Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-05-08

Presbyterian, one Wesleyan Methodist, one
NJ. E. church and one Scotch congregation
alist All but the two last are of Stone
The Baptists have place of meeting but no
church. The Catholic churches, two of them,
with their college and money, are the best
buildings in the city and are finely located.
In the Episcopal church notice another no
vel arrangement in regard to heating it, The
isle in the centre is built very wide, and the
stove pipes run up the middle about three
feet from the floor. have no doubt but
what the building is heated quicker this way.
In the Congregationalist church the leader
of the choir sits in front and under the pull
pit, while the choir sits in the gallery. l
am told that this is customary in Scotch
churches.
In the City is Young Mems Christian
Association and Mechanics Institute l
believe the Government pays an annual sum
to tie latter; at any rate, it is firstrate in
stitution. The department consists of a
reading room, library, and museum. They
also give lectures weekly during the winter
months.
There are four weekly papers published
here, the Citizen, Gazette, Banner and 1ri-
J,,ne; the latter is Catholic. understand
another new weekly will be issued shortly.
The City has no police, and is lit with gas /;
there is not known to be any coal in Cana
da, and what they use to make gas is brought
from the United States, somewhere on Lake
Erie the price Of gas is $4.25 per thousand
feet.
Ottawa at present, is about the size of
ST. Paul, or about IL 900 inhabitants; one
fourth of these are Canadians, and the others
mostly from Great Britain. There are but
very few Dutch or other Prussians in Cana
da. There is large number of Scotch in
Ottawa, and also in the Ottawa Valley, and
they are in my opinion among the best set
tiers in Canada they are honest, industrious,
and persevering. Some of them, though,
like wee drap of whiskey little too much
for their own good. The wealthiest man in
the City is an Irishman by the name of Sparks,
who received large tract Of land in lieu of
money as wages for services as day laborer !;
one of the best streets is named after him,
Sparks street.
One thing that has greatly retarded the
growth of the place, is its heavy taxes last
year the taxes were 1Sa per cent, and the
coming year they will be from 90 to % per
cert. on the annual value of property. The
City.s in debt over three hundred thousand
dollars, having loancd near that sum to the
only Railroad that runs to the City; last year
they were not able TO pay the interest on this
debt. The Corporation has not as yet but
very few improvements made, there is not a
single street graded to the river, in fact, l
believe there are but few that runs to it.
With the exception of its pecuniary affairs
the City has a bright prospect, surrounded
as it is by immense water power, in the GEN.
tie of numbering country, equalled only by
that of the Upper Mississippi, with fine land
and plenty of minerals; and its geographical
situation cannot help but make it one of the
largest places in Canada. The selection of it
for the future Capital is the best that could
be made; bordering as it does on Canada
East the Ottawa river here being the bound
airy line. Its distance from Kingston, G. w.
is 95 miles, from Montreal, C. +. 100 miles /;
from Toronto. G. w. 233 from Quebec,
G. E. 240 miles; from Halifax, N. G. Gl2 !;
from the Lake Superior mines, 600; tie
nearest point to the States is Ogdensburgh,
N. Y, which is G5 miles, The Railroad from
Ottawa runs to opposite Ogdensburgh on the
St. Lawrence.
The way that Ottawa came to be selected
for the Capital was that for several years
p,st the Parliament of Canada has been una
bile to agree on permanent site, on account of
SO much rivalry between the large Cities. At
last they agreed to leave it to the Queen Of
England, and she chose this place, which had
not been claimant for the honor Toronto
is particularly disappointed
Since l wrote to you last, much of the
snow has disappeared, although sleighs are
still running. l expect from what have
seen, that this climate is about two weeks
later than it is at St. Paul.
Yours, &C., E. c.