place ; all that art and skill, combined with wealth, can do to make a voyage pleasant and comfortable has been done. And now the hour of sailing has arrived, and under a full head of steam the noble vessel moves ou: seaward, a thing of life as well as a thing of beauty. If sailing from New York, the decks are crowded with passengers as they pass Staten Island and view the charming villas and merchants' mansions so thickly studded all over that beautiful suburb. Soon out- side of Sandy Hook, now for the first time the heavy swell and roll of the Atlantic is felt, and presently the scene changes. The i H i> ^ir 110 Toronto "Called Back." indefatigable stewards are already at work. The elegant crim- son silk-embroidered table-covers give place to the plain " Tur- key red," and the satin damask to worsted. The linen covers are soon doing duty on sofas, where wet boots would prove fatal to rich plush covering, and the ominous guards are attached to the dining-tables, something which all sea-goers understand. A certain lady writer has said that in naming the Cunard steamers, in some of which she crossed, while there was a Persia, Gallia, Etruria, etc., it was a wonder that none had been named the Nausea; and Dickens said on his first trip to America he counted twenty distinct smells ; but tha< was long before the late improvements in ventilation and other matters, and must have included the smell of beautiful flowers in the saloon, and the fragrant odors of the cuisine ; and yet there is something on board every ship to justify the lady's remark as to the feelings that are experienced when o.ice on the " rolling, foaming billows." At the worst, at the present time, the voyage is short, and enjoyed greatly by most after the first desagre- ments are over, and England is soon reached. The buyers who go to Europe from Toronto are chiefly confined to the dry goods and millinery trades ; while a few visit the markets for fancy goods and toys, a icw more for china and earthenware, and one or two for jewelry, watches and watch materials ; in these branches of business a visit twice a year, or once at least, is indispensable; and while a good share of pleasure may be enjoyed, in the variety of scene, the attentions of business men, and the delightful scenery through which the journeys lie, yet the responsibility is very great. The cheapness of machinery has swept away a crowd of prejudices and flooded us with comforts and luxuries unknown to past generations. As Lancashire is the central point for buyers, the writer is taken back to his former residence at Brandlesholme Hall, near Bury, just nine miles from Manchester. From my hall door one could look out on a forest of factory chimneys, extending for miles in every direction. Yonder is the old seat of the Peel family, in which the late Sir Robert Peel /^ I ' i Toronto from 1S57 to 1867. Ill was born, and here the calico printing, from the hand block work to the copper cylinder productions, has been carried on from its commencement. Just behind is the Peel monument on Holcomb Hill ; on the other side is the Grant monument, erected in honor of the family of that name who, coming here from Scotland, by wonderful skill and industry in this trade, accumu- lated an immense fortune. In London he will complete his purchases, as here, in the great market of the world, he will find ever}' manufacture represented, whether British or foreign. It will be admitted that the position of a buyer for Toronto is no sinecure, and few require such a combination of qualifica- tions. To be a successful buyer, taste, judgment, tact, prompt- ness of decision, and self-reliance are IJall necessary ; and while there are many pleasures connected with the travels of a regular buyer, there is much responsibility. In London, buyers are paid from £.500 to £5,000 sterling a year, according to their experience, £1,000 being a common salary. Buyers from Toronto for fancy goods, watch materials, electro-plate, toys and such goods do not go over as much ground as dry goods and millinery buyers, yet have to visit France, Switzerland and Germany, as well as London, Birming- ham, Sheffield, and other places in England. The grocery and hardware trades do not necessitate a regular system of visiting their sources of supply, the bulk of these trades being done by samples or through agents. 1860 to 1865. Outside of general events, the local history of Toronto from 1860 to 1865 was that of the proverbially happy country that has no history. The close of the decade of the fifties had witnessed commercial depression, stagnation in trade and manu- factures, starvation and misery. The first half of the decade of the sixties brought commercial vigor, activity in trade and manufactures, abundance and prosperity. It was the story of Pharaoh's kine reversed. The American '• hii^-ik'll t"T, ; m t! J ■■■■ I Mil i-'ii i 1^ ii M ilM 1 ' 'S :.r. 1 ji i"'-] :^f^ ! - 'f ^i V 1 ■ 1 ' ' li ^i i m h r I'll m 112 Toronto "Called Back." war caused the country to be overrun with commissariat agents, purchasing stores for the army. American gold poured in in steady streams, and produce of all kinds could not be supplied to meet the demand. Farmers and merchants reaped a golden harvest, and many a fortune was accumulated by trader and speculator. Toronto had its share in the general prosperity, and the condition of the eity was one hitherto unexampled. During this period the speculation in gold reached its climax. Fortunes were made and lost in exchanges between New York and Toronto. Goods bought in American currency and paid for in gold at a high premium, corresponding with the depre- ciation in American currency, gave the importers of American goods room to realize immense profits. As an illustration of the difference in the values of the cur- rency at one time, the writer and the late Mr. A. W. Lauder, M.PP., when starting to New York to meet our families, who had been visiting in England, took S40 each to a broker on King Street, for which we received $100 in American currency, and as the price of everything on the American side had re- mained unchanged — their argument being that a dollar was still a dollar, which tliey soon found to be rather a delusion — the fare to New York, which from the Suspension Bridge was $10, was to us only $4, while a charge of $4 a day at the St. Nicholas' Hotel, New York, was to us lust $1.60. Travellers to Canada soon found out the real value of their currency, com- pared with ours, when coming off the boats to make their purchases. One gentleman, on purchasing an article on King Street, the price of which was 25 cents, and getting 15 cents charge out of his dollar bill, was so chagrined that he vowed he never again would put his foot on Canadian soil. The return to specie payments was much more rapid than any one had anticipated. Mr. J. G. Bowes, who had filled the civic chair in 1848-49- 50, and had been described as the ablest man who ever filled the ot'ice of Chief Magistrate up to that time, was again honored f / Toronto from 1857 to 1867. 113 with the confidence of* his fellow -citizens by being elected in the years 1861-62-63. Mr. Bowes spared neither time nor expense in keeping up the dignity of his office and attending to his duties ; his hospitality and benevolence extending far beyond the emoluments attached to the office. The respect in which he was held was most marked whenever he made his appearance, and the almost universal recognition accorded him was proof of his great popularity. On public occasions Mr. Bowes always appeared in official costume, which, although not ornamented with the gold chain, as the Lord Mayors in England, was most appropriate and becoming. Dr. Russell, of the London Times, writes : " The city is so very surprising in the extent of its public edifices that I was fain to write to an American friend in New York to come m.) and admire what had been done in architecture under a monar- chy, if he wished to appreciate the horrible state of that branch of the fine arts under his democracy. Churches, cathedrals, markets, post office, colleges, schools, mechanics' institute, rise in imperial dignity in the city. The shops are large and well furnished with goods, " In the winter time the streets are filled with sleighs, and the air is gay with the carolling of their bells. Some of the sleighs are exceedingly elegant in form and finish, and are provided with very expensive furs, not only for the use of the occupants, but for display. The horses are small, spirited animals, of no great pretension to beauty. " The people in the street are well dressed, comfortable look- ing, well-to-do ; not so tall as the people in New York, but stouter and more sturdy looking. Their winter brings no dis- comfort, as fuel is abundant, and when the wind is not blowing high the weather is very agreeable." Anthony Trollope says : " Toronto, as a city, is not generally attractive to a traveller. The country around it is flat; although it stands on a lake, that lake has no attributes of beauty. The streets of Toronto are paved with wood, or rather planked, as are those of Montreal or Quebec, but they are kept in better ; f i }.' r fh^f ii. i 114 ToKONTO "Called Back." order. I should say that the planks are first used in Toronto, and then sent down by the lake to Montreal, and when all but rotted out, they are again floated off by the St. Lawrence, to be used in the thoroughfares of the old capital." This is somewhat hard upon Quebec, but is highly flattering to Toronto. But there is no rose without its accompanying thorn. At this time another writer informs us " that if the streets of Toronto are better than those of other towns, the roads around it are worse. " I had the honor," he writes, " of meeting two distinguished members of Parliament at dinner some few miles out of town, and returning back a short time after they had left the host's house, was glad to be of use in picking them up from a ditch into which their carriage had been upset." The Fenian Raid. In March, 18G6, the Fenians had formed an elaborate military plan for the capture of Canada, including the seizure of the Grand Trunk Railway by Sweeny, with 30,000 men. A mass- meeting, attended by 100,000 persons, was held at Jones's Wood, New York, and drilling went on openly all over the Northern States. / The most vigorous efforts were made to repel any invasion. Bodies of volunteers were despatched to the principal points along the frontier. Bishop Lynch issued a circular denouncing Fenianism, and calling upon the people to repel the threatened invasion. A meeting of the St. Patrick's Society was held and Fenianism denounced. A Defence Committee was formed for the protection of the city, and liberal subscriptions were given amid great enthusiasm, the late Mr. William Cawthra heading the list with S1,000. At this time the Canadian forces consisted of 10,000 regular troops; 11,000 volunteers on frontier service; 15,000 volunteers ready for immediate service, and 80,000 militia balloted for and ready to be called out. Toronto from 1857 to 1867. 115 The excitement subsequently subsided for a time, till, on the night of the 29th of May, the demented creatures made a dash across the Niagara River from Buffalo, under Colonel O'Neill, and captured Fort Erie. The number was variously estimated at from 500 to 2,000. When the news reached Toronto the greatest excitement pre- vailed, as it was supposed by getting a foothold large reinforce- ments would soon follow, and that they would probably reach Toronto before their progress could be checki.d. The moment the news was received by the Government, troops, both regu- lar and militia, were despatched as rapidly as possible from Toronto. Two columns of troops were directed by different routes to Fort Erie ; one — consisting principally of regulars, with a battery of field artillery, amounting to about 1,500 men, under the command of Colonel Peacock, 16th Regiment — proceeded by way of Niagara Falls and Chippewa; the other — composed altogether of militia, about 500 in number, under the command of Colonel Dennis — went by the Welland Railway through Port Colbome. The Fenians remained in possession of Fort Erie till the morning of the 2nd of June, when they advanced towards Port Colborne. Colonel Booker, on whom the command of the militia devolved, found them strongly posted at Ridgeway. He immediately attacked them, at first with success, but find- ing himself opposed to superior numbers and his ammunition failing, he returned towards Port Colborne, with a loss of six killed and forty wounded ; the enemy suffering about equally. Colonel Peacock did not reach Fort Erie till after night, when the Fenians re-embarked, leaving a few of their wounded and a few stragglers, in all about sixty men, in the hands of the Canadians. The brunt of the battle fell upon the Queen's Own Rifles, five of whom were killed. They were so placed as to be with- out support, and behaved with the utmost gallantry. The bodies were removed to Toronto, and were displayed in the drill shed for several hours on a platform draped with black. / .' f i! I ■- i •! V. if 116 Toronto "Called Back." The coffin of Ensign McEachran occupied the middle and front position, covered with the Union Jack; that of Corporal Defries was placed on the right, and that of Private Anderson on the left. The coffins of Privates Alderson and Tempest were placed behind and above, covered with flags. The procession from the drill shed to St. James' Cemetery was led by the band of the 47th Regiment. The Mayor and Corporation, with an immense concourse of citizens, accompanied the funeral. The burial service was read by the Rev. H. J. Grasett. Several other members of the Queen's Own died from the effects of wounds and exposure, amongst whom were Mewburn, Mathe- son, Leckie and McKenzie. A handsome monument in the Queen's Park coi memorates their bravery. To prevent further attempts nine steamers on the lakes were temporarily turned into gunboat3, and 20,000 troops stationed at different points along the frontier. Colonel O'Neill, and other ringleaders, including a Protestant and Roman Catholic chaplain, were tried, and the writer was present when the Colonel was sentenced to be hung. The sentence was not carried out, however, having been commuted to imprisonment in the penitentiary ; and so ended the great invasion. Close of the Second Decade. This decennial period was not marked by any extraordinary progress, being more a time of recuperation of resources than of actual advancement. The importations at the end of 1866 were a little less than they had been ten years previously, amounting to $6,340,679 ; the city expenditure was $322,892, compared with $299,848 in 1856 ; retrenchment and economy had been judiciously exer- cised and the future made all the brighter in consequence. The opening of the Street Railway by Mr. Easton in 1861, from Yorkville to the St. Lawrence Market, was hailed with great delight, and a good deal of excitement took place when Toronto from 1857 to 1867. 117 the first car arrived at the corner of King and Yon;;e Streets. The undertaking, not proving profitable, was afterwards handed over to Mr. J. G. Bowes, who was the owner up to the time of his death. One or two locomotive engines had been built by Mr. James Good at his works on Queen Street, from whence they were taken down Yonge Street to the Northern Railway track with quite a display of pride on the part of the citizens generally. Between 1860 and 1869 Toronto was visited by three Prince.s, besides H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. After him came Prince Alfred, as midshipman in the Royal Navy ; leaving his ship at Halifax, he paid Toronto an informal visit, and was received with every demonstration .suitable to the occasion. As Duke of Edinburgh he has since sailed round the world. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, arrived in Toronto in 1869, and won all hearts by his princely demeanor. Of more commanding presence than either of his brothers, his appear- ance created great enthusiasm. The Prince planted a tree in the Horticultural Gardens as a memento of his visit. The Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia, also paid Toronto a visit and was well received. The increase of manufactures since 1856 was not very re- markable, and consisted of chemicals, brushes, confectionery, engines and boilers, pumps, scales, vinegar, trunks and saddlery, stained glass, carriages, refrigerators, and brass work, all of which gave employment to numbers of operatives, and con- tributed to the growth and prosperity of the city. Notwithstanding the financial crisis and consequent depres- sion experienced in Toronto during this period, improvements went on. Churches, banks, several benevolent institutions and private residences sprang into existence. The city continued to extend in every direction, and the population continued to increase. The Esplanade had been built, forming a continuous street, which proved a great convenience in reaching the wharves, to which access previously could only be had by coming up from one wharf to Front Street and down to another, and the receiving and shipping of goods were greatly facilitated. i t-i wM\n I ,' ■ill m 118 Toronto "Called Back." On the 17th March, 1866, the r«^ciprocity treaty terminated in consequence of notice given by the United States. On 8th June the first meeting of Parliament took place in the new building at Ottawa, and final resolutions aa to Con- federation passed. i'AKUAilENT BULLDIXGS, OITAWA. ii:;i^ TORONTO FROM 1807 TO 1877. Confederation. When the clock struck midniorht on the 30th of June, 1867, the joy bells of St. James' Cathedral rang out ; it was the 1st of July, the birthday of the new Dominion. Confederation was accomplished, and Toronto was once more a capital. The capital only of a Province, it is true, but that Province the wealthiest, the most enterprising, and the most populous in the Union. The day was observed by the greatest rejoicings in the city. What with bonfires, fireworks and illuminations, excursions, military displays, and n.usical and other enter- tainments, the citizens and the thousands of strangers who crowded the streets did not want for amusement. Since the visit of the Prince of Wales no such day had been witnessed in Toronto. To celebrate the event a banquet was given in the Music Hall, over the present Public Library room, at which the Hon. John A. Macdonald and Hon. George Brown were the principal guests, as having united for the accomplishment of this grand and crowning work. Their mutual interchange of compliments on the occasion, when each spoke of the other as respec- tively the greatest statesman and patriot Canada had ever produced, was a striking feature on this memorable and fes- tive occasion. Lord Monck was the first Governor-General of the Dominion, Sir John A. Macdonald being Premier. 'J a' : Ij, I » I 120 Toronto "Called Back." Paris Universal Exposition, 1867. From December, 186G, to January, 1868, the writer crossed the Atlantic six tinieM, keeping up a constant correspondence with Toronto, as far as circumstances would permit, a large portion of the time being spent on the water. While Toronto was recovering from the reaction caused by the cessation of the American War, with the consetjuent loss of demand for Canadian products, and the alarm of further Fenian invasions was subsiding, important events were transpiring in Europe, some of which are memorable as matters of history. The most remarkable trial of modern times, that of the Tich- borne claimant, was going on in Westminster Hall, London. London and Paris were visited by the Sultan of Turkey and the Viceroy of Egypt. The splendid Exhibition in Paris was the great centre of attraction for visitors from all parts of the world, amongst whom were numbers from Canada, and many from Toronto, some of whom the writer met and spent the Sunday with in visiting the churches, and also the celebrated cemetery of Pere la Chaise, where repose the ashes of kings, queens, emperors, statesmen, poets, philosophers, musicians, painters and all ranks of Parisians down to the humble workman, and here crowds of people visit on Sundays to decorate the tombs. The following Thursday, the 11th of July, may be regarded as the turning point in U.c history of Napoleon III. He had seen Paris arise under his direction as with a magician's wand, to a point of unparalleled splendor. Mile after mile of magnificent boulevards had sprung into existence. The Exhi- bition had eclipsed all those which preceded. Paris had been visited by Kings and Emperors, and on the day nam ed a grand military review of the troops took place in the presence of Abdul Aziz, then Sultan of Turkey, Ismael Pasha, G.C.B., Viceroy of Egypt, being there the same week. This was the last peaceful military display ever witnessed by the Emperot. Not very long after the Franco-Prussian War broke out, terminating in the .surrender at Sedan. Toronto from 1H07 to 1S77. 121 Tariffs of England, United States and Canada from 1669 to 1876. Having retired from the direct importing trade in 1S()9, the writer accepted the agency of the firm of Potters vV: Martin (Limi'.ed), of Manchester, England, for the United States and Canada. This firm had l)een established nearly a centnry l»e- f(jre, the head at one time heing Sir John Potter, under the style of Potters & Norris, and sub.se(|nently of Potters & Tay- lor; the present Mr. Thomas Bailey I^)tter, M.P., continuing the business till the introduction of Mr. Martin as partner, well known as the friend of Mr. Cobden and Mr. John llright, and is still the chairman of the Cobden Club, and a representa- tive free trader. Having been a buyer of American goods for many years, I had a ijood knowledge of the leadinjj lines of their domestic manufactures, whicli up to a comparatively recent period had lieen limited in both number and extent ; and havinj; enjraiifed three travellers to look after the Canadian business, I under- took to do all the United States' trade myself, and with this view got up an immense line of samples weighing some five hundred pounds, and comprising a full assortment of British dry goods, besides everything in French and German goods for which an order was likely to be obtained. During six years of this business I had the best opportunity of seeing the operation of the tariffs of the three countries. Every invoice passed through my hands, and all the correspondence, extend- ing from Halifax to Winnipeg, and Baltimore to St. Louis, was carried on by myself directly, while the ground gone over twice a year was about five thousand miles each journey. The amount of business done in the States may be judged from the sales of the year 1875, representing in American money about 8300,000. That amount was done from a very few lines of the samples carried, and if a fair proportion of the goods previously imported from England had been ordered the amount could have reached the millions. But the rapid growth ^^t ■i fi Hi k. ' .'.' 122 Toronto " Called Back." of their manufactures from season to season, under the high tariff, gradually excluded line after line, and instead of having six hundred pounds of samples, one hundred pounds would be amply sufficient to represent all the goods there was any chance of selling, and by the end of 1876 the United States were independent of the world for all necessary goods ; those which might be called luxuries only being required for their wants. The firm which I represented did not seem to appreciate the real position of affairs, and in the face of these facts would supply me with lists of members of the Cobden Free Trade Club, amongst whom were a few American names, including that of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. To circulate literature of that kind amongst my clients would have been as ineffectual as the efforts o? Free Traders in 1885, described by the Philadelphia Free Press, which says : — " The Free Traders are preparing to smash the tariff again. The per- formance will resemble the efforts of an over-ripe tomato to smash a stone fence." In taking orders, it was necessary to take the American tariff constantly as a vade mecum. This required constant study, with it<' endless distinctions in specific and ad valorem rates, and both combined. It was evident that no branch of industry had been overlooked, and that every manufacturer, small and large, had been at Washington and had a clause in- serted for his own benefit, and so the manufactures spread and grew with amazing rapidity. The average rate on our goods was about 60 per cent, ad valorem, and this was always pay- able in gold, the premium on which, during this period, aver- aged nearly 20 per cent. To illustrate the actual cost of foreign goods to the importer, it may be stated, that at the highest rate of duty paid this year (1892) in Canada, goods can be laid down at about 65 per cent, advance on the sterling cost, or 3| cents to the penny. The simplest way the leading importers in the States used to arrive at the probable cost of goods, in giving their orders, was the latter calculation of so many cents to the penny. As }, was As i| ! ■^ :! ') i'i 1 ' t ■ : !. i; ^ tl!; IK > ■^ i U Sii Ml . i I .- METROPOLITAN CHURCH. 'i n* Toronto from 18G7 to lb77. 125 nothing in dry goods paid less than 25 per cent, ad valorem, no goods could be laid down for less than 4 cents, while most cost 4i to 5 cents. The effect oi: this high rate of duty was to bring some British manufacturers to establish their works in the States. Messrs. Coats and Clark, the great thread manufacturers, finding the difference in duty between thread in hanks and on spools to be so great (on the latter the duty, being specific, reached to an average of 72 per cent, ad valorem), opened large establishments in New Jersey, where now their thread is all spooled, giving employment to hundreds of operatives, and hy so much depriving Paisley of the payment of these people's wages, and all the corresponding advantages. All this time American goods were being shipped to England free of duty, and the climax was reached when, on my last trip, I was asked to take samples of American cottons, these being largely soltl close by the warehouse in Manchester, and offer them for sale in Canada (!) while not a yard of similar goods made in England was sold in the whole of the United States. This proposal I at once begged to decline ; it would have been too humiliating. The goods referred to, admitted free into England, were liable at the time in the States to a duty of five cents a s(|uare yard, and ten per cent, ad valorem. This did not appear to me to be in any sense " fair trade," the opinions of tlie great Manchester manufacturers to the contrary notwith- standing. About the same time the firm of Randall, Farr & Co , of Hespeler, Ontario, who were extensively engaged in the manufacture of Alpaca cloths, not being able to compete with British goods, removed their whole machinery to Massachusetts, and never returned. Metropolitan Church. During the residence of Rev. Dr. Punshon in Toronto, the congregation worshipping in the old Adelaide Street Church, corner of Toronto Street, feeling the necessity of increased accommodation, as well as of having a building of more modern n • , h u 126 Toronto "Called Back." style, in looking around for a site, fixed their attention on McGill Square, then about to be sold. The late Rev. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Punshon, with other members and trustees, soon secured the property, relying to a great extent on the services and influence of Dr. Punshon to raise funds for the erection of a church in the centre of the square. The corner stone was laid in 1870, and soon the present magnificent structure appeared in its grand and beautiful proportions. The building has so often been described, and is so familiar to both citizens and visitors, that any present description is quite unnecessary ; besides, any attempt to describe the churches of Toronto, would involve a larger amount of space, from the vast number that have sprung up of late years, than these pages could afford. The Metropolitan Church with its beautiful grounds, so splen- didly ornamented with trees and flowering shrubs, as well as flower beds, belongs not only to the Methodist body, but to the whole city of Toronto, forming, as it does, an open square, which is at once a boon and ornament to Toronto, and remains a lasting monument to the memory of Dr. Punshon, and also to Drs. Taylor, Ryerson and Green., as well as laymen who contributed liberally towards its erection. While some churches in Methodism are more elegant and vastly more expensive, there is not one in the world — take it altogether, internally and externally, the grounds included — which, in all its appointments, is so complete as the Metro- politan Church of Toronto. Messrs. Langley & Burke were the architects. A beautiful stained glass window, in memory of Mrs. Punshon, who died at their residence on Bond Street, was placed by Dr. Punshon in the south-west gallery. In 1870 and 1871 Toronto had become a very important commercial centre. The principal streets wore an aspect of staid, unpretentious pros- Toronto fkom 1867 to 1877. 127 perity. They had bepjun to spread out indefinitely ; the area of the population had been widely and rapidly extended. From the Provincial Lunatic Asylum on the west, to far eastward beyond the Don, stretched mile upon mile of densely popu- lated thoroufjhfares. To the northward, Bloor Street had long since ceased to be anything more than a nominal boundary between Toronto and Yorkville. The Esplanade on the City front had become a hive of railway and general industry. Jarvis Street had been beautified with elegant and stately resi- dences. King and Yonge Streets continued to monopolize the lion's i-\&re of the retail business ; but Front and Wellington had developed into the centre of the wholesale trade, and many large and wealthy establishments had headquarters there. A writer in the Canadian Illustrated News (Montreal), at this time indulges in some rather severe strictures on the aspect of our streets, which he describes to be, generally speaking, either dirty or narrow, with the light of heaven almost shut out ; or broad, wretchedly paved, certainly with a number of sufficiently handsome houses, but at the same time with an undue preponderance of common, and generally having the appearance of being laid out on the sand-flat. He admits, how- ever, that Toronto possesses two principal streets, sufficiently broad, well lit, and well paved, and lined with handsome shops. Some of this gentleman's comments on the social aspect of the streets are suggestive and entertaining. "Between the two principal streets of the Western Capital is a great gulf, made by the inflexible laws of society and fashion — a gulf as great as separates the Bowery from Broadway, the Rue de Rivoli from Rue Mont Parnasse, or Regent Street and Rotten Row from the humble thoroughfares of Pentonville and the City Road. " The buildings on King Street are greater and grander than their neighbors on Yonge ; the shops are larger and dearer ; and last, but not least, King Street is honored by the daily presence of the aristocracy, while Yonge is given over to the business of the middle-class and the beggar. Amid the upper classes there is a performance that goes on daily, that is known 11' J I n ?!t rl!.i! I'll ; , ■ rt . 1 •.'i-i 128 Toronto "Called Back." among habitues a.s 'doing King.' It consists principally of marching up and down a certain part of that street at a certain hour, performing, as it were, ' Kotow ' to the goddess of fashion, and sacrificing to her sister divinity of fashion. " At three o'clock in the afternoon the 'irst stragglers appear on the scene, which extends perhaps a quarter of a mile. Thise consist principally of young ladies, whose proper place should be at school, and young men attired in the height of fashion. By the time these ardent devotees have paraded a few times, the regular habitues make their appearance, and till six o'clock in the evening one side — for one side only is patronized — is crowded to excess. "It is rather considered 'the thing' to patrol King Street in this manner ; and of a fine evening every one who belongs to the elite, as well as many who do not, may be seen persever- ingly trudging up and down, no doubt to their great comfort, and to the intense discomfort and dismay of others less smiled upon by nature or less favored by their tailors or their dress- makers. King Street iS; in a way, a great social ' Change,' where ev2rybody meets everybody and his wife; whore the latest fashions are exhibited, and the last quotations of the matrimonial market are exchanged. " Would 3'ou see the newest style in hats or panniers ? They are to be seen on King Street. And would you know how many young swells are doing nothing for a living ? You are sure to find them on King Street. Would you wish to hear the last imprudence of young Harum Scarum, or the progress of Miss Slowcome's engagement ? You may be sure before you take half-a-dozen turns some conversant, intelligent busy-body of your acquaintance will have whispered the facts of the case in your ear, all of which he has 'on the best authority, sir.' It is on King Street that Clelius makes his appointment with CI lia for their afternoon walk ; that Thersites, jealousy stricken, scowls at Adonis; and that Pomponia depreciates the value of her dear friend Amaltheus* new silk and trimmings. There •Cornelia, tne careful mother, brings out her treasures and exhibits to the public gaze those desirable lots of which she is .'/ Toronto from 1867 to 1S77. 129 so anxious to dispose on advantageous terms. While far above all, Diof^enes, in his garret, little more roomy or commodious than the ancient 'tub,' looks down upon the motley throng, notices their petty follies and foibles, and thanks his lucky stars that he is not as other men." In 1871 the population was 50,000, an increase in ten years of 11,000. During the next three years, Toronto, in common with the Province, enjoyed an unexampled epoch of prosperity. A remarkable impetus was given to all the usual branches of trade ; and the commerce, both wholesale and retail, assumed such proportions as not even the most sanguine had hoped for. More than 13,000 were added to the population, and both public and private enterprise kept pace with this rapid increase. The streets were full of bustle and activity. Mercantile palaces were built by some of the leading houses, and many of the finest mansions and most beautiful ciiurches in the city were erected. The progress made since Confederation had been amazing. Not only had its area and population largely increased, but it had been greatly beautified by the erection of huge business establishments, and palatial private residences; and it had developed a commercial enterprise and energy which seriously endangered the pretensions of Montreal to the mercantile supremacy of the Dominion. It was during 1872-74 that Toronto began to make the rapid strides in commercial enterprise that placed her in the proud position she now occupies. They were years of unusual pros- perity, and trade of all kinds received a remarkable impetus. Happily the foundations then laid of the city's mercantile greatness was sufficiently solid to resist th« shock of the reactior that followed. Tn July, 1873, a delightful passage was made to England in the Allan steamer Polynesian from Quebec. After passing through the Straits of Belle Isle large icebergs were seen, while the weather v.as that of summer. Amongst the passengers were Dr. and Mrs. W. T. Aikins, of Toronto, and the family of Mr, and Mrs. Gammon, of Chicago, visiting Europe for the first \\\ ' !' m i y| < 1 i,. r ' .-t : i"V 1 . i 1 ' ■ [■fi :i ir;H ': i ' VAl.' f'' '!■! u\ '■H fi if «'^i iii : \ m ii- 130 Toronto " Called Back." 11 !:; r ■ '] r time. The fine weather gave an opportunity for games of various kinds on deck, those of shuffle-board and quoits being the favorites. A very pleasant time was spent in London in sight-seeing. Return of Rev. Dr. Punshon to England. During my stay in Manchester, in 1873, the late Rev. Dr. Punshon — who, had he lived, would have done as much to recommend Canada, and Toronto in particular, to the attention of the English people as any other man, having frequently *^ated he was bound to the country by the dead and the livi g — re- turned to England. In company with Dr. Gervase Smith and other friends, we met him at the railway station on his arrival from Liverpool. The Wesleyan Conference being then in session in the Free Trade Hall, the Doctor was expected to attend one of the even- ing meetings. The Conference, numbering about six hundred ministers, occupied the great platform, while the audience was fully six thousand in number. Dr. James occupied the presidential chair, and all were on the qui-vive for the appearance of Dr. Punshon, who was known to have arrived. Soon he entered quietly at the back of the platform and took a seat, but was instantly recognized, when the immense audience stood up, and between clapping of hands and waving of handkerchiefs, round after round, the scene baffles description. For the time all the Doctor could do was to stand with head bent down and eyes streaming with tears, until an opportunity was given afterwards for giving expres- sion to his feelings in words. It was a scene never to be for- gotten. In 1874 a voyage from England was made in company with several Toronto gentlemen, including the late Rev. Dr. Jennings. One of the passengers was the now celebrated Mr. Joseph Arch, M P., who, it is reported, took the oath in the House of Com- mons dressed in a suit of corduroy, and appeared at a banquet Toronto from 18G7 to lis77. 131 given in his honor, amongst a number of noblemen rtI gentle- men, dressed in a tweed suit, Mr. Arch was accompanied by a secretary, and represented the Laborers' Trade Union of England ; himself a working-man. Their object was to get information as to the desirability of emigration on a large scale. After travelling extensively through Canada and the United States they returned to England, but no practical results followed. On the passage many lively discussions on politics took place, in which Mr. Arch showed himself to be a man of good common sense and of moderate views, with a decided tendency to the democratic side. He is a ^^ ♦^hodist local preacher. iBi' I f St. James' Cathedral Clock. Nearly twenty years ago the citizens of every denomination united to purchase the world's prize timekeeper from Benson & Sons, of London, and succeeded in placing it in the tower on Christmas Eve, 1875. This clock possesses a threefold movement, viz., keeping time, chiming, and striking the hours and quarter-hours. The com- bined weights to keep it going are over three thousand pounds ; the pendulum is over sixteen feet in length, the end weight being two hundred r d fifty pounds. The quarter-hour chimes are a copy of the famous Cambridge chimes in England, com- posed by Handel one hundred years ago, and may become in time, to citizens of Toronto, what Bow Bells are to inhabitants of London. The year 1875 had been marked by a very perceptible reaction in the commercial world of Toronto. The year 1876 came in gloomily, and with murmurs against the trade policy, and yet improvements went steadily on. New streets were being opened up in all directions, and the popula- tion went on increasing. At the close of 1876 the imports to Toronto had reached $11,231,543 ; the value of taxable property was $47,150,362, and the population had grown to 71,693. It will be seen from If! i\ ■• ;-■ [' i \ 132 Toronto "Called Back." the above that the value of the imports had nearly doubled in ton years ; the greatest increase having taken place between 1871-72. After a period of prosperity a time of depression set in that continued till 1878, when the city began slowly to recover from the efi'ects of evil times. Several new and additional manufactures had been intro- duced, amongst which were Hne jewellery, steam gauges, engines and general machinery, watch cases, elevators, rubber stamps, cork cutting and varnishes. The highest p »int the duty had reached up to this time was twenty per cent, ad valorem, except on one or two articles on which, by way of incidental protection, twenty-five per cent, was charged. These goods were principally ready-made clothing. During the second decade British Columbia and Prince Edward Island were admitted into the Confederation; also the North- West Territories and the Province of Manitoba. aOVEKNMENT HOUSE, TORONTO. ^^BjB^a TORONTO FROM 1877 TO 1887. Protection versue a Revenue Tariff. The question of Protection vevsuH a Revenue Tariff, inauj^u- rated in 1.S7!), brouj,'lit in the Tilloy Tarilf and National Policy. Previous to IcS'jH the inanul"acturin<: induHtries of Toronto were few and sniall. At this time, in tlie Parliament of United Canada, then sittinjif in Toronto, a protective tarilf was intro- duced by Inspector-General Cayley, the rate bein^' twenty per cent., and, as previously stated, on some j^joods twenty-five per cent. The improvetnent was soon perceptible in the immediate impetus given to manufactures, which continued till l.SfJO, when Inspector-General Gait cut down the tariff to fifteen per cent., pro lucinfj a disastrous chani;e. Manufacturers who had invested large capital in machinery, at once losing confidence, became discouraged, and commenced to withdraw their capital from what appeared to be a policy of fluctuation and uncer- tainty, — a state of things which continued till 1879. It will be seen by comparison with the Tariff of the United States that in general the principles are the same, specific duties being added on some articles. Although the rates of duty in Canada are much lower, there is evidence of a similar arrangement for the protection of home manufactures, espe- cially those in actual operation throughout Canada. Exhibition Buildings. These magnificent buildings were opened by His Excellency the Earl of Dufferin, in September, 1878. The palace is built with solid brick foundations, with sides and roof of glass, and hi I 'i IH i i *!<.(: :.l * H III m \ ! i 'M m 136 Toronto "Called Back." I affords admirable accommodation for the display of goods. The cost of the buildings was 8250,000. Through the suggestion of Mr. J. J. Withrow, the indefatig- able President of the Industrial Exhibition Association, the whole of the material of the original Crystal Palace was utilised in the erection of tne present building, thereby effecting a great saving, and accounting for the similarity in appearanne of the two buildings. The design was copied by Mr. Sandford Fleming from that of Sir Joseph Paxton for the London Crystal Palace, in 1851. The grounds, sixty acres in extent, are the finest in the Dominion. They are most beautifully situated on the shore of Lake Ontario, and from the balconies of the Main Building a splendid view of Toronto and the surrounding country and lake can be obtained. The other buildings comprise horticultural uad machinery halls, apiary, dairy, and horse and cattle pens, to which large additions have lately been made. The buildings and grounds are kept in the most perfect order. Current Events. The Grand Opera House was destroyed by fire in November, 1879. On the 25th of March, 1880, the Hon. George Brown was shot in the thigh and succumbed to the effecLs the following May. The funeral was attended by an immense concourse of people, and business wao almost entirely suspended while the procession was passing. Bennett, the murderer, was tried and executed for the crime. In June, the Hon. John Beverley Robinson was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. During this year Prince Leopold visited Toronto, accompanied by the Marquis of Lome and the Princess Louise on their third visit. The Princess and Prince Leopold left for England by the steamer Polynesian, on the 31st of July. On the 6th of August a fight occurred between Roman Toronto from 1877 to I8^i7. 137 Catholics and Orangemen, and one policeman was fatally wounded. Dr. W. H. Russell writes : " Toronto, seen under the most disadvantageous circumstances " (it was pouring rain when his party arrived), " was voted to be ver}' surprising, and my friends were not prepared for such fine buildings and such a great array of wharves and quays on the bay, and the great fleet of craft aloncfside them. Toronto has increased in all the CD elements of wealth and consequence by bounds, and since 1861, when I was there, the population has doubled and is still in- creasing very rapidly." The Doctor pronounces the University to be worthy of a great nation, a noble Norman pile, beautifully situated. h ! ih A The Marquis of Lome and H.R.H. the Princess Lt^uise. The appointment of the Marquis of Lome to succeed the Earl of DufFerin as Governor-General of Canada gave great satisfaction. The Vice-regal party sailed from Liverpool on the 14ih of November, 1878, in the Allan steamship Sarmatian, and arrived in Halifax on the 23rd, having had a very rough passage. They were met by the Duke of Edinburgh, who, with a naval squadron, had come to meet liis royal sister. Leaving for Montreal the following Wednesday, and stopping at various places on the way, they arrived in Ottaw" in a few days. The Governor-General held his first New Year's Day reception at Rideau Hall on the 1st of January, 1879. Their first visit to Toronto was on the 20th of January, on their way to the Falls, and was quite informal ; their object being to get a winter view of Niagara. The lamented death of the beloved Princess Alice had occurred on the 14th of December. Under the circumstances it was considered best to defer the Vice-regal visit till after the harvest of 1879, and the Governor-General having consented to open the Exhibition, the date of their visit was fixed for that time. 10 \h P^ 1 I :; ' \ ' r ■ 138 Toronto "Called Back.' When Toronto had been visited by three princes it was scarcely expected she would so soon afterwards be honored by a> visit from one of Her Majesty's daughters, and when the announcement of the appointment of the Marquis of Lome as Governor-General was made, it was received with intense plea- sure. The Earl of DufFerin, in his speeches on the occasion, in truly eloquent and beautiful language described the character of the Princess Louise, and congratulated the country on this distin- guished mark of the Queen's love and affection for Canada, in consigning her favorite daughter to her care ; at the same time portraying the character of Her Royal Highness, from actual knowledge, in colors which he well knew how to use. As an artist, musician, and scholar, she excelled in every accomplish- ment, and her benevolent and kind disposition was truly and beautifully described. Her visits to Toronto fully confirmed the description given by His Lordship, and Toronto fully sustained her reputation for loyalty by giving the Vice-regal pair a right hearty recep- tion. The party arrived in Toronto on September the 4th, and were received with a guard of honor, and by all the civic and military dignities. The Exhibition was opened on September the 6th by the Marquis and Princess Louise, amidst great enthusiasm. There was a general illumination at night. They left for London on the follov'ing morning. Returning on the 18th, Her Royal Highness laid the foundation stone of the Home for Incurables, and the Governor-General presided at the opening ceremony of the Credit Valley Railway. During this and subsequent visits all the public institutions were inspected, especial attention being given by Her Royal Highness to those of a charitable and benevolent character, in- cluding the General Hospital. m m* Toronto from 1877 to 1887. Farewell Visit of the Vice-regal Party. \4l Having on several occasions expressed the pleasure with which they visited Toronto, the Marquis of Lome and Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, before leaving Canada, paid a farewell visit to the city. On the 12th of September the Vice-regal party arrived at the Union Station, and were received with a guard of honor of one hundred men of the Royal Grenadiers, accompanied by their band. A large number of civic and military dignitaries were present to welcome the distinguished party. Additional interest was manifested from the fact that another member of the Royal family, Prince George of Wales, second son of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, was with the Vice-regal party, and for the first time in Toronto. The first day was spent in visiting the public institutions, including the Home for Incurables, General Hospital, Infants Home and House of Providence. In the evening they attended a concert in the Horticultural Pavilion, given by J. T. Thompson. The artists were Signoii Brignoli, Poggi, Adamouski, Madame Teresa Carreno, and Miss Carrie Mason. The next day the Exhibition was visited, and preparations were made to present the Marquis and Princess Louise with a farewell address. By one o'clock the Queen Street Avenue was lined with immense crowds of people, while detachments from the Queen's Own Ritles and Royal Grenadiers took up their positions around the gates of the enclosure. An archway was erected on the mound which rises in the centre of the flower plot, surmounted with the Royal Arms, hedged in on either side with flags, and decorated with flowers, and having the words, " Welcome to Toronto," " Lome and Louise," artistically dis- played. The steel helmets of the Body Guards were the signal of the approach of the Vice-regal party, and amid a down-pour of rain they entered the enclosure and .'•tood on the dais, in front ?i: • ii I- ^li ii '^ ! m -!-.i' y hia i 1 ' ) ' 1 I'i ( ' ; * i- i ; M :!-[ :U\]l 1 m ii \ 5 ' '.'' y i.- ' 1 ' ;■; , 1 i <, ; J 1 ' 1 m K: 142 Toronto "Called Back." of which about 3,000 people presentecji an unbroken covering of umbrellas. As they made their appearance, cheer after cheer arose from the assembled multitude, the pouring rain being in- effectual to dampen their enthusiasm. When the cheering for the Marquis and Princess had subsided, some one called out for three cheers for Prince George. Not catching the words at first, as referring to himself, the Princess turned towards him and pleasantly said, " That's you." The cheers were given heartily, and Prince George bowed his acknowledgment. When the ceremonies were ended the Princess drove to the Hospital for Sick Children, and the Marquis to the Exhibition. They left Government House on the 14th ; Toronto, as usual, having done herself honor in this display of genuine loyalty. Arrival of the Marquis of Lansdowne. The new Governor-General, Marquis of Lansdowne, Lady Lansdowne and suite, arrived by the Allan steamer Circassian, at Quebec, on the 28rd of October, and were met by Lord Lome and the Cabinet. The Marquis of Lansdowne took the oath of office the same day, after which they proceeded to Ottawa. FIRST VISIT TO TORONTO. On the 9th of January, 1884, His Excellency the Governor- General, Lady Lansdowne, Lord and Lady Melgund and suite arrived at the Union Station, where they were met by His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor and Captain Geddes, A.D.C. A guard of honor from the Queen's Own Rifles, composed of one hundred men and the Band, assembled to meet the distin- guished party, who were immediately driven to Government House. The first day was spent in sight-seeing. The route taken was through the principal streets to the University. In the evening a large number of the leading citizens were invited to meet the party at Government House. [ The next day they went to the Falls, and crossing the new Toronto from 1877 to 1887. 143 Suspension Bridge, were landed on American soil for the first time in their lives. On their return to woronto on the 12th, His Excellency proceeded to the City Hall to receive the Address of th. Corporation, to which he replied in the most felicitous terms. The Vice-regal party visited the Hospital and other institutions. The Marquis and Lord Melgund visite'd the Granite Rink and attended the ball of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. In letters to the London World addressed to eminent persons, an independent critic said, at the time of his appointment as Governor-General of Canada, to the Marquis of Lansdowne : — " There is no Englishman of your age whom I could congra- tulate with equal warmth and sincerity upon the assumption of an arduous and anxious post. Everything is in your favor. You carry with you more than promise, more even than the first fruits of performance. "A singularly blameless youth was crowned with the highest honors at the first University of the world. The advantages to which you were born, and which are not possessed to the same extent or in the same degree by any but the peers of historic English titles, have been turned by you to admirable account. You have acquired a valuable insight into the routine of office, and you have shown, both in the House of Lords and elsewhere, that you possess that power of speaking which is indispensable to public men of your race. " The Canadians will recognize in Lady Lansdowne a guar- antee that they are about to welcome a Vice-Queen after their own heart." The Semi-Oentennial Celebration took place in Dominion week. The 6th March was celebrated by the opening of the Free Library by the Lieutenant-Governor, and a reception by the Mayor in the City Hal!, this being the proper day for the commemoration of the birth of the city in 1834 ; but it was deemed advisable to postpone the celebration till Dominion week. « I I , II 1' . t ! t 1 ; 1 : 1 :| ; ; ''i .-.}. I- ' ; 4': t i ' 1 [ r fl I 1 ' i ■ *. ' ■ ! . 1 ■ 1' i , 11: 1 144. Toronto " Called Back." The celebration commenced on Monday, 30th June. Flaji^s, bunting, mottoes, and evergreens were used in the decorations, and the scene, looking down one of the principal streets, was simply a vista of fluttering colors. The whole week was given to pleasure, and thousands of sight-seers, from all parts of the Province and the United States, crowded the city. Monday, June 30th, was the municipal and historical day, specially commemorative of the city's municipal organization and progress. The procession comprised municipal bodies, police, fire brigade, etc. Tuesday, July 1st, military day ; grand street parade and review, comprising visiting and city corps to the extent of over four thousand men. Wednesday, July 2nd, trades and industrial day, specially commemorative or the progress and standing of the commercial interests of the city. The parade comprised members of the different labor organizations of the city, each with a tableau, illustrative of the trade followed ; also representatives with illustrative tableaux from all the mercantile and manufacturinof establishments of the city. It consisted, in part, of wagons, on which various mechanics were plying their daily vocations. Thursday, July 3rd, " U. E. Loyalists" day, commemorative of the settlement of the U. E. Loyalists in Canada, one hundred years ago. In the afternoon there was a reception at the Gov- ernment House, and in the evening the Oratorio of Redemption was given at the Horticultural Gardens, also a grand display of fireworks in the harbor, and imitation naval combat. Friday, July 4th, benevolent societies day ; parade compris- ing uniformed and un-uniformed lodges of Masons, societies of all kinds, etc. Saturday, July .5th, commemorative of our educational insti- tutions. TLe parade comprised over 8,000 children from the public and separate schools of the city Toronto from 1^77 to 1887. 145 Departure of Toronto Troops for the North- West. When the rebellion, led by Louis Riel, had assumed such pro- })ortions as to demand a call to arms, the Government order to prepare for immediate departure reached the commandin*^ utlicers in Toronto on the 27th of March. During Friday night and the early hours of Saturday, the 28th, orderly sergeants were busily engaged in scouring the city informing the men of the startling news. At an early hour the drill shed presented an animated appearance, the men having flocked to their answer to the roll call. Such was the enthusiasm manifested that great disappointment was felt tiiat only two hundred and fifty men of each regiment cc uld be sent to the front. As the senti- ment displaj'ed was on 3 of cheerful alacrity in respondim; to the call to arms in the country's defence, there was no hoiJing back or hesitation, and ths number required was soon made up. On the 30th March tens of thousands gathered at the Union Station to see the ga'lant volunteers depart for the scene of actiun, and all through their dreary route their progress was looked for with the deepest anxiety and most heart-felt sym- pathy. The march over the ice, and the heroic fortitude dis- played through inten-e cold and fatigue throughout the entire journey, as well as tlie bravery displayed in the different en- gagements with the enemy, have all become a matter of history. Thousands of hearts in Toronto throbbed in sympathy with her citizen soldiers during those memorable months, and prayers M'ere constantly offered in all the churches for the success of our arms and the safe I'cturn of our sons,, when victory had downed their efforts. Return of the Toronto Contingent. WELCOME HOME— JULY, 1885. War-worn, sun-scorched, stoinecl with the dust of toil, And battle-scarred, tliey come victorious. Exultantly we greet them, cleave the sky With cheers, and fling our Vjanners to the wind ; ! Tli :,^ I WW \\ ii.!, ..- l: .■ m t 146 ToaoNTO "Called Back." We raise triumphant songs and strew their path To do them homage. Welcome Home I We laid our country's honor in their hands And sent them forth : undoubting, said farewell, With hearts too proud, too jealous of their fame, To own our pain. To-day glad tears may flow ; To-day they come again and bring the giftP, Of all earth's gifts most precious — trust redeemed. We stretch our hands, we lift a joyful cry, Words of all words the sweetest, " Welcome home ! " Oh brave, true hearts ! oh steadfast, loyal hearts ! They co:ae, and lay their trophies at our feet ; They show U3 work accomplished, hardships borne. Courageous- deeds, and patience under pain, The country's name upheld and glorified, And peice, dear purchased by their blood and toil. What guerdoi have we fur such service done ? Our thanks, our pride, oui praises and our prayers. Our counti-y's smile, and lior most just rewards ; The victor's laurel laid upon the brows. And all the love that speaks in " Welcome home ; " Bays for the heroes, for the martyrs palms ; To those who come not, and though dead yet speak, A lesson to bo guarded in our souls While the land lives for whose dear sake thr" died ; Whose lives, thrice sacred, are the price o'. . oace; Whosa memory, thrice beloved, thrice revered, Shall be their country's heritage, To hold eternal pattern to her living sons. What dare we bring ? They, dying, have won all ; A drooping flag, the flowers upon their graves, Are all the tribute left : already theirs A nation's safety, gratitude and tears, Imperishable honor, endless rest. — Annie RothweU. Should some Rip Van Winkle have fallen asleep in 1850, waiting for the hourly omnibus for Yorkville, at the corner of King and Yonge Streets, and awakened on the 2.3rd July, 1885, he would not have been surprised at the sight of a " Union Hotel, by Jonathan Doolittle ; " nor would he have mistaken any other face on a sign-board in place of Her Majesty, Queen. Victoria, as did that mystic individual mistake the sign of Toronto from 1877 to 1887. 147 George Washington for the riukly face of good King George. The evidences all around would soon undeceive liim, and he would quickly discover that Queen Victoria still reigned over a happy and contented people. The return of the Queen's Own, Royal Grenadiers and Gover- nor-General's Body Guards, amidst the spontaneous display of welcome by the tens of thousands of Toronto's citizens, was a sight seldom equalled, and one to be remembered by the present generation, and to be recorded in Canadian history and per- petuated by the well-earned tokens of the appreciation of Her Majesty and the English people, by the medals worn on the breasts of the heroes, these havinj; been struck in the Royal mint and with the immediate sanction of Royalty. On this day, amid a blaze of bunting, under triumphal arches from north to south and east to west, the return of the citizen soldiers was greeted with an ovation only equalled by that given to the Guards in London on their return from the Crimean War covered with blood stains and martial glory. ARRIVAL AT NORTH TORONTO. The movement of the Governor-General's Body Guards to- wards the ground indicated the arrival of the train and the commencement of the cheering. The troops disembarked amid the strains of " Johnny comes Marching Home," and " Home, Sweet Home," by the bands of the regiments. The cheers were taken up by the spectators along the streets as the column came into view. On Yonge Street the sight which met the eye was one which had never before been presented. Looking southward the view was beautiful. Arches, flags, banners, festoons of flowers and evergreens, with multitudes of spectators in windows and on housetops, as well as on the crowded thoroughfares, as street after street was passed, under arch after arch, formed a scene which could only again be repeated under like circumstances, and which will in all probability never occur. It was joyful, enthusiastic and loyal, and will live in the memory of all wha witnessed it while life shall last. kr U i ■iri 148 TouoNTo "Callld Back. Under any circumstances the return of volunteers to their homes and friends would lie a cause of rejoicing; but when they come having bravery, victory and peace inscribed on their ban- ners, their march is a triumphal procession. Our gallant defenders, under the command of Colonels Miller, Grasett, Otter and Denison, with General Middleton as Com- mander-in-Chief, will have their names and deeds recorded on the page of history as examples of heroic endurance and bravery. The distance travelled, hardships endured, battles fought and won, thorough discipline without a single act of insubordination, cool courage, steadiness under fire, and the crowning result in the capture of the leaders and the entire suppression of the rebellion — all distinguished this short cam- paign of less than four months as one of the most remarkable of ancient or modern times. Toronto the Centre of the Dominion. A few years ago a book was written to prove that St. Louis was geographically the central city of the world, and that eventually it must become the commercial centre, and very plausible reasons were given to prove the statement. The immense resources of the country of which it was the centre, in iron, coal, goliVk. , Cathedrals, churches, schools, ' d n ions rise In stately grandeur towering r' e '^t.e.i. A noble harbor fronts thy s i.i. eri bound, And gentle hills encircle tht^ ar^ md ; From north to south, fron' ^t to west expand Streets, avenues and roads, v isely plann'd, That strangers visit thee with ease, and find In thee a home at once just to their mind ; Long live Toronto ! loud her praises swell, Here Commerce, Art, and Nature love to dwell. — Imrie. inl tt < m\ It will be no exaggeration to say that no city on the con- tinent is making greater progress than the City of Toronto. Within ten years the population has doubled. Not only has this increase occurred within the limits, but the city has thrown off shoots east, west and north, which are now rapidly assuming the proportions of towns. Indeed, one suburb, which a decade ago was a series of farms, with cottages scattered here and there, has been recently incor- porated, and its large population, its populous streets, its hand- some stores and private residences well entitle it to the dignity of a town, — and this is Parkdale. The population within the limits now reached 111,000. Ten years before Toronto extended from the Don to Bathurst Street,. / ; I ! lit if I m in ICO Toronto "Called Back." I' li' and from the Bay to College Avenue. Spadina Avenue north of St. Patrick Street was a field, where the troops were reviewed, and Sherbourne Street above Carlton resembled the " forest primeval." It is possible now to walk from half a mile east of the Grand Trunk crossing on the Kingston Road to within half a mile of the lake shore, on Queen Street (a distance of about four miles), through an revenue of shops, and to inspect store windows on Yonge Street from the Bay to the hill north of the city, which was formerly regarded as the country. Nothing illustrates the growing opulence of the city more than the character of the places of business and the architectural improvements on the private residences. A shop is not a shop now unless provided with the metropolitan plate glass front, and the tendency in every business is in the shape of extension, — in short, to occupy two or three buildings where formerly one was sufficient. Where many cities have one fine street of which they are justly proud, as Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, and Wabash Avenue in Chicago, none can boast of so many fine streets or private residences of finer build or more elegant design. The old square house which was the palace of a merchant years ago, has given place to a building of Elizabethan or other fashionable style, in which the taste for ornamentation is fully gratified. Formerly Jarvis Street was the home of the wealthy, and then Sherbourne laid claims to rivalry ; and while these go on improving constantly, new competitions for style and elegance are springing up both on the north and west. To the person whose business confines him to the centre of the city, a visit to what recently were fields is at once a revela- tion and surprise. New streets have been opened out, new and magnificent mansions have been erected, comfortable houses for the middle classes have been built, and places of business to meet all local 'vants have been provided. In addition to this, there are very few points which are not within five minutes' walk of the street cars. Toronto in 1886. IGl The enormous development )f Toronto of late years is largely the result of a liberal policy which has brought the railroads of the Province, and with them a larjie oortion of the northern and western sections, to our doors. There are to be added to this, the public spirit of the people, the business enterprise of the merchants, the good sanitary condition of the city, and the presence of all those religious and other metropolitan advan- tages which persons retiring from active business life elsewhere naturally seek. Toronto is making great strides towards being the Chicago of Canada. Meat Markets and Horses of Toronto. Contrasting with the inferior meat of former times, the markets of Toronto, for splendid supplies of first-class meats cannot be surpassed anywhere. The display at Christmas time is another evidence ot Toronto's great progress, and would do credit to any city in the world. In connection with this, reference may be made to the won- derful improvement that has taken place in all classes of horses, which are to be seen in such numbers on our streets. Whether for saddle, carriage, or heavy draught, no city in America can show finer specimens of horse-flesh, and it is only in point of size that they are excelled in Britain. The finest display of heavy draught horses in the world is to be seen on the first of May in Manchester, when, in splendid new brass-mounted, shining harness, and gaily decorated with ribbons and flowers, the proud teamsters display their leviathan animals, sleek and fat, in a procession extending for miles in length. Toronto horses belonging to the railway companies are quite equal in symmetry and condition. Toronto's Natural Advantages. We get here no earthquakes such as those of which the San Franciscan sleeps in nightly dread. We get no fervid heat, such as in New York often slays its scores in a day by sun- ' > I i*!^| ' i liiL 1G2 Toronto "Called Back." stroke. We get no excessive degree of cold, such as all places to the east, west, and north, and some to the south, including Chicago and St. Louis, sutFer from. We get no cyclone or wind- storm, such as all the cities west of us, even as near as Detroit, are subject to. No western cyclone ever yet reached this district. We get no floods, such as periodically inflict loss and surt*ering beyond calculation upon many of our sister cities. Nature ha.s done everything for our comfort, providing even for the absence of the mosquito, which is just beginning to ply its proboscis elsewhere. Toronto a City of Churches. Wherever God erects a house of pniyer, The devil always Vjuilda a chapel thete ; And 'twill be found upon examination The latter has the larger congregation. — Daniel Defoe. If this celebrated man, the father or founder of the English novel, was living in Toronto to-day he would scarcely venture to introduce the above lines into a satire on churches and church-goers. The congregations worshipping in Toronto churches would show a very different result from what is im- plied in the above verse. In no city in the world are churches more numerous, or the congregations larger, in proportion to the population, and it is safe to say that in this respect the church accommodation is larger than in any other city. Taking the average capacity to be one thousand, and thf^ number of churches in Toronto and suburbs at one hundred and twenty, the entire population, if present at one time, could nearly be accommodated ; and this cannot be said of any other city. Although this can never happen, it is evident the average attendance must be very large and the accommo- dation abundant. It is safe to say, that nowhere else can such a sight be wit- nessed on a fine Sunday evening, within the same limits, as in Toronto, when the churches are emptied of the crowds of wor- .11 Toronto in 1886. 163 shippers and the sidewalks are blocked with the throngs re- turning to their homes. The writer having spent Sundays in every large church- going city on both sides of the Atlantic, can make this state- ment without fear of successful contradiction ; nor is there any- where to be seen better dressed or more resoectable looking congregations than worship in Toronto churches. What the feelings must be of those who absent themselves from Toronto churches on Sunday I cannot imagine, nevt r having such an experience, but it seems as if that very absence would preach a sermon which, to every freethinker or agnostic, would be as p'^werful in favor of Christianity as if a sermon were listened to inside the walls of a church. The rinjjinjj of the bells is at an end, the ru nblin 1 I. ii.-. 172 Toronto "Called Back." From the continent of India, including the newly annexed Kingdom of Burmah, have poured in countless treasures of gold, silver, jewels, diamonds, ivory, silk and gold embroideries, shawls, tapestries, and other fine manufactures of fabulous value. From " Ceylon's Isle," where the spicy breezes blow so softly, have come coffee and spices, and from the land "Where the feathery palm trees rise, And the date grows ripe under sunny skies ; And midst the green islands of glittering seas, Where fragrant forests perfume the breeze ; And strange, bright birds, on their starry wings, Bear the rich hues of all glorious things ; And from far away, in this region old, Where rivers wander o'er seas of gold, Where the burning rays of the ruby shine, And the diamond lights up the golden mine, And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand." Came all that the imagination can conceive of, or the Arabian Nights have pictured of richness, grandeur, magnificence and luxury. From Australia, embracing New South Wales, Van Dieman's Land and New Zealand, have been sent the great natural pro- ductions of these vast countries — animals and their produce, in the shape of wool, meats and cheese, and *^^he celebrated woollen maaufactures of Nelscn, with a variety of other speci- mens worthy of a great nation. The gold fields of Australia, already represented in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham by a pyramid showing the bulk of gold shipped to England, from its first discovery up to a comparatively recent period, exhibit much that is still more magnificent. From Africa have been sent ostrich feathers, coffee and ivory, and men of every shade, from the dark Hottentot to the Euro- pean colonist, unite to make their very best display. And so the isles of the sea, Newfoundland, Bermuda and the West Indian Islands, and some in the Pacific Ocean, Toronto in 1886. 173 have vied with each other in this great peaceful and brotherly rivalry. The representation of the great Dominion of Canada, the brightest jewel in the Imperial Crown, has been accomplished in a manner worthy of her greatness, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific the varied productions of her mines, fisheries, forests, agriculture, animals and manufactures is already displayed, to show to the world the vast strides made by this young giant in the march of civilization, arts, sciences, trade, commerce and manufactures ; and Canada, undoubtedly, has given a good account of herself, even when side by side with the rich pro- ductions of her sister colonies, and the great continent of India itself. No one city excelled Toronto in the exhibition of what is both useful and beautiful. Who can predict the result of this union of the great British family, brought together in this way for the first time ? The Hindoo of India has shaken hands with his brother, the red man of the Canadian forest ; and the New Zealander, described by Macaulay as one day sitting on London Bridge sketching;- the ruins of St. Paul's, was there to falsify the prediction on behalf of his future countrymen, and has seen in the wonders exhibited but the beginning of the extension of the brotherly inter-communication of trade and commerce, when Canada, with Toronto as its commercial centre, will be the great high- way between India, Australia, and the central heart of the Empire, and as Sir George Stephen, quoting the words of the late Sir John A. Macdonald, has just expressed it, the termini of this great highway will be Hong Kong and Liverpool. Then will soon arrive the time when those vast regions, traversed by the iron road, will be peopled by untold millions of happy and contented settlers, all true in their allegiance to the great Empire of which Canadians are now amongst the most loyal subjects. The writer who, in 1896, describes Toronto with a population of 250,000, will assuredly refer to the present time as the most remarkable period in her history. .'I ; I 'SiPfii! i 174 Toronto "Called Back." The completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the last rail on Callander Junction spiked down on the 18th of .mnuary, making the distance from Toronto to Winnipeg shorter by two hundred and thirteen miles; the commencement of shipments to Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan ; the coincidence of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition and the jubilee of Her Majesty's coronation, all combining as happy omens of thp great future, augur well for the great future that lies before her. The completion of the Canadinn Pacific Railway, and, what is sure to follow, a line of ocean steamers from Vancouver to Hong Kong, and thence through British territory to Calcutta, together with the formation of the Dominion of Australia, point to the near approach of what must happen in the closer union of all British countries. Every thinking mind must look back with wonder and admiration on the past years of the now waning century. These have been years of miraculous progress, of vast revolu- tions in surrounding empires, of startling discoveries in science, of beneficial changes in social life. Time and space have become the servants of science. The telegraph enables us to converse with absent friends instanta- neously, or by the railway we fiy to see them on the wings of swiftness ; and England, in the midst of the changes of other nations, rears her proud head, great and glorious, powerful and peaceful, rejoicing in that precious liberty of mind and body which constitutes her the Queen of Nations. OPENING CEREMONIES. " That they all may be one ! " That mother and daughters, Tenderly linked like the Graces in love, > Girdling the globe, over lands, over waters, May be united beneath and above. Here on this orb's upper hemisphere olden, There on that younger half-circle beneath, Everywhere shall one sweet union unfolden England's fair scions in olive-twined wreath. All to be one ! What a blest federation ! Ill 1 |i: i . f i '¥ il IMAGE EVALUATION TSST TARGET (MT-3) 4p 1.0 I.I i:^ 12.8 ^ IM 12.2 M 12.0 I; I 1.8 IIIL25 II . .4 ,,.6 < 6" ► <^ A .^%^ .^>.^V .V'* ■^ % ^jS Photographic Sciences Corporaition v ^ •ss c\ \ iV cS^ 23 WKT MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSN (716) •72-4S03 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES. Toronto in 1886. 177 Britain, Imperial Queen of the World, Sealed as one heart, one life, and one nation, Under one cross, one standard unfurled : Owning one law of religion and reason, Speaking one language, and rich in its wealth. Proud of the past, and the bright present season. And the grand future of hope and of health. So may the whole world's glorious communion. Nature, and Science, and Commerce, rejoice ; Growing together in one happy union, Filling the welkin with gratitude's voice. Canada, Africa, Zealand, Australia, India, continents, isles of the sea, Adding your jewels to Britain's regalia, One with Old England the home of the free 1 — Martiti Farquhar Tripper, The Exhibition was formally opened by Her Majesty on the 4th of May, and was characterized by the impressive, peaceful pomp and pageantry of a Royal progress, and was one of the most remarkable the world has ever seen. The weather was beautiful. Crowds galhered along the route taken by Her Majesty from Buckingham Palace, and greeted her with enthusiastic cheers. The main hall in which the opening ceremonies were con- ducted was crowded with the elite of London. The large number of foreign princes and diplomats who attended in court dress, combined with scores of British officers present, in full glittering uniforms, made a magnificent spectacle. The Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Henry of Battenburg and his wife (Princess Beatrice), and the Crown Princess Victoria of Germany, led the Royal procession through the building, and were followed by Lord Hartington, the Marquis of Salisbury, Earl Derby, and scores of other distin- guished persons. So great was the rush to witness the Royal procession to the Exhibition building that it required, besides a strong force of cavalry, upwards of 1,000 policemen to keep a passage-way for the Royal carriages through the streets. When the Queen's carriage arrived the entrance was surrounded by throngs of distinguished persons. The Royal guard of :' f. ■i ! I r ''A [ m i. HI i I 1:/ ; :' H I i'-^ll''|| ; { t( , SI)' ..■• ;■; !:'H i' 178 Toronto "Called Back." honor lined the corridors when Her Majesty alighted and passed into the building. When the Queen appeared in the hall she was greeted with enthusiastic cheers. The opening ceremonies were simple, and consisted of a carefully prepared programme of music, the presentation of addresses to the Queen by the Oologies participating in the Exhibition, and a formal declaration by Her Majesty that the show was open. The music was grand. Among the numbers was "Home, Sweet Home,"' sung by Albani. The immense choir, accom- panied by the great organ and orchestra, rendered the Halle- lujah Chorus with powerful effect. The chief feature of the opening ceremonies was the singing of the new British Ode composed by Tennyson for the occasion. The poem is in four parts — one of welcome to the exhibitors ; one of prayer for the inheritance by the Colonies of England's attributes ; the third describing the loss of the United States, and the lesson of it ; and the fourth an appeal for the unity of the Empire. Her Majesty was immensely pleased and much affected by the singing of the ode. She smiled and nodded approval over each patriotic sentiment rendered, and was fairly radiant with pleasure when the vast audience caught up the poet's spirit and vented their joy in deafening thunders of applause. The text of the ode is as follows : — Welcome, welcome ! with one voice In your welfare we rejoice, Sons and brothers, that have sent From Isle, and Cape, and Continent, Produce of your field and flood, Mount and line and primal wood. Woiks of subtle brain and hand, And splendors of the morning land ; Gifts from every British zone. Britons, hold your own ! • , May we find, as ages run, The mother featured in the son ; And may yours forever be ■\ Toronto in 1Ss6. That old strength and conatancy, Which has made your fathers great In our ancient Island State ; And where'er her flag may fly, Glorying oetween sea and sky, Make the might of Britain known. Britons, hold your own I Britain fought her sons of yore ; Britain failed, and never more, Careless of our growing kin, Shall we sin our fathers' sin. Men that in a narrower day — Unprophetic rulers they — Drove from out the mother's nest That young eagle of the west, To forage for herself alone. Britons, hold your own ! Sharers of our glorious past, Brothers, must we part at last ! Shall not we, through good and ill, Cleave to one another still ? Britain's myriad voices call : Sons be wedded, each and all, Into one Imperial whole — One with Britain, heart and soul, One life, one flag, one fleet, one throne. Britains, hold your own ! And God guard ail. 179 All the parts were sung in English but the second. This had been translated into Sanscrit, by Professor Max Muller, as a mark of courtesy to the large number of Orientals attending the Exhibition. A noteworthy incident in the ceremony was the presentation to Her Majesty, by Sir George H. Chubb, of a master key of the most elaborate workmanship, which could open any of the 500 Chubb locks in the Exhibition. This choice and costly specimen of the locksmith's art is adorned with jewels of all kinds, and decked with many a dainty and symbolic device. n 'i I i - 180 Toronto "Called Back." It is well worth a minute description Imagine it, half a foot long, made of burnished gold, set off with enamel and a variety of jewels, the bow being hexagonal in shape. In the centre of the hexagon, as seen from one side, is a golden representation of the head of a lion in high relief, langued with ruby, crowned and set in red enamel surrounded with a band of white enamel, with the inscription, "The Colonial and Indian Exhibition." From this central circle radiate to the angles of the hexagon six shields in raised blue enamel, each bearing a symbol in gold of the colony or dependency — the animals chosen being the sheep, elephant, tiger, opossum, beaver and buffalo. At the bow end of the key, and surmounting the bow, is the Imperial crown, the band of which is jewelled with rubies and emeralds. The pin of the key as it leaves the hexagon starts from a centre of four elephants' heads, whose trunks form a socket on either side of the bow. The radiating shields are of yellow gold, and bear the names of several of the Colonies, whose symbols are of the obveise, and in the centre of a small nugget of gold. This key represented symbolically the opening of the Exhi- bition by Her Majesty, after which she handed it to the Prince of Wales. In addition to the distinguished personages named above, Her Majesty was accompanied by several young Princes and Princesses, including in all thirteen of her children and grand- children ; all the former being present except the Duke of Edinburgh, who commanded the fleet in Greek waters. When the Prince of Wales had read the address on behalf of the Commissioners of the Exhibition, and the Queen had read her reply, he kissed the hand of Her Majesty, but she drew him towards her and kissed him on the cheek. Thus ended a most significant and appropriate celebration, which, as the first strictly Imperial pageant, attests the strength and unity of the British Empire, and emphasizes that desire for still closer union which has become almost a passion of patriotic hearts, whether they beat in the younger Britain. beyond the seas or in the old Island Home. \ < Toronto in 1886. THE CANADIAN EXHIBITS 181 Created a profound impression on the British mind. The people of England had never before been able to realize the extent and variety of Canadian resources, and it may be said with confidence, that this country never stood in anything like as high estimation amongst the British people as she does to-day. The magnitude of her public works, the healthfulness of her climate, and the immensity of her territorial extent, were made apparent through the Exhibition as no other means could have accomplished. Commemorative diplomas and medals have been awarded to «verv exhibitor at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, number- ing about three thousan 1 of each. The medals are of bronze, and are very; handsome in design and finish. They are about double the size of an ordinary penny. On the obverse side is a profile portrait of the Prince ^f Wales, while on the reverse are the words, "Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1886," surrounded by a cluster of oak leaves. The diplomas are large-sized and of exquisite design and finish, being artistically colored. Britannia is represented, trident in hand, seated on a throne guarded by the British lion. Behind her stand two figures, one with torch in hand, the other spinning cotton, both representing, according to the interpreta- tion, the march of progress and the speed of enlightenment in the British Empire. Directly in front of Britannia, who extends her right hand in friendly welcome, are groups of individuals attired in characteristic costumes of the various Colonies. Here the noble red man, with uplifted head, presents his contribution to the wealth of the Empire ; while there his more thinly-clad fellow-subject from the burning plains of India, the lordly Zulu, or under-sized Negro, laden with the product of his clime, seemingly vie with one another in their amiable glances in the direction of welcoming Britannia. Without an open window is seen a purple sea, on which is calmly floating a British man-of-war, reminding the Colonists of their securitv at all times. It \'.i II' if ^ f !*• ' i I, ! • i: t! ?i > ' t M \i 182 Toronto "Called Back." i TORONTO EXHIBITS. No city could compare with Toronto in the number and variety of her exhibits, as shown by the large number of medals and diplomas distributed. The number presented through the Education Department alone was 137, and advan- tage was taken of the presence in Toronto of the Governor- General and Lady Lansdowne to make the presentation. This interesting event took place on the 4th of May, at a conver- sazione given in the Normal School buildings ; the proceedings being interspersed with vocal and instrumental selections. The recipients of medals were connected with the Normal and Model Schools, the Art School, Public and Separate Schools, Collegiate Institute and various Colleges, School of Practical Science and Toronto University, and exhibitors of school supplies, books and musical instruments, and proved a most interesting occasion ; the principal feature being the address of His Excellency on fine arts, which was replete with informa- tion, and both complimentary and encouraging to the students. An interesting description of the arrangement of the educa- tional exhibits and the general effect was given by Dr. S Passmore May, who was the Commissioner in charge, under the direction of Hon. G. W. Ross, Minister of Education. Dr. May has published a complete report, and also a catalogue of the whole educational exhibits, which are very valuable and interesting. HON. SIR CHARLES TUPPER, G.C.M.G., C.B. All the exhibitors from Toronto speak in the highest terms of the indefatigable exertions, inexhaustible patience, and uniform courtesy displayed by Sir Charles Tupper during the exhibition. Dominion Day, 1886. The nineteenth birthday of Confederation, amidst the usual celebration that took place, was especially remarkable at Win- nipeg by the arrival there of the first thro' gh passenger train for Vancouver, which left Montreal on June 28th. Its arrival HON. SIR CHARLES TUI'l'ER, HARONET, Hiflh VnmminKiotxr ''or ('(inadd. t 'M rh. :li ! ' '■ I il t ■ ^7 ■ \m ^'■f^'. 1 '^Si^ Itll 'i ■ ^ i. 'Pi 184 Toronto "Called Back." was greeted with a grand military display, the firing of a feu dejoie, thunder of artillery, and the cheers of the assembled multitude. The civic address to the President and Directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway contained the following : " We have no doubt as to the influence this stupendous work will have upon the commercial progress of the grand old empire of which we are proud to form a part. " We know that the consummation of this work will unite and consolidate an extensive British Colonial Empire in America, and that by placing our own girdle around the Con- tinent, territories now lying waste and desolate will be brought under the beneficent influence of civilization and commerce, maintaining in British hands that supremacy that would appear to be the heritage of the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic races." This was the first train run on the twenty-four hour time system introduced by the C. P. R. Co. The train to connect left Toronto on the 28th, at seventeen (five p.m.) o'clock. The train arrived at Port Moody on the 6th July, and was received with great enthusiasm, the Victoria band playing " See the Conquering Hero Comes." The town of Vancouver was entirely destroyed by fire on the 13th June. NIAGARA RIVER, BELOW THE FALLS. TORONTO FROM 1S8T TO 181)2. Rebellion of 1837. In the session of Pailiainent at Toronto, in 1836-37, Dr. Rolph used the following languaore : " Our geographical situa- tion is singular. To the south we are barred from the Atlantic coast by the American Republic , to the north and north-west you pass through barren lands to mountains covered with everlasting snows, and among Indian tribes unknown ; and to the east we are interrupted by the sister Province, the very Province with which it is proposed to unite us." The state of political affairs may be judged from the language used at this time by an English organ of the Opposition: "Henceforth there must be no peace to the Province; no quarter for the plunderers ; agitate ! agitate ! ! agitate ! ! ! De- stroy the revenue; denounce the oppressors. Everything is lawful when the fundamental liberties are in danger. The Guards die ; they never surrender." At public meetings the Imperial resolutions were denounced as a breach of faith and a violation of right. Resolutions were adopted to use as little as possible of imported articles paying duty, and to raise a Papineau tribute in imitation of O'Connell's Repeal Rent. Such was the state of affairs in Canada while yet His Majesty William IV. sat on the throne of Great Britain. On the 16th of June, 1837, five days before the accession of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Lord Gosford tried the effect of a proclamation on the agitation which was convulsing society. 13 1 Vr ! ,k ; 'I :i I ■ ;> I ■";.■ ■ ■ ( ■ ■n] .*'' hi M 180 Toronto "Called Back." He assured the people that the Imperial Parliament had neither violated nor was about to violate the just rights and privileges of His Majesty's Canadian subjects. This proclamation was torn in pieces hy the habitants in Lower Canada, amid cries of " A has la proclamation ! " The French-Canadians rallied to the popular cries " Vive Papineau ! Vive la liberty ! Point du despotisme ! " In Upper Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie in his journal declaimed on the condition of public affairs with scathing bitterness. Ho thus wrote : " Canadians ! Brother Colonists ! Your mock Parliament has done its duty ; bills and badgerings have followed each other in quick succession. " Ye false Canadians ! Tories ! Pensioners ! Placemen ! Prof- ligates ! Orangemen ! Churchmen ! Spies ! Informers ! Brokers! Oamblers ! Parasites and knaves of every caste and description, allow me to congratulate you ! Never was a vagabond race more prosperous ! Never did successful villainy rejoice in brighter visions of the future than ye may indulge. Ye may plunder and rob with impunity ; your feet are on the people's necks ; they are transformed into tame, crouching slaves, ready to be trampled on. Erect your Juggernaut; the people are ready to be sacrificed under the wheels of the idol. " The four-pound loaf is at a Halifax shilling (20 cents) ; the barrel of flour brings twelve dollars. Woe and wailing and pauperism and crime meet us at every corner of the streets. The settlers and their families on the Ottawa, in Simcoe, in the rear of the London district, and many new settlements, seldom taste a morsel of bread, and are glad to gnaw the bark off the trees, or sell their improvements for a morsel to keep away starvation. " The settlers are leaving the country in thousands for lands less favored by nature, but blessed with free institutions and just government. The merchants are going to ruin one after another ; even sycophancy and degrading scurrility have failed to save them this time. They cry out, Why is it so ? I pity them not. Money, wealth, power, was their god, the Dagon of ■f Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 187 their idolati^. ^et them cry aloud and spare not; perhaps even now he will help them. "But why are want and misery come amon^' ua ? Ah! ye rebels to Christianity, ye detest the truth, ye shut your ears against that which is right. Your country is taxed, priest- ridden, sold to strangers and ruined. What then ! Ye share the plunders! Like the Lazarroni of Italy, ye delight in cruelty and distress, and lamentation and woe." Mr. Mackenzie died in 18G1, and even at that time he must have been himself a.stonished at the womlerful changes which had taken place in the condition of the country during the previous twenty-four years of the reign of Queen Victoria ; and had he lived during the following twenty-six years and wit- nessed the Jubilee— with its glorious associations and unpar- alleled record of progress and prosperity, and nowhere greavdr than in the Dominion of Canatla, and the City of Toronto — no doubt he would rejoice with every other loyal subject — as he afterwards proved to be — at the results of the benign and benignant sway of her who sits upon England's throne and lives in the hearts of her Canadian subjects. It must not be inferred from the preceding historical extracts that the Canadian people had become disloyal : although a large number joined in the abortive rebellion, they were only a small minority of malcontents, while the great body remained true to the Government, their loyalty being intensified by the insurrection which had taken place. The Queen's Jubilee. The Queen attained her 68th birthday on May 24th, and the 20th of June completed the fiftieth year of her glorious reign. There have been but three similar jubilees in our history. The jubilee of Henry III., was kept on the 19th of October, 1265, and the festival celebration was hardly a joy-inspiring one. The next royal jubilee was that of Edward III., kept on the 25th of January, 1377, in connection with which also there seems to have been little cause for jubilation. On the 25th of 1 i ' 1: d if i 188 Toronto "Called Back." October, 1809,'the jubilee of George III. waa celebrated with more joyous hilarity than characterized either of the two prede- cessors. The Queen's Jubilee excels them all in the loyalty and afiection of her subjects. "Oarmen SeBCulare." LORD Tennyson's jubilee ode. I. Fifty times the roee has flower'd and faded, Fifty times the golden harvest fallen, Since our Queen assumed the globe, the sceptre, II. She, beloved for a kindliness Hare in fable or history, Queen, and Empress of India, Crown'd so long with a diadem Never worn by a worthier, Now with pro8p«3rous auguries Comes at ?ast to the bounteous Crowning year of her Jubilee. III. Kothing of the lawless, of the Despot, Nothing of the vulgar, the vainglorious, All is gracious, gentle, gr^at and Queenly. IV. You then loyally, all of you. Deck your houses, illuminate All your towns for a festival. And in each let a multitude Loyal, each to the hiart of it . One full voice of allegiance. Hail the great Ceremonial Of this year of her Jubilee. Queen, as true to womanhood as Queenhood, Glorying in the glories of her people, \ Sorrowing with the sorrows of the lowest ! Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 189 VI. ' You, that; wanton in affluence, Spare not now to be bountiful. Call your poor to regale with you, Make your neighborhood healthfuUer, Give your gold to the Hospital, Let the weary be comforted, Let the needy be banqueted, Let the maim'd in his heart rejoice At this year of her Jubilee. VIL. Henry's fifty years are all in shadow, Gray with distance Edward's fifty summers, Ev'n her Grandsire's fifty half forgotten. VIII. You, the Patriot Architect, Shape a stately memorial, Make it regally gorgeous, Some Imperial Institute, Rich in symbol, in ornament. Which may speak to the centuries, All the centuries after us. Of this year of her Jubilee. IX. Fifty years of ever-broadening Commerce I Fifty years of ever-brightening Science ! Fifty years of ever-widening Empire ! You, the Mighty, the Fortunate, You, the Lord-territorial, You, the Lord-manufacturer, You, the hardy, laborious. Patient children of Albion, You, Canadian, Indian, Australasian, African, All ycur hcevrts be in harmony, All your voices in unison, Singing " Hail to the glorious Golden year of her Jubilee ! " I -.1 t'rs'i : i" i\ 190 Toronto "Called Back." XI. Are there thunders moaning in the distance f Are there spectres moving in the darkness ? Trust the Lord of Light to guide her people, Till the thunders pass, the spectres vanish, And the Light is Victor, and the darkness Dawns into the Jubilee of the Ages. Only six sovereigns of England since the Norman Conquest attained an age equal to or beyond that which the Queen attained on the 24th of May, 1887. These were: Queen Elizabeth, who reached 69 years ; James II., 68 years ; George II., 77 years ; George III., 82 years; George IV., 68 years, and William IV., 72 years. Her Majesty's reign has only been twice exceeded in length, namely, by Henry III., who reigned for 56 years, and by George III., who reigned for 60 years; but the reign of one other sovereign, Edward III., equalled it by extending to 50 years. Queen Victoria is only eighth in descent from James I., a long stretch of history being covered by the seven intervening lives. She is fourteenth in descent from Edward \' I., twenty- eighth in descent from Henry I., thirty-fifth ir. descent from Alfred the Great, and thirty-seventh in desv;ent from Egbert, the first sole monarch of England. The ramifications of her pedigree connect her with many other illustrious perscnages in addition to those already named. Fifty Years' Progress. No equal period in the history of the world has \7itnessed such advances in science and speed, such rapid developnent in the useful arts, such an increase of comfort, liberty and enlight- enment. Since Queen Victoria ascended the British Throne the population of Great Britain and Ireland has Increased from 26,000,000 to 37,000,000. The acquisition of foreign territory by Great Britain is without a parallel in the history of the human family. She btars rule over one-third of the surface of the globe, and over nearly one-fourth of its population. Her v> Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 191 possessions abroad are in area sixty times larger than the parent state. She owns three millions and a half of square miles in America, one million each in Africa and Asia, and two and a half millions in Australia. At the Indian and Colonial Exhibi- tion in London, m 1886, sixty-eight colonies and dependencies were represented, varying in extent from Gibraltar, with its two square miles, to Canada with her three millions and a half. In the fifty years her aggregate wealth has more than trebled, her foreign commerce has increased five-fold; the imports of 'he United Kingdom have increased from £66,000,000 to £374,- 000,000. During the same period the imports of the British Possessions have increased from £26,000,000 to £218,000,000. The public revenues of the United Kingdom have grown since the Queen's accession from £55,000,000 to £93,000,000, and of the British Possessions from £23,000,000 to £115,000,000. In 1837, the shipping of the United Kingdom was 9,000,000 tons ; in 1887 it reached 64,000,000 tons. In the fifty years the average entered and cleared at ports in the British Possessions had increased from 7,000,000 to 78,000,000 tons. The penny postage was introduced soon after the Qaeen came to the throne, and in 1839 the total number of letters delivered in the United Kingdom was 82,471,000. In 1885 what was their number ? The total was 1,403,000,000 letters, 496,000,000 newspapers and books, and 172,000,000 post-cards, making a total of 2,071,000.000. The increase of wealth in the United Kingdom in the fifty years has been enormous, the taxable income having risen in thirty years from £308,000,000 to £631,000,000, or in the pro- portion of 105 per cent. When Queen Victoria ascended the throne, Australia was only a convict settlement, British India belonged to a commer- cial company, the South African Colony was little more than a barren rock, and the Dominion of Canada was shorn of an immense territory by the Hudsr I's Bay Company. These are marvellous facta and figures of material progress within one reign, but what is quite as important is the fact that the en- lightenment, enfranchisement and bettered condition of the !' I ii r Ml m If: I ii'f I ] i , h 192 Toronto "Called Back." masses, the growth of civil liberty, of art and culture, have kept pace with the vast strides in population, trade and wealth. Newspapers, schools, churches and benevolent societies have grown as never before, and accomplished practical results as they grew. Laws have improved, humanity advanced, wages increased, and the prime necessities of life cheapened, till now it is the deliberate judgment of the most cautious statisticians that the British labourer is 30 per cent, better paid, 40 percent, better housed, 50 per cent, better clothed, and 150 per cent, better educated, than he was in the reign of William IV. Toronto's Loyalty. Toronto, always foremost in her allegiance to Great Britain, manifested her loyalty to the young Queen on the occasion of her Coronation, on the 28tl of June, 1838. The citizens of Toronto, in their expression of joy, joined heartily in the celebration. Public rejoicings, dinners, speeches, and fireworks, were the order of the day and evening. A grand procession of firemen was the principal public feature, and formed a fine display, being headed by the bands of the Queen's Rangers and of the Royal Foresters. 1 he fire engines, drawn by two or four horses, were magnificently decorated, and mottoes of loyalty were prominently displayed on flags and banners, amidst which were the names " Victoria," in a wreath of Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock, and "British Supremacy," City of Toronto arms in gold, three gilt lions, gilt Irish harp, and the motto of the City of Toronto in gold — " Industry, Intelligence, Integrity." I Dominion of Canada. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, in hamlet and village, city and town, whether the inhabitants were English, Irish, Scotch, French, German, Indian or Ethiopian, all united as Canadians to honor their Queen, and enjoy a hearty celebration » ? Her Majesty's Jubilee. ^ Toronto fkom 1887 to 1»92. 193 Celebration in Toronto. ' The most enduring monument to commemorate the great event will be the erection of a new hospital for sick children, for which the citizens have voted the sum of $20,000. The Jubilee celebrations were inaugurated by a Military- Church Parade, on the 19th of June, when a Thanksgiving service was held in St. James' Cathedral. The Bishop of Toronto and several leading clergymen officiated. The troops, which marched to the church headed by their bands, consisted of the Governor- General's Body Guard, Toronto Garrison Artil- lery, members and ex-members of the Queen's Own Rifles, Tenth Royal Grenadiers, and Army and Navy Pensioners. The service, which was most appropriate, was rendered unusu- ally attractive by the addition of the services of the band of the " Queen's Own " to the musical programme. Major-General Sir Frederick Middleton and Colonel Gzowski, A.D.C., were present in the congregation. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. O'Meara. The Jubilee celebration was observed by religious services in the other churches on the same day, all of which were intensely interesting and fervent. JUBILEE PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING SERVICES. While no language could portray, or pen describe, the emotions which thrilled and vibrated in the hearts of the millions of Queen Victoria's subjects in all parts of the world, as in ode and anthem their voices joined in loud and harmonious acclaim in expressing the sentiments contained in " God Save the Queen," and with the swelling notes of the organ, now melted to tears and again lifted in rapture to the very gate of heaven, they gave expression to their feelings of gratitude and love for all the blessings enjoyed under the beneficent rule of our Empress-Queen ; yet if it were possible to collect and publish the sermons and addresses of ministers and laymen of all denominations, "distinct as the billows, yet one as the sea," who, in tens of thousands of churches in all parts of the world, on : W (^ r ■'■ i l' .-'-',1 ill 194 Toronto "Called Back." the 19th and 21st of June, 1887, expatiated on the themb of the Victorian age, comprehending all its vast and mighty interests, the personal goodness and virtues of the Queen, the purity of her court, the example of domestic love with its world-wide influence on society, the development of art, science, trade and commerce, the spread of civilization and education, the advance of literature, the origination of numberless benevo- lent and religious institutions, and the general advancement and present grandeur of the British Empire during the past fifty years, they would form a volume such as the world has never seen, and such a memento of the grand Jubilee as would eclipse all former histories of nations or monarchs since the world began. The appointment of the 30th June and 1st July for the Jubilee celebration proved to be both appropriate and success- ful, combining the usual Dominion Day rejoicings with the anniversary of the Queen's accession. The principal feature of the first day's proceedings was a grand procession of nearly 12,000 children from the public schools, which was witnessed by immense crowds of the citizens, and was a sight of which any city the size of Toronto might well be proud. Nearly every child wore a Jubilee medal or badge, while flags and banners were plentifully displayed. JUBILEE SERVICE IN THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH. A grand united religious and musical service, in which all the Evangelical Churches were*represented, was the crowning event of the 30th June. The magnificent edifice was crowded to overflowing, and was beautifully decorated with flags, plants and flowers. The musical portion of the service was the chief attraction, the selections being of the most appropriate and loyal character, and were quite as eloquent and even more in- spirir.g than were the beautiful addresses delivered by the speakers. A large number of distinguished gentlemen occupied the platform, amongst whom were the Hon. Sir Alexander Campbell, the newly appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario; Hon. O. Mowat, Premier ; and W. H. Howland, Esq., Mayor, ',» 1 r I Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 195 also prominent clergymen of all denominations, while in the body of the church were members of the City Council, and representatives of the various National and Benevolent Societies, all moved by the same spirit of enthusiasm, and joining with the choir of nearly 200 voices in the music set apart for the audience, with " glad hearts and voices," to swell the general harmony. The service commenced with Mr. Torrington's performance on the organ of Gounod's March Cortege, which was followed by the singing of " Go I Save the Queen," by the vast audience. The effect of this inspiring hymn, when joined in by thousands of voices was most thrilling. The - her selections were chiefly the same as given in Westminster Abbey, including Dr. Bridge's Jubilee Ode and Anthem. The addresses were practical, enthusiastic and eloquent, but above all breathed the spirit of true and genuine loyalty throughout. The closing song and chorus were composed by Mr. F. H. Torrington, and were sung with great spirit and feeling : Old England calls upon her sons , To honor England's Queen ; Her sons respond, and daughters too, To keep her memory green. With loyal hearts and ready hands v , The Empire's children stand, Prepared to do, prepared to die I For Queen and native land. '"' Chorus. Victoria ! Our Queen beloved, With loyal heart and hand, Thy colonies and fatherland United by thee stand. For fifty years our country's flag Hath borne o'er earth and main, The name of Empress, Queen belov'd, With neither spot nor stain. Long may it bear Victoria's name, Long; o'er us may she reign, And for our Empire broad and grand May she new honor gain. I. -fi 'U'i J *;. i!:. ({.! ) it ' 196 Toronto "Called Back." Upon our Queon, our Country, Flag, God's blessing ever rear,, . With peace and plenty everywhere, Her peoples homes bo blest. God save the Queen, her people pray, From hearts sincere and free ; God save ourlov'd "Victoria, And crown her Jubilee. AT THE SYNAGOGUE. The services held by the Jewish residents were remarkable for their intense devotion to the person and character of Queen Victoria. The beautiful and appropriate prayers, the music and eloquent sermon by Rabbi Phillips, were all expressive of the reverence in which Her Majesty is held by the Jewish people throughout the world. He alluded in thrilling tones to the flag of England, which lent its protection to the Jew as well as the Gentile. The Jewish merchant kings have found guar- dianship beneath its folds, and Jewish legislators had found honored places in the Imperial courts. God had been gracious unto His chosen people and provided them with a protectress in their well-beloved Queen. At the conclusion of the discourse the ark was opened and prayers were oftered for Her Majesty. The choir sang a number of Psalms in the original tongue, and the service concluded with the National Anthem in English. Dominion Day, 1887. The grand event so long anticipated was one to be long remembered as perhaps the most remarkable and the most thoroughly delightful day in the history of Toronto. The clanging of bells all over the city at 11 a.m. announced to the 150,000 people of Toronto that the demonstration in honor of Her Majesty's Jubilee, in the shape of a procession, had started toward the Exhibition Grounds. The route was thronged with immense crowds of spectators, who cheered heartily as the various organizations appeared. The road was kept clear by a detachment of mounted police, after which came the Mayor and Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 197 Aldermen in carriages; following them were the Trustees of the Public and Separate Schools, the Industrial Exhibition Trustees, and Board of the Public Library; then came the fol- lowing societies, military corps and organizations in the order named, bands, banners and flags being interspersed in regular order : — Retired Officers, Army, Navy and Militia, in uniform ; Veterans, Army and Navy ; Veterans, Volunteers ; Governor- General's Body Guard, Toronto Field Battery, Garrison Artillery, Queen's Own Rifles, Tenth Royal Grenadiers, Irish Protestant Benevolent Society, and Sons of Ireland, Sons of Canada, St. David's Society, Sons of England, St. George's Society, Young Men's Protestant Benevolent Association, Orangemen, Foresters, Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Man- chester Unity (Oddfellows), Knights of the Maccabees, Peter Ogden Lodge (Oddfellows), Toronto Butcher's Association and the Toronto Fire Brigade. The appearance of the procession was very fine, and took an hour to pass one point. Had the trades of the city joined in, the length would have been immensely extended, but they had reserved their procession for Exhibition week. At the grounds loyal and patriotic speeches were made by Mayor Howland, Hon. 0. Mowat, the Pemier of Ontario, and others ; altogether the arrangements for the full enjoyment of the day were most successfully carried out, and added another to the long list of the exhibitions of Toronto's loyalty. Celebration in London.. Of the sixteen reigning sovereigns of the pr».ient time, leaving out the Queen herself, and including the President of the United States and Pope Leo, four were actually present, and all the others were represented on this glorious occasion. In the historic Abbey of Westminster, built by King Edward the Confessor, which, more than 800 years ago, Pope Nicholas II. ordained to be the place of enthronement for the monarchs of England, whose walls are hallowed by monuments to all whom England holds great — kings, statesmen, heroes, philanthropists 1 1 ■ Pffii 1 ^^h iv .1, m-^ •' I m / ■'. i 1' 4i li I Si § H m '\ u Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 199 and poets — the Queen, surrounded by her children, her grand- children, and her great-grandchildren, returned thanks to the Almighty for her fifty years of reign. To witness this act of homage to the Divine power there came kings, princes, and potentates, and represenltitives from every nation in the world. Never in the history of England has so proud a sight been seen. There were Peers of the Eealm, the Commons, High Officers of State ; India furnished her princes, Canada and Australia and all the Colonies sent men who have sustained the dignity of the Crown in these distant lands. But hark ! the benediction is pronounced, the choir sends up the final .song of praise and triumph, its echoes die away in the groined roof of the Abbey ; the great portals open, the brilliant procession files down the nave, issues forth, and wends its way back to the Palace. At this moment the lonely splendor of the crown vanishes. The reward of fifty years of beneficent reign has come. As the Queen passes the crown shines out in all its glory, but no longer alone, for it is illumined by the upturned faces of thousands and tens of thousands and millions of her grateful people, as they shout with one heart and one voice, " Long live the Queen." Jubilee Choral Ooncert. Dr. Mackenzie's "Ode," set to music by Mr. Bennett, was given at the Crystal Palace on the 24th of June, by 3,500 per- formers and celebrated soloists, before an immense audience, Madame Albani, an artiste of whom Canada may well feel proud, being the principal soprano singer, and was triumphantly successful. The " Ode " opens with a full chorus : " For fifty years our Queen, Victoria, hail ! " Wild clanging bells and thund'rous cannon Shook the air and made it quiver From Dee to Tamar, Thames to Shannon. Queen, the people of thine homelands greet thee, One in impulse, one in heart, Hushed are all discordant wranglings, Foemen stern now cease their j anglings, Sword and shield are laid apart ! O Queen, in harmony thy lieges meet thee ! I .1 "I* (■' '(, m "WW*" 200 TouoNTo " Called Back." SonB of the Dominion See, tliey lead the way ! From where Atlantic surges, PttciHc wavelets, play, From storied town and riverside, From mountain and from plain, An ancient throne their rallying-point, "God save the Queen ! " their strain Coine now from Austral lands, Up from the under-world ; Firm hearts and willing hands, , Wide is their flag unfurled ! Hark, their stentorian cheer, , Heard once in deadly fight, Once when for cause held dear Brare souls that knew no fear Struck home for Britain's might. And India's dusky sons pass on In glittering array, The last and greatest tribute laid Before the throne this day. More than crown of monarch precious That which now thy people give thee, Flower-entwined, made of blossoms Gathered in the beauteous garden Where forever bloom scent-laden Words and deeds of purest nature. Loving daughter, wife devoted, Tender parent, friend so faithful. Ever with the stricken grieving. Ever with the glad rejoicing, 'Lo, on this great day we crown thee, Queen of all our hearts, Victoria ! Lord of life and light and glory, God of our world-empire's story, Low we bow before Thy throne. Praise is Thine, and Thine alone. King of kings, protect this nation. Lord of lords, be our salvation In the stress of trouble's day. Toronto from 1887 to' 1892. 201 O Moat High, un Thee relying, Now and ever ill defying, We Becurely re«t for aye ! Now, in one heartfelt bond uf love For her who wielda our Empire's power, Now, on this day of Jubilee, Now, in this glad and solumn hour Let the prayerful anthem rise High and higher to the skies. As a climax, the author's new verse, which wa.s added to the National Anthem, was given with all the force of choir, organ, orchestra, and the distant booming of cannon, which were fired by electricity from the conductor's desk. The composer succeeded in infusing local coloring into each section represented in his composition. The arrival of the Canadians is indicated by the imitation of sleigh bells, and so with the other divisions of the Colonies, the music being adapted to each. The new verse added to the National Anthem is as follows : For her we thank Thee, Lord, And now, in glad accord, Thy goodness praise. Strong Thy defence and sure. Keep her from harm secure, So may Thy love endure Through all her days. The Imperial Institute. As the outcome of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, and at the same time the most enduring memorial of the Queen's Jubilee, the Imperial Institute has bfcome an important factor among the institutions of the empire. A sum of £310,000 has been raised, exclusive of the contri- butions from India, and the building is now approaching com- pletion. By the charter the Corporation is bound to establish an endowment fund of £140,000. . Thanks to the energy displayed by the Prince of Wales, and 'If!" |B|| i ' 1 ,1 1 i I ■ \' ' j 20-2 Toronto "Called Back. the zeal with which his etibrts have been seconded, the Im- perial Institute has been launched in a manner which will go a long v/ay to assure its ultimate success. The Imperial Insti- tute is intended to illustrate the material advances of the empire, to aflbrd means of compari-son with what is done by other countries, to establish means of obtaining commercial information, to further the advancement of trades a 'd handi- crafts, by special exhibitions and otherwise, and to promote technical education, and the industrial arts and sciences. It is intended to be representative, not merely of what has been done throughout the empire, but of what is doing and is about to be done. in this Institute the Dominion will have an opportunity of displaying her resources and progress in every department, and by a perpetual display, although the exhibits may be changed from time to time, the productions of Canada will be constantly under the inspection of visitors from every part of the world, and it may confidently be expected that in the future, as in the past, Toronto will hold a conspicuous place, and that her exhibits will attract the attention and excite the admiration of millions oi people. The Colonial Ministers have been expressing their opinion as to the wisdom of extending the Queen's title so as to cover the colonies. The Mar([uis of Lome approves of the title of " Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen of Canada, Austra- lasia, South Africa, of the Colonies and Dependencies, and Empress of India. " Governors-General of Canada since 1847. Earl of Elgin, Sir Edmund Head, Lord Monck, Sir John Young (Lord Lisgar), Earl ol Dufferin, Mar((uis of Lome, Marquis of Lansdovvne, atid Lord Stanley, of Preston. Lieutenant-Governors of Ontario. Major-General Stisted, Sir W. P. Howland, Hon. John Craw- ford, Hon. D. A. ilacdonald, Hon. John Beverley Robinson, and Ifon. Alexander Campbell. /• f m m 1 w m ' if Toronto fuom 1887 to 1892. 203 Toronto a Mi.9ical City. High on the shore sate the great god Pan, While turbidly flowed the river, And hacked and hewed as a great god can, With his hard ble;ik steel, at the patient reed, Till there was nut a sign of a leaf, indeed, To prove it fresh from the river. He cut it short, did the great god Pan, — How tall it stood in the river ! Then drew the pith like the heart of a man, Steadily from the outside ring. Then notched the poor, dry, empty thing, In holes, as he sate by the river. " This is the way," laughed the great god Pan,— Laughed while he sate by the river, — "The only way, since gods began To make ^weet music, they could succeed.' Then dropping his mouth to a hole in the reed. He blew, in power, by the river. Sweet, sweet, sweet, O Pan ! Piercing sweet by the river, Blinding sweet, O great god Pan ! The sun on the hill forgot to die. And the lilies revived, and the dragon-fly Came back to dream on the river. — Elizabeth Barrett Brotvning. Prior to the period when the present reminiscences commence there was little to note of the niu.sical history of Toronto. The writer is indebted to the Toronto Mail for some account pre- vious to 1847. It appears by the earliest records, that as far back as 1818 the sole instrumental artist of Toronto was a Mr. Maxwell, distinguished " for his quiet manner, for the shade over one eye, and for his homely skill on the violin." With military music the townspeople were familiarized by the occasional performances of the regimental bands which '■-^% ! r: I: » M ■S'- \ V Vf "..( ' i' ■illl i !■-■ I" i; H M !it . ''] '.m^i H I! .■ m y '-< 204 Toronto "Called Back." were stationed here from time to time. The ecclesiatical music was entirely destitute of organs or melodeons. At the Church of St. James, a Mr. Hetherington officiated as clerk, and his mode of procedure was to announce the psalm or hymn, give out the tune on the bassoon, and then accompany the vocalists present with original and often grotesque improvi- sations on that instrument. At one time a choir was formed at this church with a bass viol, clarionet and bassoon as the accompanying instruments. The music was almost entirely confined to the churches that then existed ; the choirs being accompanied by flutes, violins, violoncellos, and occasionally a trombone. It is said that Mr. James Baxter organized and led a choir at the old Methodist church on King Street, near the present site of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, in 1831. The first impetus of a permanent character given to music wt*s through the services of the late Mr. John Ellis and Dr. McCaul ; the former distinguished by his performance on the violoncello, with which Toronto audiences were favored gratui- tously for many years, and the latter on the piano, showing himself to be an accomplished musician as well as composer. For many years Dr. McCaul was the patron of every enter- prise which contributed to the pleasure and advantage of the citizens. No meeting for any object of a literary, benevolent, or pleasurable character was considered complete without the presidency of Dr. McCaul, and whenever he took the lead his felicitous remarks, always mingled with real Irish humor, in- variably resulted in success. Through the influence and efforts of Dr. McCaul, selections from the oratorios were first given in 1845, in the Parliament Buildings. Monsieur Bley, a talented violinist, was brought over from New York to conduct, and with him were engaged Miss Andrews, Miss Northrall, and Mr. Miller, as principal vocalists. Two concerts were given, which were very suc- cessful and excited great enthusiasm. Dr. McCaul presided at the piano, and the Toronto Mail says, " was received with a 1 urst of applause on making his appearance on the platform." The result of this new venture led to the inception of the idea Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 205 of establishing a Philharmonic Society. Monsieur Bley, having been induced to remain in Toronto, was appointed conductor of the new organization, which started in 1846. Dr. McCaul was the President and Mr. FUis the instrumental manager. The Society gave a concert in the University Hall, Parlia- ment Buildings, on St. George's Day, April 23rd, 1847, a few days after the writer's arrival in the city, for the benefit of the Irish and Scotch relief funds. Among the vocalists were Mr. J. D. Humphreys, who became Toronto's favorite tenor, Mrs. Searle and Messrs. Ambrose and Barron. After a short stay in Toronto Monsieur Bley returned to France, and the Society was started afresh in 1848, with Dr. Strathy as vocal conductor and pianist, and Mr. Schallehn as " chef d'attaque " of the orchestra. The first concert was given in the City Hall on the 28th of December, 1849, which created quite an excitement ; some of the most difficult morceaux of the great masters were given with fair success. The second of these concerts wa.^ given in the Temperance Hall, on the 31st of January, 1850, under the patronage of the Earl and Countess of Elgin. Mr. Schallehn was a clever clarionet player, and was bandmaster of the 71st Regiment. In 1851 the Toronto Vocal Music Society was formed in the room of the old Philharmonic. Dr. McCaul was the President, the late Chief-Justice Draper, Vice-President, and Dr. Clarke, Conductor. At the first of the reunions of this Society, in May of that year, the solo vocalists were Miss Davis (afterwards Mrs. F. Thomas), and Miss Harris ; among the choral numbers given was Handel's "Hailstone Chorus," from " Israel in Egypt." These meetings culminated in a public concert in the following December. The programme embraced selections from the works of Handel, ,Weber, Rossini and Mendelssohn. The soloists were Miss Davis, Mr. Hecht, baritone, and Mr. T. Cooper, tenor. The second concert was given in June, 1852, in the St. Law- rence Hall, which had just been opened. This concert was given in commemoration of Moore, the poet. Mr. Paige, tenor, 4 -'■) S '4 : I m 206 Toronto "Called Back ^ >» '■ -;5i I - and Miss Paige, soprano, made their appearance and became great favorites with the public. After this a new oroanization was formed under the old title of the Philharmonic Society. Dr. McCaul was elected Presi- dent ; Mr. Fred. Widder, vocal manager ; Prof. Croft, instru- mental manager ; Da Clarke, conductor ; and Mr. F. Griebel, leader of the orchestra. Mr. Griebel, who came to Toronto with the Jenny Lind con- cert troupe, was one of the greatest violinists ever resident in the city. The first open meeting of this Philharmonic Society was held oil the 2.5th of April, 1854, in the University Hall, Parliament Buildings. On the programme was a symphony of Beethoven's, the " Hallelujah Chorus" from the "Mount of Olives," a cornet solo from Mr. Harkness (bandmaster), the overture to " L'ltali- ana," and a violin solo, " The dying scene," from " Lucia," by Herr Griebel. At the third meeting, Herr Griebel played De Beriot's first concerto for violin, and one of Paganini's concert solos. The Chorus sang Handel's " Fixed in his everlasting scat." The Society next figured at a concert in aid of the patriotic fund of thp Crimean War sufferers, in the St. Lawrence Hall, February, 1855. The programme included the " Funeral March," by Beethoven ; piano solo, Mr. Haycraft ; song, " Oh, God, preserve the mourners," Miss Davis ; solo and rhorus, "Qui tollis," Mr. Hecht ; fantasia, on the " Cujus animam," Mr. Hay- ter ; song, " Ruth," Mrs. Beverley Robinson ; song, " I would be a soldier," Mr. L. W. Smith ; piano and violin diw on " William Tell," Messrs. Griebel and Haycraft ; ' Heroes ot the Crimea," Mr. Humphreys; piano solo, " La Violette," Mr. Klophel ; song, " The sea is Merry England's," Mr. Barron (then late Principal of the U. C. College). This concert excited unbounded en- thusiasm, and was very successful. The patronage of music lovers was at this time diverted from the society by the introduction of subscription concerts given by Mr. and Miss Paige. This resulted in the fall of the Phil- harmonic Societ3% and musical matters were comparatively ^A^d^/^L^^^ Supreme Chief Ranger, I. O. F. 1 ''ill :' r I ■ : n I , i I fl' ■ i-./'i'- f ':;ii : ,: • : i ■ 1 J. ! S .1 ,4 «i:;P TOUONTO FROM 18S7 TO 1802. 207 iie<;lected till the arrival of Mr. John Carter, who accepted the post of organist at the Cathedral Church of St. James, then newly built. Mr. Carter arrived in Toronto in October, 1850, and the aspect of the musical world of Toronto was soon com- pletely changed. Mr. Carter was not long in developing the resident talent, for in the following year he gave the first oratorio performance ever given in Upper Canada. The oratorio selected was the " Messiah," and was given on the 17th December, 1857. The work was accomplished in twelve weeks, and such was the enthu.siasm created, that the cone rt room was tilled to the doors. Mr. Carter was assisted by Herr Griebel, and Messrs. Noverre, Maul, Schmidt, and Martin Lazare, amongst the instrumental- ists, and by Miss Davis, Miss Kemp (afterwards Mrs. Cobban), Miss Robinson, Mrs, Poetter, and Mrs. Scott. Among the vocalists were Messrs. Jacob Wright, Sugden, Barron, C. Grasett, Briscoe, Lang, James Baxter, and F. Roche. "Judas Maccabeus " was performed in 1858, under the direc- tion of Rev. Mr. Onions, who started an opposition scheme which divided musical society into two parties, known as the Onionites and the Carterites. The feud, however, was of rather an amicable nature. The Rev. Mr. Onions had Mr. Noverre as leader of the band, and Mr. G. F. Graham as organist. His vocalists were Mr. and Mrs. Hickok, Mr. Lindsay, Mrs. Dunlevi, C. J. Martin, Mr. Humphreys, Mr. John Baxter, the Misses Robinson, Madame Wookey, Mrs. Hastings, Miss Searle, Mrs. Emerson, and Messrs. Lnscoe, Sugden, and Vial. The band and chorus were adver- tised as numbering two hundred. At one of the oratorios, the writer and his party sat near a gentleman of the legal profession, recently out from London, who criticised the performance of each vocalist, and during the performance of one tenor singer, not appreciating his efforts, he made himself conspicuous by shrugging his shoulders and screwing up his countenance, at the same time exclaiming loudly enough to be heard, " Oh, Sims Reeves! " m 1 1 r 1 ' . ! . ! ■> '1 :!-:'^ I i:!.. ^ m 1 1 ' ( 'rtp,.^ 208 Toronto "Called Back." Having lately heard that celebrated tenor, in Exeter Hall, we could partly sympathize with his feelings, but not so far as to lose the enjoyment of the Toronto performance, which was highly creditable to all concerned. The rivalry resulted in each party giving the "Creation." In 1861 Mr. Carter formed the "Toronto Musical Union," and Mr. Onions the " Metropolitan Choral Society," under the direction of Mr. Martin Lazare, a most able musician. Some of the per- formances of this gentleman on the piano were truly mar- vellous, especially " medleys " and " fantasia " with one hand. In 1863-4 Mr. Carter, as director of the Musical Union, in connection with the Mechanics' Institute, in the Music Hall over the present Free Library, gave occasional concerts ; and among the works produced were the " Messiah," " Judas Mac- cabeus," the " Creation," the " Lay of the Bell," the " Stabat Mater," and the operas " II Trovatore," and " Martha." In 1872 Mr. Robert Marshall, in connection with Mr. Alex. Mills, undertook to reorganize the Philharmonic Society, and succeeded in inducing a sufficient number of instrumentalists and vocalists to combine for this purpose. Dr. McCaul was appointed President ; the veteran Dr. Clarke, Conductor; Mr. Robert Marshall, Vice-President ; and Mr. John Hague, Secretary. The first concert of this new society was given in October, 1872, when the " Messiah " was given in Shaftesbury Hall. The chorus consisted of twenty-eight sopranos, twenty-six altos, forty-eight tenors, fifty basses, and eight principals — in all one hundred and fifty. The orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Marshall, consisted of twelve violins, three violas, three basses, two double basses, two flutes, two clarionets, one bassoon, one horn, two trumpets, and two drums — total thirty. The solo vocalists were Messrs. J. G. Sheriff", Marriott, Martin, and Pearson, and Mrs. Grassick, Mrs, Cuthbert, Miss Hillary, Miss Clarke, and Miss Thomas. The pianist was Mr. H. G. Collins. This was the last occa- sion on which Dr. Clarke conducted at an oratorio. .- * iRir occa- ,/ / ./ F. H. TORRINGTON, ESQ. Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 209 Mr. Marshall wielded the baton until the arrival of Mr. Torrington in 1873. This event marked a new epoch in the musical history of Toronto. F. H. TORRINOTON. Mr. Torrington first saw the light in October, 1837, the place of his birth being Dudley, Worcestershire, England. He com- menced playing the violin when seven years of age, and evinc- ing marked ability was placed by his parents under the care of competent musical instructors at Birmingham, who taught him the piano, violin, organ, and harmony. He afterwards received his musical training as Cathedral organist, choir- master, pianist, etc., under James Fitzgerald, of Kidderminster (pupil of Dr. Gorge, Bristol), under whom he was articled for four years. As violinist he was a pupil of Geo. Hayward, Birmingham. In 1853, he became organist and choirmaster of St. Ann's Church, Bewdley. In ISo-i, Mr. Torrington was elected a member of the London Society of Sciences, Literature and Arts, for which he has a diploma. After a successful career in England he came to Canada, and was engaged in Montreal as organist of Great St. James' Street Methodist Church, a post he held for twelve years. During this period he d jveloped his musical talent, and worked hard to cultivate public taste for the best class of music. For a considerable portion of this time Mr. Torrington was bandmaster of the 2.5th Regiment, and as founder and director of various vocal and instrumental societies, his services as solo organist and violinist were in constant demand. During a visit to Boston, to take part in the first great Peace Jubilee, Mr. Torrington was asked by Mr. Gilmore to take up his residence there, and a short time afterwards was offered and accepted the position of organist and musical director at King's Chapel, which position he left for the one he now holds at the Metropolitan Church, Toronto. During the period of his residence in Toronto his work speaks for itself, as, in addition to the palpable improvement in church and choir music which he has effected, he has produced with large olivorus and orchestra, through the medium of the Toronto (j-i: :f H m ' ;■! \f:^' ' ' 1 'i : if f| ' 1 1 ;, : 'n J :1i .f , ; ■:':f' gi|| ^1!: niil'^^ ■ ■ :■!■ By '•■':'■ ! r , I ill kii i III ToUDNTO FUOM 1S.S7 TO IbOti. 211 Plulliariiionic Society, the t'(jllowinnr woiks of the Great Masters, many of tlieiii hoard for the first time in Canada, and some for the first time on this side of- the Athintic : Messiah, Klijah, Creation, f^ay of the 'Vil, Fridolin, St. Paul, Stabat Mater, May Queen, Hymn of Praise, Walpurgis Ni^dit, Naaman, Fair Elen Marcli and ('horus (Tannhauser), March Cortej^e (Koine dt Sal»a), Marcli and Chorus (Life of the Czar). Miserere Scene iTrovatore), Mors et Vita, Israel in Egypt, Spring's Message, Bride of Dunkerron, Rose of Sharon, Juihis Maccabeus, Cyp.sy Life, The Last Judgment, Acis and Galatea, Precicsa, Redemption, Rose Maiden, Crusaders. That Mr. Torrington's fame, so thoroughly established in America, had reached back to Europe was abundantly shown during his recent visit to his native land. During Mr. Torring- ton's visit to Europe he attended the Bayreuth festival, and at Leipsic he was hospital)ly entertained by Jadassohn and Martin Krause. While in lif^ndon he was invited by Dr. Mackenzie to attend the Royal Academj' of Music at St. James' Hall. He was also invited to attend a meeting of some of the most emi- nent English musicians at the College of Organists. In concluding this sketch we may saj' that Mr. Torrington's entire career has been a long record of unbroken success, as noteworthy as it is deserving. At present Mr. Torrington occupies the following important positions : Organist of Metropolitan Church ; Conductor of Phil- harmonic Society ; Director Toronto College of Music ; Presi- dent College of Organists ; President Society of Musicians. TORONTO COLLEGE OF ML'SIC. In September, 1888, the Toronto College of Music, with Mr. Torrington as musical director, and a large staff of teachers selected from the most prominent professional musicians, opened its doors to the public. Instantaneous success attended the opening, and very soon hundreds of pupils were enrolled. In order to place the institution on a permanent basis, an asso- ciation of gentlemen of great prominence was formed into a ^•ll 212 Toronto "Called Back." joint stock company, having, in co-operation with Mr. Torring- ton, as its board of directors, George Gooderham, J. K. Kerr. Q.C., Prof. James Loudon, M.A., William Macdonald, M.A., T. G. Blackstock and R. Torrington. The Toronto College of Music being now an assured success for all time, it was affiliated with the University of Toronto, the most celebrated seat of learning in the Dominion, and r?^;^-57r; ■ ' ■i-j" ' - ' 't ' .'■ •■ <■ .:. ' TORONTO COLLEGK OF MUSIC. possessing powers of granting degrees in music (Mus. Bac. and Mus. Doc). This step placed the college in the most complete point of organization possible. By virtue of the strength of its faculty, the possession of a building with music halls, organ and all other necessary appli- ances, ample capital, a vigorous and influential board of directors, a large orchestra (sixty members), and facilities for securing the highest degrees in music, the Toronto College of Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 213: Music stands out a leading factor of musical education in. Canada, and may be ranked with the most important institu- tions of a similar kind in the United States and Europe. Mr. Torrington made an extended tour through Europe in the interests of the Toronto College of Music, visiting the Leipsic Conservatory and Gewanhaus; the Hoch (Joachim) School of Music, Berlin ; the Wagner Festival at Bayreuth ; the Koyal Academy of Music, London ; the Royal College of Music, London ; being most cordially received by Dr. Stainer, Oxford University ; Dr. Mackenzie, Royal Academy ; Dr. Brydge, Westminster Abbey, and Dr. Turpin, College of Organists. It was very satisfactory to find that the strongest features of these various schools of music are incorporated in the scheme adopted as the basis of the work of the Toronto College of Music. ;!:' i^:':ii' !■' n I ;; ^^^ JENNY LIND. The arrival of Jenny Lind, the " Swedish Nightingale," in America, in 1853, created such a sensation as was never known in the musical world. The sale of tickets for her first concert in New York was a great event. The first choice of a seat being set up for competition, was purchased by Genin, the Broadway hatter, for five hundred dollars. On her first appearanoe she carried all hearts by storm, not for her great beauty, either of face or figure, but the irresistible charm of her simple and natural manner. Once heard, Jenny Lind could never be forgotten. Nor was her wonderful gift as a songstress the only cause of the royal ovations she received wherever she made her appearance. Everywhere she was fairly worshipped for her goodness and benevolence. Although she had hundreds of letters every day asking her for help from all sorts of applicants, no worthy cause was overlooked. Her purse was always open to afford relief, and no request to give her services towards any charitable object was denied. The foundation of the Protestant Orphans' Home in this city is due to her kind-hearted benevolence. In New York, espe- cially, the Jenny Lind mania became so strong that fabulous 'I i \^-m •\ :;! ■ H 1 1 1 1 214 Toronto "Called Back." prices were paid for anything that might be preserved as a memento of her visit. It was said that chambermaids at the hotel sold the combiners, and even stray hairs from her hair-brushes, at large prices, and so of every article of which she had made use at the table. Jenny Lind was the first and greatest star artiste Toronto has ever seen. Her one concert was given in the St. Lawrence Hall, in the fall of IS.j^. Before the time announced, on the sale of tickets at Nord- heimer's, the window shutters were put up, and the door strongly barricaded to keep back the crowd and allow appli- cants to enter in batches So great was the scramble that coats were literally torn otf men's backs; and to the great amusement of the crowd, one gentleman, determined to secure his prize, hoisted a small boy over the heads of the people, and in this way the boy procured a ticket. The price of admission was ten shillings, or two dollars. Those who were present at the concert will remember her rendering of the simplest and most familiar songs. "Comin' through the rye," and " John Anderson, my Jo," were given, although with a slightly foreign accent, with great beauty and simplicity of expression ; but while the air was so familiar, the variations, from the lowest to the highest range of the voice, were such as were never heard in Toronto, and were perfectly indescribable ; and so of all the other numbers on the pro- iiramme. The following star artists have appeared in Toronto, chiefly throujih the influence of Messrs. A. & S. Nordheimer : — Piccolomini, Mario, Santley, Carlotta Patti, Rudersdorff, Parepa Rosa, Catharine Hayes, Cary, Lucca, Canissa, Madame Anna Bishop, Di Murska, Kellogg, Thalberg, Rubinstein, Vieux- temps (the king of violinists), Arabella Goddard, Wieniawski, Saure^ H. C. Cooper, Lichtenberg, Theresa Liebe, Alfred Jaell, Camilla Urso, Prinne, Listerman, Remenyi, Joseffy, Teresa Carreno, Brignoli, Nillson, Lehmann, Musin, Rummell, Wilhelmj, Fabre, Leopold Dlleyer, Paul Julien, Brega, D'Albert, Sarasate, Adelina Patti, Albani, Freidhem, and Paderewski. Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 215 Among the clubs, the Mendelssohn and Beethoven Quintette, the Damrosch and Thomas Orchestras, and Gilmore's Band, have appeared from time to time in Toronto. MRS. JOHN BEVERLEY ROHINSON AND MRS. J. G. BEARD. Any account of the proo-ress of vocal music in Toronto would be incomplete without the name of the late Mrs. John Beverley Robinson, wife of the ex- Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. This gifted and accomplished lady, possessing a fine appear- ance and exquisite voice, was ever ready to respond to the call of the citizens on every occasion, on behalf of any charitable (jr benevolent enterprise, and her singing always elicited the most hearty applause. The amounts raised by Mrs. Robinson's services for these noble objects were very large, amounting to many thousands of dollars ; one excellent institution here, " The Home for Incurables," havimr, in 1874, received the sum of !^2,000, the result of one of her charitable concerts. Only a comparatively small number of citizens know how much they are indebted to this Uvly for the existence of .some of the insti- tutions of our city. Mrs. J. G. Beard also contributed largely to the same objects, especially the Girls' Home. Her services as leading soprano in the choir of St. James' Cathedral, as well as at all such concerts as have been alluded to, are well known to many in Toronto. As amateurs these ladies have never been surpassed, and, even by the great artists who have visited the city, seldom excelled. THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL. To Mr. Torrington is due the conception of establishing a series of musical festivals in Toronto, after the model of those given in England and the United States, and the first of these, which took place on the 15th, IGth and 17th of June, 1886, will be memorable in the musical history of Toronto. The first concert consisted of the opening chorus of God Save the Queen, followed by Gounod's .sacred trilogy, " Mors et Vita ; " the second was a mi-^cellaneous cor\cert ; the third was Handel's ' ::':i!fi:' i^5 .4.; i: 1 L. : i; ?^i ■^ liilrh^ I, I", 1,1 '. f. [:. H Ml !. '"' 1 f i! I !l t \ > t t '1 1 1 1 *ii /f ■■\' i] It. m 216 Toronto "Callild Dack." sublime oratorio of "Israel in Egypt," and the fourth the Children's Jubilee and miscellaneous concert, in which 1,200 children took part. The solo performers were as follows: Soprano, Fraulein Lilli Lehmann, Mrj. E. Aline Osgood, Mrs. Gertrude Luther ; con- tralto, Miss Agnes Huntington ; tenor, Mr. Albert L. King ; baritone, Mr. Max Heinrich ; bass, Mr. D. M. Babcock ; organ, Mr. Frederic Archer ; piano, Mr. Otto Bendix ; harp, Mme. Josephine Chatterton ; violin, Herr Henri Jacobsen. The festival chorus comprised 1,000 voices, and the orchestra 100 performers. Mr. F. H. Torrington was the musical director. Whatever Mr. Torrington's ambition may be in the future, unless some grander compositions appear than Gounod's " Mors et Vita," and Handel's "Israel in Egypt," he can expect no greater success than he has already achieved in the perform- ance of these great works. The interpretation of the conception of these great composers, and the thorough execution of their great works, is only second to the compositions themselves, and in the Toronto festival, the masterly manner in which, in every part of light and shade, whether of vocalization or instrumentation, Mr. Torrington ren- dered every word and note in the programme, has placed him in the front rank of musicians. To sum up in one word, the whole festival was perfect in all its parts, and the delighted audiences who had the opportunity of listening will look forward to a repetition of the musical feast with confident anticipation. The best building the city afforded, having been utilized, proved to be most adequate to the occasion. While it would be most desirable that a music hall could be built to accommodate double the number which attended the festival concerts, yet, as there is a limit to the powers of the human voice and ear, the whole advantage was on the side of the building used for these concerts, and of both performers and listeners who were present. It is well known that at the Crystal Palace and other large places, no matter what the number of the performers may be, the outside rim of the 20,000 people who attend do not ■ t Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 217 ii;''H' enjoy the music, from the fact that it is impossible to hear at such a distance. • Toronto could afford to have r, hall sufficient to accommodate six thousand people, and at prices within the reach of all ; and chorus and orchestra might then be increased in a correspond- ing degree, without loss of the general effect so delightful on the late occasion. The oflBcers of the Musical Festival A«sociation, who so ably carried out the arrangements, were as follows : Geo. Gooderham, Honorary President; S. Nordheimer, President; J. B. Boustead, J. Herbert Mason, P. Tacobi, Vice-Presidents ; James McGee, Treasurer; Jas. C. McGee, Assistant Treasurer; John Earls, Honorary Secretary ; Edmond L. Roberts, Secretf.ry ; A. L. Ebbels, Recording Secretary ; Charles Reiddy, Librarian. The festival was successful financially as well as artistically, and reflects the highest credit on all concerned. The musical festival orchestra comprised twenty first violins, fourteen second violins, ten violas, ten cellos, ten double basses, two flutes, one piccolo, two clarionets, two oboes, two bassoons, four horns, six cornets, three trombones, two tubas, kettle drums, big drums, side-drums, cymbals, triangle and gong. At the Children's Jubilee a most interesting programme was successfully carried out, several of the celebrated soloists taking part. The children, however, were the chief attraction. When their youthful voices, with pleasing freshness and simplicity, struck the chorus " Hark to the Rolling Drum," the vast assem- blage listened with marked attention, and many a father and mother looked with pride upon their children, whose appear- ance and behavior reOected much credit on the city. Mr. Torrington, taking the place of Mr. Schuch, next con- ducted them in singing the national song of his own composition, entitled " Canada," the first verse of which runs : — ;.|t 16 O Canada, fair Canada 1 Name ever dear to me ; A home for all who leave the shores Beyond the bright, blue sea. We love our land, though young it be, A 218 Toronto "Called Back." 1;8 sunshine and its storms, Its fac3S fair, and hearts sir cere, Affections stronf; and warm. We love our hmd, We love our Hag, Beyond all others seen ; God prosjier our Dominion fair, Our country and our Queen. At a particular part in the closing verse each child suddenly produced a small Union Jack and waved it in the air. The beautiful sight of 1,200 flags, together with the patriotic senti- ment and excellent singing of the song, created the greatest enthusiasm, and the last verse had to be repeated. It was a pretty sight to see 2,400 little hands waving in the air in the action songs, led by Mrs. J. L. Hughes, in illustration of the words being sung at the same time. At the close of the concert the entire chorus joined in God Save the Queen. Toronto a Literary City. Were Toronto to be judged by the number of people who read the party political articles in the daily papers, it would rank high in the scale of literature, and if the demand for works C'f fiction were a proof of literary taste, then our Public Library and its branches would bear testimony that the citizens of Toronto were a truly intellectual people ; but while these tests may be applied to indicate the taste of the majori+y, and would certainly show the tendency to be in the line of both of these habits, it is a pleasing fact that a larg*^ number culti- vate a taste for literature for its own sake, and for the improvement of their minds. The number of non-poli.tical newspapers, and of those repre- senting the various religious denominations, is as great as in any other city of its population. The number of book stores and publishing houses, together with the large amount of books imported throughout the year, is a good indication of the extent of the private libraries which exist in the city and of the num- bt)r of their readers. Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 219 '#!fl!iil It cannot be said that, in proportion to the population, there is a greater taste for literature than in previous years. Although there was no literary institution of a popular char- acter, except the Mechanics' Institute, that was always well patronized, and the average intellii^ence of the people of Toronto was quite equal to what it is at the present time, at least in book literature. While efforts were made to encourage a taste for reading generally, especial attention was given by the man- agers of the Mechanics' Institute to impart technical knowledge. Nor was the cultivation of the faculties for appreciating the beautiful in art, thought and feeling, as well as for enjoying the truths of physical science, neglected. That elegant and reflective literature which tends to moralize, to soften and adorn the life and soul of man, and the belles lettres, which operate for the advancement of the mental condition of the middle and humbler classes of society, might now as well as then hold a higher place in public estima- tion, and with advantage be more generally called into practical requisition. The Canadian Institute, which now ranks so high as a literary and scientific institution, did not come into existence till 1849, since which time it has done much in the higher sphere of literature, and takes the highest rank amongst Canadian literary societies. Amongst the literati of Toronto may be named Sir Daniel Wilson, Drs. Scadding, Loudon, Hodgins, and Withrow, and Professor Goldwin Smith. The Week newspaper holds a place between the ordinary newspaper and the magazine ; the latter being represented by only one, The Methodist Magazine, which is alike creditable to the publishers, the contributors, to Toronto and the Dominion. It is an interesting question, whether the taste for solid read- ing is more cultivated amongst the young men of 1892 than those of 1847 and whether their general intelligence is greater. The number of amusements and attractions of various kinds which Toronto now affords may have a tendency to reduce the hours spent in study, and thereby prevent the acquisition of knowledge which, in the absence of these surroundings, made ^, V l\ ■•: i ill . lWf\ ■< i I ; p i i-MBir 220 Toronto "Called Back." the old Mechanics' Institute itself the leading attraction for young men. It cannot be denied that the newspaper is the great educator of the nineteenth century, and that no literary power can com- pare with it. Rev. Dr. Talmage says : " The newspaper is the " flying roll " of the Apocalypse. It is book, pulpit and platform, all in one. And there is not an interest, religious, literary, commercial, scientifical, agricultural or mechanical, that is not within its grasp. All our churches, schools, colleges, asylums, and art galleri'S feel the quaking of the printing press. The vast majority of citizens do not read books. " How many treatises on constitutional law, or political economy, or works of science are read ? How many elaborate poems or books of travels ? How much of Boyle or De Tocqueville, Xenophon, Herodotus, or Percevil ? Whence, then, this intelligence and the capacity to talk about themes, secular and religious — the acf[uaintance with science and art — the power to appreciate the beautiful and the grand ? " Next to the Bible, the newspa^^er — swift-winged, and every- where present, flying over fences, shoved under the door, tossed into counting-houses, laid on the work bench, read by all — white and black, German, Irishman, Spaniard, American, old and young, good and bad, sick and well, before breakfast and after tea, Monday morning, Saturday night, Sunday and week- day. The man who neither reads nor takes a newspaper is a curiosity." The "Globe." The Globe is the organ of the present Opposition, and is con- ducted with great literary ability and business enterprise. It contains its own history of half a century. From 1847 to the time of his death, the writer had a good opportunity of observing the career of the late Hon. George Brown. While the principle of de mortuis, nil nisi bonum was not adhered to in his paper, it is only just to say of himself, when he is gone, that, apart from politics, he was a man highly stion for educator ;an com- u ing roll " 1 in one. imercial, ithin its tns, and Che vast political elaborate e or De Whence, I themes, and art id every - Dr, tossed by all— :ican, old fast and id week- aper is a id is con- prise. It 1 a good n. George num was himself, m highly M." ■■■': m '"fi Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 223 respected for every generous and noble quality. He wa.s genial and pleasant in manner, honorable in his dealings, kind and benevolent in disposition. In the days when business men were thrown together in the Montreal steamers for a couple of days at a time, the writer has spent pleasant hours in his company, in conversation and chess playing, a game in which he excelled. The glory of his career culminated in his coalescence with Hon. John A. Macdonald and the other gentlemen who founded the Confederacy, and the painting now opposite the main en- trance to the Parliament Buildings, in commemoration of the great event, and in which the Hon. George Brown is one of the most prominent figures, will perpetuate his name even more than the monument to his memory in the Queen's Park in Toronto. The extension of Victoria Street into King necessitated the removal to the corner of Yonge and Melinda Streets. The present building is splendidly appointed and fitted up with all modern improvements as to heating and lighting, with elevators and every convenience for business. The "Ohristian Guardian" and Methodist Book and Publishing House. The Christian Oiuirdian, the chief paper of the Methodist Church in Canada for many years, and now the sole organ of United Methodism in Ontario, Quebec, the Northwest, and British Columbia, was started in the fall of 1829. Its first editor was the late Dr. Egerton Ryerson. In 1879 the present editor, Dr. Dewart, issued a jubilee number, f«r which Dr. Ryerson wrote an article, giving an account of the origin of the paper. He took the long and toilful journey to New York to obtain printing material, spending six days and nights between Lewiston and New York. The first number of the paper was published on November 22nd, 1829. During these early years the Guardian did valiant battle for equal religious rights and privileges. Dr. Ryerson was editor for nearly nine years with some breaks, which were filled by Revs. James Richardson, Franklin Metcalf, and Ephraim Evans. ,M .:i 1 ■ 1 i . '; i 1 y ■,||: 1 . 1 '1 r^lp '''^Hh ( p - : '! / k 224 Toronto " Called Back." In the earlier years of the Guardian, before the establishment of the political papers that have since become famous, it was a leading organ of public opinion in a greater degree than since it lias become a more strictly religious paper. During its whole course it has vigorously contended for all moral and social reforms, as well as defended the doctrines and usages of Methodism. Of the editors which succeeded those already named the Rev. Jonathan Scott was in office four years ; the Rev. Geo. F. Piayter, two years ; the Rev. G. R. Sanderson, five years ; the Rev. James Spencer, nine years ; the Rev. Dr. Jeffers, nine years ; the Rev. Dr. Dewart, at the present date (1892), has been in office twenty-three years. The Methodist Book Room was begun at the same time as the publication of the Guardian. The publication office was on " March Street, north of the new court-house." It now occupies the site and part of the building of Old Richmond Street Methodist Church, 29 to 33 Richmond Street West, and also 30 to 36 Temperance Street, forming a splendid establish- ment known as Wesley Buildings. At first it was a small book- store doing a limited business. ^ But it has steadily grown, till it has become an extensive publishing-house. It probably publishes a larger number of books and other publications than any other house in Canada. It gives employment to over one hundred and fifty hands ; and does a great deal to supply both Methodists and others with wholesome religious literature. The present Book Steward, Rev. William Briggs, D.D.^ has done much to extend the business. Free Library. The good the Free Library is accomplishing in informing and brightening the lives of large masses of people should make its operations welcome. The growth of the Toronto Library, owing to its efficient management, has been steady and onward, and its future seems bright and assured. The increasing rate of its book circulation is very marked, and the interest taken by its promoters is manifested in a practical way by a hand- some addition to the reference department in the shape of a ..,,,,^iiiii."in"llll""ni|llll|l||1l!l|||''';||l||]"l]||W|i|"llffl|ll]l|mi|"^ •m.ilinl|i.|jii. P >, :5 .J I' 'll i '.. i! 'ill I'llii I; liiiiii i;i!i&:,;:;:ii;:!;!ii:i'i'ii."l!i!llii.'#i^'i:l:'i'::!:? V ■.■.:- J I ,i Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 227 donation of some 2,000 volumes, the valuable private collection of Mr. John Hallam, of this city. It may be hoped that others will follow his example, and multiply the resources and attrac- tions of the Public Library until it becomes the pride of Toronto. The largest private library in the city is that of Professor Goldwin Smith. The Ontario Parliament Library ranks first in importance amongst those of a public character, and con- tains 25,000 volumes. Next comes Osgoode Hall with 20,000 volumes, chiefly on legal subjects. The University Library is in every way worthy of that splendid institution, and occupies one of its handsomest rooms. The Canadian Institute has 4,000 volumes ; Normal School, 5,000 ; Free Library, 38,000 ; Trinity College also possesses a large library which is steadily increasing. There are seventy- two newspapers and periodicals published in Toronto. The six daily papers are the Empire, Globe, Mail, Telegram, World and News. These are all published every morning, except the Telegram and News, which continue, as they commenced, as evening papers. The three first publish evening editions, also weeklies. The Manning Arcade is of the Italian Renaissance style, ornamented with polished granite pillars, and sculptured emblematic figures, two being caryatides supporting entablatures on each side, and one male figure in the centre representing Labor, which add much to the beauty of the design. To form a perfect arcade, it will be extended to the north,, and is an ornament to King Street. ■ 'I i Jlr P fl;'i II -1 «d Toronto as a Place of Residence. If the city possesses all the advantages to which reference has been made, it will be admitted that no element in the con- stitution of a great city is wanting. The capitalist who would invest money to advantage can here find a promising field for 1 H II # 1 fill. I 228 Toronto "Called Back." enterprise. There is also plenty of room for more manufactur- ing industries. The man of leisure, with fixed income, may find in Toronto a delightful home, and live just as his means may allow, even to the enjoyment of luxury. The mechanic and tradesman can, by industry and economy, secure a comfortable home on easy terms, and in Toronto every reasonable wish may be gratified, and the new settler find a welcome to any class of society which may be congenial to his taste. Summer Resorts. queen's park. Just west of the Osgoode Hall on Queen Street West will be found a beautiful avenue of nearly a mile in length. Chestnut and maple trees flank the carriage drive and pathway, which in the vista open out upon the Queen's Park. Going north the intersection of the Yonge Street Avenue is reached, and we pass from the grateful shade of the long line of chestnuts into the verduous sunlight of the open Park, one hundred acres in all, including the University grounds, which have been fenced off from the city property. The Park is a favorite resort dur- ing the hot weather, and contains the University Buildings and Library, School of Biology, School of Practical Science, Victoria Methodist University, Observatory (Meteorological Office), Wycliffe College, Volunteers' and Hon. George Brown's monuments, and a score of beautiful villas ; it is also the site selected for the erection of the New Provincial Parliament Buildings, which are rapidly approaching completion. EXHIBITION PARK. These grounds, originally used exclusively by the Industrial Exhibition Association, have for some time been thrown open to the public all the year round, except for two weelis in Sep- tember, during the Exhibition. Under the superintendence of Mr. Chambers, the Commis- sioner of Parks, these grounds have assumed a most beautiful h ^Ifl Toronto prom 1887 to 1892. 229 appearance, being laid out in the most artistic manner as land- scape gardens, and having a profusion of shrubs and flower- beds, which increase in beauty from season to season. Further improvements are in progress this season — new roads are being made, new sidewalks laid down, a number of new flower-beds have been formed, and the whole of the grounds will this year preseiit a more beautiful and attractive appearance than they have at any previous Exhibition. m LORNE PARK. This favorite resort is beautifully .situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario, fourteen miles from Toronto, and can be reached in twenty-five minutes by rail, or forty-five minutes by water. It commands a splendid view of the lake. It has recently been laid out in cottage and camp lots, of which there are two hundred, with main avenue of one hundred feet, and streets of sixty-six feet, leaving fifty acres for recreation grounds. The grounds are lighted by electricity, a proper water supply and system of drainage arranged for, and everything has been done to make this the most pleasant summer resort in Ontario. No intoxicating liquor is allowed to be sold on the grounds, or on the steamer plying to the park. Street Traffic. There is no city of the size of Toronto, in Great Britain or America, which shows so extensive street traffic, as the writer knows from personal observation. Having said this, the rest of the world might be included. This arises chiefly from the position Toronto occupies as the great distributing centre of the Dominion. The receiving and shipping of imported and manufactured [;oods, which are sent to every point from Hali- fax to Vancouver — the representatives of Toronto houses now regularly visiting the whole of this immense field — have created this wonderful amount of business traffic on our streets, evi- Ht ' . M;- : '\ h i t i '; ' 'F ■t "i I .' i 4\ ' 1 - %t leS MB 1, .111 ^E 230 Toronto "Called Back." dencing the solid and substantial progress the city has made in a comparatively short time. Had our Rip Van Winkle, instead of coming from Holland, been acquainted with the topography of London, and in some day during the week of the Industrial Exhibition " waked up " from his long sleep, at the Dominion Bank (leaving out the powdered wigs, plush breeches, silk stockings, and gold-headed sticks of the footmen, and throwing in continuous lines of street cars), he might naturally fancy himself at Oxford Circus, with Oxford Street stretching away at one side, and the ^.egent Street Quadrant at the other ; or should a " block " recur, as in the case of some procession, might imagine he was standing somewhere between the Bank of England, the Royal Exchange and the Mansion House ; and as to the wholesale trade, if at the corner of Scott and Front Streets, might imagine himself in St. Paul's Churchyard, with a view from Ludgate Hill on the west, to New Cannon Street on the east, where are to be seen the finest specimens of warehouse architecture in London. Returning to Yonge and King Streets, he would find carriages of every style, private and public, including phaetons, broug- hams, waggons, coupes, market carts, dog carts, rockaways, pony carriages and hansoms in endless variety, also drays, lorries, merchants', manufacturers' express and tradesmen's delivery wagons, — all producing a scene of bustle and activity only to be witnessed in a great and prosperous city, and showing a marvellous contrast with the appearance of the streets in 1847. Canadian Pacific Railway. On the first of November a message was received by the Governor-General at Ottawa from Her Majesty, congratulating the Dominion Government on the accomplishment of the great work ; and on the ninth of the same month, Sir John A. Mac- donald received a telegram from Mr. Van Home, and the Pre- mier of British Columbia, congratulating him on the completion of the C.P.R. Mr. Sandford Fleming also telegraphed, stating that the first through train had accomplished the journey from Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 231 Montreal to Vancouver in five days, and that the trip would shortly be accomplished in four days. At a banquet given in Montreal to Sir George Stephens and Hon. D. A. Smith, the former said in his speech : " When Sir John A. Macdonald stated in London that the termini of the Canadian Pacific Railway were Liverpool and Hong Kong, he was not indulging in a flight of eloquence. He was stating in simple language a sober fact." By the proposed line of steamers from Vancouver to the far East, the crossing point of the Canadian Pacific Railway will be reached. In 1861 it took from ten to twelve days for troops to be conveyed from Halifax to Quebec. In 1870, during the Red River rebellion, it took eleven weeks from Quebec to Red River, and ninety-five days from Toronto to Winnipeg. Now the whole distance can be traversed in six days. Troops and stores can reach the Pacific coast from Liverpool in thirteen or fourteen days. In summer, from Montreal to Vancouver can be done in four and a-half days ; in winter, Halifax to Vancouver in six days. With steamers making fourteen to fifteen knots, the passage from Vancouver to Yokohama can be made in twelve days ; from England to Japan in twenty-six days ; from England to Hong Kong and Shanghai in thirty-four days. From England fo Hong Kong, via Brindisi, takes forty to forty-four days, and i:ia Gibralter, forty-nine to fifty-three days; from England to Calcutta, thirty-eight days ; and via Halifax, adding seven days for Atlantic passage, the distance can be done in twenty-eight days. Lord Lome, in his article on the Canadian Pacific Railway, says; "Had not the Americans derived new life and hope from the time that civilization was carried inward from the coast, and the mere fringe of the New England colonies and the Carolinas and New York had blossomed into a nation control- ling the Mississippi, and master of all the regions which pour their wealth through the great market place on the shore of Michigan — the city of Chicago." And his lordship asks, " Why should not Canada have its Chica2:o ? " •> •I -■:i 11" II M Ifti '■1' '^■■^^ ii I i. I 232 Toronto "Called Back." Either his lordship had forgotten to mention Toronto, or he did not wish to show any partiality, as he must know that Canada has her Chicago, and that can be no other than Toronto, situated on Lake Ontario, in a position corresponding almost exactly with Chicago on Lake Michigan. Toronto is quite as favorably situated as regards her water communication, and much nearer the seaboard, and as a centre of railways equally well situated, and commanding a larger extent of country for trade, which will be secured to Toronto as quickly as the great North-West is settled. Even now her trade extends from ocean to ocean, whereas Chicago has no trade whatever to the east- ward, and is chiefly confined to the States of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and has to compete with St. Louis, Milwaukee and St. Paul ; and if her trade has developed to such large proportions in half a century, what may Toronto not expect, with her immense field for enterprise, during the same period ? Surely it must become even greater than the trade of Chicacfo. Cruthedral of St. Alban the l^Iartyr. The corner-stone of this building was laid on the 16th of June, 1887, by the Right Reverend Arthur Sweatman, D.D., Bishop of Toronto. The Cathedral Chapter was incorporated in 1883, and the Cathedral building was commenced in 1885. The establishment of a Cathedral for the Diocese of Toronto has been under consideration for many years, the object being to have a Church and Episcopal residence altogether distinct from ordinary parochial organizations, and forming a central point in the diocese from which the Bishop, with the advice of the Chapter, may exercise the functions of his office and his oversight over the whole diocese. The Cathedral will be built in a central position as regards the city and suburbs, being a little north of Bloor Street, between Albany and Howland Avenues, and when completed will be an ornament to the city. The work will be of red Credit Valley stone, in the early Eng- lish style, and the design is in every way worthy of a Cathedral of the Church of England. The architect is Mr. R. Windeyer. Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 23J A portion of the crypt was completed sufficiently for u-p for services pending the erection of the building above it, and ser- vices were held in it for some th^ee or four years, until in 1891 the choir was completed. The building thus erected is about ninety feet in length, and seventy feet in width, inclusive of the choir aisles. The choir is quite unequalled in Canada for Ui., m ■ 1. J CATHEDRAL OF ST. ALBAN. beauty of design and architectural finish ; the open timber roof, supported by successive arches, carried upon hammer beams with spandrels filled with tracery, is exceptionally grand, and the stone carving of the arcades dividing the choir proper from the choir aisles, has been pronounced by competent judges as the best work of the kind on this continent. The choir is floored with terra-cotta tiles, manufactured at Milton by the Toronto Pressed Brick and Terra-Cotta Company. The sanctuary is IR 234 Toronto "Called Back." >i i. approached by stone steps, and is floored with marble, the altar steps being also of marble. The whole building is to be about 250 feet long, and 70 wide, with transepts of about 100 feet in length. The design contemplates a splendid square tower at the west end. This building, when completed, will undoubtedly be one of the finest and most important public buildings in Canada. The Cathedral Chapter consists of the Bisnop of Toronto, Dean ; Rev. Canon Dumoulin, sub-Dean ; Rev. Chas. W. E. Body, Chancellor; Rev. J. D. Cayley, Precentor; the Arch- deacon of York, Venerable S. J. Boddy ; the Archdeacon of Peterborough, Venerable T. W. Allen ; Rev. Henry Scadding, D.D. ; R. Snelling, Q.C., Chancellor of the Diocese ; John A. Worrell, Q.C., Registrar of the Diocese ; Robert H. Bethune, Treasurer ; Hon. George \V. Allan, Kis Honor Judge Benson (Port Hope), Edward M. Chadwick, John Carter, John R. Cart- wright, Q.C., Major Edward H. Foster, Columbus H, Greene, Rev, Canons Henry Brent, Henry B. Osier, Francis Tremayne, Alex. Sanson, John Fletcher, Wm. Logan, C. C. Johnson, J. Middleton, Edward W. Murphy, R. E. W. Greene, Philip Harding, Albert W. Spragge, John Farncombe and Wm. Reiner. Honorary Canons : Revs. J. P. Sheraton and J. F. Sweeney. The Cathedral stands in a block of about four acres, upon part of which stands the see-house, the residence of the Bishop, a plain brick building of no architectural pretensions. The remainder of the block is intended for the future sites of such other buildings as may be found roquisite for carrying on the Cathedral v;ork in its fullest extent. Toronto Street Railway Company. Those who are acquainted with Philadelphia know that with its population of nearly three-quarters of a million, there are no tenement houses of four to eight stories, in which a number of families are crowded together, with the terrible risk from fire. Covering more ground than New York, it affords space on which every family can have a home, and this is almost v. RIGHT REV. ARTHUR SWEATMAN, D.D., Bishop of Toronto. I hi " I ) i'j I'i 11 II i li, fc I '^ • ./ - r- w.- TOROXTO FROM 1887 TO 1892. 237 entirely due to the street car service affording easy access to the farthest limits of the city, and around Fairmount Park, with its 3,000 acres, and to the manufacturing suburbs of Germantown. Applying this to Toronto, it must be admitted that the spread and expansion of the city has been in proportion to the exten- sion of the street car service, and the increase in the value of property in the suburbs is due to the same cause. No city in America can boast of a more efficient street car service than that furnished by the Toronto Street Railway Company, and nothing but very large capital and enterprise could have brought it to its present state of efficiency. To interrupt this traffic would be to throw Toronto back to the "jolting " times of a quarter of a century ago, and reduce the value of property in all the distant portions of the city. A company -^/hieh has contributed so much to the health, com- fort and convenience of the citizens, and to the enhancement of the value of property in and around the city, as well as giving employment to such a large number of men, must be regarded as public benefactors, and are fully entitled to every tinancial benefit that may accrue from their enterprise while lawfully and justly carried on. Commercial Union or Unrestricted Reciprocity. Breathes there a man so void of grit, Who loves his country scarce a whit, Who, with the spirit of a clam, Would kiss the toe of Uncle Sam, And beg him take the tub in tow, As we can never make it go ? If such there breathe, I tell you what, We might administer boycott; Not cruel or too harsh, you know. But just enough to make him go — Not be at home if he should call, Nor often notice him at all ; Upon him let not beauty smile, Nor chum his dismal hours beguile, Nor neat domestic spread his couch, i: ' ii I 1 I u, If i ii r 'i J: i i < ^1 #^^ n 1 •' 'I '\ u^ \^ f? ! 233 Toronto "Called Back." Much less consent to wed the slouch, Or cook his grub or soothe his breast, Or sew a button on his vest. But let him wander, lost, about, A woe-begone, unsavory lout, Till he is happy to resign And plod his way across the line. Or, in his abjectness, go down Without regret, without renown. — Eev. John May. During the past few years an attempt has been made to prove the advantages that would arise to the Dominion by closer cnm- mereial relations with the United States, and, under the above titles, to establish clubs for the purpose of agitating the ques- tion. While no Canadian will deny the importance of a reci- procal interchange of the natural productions of the soil, and the advantages that accrued to both countries while the Reci- procity Treaty was in existence, the question assumes quite another shape when it is proposed to extend the principle to manufactured goods, and even should this become a matter of mutual and reciprocal arrangement, unrestricted reciprocity would be not only injurious to Canadian interests and her self- dependence, but absolutely impracticable while the present tariffs relating to British and foreign goods exist in Canada and the United States. This agitation, commenced by a few individuals, none of whom have the confidence of the mass of either the commercial or agricultural portion of the people of Canada, without any intimation from the people of either country, has been carried on for some time, and representations have been made at public meetings, chiefly in country places, calculated to mislead those who do not understand the impossibility of any such arrange- ment as ihey propose without discriminating against Great Britain, and striking at the very root of our manufacturing industries at the stme time, and also reducing our large whole- sale trade to a level with that of the smaller American cities, whose wholesale merchants are only in the position of jobbers for the large importinj^_, houses of New York and Boston, while M Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 2:^0 the merchant princes of Montreal and Toronto stand on an eijuality with the larprest importers in any American city. This Commercial Union movement is now generally spoken of as the " Wiman-Butterworth-Goldwin Smith fad," and the resolutions in its favor, moved in the Parliament at Ottawa, having been discussed at such a length as to have been a waste of valuable time, both in the Commons and Senate, and having been rejected by an overwhelming vote, may be con- sidered as having received their "quietus." While the few gentlemen who have kept up the agitation have spoken of the movement as " spontaneous," it is remarkable that nothing was heard of it, either in the cities or the rural districts, until Mr. Wiman, whose interests are chiefly in the United States, sud- denly introduced the matter, and up io that time the question had never been discussed, and even now no proposition has come from the people or the Government of the United States to warrant the supposition that they would consent to such an arrangement, and much less would any class of the people of Canada, if properly informed on the subject, commit themselves to a policy so suicidal to their interests, and so degrading to their ambitious aims towards self-dependence and self-govern- ment. Without anything to gain, Canada would have every- thing to lose. The policy under which she has achieved such marvellous success, and advanced by bounds in material pro- gress and development, would be swept away, and the benefits handed over to a foreign power, while the national instinct that binds Canada to Great Britain would be extinguished, and her birthright to England's historic glory and renown bartered for a " mess of pottage." It is unaccountable that so distinguished a litterateur as Professor Goldwin Smith, who is so strong an advocate of a United Empire, can be so inconsistent as to argue in favor of Commercial Union, knowing, as he must, that it will tend towards political union, ind if entertained at all by the United States, would be only as a step towards annexation. If there is to be commercial union, it must be with Great Biitain, where a market is open for all our products, and by which our tariff will be left entirely in our own hands. m :(;iT , m It. 240 Toronto "Called Back." ArriTal of the New Governor-General. The Right Honorable Lord Stanley of Preston arrived in Ottawa on the 10th June, 1888, having made a fine and pleasant passage to Quebec. His Lordship was accompanied by Lady Stanley, his eldest son, Lieut. Edward Stanley, of the Grenadier Guards, Captain Jocelyn Bagot, Military Secretary, Lieut. McMahon, and Mr. Victor Stanley, His Lordship's second son, and a midshipman in Her Majesty's navy, and three younger children. On the 11th Lord Stanley, with a military escort, proceeded from Rideau Hall to the Parliament Buildings, and in the presence of a distinguished assemblage was sworn in as Gov- ernor-General of the Dominion, the oath being administered by Sir William Ritchie. His Excellency then signed the oath of allegiance, and also the proclamation by which he proclaimed himself Governor- General. " Nobility is a graceful ornament to the civil order. It is the Corinthian capital of polished society, — Omnes boni nohilitati semper favemua." — Edmund Burke. The Right Honorable Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston, G.C.B., is a younger son of the fourteenth Earl of Derby, by the Honorable Emma, second daughter of the first Baron Skelmersdale, and is the heir presumptive to the Earldom of Derby. He was born on January loth, 1841, and received his education at Eton. In 1864 he married Lady Constance, eldest daughter of the fourth Earl of Clarendon. In April, 1858, Lord Stanley entered the Grenadier Guards as ensign, and in June, 1862, he became lieutenant, captain and adjutant. He retired in 1865. He is now the colonel of the Lancashire Militia, a supernumerary A.D.C. to Her Majesty, and a J.P. for Lancashire and Westmoreland. He was a Lord of the Admiralty in 1868, and Financial Secretary of War from 1874 to 1877, when he became Secretary of State for War, In 1885 he held the office of Secretary of State for the Colonies, and in 1886 was appointed President of the Board of Trade, and was raised to the peerage with the title of Lord Stanley of Preston. ■' 1 ff ^ ,: ^ ' 1 1 i ! n 'I ' '■i k ■i ;i. :!!llfi|,:f HIS EXCELLENCY SIR FREDERICK ARTHUR STANLEY, BARON STANLEY OF PRESTON, G.C.B. (Oove^tior-G'-neral of Canada.) I 'I •K. M 1 1 i i ii ji it iiifi m f: ft! ^ HI 1 1 InI if J/lirat 1 II 242 Toronto "Called Back." Imperial Federation. When the first practical movement towards the formation of an Imperial Federation League was made in Toronto there was a suspicion that underneath was a covert attempt to strike at the root of the National Policy, it being thought by some that any movement towards federation would necessitate a 'uni- formity in the tariffs of England and her colonies. As the question beci-.me ventilated, and British statesmen expressed their views on the subject, and with the noblest sentiments of liberality, stated in the most unequivocal terms, that the self-governing colonies would in no wise be expected to deviate from the tariff arrangements best adapted to the circumstances of each, and that the idea of Imperial Federation did not involve the necessity of any such sacrifice being made, it was found that no such idea was entertained. The imme- diate result of this new light being thrown on the subject was to attract persons of all political views, with the principles of the integrity of the Empire, and the union of all the colonies with Great Britain for mutual defence and general support, as their sole bond of union. On this assurance, many in Toronto who held aloof at once entered heartily into the scheme, and, after a most enthusiastic meeting in Association Hall, on the 24th March, 1888, the Toronto branch of the Imperial Federation League was formed. It is not intended that the Imperial Federation League shall formulate a definite policy in carrying out their principles, but to allow time and circumstances to develop the points on which all the colonies can agree to maintain the integrity of the Empire, and, at the same time, preserve their own autonomy. As the British Constitution has been firmly established, through the cumulative wisdom and sagacity of her great statesmen in past centuries, so will the question of Imperial Federation, from time to time, gradually, but surely, tend towards its grand consummation. Whether it may take the form of representa- tion in the Imperial Parliament, or in other ways, the silken bond of union that now binds all British subjects throughout Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 243 . the world to the mother-land, will undoubtedly be strensfth- enad, and whether for defence or support, for sympathy or umterial progress, there never was a time in the history of the British Empire when the same determination existed, wherever the Union Jack floats all around the world, to preserve intact the glorious institutions so dear to every British heart. It is sincerely to be hoped that the increasing tendency to closer union with the mother-land will have the effect of dissi- pating every feeling of estrangement, and that the day is not far distant when every child born under the British flag, whether in Toronto or Melbourne, Vancouver or Halifax, Ber- muda or Jamaica, in every part of the vast British Empire, will be considered as much a Briton and citizen of Great Britain as if born within the sound of Bow Bella. r. f li!i,il :fiiP-i m\mn Right Honorable Sir John A. Macdonald, G.O.B., P.O. "Si monumentum requiris, circumspice." — On Sir Christopher Wreu, St. Paul's Cathedral. Although this distinguished statesman did not represent Toronto as a parliamentary constituency, yet there is a sense in which he represented not only this city, but every city and town in this great Dominion. Wherever trade, commerce and manu- factures flourish, and beyond the limits of the centres of popu- lation, where agriculture and all that appertains to the happi- ness and prosperity of a contented people abound on every hand, Sir John A. Macdonald has raised a monument of undy- ing fame as the leader by whose consummate skill and far- seeing and comprehensive judgment the Dominion of Canada has attained to her proud position not only as an integral por- tion of the British Empire, and the brightest jewel in the British Crown, but has come into prominence, before the civilized world, and in proportion to her population, has outstepped all rivalry. In no city from the Atlantic to the Pacific, are the results of the great scheme of Confederation and the National Policy, with tho completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, more apparent than in this rapidly growing and prosperous centre. Ji I r ' ■ .11 n My' i ii; ! : THE LATE RIGHT HON. SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD, P.C, G.C.B. (Premier of the Dominion of Canada.) Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 245 It is no flattery to say that in Toronto Sir John A. Mac- donald has enshrined himself in the hearts of all the loyal, unprejudiced and influential citizens as a public benefactor. Space will not admit of any enumeration of the benefits Toronto has derived directly and indirectly from the policy inaugurated by the present Government, which has become firmly estab- lished as that which is most conducive to the interests not only of the manufacturing classes, but by creating a home market, extends its influence to the agricultural and laboring classes as well, all of which are enjoying a measure of prosperity not surpassed in any country on the face of the globe, i The visits of the Premier of Canad i to Toronto were always welcome, and while he continued to guide the affairs of state with the same judicious hand, he retained the unbounded confidence of all who have the interests of Toronto at heart, and who are willing to place these interests above all party politics and desire to maintain the integrity of the glorious empire, which has, by conferring especial distinction on our Canadian Premier, thereby honored the whole people of Canada. From the time the writer, while yet a youth, arrived in this country, and taking no interest in Canadian politics, but observ- ing and listening to the parliamentary debates and watching the careers of the greatest men in the country, from the days of Papineau, Baldwin, D'Arcy Magee, and others, whose names are already referred to in these pages, down to the present, he soon singled out John A. Macdonald as the patriot states- man who was destined to raise his country above a party strife, and by his tact, judgment and great ability, was alone capable of fusing the conflicting elements of religion and nationality into one homogeneous confederacy, and this, with the aid of his able coadjutors, he successfully accomplished. , The opinion first formed has never 'changed. Whether in opposition or power, overwhelmed with slander by his oppo- nents or idolized by his friends, the writer always maintained that he, as the Disraeli of Canada, would raise her to the proud position she now occupies as a country enjoying the greatest ■■,r,!!fi ^^W^\ 246 Toronto "Called Back." possible freedom in connection with the greatest monarchy the world has ever seen. Like the immortal Beaconsfield, whom Sir John resembled in more than one respect, he never condescended to reply to the language of vituperation so often heaped upon him, and, beyond the use of good-natured and witty repartee and the bonhommie of gentlemanly courtesy, allowed all the slander of his oppo- nents to pass unheeded by. One great characteristic of Sir John A. Macdonald was his disinterestedness, which is essential to true patriotism. Lord Bolingbroke has said, " Neither Montaigne in writing his essays, nor Descartes in building new worlds, nor Burnet in framing an antediluvian earth, no, nor Newton, in discovering and establishing the true laws of nature on experiment, and a sub- limer geometry, felt more intellectual joys than he feels who is a real patriot, who bends all the force of his understanding and directs all his thoughts and actions to the good of his country. When such a man forms a political scheme, and adjusts various and seemingly independent parts in it to one great and good design, he is transported by imagination or absorbed in meditation as much and agreeably as they ; and the satisfaction that arises from the different importance of these objects in every step of the work is vastly in his favor. " But he who speculates in order to act, goes on and carries his scheme into execution. The execution, indeed, is often traversed by unforseen and untoward circumstances, by the perverseness or treachery of friends, and by the power or malice of enemies. " If the event is successful, such a man enjoys pleasure pro- portionable to the good he has done — a pleasure like to that which is attributed to the Supreme Being in a survey of His Works." This pleasure was, perhaps, except the gratitude of his country, Sir. John A. Macdonald's sole reward. New Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. Sir Alexander Campbell, K.C.M.G., was sworn in as Lieu- tenant-Governor on the 1st of June, 1887. 1 I i 'if! , Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 247 Honorable Oliver Mowat, Q.O., LL.D., Attorney- General and Premier of Ontario. Rarely has it occurred that the leader of any Government has held office for a period of twenty years without a break, and yet so great has been the popularity of the Premier of the Province of Ontario that such is his record, and it would seem that his continuance in power depended entirely on his own will in the matter. Having been Provincial Secretary in 1858, he became Post- master-General in 1863 ; was a member of the Union Confer- ence for the Confederation of the British Provinces in 1864, and was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Upper Canada the same year. He resigned this office in 1872, on being called upon to form a new Administration in the government of Ontario, and was sworn in as a member of the Executive Council and Attorney-General. His unswerving loyalty to British institutions, and his advo- cacy of the integrity of the Empire, have marked his public career, and been expressed on all public and official occasions, especially during the late Jubilee celebrations and on his late visit to Britain. His patronage of all religious and benevolent enterprises has gained him the reputation of being emphatically " The Christian politician." His manner is both courteous and dignified. As a debater he is concise, argumentative, and convincing. His language is well chosen, and, without any special claim to oratory, he has the faculty of holding the attention of his listeners, whether on the side of the Govern- ment or in Opposition. The subjects of debate being more provincial than national, and more local than general, limit, to a certain extent, his scope for eloquence, and it may be safely asserted that had he a wider field he would show himself equal to every occasion as a statesman of great ability. The name of Oliver Mowat will be identified with the history of Toronto for all time to come, if only in connection with the erection of THE NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS commenced during his administration, and now rising in their i iiii:' i;-ili ;.f' 4 Toronto from 1S87 to 1892. 249 magnificent proportions in the Queen's Park, and will, when completed, be a fitting Capitol to accommodate the assembled wisdom of the premier Province of this great Dominion. The buildings are of great architectural beauty, of the style known as the Neo-Greek. The outside walls have absorbed 200,000 cubic feet of cut stone, and there have been used thirteen millions of brick. The building is 512 feet long, by depth of 276 feet, and 190 feet in height. The legislative chamber will be 112 feet by 80 feet, with a ceiling 52 feet high. To the Mowat Government is due the credit of having decided on Credit Valley stone — so near our doors — and also having contracted for the whole building on terms combining economy with grandeur and solidity. The cost will b ai it 61,250,000. The building is rapidly nearing corapletic . Toronto in 1888. Perhaps never in the history of the world did nv/ year dawn on a young city more auspiciously than 1888 has dawned on our young and prosperous city of Toronto. Her citizens may appropriately say, "The lines have fallen unto us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly heritage." Beautiful for situation, the central point of attraction for the whole Dominion, Toronto is also fast becoming a centre of everything that constitutes a great city — manufactures, com- merce, education, fine arts, all have a home here, and extend their influence from ocean to ocean, while as a " city set on a hill," the name of Toronto has become the synonym of order, morality, temperance and religion. Benevolent and charitable institutions abound on every hand, and are rapidly increasing, so that to-day there is no class of sick, poor, helpless or unfortunate unprovided for, and it may literally be said there is " no complaining in our streets." Allowing for the average changes in business, and a few fail- ures, the position of Toronto to-day is one of prosperity, con- tentment and enjoyment, while the prospects are of the most hopeful and cheerful character. . \ ml i^^f'i, m •y, I M V. i; ill 1 ll 1 11 vV'Si 250 TonoNTo "Called Back." ^^1 By the suppression, or total extinction of the liquor traffic, every source of misery and of crime would be abolished, and many of those places at present provided for the unfortunate and criminal classes would cease to exist, making our fair city a model for the world. The Fleming By-law, by which over ninety saloons and places for the sale of liquor have been closed, was a step in the direction intimated, and although not followed up by a further reduction the present year, there is no reason why the move- ment towards total prohibition should not still advance towards complete accomplishment. The establishment of a dipsomaniac institution then contemplated has been realized by the insti- tution of a Sanitarium in Deer Park for the same object. Central Position of Toronto. Having already claimed for Toronto its position as the Com- mercial Centre of the Dominion, both as a distributing and shipping point, the constantly increasing number of new pro- jects, of railway extension and of mining experiments, add additional weight and importance to her claims. The com- pletion of a railway to James' Bay will shortly add another to her connections with Europe by the shortest of all routes, and vrhat with being already the centre of literature, manufactures, trade, science, and education ; the central point where tourists may choose their destination either east, west, north, or south, and visit all the grandest scenery on the American continent in the most convenient and inexpensive manner, where the disci- ples of Nimrod and Izaak Walton may indulge their passion or love of adventure with certain success amongst the thousands of islands and lakes, all within easy distance, Toronto can " hold her own " against all competitors. And to sum up, it is not too much to say, that not only does she occupy the centre of the Dominion of Canada, but the centre of the Empire on the Western Hemisphere, as truly as London does in the Eastern, as her contiguity to India, Australia, the West Indies, and all other British possessions, fully shows. , Toronto from 1887 to 1892. Winter of 1887-88 in Toronto 261 Will be remembered as perhaps the most delightful and enjoy- able in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. If anything were necessary to be added to what has already been said in favor of the climate of Toronto, the experience of the past winter would be sufficient to prove its salubrity and healthfulness. There has been sufficient snow to make excelhnt sleighing for several months, and frost to affiard the lovers of winter amusements every facility for skating and tobogganing, without a single day of what may be called extremely cold weather. In this respect Toronto seems to be especially fa/ored, and without anything like depreciation of the position of our neigh- bors across the line, may be allowed to congratulate herself on being free from the extremes which h ive been reported from many States of the Union. From one of their own papers, published in Cincinnati, we give a rather humorous poem, after the style of Longfellow, which aptly describes the weather there the late winter, while it may be stated as a fact, that in one week, one hundred and fifty persons perished from cold under the most terrible circum- stances, in the Dakota territory alone ; children having been frozen to death on their way home from school, and men and women attending to their ordinary duties within reach of their own homes, so terribly and rapidly were they stricken with the fatal blast, the thermometer indicating from forty to fifty below zero. SONG OF THE BLIZZARD. Mr. Blizzard, from the north-west, From the land of the Dakotahs, From the land of the Missouri, From the wild and howling prairies, Where the snow is piled like mountains, And the lakes are frozen solid — Now and then comes strolling southward ; Comes across the Mississippi, Makes a bee line for Chicago, 2o2 Toronto "Called Back." Paralyzes aH he finds there ; Then he scoots for Indiana — Mr. Blizzard, of the north-west — Scoots across the Hoosicr counties, Filling all the air with snow Hakes, Freezing every ear he touches Till ho strikes our Cincinnati — Strikes hor hard und strikes her often, Says the town is to iiis liking, And he'd like to make a visit. So he blusters up our thoroughfares, Whistles shrilly down o"r alleys, And he has no kind of manners. For he goes where he's not wanted, Pushes into private places, Pinching ears and slapping faces, ' Blowing skirts with impoliteness, Taking liberties unheard of, Does this saucy Mr. Blizzard. He should go back to the north-west, To the land of the Dakotahs, To the land of the Missouri, We don't like him and don't want him And request him to skedaddle. Another fact is worthy of being recorded for the information of those at a distance, who have .supposed that the Dominion of Canada is a region of ice and snow, where travel ir\ winter is impossible except in dog-trains on the snow, the Canadian Pacific Railway from end to end, or from the Atlantic to the Pacific, has not been interrupted in its traffic during the whole winter, while its competitor, the Northern Pacific, has been blocked with snow, and has encountered the most terrific blizzards. This is the more remarkable and incredible, as the former runs much farther north, and the isothermal lines run parallel with the latter, although in a much higher latitude. Toronto is situated in North Latitude 43.49, and West Longi- tude 79.71 ; 5 hours, 17 minutes and 26 seconds later than Greenwich time. Toronto fuom l«87 to 1892. 263 m Trans-Pacific Steeuners. The most important event of the year for the Dominion in general, and Toronto in particular, has been the arrival of the steamship Abfjashiia at Vancouver, from Yokohama, on the 14th of June, hSSS, having made the passage in thirteen days, fourteen hours, and being the first of the line. She had twenty- two cabin passenrj^ern for Liverpool, New York, and eastern points. Her cargo consisted of 2,830 tons of tea, silk and curios for Victoria, Winnipeg, St. Paul, Chicago, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Buffalo and New York. New Bank of Montreal. This beautiful building illustrates in a remarkable manner the progress of architecture in the city. The material is Ohio stone, and the style of the composite order of architecture, in which the Corinthian largely predomi- nates, and is the most ornate of all classical styles. The Cor- inthian is the most elaborate of all Grecian orders. The merit of its invention is ascribed to Callimachus, a celebrated sculptor •of Athens, about 540 B.C. He is said to have taken the idea from observing the leaves of the acanthus, growing round a basket which had been placed with some favorite trinkets upon the grave of a young Corinthian lady — the stalks which rose among the leaves having beeu formed into slender volutes by A square tile which covered the basket. The capital is larger and more ornamental than in the other orders, spreading in the form of a basket, and commingling the richest and lightest vegetation with the decorations of previous orders. The pilasters of the Bank of Montreal are richly sculptured, the designs, surniounted by mask heads, emblematic of various subjects. On the south are : (1) Commerce, (2) Music, (3) Archi- tecture, (4) Agriculture. Oii the east front are : (1) Industry, {2) Science, (3) Literature, (4) Arts ; and over the main enirf :nce Are the arms of the Bank of Montreal. , ( I ' H'* f \ 254 Toronto "Called Back." This splendid work has been executed by Messrs. Ho! brook & Mollington, architectural sculptors, who also performed the fine work on the Custom House. Messrs. Darling & Currie were the architects. The interior has been superbly finished in stucco, and being one complete room, with dome light, presents a magnificent appearance. The fittings of the various offices are of the most elegant description, all Canadian work. Canadian Railways. In 1849, when the writer made his first journey to Montreal and Quebec, the only railroads in Canada were a few miles between Lachine and Montreal, and from Laprairie to St. John's, and were of the most primitive character, the rails being plain plates of iron fastened with iron spikes. The carriages were of English make and fashion, having doors at the sides only, and the compartments, consisting of six seats in each, were on the vis-a-vis principle. The Lachine road was utilized for the conveyance of the Upper Canada mails, and those passengers who preferred going through that way to Montreal rather than "shooting the rapids," or in case of the steamers not going through the same evening. The Grand Trunk Railway of Canada. The recent amalgamation with the Northern and North - Western, as well as the former acquisition of the Great Western, identifies this great pioneer highway of Canada more than ever with Toronto, especially as the Northern had the honor of being the first in actual operation ; and while the name of the latter will now be lost, her history will ever be identified with the growth and progress of Toronto, opening up as it did the means of transit for the vast productions of the forest, which have found their way to both home and foreign markets by the facilities the road has afforded. And yet, all that it has done in the past are as nothing compared with what may be expected in the future, her connections now being capable of illimitable expansion, affording facilities for the development of trade and ^es were ii H :!;;^. i 256 Toronto "Called Back." manufactures, as well as the development of mines and minerals^ the products of fisheries and agriculture as well as of the forest. The fact of another stupendous undertaking having been accomplished, wit? a business sufficient to make both of these immense undertakings remunerative, must be nothing less than astounding to the reader of these pages who refers to their commencement, within the pii'iod recorded in the reminiscences of the writer. Ex- Alderman John Harvie, of this city, who was connected with the Northern from its commencement, has in his possession the first time table ever used, and is a sort of literary curiosity, being in ordinary handwriting, and bearing date June 13th, 1853, at which time the road was open to Bradford. The first passenger train left Toronto at 10.30 a.m., arriving at Bradford at 12.45 a.m., the distance being about 40 miles. He also has the first Passenger Tariff, of which a copy is given. Ontario, Simcoe, and Huron Railroad Passenger Tariff", June, 1853 — in Halifax currency (20 cents to a shilling): — FROM Toronto Davenport Road Thornhill Richmond mil . . King Machell's Corners Newmarket Holland Landing -»3 o . B sS O O a u O H B. d. : a. d. 7i; 1 1 3 a id oil .a 8. d. B. d. 1 3 I 1 lOi 1 10^ 3 H 7i 1 3 1 1 ^ 2 , 1 60 i a a S4i ^'^ sa t^ -3 =5 s ^ te" s. d. B. d. 8. d. 3 H 3 9 4 2 9 4 ^ 4 4^ 2 6 3 U 3 4 ! 1 lOi 2 6 3 H 10 13 1 lOi .... 7i 1 3 .... .... 7i| i .2 ns g d. 4i ^ 4i 9 6 1 lOi 1 3 Ih The first tickets have on one side, " Ontario, Simcoe & Huron Railroad," with the Rose, Shamrock, Thistle, and Maple Leaf on the four comers, and the other side is a representation of the Union Jack, surmounted by a crown, the letters O.S.H.R. in the centre, and " From Toronto to Barrie," on the sides. Mr. Harvie was an officer on this first passenger train ever run in Upper Canada, and issued the first ticket and handled 't. ., JOHN HARVIE, ESQ., Ex- Alderman. (Permanent Secretary Upper Canada Bible Society). \''f 'I ,■ iv , ! :■ >| I • t: u Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 257 the first money earned by this pioneer railway of Ontario. He also had charge of the train conveying H. R. H. the Prince ol' Wales, in 1860; afterwards he became Traffic Superintendent, his total service with the company extending over 28 years, receiving on his retirement a handsome bonus, with a " life pass," in a gold locket, and from the employees a handsome clock, with an illuminated address. The name of Sandford Fleming, C.M.G., C.E., which is iden- tified with the opening up of the great North-West, and with many great engineering works, must ever remain associated with the history of the Northern Railway, having held the posi- tion of chief engineer for several years ; and that of Frederick Cumberland, Esq., who was managing director to the end of his life. Canadian Pacific Railway. COLLOQUY ON THE CANADIAN SHORE BETWEEN "CANADA" AND " BRITANNIA." Canada — " Westward the courae of empire takes its way." Britannia — The Bishop's famous line, dear, bears to-day Modified meaning ; westward runs indeed The route of empire, — ours. Canada — If I succeed ' In drawing hither Trade's unfaltering feet And yours, my triumph then will be complete. Britannia — Across your continent from sea to sea All is our own, my child, and all Js free. No Jealous rivals spy around our path With watchfulness not far remote from wrath. The gea-ways are my own, free from of old, To keels adventurous and bosoms bold. Now, from my western cliffs that front the deep To where the warm Pacific waters sweep Around Cathay and old Zipangu's shore, My course is clear. What can I wish for more ? To your young enterprise the praise is due. Canada — The praise and profit I would share with you. Canadian energy has felt the spur Of British capital ; the flush and stir " M m 1. 1 i'|r M lii; ■ ,, ?j j ^ 'i ! ■Ji,l I .1 ^1^1 . i : Uii 1 . ,,.» ••; If': i ).m W.i 1 It t 1^ 258 ^ Toronto "Called Back." Of British patriot blood is in our heart ; Still I am glad you think I have done ray part. Britannia — Bravely. Yon Arctic wastes no more need Elay My gallant sons. Had Franklin seen this day He had not slept his last long lonely sleep Where the chill ice-pack lades the frozen deep. " It can be done; England should do it." Yes, That is the thought which urges to success Our struggling, sore-tried heroes. Waghorn knew Such inspiration. Many a palsied crew Painfully creeping through the Arctic night Have felt it fill their souls with fire and light. Well, it is done by men of English strain. Though in such shape as they who strove in vain With Boreal cold and darkness never dreamed When o'er the Pole the pale aurora gleamed Perpetual challenge. Canada — Here's your empire route. A right of way whose value to compute Will tax the prophets. Britannia — Links me closer still With all my wandering sons who tame anct till The world's wild wastes, and throng each paradise In tropic seas or under southern skies. See Halifax, Vancouver, Sydney, set Fresh steps upon a path whosts promise yet Even ourselves have hardly measured. Lo, Far China brought within a moon or so. Of tea-devouring London. Here it lies. The way for men, and mails, and merchandise% Striking athwart your sea-dividifig sweep Of land — iron road from deep to deep, Well thought, well done. Canada — Xo more need you depend On furtive enemy or doubtful friend. Your home is on the deep, and when you come To the Dominion's land you're still at home. Britannia — And woe to him, the statesman cold or blind, Of clutching spirit or of cliiiiing mind. Pedantic prig or purse-striug tightening fool. Who'd check such work and such a spirit cool. ul Toronto from 1887 to 1892. , 259 Yours is the praise and may the protit flow In fullest stream midst your Canadian snow A true Pactolus. Trade's prolific fruit Should freely flourish on our Empire Route. — Punch. When Archbishop Tache first went to the North- West, in 1845, he left Lachine on June 25th, in a long bark canoe, manned by six voyageurs, and going by the Ottawa and Mat- tawan, crossed Lake Nipissing, and passed thence by the French River into Lake Huron, and so onwards by Lake Supe- rior, the Kaministiquia, across Lake Rainy Riv ?r, Lake of the Woods, and the Winnipeg River, to St. Boniface, which His Grace reached on August the 25th, the journey occupying sixty- two days. It was deemed quick work in those days to make the journey in two months. Colonel Wolseley, at the head of the first Red River expedi- tion, left Toronto on May 25th, 1870, taking the Dawson route, and his advance guard did not enter Fort Garry until August 24th. On June 21st, 1887, the first train from Montreal was de- spatched to the Pacific Coast, and reached the new city of Van- couver at noon the following Sunday, making the journey of 2,900 miles in 136 hours, beating the time between Nev; York and San Francisco by twenty hours. The journey from Montreal to Winnipeg, which took Arch- bishop Tachd sixty-two days, was made in just the same number of hours. The "Mail," Having cast off the trammels of political partisanship, has as- sumed ai independent position, and now looks down from its empyrean of criticism upon the strife of party. The principles it professes to advocate are chiefly those of Equal Rights and Temperance. The mottoes of " The National Policy," " British Connection," and " Imperial Federation," formerly emblazoned on its banners, if not quite obliterated, are so dim as to hide them from the vision of its old friends and admirers. Should this escapade be \'H %t !lir |;| i ■ I; U I' w\ 260 Toronto "Called Back." only temporary, and the Mail return to the " fold of its fir^st love," hosts of these friends would again flock to its standard. The marked ability of its editorial matter, its comprehensive views of cjeneral subjects, its unequalled home and foreign cor- respondence, with its interesting matter for family reading, place it in the front rank of Canadian newspapers, being high- toned and dignified in style, as well as instructive and edifying. The Mail building, which is a monument to the enterprise of its proprietors, is at once an ornament and an honor to Toronto, while "ts arrangements for carrj'ing on its whole business are perfect in every detail. Wealthy People of Toronto. Not more than about thirty years have elapsed since the first person in Toronto died wealthy ; a fact which shows that such a thing as wealth being inherited was unknown, and that the accumulations of the inhabitants of Toronto since its first set- tlement, have either been by the increase in the value of pro- perty, or by profits of business industry. Amongst the former may be reckoned the late Hon. Mr. Crookshank, Hon. William Allan, Jesse Ketchum, and Samuel Jarvis, who, having obtained large tracts of land where the city of Toront now stands, found themselves possessed of pro- perty before they died worth many millions of dollars by the natural increase in the value. Amongst those who acquired wealth by steady business enterprise, one of the first was Mr. John Harrington, followed by Mr. Rice Lewis, the Messrs. Ridout Bros., all in the hai*d- ware trade ; and Messrs. Michie, in the grocery ; and later, Hon. Wm. McMaster and Mr. Robert Walker, in the dry goods trade ; Messrs. Gooderham & Worts, in the distillery business, may be said to complete the list of those who had acquired great 'wealth up to the time of their death, and not one of all these had any capital with which to commence business ; Mr. Robert Wilkes, in the watch and fancy goods trade, may be added to the list as having acquired a larije amount of riches, while yet a comparatively young man. To these may be added the late eign cor- f"' ti5nP' I ) ■ f ' f ^' 1' ( m- ; : ;! : 1 ■ ' 1 !* !l I THK KMl'IKI-; 15riLl>IN(i, ADKLAIUK STRKKT WKST. Toronto fuom 1887 to 1892. 261 Senator Macdonald, Messrs. John Kay, Frederick Perkins, John Eastwood, Joseph Cawthra, and John Ley.s. Such has been the rapid increase in the value of property within the last twenty-tive yeai-.s, und the development of trade and manufactures, that the list of living men who enjoy not only competence, but positive and real wealth, would be both remarkable and surprising. "The Empire." The Mail having ceased to represent the principles of the Liberal-Conservativ .j m the Dominion, a joint stock com- pany was formed to publish a paper which, as its name implies, advocates the integrity of the British empire, and at the same time the policy of the Liberal -Conservative Govern- ment of Canada, known as the National Policy. It must be a matter of congratulation to all loyal Canadians that a paper has been established which will, to a large extent, counteract the injurious influence of those who, for ulterior objects, have for some time been engaged in representing the United States as ottering advantages superior to those enjoyed in Canada, and extolling everything on the other side of the lines, the effect of which is to depreciate Canadian interests and her attractions. To those in Europe into whose hands the Emjnre may fall, the information it will disseminate must prove invaluable, because it will be reliable, and it is to be hoped that its wide circulation, which is assured, will tend to promote the best class of emigration to the Dominion, and that Toronto will have a large share, as our city and country only require the plain truth to be told to have their great attractions appreciated ; and this will be adhered to in the columns of t^^e Empire, which is published daily and weekly. Capital Invested in Toronto. According to the enumerators' returns for the city of Toronto the capital invested in manufacturing industries in the Queen City last year reached the extraordinary total of $32,000,000 ;. ^ f^^- m \^ ^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 ■^ lii 12.2 u U4 lU 140 2.0 M |L25,,.4„,.6 4 6" ► Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTH.N.Y. 14580 (716) t72-4S03 262 Toronto "Called Back." the total number of employees 26,400, and the wages amounted to 89,400,000, the average being S355 for each employee an- nually. The value of the products from the factories and work- shops of Toronto was no less than 845,000,000. Within the past few months Mr. McGuire, of the United Brotherhood of Car- penters and Joiners, stated that wages in the United States had gone down considerably in the last twenty years. In 1880 the average in the United States was 8346 per employee. In 1890 the average dropped to 8309. The position, therefore, that Toronto occupies in this respect is most gratifying, and is a signal proof of her stability and progress. In 1881, as near as can be ascertained by careful scrutiny of the census returns of that year, the average rate of wages paid was 870 less per em- ployee than in the year just closed. The farmers of Ontario have a deep interest in this matter, inasmuch as if the artisans of Toronto obtain better wages than in the leading cities of the United States, it represents a higher purchasing power, and, therefore, they have more to spend on what the farmer pro- duces. Toronto a Manufacturing City. A Sheffield teacher gave a school girl, for a home lesson, a composition on the question of trade. Next morning she brought an excuse for not having done her task, and also handed to the teacher a note which her brother had sent, and which contained the following: — "'Trade is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.' It will come * in the sweet by-and-by.' Trade ! Trade ! where art thou ? Come forth and show thyself." This is the problem which the greatest political economists in the world are trying to solve to-day. An Imperial Commis- sion has been appointed in England to find out where her trade has disappeared to, and the cause of its decline ; with this only result so far, that new markets must be found to supply the place of those that have been lost. It is probable the youth knew nothing of the theorie"^ of Free Trade and Protection, and did not know that Sheffield Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 2G3 res amounted goods were excluded by a hostile tariff from what had formerly been the largest market for these goods ; nor that the manufac- turers of Connecticut and Rhode Island were sending in similar goods to England entirely free ; he only knew the sad fact of poverty and all its attending evils. The McKinley tariff, which came into operation in the United States on October 6th, 181)0, has further aggravated the evil in Sheffield by the great falling off of exports to the United States. It must be gratifying to the citizens of Toronto that happily no .such state of things exists here; trade is a visible and tan- gible reality, and there appears every prospect of steady pro- gress in the future, as there has been in the past. While no class is oppressed, all are benefited. When it is remembered that at the commencement 6f our sketch there was just one stove foundry, one soap and candle factory, and one or two other unimportant kinds of goods manufactured in Toronto, the list speaks for itself. It must be borne in mind, however, that this does not by any means in- clude all the branches of manufactures, as new industries are starting up continually. It would be impossible to over-estimate the importance of these manufactures to the city, not only giving employment to thousands of the population, but forming a large market for the agricultural productions in the surrounding country, and also attracting buyers of every class of goods ; all tending to the circulation of money, and* contributing to the general prosperity. No thoughtful person can walk down any of the leading thoroughfares in the morning, or at six o'clock in the evening, without being struck with the crowds of well-dressed men and women, all tending toward or returning from the centre of these industries ; and he must, indeed, be void of patriotism, whose feelings are not thrilled by the sight of so much enterprise and industry, making our streets vie with those of Manchester or Nottingham. Nor is there any reason to doubt that, before long, we may see the numbers greatly increased. While the extension of manufactures may embrace those not so cleanly, no one would object to see even the linen overalls and the m I y 264 Toronto "Called Back." woorlon clogs which, in other cities, although corresponding with the work of the operatives during the week, are often replaced by silk and patent leather on Sundays and holidays. Toronto Manufactures in 1891. Account Books 6 Agricultural Implements 4 Ammonia .... 1 Architectural Iron Work 2 ' ' Furniture 7 Artificial Limbs 2 " Stone 1 Asphalt 2 Awnings 6 Baby Carriages 4 Bags 8 Baggage Checks 2 Baking Powder 10 Bamboo Goods 2 Band Instrument-s 2 Barb Wire 2 Baskets 3 Bedding 2 Bellows 1 Belting 8 Bicycles 10 Billiard Tables 2 Bird Cages.. 2 Biscuits 2 Blacklead 2 Blacking 1 Bolts and Nuts 2 Bonnet Shapes 2 Boots and Shoes 19 Boot Uppers 2 Boxes 9 Brass Fixtures 16 Bricks 44 Bricks (Pressed) 1 Bridges 2 Broom Handles 1 Brushes 14 Carpets 3 Carriages and Waggons 37 Cattle Food 3 Cements 14 Cereal Food 2 Chains I Chemicals 9 Chewing Gum .'} Church and School Furniture 2 Cigars 13 Coffee and Spices 7 Coffins 4 Collars and Cuffs 2 Combs 1 Copper Works 5 Corks 2 Cornices 2 Corsets 7 Check Books 2 Dies 6 Drop Forging 1 Drugs 4 Dry Plates 1 Electric Bells 2 " Belts 3 " Burglar and Fire Alarms . . 2 " Apparatus 4 Elevators 2 Embroideries 3 Engines 8 Envelopes 4 Essential Oils 8 Excelsior 1 Fences 2 Files Fire Extinguishers Fringes and Tassels Furs Furnaces 15 Furniture 13 Galvanic Batteries 4 Galvanized Iron 12 Gas Appliances I Toronto from 1S87 to ISO 2. 265 Oas Fixtures 7 ("".liias Signs 1 iilass (Staineil) 4 nioves '2 (Mild Leaf I Hiunniocks 1 Hiiniware .' 2 Hiiniesa 37 lliirps 1 Hats and Caps 7 Hilt Blocks I Heating Apparatus 11 Horse an\ 'm KM 266 Toronto "Called Back." I \ • f ■ * Tobacco 1 Windmills 1 Tools Trusses Twines Trunks .... Tinware Umbrellas Varnish . . 7 Vinegtar G Violins 1 Wall Paper 1 Watch Cases 2 LS Whips 1 li Washboards 1 Window Shades 9 Wire Mattrasses 2 W ire Fencing '2 \\'iri^ Works T Wool Mats 1 Woollens 2 Yarns 1 Yeast li The Marquis of Dufiferin and Ava. In April, 1872, Lord Dufferin was appointed Governor-General of Canada, and, with Lady Dufferin and suite, took up their residence at Rideau Hall, Ottawa. Lady Dufferin quickly secured the good-will and affection of the Canadian people, dis- charging all the social duties which fell to her, presiding over the vice-regal household with grace and dignity. The Mo.st Noble the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, lately appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports, has had extraordinary honors conferred upon him during the past thirty years. He now bears the following titles, besides the second highest rank in the peerage: P.C, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.L. G.C.M.G., G.C.LE., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. The following is a list of the different important positions he has filled: British Commissioner in Syria, 1860; Under Secre- tary of State for India, 1864-66; Under Secretary of State for War, 1866-67 ; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1868-72 , Governor-General of Canada, 1872-78 ; Ambassador at St. Petersburg, 1879-81 ; Special Commi.ssioner to Egypt, 1882-83; Viceroy of India, 1884-88 ; Ambassador at Rome, 1888-91 ; Ambassador at Paris, 1891. The following is a copy of a letter lately received from the Marquis, with his photograph : British Embassy, Rome, Nov. 17th, 1891. My Dear Mr. Taylor, — I am glad to learn that you are hi positions he nder Secre- )f State for jr, 1868-72 , idor at St. Dt, 1882-83 ; e, 1888-91; THE MAKgUIS OK DUI-I-ERIN AND AVA. d from the \ r m^' TOUOKTO FltOM 1887 TO 1892. 267 al)out to publish a new edition of your interesting book on Toronto, and I have much pleasure in enclosirjg the photograph you are good enough to ask for. Yours very truly, (Signed) Dufferin and Ava. Meeting in the Academy of Music. "A Brituh subject I was bom, and a British subject 1 will die." —liifjht Hon. Sir John A. Mitcdonald, G.C.B., F.C., dc. The above words are immortal, as the moniory of the great iium who uttered them, and will be the magical talisman which will bind together in consecration all the loyal men of every croud and nationality in this grand Dominion, which has been cemented and founded by his master-hand and the hands of those associated with him in the great work of Confederation, The greatest political event in the history of Toronto was undoubtedly the reception of Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Charles Tupper in the Academy of Music, in 1891. Never before was a platform crowded with so many repre- sentative men as surrounded Sir John A. Macdonald on that occasion ; the building, from pit to top-gallery, was packed with an enthusiastic audience. Thousands outside vainly endeavored to effect an entrance, yet lingered around the spot hoping to catch a glimpse of the Grand Old Man after hours of patient waiting. The greeting he received amidst showers of bouquets, and the cheers of the vast multitude were touching in the extreme, and in consideration of its being his last reception of a public character in Toronto, can never be forgotten by those who had the pleasure of being present. Death of Sir John A. Macdonald. TO THE MIGHTY DEAD. *^ Know ye not that there is a pnnce aiid a great mtm fidlen ihis day in Isi-ael ? ' — 2 Samubl iii. 38. Laj' flowers upon that bier — Flowers — white their sheen j Tho' worn with age and sear, " Those hands are clean. " 268 Toronto "Called Back." Fold them upon his breast As if in sleep. The Chieftain sinks to rest, And millions weep. Bravely the tight was fought, From youth to age ; Nobly the palm was sought, With stainless gage. Gold ! what were gold to him, Of men a King ? Earth's baubles were but dim ; — Their glare unseen. No more that hand shall guide His country's banjue ; No more with kindly tide Shall throb that heart. Sealed are thosd lips that told To tingling ears, Our cDuntry's " Fort to hold " Throughout the years. From us a limb is torn, — Our noblest shred ; And friend and foeman mourn The mighty dead. But yet, such is not death Laid in the tomb, While in the living breath Fresh praises bloom. When homes, from sea to sea, Vast tiirongs shall claim. Their sweetest song shall be Macdonald's name. And while that flag floats free, In taintless sky, His mem'ry still must be Our battle cry ! — JJnncau Anderson, in Qiiehec Chronicle. TORG.^TO FROM 1887 TO 1892. 269 At 10.15 on Saturday, 6th of June, 1891. the bells tolled out the mournful news that Canada's greatest statesman b a«l passed away for ever. Only a few days before, he filled his accustomed place in Par- liament, and discharged the important duties pertaining to his position. From the Atlantic to the Pacific all Canada was plunged into the deepest grief, and with the lightning s flash, to the very heart of the British Empire and to Britain's Queen, went the .sad tidings that one of the greatest men that ever lived, having accomplished his life's great mission, had been called to his reward. The funeral of Sir John A. Macdonald was conducted with oreat and solemn state. The procession from Earnscliffe to the Senate Chamber of the Parliament Buildings was on a grand scale, every class of the people bei. ' represented from all parts of the Dominion. Whilst the body lay in state, the crowds who pressed to take a last look at the face of the illustrious dead, moved ceaselessly from morning till 10.30 at night. Shortly before the Senate chamber was closed to the general public an incident occurred which must be regarded as the most significant since the body of the Premier was brought from Earnscliffe. At that moment Sir Casimir Gzowski walked slowly forward and placed on the casket a beautiful wreath of white and yellow roses from Her Majesty the Queen. Attached to the wreath was a card bearing this inscription : From Her Miajesty Queen Victoria. In Memory of Her Faithful and Devoted Servant. It is not remembered that Her Majesty has ever before seni any such tribute of affectionate regard to Canada or any other place. At the request of himself he was buried in Kingston beside his relatives, and the funeral was a most imposing spectacle. The state ceremonial of the two days closed the page of natural 270 Toronto "Called Back." I history which Sir John A. Macdonald made, illustrated, and adorned, and, amid the tears of a sorrowing people, the great Chieftain was laid to rest in his native city. All through his illness, Her Majesty the Queen evinced the deepest interest in his condition, and, when the crisis was past, the most intense sympathy with the stricken and bereaved widow. Addresses and letters of condolence poured in from all orders, conferences, municipalities, .societies, and prominent individuals. COMN4ERCIAL STATISTICS. Purchases of British Products. Foreign Countries — Russia Italy Germany France United States British Countries— Australasia British America . Cape Colony Per head. £ 8. D 1 : 5 £ 8 8 10 5 19 § 1 8 9 4 11 d Manufactured Exports from Great Britain. To Foreiffn Countries. Cotton Manufactures £34,490,800 Iron and steel manufactures. 15,665,899 Woollen manufactures 15,701,001 Machinery, etc. , manufactures 12,315,819 Linen and jute manufactures 7,219,618 Apparel, etc 1,532,433 Alkali and chemicals 4,217,776 Carriages, etc 2,001,515 Hardware and cutlery . 1,599,263 Boots and shoes 565,545 Earthen and china ware 1,547,886 Silli goods 1,548,674 Miscellaneous, under £2,000,000 17,887,776 To Erititth Countries. £27,698,642 9,064,711 4,717,480 4,094,842 1,157,790 6,616,155 678,144 1,028,050 1,165,183 1,682,491 692,624 680,692 14,873,488 £116,294,045 £72,948,292 Toronto fuom 1887 to 1892. 271 trated, and }, the jjreat jvinced the is was past, d bereaved I all orders, individuals. Per head. £ s. V. 1 3 ») 5 5 8 :i 8 8 10 3 6 19 k 1 8 9 4 11 9 Oanadian Imports and Exports, to 30th June, 1801. From other partaof the British Empire to 30th Juae, 1891 .$44,438,088 From foreign countriet 68,80'2,()36 Export* to other parta of the British Empire 53,3fi7,865 Exports to foreign countriea 44, 1SS,610 Exports from Toronto— the Produce of Canada. 18S3. Produce of the mine Produce of the tisheriea 8014 Produce of the forest 30H.4G;1 Animals and their produce 991, H74 Agricultural products 1, 284, < 157 Manufactures 289,276 Miscellaneuus 10,573 82,891,757 ISO I. Increrue. Decrtase. 81,050 81,060 » • • • 2,020 1,106 • • • ■ 50^940 196,477 • • • • 82;". 259 • ■ > • 8166,516 1,222,779 * • • • 61,878 736,234 446,968 • • • • 1,758 14,816 83,294,040 • ••■•• > Imports to Toronto for Year Ending June 30th, 1891. Free $4,378,728 Dutiable 14,974,408 Total .S19,363,136 Duty $4,076,926 am. To British Oountries. 17,598,642 9,064,711 4,717,480 4,094,842 1,157,790 5,616,155 678,144 1,028,050 1,165,183 1,682,491 692,624 680,692 4,873,488 2,948,292 Toronto Post-OfiBce Statistics. (For year mdiny 31st Lecevilcr, 1600.) As the post-office is the most popular of our Government departments, the following figures will be read with interest : — Amount of money-orders issued 8585,908 79 Amount of money-orders paid 81.864,083 14 Number of orders paid 166,319 Amount deposited in Post-office Savings Bank. 8583,098 00 Number of letters delivered by carriers, exclu- sive of box-holders and general delivery . . 14,004,643 Number of newspapers delivered 3,440,803 Number of letters posted : . . 13,273,828 Number of cards posted 3,526,094 Amount of postage-stamps sold $366,152 02 Number of letter carriers 112 Number of street letter boxes 191 Number of branch post-offices 16 Number of street letter-box collectors 18 i^i ! li 272 Toronto "Called Back." Oomparative Increase of Population in Eight Canadian Cities in Twenty Years. 1871. 1381. 1891. Increase. Montreal 107,225 140,747 216,650 109,425 Toronto 56,092 86,416 181,220 125,128 Quebec 59,699 60,440 63,090 3,391 Hamilton 26,716 35,961 48,980 22,264 Ottawa 21,546 27,412 44,154 22,609 Halifax 29,582 36,100 38,566 8,984 Winnipeg 241 7,985 25,642 25,401 Vancouver 13,685 13,685 Comparative Dominion Statistics for the Years 1868 and 1890. • J868. 1890. Revenue 813,687,928 $39,879,925 Expenditure $13,486,092 $35,994,031 PoBt-offices 3,638 7,913 Letters 18,100,000 94,100,000 Newspapers 18,860,000 '70,983,121 Shipping inwards vessels 8,038 15,722 Shipping outwards vessels 9,778 15,402 Imports $73,459,644 $121,858,241 Exports 57,567,888 96,749,119 Chartered banks (assets) 77,872,257 254,628,694 Post-office Savings Banks — Number 81 494 Depositors 2,102 112,321 Balance $204,588 $21,990,053 How Canada has prospered under the National Policy of protection to native industries may be learned from the fol- lowing comparison between the years 1878 and 1890 : — 1878. 1890. Increase. Miles of railway \. 6,143 13,988 7,845 Tons of shipping 23,102,551 A 1,243,251 18,140,700 Production of c^il (tons) 1,152,000 3,000,000 1,848,000 Letters and post-cards carried by Post-office Department 50,840,000 100,000,000 49,160,000 Deposits in chartered and savings banks $88,995,126 $197,895,452 $108,900,326 Money orders 7,130,000 11,907,862 4,777,862 Bank-note circulation 29,786,805 47,417,071 17,631,266 Value exports of Canadian cheese 3,997,521 9,372,212 5,374,691 Valueexportsof Canadian cattle.. 1,152,334 6,949,417 5,797,083 Value exports of Canadian sheep.. 699,337 1,234,347 538,010 Value exports of manufactured wood 13,908,629 20,659,348 6,760,719 Value exports of home manufactures 18,182,047 25,530,003 7,347,356 Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 273 Total Value of Canada's Exports to Great Britain and the United States. From 1873 to 1889, inclusive, the total value of goods ex- ported from Canada to the United States was $617,091,000. During the same period the value of Canadian products ex- ported to Great Britain was $730,235,000. During the seventeen years covered by this period the British market took, therefore, $133,144,000 more of Canadian exports than did that of the United States. 3ars 1868 Members of the Dominion Cabinet, 1892. Premier omd President of Cmnicil Hon. Sir J. J. C.Abbott, K.C.M.G. Minister of Public Works n J. A. Ouimet. Minister of Railways i John G. Haggart. Minister of Militia n Mackenzie Bowell. Secretary of State m J. C. Patievson. Minister of Agriculture m John Carling. Minister of Inland Eevenue i John Costigan. Postnuxster-General n Sir Adolphe Caron. Minister of tJie Interior m Edgar Dewdnev. Mini,.iei -f Finance r George E. Fof.ter. Minister of Marine and Fi^ihcries n Charles H. Tupper. Minister of Justice n Sir John Thompson. Witliout Portfolio m Frank Smith. Port of Montreal. Statement showing the nationality and tonnage of sea-going vessels that arrived in port during the season of 1891, which were navigated by 23,907 seamen : — Nationality. Xo. of Vessels. Tonnage. British 684 887,092 Norwegian 5 4,814 German 20 34,409 American 11 6,445 French 1 900 Dutch 2 2,834 Italian 1 872 Spanish 1 1,291 Total 725 938,657 Of the above, 631 were steamers and 94 sailing vessels. mh^' 274 Toronto "Called Back." Shipping of the World. Number and tonnage of all steam vessels of one hundred tons and upwards owned by each of the several countries of the world, registered at " Lloyd's " : — Number. Tonnage. British 6,756 8,167,762 485,781 The Colonies 839 6,595 8,053,543 United States 460 French 542 German 806 Italian , 217 Norwegian 473 Spanish 390 587,442 848,522 1,054,899 303,924 305,236 423,254 : 2,888 3,523,277 Excess of British over all other countries combined 3,707 5,130,266 SAILING VESSELS. Number. British 3,342 Colonies 1,969 United States French 5,311 2,897 803 German 1,058 Italian 1,357 Norwegian '2,921 Spanish J78 Austro-Hungarian 218 Danish 587 Dutch 352 Russian 934 Swedish 961 / Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 275 Comparative Population and Finances of Toronto in 1879 and 1889. Population in 18S9 (estimated) 1879 200,000 73,813 Increase in ten years, 171 per cent. 126,187 Value of Assessable Property, as per Assessment taken in 1889. . . .$136,526,017 " " 1879.... 50,166,639 Increase in ten years, 172 per cent $86,359,378 Rate of Taxation for the year 1880. . . . 14i mills on the dollar of Assessment. " " 1879.... 17| " " " Decrease 3 mills. Revenue, other than Taxation, 1889 §557,050 1879 267,800 Increase $289,250 Revenue from Taxation, 1888 §2,004,092 1879 900,355 Increase §1,103,737 Gross increase in ten years, (nearly) 120 per cent §1,392,987 Estimated value of property owned by the City Corporation, 1889. §11,000,000 " " '* " 1879. 5,500,000 Increase $5,500,000 General City Debt, 1889 $11,470,940 " 1879 6,075,791 Increase $5,395,14 9 Total Assessment for 1892 $151,158,606 Mayors of Toronto. William Lyon Mackenzie, R. B. Sullivan, George Gurnett, John Powell, George Munro, Henry Sherwood, William Henry Boulton, John G. Bowes, Joshua G. Beard, John Beverley Rob- inson, G. W. Allan, John Hutchinson, David B. Reid, Adam Wilson, Francis H. Medcalf, James E. Smith, S. B. Harman, George D'Arcy Boulton, Joseph bueard, Alexander Manning, Angus Morrison, James Beaty, jun., W. P McMurrich, Arthur R Boswell, Alexander Manning, W. H. Howland, E. F. Clarke, and R. J. Fleminfr. ■^ ■;! H!:!:lr, I ■!?,' t ft . 1 I' 276 Toronto "Called Back." Value of Buildings Erected during the Years 1882 81,757,630 1883 1,506,740 1884 2,033,235 1885 3,449,376 1886 1,198,220 1887 $1,276,600 1888 2,063.795 1889 2,356,174 1890 2,364,750 1891 4,338,900 Of the buildings erected in 1891, the proportion is : — 1,010 dwellings $2,689,300 37 rough-cast 29,800 121 stores and factories 440,900 16 warehouses 168,500 6 churches, schools and missions 117,600 Hotels and stables 56,300 Miscellaneous alterations and additions 268,600 Athenaeum Club Rooms 32,000 Dominion Bank, Spadina Avenue 20,000 Temperance Coffee House 19,000 Gooderham & Worts' building 66,000 Aged Women's Home 18,000 Young Women's Christian Guild 25,000 St. George's Society Hall 18,000 I.O.O.F. Hall and stores 30,000 Victoria University 200,000 Toronto University 200,000 Parliament Buildings, and Court House and City Hall, estimated at 3,000,000 " Foreign Consuls in Toronto. Germany Samuel Nordheimer. United States Charles R. Pope. " " (Vice) C. A. Hirschfelder. France A. T. Fulton. Netherlands B. Homer Dixon. " (Vice) Albert Nordheimer. Spain (Vice) Enoch Thompson. Brazil (Vice) George Musson. Italy (Hon.) A. M. F. Gianelli. Norway and Sweden (Vice) Saurin McMurray. Argentine Republic Nicol Kingsmill. " " (Vice) Frederic NichoUs. Liberia (Vice) Enoch Thompsor.. Hawaii Enoch Thompson. " (Vice) Lieut. -Col. Geo. A. Shaw. y Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 27r ! 1^ Toronto Weather Statistics. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 1889. 1890. Mean temperature 41.57 43.71 44.14 45.70 45.44 45.02 Highest temperature 88.6 89.6 97.2 92 88.7 89.4 Lowest temperature —16.1 —22.8 —16.6 —16.1 —11.3 —2.7 Amount of snow in inches . . 65.6 73.5 77.9 34.6 66.5 52.6 Numberof days of snow.... 73 66 78 83 60 81 Total amount of rain 26.351 27.726 17.909 22.819 24.575 32.110- Number of days of rain .... 103 112 106 133 127 145^ Number of fair days '203 196 203 175 187 159 Number of days completely clouded 65 74 76 58 79 68 Number of hours of bright sunshine 2,018 2,034 2,063 2,048 1,909 1,977 Number of hours of possible sunshine 4,463 4,463 4,463 4,474 4,463 4,463 Minimum and maximum temperature at different poinds in Canada on December 13th, 1891:— Edmonton, 20°— 30°; Qu'Appelle, 22°— i8° ; Winnipeg, ir— 28°; Port Arthur, 23°— 48°; Toronto, 36°— 48°; Kingston, 38°— 46°; Mon- treal, 36°— 46°; Quebec, 18°— 38°; Halifax, 16°— 42°. Churches in Toronto, 1892. Episcopal 42' Methodist 39 Presbyterian 34 Baptist 18 Congregational 12 Roman Catholic . 11 Hebrew 2 Plymouth Brethren 2. Disciples 2 Reformed Episcopal 1 Unitarian 2 Lutheran I Catholic Apostolic 1 Miscellaneous 20 Total 187 Inl886 110 Increase 77 Ni ■ H'i ;i '■ 278 Toronto "Called Back." . Toronto Water Works. Toronto is supplied with water from Lake Ontario by means of pumping engines, manufactured by Messrs. Inglis & Hunter, of this city, having a capacity of 12,000,000 gallons per twenty- four hours ; also two Worthington Duplex Engines of a capacity of 12,000,000, making a total of 24,000,000 gallons. The build- ing of the Water Works in which they are placed is a handsome structure at the edge of the bay. The reservoir at Rose Hill, from which the water is dis- tributed, is beautifully situated to the north of the city. The wonderful growth of the city will be seen by a comparison of the following statistics with the system in 1847 : WATER SUPPLY FOR 1890. Population supplied from Water Works (Estimated) .... 200,000 Average daily consumption 17,833,600 Number of gallons consumed for year 6,277|605,920 Gallons, per day, to each inhabitant 75 Number of hydrants 2,708 Number of horse-troughs 57 Numbt r of drinking fountains 84 Number of hoists 229 Number of water meters 1 ,598 Number of services 36,255 Miles of Mains 237| Revenue $409,788 26 Expenditure 344,906 84 It is interesting to notice that in 1847 there was no hoist of any kind in any building in Toronto. All goods end furniture were carried to the different floors, while passengers had to walk up stairs. The first two hoists were of the old wheel and rope pattern, and one was placed in the present General Trusts Company's building by Messrs. Ross, Mitchell & Co., and the other in the warehouse at present occupied by Mr. P. Jacobi by Taylor & Stevenson in 1853. Toronto Gas Works. The Gas Works of Toronto were originated and built by the late Albert Furniss, in 1842, who was also the builder of the Water Works. The present Consumers' Gas Company origin- ated in 1847, and the first meeting of the subscribers for stock ' ,''1 ^ Toronto from Ls»7 to 1892. 279 was held on the 29th October, 1847, when Directors were ap- pointed for the management of the Company. TJie Act of Incorporation was passed in 1848. The Directors had not pro- ceeded far with their arrangements for the construction of the Worts before they ascertained that the Gas Works then in use could be purchased, and they unanimously decided on concluding the bargain for their purchase. The late Charles Berczy, Postmaster, was the first President of the Company. The Directors i i 1852 were Charles Berczy, Hugh Miller, John T. Smith, Davi^Patterson, J. Arnold, M Betley, I. C. Gilniour, W. Mathers, S. Alcorn, E. C. Hancock, S. Piatt, and James Strange. When tho Company took over the Gas Works the price of gas was 85 per thousand, net, besides a large meter rent, and the quality from ten to twelve candles. On September 30th, 1847, there were one hundred and sixty- four street lamps and three hundred and seventeen gas con- sumers, and the total amount of rental for gas for fifteen months — two quarters at 258. and three quarters at 20s. — amounted to only £4,619 7s. lOd. The first manager was Mr. John Watson, who only occupied the position for a short time, when he was succeeded by. ihe late Henry Thompson, who occupied the position until 1874, when he was succeeded by W. H. Pearson. The gas manufactured up to September 30th» 1854, was 14,000,000 cubic feet. TABLE FOR YEAR ENDING 30th SEPTEMBER, 1891. Number of street lamps 1,287 " " " 1890 3,448 Decrease 2,161 Total mileage of mains 207 Meters, 1891 14,838 " 1890 13,242 Increase 1 ,.'596 Gas Rental, 1891 $488,946 25 1890 499,979 03 Decrease $11,0.32 78 Output of gas in Toronto, in 1842 1, 146,000 cubic feet. 1891 500,414,000 Price of gas to ordinary customers $1 12^ per 1,000 feet. " •' large " 1 00 " " i^-i ■J . r t ..;, J: ; s- 11 l^l' 280 Toronto "Called Back." The City Council, having discontinued the use of 2,200 street lamps, and substituted electric light, accounts for the decrease. President, James Austin, Esq. ; Vice-President, L. W. Smith, Escj., D.C.L., Q.C. ; Directors, Samuel Alcorn, James Austin, M. Baldwin, G. S. C. Bethune, Henry Cawthra, Geo. R. R. Cockburn, M.A., M.P., I. C. Gilmour, George Gooderham, James Scott, L. W. Smith, D.C.L , Q.C, Thos. R. Wood and Hon. Frank Smith ; General Manager and Secretary, W. H. Pearson. Toronto Railway Company. In the spring of 1891 the franchise owned by Messrs. Smith &, Kiely having expired, the entire property was valued by arbitrators, who awarded the Company !?1,4.)8,788. This amount having been paid by the city, the road was run by the City Council for several months pending the transfer to a new company. The present syndicate took over the whole property at the above valuation. The gentlemen composing the syndicate are Messrs. J. W. Kiely, H. A. Everett, Wm. McKenzie and C. C. Woodworth. As the system is in a transition state, awaiting the decision as to the future motive power, perfect arrangements can scarcely be expected, but it is unfortunate that one most important condition should have been overlooked, and which is insisted upon in every city in Europe, namely, the rule of limiting the number of passengers. If this can be done in Europe, it can as easily be done in Canada, only requiring sufficient cars to accommodate the passengers, and this should be insisted on by all who pay a fare for a seat, to which every passenger is entitled. Toronto Post Office in 1892. No greater evidence of the growth and the expansion of the commerce of Toronto can be given than by a comparison of the business of the Post Office Department during the period covered by the present sketch. When the present office of the Receiver-General, on Toronto Street, was built for a new post office, none but the most san- n Toronto most san- i'OST OFFICE, TORONTO. I I I it 'i,r«n . illi^-^'i f i 'i i! li! .J 282 Toronto "Called Back/' guine doubted its capacity for all its requirements for nmny years to come, but while it was still a comparatively new V>uilo- rately ornamented, and the internal arrangements are admirably adapted to the never-ceasing business transacted. A side door at the western end of the building leads, by a handsome staircase, to the offices of Mr. M. Sweetnam, Chief Post Office Inspector, and Mr. F. D. Barwick, District Inspector, and their assistants and other officials. Toronto Board of Trade Was incorporated in February, 1875, the Council being com- posed of the following gentlemen : Thomas Olarkson, President ; E. F. Whittemore, Vice-President ; John Harrington, Treasurer ; Charles Robertson, Secretary ; Messrs. A. T. Howland, James Brown, jr., Wm. McMaster, William Henderson, John Shaw, Charles Robertson, J. G. Worts, T. D. Harris, Rice Lewis, George A. Piper, Henry Fowler, John Henderson. Officers for 1892. President, Hugh N. Baird ; 1st Vice-President, Hugh Blain : 2nd Vice-President, S. F. McKinnon ; Treasurer, George Maclean Rose ; Secretary, Edgar A. Wills, J.P. ; Council, W. Christie, D. R. Wilkie, W. D. Matthews, W. R. Brock, Warring Kennedy, A. A. Allan, Geo. H. Bertram, G. M. Bosworth, A. B. Lee, B. Cumberland, John Donogh, R. W. Elliott, W. B. Hamilton, S. Caldecott, John Earls ; Board of Arbitration, Geo. A. Chapman, Jos. Oliver, R. J. Stark, W. Galbraith, Thos. McLaughlin, J. D. Laidlaw, S. Crane, J. H. G. Hagarty, Thos. Flynn, J. H. Sproule, Chas. Pearson, R. S. Baird ; Representatives on Harbor Commis- Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 283 iion, J. T. Matthews, A. M. Smith ; Representatives on Indus- trial Exhibition Commission, Jas. Carruthers, W. B. Hamilton, W. C. Mathews ; Solicitor to the Board, \V. H. Beatty. Mem- bership, 922. Income for 1891, S12,572 o7. 'i'^ii i ii ! Si Death of Albert Victor, Duke of Olarence and Avondale. "MY SON IS DEAD." [" My beloved son passed away at nine o'clock to-daj'." — The Prince of Wales to the Lord Mayor of London, January 14th, 1892. — The bells of St. Paul's are never tolled save on the occa- sion of the death of an heir to the throne.] "My loved son is dead, my best Beloved, he sleeps and is at rest. " So wrote our future king, NoTf let St. Paul's bells ring And let the Nation know, A Nation bowed with woe, That Albert Victor's dead. Oh father ; gentle mother ; wife That soon would be, had his young life Been longer spared to thee, Accept we pray, our sympathy, While tolls the solemn bell Whose brazen voice does tell That Albert Victor's dead. Oh, Empress — Queen, whose widowed heart is called upon again to part With one who'd earned your love ; What can we do, or say, to prove Our hearts go out to thee In deepest sympathy, While clangs the brazen bell That does to Britons tell " Your Albert Victor's dead." Oh, Sailor Prince, of less renown Than him, who laid aside the crown, And let the sceptre fall ; Hear you, the Nation's call, 284 Toronto "Called Back." I That bids you ttiku \un i)lacti In Bt'ituin'a royiil ritcu / Still tolls thu Bolomu liell, WlioBO brnkon voicos tell That Albert Victor's clcuil. Oh, Britnin's sons, where'er you dwell, Mourn not }our prince ; with him nil's well. He has but gone before: He's reached the further shore, Antl 'f(jre the Throne of (iraco Ho stands with smiling face, While heavenly anthems swell And angel voices tell " Our Albert Victor lives." Toronto, 1892. — C. H. Clakke. No event since the death of the Prince Consort, on the 14th December, ISGl, ha.s cau.sed the heart of the nation to bo noved with such profound grief as on the l^th of January, 1S92, has the sudden death of the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales. The feeling was inten.sified by the fact that all arrangements had been made for his marriage with Princess Mary of Teck. On the news being circulated, messages of condolence poured in from most of the rulers of the world, and telegrams from all the European Capitals displayed the most atTectionate sympathy, accompanied with visits of Royal and diplomatic representatives to English Embassies all over the world, expres.sing the pro- found regret on the occasion. It was intended to have a funeral procession through London, but on account of the pre- valence of influenza, and the danger of exposing the troops, the programme was abandoned, and after most affecting scenes and funeral ceremonies at Sandringham, the body was conveyed to Windsor via London. The services in St. George's Chapel were most solemn and impressive. The procession from the railway station moved amid the booming of the minute guns on the Round Tower of the Castle, and the funeral marches played by the bands of the Life Guards and the 10th Hussars. The Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, and the Duke T T Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 285 of Fife led the mourners, amongst whom were the Duke of Connaught, Duke of Edinburgh, the three Princes of Teck, and a number of distinguished royal personages. As the Earl of [ifitham, the Lord Chamberlain, swung back the crimson curtain at the door of this grand and historical Chapel, the scene of some of the most memorable events in English history, the procession halted, while the heavily-draped gun carriage, bearing the body of the deceased Duke, drew up. The ceremony was witnessed from a window in the Queen's gallery by the Prin- cess of Wales and her daughters, and Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. In the evening the cofRn was removed from St. George's Chapel to Albert Memorial Chapel. Hero it was placed between the cenotaph of the late Prince Consort and the recumbent tif»ure of the Duke of Albany. Memorial services were held in Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's, and in all the Capitals of Europe. Toronto in 1892. The year 1892 finds Toronto with a new division of wards, or districts; the former thirteen, with three aldermen representing each ward, have been reduced to six districts, with four alder- men to each. The election resulted in the choice of ex-Alderman Fleming for Chief Magistrate. His name is already on record as the promoter of the by-law for the reduction of the number of liquor licenses. The chief election tactics consisted of abundance of promises of e'^onomy and retrenchment, which are very desirable, provided they do not tend to check progress and advancement. The scriptural statement that " there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty," is as true as the converse that " there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth." While the number of vacant houses was prominently referred to during the election campaign, by a strange incongruity, neither from press or platform was a word uttered to show how these empty houses were to be occupied. While our newspapers m : t m I'm I, ' >'i i II i It- y I 286 Toronto "Called^ Back." owe their existence to the business houses, who wisely advertise their goods, the attractions of Toronto are literally unknown abroad. All that has been said as to the dawn of 1888, might be repealled of 1892, with emphasis, of Toronto as a great com- mercial centre. The results of the superabundant harvest of 1891 must naturally flow from the surrounding coun )ry into the banks and warehouses. Not only has there been su^'h crops as never before, but the unprecedented fact exists that prices are not reduced by the abundance. Often, during the last forty years, have farmers complained that when crops were good prices were low, all for want of a market. In this respect the change is marvellous. The facilities for transport have secured to the farmer high prices when his crops are large, as well as when not so abundant. The prospects of a fresh impetus being given to all branches of trade and manufactures were never so good ; and if the population only increases in the same ratio, as even last year, many houses at present vacant will be occupied, while building will go on to accommodate the further influx from year to year. While millions of money are waiting for investment, no effort is made to secure its influx, from abroad, for develop- ing our resources, but on the contrary, the scattering of infor- mation that would undoubtedly lead to that result is steadily opposed, and the true panacea for the ailments of the city per- sistently refused. There appears to be two conflicting elements at work. The enterprising, progressive men, who are far-seeing and patriotic, desire to see our population increase, by establishing factories, and utilizing our facilities for the development of our immense natural resources ; but their influence is counteracted by a class which is opposed to any increase in our population. This class, like the bear sucking his paw, or boys trading knives, would have the citizens live on each other, or on our present resources, and so check all further progress. Unfortunately this class so far controls a certain portion of the press. Principle is laid as'de for expediency, and Toronto suffers from her 'lomestic iS, might be I great com- ling factories, our immense ;ed by a class This class, :nives, would mt resources, this class so iciple is laid her '^.omestic JAMES BEATV, ESQ., O.C, D.C.L., ExM.P., Ex-Mayor. H^' ill li : li ^^ *! I Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 287 foes, who will make no effort to publish her attractions outside, especially in Europe, from where alone we may expect capital to flow into our city. It is in vain to attempt to convince these individuals that Toronto is very little known in Europe, compared for instance, with Chicago, which by advertising herself, is making un- paralleled strides in population, while the great mass of people in Europe do not know whether Toronto is in Canada or the United States, which, on the other side the Atlantic, are made to constitute the Continent of America ; and we allow them to ignore Canada as having a large share, and Canadians are denied a distinct nationality, while Toronto is left out as unimportant, all of which it is in our power to remedy, if the proper means are used. In the last conversatibn the writer had with the late Alder- man Gillespie, who was an admitted economist, he stated that the proposition or suggestion to be found in another place, to form a committee for the purpose of promoting the highest class of immigration to the city, and even the appointment of a permanent commissioner in Great Britain to promote this object, was the best thing he had ever heard on the subject. For "how can they hear without a preacher" who will show men of means the advantages we offer for establishing smelting works and other industries, and so create a hive of industry on the banks of the Don and Ashbridge's Bay, and increase the number of factories in and around the city, thereby adding largely to the population. I. , m ') , Forty-flve Years Retrospect. In " calling back " the wonderful growth and progress of Toronto from 1892 to 1847, or vice versa, the following facts and summary statement of what the writer knows from per- sonal observation may be interesting. The population has grown from 22,000 to 200,000 ; the few ill-paved streets of mud, and so-called macadam, have given place to the following : 288 ToKONTO "Called Back." I; I TORONTO STREET STATISTICS. 1889 1881 Increase. Decrease. Total Street mileai,'e 230 242 12 Cedar roadways '. 80 117i 37^ Macadam 45 35| . . 9i Stone blocks 76 .34 .. .41" Asphalt 25 G| 6J Sewers 150 220 70 Sidewalks 160 420 260 The supply of water by carts, for domestic purposes and ex- tinguishment of fires, has improved to the extent as supplied by the latest report of the Water-works Department, given with other statistics. The volunteer fire brigade, with a few hand engines supplied as above, and one small fire-hall, has developed into a well- organized system of paid firemen, with splendid equipments, spacious fire-halls, and every necessary appliance. The old fire-alarm by church bells, which kept up their clatter during the continuance of the fire, has been superseded by the fire- telegraph system, by which the location of the tire is instantly indicated, and horses and waggons, ladders and hose, are off" at a moment's notice, while hydrants are ready for use at every point with a plentiful supply of water. The sanitary condition of the city may be known by the introduction of water into every house, and conveniences pre- viously unknown, while drainage, sewerage, and all modern facilities for ventilation, plumbing, asphalting and other improve- ments, to ensure health and comfort in the home, were entirely unknown forty -five years ago. The introduction of gas, by the present company, is also within this period, the oil lamps formerly in use contrasting strongly with the present system of gas and electric lighting. The twenty -two churches of 1847 have increased to nearly 200. The public buildings, consisting of the old Parliament Block, Osgoode Hall and the City Hall, have multiplied so that a special list is necessary to enumerate them, while hospitals, homes for infants, boys and girls, incurables, and convalescents, reformatories, refuges for the destitute, the infirm and needy, of all classes, abound on every hand. Toronto from 18b7 to 1892. 289 The hourly omnibus to Yorkville contrasts very strongly with the present tram car system, extending over 68.40 miles, and employing 1,430 horses and 750 men, with 300 cars, while at certain hours of the day tickets, of which eight are sold for twenty-five cents, are available, while the maximum fare is five cents. Other classes of tickets are sold at six for twenty-five cents, or twenty-five for a dollar. The system of transfer from one line to another anywhere, in a continuous journey, is a decided boon to the citizens, and in many respects more advantageous to persons living at a distance than even the low penny fares in Bi'itain, which are increased on long distances. The testimony in favor of the trolley system is so overwhelming, there is little doubt of its beiijg adopted for the present. Whole districts which, in 1847, w^ere either open commons, swamp, bush, or sand hills, have become our finest residential streets, whose beautiful mansions are the admiration of all visitors. Jarvis street was just being laid out, and the w^riter pressed to purchase the choice of lots at S3 a foot. This was the price paid by the late Messrs. John Harrington and George Morphy at that time, the lot of the former being the same on which the residence of the late H. E. Clarke, M.P.P., stands. Sherbourne street was a sand hill, and almost impassable. There vA'as only one house in Parkdale, and the streets west of the Queen's Park, including St. George street, and all the north- western district could only boast of a solitary cottage here and there in a vast expanse of open country. The system of taking orders from samples of British goods inaugurated by the writer as senior partner of the firm of Taylor & Stevenson, before any commercial travellers' associa- tion was thought of, and years before the railroads were opened, has developed into enormous organizations, of which the Toronto Association contains 3,290 members, and in the Dominion a total of 7,000. The first commercial trunk, after the opening of the railroads, was made for the writer by the late H. E. Clarke, and to get an idea of the wonderful progress in this respect, a visit to the baggage-room of the Union Station, with its immense *, r. \-iii M m 4^ ! ! .1 :i ! n i ' 290 Toronto "Called Back." piles of commercial baggage, will show the development of this branch of commerce. The travel on our streets b} public conveyances has grown from the hourly omnibus on Yonge street to Yorkville, into the present tram-car system, while the half-dozen old-fashioned cabs have given place to public carriages and coupes that will com- pare with private carriages in style and appointments. The three clerks in the old post office, and a solitary letter- carrier (who only delivered letters not called for, and charged one cent for each), have increased to a system of regular delivery by an army of carriers, and a postal service, generally, the most extensive in the Dominion. The opening of new parks and gardens has changed the whole appearance of the city, at once beautifying and health-giving. The Island, then a sandy desert, has become a place of beauty, and a charming resort of incalculable value to the citizens, and has become a suburb of the city, at least for summer residences. Having just left a city where its botanical gardens, public squares and suburban residences in summer presented a blaze of beauty, by the cultivation of flowers in the highest state of per- fection, nothing struck the writer so forcibly, and with such a feeling of the rude, uncultured, and unfinished appearance of Toronto, as the entire absence of a single flower-bed. In this respect the contrast is most striking. The rivalry at present existing to show the best collections of flowers and flowering plants, and the variety displayed in parks, gardens and private grounds, as well as in conservatories, marks the wonderful advance in refinement and taste, as well as the educational tendency amongst the young people, and in addition the general eSect in beautifying and adorning our streets and parks. The telegraph system has had a marvellous development throughout the Dominion, while the telephone ranks amongst modern inventions as the most useful, and entirely undreamt of forty-five years ago ; also the phonograph, although not ranking amongst utilitarian discoveries, has added to the long list of wonderful discoveries of science, which, if not all useful, are valuable as aflbrding pleasure and profitable amusement. Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 291 The introduction of electricity for purposes of lighting, and so effective in street illumination, and its application to the propul- sion of street cars, and shortly to be adopted in our city, is undoubtedly the greatest revolution which has taken place during the past forty-five years. The discovery of coal oil, and its general use for domestic purposes as a substitute for gas or candle light, and lastly the natural gas wells by which we are surrounded, complete the list of wonderful discoveries and accessions to the comfort and conveniences of life at prec^nt enjoyed. ii i 1 :•:■;! 5 ■ 'A* il Buildings Lately Completed and in Course of Construction. Canada Life Assurance Co. Traders Bank. Confederation Life Assurance Co. St. George's Society Hall. Atheneum. Athletic Club. Young Women's Christian Asso- ciation Building. Freehold Loan and Savings Co. Young Women's Christian Guild Hall. Oddfellows' Hall. Upper Canada ColUege. Sanatorium, Dee.' Park. Municipal Buildings. Parliament Buildings. Victoria Club. Drill Shed. Forty-Eighth Highlanders. The enrolment of a Highland Regiment, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel J. I. Davidson, will be a memorable event in the history of 1892, and gives immense satisfaction to citizens of all nationalities, and will prove another guarantee of the loyalty of Canadians to their own country, and their deter- mination to defend the Empire against all attempts to destroy its integrity. Highland volunteers are not the material out of which annexationists are made. Death of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. Honorable Sir Alexander Campbell, K.C.M.G., died at Gov- ernment House, Toronto, on 24th May, 1892. ■•. i'l bh m 292 Toronto " Called Back." ^4 Appointment of the New Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. Lieutenant-Colonel Honorable George A. Kirkpatriek was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario by Order-in-Council at Ottawa, on the 30th May, and was sworn in by the Governor- General, the same day. The Founders of Toronto's Greatness. It is asserted by some that the land is the source of all wealth, and again that labor alone creates capital, while others argue that capital is that which creates capital. Neither of these propositions, however, is true in the abstract. The soil would be unproductive without labor, and labor equally so without skill, and both ineffectual to promote prosperity in a community without capital, to set in motion the forces of the other elements. All allied harmoniously together are necessary to secure greatness. In this application of industry and enter- prise to the mercantile and manufacturing interests of Toronto, capital has been created, employment has been given to labor, and all classes have, in their own spheres, contributed to the general prosperity. There is no city in the world of its size that can boast of more self-made men. The employees of yesterdaj'^ have become the employers of to-day, and even those who have never engaged in industrial pursuits have, by the industry of others, indirectly reaped the benefit in the enhancement of the va'ue of theii property. To " rise in the world " is a proper ambition. Young men, as well as old, are tempted to think this the chief thing to be aimed at, and toil in the belief that no one can be fairly said to have " risen " unless his pockets are well filled. Among these devotees a mighty fuss is made about the man who has got to the " top of the tree," in forgetfulness of the alternative that possibly the ground at its foot is the best place for security, to say nothing of the fruit which may be picked up there. Nevertheless, the man who can fill his purse is looked .!;.i : Toronto from 1S87 to 1892. 293. up to with honor and regard. He lives respected, and he dies regretted. After his death he is spoken of as one who was " worth " so much. The man who affects to despise wealth is often a failure. The lucre standing to his neighbor's account in the bank is " filthy," but he would not be airaid of dirtying his own cheque book and purse with it. The " love " of money may be the root of all evil, but money itself, properly used, in a civilized country, is a power which no one will despise. A sixpence is not a large capital, but it is a credit when earned, and a shame if stolen. Work is good, and it is a great thing to have work recognized and paid for. When a man distinctly contributes to the wealth of the world by making a morass into a garden, or the construction of a road, or by planting trees, he has a right to receive recognition in the shape of that medium which expresses wealth and worth. Amongst those who have contributed to Toronto's greatness, the mercantile and manufacturing firms referred to in these pages have undoubtedly the first claim, both by creating wealth, and diffusing it in the community. The Manufacture of Pianos in Toronto. In a work professing to give a sketch of the wonderful growth and progress of Toronto, and the development of its manufacturing industries, and also of its present character as a "musical city," nothing can be more appropriate than to refer to the manufacture of musical instruments, and especially of pianos. No better evidence of the advancement of Toronto in wealth, culture and refinement could be found than in the existence in her midst of extensive establishments for this branch of manu- facture, and in the prospect of constantly increasing demand. The specimens sent to the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in 1886 must have removed every trace of misconception as to the state of society in the Queen City of the West, and have shown a state of educational refinement that no other class of exhibits could possibly do. These pianos found purchasers if-? m ( ' NEW BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING, TORONTO. Toronto from 1887 to 1«92. 295 amongst the best judges in Great Britain, and are now being used in the highest circles of musical society, including Windsor Castle and other abodes of Royalty. '1 / 1 1 ■ -' , i^V^' / 1 ! The Nordheimer Manufacturing Oo. (Limited). (Latb Lansdowne Piano Co.) Messrs. A. «& S. Nordheimer having acquired such high repu- tation for American pianos of the most celebrated makers, for whom thev have been the exclusive ajjents, amongst which are the Chickering, Stodart & Dunham, the Steinway, Haines & Gabler, they, notwithstanding the high rate of duty, their cus- tomers being willing to pay the higher prices so as to secure an instrument of first-class quality and excellence (some of these pianos having been in use for forty years), still continue to supply these instruments. Nevertheless, to meet the demand for instruments less expen- sive, and yet such as they could recommend, they established the present firm for the purpose. Their capital being practically unlimited, and their facilities unsurpassed, a bright future is in prospect for the company, and another star is added to the galaxy of Toro .to's manu- facturing establishments. In addition to other advantages possessed by this firm, with its great manufacturing facilities, they have secured several important additions to their staff, including one of New York's best tune and action regulators. Hitherto the success of the Nordheimer Manufacturing Co. has far exceeded their expectations, and, according to the judg- ment of competent connoisseurs, they seem destined to play a prominent role in the manufacture of pianos in Toronto. The name of Nordheimer being associated with the highest class of musical instruments from the Atlantic to the Pacific, is itself a guarantee that nothing inferior will be shipped from their establishments. With branches in Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton and London, all orders can be promptly executed. Those wishing to secure a first-class instrument can do so by m ' ^ ;. 296 Toronto "Called Back." n> ' visiting any of their warerooms, or ordering direct, as the fullest reliance may be placed on the high and long-established repu- tation of the tirm. Samuel Nordheimkr, Esq., the surviving partner of the firm of A. Sz S. Nordheimer, is au present the only living representative of the prominent nun who, half a century ago, wore the leading business men of King Street. His personal influence had much to do with the build- ing up of this extensive business, and the impetus given to the musical taste of the people not only of Toronto but of the Dominion. The first-class artists and musical stars who have visited Toronto since the time of Jenny Lind have been brought hero chiefly through Messrs. Nordhoimers' unwearied attention in inducing them to come to Toronto, and when here in making their performances successful. Nor have Mr. Nordheimer's enterprise and influence been confined to the promotion of a musical taste of a high order, but in public and private his efforts have been directed to pro- mote the prosperity of the city. The building owned by the Canada Permanent Building Society on Toronto Street is a monument to his enterprise, having been built when the sur- roundings were most unpromising, and it is owing greatly to the start then given that the street owes much of its present beauty and magnificent buildings. Mr. Nordhekner has occupied a large . imber of prominent positions in the city, having been for many years President of the Federal Bank, Vice-President and Director of the Canada Permanent Building and Loan Company, Director of the Con- federation Life Association, and for a length of time President of the Philharmonic Society. Glenedyth, The seat of Samuel Nordheimer, Esq., is undoubtedly the finest private mansion in Toronto or vicinity. The situation is unequalled, except by the residence of the late Senator Mac- donald on the same elevation. The grounds of both are extensive and picturesque ; those of I heimer, is at >minent men men of Kinrj th the buikl- ffiven to the • but of the rs who have )een broucrht ed attention e in niakinf' Wr^ d s t Mr ^Wm i :■■'•' ^'^g^ k. '''^* '^ . t^^^^^^Hffi9 Mr^lt lililiJil' Iff thi.N SAMUEL NORDHEIMER, ESQ., Cotisu' German Empire. i£ Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 297 Mr. Nordheimer comprise forty acres, beautifully wooded, and with winding drives and grassy terraces remind the visitor of the finest of English demesnes and ancestral halls. The house is superbly furnished, and the entrance hall, lighted from a dome, is strikingly beautiful in its finish and arrangement, while drawing rooms, dining room, and boudoirs are gems of artistic decoration. The view from the front extends over the whole city and across the lake to the Falls of Niagara. Mr. Albert Nordheimer, son of Mr. Abraham Nordheimer, the senior partner of the original firm, has succeeded his father in the general business, including the Nordheimer Manufacturing Company. He is an accomplished musician, having been highly educated in England and on the Continent. He promises to be quite as popular and successful as his late father, and to attain to a high position in Toronto. • Octavius Newcombe & Co. \ While it is the glory of Toronto that her wealthy citizens are chiefly those who have attained to their independent posi- tion by their own industry or that of their parents, there are a few who have contributed to her progress by bringing with their families the means possessed in the old land, for the purpose of investment here to better advantage. Amongst these, that of the Newcombe family may be men- tioned. From a home in Devonshire, surrounded with every comfort, and even luxury, they removed to this city, and here have always occupied an honorable position, not deriving all the advantages from their investments, which they had a right to expect, but invariably rising above circumstances. Brain and muscle are perhaps the most important elements in building up a new colonization, but when to these are ]■ •ih--i 298 Toronto "Called Back." added substantial capital, with the concomitants of skill and enterprise, giving employment to labor and circulating money amongst all classes, then the highest advantages accrue to the community. The history of Toronto would not be complete without some reference to the late Mrs. Newcombe, the mother of the family — a lady combining the highest culture with shrewd foresight and decision of character. On the death of Mr. Newcombe, considering that the pros- pects for a large family would be better in a new country, Mrs. Newcombe having to choose between Australia, where her sons Henry and Doctor William Newcombe were then in good positions, and Canada, decided in favor of the latter, and on Toronto as their future home. > Besides the benefits the city derives from the business enter- prise of the Newcombe brothers, the connections of the family with Dr. Barrick and Mr. Alfred Mason have still further extended their advantages, by investments in elegant resi- dences, and in every way contributing to the wealth and prosperity of the city. The other brothers. Doctor James Newcombe and Doctor William Newcon.be, were well known in the medical profes- sion, the former for many years as Professor of Surgery in Victoria College, and as having a very extensive practice in Toronto, subsequently returning to England to reside, though still having a large investment in real estate in this city. The benefits to accrue to Toronto by inducing more of the wealthy families of the old world to make Toronto their home are incalculable, and cannot be enjoyed without special efforts. Toronto has for some time been recognized as the musical and educational centre of Canada, and associated with its development in this respect has been the rapid extension of pianoforte manufacture, so that the trade of the Dominion may be said to be controlled from this city. One of the most exten- sive establishments of this kind is that of Octavius Newcombe & Co., who, commencing with ample capital, thorough financial training, and a desire to produce instruments of exceptional VJ OCTAVIUS NEWCOMBE, ESQ. fj-fr \m ;i of skill and lating money es accrue to lete without lother of the with shrewd lat the pros- jountry, Mrs. tiere her sons len in good tter, and on p. • t^ :'■*. 1 ^ vHlJ^H It • V i^ - r ■ . ill llii: \'\ W r ml ^'ili- M h'\" ' Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 299 artistic merit, have acquired larire interests in this city in extensive warerooms, and a splendid factory — a model in its arrangement and application cf the latest and best modem machinery and appliances. As a result of these advantages Niiil >U f ! j ■A i vij f. the reputation and sale of the ' Newcomhe " pianos have been extended not only throughout the Dominion of Canada, but to England, the United States, Australia, and Japan. In interna- tional awards, the " Newcombe " pianos secured First Silver \Ul t ;. if: 1 II mi ;! Hfv ^■ : i :i! r- ';. 300 Toronto "Called Back.'' Medal at the World's Exposition, New Orleans, U.S.A., 1884-85, in competition with the pianos of Europe and America. At the London (Eng.) Exhibition, in 1886, they received Medal and Diploma, and a " Newcombe " Grand, selected for Her Majesty the Queen by Sir Arthur Sullivan, was pronounced "The Gem of the Exhibition." They have received numerous first prizes at exhibitions in Canadu, and the most emphatic endorsation from artists and purchasers for superiority in tone and durability. To the efforts of the two brothers, Henry and Octavius Newcombe, who constitute the firm, assisted by a superior staff of artisans in the various departments, is the uniform success of this enterprise attributable since its first inception in 1871. Mr. Henry Newcombe's thorough business education in England, and wide experience in commercial life in Canada, no doubt fitted him to assist in the conduct of this enterprise which has developed with rapid strides since he joined his brother in 1879. At that time the pianofortes sold in Canada were chiefly imported from the United States, but within a decade the trade was revolutionized, so that to-day few instruments are imported into Canada either from Europe or the United States, while an increasing export trade is being done from Canada to other countries. It has been stated that a manufacturer of pianofortes has no claim to first rank who has not made a success of his Grand pianos. This may be understood from the fact that the difiiculties to be met with in the construction of a satisfactory square or upright arc not to be compared with the exacting demands which a first-class Grand is required to meet. It is in this hjghest type — the prince of instruments — that the Newcombes have attained their greatest success. The "Newcombe" Grand pianos are therefore found not only in many of the richest homes in Canada, but in the chief palace of the Queen — Windsor Castle — and have been used in public and private by the greatest artists in the old and ne«e world. The subjoined letter, selected from a large number, is inter- esting, as evidencing the great durability of the " Newcombe " pianos under the most adverse circumstances, and as showing i. I . m .S.A., 1884-85, America. At ceived Medal cted for Her ,s pronounced ved numerous lost emphatic iority in tone rs, Henry and issisted by a ments, is the since its first )ugh business mmercial life nduct of this des since he inofortes sold id States, but • that to-day from Europe trade is being ^n stated that rst rank who This may be be met with (right arc not I a first-class st type — the ave attained 1 pianos are st homes in indsor Castle the greatest HENRY NEWCOMBE, ESQ. :'!.■ i >■ 'in iber, is inter- ' Newcombe " I as showing V ! Toronto from 1887 to 1S92. .SOI that their superior musical qualities are recognized wherever the pianos may go : — Vancocvek. .laiiUHiy 12th, 1892. MesBfs. OcTAViUH Newoombe iV: Co., Gentlemen, — You will remember the pleusuru 1 expressed on the arrival, now nearly four years ago, of the Nowcombe upright piano that 1 ordered from you for my residence in Sydney, Australia. For the second time it has made its journey across the Pacific, having travelled u distance of over 30,000 miles since it has 1 jft your factory. Its appearance and tone are both perfectly preserved, and the excel- lence of the latter particularly admired by everyone who has tried it both in Australia and in Canada, for its richness "tul sustained or singing quality. Notwithstanding the vicissitudes <' tremendous journeys by sea and land, and being subjected to the exuome changes of climate and the rigors of the Northern Hemisphere, to exposure for years in the Southern Hemisphere, it returns again to the former without a single mishap or fault. Under such circumstances you will understand how well satisHed 1 have been in my choice of a " Newcombe" upright piano, and that as the selection was left with you I deem it only my duty to place in your hands what I believe to be the very best possible evidence of the exceptional durability and sterling excellence of your instruments. Yours truly , M. M. Eraser. Though their factory and henvi office are in Toronto, they have branch establishments in Montreal and Ottawa, and their success at the Capital in recent years has been phenomenal, attributable in part to the acknowledged superiority of their Grand pianos. 'I 1(1; 11 * ^11 302 Toronto "Callef) Back." The Queen's Hotel, founded by Captain Thomas Dick in 18G2, received its name, no doubt, from the well-known loyalty of its founder, and while a " rose by any other name would smell as sweet," there is an appropriateness in this being applied to the leading hotel in the Queen City of the West that will always strike a traveller, especially from Britain. This attachment to every- thing appertaining to royalty was further evidenced by Capt. Dick in the name given to the steamer built for him on the Clyde, which he called Her Majesty. QUEEN'S HOTEL, TORONTO; The writer crossed to England with place the contract, and when all had steamer was on her way out, she was was regarded as a matter of great Captain, but by all Toronto citizens. From the commencement the aim provide a comfortable home for his him when going over to been completed, and the unfortunately lost. This regret, not only by the of Captain Dick was to guests, as distinguished Toronto from 1887 to 1802. .so:} from the " caravansary " style of most hotels in America, and in this he was most successful, even to the minutest detail. The present proprietors, Messrs. McGaw Ac Winnett, have followed up the original design, making constant improvements in ever}' department. This popular hotel has recently been renovated and changed in many respects from the first to the third story. A year ago its elegant and commodious dining-room was very hand.somely frescoed. During the last three months many of the parlors, corridors, and halls have been tastefully decorated and painted. New private .staircases have been fitted up in the Queen Anne style. Each landing has a magnificent stained glass window, and as one ascends these unique windings the idea must fla.sh upon him that he has mistaken the Queen's Hotel, and is ensconced in some baronial hall. The halls and corridors have all been relaid with costly and luxurious carpets. When all these changes are added to the previous commodious and handsomely furnished drawing-rooms and bedrooms, with bathrooms, to say nothing of the fine suites of rooms which were fitted up for the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lome on the occasion of their first visit to Toronto, as well as other suites that were prepared several years ago, in a magni- ficent style, for the reception of the Grand Duke Alexis, then heir-apparent to the crown of Russia — the Queen's stands un- rivalled in this respect by any hotel in the Dominion, and as regards the cuisinerie and the daily menu, nothing is left to be desired. Need we wonder, then, that the Queen's is largely patronized, not only by guests of the first standing from all parts of the Dominion, but also from the LTnited States, England, and the Continent. In May, 1880, their Royal Highnesses Prince Leopold and Princess Louise occi pied a suite of apartments at the Queen's. His Excellency the Earl of Dufferin, Governor- General, and the Countess of Duft'erin, also occupied apartment.-' at this hotel, and in 1890, His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, the Duchess of Connaught and suite, and the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen and a large number of distinguished guests, the latest being Madame Adelina Patti. I: i ■ I ! 1st I' ill ii t 1 III • ti mM '.. . ■4. I Hi .'{04. ToiKJNTO "Cai-i.kd Back." The situation is delightful, comiiianit rijoyetl all resort for and airy, ; pleasant r tourists. improve- ctric bells, n to every nfj a large ing lawns icldition to for an ac- Queen's is inada, and an estab- ihe Georffe enjoy the for guests, , a dinner hown the mce slept. ;donald is to, as the I occupied, is private le Queen's s Ontario represent- ' local or lurtesy of ai y. Cx - « r THE BED-ROOM QUEEN'S HOTEL, TORONTO. ■i 1 1 i m ii.Mi «■ . ^-jA ^i^, ■', >>' ^Hw^P^^W HVH^";^ -^p^t i^- ^ L 1 i |H ^1 1 ^H ^1 1 THOMAS McGAW, ESQ., Ex-Commodore Toronto Yacht Club, Toronto from 18»7 to 1892. 305 the gifted and accomplished statesman, and none were ever treated with indifference or neglect. His promises were always fulfilled to the letter, and every visitor was charmed with hia affability. Thomas McGaw, Esq., Ex-Commodore, Toronto Yacht Club. The senior partner in the Qaeen's Hotel, is a native Canadian of Scotch descent. After a short career in mercantile life commenced at the early age of twenty-one, Mr. McGaw left Canada for the United States, where he might have remained had not the circumstances connected with the American War awakened his temporarily dormant enthusaism in favor of home and native land. The threats of those with whom he was surrounded, of vengeance against Great Britain, during the excitement of the " Trent Affair," in case Mason and Slidell's surrender were insisted on by England, decided Mr. McGaw in returning to Toronto. Twenty-nine years ago he embarked his fortune with the late Captain Thomas Dick, in establishing the Queen's Hotel, and his history since that time is bound up with its progress and wonderful success. He became from the first its acknowledged head and moving spirit. With a manner calculated to attract every visitor, unremit- ting attention to every want and wish, a business tact in enter- ing into every detail to insure the comfort and convenience of guests, and to produce a home feeling, and a liberality which knows no petty economy, every thing has tended under his management to build up a largely increasing business and add to the widely extending fame of the Queen's Hotel on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr. McGaw has always taken a prominent part in athletic and aquatic sports. As President of the " roaring game " of Curling, he has been honored by the gift of a full size oil portrait of himself ; and as Commodore of the Toronto Yacht Club, hts has for years patronized and encouraged the aquatic sports on Toronto Bay. hi nm ih li'K ■ !■ ,■■ Ik 3oa Toronto " Called Back.' 1 The popularity of Mr. McGaw is unbounded, his friends are legion, and all ranks of roj'alty and nobility, of commercial, political and agricultural representative men, are numbered amongst his friends and patrons. Mr, Henry Winnett, Partner of Mr. McGaw, is favorably known not only in connec- tion with the Queen's Hotel, in Toronto, but also with that popular resort, the " Queen's Royal " Hotel, in Niagara-on-the- Lake, to which Mr. Winnett devotes his time and attention during the summer months. Arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Oonnaught. On the 29th of May, 1890, His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, Duke of Oonnaught, and the Duchess of Oonnaught, with their suite, having chosen the route from India via Van- couver and the Canadian Pacific Railway, arrived in Toronto, and remained for several days at the Queen's Hotel. Their time was fully occupied in receiving addresses and visiting the public institutions of the city. One of the most interesting incidents of their visit was the review of the Queen's Own Rifles, the Royal Grenadiers and the Army and Navy Veterans in front of the Queen's Hotel, the immense crowd that collected to witness the scene bring kept back by ropes. His Royal Highness conversed with the veterans individually, shaking hands with each, and as a number had served under him in India, personal recollections were brought up and the utmost loyalty and aflectionate regard was displayed by the veterans towards His Royal Highness. On the 12th June their Royai Highnesses the Duke and Duchess and party left Quebec for England by the Allan Royal Mail steamer *Srtrf/niian, accompanied by the Duke's military secretary, General McNeill and suite. Copy of letter from His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, Duke of Oonnaught, enclosing his photograph : s frienrls are commercial, re numbered ily in connec- so with that agara-on-the- md attention e Duke and Allan Royal ce's military nee Arthur, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ARTHUR, Duke of Connaught ■ \ '- » r ' r i l!« ■ :lt 1^ i . :i| i ' ■ W' « ,:J ': .1 * 1 "TT7< Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 307 Buckingham Palace, London, Nov. &/Ji, 189 1. So, — In reply to your letter tp the Duke of Connaught requesting a photograph . His Royal' Highness, for another edition of your work, Toronto " Called Back," I am desired by His Royal Highness to forward you the enclosed photograph. I am, sir, yours faithfully, (Signed) Alfred Egerton, Colonel, Comptroller of the Household to H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught. Rossin House. The interest connected with any institution contemporaneous with the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, especially in a young city like Toronto, must be enhanced as year by year tl.e celebration of Her Majesty's birthday marku another revolu- tion in the wheel of time. The Rossin House is one of the few establishments that possess a history of half a century, although it had not assumedl its present name till 1853. Since that time, although once burned down, and having to establish a reputation as a first-class hotel, when in the absence of all railroad travelling and comparatively few visitors to the city, it has kept steady pace with the expansion of business; enterprise and the development of railways and the consequent increase of travelling, both for business and pleasure. Now travellers from all parts of the world find their way to its precincts, and have their highest expectations fully 'realized in the comforts and conveniences it affords. Distinguished visitors from Great Britain and the United States have here been entertained from time to time. In 1860, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, having made Government House his temporary residence, the m.em- bers of his suite occupied apartments in the Rossin House. The same suite of rooms has been occupied by Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, and in 1880 the late Prince Leopold, Duke hi! li'ii^ 308 Toronto ' '• Ca: led Back." of Albany, on his return visit from the Western States, with his suite, registered at the Rossin House. Lord Dufferin and his party also occupied the same rooms, and amongst other distinguished guests have been many re- nowned artists, including Mrs. Langtry and Adelina Patti. The last few years have seen this hotel T-aking greater advances than ever and a more widely extending reputation. This is due to the energy of the present proprietorship, that was assumed about four years ago. ROSSIN HOfSE, TORONTO. The building is now the property of the Rossin Hotel Com- pany, from whom it is leased by Captain Abner Nelson, who is ably assisted in the management by his brother, Mr. Alexander Nelson. The Messrs. Nelson brought to the Rossin House an experi- ence gained in connection with their proprietorship of the International Hotel in Halifax. Since they have taken control of the Rossin House, whatever capital, enterprise, and experi- ence can do to make a hotel successful has been done. Q States, with Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 309 There are few hotels in Canada or the United States which ecjual the Rossin House for accommodation. The number of its bedrooms is two hundred and fifty, all furnished in first-class style, while its drawing-rooms and boudoirs are perfectly sumptuous in their artistic decorations and furniture. Suites of apartments have been provided for families, with bath rooms and every convenience for comfort. The general arrangement of the house may be said to be com- plete in every detail. A handsome passenger elevator aftbrds easy access to every floor, in addition to which we find stair- ways leading from the topmost story to the ground floor. At night the heads of these points of egre.s are distinguished by red lamps, so that guests have only to approach one to find a way to the open street, or to one of the patent fire escape ladders, with which the building i.^ abundantly supplied, and which affords to guests the most perfect security. The sanitary arrangements are perfect, and the cuisinerie unexceptional, and the situation most central, convenient, and commanding. The ventilation of the building is thorough and complete. In addition to these general features so essential to the character of a first-class hotel, the Messrs. Nelson have ex- pended not merely a large amount of capital but they have called into requisition the greatest decorative tastes. All the more important rooms have been placed under the adorning influence of the decorator, who has transformed them one by one into apartments of elegance and beauty. Passing up the main staircase one comes to the dining-room, where great expense has been lavished on the decoration. From a large, featureless apartment it has developed into a noble " salle a manger," treated in relief materials of original design. The walls have a high wainscot, finished in pressed leather effect, above which in the spaces between the windows are trophies of arms in antique metal effects. The whole tone of color is warm, and the cheerfulness is greatly enhanced by the beautiful stained glass windows which cast their rich colors across the room. Perhaps the most gratifying experience in the dining- room is obtained at the tables. 1. i ) it i f in : ' r i cil ill ■5 i :i ■ j Ij ';. i t 'r ■ 1 • ■ ' / I' ■' i \\:\ 'i 1 \' H ! ■;, 1 i '(■'■■ 1 ■ < ! .. ( M j \ 11 .•' ij V - : » 1 ;, /■; f '■ n'i'i ;? 310 Toronto "Called Back." On the walls of the reception room are five tapestries, six feet by eight, all copies of <-hese famous scenes : German Student Boy, from original design of Windsor tapestry, by Paul Ander- son ; Apollo, from the original in Antwerp gallery, by Rubens • Courtiers of Henry IV. 's Reign, by Sully ; Lady of Sixteenth Century, from the original in Po gallery, Austria ; Departure for the Wars. The room is treated in rich, sombre coloring, harmonizing finely with the tones used in the tapestries. Plate glass windows in one sheet, with rich stained and leaded transom lighte, have taken the place of the former windows. The drawing-room is decorated in the French style of the First Empire. The ceiling is divided into a large oval panel and two smaller panels formed with delicate mouldings and graceful crnament. The walls are also thrown into panels v/ith ornamental heads, all in specially modelled designs. The color scheme is cream and gold, with relieving touches of other color. The woodwork is finished in ivory enamel surface. For both the drawing and reception-rooms magnificent Axminster carpets have been purchased, and very elaborate furniture and window draperies, and portieres of appropriate designs are being prepared. When this room is complete it will cert ily surpass any room of the kind in Canada, and will doubtless be a favor- ite resort for the travelling public. ly- British America Fire and Marine Assurance Co. This is the oldest established Fire and Marine Assurance Company in Canada, having been incorporated in 1833, even before Toronto became a city. The building owned by the Company, and in which tjieir business is transacted, is the finest specimen of architecture belonging to any company in Canada. The interior, comprising the business and private oflaces have lately been decorated in the highest style of art, and are a credit to the Company and the city of Toronto, besides enhancing the value of the property. These decorations are worthy of a special description, which is here given. M Toronto from 1887 to 1892. 311 ription, which The ceiling of the Board Room ia fresco, in the style of Louis XV. The flower festoons and large corner ornaments are painted, and outlined with gold. At each end of the ceiling is a group of four symbolic figures arranged under a canopy suspended from the ornamentation in the centre of the ceiling. The frieze ornamentation and the walls correspond with the ceiling, and are finished in solid gold bronze. The woodwork is of walnut, highly polished. The main offices are very elegant, the ceiling is frescoed in the modern Renaissance style, in panels with painted mouldings. The four large panels at the corners of the ceiling have painted in each a symbolic figure. In two lozenge-shaped panels at the sides are the Royal Arms, and Arms of the British America Fire and Marine Assurance Co., and in the large semi-circular panel at the south end is painted the Red Lion of Scotland. The fiicsc and walls correspond with the ceiling, and are artistic "y bMutifiil. The ceiling of the Governor's room is decorated in the French Renaissance style. The centre is painted to represent clouds, over which in delicate tracery is a representation of a spider web. In the panels at the four corners are figures representing the four seasons. There are also four circular panels on which are painted the " Royal Arms," and the Arms of the Company, the eflTect being very beautiful. The frieze and walls correspond with the ceiling. These splendid decorations are the work of Mr. R. J. Hovenden, of this city. The policies issued by this Company are most liberal and comprehensive. All kinds of property are insured, and losses promptly adjusted without litigious delay. The deservedly high reputation of this Company is a guaran- tee of honorable and satisfactory arrangements, and the large capital and economical management ensure a successful busi- ness in the future, as has been its history in the past. s * 1.' »., i : 1 J .1 '. '^ ( 312 Toronto "Called Back." The head office is at the corner of Front and Scott Streets Directorate : Thos. Long, T. H. Purdoin, John Morison, jun., Hugh Robertson, M.D., A. Myers, G. M. Kinghorn, John M. Whiton. J. Morison, Governor ; John Y. Raid, Deputy-Gover- nor ; W. H. Banks, Assistant-Secretary ; P. H. Sims, General Agent for Canada. Toronto Lithographing Oo. No modern art has accomplished such practical resuHs in the commercial world as the art of lithography. Manufacturers, merchants, builders, public companies and corporations, all alike, have recourse to its varied and beautiful productions to inform the public of their ability to supply all their wants and wishes. The perfection to which the Toronto Lithographing Company has attained is something marvellous. The beauty of their designs, and skill of execution, with the exquisite color- ing of their pictures, are equal to the finest productions of oil or water-color drawing, with the advantage of printing from the same stone an almost unlimited number of copies. In addition to the pictorial advertisements so profusely illus- trated, and which adorn windows and counting-houses, the not less useful work of printing forms of every description for banks, offices and warehouses, is quickly executed to order. The Company, from a small beginning in 1870, has grown to such proportions as to require the full half of the Globe building to carry on its work. The entrance is on Jordan Street, where elegantly-fitted offices admit to the various departments. In these are employed about one hundred hands, and the various processes of the work display an amount of enterprise, which would do credit to any city m the world. The success of the business is due to the general manager, Mr. William Stone, Mr. F. W. Heath, and Mr. Wm. 0. Jephcott, the proprietors. The busin&ss extends over the whole Dominion, and as the best artists and specialists are employed in each department, the work produced is of the highest character, and cannot be txcelled. Among the many specimens of their work to be seen scattered Toronto fkom 1887 to 1892. 813 through Canada, several worthy of special mention, are a life- size portrait reproduction of an oil painting of Dr. Orou- hyatekha, in the uniform of S. C. R. I. O. F. Anotlier is that of the late Sir John A. Macdonald, al.so reproduced in full colors, from an oil painting. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company have just issued a large chromo-lithograph of their new Pacific steamship Empress of Ivdia. The picture is 30x4-4 inches in size, and is printed in thirteen colors. It is certainly a work of art, and worthy a place in any office or library. This work is also by the Toronto Lithographing Company, to whom great credit is due, as we understand they secured the order in competition with the largest and best English and American houses. Sketches in oil were submitted from London and New York, and the fact that the painting chosen was made by one of the Toronto Lithographing Com- pany's own artists, and a Canadian, is another proof that Cana- dians can hold their own again.st the world. This order is perhaps the largest that was ever placed in Canada, and we feel glad to know that we have a concern in this city which can command the work for our own country. In the wood engraving department the very finest work is turned out, making the Toronto Lithographing Company's establishment the most complete for plant, equipment, manage- ment and execution on the continent of America. t I ; Ih seen scattered Oronhyatekha, M.D. This distinguished Canadian affords a striking illustration of how ability combined with integrity win for their possessor recognition, honor and influence, apart from the adventitious aids of birth or fortune. He also very happily demonstrates in his remarkable career that the elements that go to form the noblest types of character are not confined to any one race. And taking him as a representative of the natives of the American continent, they prove themselves capabla of as high a mental and moral development as the Europeans. At present Dr. Oronhyatekha stands not only at the head of what is i 314 Toronto "Called Back." allowed to be the most successful of the fraternal and bene- ficiary societies, but by common consent he is regarded as the first " society " man in America. The doctor is in the prime of life, having only recently passed his fiftieth birthday. He first saw the light near Brantford, Ont. An Indian of the Mohawk nation he takes the liveliest interest in all that con- cerns the welfare of " his own people." He received a liberal and professional education in Kenyon College, Ohio, and Oxford, England. At the latter famous seat of learning he was the protege of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. As a physician he bade fair to win fame and fortune, but his devotion to Inde- pendent Forestry led him to neglect his practice. And now all his time is enthusiastically devoted to the interests of the great Order of which he is not only the founder, but the able and trusted supreme executive oflScer. The phenomenal growth of " The Independent Order of Foresters," in the past few years, is the best possible proof not only of the soundness of the principles of the order, but of the wisdom of its manage- ment, and the confidence of its 32,000 members in those who administer its affairs. Dr. Oronhyatekha is not only the head of the Foresters but he is also the head of the Order of Good Templars throughout the world, having been elected in July, 1891, at the meeting of the Right Worthy Grand Lodge in Edinburgh, to the position of Right Worthy Grand Templar. The high position he occupies in each body is found to be advantageous to both. No one could wish to enjoy in a fuller degree the esteem of those he represents, and no one deserves it better than Dr. Oronhyatekha. again The Late Honorable John Macdonald, Senator. "In Memortam." He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like He gave his honors to the world again, his blessed part to Heaven, and slept in peace." — Shakespeare. The history of the late Senator Macdonald would comprise the history of the wholesale dry goods trade of Toronto for :^ii THE LATE HON. JOHN MACDONALD Senator. I' !^l : i . ! n-i :-, i' I ! J: i 1 i*' i '\ : i r ' i r y. 1 n ' ■' : lil; ■! »! *■ I 1 l:^wl 1^ ;.. if * , i ' \ ¥. . V ( 1 Toronto for Hi neai his ( posi Wal Mar leya totl ther situi H first unw in phil tiou of s reli^ asso in w A ous his kinc han< Hig his ] able tale] ing in i expi and the E Par] renc the Toronto from 1887 to 1892. yi5 nearly half a century. In 1847, when the writer first formed his accjuaintance, Mr. Macdonald was a young man holding the position of salesman in the large dry goods establishment of Walter Macfarlane & Co., corner of King Street and West Market Square. He was at that time studying for the Wes- leyan ministry, but on account of delicate health was ordered to the West Indies, as well as to discontinue his studies. He then proceeded to Kingston, Jamaica, where he remained in a situation till 1849. Having made up his mind to go into business he started the first exclusively dry goods store on Yonge Street, and by unwearied diligence, and great shrewdness as a buyer, succeeded in establishing a successful business. His generosity and philanthropy always kept pace with his prosperity, conscien- tiously devoting a large portion of his profits, on the principle of systematic beneficence, to benevolent, philanthropic, and religious purposes. In this respect his name will be for ever associated with the great enterprises of the city, in every thing in which liberality and philanthropy have been displayed. As a pation of literature his scholarships and prizes in vari- ous colleges and the University will remain as a monument to his memory, while his munificent donations to hospitals and kindred institutions for the relief of suffering humanity will hand his name down to posterity as a public benefactor. Highly gifted by nature, he excelled in poetry as well as prose, his productions in both being such as would be highly credit- able to a man of leisure, while Mr. Macdonald cultivated his talents in the midst of an engrossing and rapidly extend- ing business all through his life. Whether on the platform or in the pulpit he exhibited ability of a high order, always expressing his views in the clearest and most emphatic mannei, and ever on the side of truth and virtue, never swerving from the highest principles towards expediency. His distinguished services to the country as member of Parliament, and subsequently as a member of the Senate, were rendered still more valuable through the information given as the result o* his successive visits to Newfoundland, the West :i! 1 il-"' ilil 316 Toronto "Called Back." Indies, and Alaska, all of which was published for the benefit of the Dominion, and was undoubtedly most valuable and is already bearing good fruit. ^ Having been in the House of Commons at Ottawa when Sir John A. Macdonald arose in his place to refer to the death of Mr. Thomas White, Minister of the Interior, whose vacant chair immediately in the rear of Sir Jonn's bore a beautiful white wreath, and witnessing his vain attempt to speak, over- come as he was by emotion, and Sir Hector Langevin's taking his place with an impromptu eulogy, I think it not out of place to reproduce the following lines, which were composed by Senator Macdonald and printed anonymously in the Ottawa Journal of that day : — THE FLAG AT HALF MAST. ' . . Why flies the flag at half mast, /^ Which was mast head yesterday ? Has one of the mighty fallen, Has some great one passed away ? Has the rider on the pale horse — The rider with icy wand — Touched beating heart and stilled it, Of some leader of the land ? The flag which flies at half mast, Which flutters high in the air. But tells to man the story Which is taught him everywhere : That man being here abideth not, Is cut down like a flower, Is like the grass which springeth up And withers in an hour ; And so the flag at half mast, Which was yesterday at mast head, Tells in its mournful floating Of a gifted statesman dead, And reads to all the lesson — To the grave and to the gay — It may wave for them to-morrow, ■ ' As it waves for him to-day. Otiawa, April SSrd, 1888. . 1 i n 1 i ;) i !;, j ! I ! i , ! $». fliJl ., I ! ( I I i H ^~^!>- ^i--V -^^^g? "^-^^^^^^*"'.-^^- s_ ■ hh 1 ^9 1 H^^HI^B [^ m 1 Js^— ^^Si" ^iss^ss^^^^ ^1 . -^ ^ Bu^^^Huiltf -^^m SAMSON, KENNEDY & CO.'S WAREHOUSE. TouoNTo FiiOM 1887 TO 1892. ;n7 Samson, Kennedy & Co. "Nothing succeeds like success." For several years previous to 1869, Mr. A. G. Samson, Mr. Warring Kennedy and Mr. Alexander Gemmel occupied the leading positions in the house of Messrs. John Macdonald & Co., as buyer, manager, and counting-house financier, respectively. Having decided to establish a new business that year, they brought all their experience, ability and connection into requi- sition, and rapidly attained to a first-class position as wholesale dry goods merchants ; the continued residence of Mr. Samson in England as buyer giving the lirm exceptional advantages, while the popularity of Mr. Kennedy secured a rapid and exten- sive trade from the commencement. Mr. Kennedy is the only survivor of the original firm. The business having been established on a solid basis, with un- limited credit and capital, and thoroughly systematized in every department, still grows, not only with uninterrupted but increasing prosperity, having extended its operations from ocean to ocean. Represented all over the Dominion, the name of the firm is " a household word " in the dry goods trade. While the staple trade is the foundation, the firm has built up a reputation for " fancy goods," haberdashery and gentle- men's furnishing goods, which no house in the Dominion can excel, and renders their stock especially attractive to general buyers, as well as houses cultivating these distinctive depart- ments. The position of the warehouse is most central, and very ex- tensive as well as convenient, having entrances on both Scott and Colborne Streets. The five floors of the warehouse are always heavily stocked. The basement is reserved for Cana- dian manufactured woollens t.nd cottons; the first floor for imported staple goods; the second floor for fancy goods; the third floor for dress goods, and the fourth for hosiery, gloves, and men's furnishings. " The fierce light that beats upon the throne " equally searches out the flaws in the character of those who occupy ! ■ t l\ viir:! M\ 318 Toronto "Called Back." prominent positions in the church, comparing the profession there with the practice in the counting-house and warehouse through the week. From personal acquaintance with Mr. Kennedy since 1857, the writer can say he never knew an instance in which he did not pass the ordeal of criticism un- scathed. In him the unfortunate debtor has always found a sympathizing friend, and a liberal helper. Possessing superior talent as an orator, his eloquence has been equally displayed in the pulpit dnd on every platform, in the advocacy o 'er .use affecting either public or private inter- ests. Ever r i'...v to give his services, his impromptu utter- ances have be; !i^>...ior to many well-prepared speeches, and always tell on an aud: - ce with marked effect, and with the highest deference to his opinions and judgment. No man in Toronto, during that time, has more ably filled .so many and so important positions with greater credit to himself, or the various institutions and companies with which he has been connected. As an Alderman he displayed unusual intelli- gence as to the management of municipal affairs. As President of the Commercial Travellers' Association, organized in 1872, he may claim to have established that institution on a solid basis. In the same year Mr. Kennedy was elected President of the Protestant Benevolent Society. He is Chairman of the Board of the Toronto Burying Ground Trust ; senior Honorary Secretary of the Upper Canada Bible Society ; a member of the High School Board, and of the Board of Management of the House of Industry. He is also a member of the Executive Council of the Mutual Reserve Fund Life Association, and Chairman of the Canadian Board. Mr. Kennedy's devotion and loyalty to the cause of Method- ism are known far and near. As local preacher, class leader, trustee, and Sabbath school superintendent, he earned for him- self the esteem and admiration of his co-religionists. He has been on several Conference Committees, and a delegate from the Toronto Conference to the General Conference, where he always took a prominent part in the debates. At the Toronto ('•ouference in .Tune, 1891, he had the unique honor conferred ill h ! FREDERICK KENNEDY, ESQ. Toronto from 1887 to 892. 319 upon him of being elected Secretary, which is the first instance of a layman occupy inj? that position in the history of the Meth- odist Church of this continent. He was also elected a delegate to the Second Ecumenical Conference of the hiethodism of the world, which met at \V orit^inally applied. These t'ailini,' to accommodate the increas- iiiLf numbers of a hiri,'er population, led to the erection of tlu.' Horticultural Pavilion and the Auditorium. The demand for still <,'feater accommodation has been met by the liberality of H. A. Massey, Es(|., in erectin;^ a Music Hall, which is the culmination of the wonderful j^n'owth of tin.' musical taste of the city. The cTcction of the .Massey Music Hall by a vast expenditure, and the opcnini; Festival, will bo at once a mejuorial of Mr. Massey's late son, Charles Alljert Massey, and a monument to the philanthropy and jfenerosity of its founder. To present to the citizens of Toronto a temple of music of sufficient capacity to enable the masses of the people to enjoy the pleasure of hearini,' the <,'reatest artists of the day at prices within the reach of all, is a boon of which hitherto all but the wealthy have been denied. The Massey Music Hall has now become a reality, and will be a lastiniij monument to the munittcence of its i,dver, ami secure the gratitude of the millions who, from time to time shall leather within its walls to be charmed with " the divine art," of all others the most relinint^ and elevating. The opening concerts, the Baptist Convention and the Moody meetings have tested the capabilities of the Music Hall tn accommodate large masses of people in the most comfortabK' manner, over 5,000 persons being in the building at one time. The heating and ventilating arrangements are on the mo>t modern scientific principles, and the acoustic properties ar^ perfect, reflecting the greatest credit on the architect. In handing over the keys of the building and the deed to the Mayor of the city, representing the board of trustees, Mr. Massey made an absolute transfer of all title to the property. The stipulations of the trust deed, providing for its manage- ment, are clear and specific, and are in accordance with the wishes of the donor. The deed says : t-: I \^- •y, where thf- hat room W(i> ) the increas- rection of thr las been inct '-ihv^ a Music ^Tovvth of thf -Massey Music val, will 1)0 at iiarles Albert It] j,a'nerosity e of music of iople to enjoy day at prices ;o all but the ility, and will ts Lcivei', and ime to time. 1 " the divine (I the Moody usic Hall to comfortable one time, on the most opeities are ct. the deed to trustees, Mr. le property, its uiana<^('- ce with the t I' -1 7. y. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 U« Ui2 12.2 i Hiotographic Sdences Corporation ^^^ 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. USSO (716) t7a-4S03 '^ ^ the or i cau; pati wor ings maj A the reps and puri acci] rum largi pruc poss the the! to al In cann deed "5 insu] be ol the ] such the j with In ceed toth havi Ame Toronto from 1892 to 1894. 325 " The property shall be used for such purposes as shall, in the judgment of the trustees, tend to the musical, educational, or industrial advancement of the people, the promotion of the cause of temperance, the cultivation of good citizenship and patriotism, or the encouragement of philanthropic or religious work, and for the holding and giving of public and other meet- ings and entertainments, which, in the judgment of the trustees, may be consistent with any of the said purposes," As to the revenue from the Hall, the deed says : "The income from the property shall be applied (1) to pay the actual running expenses ; (2) to form a fund for rebuilding, repairing, refitting, improving or further equipping the building and premises, so as to keep them thoroughly adapted for the purposes for which they have been set apart, such sum to be accumulated from the receipts from time to time over actual running expenses, until it reaches the sum of $10,000, or such larger sum as in the judgment of the trustees may be deemed prudent or necessary ; (3) to form a reserve fund to meet any possible deficiency which from temporary causes may arise in the receipts ; and (4) to reduce the cost of entertainments of the highest class, so as to enable the gr "test number of people to attend the same and derive benefit therefrom." In case the enterprise should not be successful, the property cannot be encumbered to pay its indebtedness, for which the deed clearly provides as follows : " Should the receipts from the property at any time prove insuflficient for its further maintenance, and if the trustees shall be of the opinion that such deficiency is likely to be permanent, the property may be sold and the proceeds distributed among such benevolent or charitable institutions or enterprises as in the judgment of the trustees would have been most in accord with the wishes of the donor of the property." In the event of the sale of the property, no part of the pro- ceeds could revert to the family of Mr. Massey, so that the gift to the citizens is absolutely free, and Toronto can now boast of having one of the finest music halls on the Continent of America. [.V I v: 326 Toronto "Called Back." Massey Music Hall is an imposing structure of stone and brick, three stories high, and cost $150,000. The interior of the hall is tastefully painted and decorated, and a handsome finish is given to the whole by the series of private boxes situated next the stage. The ground floor is intended to seat 1,454 people. Therj are twenty-four rows of large and comfortable orchestra chairs, with the latest devices for convenience. There are two balconies supported by iron columns, also provided with seats the same as the ground floor. The first balcony has 1,100 seats, and the second about 800. The total seating capacity is 3,354, with the seats on the stage additional, making 3,772. Massey Music Hall Festival. This important event, so long anticipated, took place on the 14th, 15th and 16th of June, 1894, and consisted of five per- formances : The " Messiah," Miscellaneous Selections, " Hymn of Praise " and " Wreck of the Hesperus," A Children's Con- cert, and Second Miscellaneous Selections. The solo performers were : Sopranos, Miss Emma Juch, Miss Lilian Blauvelt ; contralto, Mrs. Carl Alves ; tenor, Mr. W. H. Rieger; bass. Dr. Carl E. DuffTb; pianoforte, Mr. Arthur Friedheim ; violin, Herr Wm. Ynnck ; violoncello, Herr Alfred Hoffman ; cornet, Mr. Herbert L. Clarke ; organist and accom- panist, Mrs. H. Blight ; Festival Chorus, five hundred voices ; Public School Children's Chorus, one thousand voices ; Festival Orchestra, seventy performers. Not since the musical festival in 1886 had such a chorus been got together as the five hundred voices which comprised that which appeared at the opening concert of the festival of 1894. These vocalists and the soloists were supported by an orchestra of ninety pieces, with a Mason & Risch vocalion, taking well the place of a pipe organ. The performance opened with the National Anthem, as arranged by Mr. Torrington for the previous festival. H I FREU VICTOR lUJILlMNd, TORONTO. Toronto from 1892 to 1894. 327 From first to last the grand oratorio of the " Messiah " was rendered in all its parts, solos and chorus, in a manner to reflect the highest credit on all the performers and the popular conductor. The " Hallelujah Chorus," in its triumphal strains, was a magnificent climax to the second part of the oratorio, and the grandeur of the rendering evoked the enthusiasm of the audience. The four subsequent concerts were each and all a source of great delight to the large audiences which attended. Mr. F. H. Torrington was general musical director. Mr. A. T. Cringan, conductor of children's: chorus. Mr. A. E. Fisher, conductor of cantata, " Wreck of the Hesperus." The greatest credit is due to Mr. Torrington for having brought the festival to so successful a conclusion. In this he has added further lustre to his name, and given another proof of his exceptional ability in drilling large choral masses. The soloists all acquitted themselves most creditably, and altogether the musical festival of 1894 was a great success. M 1 Fred Victor Mission Building. Perhaps no city of its size can boast of more benevolent and philanthropic institutions than Toronto, and most of these had small beginnings. Besides the large hospitals, there are the Boys' and Girls* Homes, Home for Incurables, The House of Industry, Protestant Orphans' Home, House of Providence, Hospital for Sick Children, Industrial Refuge, Home for the Aged, men and women, and many others. In addition to all these, there now exists an institution equally valuable in its way, and with this superior advantage that through the wise management of its directors it is made self-supporting. At the Annual Convention of Christian Workers in the United States and Canada, held in Washington in November, 1891, Mr. B. E. Bull, of Toronto, was appointed to .speak on the Central Lodging House Association of Toronto. He gave an "il nfl 328 Toronto "Called Back." interesting account of the history of the Institution, from its small beginning up to date. The sketch commenced with the Jarvis Street Mission, which had been started in 1886 by a lady going out from the Metro- politan Methodist Church and gathering a few street boys into a Mission Sabbath School. These boys were all Roman Catho- lics, and, " by a strange irony of fate, the place where she gathered them was in the Orange Hall." Other ladies joined in the work and were ably assisted by Mr. Bull himself and Mr. G. H. Parkes, and for three years all worked enthusiastically. The results far exceeded their anticipations; not only boys and girls, but young men became thoroughly reclaimed from vice and became industrious and sober. The idea of providing a lodging-house for destitute tramps soon suggested itself, and resulted in the renting of a building and the formation of an association with a capital of ^750 to commence with, and a board of directors. The building was fitted up with sixty beds, with bath-room and other conven- iences, the charge for a night's lodging being ten cents. From the first this enterprise was successful. Mr. Bull's history of the Association proved most interesting to the Convention, and has been published verbatim, with ques- tions put by delegates as to the minutest details ; and no doubt the example set by Toronto has been followed in many other cities in Canada and the United States. The Fred Victor Mission Building, donated by Mr. H. A. Massey, to be used for city mission work in connection with the Methodist Church, was opened on October 25th, 1894. This building, which has a very imposing appearance, is an ornament to the city, as far as architecture is concerned, and in its adaptation to the purposes for which it is designed, most complete in all its arrangements. The combination of city mission work with the Central Lodging House Association will contribute to make the institu- tion most valuable and beneficial to the poor of the city. The Mission rooms are fitted up with every modern conven- Toronto from 1892 to 1894. 329 ience for carrying on the work. The " Creche," a gymnasium for boys, a banking room and a restaurant for cheap meals are each specially planned to suit their re(iuirement.s. The building is fitted with lavatories in connection with each floor. The dormitories are neat and comfortable, and altogether a great boon has been conferred upon the poor of the city. The building is one of the best enuipped on the Continent of America, and has cost Mr. Mas.sey l?50,000, exclusive of the ground, all of which has been haiKJed over to trustees, who are empowered to manage it according to the intention of the donor. The Lodging-House Association rent their portion of the building from the management of the Mission building, their portion being called Victor House. The building, which is situated at the corner of Queen and Jarvis Streets, was erected as a memorial of Mr. Massey's youngest son, who, having made a tour of the world, and hav- ing the brightest prospects, was cut off in his manhood's youth and beauty. The Toronto College of Music (Limited). and Orchestral and Orjjan School has commenced its seventh year under most favorable auspices. The staff of teachers com- prises the very best talent in each department, Mr. Torrington, Director, resuming his position as teacher of piano, organ, and vocal music. Besides the other teachers on piano and organ, there are specialists on the violin, violoncello, viola, harp and other instruments, both brass and string, insuring to students a most complete course, with the prospect of scholarships, gold medals, diplomas and prizes and the Governor-General's medal, promised by His Excellency on his visit to the College. In addition to the talented and efficient staff of teachers attached to the College of Music, Mr. Torrington has secured the services of Signor Tesseman, who has lately arrived from England. This gentleman brings with him abundant evidence of eminent ability from such reliable authorities as Mapleson, Arditi, Ganz, Sullivan and Sims Reeves. He has sung at La I 330 Toronto "Called Back." Scala, Milan and the principal opera houses on the Continent, and as principal tenor at Her Majesty's and Covent Garden Theatres in London, and was specially prepared by Gounod himself for "Faust." Signer Tesseman will conduct the Vocal Instruction Depart- ment of the Colleufe, including operatic music. The College is in a flourishing state. The handsome buildinj,' which was annexed this season as a vocal and elocutionary department, enables the College to extend its work, the high educational standard of which attracts students from all over the Continent. Toronto Statistics. Five Years' Building Operations. The following comparative statement, taken from the City Commissioner's books, will show the amount of money which has been expended in Toronto during the past five years on the construction of buildinafs : 1890. 1891. 1892. 1893. 1894. January .... $.'>9,r>oo .t220,9.'iO $60,100 $24,6.')0 $.34,.3.')0 February - io."),4r)0 144,600 37i,l.')0 31,6.')0 39,2,50 March - - 177,42.') 2.36,440 167,4fH) 84,910 65,295 April - - 162,000 769,680 247,6«K) 2-)0,.300 99,195 May - - - 212,62.) 692,(500 2o2,920 2')0,.53r) 188,180 June .... 161,22.') 446,27") 216,2.30 l.')0,400 96,310 July - - - . 138,92.5 .')0(),060 168,.3.5() 88,805 202,675 August - - 1 1.5,07;") 273,400 224,3.')0 212,790 49, .5.50 September - 137,.').)0 .300,6r)0 268,680 81,645 87,550 October - - 442,68.5 246,810 231,025 63,425 67,3.55 November - 276.1.')0 3l0,3-.0 .392,.')00 111,090 40,8.50 December - .346,140 241,08.-) 120,4r)0 18,650 49,665 1,200,000 Total - • - $2,364,750 $4,38S,9(K) $.3,921, 7o5 $1,361,850 $1,020,225 The totals for the year 1891 were swelled by half a million dollars having been expended upon the Parliament buildings : the large totals of 1892 were chiefly owing to the estimate for the new court house, work upon which is now proceeding. TC^ONTO FROM 1892 TO 1894. 331 •ntinent, Garden Gounod Depart- buildin*,' itionary he high ftll over ;he City y which 'ears on 1894. $34,350 39,250 H5,'29r) 99,195 1«S,1S0 96,310 202,675 49,550 87,550 67,355 40,850 49,665 Toronto I m torts and Exports, 1893. Value. Duty. Imports 8122,072,127 84,570,851 ExportH 3,653,123 Toronto Nkt Dbiit. 1868 «2, 100,772 1893 ... 16.461,832 Total Asskssmknt. 1868 *25,604,154 1893 150,864,521 Comparativk Statemknt ok the Financial Position of Montreal and Toronto. Montreal. Toronto. Value of taxable property $130,834,241 $137,787,088 General taxes comprising real estate, taxes, water, etc., available for administration purposes . . . $2,651,115 $3,319,459 Rates of general tax on the value of real estate . . 1 79-100 p.c. 2 41-100 p.c. Population 229,000 190,000 Taxes per head $10 25 ?17 47 Cost of administration per head 10 25 17 47 Total debt $22,850,656 $19,745,943 Money in bank accumulated, sinking fund, amount due for special taxes $2,906,000 $3,284,111 Net debt $19,944,656 $16,461,8.32 Debt, per head $84 91 $86 64 Assets of Toronto Railway Company. Seventy miles of track .fl, 163,421 00 Rolling stock 539,546 00 Plant and appliances 840,250 00 1 1 'I ^l! Total $2,.'>43,217 00 M, 020,225 million ildings : »ate for Bg- Board of Trade. The report for the year ending 31st December, 1893, shows receipts of members, subscriptions of 919 members, and rents of building, amounting to S61,413, of which $22,047 was for rents^ Assets (including building and equipment $470, 530). $490, 825 00 Balance onllabilities 13,352 00 332 Toronto "Called BAt^K." Dominion Statistics. Free Postal Delivery. The figures of the free delivery by letter-carrier tell most powerfully in favor of Toronto. rf No. ol % 1^ Carrier*. , , _ a. % 3 t ^ s OyricK. '1 1^ Newspapers. ii .2 1 1 IK 42 l,079,.')4r) 2,.S")S,221 102,987 940,957 1,1 82.. 5.33 .3,.30.->,l78 19 45 Hamilton - , Kingston - . 1,20(5,002 0;{8,959 1,905,021 8 790,193 2,517,.m3 31 34 St .Tohn - 1,I0<5,025 15,548,454 ()9(J,879 3,,520,808 1,802,904 19,(M;9,202 22 105 '2"i Toronto - . 122 Viotoria - - 358,111 274,159 032,270 13 13 1,454,591 36,364,1.30 1,120,0.38 2,.-)8 1,229 20 384 22 • Totals 12,894,403 49,2.58,5.33 464 Imports to Canada. Fxports. 1868 $73,459,644 $57,567,888 1893 129,074,268 118,564,352 Post-Officf. Statistics. Offices. Letters. Newspapers. 1868 .... 3,638 18,100,000 18,860,000 1893 8,477 106,290,000 90,370,917 Railways. 1877 4,826 miles. 1893 15,020 '• Chartkred Banks. 1868 assets $77,572,257 1893 " 304,363,580 Post-Office Savings Banks. Depositors. Balances. 1868 $2,102 $204,588 1893 114,275 24,163,194 Nr ■>.ot ('iirriiTw. fr tl ii £. t - 5^ ^ ^^2 1 T.= -;5 «: IS 1!) i'2 4') H •) 25 31 «6 lOl) 'U 3S SI 34 22 25 Of) 122 13 13 L'O 22 4(i4 157 >80 Toronto from 1892 to 1894. 333 Oommerc Janada and the United States Compared. Coinmereo of the United States : Total value entered for uonaumption $813,601,345 00 Of which there waH free of duty 458,074. «M4 00 Of which there waH dutiable .355,520,74 1 00 Amount of cuHtoniH duty collected . 173,007,671 00 Average rate of duty on dutiable goods (per cent.) 48.71 Average rate of duty on iinportfl, dutiable and free (per cent.) 21.26 Statement showing the value of all Mierchandise imported into the Dominion of Canada from United Kin turned out en masse to take part in the celebration of the occasion. During the exercises the Queen conferred the Order of Knighthood upon the Lord Mayor of Manchester, the Mayor of Salford, and Mr. Joseph Leigh, M.P., son-in-law of Mr. David Adamson, chief promoter and first chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal Company. As one of the developments of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is stated that the North German Lloyd Steamship Com- pany is about to run a service of fast steamers fortnightly between Brazil, Australia, China and the West Indies, and Man- chester. It is al^o stated that the service between Manchester and Quebec and Montreal will begin in April. It is safe to predict that, on the completion of the enlarge- ment of our canals, vessels laden with Canadian produce will sail from Toronto harbor, and deliver their cargoes without breaking bulk at the Manchester docks, in the centre of a population of seven millions, and bring return cargoes of heavy freights to our inland ports. The importance of the canal to Canada may be seen from the fact that the import of flour and wheat averages about 700,000 tons a year for the population of the canal district. If the canal gets this, they will have a cargo of grain every day, and all the land carriage between Liverpool and Man- chester entirely saved. )f the 14th Is of honor 'e thoasand 1 procession d on board ned up the tie formally rce. e as marked its and the inhabitants ition of the le Order of ae Mayor of f Mr. David I Manchester Ship Canal, mship Cora- fortnightly js, and Man- Manchester ~|;he enlarge- )roduce will pes without jentre of a |)es of heavy seen from cages about district, [grain every and Man- y, u ■/. y, I • u H ■/; y. 7i cl ca fei Mi 15 bu Jar thi 1 of] carr Par] rece and plan pretl At pleas the J] are b It: menti along acres As i its orij the £17 Toront Policy, Toronto from 1892 to 1894. 343 The annual importation of cotton to Liverpool exceeds 765,000 tons. Half a million of this is consumed in the Man- chester district. Total length of the canal is 35^ miles ; minimum width of canal at bottom, 120 feet ; average width at water level, 172 feet ; size of largest locks, 600x80 feet ; area of water space for Manchester and Salford docks, 114 acres; area of quay space, 152 acres ; length of quays, 5| miles. The locks have been built to accommodate the largest steamship afloat. The largest Cunard or White Star steamers could go comfortably through. The cost exceeds fifteen millions sterling. [■f t,tS Extension of the Park System. The Toronto of next century will be surrounded with a girdle of parks such as few cities possess, if the present designs are carried out. On the west there is the splendid domain of High Park. On the raid- western water-front is Exhibition Park, the recent extension of which gives a splendid frontage on the lake, and the possibility of a magnificent lake-front boulevard. The plan of the improvements at the central water-front includes a pretty little public square, between Yonge and Bay Streets. At Hanlan's Point the Ferry Company is now forming a pleasure-resort that will attract thousands. At Centre Island the park is being improved year by year, and several lagoons are being filled in. It is proposed that in the Ashbridge's Bay front the improve- ments shall include a park of 260 acres, stretching two miles along the water-front, and to be called Siracoe Park, while 200 acres of land are to be laid out in factory sites. The " Mail and Empire." As intimated in a previous edition, the Mail has returned to its original principles, and having become amalgamated with the Empire will now occupy the front rank of Canadian and Toronto journalism. Advocating as it did at first the National Policy, the closest union of all the Colonies with each other Ji44 Toronto "Called Back." and the intef^rity of the British Empire, the Mail and Empire will represent the best interests of the Dominion, and having always supplied the fullest intelligence from all parts of the world, must enlist more than ever popular favor in its behalf. The Governor-General at Rideau Hall. The Earl and Countess of Aberdeen, on entering on their vice-regal duties at Ottawa, did not appear as strangers to Canada. Their previous visit and temporary residence, as well as their travels through the Dominion, and His Lordship'.s investments in British Columbia, had given the Canadian people a right to claim them already as citizens, and their official career so far has confirmed the impression already made of their personal interest in all that affects every class of society in the country, and their identity with its interests in every depart- ment. Their afiability on every occasion in no way derogates from the dignity which attaches to the functions appertaining to the vice-regal position, and the combination of both quali- ties imparts a special charm to intercourse with them. No doubt it was in a similar manner that the hearts of the Irish people were captivated, and the wonderful popularity of the Earl and Countess in Ireland was evoked. One of the very first acts of Lord Aberdeen, in Dublin, was to visit the Mansion House, to attend a meeting for the purpose of devising means for relieving the distress then existing on the west coast of Ireland. Although His Excellency did not attend as Lord Lieutenant, but as a citizen of Dublin, the royal state was maintained by the Viceroy driving through the streets from the Castle in the usual car riage-and -four, with postillions and outriders. Of the event Mr. Stead says : " It was a critical moment when the carriage drove up in front of the Lord Mayor's official residence (a thing before unheard of), and the Viceroy and his wife, in the capacity of citizens, descended to attend a meeting summoned to consider the distress in the west of Ireland. It seemed to those present as if the crowd quivered Toronto from 1892 to 1894. 345 and hesitatec, lot knowing whether to hiss or to '*heer, when suddenly one of tne boys gave rein to the exuberance of his enthusiasm, and broke out into a hearty cheer. Another second, and all suspense was at an end. Amid a roar of cheers, the like of which had never been heard behind a Viceroy in recent years, Lord Aberdeen made his way into the meeting hall." The Irish heart lesponded to the touch of sympathy, and the term of office, although short, was both brilliant and eventful. When the time came for their Excellencies' departure, the degree of passionate personal enthusiasm and devoted loyalty became apparent. The whole of Dublin city turned out to give the Viceroy and his wife a national Irish farewell. The encouragement given by Lady Aberdeen tu Irish indus- tries, then commenced, has continued, as seen at the World's Fair in the Irish village, and is still being promoted in various ways at home and abroad. Having referred to Dublin Castle in a previous edition, it may not be out of place to mention, in connection with Lord Aberdeen's residence there, St. Patrick's Hall which has been the scene of many brilliant levees, drawing- rooms, receptions, balls, and other semi-regal functions. The rich gilding of the pillars, oval mirrors, set-in paneU and pilasters, serve to enhance the gorgeousness of this stupendous room, unequalled by anything in Buckingham or St. James' Palace. The elaborate frescoes and paintings on the ceiling are triumphs of art. At night, these artistic and tasteful decora- tions stand out with extraordinary brilliancy under the flood of light thrown up m them by myriads of gas chandeliers and branches bearing wax tapers. In this hall the writer, as a youth, as far back as the forties (during one year of which, Daniel O'Connell was Lord Mayor), witnessed some brilliant scenes. Here, at drawing-rooms or balls, the crowds of " fair women and brave men," the ladies according to Court fashion, with waving feathers and sparkling 346 Toronto "Called Back." diamonds, with the uniforms of Hussars, Lancers, Dragoons, Artillery, and the various infantry regiments (representing from ten to twenty thousand troops, always stationed in Ireland while the "Repeal of the Union" was being agitated), presented a scene of splendor and dazzling beauty never perhaps equalled, and never to be forgotten. The extensive travels of Lord Aberdeen, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and his felicitous replies to the numerous addresses with which he has been presented, display at any rate consider- able general acquaintance with every subject referred to, and a comprehensive grasp of matters affecting the interests of the Dominion, whether educational, commercial, agricultural or industrial. Those who know most of the home life of Kideau Hai testify as to tlfe spirit of cheerful energy that pervades it i atmosphere. Whether socially, religiously or intellectually, it affords a model worthy of imitation, and, like the Royal Court of Great Britain, cannot fail to exert a beneficial influence on the social and moral life of the Dominion. Unveiling the Statue of the late Sir John Macdonald. On October 13th, before an immense concourse of people, the beautiful statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in front of the Parliament Buildings, Queen's Park, was unveiled by Sir John Thompson, Premier of the Dominion. His speech was dignified, and in the highest degree eulogistic of the character of the late illustrious statesman. Leading politicians of all shades bore testimony to the splen- did achievements of the departed, and the benefits conferred on the Dominion through his lifelong efibrfcs to promote the wel- fare and prosperity of Canada. This was the last public appearance of Sir John Thompson in Toronto. Death of Sir John Thompson. The Right Honorable Sir John Sparrow David Thompson, P.O., K.C.M.G., Q.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Canada, died sud- denly at Windsor Castle, England, on the 12th December, 1894. Toronto p„om I892 to 1894 I>e^aUheo«,t, the crown Ana blossom of In- * ^ O'-U' great „.,Jl'°l"::'*» "'-if -n 'n gratitude uiKm l,;. i , ' " His honored oiajr. TW storm and streM afar. '--:a:r:?:,r„rrr"»"°"^'«'-"'-»ave , /^"■-'""--..roJd.d for h. .rave. ■ Le'tBrit"'"'""''""""""". '-■■=HSi:;:r May th« career .„Wi„3__ '"<.»«» ..rawnneardeeppeace-averted..,.. down in ft ^^'^^^ «^h^"« Sovereign K ^ '''^''"^^^ «"hjecfc "f 'endemesa on thTlf:';'' "^ »"™''-^ ''nd pathetic a cli n. ^«''»»in on the page of h! f ""■ *''y''»*y. a« must ^1 '^ "^ unique Tl>„ *^ nistory a.s rem./i, vi 'orever *iSde 1 r' "'""'^ "^"'"^ "y wt^\? ""^y -^ .*i47 348 Toronto "Called Hack." Her Majesty that the highest honors should be paid to the deceased statesman. The carriage was fitted up as a mortuary chapel, beautifully draped in mourning emblems. On the arrival of the train at Portsmouth, the procession from the railway station to the Blenheim was attended bj a large number of distinguished officials, both Canadian and British, also by the Marquis of Lome and other noblemen. The coffin was carried on board between two files of marines amid a crash of artillery, and funeral music from the bands. On board the Blenheim a handsoine catafalque was erected in the captain's room, where the coffin was placed. The room was draped with crape-bound flags, Canadian and British, and black cloth ornamented with silver stars. On the arrival of the Blenheim at Halifax a State funeral took place, attended by the Governor-General, Lieutenant- Governors, principal statesmen, ministers, members of Parliament, senators, and public officials and military officers from all parts of the Dominion. The last appearance of Sir John in London was the night before his death at the Colonial Conference, where he said : He trusted that the influence of the meeting of the Colonial Institute would tend to the establishment of greater unity between the Colonies of the Empire. THE DEAD PREMIER. Hark to the solemn gun and tolling bell. What ship is this that, black aa night or death, la entering port upon the sullen swell, While an expectant nation holds its breath < From many a threatening port her cannon gape, Above her deck the flag of Britain flies ; Like some sad dream she comes, her sombre shape Crushing the waves that in her pathway rise. One of the sea Queen's ocean walls is she, Grim guardian of her honor ; yet that prow Ne'er upon nobler errand cleft the sea, Nor guarded Britain's honor more than now. TOBONTO FROM 1«92 TO m*. J»» tlertth he knit M,« h\. ■ T'>eb,gotry that he had fain und'l. Life's vuyaL dl [ . ^^^ '«'"««« ^«ve, with G„d bey„nd the grave. -Arthur Weir. 349 Hon Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. The New Cabinet, 1894. ■ Mackenzie How srr d • »». •OHKC„»™,». Mini ::•, „''^,;*^; '■• MW-'er „,,„,,„,. Jo-EHH A, o„„ "■ I "'"■■'• " R»"«)» and Ca„„l, W'UMM B. IvK, „'.^'"'"""'""''«I"teri„r. S'K JOHK O.Tl; .*?'""*•"• °'Ag,.ic„|t„re. DONA.D Fp,„"™" /"?"'■" !»■■"•*")■