te^S CANADA ^ U'^^m^^ FOR i Use'^iife CANADIANS dak an^jiiLij^u-j U; ilK E. B. Eddy's Matches iSlMi THEY ARE || THE BEST /i PRICE FIFTY CENTS. Of Coronto ClK 600(1 ; n Social Study Cbe Queen ettv of Canada a$ it i$. " Not necessarily Toronto alone but every City in America." Toronto as a vSocial Study has been brought prominently before the world by the observations of Canadian delegates to the vSocial Purity Congress held at Baltimore, and by the World's Convention of the Women's Christian Tem- peiHuce Union held at Toronto in 1897: MONTRE4L THE -TORONTO PUBLISHINO CO^rPANY 1898 x^x "Tci^L.-'f^- I. , OF TORONTO THE GOOD. A SOCIAL STUDY. / The Queen City of Canada as it is. BY C. S. CLARK " Not necessarily Toronto alone but every city in America.' Toronto as a Social Study was brought prominently before the World by the rennarks of Canadian delegates to the Social Purity Conference at Bal- timore, and the World's Convention of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, held at Toronto ir* 1897. MONTREAI, THE TORONTO PUBLISHI^^G COMPANY. 1898. I*" -"-l n 1918!):? -> cr clA^?K C .^ Wov'r 14 t»n 7^ ^-^o^^ ''.» CONTENTS PAGB Toronto i City Government 6 Police Force 1 1 Society 27 The Press 32 The Stock Exchange 51 Financial Enterprises 54 Business in Toronto 62 The Detectives .1..... 64 Hotels (h"] Restaurants.,.. 71 Boarding Houses : 73 Holidays in the City 76 City Parks "/"j The Public Schools 79 Street Boys 81 The Social Evil 86 Street Walkers 131 Lodging Houses 137 The Poor of the City 142 Pawnbrokers 142 Gambling Houses 143 Drunkenness 143 Imposters 144 Pickpockets 145 Crooks 145 Thieves 146 Assignation Houses 147 Churches and the Clergy 147 The Bar 188 Music and the Drama 191 Quack Doctors \ ,.. 198 Situation Agencies 204 Swindlers , 205 Conclusion 209 TORONTO. "Toronto the Good " and beautiful isoneof the finest cities on the continent in point of beauty, wealth and intelligence, as it is unques- tionably the leading commercial city of the west. It supplies to a large extent the requirements of Manitoba and the North West, and promises to seriously rival Montreal in the extent of its wholesale trade. Situated in the centre of the Province, and commanding the leading position on Lake Ontario, it is essentially a point of importance. It has some of the handsomest streets on the continent, and is really well laid out. Jarvis street with its elegant pavement is in summer a most attractive thoroughfare, and the same may be said oi Bloor, Sherbourne and Spadina, but the extreme east end, and the west end east of Parkdale are the abode of poverty to a very great extent, and are commensurately less desirable. The city extends from the Bay northward to a line scarcely definable, and this is also the case with the east and west. Real estate men and companies have opened large tracts of land, and farms have been converted into building lots, and as the fact of their being in the city limits increases their value, it becomes therefore, most desirable that they should be incorporated as soon as they are so divided. It was in the year 1883 that Toronto became land hungry and began to stretch forth ambitious hands to seize adjoining sections of the County of York. Bear in mind that up to this date Bloor street on the north, Dufierin street on the west, and virtually the Don on the east marked the boundaries of our city, whose area was 6,771 acres. In 18H3, Yorkville threw in its lot with the Queen City and became St. Paul's Ward. Its area was 543 acres. Its eastern boundary wafs Sherbourne street, and its western a line just east of Bedford road. In 1884, St. Matthew's and St. Mark's ward were born, a total increase to Toronto's area of 2.346 acres. For just three years the city remained content* and then came the addition of a strip 200 feet deep on the north side of Kingston road (now Queen street), containing 57 acres, the new annex of 209 acres, 99 acres of Rosed le quickly followed in the succeeding year; 1052 acres, including Seaton village, 91 acres between High Park and the west limit of Parkdale, and about 68 acres which carried St. Paul's hard up to the top of the hill above the C. P. R. Hemmed in by the city on three sides, Parkdale next joined fortunes with Toronto and in 1889 added St. Alban's Ward, a fair-sized debt and 650 acres of land to the municipality. This was the last accession to our area, excepting a small strip of 35 acres on the east side of Greenwood's line, which was acquired in 1890. Toronto now discovered that she had grown even too strong, and that she had acquired enough territory to hold all the citizens we are likely to have for the next filty years. Hand in hand with this tremendous extension of territory went the local improvements and the increase of our debenture debt, and for the last six years citizens have been wondering what all the territory I OF TORONTO THE GOOD. was ever wanted for, and liave been execratinfj the insane speculative mania which sewered and block paved and sidewalked the grassy swards of the county of York's farm lands. Recapitulating then we see the growth in area of the city of Toronto as follows ; 1834 to 1883 6,771 acres. .. 1 083 , ; 7>3i5 acres. 1884 9,661 acres. 1887 , 10,528 acres. 1888 1 1.239 acres. 1889 11,889 acres. 1890 to 1896 1 1,924 acres. ^1 That is to say, we have in a period of seven years almost doubled our area. Those best qualified to speak authoritatively see in this large extension of territory all the woes in the way of taxation which now afflict the city. Had there L,.en added not thousands of acres of what has been fitly designated goose pastures, but, say, Parkdale and Yorkville and its suburbs, we should now have a compact city, light taxation, land valuable, and a better and more prosperous population. And it would also have been infinitely better fc" those sections which came in by reason of land speculation during the seven fat years when Toronto's sober population became land-crazy and speculation-mad. Among the men who have been brought down by the collapse of the real estate boom in Toronto, comparatively few can be classed as lenders. A few, and, compared to the majority of borrowers, a very few, have been financially prostrated by lending injudiciously. The sufferers among the lending class have been mainly widows and orphans, whose money was advanced through the agency of some rascally lawyer upon worthless second mortgages. The sufferings of these unfortunates have been grievous enough, but adversity has found most of its victims, not among those who lent, but among those who borrowed injudiciously. The men who have come to grief are the men who sank all their own money in land, which was pledged as security for further loans. While the boom lasted the lenders reaped a harvest of heavy interest from the borrowers. When the boom was breaking the lenders in most cases saved themselves by sacrificing the borrowers' property. !t is quite evident, from the current rates of interest, that borrowers who think they can get rich by paying more for money than they can earn wirh it, are becoming scarcer. The enterprising borrower in Toronto has paid dearly for his fondness for speculating with other people's money. In some cases the other people who supplied them with money have suffered. In most cases the borrower has been the sufferer, and the present over-abundance of money is proof that lenders have become cautious, or that borrowers have become scarce. Toronto's popu ation is, two hundred thousand nearly, and this does not include the immense throng of visitors for business or pleasure, who arrive and depart daily. During times of more than ordinary OP TORONTO TUB GOOD. > ?i interest such as some great religious or educational convention, the ilndustrial Exhibition or some special attraction, these arrivals are ^greatly increased The population is made up from almost every nation, '{'though Canadians predominate as they should. ;i It is the goal of almost cwtry youth's ambition in the province to I become eventually a resident of the Queen city. Its universities, than which there are on the continent none better, attract students from all parts of the country and the United States as veil, while the convents, business colleges, veterinary college and similar educational institutions are composed almost entirely of out of town people of both sexes. To succeed a young man must set to work to build up a reputation for he will be taken for just what he is worth and no more. In point of morality the people of Toronto compare with those of any other city quite favourably, and if the dark side of life is to be seen here, one may also witness the best. In its charities Toronto stands in the front rank of Canadian and American cities. The various religious denominations spend annually thousands of dollars and private contri- butions towards charitable institutions amount in the aggregate to sum that are almost princely. To a certain extend the people are liberal in matters of opinion, and as a rule men do not seek to influence the opinions of others except in so far as they are privileged to do so, but any faddist no matter how absurb or ridiculous his theories may be, will find converts in Toronto who will be surprised at the lack of intelligence on the part of those who do not fall in love with them. As an illustration of the suscepti- bility of Torontonians the conversions made by Prince Michael of Detroit, among the religiously inclined, maybe cited as a fair example of what others may do or have done. Strangers coming into the city are struck with the existence of the extremes of rich and poor. 1 iving in the city is very expensive, the poor are obliged to live in theskaky, tumble-down houses of Centre, Elizabeth, South Jarvis and Lombard and Bathurst and some other streets, while the middle classes and those of only moderate means reside in the suburbs, or a considerable distance from the business part of the city. They come down every morning to business in crowds between the hours of seven and nine, and literally pour out of it bet- ween the hours of four and seven in the evening. In fair weather the inconvenience of such a life is trifling but in the winter and especially after a heavy fa!' of snow it is very great, and should the street cars be obstructed the annoyance is considerably increased. A considerable number of people own their own houses, though this circumstance may be a questionable advantage. House rents are comparatively high, particularly in the heart of the city, and many people of moderate means arc compelled to let furnished rooms or take boarders to supplement their slender incomes. That owning a house is a desirable boon is not by any means certain. When the real estate boom was in its zenith property changed hands at prices that were an unmitigated gratification to those who 4 OF TORONTO THE GOOD. sold them, but those who bought are not so well satisfied. It is really comical some of the ideas people have of the value of their land. To trace this matter up I wrote to a firm of real estate agents in ref rence to a house on Charles street. It was not by any means a new house, but it was rented for sixteen dollars a month and taxes. Price three thousand two hundred dollars. By the fairest calculation in mathe- matics, it will be seen that to pay six percent, one hundred and eighty dollars are required, taxes forty eight dollars at least, and then your chances of profit are only contained in the remote contingency of the property increasing in value. Three thousand dollars at six per cent would be infinitely preferable to a house of the description I have mentioned. This is not by any means an excepuional case. I could give you similar ones by the score. In spite of all these drawbacks, however, Toronto is a delightful place to live in. Its boating is unsurpassed. The bay on a summer night, is one mass of skiffs and sail boats, and there is scarcely a youth in the city who has not experienced the delights of rowing, and a large number are owners or part owners of boats. Some years ago a number of baths were presented to the city by a one tim^ resident at a cost of some $5000.00, and they were certainly a boon to the boys of the city. A storm, however, destroyed their utility and for a long time there was only the beach where they could go, including the sand bar opposite Queen's wharf. It is currently reported that some stately lady used to sit at the hotel window and survey the boys in bathing through an opera or field glass, until she made a complaint with the result that bathing without trunks was pro- hibited by the police. Like all such prohibitive legislation, however it is to be remarked that it was regularly and systematically set at defiance. On Sunday mornings in summer the sand bar was alive with boys and young men who strip themselves and throw their clothes in a boat. If a policemen looms in sight they take to the boats and I have never heard that anyone has been arrested yet. During the past summer, Mr. W. J. Gage made an offer to the city council to build a swimming bath in a central locality, if the city would furnish the site. A special committee was appointed to consider the matter, and confer with Mr. Gage, and recommend to council such plans and methods as they m^y find practicable and desirable to secure the best possible results from the liberal proposition made by Mr. Gage. The Mayor's experiment, by which the city provided a steam tug to ferry the boys of the city across the Bay to the sand bar for bathing lessons proved a huge success. On one Saturday no less than 3000 boys were taken over, and as there was an experienced swimmer in charge, and all necessary appliances on hand also at the expense of the city, the bathing is absolutely safe, and the departure is proving an immense boon to the boys in the hot weather. Besides the bathing afforded by the island it is the terminus of all the boats that leave the slips at night. All the water front comprises interminable lengths of boat houses both private and public, and the OF TORONTO THE GOOD. 5 houses owned by organizations such as the Royal Canadian Yacht Club are perfect palaces in their way. Aquatic sports comprise very largely the principal diversion of Toronto's men and boys, and there is scarcely a boy in the city whose sympathies are not enlisted in some of the great summer events. This seems to be a matter which is the legitimate outcome of events. The bay seems to be the only place belonging to the city that is not consecrated. The parks are for walking in, not for athletic sports, the streets for traffic, and woe to the boy who is caught dese- crating them by playing upon them. If he is under the age of sixteen years, and enter a billiard room, he is liable to arrest again, so that his opportunities for enjoying life are very limited indeed, and with the restrictive legislation passed for his benefit, he has not much opportu- nity for playing, with the result that pernicious amusements are at a premium. A child eleven years old appeared in the Police court charged with the offence of playing ball on Sumach street. The ball, a small rubber affair, was produced in court and the boy when asked why he did not bring the bat also, explained that he had no bat, and was playing with the ball and a piece of a stick when the policeman inter- rupted him. There was no question as to the guilt of the accused. Hugh Miller, J. P., fined the boy $2 or ten days in goal. A good hearted justice of the peace like Mr. Miller could not go against the by-law, but the by-law forbidding ball playing in the street should be enforced against children with a good deal of discretion. By-laws that deal with graver offences thdn ball playing are not enforced at all. The child who was playing with a soft rubber ball on Sumach street was doing nobody any harm, and the city has something else to do with its money than to pay policemen to run down children who in their innocence think it no sin to try and enjoy themselves. A squad of boys, the oldest of whom was thirteen, were playing ball in front of their home on Victoria street, opposite the Normal School grounds, when Police Constable 195 ordered them to desist and took their names. The officer did his work civilly enough, and the protest is not against him, but rather against the folly of employing policemen for the persecution of small boys. Not that the Toronto small boy is an angel. By no means. He is rude and mischievous. His mania for damaging trees and defacing property may be explained by the fact that it is unsafe for him to ittempt to enjoy himself in any more innocent way A hundred property owners can bear witness that the police have not come between the small boy and his enjoyment of the game of tearing dowii fences or breaking the windows of vacant houses. But let a few children start a game on a quiet street with a lawn tennis ball such as those boys on Victoria street used and imme- diately a policemen interferes. When the street becomes the play- ground of youths or grown men some body is liable to get hit with the hard ball they use. It ought to be easy to avert this danger with- out perpetuating a by-law which permits the police to exclude children « OF TOEONTO THE GOOD. from the stree'is and to terrify them with threats of Poh'ce Court prose- cution for the heinous oftence of playing with a soft ball. CITY GOVERNMENT. The city is governed by a mayor and twenty-four aldermen who receive $300 per annum who are, elected annually, though the mayor, as an act of grace, is usually permitted to have a second and sometimes a third term. His salary is three thousand dollars per annum. In the Municipal Amendment Act of 1896 a radical change has been made by the creation of a Board of Control, which applies practi- cally only to the city of Toronto. 1 he Board consists of the Mayor and three aldermen, the latter to be elected by the Council. The tenure of office is yearly. Salaries to the limit of $700 each may be fixed by by- law. The duties are to prepare the estimates, deal with and award con- tracts, inspect all municipal works, nominate to the Council all heads of the various civic departments and recommend the salaries, and no official or clerk shall be appointed without the consent of the Board, except on a two-thirds majority of the Council. Power to dismiss employes, and to regulate the work of the various departments, are some of the other duties of the Board. It shall also be the duty of the Board, subject to the approval of Council, to regulate and supervise all matters connected with expendi- ture, revenue and investments, and recommend such measures to the Council as may be deemed necessary therewith ; To have supervision and control of all books, documents, vouchers and securities belonging to the corporation ; To see that persons in office and to be appointed to office shall give and mai tain the necessary security for the performance of their respective duties ; To carry out the orders of the Council, and for that purpose to direct and control all heads of departments in the execution of the duties of their offices ; The Board shall, as soon as may be, provide the necessary funds for any expenditure recommended by two-thirds of the members of the Council present and voting, and the yeas and nays on sach voting shall be recorded an 1 forwarded to the chairman of the Board ; The Board shah hold regular meetings, in time to allow the pre- lentation to the Council 1/ the Board of all reports of the Select and Standing Committees, transmitted to the Board three days previous to the meeting of the Council ; The Board shall appoint one of their number as vice-chairman, who shall act as chairman in the absence of the Mayot, having first been notified by the Mayor in writing of his intention to be tempora- rily absent from his duties ; Reports of all Standing and Special Committees shall be presented to the Board of Control for transmission to the Council. OF TORONTO THE GOOD. 7 Reports of the Board of Control intended for the consideration of Council shall be'transmitted to the members of Council one day previous to the meeting of the Council. A new clause in the section defining the duties of the Committee on Legislation provides that all agreements for franchises, etc., shall be considered and reported upon by that commit*^ee. At the municipal elections held on the jrd January, 1898, John Shaw was elected Mayor over Mr. E. A. Macdonald by 4000 majority. This is Mr. Shaw's second term really, he having been elected Mayor in August, 1897, by the City Council, when P.Iayor Fleming was made Assessment Commissioner. With regard to Mr. Fleming, I am much pleased that he has received this appointment, though 1 know him only by reputation. I have watched the course of civic politics in Toronto from a distance, and I never heard of a more dirgracefui campaign than that waged against him when Mr. Warring Kennedy defeated him by something under fifty votes, excepting, perhaps, the one just closed, In som- minor points. The speech made by Mr. Macdonald at the nomin- ations, according to the Globe's report was an intellectual treat. Mr Shaw and Mr. F. S. Spence were treated to such a scathing denunci- ation that the Globe headed its report " Running in the Mud." When Mr. Fleming and Mr. Kennedy were the candidates, it was not sufficient that their public records should furnish the basis of argument, but the press supporting Mr. Kennedy did not tire of referring io him as the " successful business man ", while the reverse was said of Mr. Fleming. But amongst the most disgraceful things said in a most disgrace ful campaign was the comparison drawn between the two men as to their relative positions in the Methodist Church. Would it not have been the act of a gentleman, let alone a Christian for Mr. Kennedy to have pro- tested against such tactics ? Yet when one Methodist Minister from his pulpit expressed his intention of supporting Mr. Fleming he was promptly called to order by these same papers, and treatened with dire- consequences if he persisted. Does the Omnipotent sleep ? Was it not Almighty God who said "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay ?" Mr. Kennedy did not serve his term, however, for the house of Samson, Kennedy & Co., " the successful business men " made an assignment. Was not that the hand of an avenging Providence? Had Mr. Kennedy possessed any of the qualifications that entitled him to the position of Mayor, one might have condoned the mud throwing by the press that was indulged in, but his messages to council were compared by one journal to a comic song or a burlesque, and not unreasonably so. When he sent a message of condolence to the widow of Sir John Thompson, he informed her that Sir John possessed an exuberance of intellect that was highly polished, as though he were speaking of a shirt front. When the Globe saw fit to adversely criticise some of his acts, they were sent a letter informing them that as they saw fit to cri- ticise His Worship they would get no more advertising. So there ! That must be about on a par with what a school boy of ten would do. But perhaps, about the most ridiculous thing was when Mr. Kennedy i OF TORONTO THE GOOD. cabled his regrets as Mayor of Toronto at the death of the Russian Emperor— an act that provoked from the Evening Telegram a most excellent caricature. In my next edition, I may give miniatures of these caricatures, if I can get the consent of that paper. Some years ago, chiefly owi.-g to the influence of the News, which vyas at that time specially influential in both temperance and labour circles, Mr. W. H. Rowland, the nominee of this con»bination, was elected, and during his regime, and with the influence of the News, the ring that seemed to have been formed to swindle thi water- works department was exposed and tht guilty parties brought to justice. This exposure was the lever that commenced the idea cf a strictly moral city, which should be consummated by restrictive legislation. A more fatal mistake was never made. Mankind in general have a passive regard for public opinion, and unwritten laws regarding morality, and can usually be trusted to give a moral support to usages that have a tendency to elevate their fellows, but once make this unwritten law take the form of restrictive legislation and this same mankind will most emphatically rebel. In support of this assertion, let me say that I have in easy recollection the names of quite a dozen women of unquestion- able reputation, members of different churches, who will visit American cities and smuggle into Canada hundreds ofdoUars worth of merchandise and declare to the preventive officer that they have nothing dutiable when if he were to make a search he would find that they were telling him the most barefaced falsehoods. Make any law which is regarded as restrictive and which does not receive the moral support of the people, and men who would never dream of breaking it before it became law, will take a delight in doing so simply to show their contempt, and because they consider it interferes with their rights. This was what happened in Toronto, and finally culminated in a most complete and over-whelming defeat to the party supporting it. Mr. Howland knew that he dare not face the electorate and ask for re-election a third time, but Mr. Elias Rogers was prevailed upon to do so by those who stood beside Mr. Howland, and a veritable Waterloo was the result to them, in spite of the fact that the prayers of the righteous were imp'ored on behalf of their candidate. Had Mr. Rogers been opposed by the most unmitigated blackguard in Toronto, there can be no doubt that he would have been defeated, or elected by such a narrow majority that it would have been tantamount to defeat. The people were simply waiting an opportunity to rend them. It is simply the repetition of history. We are informed that the Puritans, when in the ascendant, had with an iron hand crushed down many amusements, the desire of which is a natural appetite of man, and thus created a hunger and a longing for the forbidden things, which became an unappeasable frenzy when the Restoration brought a chancre. The nation plunged madly into the opposite extreme. An utter absence of shame marked the mode of life in that most wicked age. The blush of innocence seemed almost forgotten in the court circles in England. Almost all the duties to God OF TORONTO THE GOOD. 9 and man in the theatres were held up to publ'': mockery. Virtue in every form especially truth and modesty cam -♦ in for the comedian's jeering, and the loudest applause was brought forth from the audience by the triumph of the profligate and the ridicule cast upon the victims of his success. On a lesser scale was the Puritanical rule exercised in Toronto. We did not have any such crazy names as " Praise God Barebones," or others equally ridiculous, but we had suppressing laws being introduced, and attempts made to carry them out. The populace were absolutely incensed, and the Government was ruthlessly overthrown, and justly so. Mr. Edward F. Clarke was nominated by those who were opposed to this state of affairs, and it may be mentioned that he had the support of the News, which was, I believe, the only paper in the city supporting him, while Mr. Elias Rogers was the nominee af those who wished to see a continuance of Mayor Howland's policy. Arrayed on the side of Mr. Clarke were the leading business men of the city, and Professor Goldwin Smith moved his nomination. The battle raged long and fiercely and was not without its humou- rous side as well. Aarrayed on either side were the forces of practical common sense, and on the other a sentiment to make people religious and moral by " Act of Council ". Another element in the contest was a by-law reducing the number of licences, and the arguments used against Mr. Clarke were that if he were elected there would be no pos- sibility of carrying this law into effect. It promised to be a rich harvest Tor the newspapers in the way of advertising. The W.C.T.U. announced in black heavy heading letters " For God. Home and Country ", that Mrs. Youmans would address the eleclors in such a place at such a time, and some Alliance made an equal if not more brilliant show. The other side carried on the warfare without this amount of advertising, but having the sympathies of the people their work had a lasting and radical effect. Mr. Clarke was elected, I believe, by nine hundred majority, The first sign of open rebellion against the people who intended by act of council to keep an eye on the morals of the city came when Mr. Howland attempted to give effect to a by-law making it a misde- meanor to hire a horse on Sunday. The matter was brought into the courts, and when Mr. Clarke was elected it was allowed to drop. The city had become heartily sick of paying for legal services to give effect to the whims of Mr. Howland and his clique, and since that time we have had no such attempt to introduce radical measures for the purifi- cation of the common ruck. But those who were with Mr. Howland have attempted in various ways to bring in other restrictive legislation, and with most disastrous results. After two defeats a by-law permitting the running of street cars on Sunday has passed by a good substantial majority, and to-day we have Sunday street cars, where ten years ago, a man was prosecut2d for letting out a horse on Sunday. Again it would appear, have the Righteous come to grief. The prayers of different people were asked that God might decree that the by-law 10 OP TORONTO THE GOOD. should not carry. Apparently God did not take much heed of their prayers for the by-law carried. Coercing morality into people is pretty much like fighting a wolf. If you keep up the hght gradually and fire a shot into him occasionally, you will in the end succeed in killing him. But once you start to make too short work of him and drive him into a corner, then look out for squalls. He will turn and with the energy of madness destroy the man who might have killed him, had he been less in a hurry. Now there is to be another horror in store for Toronto. It is stated that the steamship companies are to run their boats on Sunday from Toronto to some American port. It may be not out of place for me to observe that on the first Sunday that cars ran in Toronto, the city survived the shock, and was not visited by any land slide, earthquake, or tornado, but seems to be in the same old place doing business as usual. I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. R. T. Coady, City Treasurer, for the following figures : MEMO OF ESTIMATF:S of salaries, 1897. CITY OF TORONTO. Aldermen $ 7,800 ' Assessment Department I4>340 Audit 2,950 Board of Control , 2,800 City Clerk's Department 10,376 City Surveyor & Assistant 3.225 Court of Revision.; 1,500 Engineer's Department 20,000 Fire Department 109,665 Isolation Hospital 5,0'»o Jail 13.450 Law Department 13,300 'v . License Keceiving Office 760 Local Board of Health 15,820 Mayor 3,600 Mayor's Office 2,000 Messenger City 624 Parks and Gardens 2,025 Police Court Officers 8,572 Police Department 207,229 Property and Markets 11,585 Public Library .. 12,465 Schools, Collegiate Institutes $ 48,050 Public Schools 353,114 Separate Schools 24,533 Technical " 6,856 43*553 Tax Collectors ^,800 OF TORONTO THE GOOD. 11 Treasurer's Department 19,200 Water Works — Rating and Revenue Branch, (under City Treasurer) '^2,647 Water Works Department, (under City Engineer)... 41,500 Total , $993,786 For the year 1896 the receipts of the city from all sources, includ- ing the balance on hand at the beginning of the year, amounted to $7,336,710,92 and the disbursements to $5,559,633.24 leaving a balance on hand and in banks of $1,777,077.68, including $1,245,652.60 of Sinking Fund moneys. The statement of current assets and liabilities shows liabilities for the year $1,650,122.57 and assets $1,586,047.15 leaving a debit balance of $64,075.42. TORONTO'S DEBENTURE DEBT. The debenture debt of the city on 31st December, 1896, was as followa : — General debenture debt $13,053,653.05 Local improvement debenture debt 7,653,763.18 Toronto Railway 1,067,328.57 Total gross $21,775,145.80 • Deduct cash and debentures at credit of various sinking funds as follows: — Cash $1,245,652.60 City debentures, purchased with sinking fund ■ money 3,672,33044 Invested in Dominion of Canada stock 486.67 Total $4,918,469.71 Leaving a total net debenture debt of $16,856,676.09. The value of property owned by the city is estimated at $ 1 2,ooo,ooo» exclusive of all public works and services of the city. POLICE FORCE. I am indebted to the courtesy of Lt. Col. Grassett, late the Prince of Wales Leinster Regiment, Chief Constable for his Annual Report for 1896, from which I take the following statistics relating to the force: 1 here were 8,329 persons apprehended or summoned during the year, being 671 more than in 1895. Breaches of City By-laws represent 539 of the increase. Lost property shows a decrease of $4,570 and stolen property an increase of $9,017. The percentage of lost and stolen property recovered was $8,407 and $407 respectively — the differ- ence in the latter being accounted for through identification being rendered impossible by melting plate, jewellery, etc., and by disposing of goods outside the city. 13 OP TORONTO T SB GOOD. ' DETECTIVE DEPARTMENT. v The records of clie criminal cases dealt Jwich by this Department, taken as a whole, show an increase of 151 over those of 1895, but as petty larceny represents an excess of 140, the more serious cfTencef; total about the same. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT. Nature of Offence. 181 . 1806. Increase. Decrease. Murder 7 4 3 Burglary 32 26 6 House-breaking 188 189 i Highway robbery 13 13 Pocket picking 80 lOO 20 ■ j Horsestealing 4 3 I Larceny 1,423 1,563 140 Total.« 1.747 1,898 161 10 Miscellaneous cases attended to 2,690 2,636 54 Occurrences reported 4i430 4i530 lOO Committals for felonies 798 799 i Value of property recovered,! 1 8,2 52 $15,436 $2,812 Arrests made 667 734 67 • « > • • « MURDER. The four cases under this heading comprise, two of infanticide by persons unknown, one of a man who killed another and was acquitted by a jury on the grounds of self-defence, and the fourth a jockey who died from the effects of a murderous assault committed for the purpose of robbery. All hope has not yet been abandoned of placing the sus- pected parties on their trial for this crime. In addition to the foregoing there occured three instances of man- slaughter. One caused by a fall on the street due to a collision with two unknown men ; another a fratricide of which the accused was acquitted, and for the third a man awaits trial. - BURGLARY. . '^. There were six fewer cases of burglarious entry reported than in 1895, and the amount stolen, apart from the large sum obtained by the thieves at the Toronto University, was rather under that of the previous year. In one instance the burglar resorted to fireams to effect his escape. HOUSEBREAKING. The number of reports classified under this heading are about the same as in the preceding twelve months, but the loss sustained was larger by $900.00. Nearly all the men who committed most of these depredations were eventually arrested and are now in prison. OF TORONTO THE GOOD. It HIGHWAY ROBBERY. While the number of cases was the same this year as last, the amount stolen was larger, nearly all of which came from the pockets of drunken persons. POCKET PICKING. This class of offence being easy to commit and difticult to detect has been on the increase, and the pe^-uniary success attending those engaging in this sort of thieving is represented by $1,571 in cash, as compared with $935 in 1895. Out of 100 instances reported, 25 occurred in the streets, the remaining 75 in places of public resort, such as shops, churches^ markets, etc. LARCENY. A considerable increase is to be noticed under this head both in the number of cases and the amount stolen, the figures respectively being 120 and $5,238. They cover thefts of infinite variety, the new code classification being more comprehensive than the old. CHANGES IN THE DEPARTMENT. « .2 3 11 1" 4 It ll ►so 2 1 >5 I I '1 i 'S ^1 i 1 1 Remaining last year- Appointed during year. Retired on pension .... Dismissed I I I I 6 12 6 6 4 219 266 • • • • »••■ 3 3 207 Resigned I 16 Remaining I I I 6 15 6 4 258 Appended is the usual statement of receipts and expenditure taken from the books kept in the Orderly Room. Est Salaries $206,948 Clothing and equipment Miscellanous sundries Ambulance service Mounted service Patrol wagon and signal service.. Van service Estimate. Expenditure. $206,948 05 $204,741 54 8,0? I 71 7.578 14 6,833 00 4.736 40 1,115 50 991 56 1,485 00 1,260 13 4.314 50 4,029 08 442 00 449 18 $229,189 y6 $223,786 03 $223,786 03 Balance $ 5,403 73 14 OF TORONTO THE GOOD. STAFF INSPECTOR'S DEPARTMENT. The reports received and attended to by this Department are recorded as 2,439, being 26 less than in 1895. The cases brought into the Court were as under : — Tines Imposed. 1805 1800 1896 1806 Houses of ill-fame 46 45 Disorderly houses 36 j6 $ 140 $ 315 Liquor cases 74 87 1.345 1.763 Cruelty to animals 139 n8 326 276 Miscellaneous 369 444 801 282 Total 687 750 $2,612 $2,636 HOUSES OF ILL- FAME.. While houses of ill-fame with regular inmates are not more in evidence than they were a year ago, loose women have scattered them- selves about, living in rooms where they can receive men without police interference, often to the annoyance of the more respectable neighbors, who object to their presence, and desire their removal. The police, however, find it no easy matter to deal effectively with this class of persons. Enticing men from windows and doorways, being safer than solicitation on the streets, has been resorted to in some localities. GAMBLING. If gambling is carried on with the usual outfit and equipment necessary for the purpose and in rooms accessible to anyone who wants to join in a game, the police claim to be unaware of the fact. Two raffles, two lotteries, some Chinese playing fan-tan on Sunday, and boys shooting craps in the streets, include all the cases before the Court under this heading. LIQUOR CASES. The returns show a slight decrease in the number of prosecutions for a violation of the Liomce Law. The result has been, no doubt, contributed to by the granting of a license at the Island. The illicit sale of liquor there has almost ceased. There has been no relaxation in the efforts of the Department to enforce observance of the law. CHARGES AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE FORCE. 2 Constables were Absent from duty without leave Dismissed. " Fined. ' " " " Admonished. Assaulting a comrade Fined. " citizen " Allowing a prisoner to escape " Being found coming out of a brewery . . - - -. ^ while on duty .... •' Being found coming out of a licensed hotel while on duty Reduced. - - , „ ., - Being found coming out of a licensed <^ hotel while on duty Fined. Borrowing money from a hotel-keeper. . . " 2 It It 1 I • »: ■ It i< « 1 ^ * , t< I •. '* ,," ■ (• r' :-"-C'_ ;: « 1 .( (. 1 « <( OF TORONTO THE CrOOD. 16 1 Sergeant for Intoxlcaxion Severely reprimanded. 1 ConHtable " " Admonished. . 6 " " •' Fined. 1 " " Makine false giatcmenta to a superior olBccr Dismissed. 9 " " Neglect of duty Fined. 2 " " " Admoc'shed. 1 " " " Allowed to resign. 1 " " Neglectingto report important information communisated to liim by a citizen.. .Reduced. 1 " " Soliciting money for services at a criclcet match Fined. 22 " " Violation of tlie Rules and Regulations of the I'olice Department " 14 " " Violation of the Rules and Regulations of the Police Department ... Admonished, i " '• Violation of the Rules and Regulations of the Police Department Allowed to resign. The city is governed in police matters by three commissioners, the Police Magistrate, the Mayor, and the County judge, but any complaint against the force is made to the chief constable, and investigated by the commissioners, who also deal with the officers offending, or who are to receive any special mark of approbation. Besides having a sure thing in the way of their pay, the police seem to have the privilege of doing other work besides, as will be seen by the following correspondence : Sir, — Can you give the public any information how it is that the police of this city are allowed to take contracts when they are off duty ? I think they get enough without taking the bread out of the mouths of the poor mechanics. L have seen two of them shingling houses in St. John's ward more than once, i think the sooner it is stopped the better. If tney are not satisfied with their pay why not leave like men ? — Fair Play and Justice. The correspondent in his communication directs attention to a matter that should receive the prompt attention of the Chief constable and the Board of Police Commissioners. It .should be fully investigated. The constables referred to in the latter are said to be two brothers named Tripp, one of whom has only recently joined the force, who, if they are doing the work, are guilty of violating one of the regulations of the police department. The regulations in question prohibit mem- bers of the force from engaging in any business, either themselves or their wives. The regulations strictly define that a constable is required to devote his whole time to his business as a policeman. If he engages in any other employment he should be held accountable to the Board of Police Commissioners for insubordination and breach of discipline. It is no secret that not a few constables do not scruple to carry on speculations and operations in real estate while they are supposed to be doing their duty. The matter affords the Board a wide scope for an investigation, whereby they might easily ascertain just how many, if any, members of the force are growing wealthy by side d&alings in real estate, and how many of them practically carry on profitable real estate agencies. While there is a bare possibility that some salutary reforms may be made, it is safe to say that the probabilities are very remote. In the following observations given by different people, it will be seen that 16 OF TORONTO THE GOOD. one man makesthe charges that Staff Inspector Archibald has appealed to rehgious bodies and has been able thereby to perpetuate the system. In his address to the electors in his first campaign, Mr. Fleming is reported as saying : I want to say ;i word about our heavy police expenses. Now do not misunderstand me. 1 am not criticising our policemen. I believe, and I do not say this (or any other purpose but of foirly giving credit where credit is due, I believe there is not another force on this continent that will compare with ours. A voice — At drinking lager. Mr. Fleming — No, [ du not think there is a force of men in America who drink as little lager as our police. Neither is there a lot of policemen who as seldom enter a saloon. (Laugh* ter). No, they are a sober lot of men. A voice — What about Archibald and his Morality Department. Mr. F'leming — When I become Mayor I will investigate that. Now I do not think we ought to have so many drunk.s at the police court. Arresting a man when he is simply drunk, when he is walking auietly home never does any good. It swells the number of cases. It gives our police court neealess work. It often causes the unfortunate offender to lose more time than he would have lost if he had been allowed to go home and get to work the next morning. Then his sufftring family suffer still more. It gives our city a worse name than it reall v deserves, and it never does the arre.sted man a particle of good. You never knew one dollar and costs to cure one single ca.ne of drunkenness. The shame of the police court often does incalculable harm to the man who has been overtaken by his evil appetite, that after all. our present social customs and laws really foster. As a rule the first offender, after spending his night in the cells, among thieves and hardened characters, alter the anxiety caused by his absence from home, after the loss of his half day, and the humiliation of the police court, simply has his case dismissed. I think that if it is necessary sometimes to arrest a man who is helpless, for his own protection, the inspector of the station could very well be empowered to record his arrest and set him at liberty when he gets sober. Mind, I am not advocating leniency with hardened drunkards, I am simply pointing out the fact that we are wasting time and meney, an*! badger- ing citisens, with no benefit to anyone and with positive injury in many cases. (Loud applause). Then we have .k> many police court case of violation of city by-laws. I think laws ought to be enforced and respected, but it is pretty hard to see the city with such disgracefully dirty streets ai some of our leading thoroughfares are to-day, prosecuting citizens who have not had sunlight enough to melt a little snowfall off his sidewalk before ten o'clock in the morning, or whose cow has committed the unpardonable offence of grazing for a few minutes on a vacant lot, at the storekeeper whose barrel of apple* has stuck out an inch and a half too far on the sidewalks. Laws should be made to protect us, not to worry us. Policemen should be for our firotection, not our annoyance. I want to see a little less expenditure of public money, and a ittle more use of common sense. (Loud applause). At a public meeting the Rev. Father Geoghegan, of Hamilton, seconded a resolution in speech pregnant with valuable ideas on the subject of juvenile treatment, and in the course of his remarks said : Our policemen don't put themselves out to treat our boys with ordinary decency. I have seen policemeri on Saturday night who could not notice men coming out of the side door of a saloon, run at a lad who was catching a ball on the street, and threaten him with arrest But the bnys had no votes which could control the aldermen who put the coat on the policeman's back, while the bar>room loafers had. At this there was great applause. In support of the contention of the Rev. gentleman, a case occurs which is somewhat analogous, and demonstrates the difficulties civilians have in maintaining their rights. The newspaper report says : Inspector Stephen, of No. i Police Division is engaged in investigating a charge against P. C. Duncan (145) of having committed an assault on a young man named Wm. Robinson, of 72 Gerrard street, vest. Robinson states that he was standing near Hubbard's livery stable on Nelson street, in company with a friend when Duncan addressed him in an ungentlemanly mannei, and afterwards struck him three or four blows in the face leaving bruises there. He states that he and hin friend were returning from a party at Brock avenue, and in this way accounts for his presence on the street at that early hour of the morning. Duncan gives his version ui the affair as follows : Robinson and his companion had knocked at the door of a disreputable house at No. 16 Nelson street He was on special duty watching the place He admits speaking to them, but denies having used any insulting language. Robinson clutched him by the arm, and all the force he used was only necessary to loosen his hold. The Inspec- tor will make his report to the Chief Constable, who will likely refer it to the Board of Police Commissioners. OK TORONTO TUK GOOD. II On the following day the same paper said in connection with this case : Among the meniberH of the police force there is considerable speculation lieing indulged in regard to the complaint that a young man prelerred against P C. Duncan. Me alleges that Dnncan assaulted him. and made a statement of the occurrence just as it transpired, to Inspector Stephen the day followng 'I'hat report has not yet been f irwardcd to the Chief Coiistable by Mr. Stephen, and some of the constables are wc ndering if the fnspector has taken upon himself the authority of relegating it to the waste paper basket because the accused constable is one of his " pets" and likewise « countryman. The young man felt that he was harshly treated by the constable, and he does not intend to allow the matter to drop without being inquired into. In strange contrast another case is pointed out F C. Duncan made a trifling complaint against 1'. C. Childs ( II), and Inspector Stephen forwarded his report on that case to I.ieut.-Col. Grassett before the ink was dry on it. It appears that the young man who claims to have l)een assaulted by Duncan met Childs a tew minutes later. He appealed to Childs for information, and the latter very properly advised him to report Duncan to his superior ftfficers. Duncan and Childs had an exchange of compliments, in the course of which he called Duncan a "pet", or something like that. For this hejis to be carpeted. Meanwhile, Duncan is not even reported. Now let the reader for one moment contrast the treatment a civi- lian receives with the treatment a policeman receives if the former happens to be the culprit. The following is the newspaper report of an incident that will illustrate my meaning. P. C. William Allan (184) was the victim of an unsually brutal assault at the hands of a gang of rowdies. He was patrolling his beat on River street, when two brothers named John and George O'Connell came together down River street. They were both apparently under the influence of liquor, John being very noisy, and using profane language. Allan arrested John when the brother mterfered. Both men peeled off their coats, and proceeded to pound him with their fists and feet. George wrested the baton from the officer's B;rasp, and b«at him with it, it is alleged until his face was (rightfully battered beyond recognition and frightfully disfigured. Allan struggled desperately with his assailants but they were assisted hy a third man who came along. Allan was found in an almost unconscious condition by some neighb mrs who came to render him assistance. The rowdies levanted as the newcomers approac^^ed, but later on George O'Connell was arrested. Allan was reported to be in a serious condition, so the prisoner was remanded for a weckonthechargeof assaulting the constable, bail being fixed In two sureties in I500 00 each The above is the aspect of the case as first reported, and presented before the police court. The young men had the courage of their con- victions, and carried it to the county court, and though I tried to get a copy of the actual judgment, I failed to do so, but I give you the following remarks from the Telegram on the subject : The jury that judged between policeman Allan and his assaillants are a credit to the city of Toronto and the county of York. It actjuitted the innocent, convicted the guilty, and censured an officer who was summarily punished by the broken head that was the dividend he received for a large share in the authorship of the original scuffle. Their Honours the Com- missioners assume that an officer, if infallible. They seldom chide the officious constable. This tolerance encour?ges tyranny and brutality, and flnally uniformed bullies come to grit^f in the Assize court, where the common sense of a judge and jury affords the protection to the humlest of her Majesty's lieges ! The above will bear comparison with the following case', which still further shows the difficulties the public are compelled to contend against, in as much as the city seems to be compelled to defend a policeman, guilty or not guilty, and the other fellow must pay his own lawyer. It would seem only reasonable that both should be on terms of equality, if that were possible, in a case of this kind. Wm. and Robert O'Reilly are brothers living on Power street. They were arrested by policeman John Welsh on Berkeley street, on a charge of being disorderly. They were put mto the patrol waggon, handcuffed, put mto the cells at No. 4, in a cold fireless room. The next morning the Magistrate discharged them after hearing the officer's statement, and they 18 OF TOROITTO THE GOOD. sued the policeman for |iooo damages for false arrest, cruel treatment and false imprisonment. Dr. Nattrass swore that he found Robert's back and ribs injured, which injuries, the boy swore were inflicted by Welsh jumpine upon him with his knees. Charles Quinn, Patrick Milligan, John O'Donnell and Maggie "(J'Keilly told the story of the arrest in corroboration of the brothers' evidence. Officer Welsh said that Quinn and two other young men were acting as if drunk and used obscene language to him ; Quinn struck at the officer who ran to arrest him, but he escaped ; then he met Wm. O'Reilly, who was drunk and refused to give the officer his name ; he was arrested for the refusal. IVIeanwhile Robert came up and interfered, when he, too, was arrested . In the westle both fell, and he did not jump upon the boy intentionally. One of the police regulations demands that any person who refuses to give his name may be arrested. Mr. Holmes who prosecuted the case said ; " Things have come to a pretty pass in this city if its citizens are to be treated in this way." Judge Falconbridge very particularly enquired of **r Biggar who defended Welsh, by what authority these regulations were passed. The Solicitor thought by the municipal Act, but was not sure. Upon this point the doughty barrister got in a noted objection. In order to test the credibility of a witness M r. Biggar asked him if he was not once in the dock on a serious charge, and what the charge was. 1 he judge told the witness he need not answer unless he chose to do so ; ther^; was n^ truth in the charge. Constable O'Brien, one of the men who came with the waggon, said he handcuffed the boys by Welsh's order. Mr. Biggar argued against submission to the jury, but it went there. A letter from Mr. Holmes to me said the verdict was for the plaintiff, county court costs set-off. Again the following case is demonstrative that a purely vindictive spirit actuates the force in dealing with culprits : P. C. Weston had a boy named John Connors before the court for drunkenness and having hit him on the head with a bottle. Mr. Baxter not having jurisdiction to try the assault case, a suggestion from the Deputy Chief that his Worship should deal out sufficient punish- ment to Connors on the drunkenness charge was acted upon. After hearing the evidence and learning that Conners had received a scalp wound from contact with the peeler's baton, Mr. Baxter imposed a fine of $3 and costs or 30 days. The Deputy L-hief then said that he thought he would have to prefer the charge of assaulting Weston against Conners. Mr. Baxter — But you led me to understand that both offences were to be dealt with at once. The Deputy — So I did, but that small fine don't suit me Mr. Baxter — I won't allow you sir, to criticise my rulings. The Deputy — I want to lay the second charge. Mr. Baxter — You can do that, of course, but it all'goes to show that each case should stand on its own bottom, .^syou intend to swear to that other information, I will make the fine $i,OT 30 days. Conners was remanded for a week on the assault case. Of this Deputy Chief the Toronto News says : The burglar who escaped from the cells at Police Headquarters pried his way out with a crowbar, but the entire staff armed with ciowbars could not pry the deputy chief from the well paid job he fills so muchly that he overflows into judicial duties. The fol' owing is another case of police espionage, and shows that where the defendant has the courage and the money to go on with his case, he will generally come out on top, and will be a cause for rejoi- cing to those who like to see every one get British fair play, and in striking contrast to the above case, where the Deputy Chief seemed to think that where the defendant was a common civilian and the punish- ment meted out was not a sufficient vindication of the majesty of the force he must institute another charge against the defendant. The following is taken from the Telegram : James H. Bailey, the young man whose mother alleges that the boy was induced to plead guilty to a charge of criminal assault on Maudie Tyerell, a girl under the age of 14, by the representations of Detective Watson, is happy to-night. The details of this case are well known. Detective Watson, it is alleged, went to arrest the boy on the above charge, and told the lad and his mother that a conviction was sure, and that the sentence would be severe. It is also OF TOUONTO THE GOOD. !• charged that the detective promised that if the boy pleaded guilty he would be let off, while if a plea of not guilty was etiiered the punishment would be terrible. These affidavits are attested by the affidavit of the prisoner and the prisoner's mother, while the circumstances of the case strongly indicate that such a promise was made by the detective. The boy pleaded guilty and the Magistrate sentenced him to five yeais at Kingston and 15 lashes. A certiorari was granted with a view towards quashing the conviction, and it was returnable before the common pleas divisional court over which Chief Justice Gait and Justice MacMahon piesided. Mr. Holmes appeared on behalf of the prisoner. Mr. Cartwright, Q.C., Deputy Attorney-General sent word that the case was one which the crown deemed unworthy of tneir defending, consequently the conviction was undefended. Mr. Holmes read the affidavits and briefly outlined the case, whereupon Chief [uctice Gait said that thp conviction of the boy Bailey was one of the most outrageous proceedings he had ever heard of. " I am ready," he said " to issue a peremptory order quashing the conviction and restor- ing the boy to liberty at once." " I concur," said Justice MacMahon. The papers were immediately drawn up and sigiied by the judge annulling the conviction and setting aside Magistrate Denison's warrant of commitment. Afterwards the judges issued an order of protection to Magistrate I )enison and defective Watson to shield them from an action for damages for false arrest, malicious prosecution, conspiracy &c. The a'oove decision will .strike the averge reader as being in every respect a just one. In commenting upon it, the Telegram says: One of the worst of Colonel Denison's judgments was reversed yesterday by their Lord- ships Chief Justice Gait, and Justice MacMahon. Their decision set a boy at liberty after a confinement of more than five months and saved him from spending five years in the peniten- tiary and enduring fifteen lashes. Seldom has there been on record a case that better illustrated the inhumanity of some detectives and the offhand methods of Col. Denison. The boy was taken from his mother's house late one night He left behind him the assurance that everything was all right and that he would return in the morning. The next day the poor simpleton pleaded guilty. Ke was not allowed time to consult his mother, and the Magistrate sentenced him to five years in the penitentiary and fifteen lashes. The arrest, the trial; the conviction, the sentence were all alike disgraceful. Detective Watson must have urged jhe boy to plead guilty. Either under the pressure of advice from the detectives or in ignorance as to the nature of the offence, the prisoner admitted guilt. Surely it was Colonel Denison's business to warn the culprit that his plea wrecked all chance of liberty. But no. The detective was there to secure credit of a conviction, and the Magistrate was there to fill the penitentiary Why should they pause ? It only takes the court about three minutes to sentence a man to peniten- tiary for five years. It takes the man somewhat longer to serve the term. Fortunately for him the b»y had a mother who was not too poor to retain J. G. Holmes. The lawyer made a good fight and finally freed the prisoner. There may be other boys sent to penitentiary under similar circumstances, who having no money to right the wrong are suffering the injustice done to them by a high-pressure police .Vlagistrate. Colonel Denison is generally right, but the case in point is proof that he is not above trifling away a prisoner's liberty and ruining his life in order that he may get through the day's work before eleven a.m. In the above case it must strike the average beholder that if Detec- tive Watson possessed the first iota of manhood, he would have given the Magistrate to understand that it was through his instrumentality that the boy pleaded guilty, but it is only one more of my contentions that he who is able to fight his battle in a higher court will always come out with justice. A correspondent of the Telegram, who had received a courteous reception from some of the ofllicers, considered it such a remarkable occurrence that he felt that he must advertise it, and writes as follows, under the heading of "A rara avis indeed." Sir, — You often and very justly find fault with the police of Toronto for their incivility to the public, but I want to say a word in their favour. To-day I went to the police station at St. Andrew's market to a