The New York herald., 1877-03-02
THE CANADIAN CAPITAL.
The New Dominion in It's
Winter Coat.
Sights and Scenes Among the KanuckS-A
People Worth Knowing Handsome
Men and Lovely Women.
BIG BODIES AND BIG HEARTS.
The Picturesque Scenery
Around Ottawa.
OTTAWA. Feb. %. 1877,

II IL not necessary TO cross the In order
Joy the novelty OF association with foreign people
aud observe national personal and social characleris
tics with which we ot the United States are unfaml-
lar. A journey of eighteen hours from New York will
bring you into the heart OF country rich In romance
wonderful in It's development, nearly perfect as
Is possible 70 be in its meth od Of government pop
ulated by a community whose different habits and
traits are as suggestive as any strange object In
museum OF natural curiosities.
Few persons take time enough 70 rcfoct that almost
IT door Is tho capital oil the other halt OF the
American continent, the counterpart OF Washington,
where you have only 10 change the of the Pres
dent to that OF Governor General viceroy Of tho
Cabinet TO Privy Council, Of Congress 10 Parliament
and OF the White House TO the Government House, to
realize how closely some respects allied these
two friendly neghbors, the Confederation OF Canada
and tho United States 1t Is because this ignorance
exists that your correspondent dcvotes the present
letter TO u descripto OF some of
THE SCENES AND SURROUNDINGS OF OTTAWA.
Landing from the at this of the year,
when the earth carpe,cd with and rivers are
turned into roads, your first sensation that you
been surrounded by tribe OF Esquimaux and i'm
mediately TO be spirited away TO some Polar hiding
place. They out however, to be only the newt
nblo hackmen, covered from head to foot with heavy
furs. Nor they onensivey obtrusve As you
drive hotelward you observe that everybody of both
and all ages Is similarly encased but In styles
that correspond with the wealth poverty OF the
wearer. Strong Shoes sometimes moccasns or boots
Of undressed skIn show the good of the people
In projecting their feet, while the gentler SEX in
manner ut artess aud refreshing, exhibit their
dsdain Of fashionable outlines by allowing skirts
~ hang perpendicular the texture OF tho
garments will permit. AT the hotel, where oppor-
tunty is afforded of seeing Tho gentlemen dlsrobcd,
you amazed at the magnificent physques of tho
greater proportion OF thcm--the towering broad
shoudercd frames and massive figures that seem 10
have been built to conquer the rugged soil AS class
the Canadian
TYPES OF MANLY DEAUTY.
Their House of Parliament presents In this respect
picture that has not its duplicate in any Legislature IN
the United States Listen to them you will that
they nation Of bartones WITH such deep chcsed
honest voices, that it is matter for wonder that
there is stirring music In the ring OF English
Socially, too, their warmth does belle the great
Of their bodies With proper letter Of cre-
dentials few hours will be allowed pass before tho
stranger Will be placed rapport with the best gentle
men IN the land be bloted at the clubs, and every
where received with welcome Of the commences OF
which he cannot feel doubt Unbroken courtesy,
the perfection OF good breeding, cleanliness in speech
have not heurd oath, obscene remark or an
Angry expression during my slay-lhese are somc OF
the characteristics the Canadian thoroughb breds
And al the head Of them all stands cxempar and
representative Of Canadian worth who unitcs in ms
pcrson all the graces OF social and Intellectual liie
und TO whom tho people OF Ottawa are indebted TOR
much OF their winter and summer pleasures
In population OF about So 900 the Jour.
nails OF the city rarcy have occasion
packages left Lying around loose, and
brellas are sacred Can virtue be more supreme
Most OF the gentlemen smoke pipes, even tho
street, although few chew tobacco and cuspador or
slt'oon IS rarity Amos: every one lights match
brceches, which would imply in Canada that
there is always fire in the rear. AS general thing
do not appear as handsome physique the other
Sex being nat-cbested and narrow snoudered, albeit
Their rudy faces tell OF excellent health. Like the
gentlemen they are great pedestrians, knocking of
four or five miles day for exercise, and apparently
are never moro eager for tramp than when the
,s filing The with its feathery crystals; but, then
Shcy prepared for with IA sense and
lhat would put our Yankee dainses TO the
,ha Tnsn: see @ anem IN se,gn aasnng through
their cosey fur hats, which like those Of the
men, you can scarcely detect their gender.
Notwithstanding the eXtrome cold ol the climate the
houses, being built soliuly kept warm. The
dows are double, and in the hotel the premises
subject IT IS worth recording here that such Can
adas sympathy with the North during tns late
that before its close % 900 of her enlisted
Northern armies, and many laid down their lives IN
defence oi the flag of the Union And now word
about
Ottawa was selected as the seat of government by
the Queen in 1852 and there much to commend in
the choice. The position Is remote from the American
fronter and is pcturcsquely situated OF the
great waterways Of the country which forms dvid-
ing line between the provinces OF Quebec Ontario
II also important strategic position, of
great strength and security In OF invasion. Urig
naIly Ottawa was known as Bytown and the fol-
lowing somewhat romantic iacts attach u It's
history About the close OF the last century
q Mr.. Wright of Boston. having oblaIned
the grant oil large tract OF land sides the
river below the Chaudcre Falls, and deciding that
south side was un ht Tor settlement, liked upon what
Is now called Hull as the site OF village, which
from the pine lumber hoated by him down Quebec
and Montreal became the nucleus of lumDcring
population. AS cash was scarce wages paid in
either goods, rum or land In course OF time. having
10 settle with his teamster named parks, Tor
5000 due TO hm, he prevailed on him, alter much
tnow Ottawa) in payment, throwing IN, in the bar
gain, yoke OF oxen Years aIterward the Canadian
authorizes wishing to mud channel In tho interior
for the OF the munitions OF the upper
lakes, as the 81 Lawrence was too much exposed to
the assaults OF the Americans, Inau uguratcd the |
scheme OF the Rideau Canal Mr.. Sparks day IN |
1873 much surprised ut seeing crowd Of engineer
officers and 50 diers adv ancng these sandy bluffs
aud taking possession Of Them the ordnance pro-
pcrty Of the British Crown, under an officer named BY.
The work progressed anu as the necessary shops aud
snantics erected on either side tho hs they |
were called by way OF joke Upper and Lower Town.
Finally bridge thrown across ,he alI, conncct-
lug Huil or Wrightstown, wi.h Bytown, and as the |
laIler slowly grew Other remained stationary. Mo-
ncy flowed Mr.. sparks He sold lots and
eventually reputcd to be worth hall million OF dollars
Eventually
TmE LoSo-pE,pIsED MILLS
were decided upon BY the queen a5 above stated rs tho
the proper point to sustain the Parliament OF the |
British Dominion. Sparks stroot. named alter The
founder, Is now one OF the principal streets OF the
capital The city Is l2U miles from Montreal aud con-
ssls OF three distrlcts--Lower Town, Central
Town and Upper Town. The streets are WIDE and
regularly laid In the lower portions Of the CITY,
IN Hul ana IN Tact wherever the poorer classes
AZ community, the bindings OF wood and exceed
ingly humble ia their appearance and notw tnsiand-
ing the excellence oil Fire Department modelled
alter that OF which New YORK is justly proud II hro
md wind should at any time become coparlners in
The OF destruction ouy ashes woula marx the
yilc Of these now unassumng homes The central
portion OF the CITY Is more sclidy built Many Of
stores exhibit their architecture; numbers Of
the private dwellings are artstlcally constructed aud
surrounded by spacious grounds and the general
inspect Is OF com0rt--oi scl-sasfcd air, which
means fair income dcbts paid and good business In
hand
BEAuTES
The River Ottawa, alter winch tho city is called
takes the height OF land south Of ludsons