Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-31
ST. LAWRENCE HALL, MONTREAL,

Province of Quebec, July 20, 1871.
Few places in America have name possessing
any peculiar significance in its origin or applica-
ton. They are mostly called after some English
or ancient Roman, or other place. But local
meaning is always pleasant, sometimes romantic,
tragic or comic. So with Montreal. Within the
city limits, in the background of the buildings,
looms up forest-covered peak, few hundred
feet high, which the first settlers who "squatted"
at its base called "Mount Royal" not, pre-
sumo, from its "royal" character or appearance,
but because those squtters came from under
royal rule; fugitives from kingcraft and tyran-
| ny. Somewhat singular thar they should desire
to perpetuate that from which they had escaped,
owing to the power of birth associations, and
natural adherence even to the "unpeasantness"
of the land of their nativity. As time wound on
and the squatter settlement became town, then
acity, Mount Royal was modified into the more
euphonious and simpler Montreal. 1t might fifty
be called the Island city, as the Ottawa and St.
Lawrence rivers form an island, on which it is
built, about IS miles long by 10 broad. The soil
is very fertile. All round the city, save on its
water front, is a wide-sweeping plateau, covered
farm houses. The city has at once an ancient
and q modern appearance. The older portions
carry one back, in imagination, century The
newer is a good representative of the "nine-
teenth." Stores, residences and public build
ings, massive and elegant. Evidently the hand
and brain of the aesthetic architect designed
them, combining the practical and artistic in
proportion.
While strolling about met worldwide trav-
eler, born in England, in business in Australia,
oflarge means-a lover of sightseeing, observ-
ing and discriminating. He said "We may
justly call this an ecclesiastical city-churches
are everywhere" True. 1t was a nultam IN
pdr0o sentence, laden with meaning. The
Jesuits and Catholics pretty much control its
laws, customs and social ways they domi-
nate. Fourteen days in the year are church
days, in which no business can be done.
If stores are open, trade is absent, as eighty
thousand of the twelve thousand people are Cath
olics The balance are tanned and halfsubmissive
Protestants No bank business can be done on
these days, and business must stand still. 1t is
an incubus which the prOgreSsives are bound
to throw off, and are making rapid Roadway.
The religious tyranny is quaking with anxiety
Fortunate the day when the sham and hypoc-
risy is supplanted by a higher, nobler, more
common sense order of things. The Frenehmen
who go to the states" stay awhile, get Gamer
icanized," return, are helping the progress car
on at rate which alarms the religious and po-
litical fogyism. The shoe shops of Worcester
employing French, are doing unravelling and
stitching at the same time
The older avenues are narrow, quaint with
sidewalks and streets about one-simlar to the
antiquated portions OF Salem and Marblehead.
There are few wooden buildngs-mostly stone
(of which there is plenty near by,) and brick.
Small chance for CONGREGATIONS. Insurance
rates ought TO be low. The new streets are
broad and generally well paved. Horse cars
run in every direction. The modern warehouses
resemble those in Boston, in material, style and
size-a credit and an orn ament to any city. The
wharves are usually stout built, in the mos sub
stantial and enduring manner, and they will last
for ages-very convenient and accesSible-mod-
els even for New York and Boston. Alongside
one lay two Scotch steamships of iron, just ar
rived from England with steel rails for the Grand
Trunk railway, which is fast being relaid with
them.
The shipping is large, mostly from Europe
niue rom the states, as reciprocity repeal has
ABOUT stopped it, and the Canadians get their
American imports by rail. l will not omit to
say that the churches are large and elegant; mil
lions are put into them, some of which might
be better used in educating the poor that grovel
in the novels of this metropolis. The Puritan
style of plain, uncostly churches, good schools.
and comfortable homes, is far better. The priest.
ridden are finding it out, il priestcraft does not
American ideas and customs are fast winning
place and power even among the conservatism
of this English dependency.
Chief Of the churches is that of Notre Dame
, French, as its name implies. It accommodate
some six or eight thousand people The towers
two in number, are the lofest points in the city
There is nothing specially attractive in the OK
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