Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-07-16
The City Of Montreal.


A Gothamite conveys his impressions of
Montreal to the New York Sun, as follows !;
That Montreal is dull there cannot be the
slightest doubt. Its gay season seems to be
the winter, with sleghing, skating, coasting,
fancy dress balls, and the rest of it. At
present everything looks deserted, or, at all
events, fast asleep. But that the city is
clumsy is a great calumny. 1t is admirably
situated, with noble river in front Of it,
and with handsome hill at its back. The
Victoria bridge, which spans the st. Law
renee, and the quays, which border it, are
admirable. The streets are somewhat mar
row aud not very handsomely laid out but
they contain a larger number of handsome
public buildings than either Philadelphia or
Boston. The private residences Of the wealthy,
especially those situated in Sherbrooke street.
are charming. Every one Of them, spa
cous villa, is surrounded by large garden,
and as if drowned in shade and vegetation
This is a luxury that cannot be bought at
any price either in Paris, London or New
York. With the exception of the three
leading business thoroughfares, st. James,
Notre Dame and st. Paul streets, there is
hardly street that has not on both its
sides close line of handsome old trees, on
looking at which one only wonders how PEG.
pie manage here to preserve them so well
through the rude winters of these regions.
The hotels are by no means frst-class.
They have neither elevators, nor is water
laid on, or any other of the modern i'm.
provements introduced; but to judge from
the one | am in, the st. Lawrence Hall,
they are kept in good order, and the table,
though far from being good, is certainly bet
ter than at the famed Parker House in Bos.
ton, at the Continental in Philadelphia, or
at any of the caravansaries Of Chicago. In
addition to that, the Montreal hotels have
the inappreciable advantage of the absence
of insolent, lazy, extortionate, and unpleas.
ant negro walters.
As far as pleasure or recreation is con-
cerned, Montreal is one Of the poorest cities
in the world. There are a few theatres and
concert halls, but they are closed, aud the
one that is open remains empty. In several
days spent here, have not heard as much
as one bar of music Of any sort, except organ
music in the churches. There are no open
air concerts, which one would expect to find
in place half of the population OF which is
French. There are-iancy such state Of
affairs even no German bands or any
grinding organs to be seen or heard. How
ever out Of the way an American town
which you visit at this time Of the year may
be, you may be sure that stroll through
any street will bring you to more than one open
window from which the strains of some we'll
known melody CONES to tickle your ear. True,
the tickling is occasionally of very horrible
kind Still, you see that people do the best
they can while here have not yet heard
the sound of single piano, though | have
walked about the town for hours and hours.
There is even no piano in the ladies' parlor
Of any hotel.
In fact. cannot imagine what people are
doing here. The streets are but little ami
mated squares-all of them very small and
poorly laid out, though remarkably shady
do not seem to he frequented by anybody.
There is no park in or about the city, except
a piece of ground, not quite as large as
Madison square, which is called the Viger
Public Garden, and in passing which this
afternoon | have not seen as much as n wo-
man taking walk, or a child playing, or n
sparrow hopping and chirping; nothing but
a few priests with breviarles in their hands
and with "momento morris" on their lips
Churches, priests and nuns are what evident
y absorb, rule and subjugate everything
here. 1t would be most interesting to make
out the exact number Of places devoted to
and persons engaged in clerical pursuits in
this city From my window alone are to be
seen not less than twenty-slx church domes
and spires and the view out of the window
is very narrow one. Wherever you 60 you
meet priests and nuns by the dozen. Yes
torday, being Saturday, number OF schools
were taken out for walk in the afternoon
and every one of them was under a strong
clerical escort In Peel street, close to the
great Jesuit establishment, quite battalion
Of the Holy Brothers was seen to be march,
ing in close column of two abreast. "They
are going to take Turkish bath !" remarked
my driver, good-natured and evidently a
thorough God-fearug Irishman. "0n Sat
urdays the whole bathing establishment is
set apart for their exclusive use for two OF
three hours" This was, to my mind, a new
proof of the progressive tendencies for which
the Jesuits have been always celebrated, fol
it showed not only that they kept clean, but
that they had already taken to a compare
lively very recent innovation in the bathing
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