# Views of Ottawa

Views of Ottawa
PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
FRONT VIEW OF PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.
REAR VIEW OF PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.
WESTERN BLOCK (DEPARTMENTAL BUILDINGS.)
EASTERN BLOCK (DEPARTMENTAL BUILDINGS.)
LUMBER DISTRICT RIVER & FALLS.
CHAUDIÈRE FALLS IN WINTER.
CHAUDIÈRE FALLS.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
POST OFFICE & BRIDGES.
CITY HALL. KNOX CHURCH. GRAND UNION HOTEL.
RIDEAU HALL (GOVERNMENT HOUSE)
RIDEAU FALLS IN WINTER.
OTTAWA LADIES' COLLEGE.
OTTAWA UNIVERSITY.
Wittemann Bros, 45 Murray St. New York Sole Agents for Louis Glaser's Souvenir Albums OTTAWA RIVER, LUMBER SLIDE & PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. Published by Jas. Hope & Co, Ottawa.
VIEWS
OF
OTTAWA.
PUBLISHED
BY
J. HOPE & CO,
MANUFACTURING STATIONERS, BOOKSELLERS, BOOKBINDERS, JOB PRINTERS ETC.
Cr. Sparks and Elgin Sts. OTTAWA.
Ent. acc. to act of Parliament in the year 1884, by J. HOPE & CO. in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture.
​THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. The Main Building fronts Wellington Street. To the right and left are the Departmental Buildings. The style is Gothic of the 12th Century. The stone of which they are built is a cream-colored sandstone, of the Potsdam formation. The dressings are of Ohio stone. The central tower which projects in front of the building, is 184½ feet in height. The body of the building in front is 43 feet high. It covers an area of 80,700 sq. feet. Its length is 473 feet, and its depth from the front of the tower to the rear of the library 370 feet. — The main entrance is under the central tower, and passing through this we enter a large vestibule with stairways leading to the Chambers and offices of the Senate and the House of Commons. The Chamber is 82 feet long, 45 feet wide and 50 feet high, and is surrounded by galleries capable of seating 1000 people. Close to the Commons Chamber are the reading room, the Speaker's apartments, and the library. Leaving the library by the east door, the visitor finds himself in rear of the Senate Chamber. This room contains the throne, a fine statue of Her Majesty, and busts of the Prince and Princess of Wales. The buildings cost about $ 4,000,000. The corner stone was laid by H. R. H., the Prince of Wales in 1860.
LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT. The Library, a fine circular building, 90 feet in diameter, is situated in the rear of the Parliament Buildings. Outside of the main room runs an aisle one story high, divided into a series of retiring rooms, and affording a quiet place for study. Around the walls are hung three series of shelves, containing about 100,000 volumes of the most valuable literature in the world. In the centre of the room stands a magnificent statue of the Queen carved from the most delicate white marble. From the floor to the topmost point is a distance of about 120 feet. This fine building costs about $ 350,000, and although it is very large, room is to a certain extent lacking. Beneath are offices where the keeper resides.
WESTERN BLOCK. This handsome block has a frontage towards Wellington Street of 277 feet and towards the square of 211 feet. The Public Works, the Customs, the Post Office, the Militia, the Marine and Fisheries, and the Bureau of Agriculture and Railways and Canals Departments and the Model Room connected with the Patent Department are all located in this building. The west front of this building looks towards the Chaudière Falls and Hull and gives a fine view of the Ottawa River and the distant range of hills beyond.
​EASTERN BLOCK. The Eastern Block is irregular in shape, but of elegant design. The west front, facing the square, is 318 feet, the frontage on Wellington Street is 253 feet. This building contains the Governor Generals Office, the Privy Council Room, the Minister of Justice, the Secretary of State, the Finance and Audit Offices, the Registrar, the Secretary of State for the Provinces, the Inland Revenue and Interior Departments.
LUMBER DISTRICT. The Lumber Mills occupy nearly every available spot around the Chaudiére Falls. They are the largest establishments of the kind in the world, are fitted up with the best machinery and lighted by electricity.
CHAUDIÉRE FALLS. Much of the natural beauty and grandeur of these Falls is marred by the Mills &c. which almost surround them. The whole body of the water after passing through nine miles of rapids suddenly contracts its channel and rushes over a fall furty feet in height into a narrow chasm called the Big Kettle. Close to this place exists another natural curiosity, known as the Devil's Hole, a chasm into which several small streams enter, but which has no visible outlet, and is supposed to connect with the river below the falls by a subterranean channel. To see these falls in their grandeur, they should be visited about the beginning of June. In winter they present a magnificent appearance.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE. This bridge spans the Ottawa just below the Chaudière Falls. It was commenced in 1842, the design being furnished by M$^r$ S. Keefer C. E. It is 256 feet long and 23½ feet wide. In 1861 the wooden beams were replaced by iron ones on which the stringers now rest.
POST OFFICE. The Post Office is situated on the ground intervening between the Sapper's and Dufferin bridges. It is two stories and a half high, and built throughout of Ohio sandstone. The style is classic. The outside is almost covered with Elaborate carving. In the basement, which extends to the canal level, is the Customs Examining Warehouse. On the first floor are the offices of the Customs House, Inland Revenue, and Post Office Inspector. The building is one of the handsomest in the City.
THE SAPPER'S AND DUFFERIN BRIDGES, which are situated at the head of the locks, start from a single point on Rideau Street and lead by two separate roadways to Sparks and Wellington Streets. ​They connect Upper and Lower Town. The Sapper's Bridge was bnilt by the Royal Engineers in 1827, after the locks had been constructed. Dufferin Bridge was built during the administration of Lord Dufferin.
THE CITY HALL is situated on City Hall Square, opposite the Grand Union Hotel. It has a frontage towards Elgin Street of 72 feet, with a depth of 125 feet. The main building consists of two stories and a basement. From the ground level to the cornice of the roof is a height of 57 feet. The tower at the north-west angle is about 130 feet high. The Mayor's office is situated on the ground floor, and in the main tower provision is made for the Electric Fire Alarm Staff.
KNOX CHURCH, is situated on the corner of Elgin and Albert Streets, and faces the City Hall. It was erected in 1873, and has a seating capacity of 1200. The design is Gothic. The tower on the western side is surmounted by a fine spire 160 feet high. It is built of blue limestone, with cut dressings of the same material. A lofty basement runs below the entire building.
THE GRAND UNION HOTEL, which is situated on the Corner of Elgin and Queen Streets has been used for a hotel over 40 years. The main Entrance is from Queen Street. It was rebuilt and extended in 1880. It is now one of the largest hotels in Ontario, having accommodation for 250 guests.
COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. The Collegiate Institute is situated in the immediate vicinity of the Normal School and Cartier Square, and faces Lisgar Street. The site is salubrious and central. It is built of fine blue sandstone.
NORMAL SCHOOL. The Normal School is pleasantly situated on the Corner of Elgin and Lisgar Streets. It is built of blue limestone, and consists of a centre and two wings, the main front facing Elgin Street. From wing to wing it has a width of 156 feet, with a depth of 96 feet.
RIDEAU HALL. This edifice was originally built for a private residence by the late Hon. Thomas M$^c$ Kay. In 1868 it was purchased by the Government for a Vice-Regal residence, since which time additions have been made to the building, and the grounds much improved. The situation is pleasing, affording an excellent view of the Parliament Buildings and city. It possesses many attractions which make it the centre of life at the Capital.
​RIDEAU FALLS. At the eastern confine of the city, where the waters of the Rideau join the Ottawa, stands the double Rideau or Curtain fall, from which the river takes its name. These falls are considerably higher and more graceful than the Chaudière, though not possessing the grandeur of volume. In the spring their appearance is very fine.
THE OTTAWA LADIES COLLEGE is situated on Albert Street, in the western part of the city, and commands a fine view of the Ottawa River and surrounding country. It is a plain building of blue limestone four stories in height. It has accommodation for 100 boarders. Its corridors are airy, and its class rooms capacious.
THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA was founded in 1848 by the late Rev. Dr. Guigues, O. M. J. It is under the supervision of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. It is situated in a healthy locality on Wilbrod Street. The building is plain but spacious. An addition is being built by which the present accomodation for students will be about doubled. The grounds are large. The junior branch of the establishment is known as St. Josep's College.
THE CATHÉDRALE DE NOTRE DAME, now called the Basilica, is the principal Roman Catholic Church of the city. It is situated on Sussex Street. It is built of blue limestone, and has three entrances from Sussex street, those at the sides being under two towers having an altitude of 220 feet. Its interior dimensions are 200 feet by 72 feet. It will easily seat 2000 persons.
THE DOMINION METHODIST CHURCH which is situated on the corner of Metcalfe and Queen Streets, is one of the handsomest churches in the city. It is 90 feet square, and is built of blue limestone with fine cut dressings of the same material. It will seat 1500 persons.
LUMBER SLIDES. Above the Chaudière Falls, the water is boomed or dammed off into an artificial current, the head of which is 800 yds. above the falls, and ends, after a run of nearly three quarters of a mile, in the still waters of the river below. The slide is enclosed on both sides and broken into small chutes of some four feet each, with horizontal runs between them. The running of cribs through these Slides is very exciting and attended with very little danger.
This work was published before January 1, 1929 and is anonymous or pseudonymous due to unknown authorship. It is in the public domain in the United States as well as countries and areas where the copyright terms of anonymous or pseudonymous works are 95 years or less since publication.
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