The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-08-20
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Correspondence tile IEgis Dc MteNfgcacer.
TORONTO, UPPER CANADA.
July goth, 1865

JULY SUlI, lOUJ.
MEssRs. EDITORS Thinking that a
letter from here might not be altogether
unacceptable to you and many of your
readers, l concluded to employ a part of
this morning in dotting down such mat
tiers of interest as have come under my no.
tice since l arrived in this city.
Toronto which was formerly the capital
of the province Of Upper Canada, can be
reached from Niagara Falls in few hours,
by the way of Lake Ontario or by the
Great Western Railroad. Persons taking
the Lake Route will take the railroad at
the Suspension Bridge to Lewiston, on
the American side Of the river, and i'm
mcdiately opposite Queenstown, on the
British side, and at the head of navigation
on the Lower Niagara, seven miles below
the Falls, where they take the steamer "City
of Toronto" which runs between Lewis
town and Toronto, in Canada. From the
/ Suspension Bridge to Lewiston the rail
road, for about ten miles, follows the course
of the river, running along high ridge
overlooking the river. The Niagara enters
Lake Ontario some ten miles below Lewis
ton. The only stopping place between
Lewistown and Toronto, | believe, is the
village Of Niagara, sixteen miles from the
Falls On this route the steamer passes
between two forts, Niagara and Nassanga,
the former garrisoned by American troops
and the latter by the soldiers of Her
Majesty, Queen Victoria. These forts are
so close together that, it is said, on a calm,
still night the watchwords, as given by the
troops on changing guard, can he heard
distinctly from one side to the other.
4 20
route by the Great W estern Railway must
be adopted, which also leaves the Suspen-
sion Bridge. This road passes the very
handsome town of st. Catharine, on the
Eric and Welland Canal, and the town of
Hamilton, upon Lake Ontario, and the
headquarters Of the Great Western Rail
way of Canada" where their work shops
and principal office are located. st. Cath
airline contains about 5000 inhabitants, and
may be termed a new town. was inform
ed by an old resident of the vicinity that
twenty five years ago there was but one
house where the town now stands. This
rapid growth is attributed in part to the
passage through it of the Welland Canal,
and partly to the valuable Quality of its
water This water is represented as very
eticacious in neuralgia, rheumatism, govt
and paralysis, and large number of per-
sons annually resort to these springs for the
benefit of the water. There are two very
fine hotels in st. Catherine, the Welland
Hotel and the Stephenson House, the latter
kept by Beverly Tucker, well known
American gentleman. These houses, am
told, charge two dollars and fifty centsa day
on the first floor, two dollars on the
second floor, and one dollar and half on
the third, in American currency.
Hamilton is thrifty town, more per-
haps on account of its being one of the
chief depots of the Great Western Rail
way, than from any other cause. A ride
OF forty miles brings you to Toronto, which
is the principal city of Upper Canada, or
Ontario, as the province was once called.
Up to 1884 this city was called Little
York, when its name was changed to To-
ronto. The streets are laid out at right
angles and are very broad and generally
macadamizel, with wide wooden side
walks. The buildings generally have a
heavy, dull appearance, and are mostly
without paint, or at least look so. Some
of the public buildings. however, are re-
markably handsome. The University is a
very attractive edifice. 1t is said that the
style ofitwas intended to be purely Norman
but in some of its unimportant details
modern requirements have made it neces-
sary to depart from it. 1t stands in a
park in which there are a great number OF
stately trees and some beautiful avenues
The tower is one hundred and thirty feet
high and presents fine appearance. The
Normal School and Trinity College arc
both rare edifices so also is Osgood Hall
where all the courts of law are held, and
the same may be said of the Provincial
Lunatic Asylum, the Elgin Association
and the Merchants Exchange, all of which
ought to be seen by the stranger, if he has
time. Perhaps the two most attractive