Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-05-22
-FOUR Travelling Correspondence
From Ottawa CITY. Canada West.

Our Travelling Correspondence
From Ottawa City, Canada West.
The Resources of Canada great-The ottawa River
Navigation - Scenery Tributaries-M nerals-First
Settler at Ottawa City-Lumberng Business-Duke of
Richmond's Death by Hydrophobia The soil-senti-
ment towards United States-Anti- Slavery-No Great
Canadians-the French-Low Wages-Window Sash
for winter use.
OTTAWA CITY, G. w., May 1858.
Editors .Minnesotian; IF the United States
government had given half the attention to-
wards acquiring Cdnat2a, that it has to get
more Southern Territory, the people of this
part of North America would have been
blessed with government whose tendencies
would have encouraged them to develope
their great resources; for in my mind, there
| is no question but what the natu. al resources
| Of Canada are great
The OAavo Riuer, if belonging tot the States,
would be one Of the greatest commercial
rivers in the world. You have only to look
on the map to see how beautifully it is situa-
ted for commerce with the North Western
States. Besides being connected artiGcially
with Lake Ontario at this place, it is con-
nected naturally with Lake Huron, by way
of French river and Lake Nepissing. 1t is
not navigable all the way, but the cost of
constructing ship canals at the various Falls
and Rapids, so as to have uninterrupted com
munication with the Atlantic. would be but
trifiing in comparison with its usefulness. 1t
is singular fact that but comparatively lit
tie is known of the OHawa, the only real
great Canadian river. The derivation of the
word Ottawa is Indian, meaning the Ear.
The river is about 600 miles long, and emp
tics into the 81. Laurence by three streams
near 1lontSeat. Navigation on it commences
at Lachine, nine miles from Montreal, and is
good for 10 miles to Carlton, at which place
are rapids extending to GrauotUe Il miles ;
from this last place, navigation is good to the
Chau7iere Falls, at OTTAWA CRY, 60 miles ;
above those falls are rapids for nine miles to
.alyncr, from which place boats run 80 miles
to Des Chats, another fall in tie Ottawa :
which | am told is beautiful, and entirely diff.
ferent to the Falls here after distance of
three miles the river becomes navigable again
for 80 miles to Portage du Fow at that
place arc rapids for few miles, at the head
OF which navigation is resumed for IS or 20
miles to Pembroke, where Falls or Rapids
again Interrupt navigation for few miles,
when the river becomes again navigable for
% miles t. Joiasham, where the same OBJ
structipus occur for a short distance There
are no boats running above this last place, al
thong! | am told that after u few miles it is
! navigable rearly to its head.
The scenery on the Ottawa must be beau.
tiful and picturesque in summer. About six
miles from this city the banks are called the
Iron Mountains, on account of the abundance
Of that mineral, the ore of which yields so
per cent pure iron; and about 40 or so miles
above that the banks for quite distance is
Of white and other marble
There are numerous river that empty in
to the Ottawa, but nonc CT them are naviga.
BILE on account of Falls ard Rapids; the long
est Of these is the Gatiaen, which is 400 miles
long, and empties into the Ottawa on the
Canada East side, opposite the Ri3sau Falls
Of this city. am told that the uppc; tribu-
taries of the Ottawa are full of beautiful
scenery; and that at point at the head of
n no. o.Ic
waters run the other way, and finally empty
into Hudsom's Boy.
Nearly all Of the OAawa VALLEY is one vast
forest, and numbering is the principal bust
Tess done ON it, Of which there are some mil
lions of dollars worth exported annually.
The first person that engaged in numbering
and took the first raft to Quebec, was l be-
leve native of Massachusetts; at any rate
he emgrated from there in 1900 and settled
at Hull, opposite this city His name was
Philemon Wright, and he was the pioneer of
this part of the country. He became veal
thy and prominent man.
The Duke of Richmond who was Cover
nor OF these provinces IN 1878 and 1919,
died while on visit to him his death being
caused by hydrophoba, he having been bit
ten by a pet fox of his sometime previous.
This Governor was the highest titled man
that England ever sent to officiatc for these
Colonies, and he died in shanty few miles
from tits City.
The sons of this Mr. Wright still own large
tracts of land opposite the City. One of
them took an active part in the rebellion of
1887, and had to fly to the States, and am
told he is one of the few that has never been
permitted to return.
The country in this part is very mountain
Gus, bat the people tell me the land is gene |