The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-06-25
Montreal and Ottawa.

French Cathedral on Notre Dame street.
1t occupies one side Of the French Square, or
Place d. Armes, in the very centre Oftbe city.
1t is supposed to be the largest building in
America, and can seat ten thousand peo-
pie without crowding. 1t is built Of Mon
treal stone, in the perpendicular Gothic
style of the Middle Ages, with twin Gothic
towers two hundred and twenty feet in
height. In the northeast tower is q 6ne
chime Of bells, and in the northwest one is
said to be the largest bell in America, cast
expressly for this church, and weighing
rs, 400 pounds. You ascend these towers
by flight 245 steps. The view from them.
is neesssarily grand and extensive: . !.
attention. II is situated { The same street
as the Cathedral, opposite he Champ De
Mars, the favorite promenade for citizens
and strangers also, the general review
and parade ground of the military. The
Court House is commanding pile Of cut
stone, in the Grecian- Ionic style, and con-
tains court rooms for the superior, GRIM
inal, circuit, and appeal cases, besides a
spacious legal library and Offices in connec-
ton with the different Courts. The other
most prominent and commanding building
of the place is the Museum of Natural His
tory, on University street.
The Victoria Bridge Of the Grand Trunk
Railway, that spans the St. Lawrence River
here, is the curiosity of Montreal By the
kindness of the railway authorities, your cor
respondent obtained the proper pass to en-
able him to view one Of the most stipend
ous and massive structures Of modern times,
which is frequently denominated the eighth
wonder of the world. 1t was inaugurated
by III. r. ii. the Prince Of Wales, in
August, 1860. 1t is tubular, consisting of
twenty three spans of ZAP feet each, with the
exception of the centre span, under which
the steamboats, pass, this being $50 feet
wide. The dimension Of the tubes is nine
teen feet high at the extreme ends, rising
to twenty-five feet in the centre tube by six
teen feet wide. The bridge is approached at
each end by a causeway, terminating in
abutments of solid masonry. The southern
causeway is 24O feet long, and the northern,
400, the width Of each being ninety
feet. The total length Of the bridge is
10, ,2S4 feet, or about fifty yards less than
two English miles In its construction
5000, 900 cubic feet, or, in weight, ESQ,
900 tons Of stone and 5000 tons Of iron,
we're used, and the cost amounted to over
$4,000, 900. BY this bridge two extensive
and populous sections of country are united,
aiding in no slight degree their social, agri-
cultural, and commercial development.
Montreal contains a population Of about
l30, 900 inhabitants, and is increasing
yearly at the rate of nearly 10000. It is
undoubtedly one Of the most substantially
built cities on this continent
Ottawa has been selected by Her Majes
ty the Queen, as the new capital OF the
Dominion, the chief seat Of Government
having for many previous years been at the
cities Of Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto, IN
turns, for a certain number of years al
each. The numerous quarrels that ensued
} and the jealously that was engendered
against the one that happened at the time
J to be favored, made it necessary to choose
some fourth place and Ottawa was selec
ISL as DoinS Ino mOSt ceuLFdi dlfu uCoh"OAs
} that could be found. Tho Government
: buildings that have been erected here, Ger
tainly do credit to the architect that de
signed them, as well as to the public splrl
Of the Legislature, who have furnished th'
means for bringing the work to success
! full termination. The Parliament buildings
D with the departmental offices, occupy thre'
: sides Of square on bluff overlooking tn
River Ottawa, on which the city is situated
a They contain two Legislative halls-the on
r for the Senate, the other for the House
Commons, both being of the same size
, those provided in the English Houses Q
e Parliament for the Lords and Commons
D and, like their originals, are very handsome
ly decorated. A large library is also pro
I vded, capable Of accommodating half mil
i lion volumes The buildings ar designe'
) in the Italian-Gothic style, and cOnstructe'
y of stone found in the neighborhoOd. Th
cost Of the buildings was 81, 2,5OO,OOO. 1h
9 rest Of the city is, Of course, rapidly increat
' ing, and the whole Of it, nearly new
2 very handsomely and substantially built an
!, contains a populotion Of about 10000.