Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-10-03
A TrIn 70 Montreal.


such that thought | would likely letter-to |
take some OF my friends with me
The long platform which leads into the squalid, |
low, dirty depot was filled with idle loungers A |
score Of haclmen stood hungry peering through |
the grating, and you almost feel like worm |
about to be thrown at shoal OF half-starved |
fishes, rs they glare greedily upon you. | had |
friend at the Ottawa House. who was awaiting my |
arrival, and thought II it was not too far would
walk in order the better to see the city. SO, with
the air Of one who Is deaf and dumb, marched |
through the bowling throng to the Ladies'
Room" and looked in It was moro like a pig |
pen than anything else. About dozen dirty en-
igrants lay doing around on the low, wooden
benches, and the stencil from their persons, added
to that of the closet, whose door stood wideopen
was sickenng. Holding my nose, | beat a retreat,
and made my way to the telegraph office, where |
inquired Of the operator the distance to the Ottawa
House Its about ten acres" was the reply,
and when he came to endeavor to direct me to 1t
concluded that for ways that were dark and
winding Canada was peculiar So in despair re-
signed myself to fate and-took a cab. Arrived
at the hotel which had the reputation Of being one
of the frst-cidss, four-doar-a-day houses, found
my friend dismay seated in dirty little room,
ready to cry with Inconsistencies The mirrors
we're cracked, the carpet filthy and dilapdated,
the bed dirty. In one corner stools bureau which
looked as II 1t had been saved from the food, the
dust Of several months lying thick upon 1t, while
in the other corner was little wash-stand, with
the handles gone the only redeeming thing in
the room being pitcher of clean water This
is what they call frst-class accommodations here"
obviously remarked my friend. But having once
before stopped few hours in the city, assured
her | knew there were better accommodations
and then suggested that we should get some din
ner and then settle our bills and go TO another
hotel
"Nothng we can eat here!" was the reply.
"Maybe dinner will be better than breakfast"
responded assuringly. So we descended to the
dining-room. To cap the climax our waiter was
drunk! He brought us everything but what we
ordered, and to crown all, by some means he had
cut his fingers in the kitchen, and the plates which
he flung down for us to eat upon were smeared
with blood and dirt from his hands, which looked
as though it might have been a fortnight since
they had seen water My friend and | gazed
moment Mt each other while the ludicrous side
burst upon us as he exclaimed, "What you want
now9' We rose from the table, went to the of
Montreal House, a quiet, clean hotel, located in
full view of the great Victoria Bridge, near the
landing of the foreign steamers and river boats,
and convenient to all points of interest
Having deposited our baggage in a clean, com
Portable room we started for the little town OF
Lachine, by rail, to enjoy the exciting ride back
by boat over the rapids. These rapids are quite
renowned, and the trip well repays the tourist
You pass under the Victoria Bridge, the largest
and most noted in the world landing again at the
wharf about six o'clock, the full trip having been
accomplished in about three hours The next
morning we received call from an old friend of
my companion, Mr. Theo. Lyman, of the cele-
| brated firm of Savage, Lyman & Co., one of the
largest iewelry and matchmaking establishments
| in Lower Canada. He had brought his carriage
to take us upon the mountain, where n grand
panorama unrolled itself before us. The beauti-
| ful island city with its shining towers lay below
us seven hundred and fifty feet the side of the
mountain was brilliant with its foliage of dark
green, besprinkled with profuson of mountain
ash which grows luxuriantly here, and which are
now covered with red berries Vessels from all
ports are lying at the wharf below the harbor be-
ing one Of the best this continent Ocean
steamers of three hundred tons, and sailing ves-
sells of twelve thousand tons, can be accommodated
in this harbor Just below MS, nestled in the most
bewtchng manner, almost hidden among the
trees is the palatial residence of that old cap
tain, well known to all Montreal, Hugh Allen, Of
the celebrated Allen steamship line. Here, as n,
Quebec is the upper and lower town, though not
so Enthusiastically separated by natural elevation
as is the latter The lower town is laid out in
of the old French style, while the upper town has
wide streets many imposing and elegant resi-
dences, built mostly of the grey limestone of that
region wide terrace faced with grey lime
stone and surmounted by handsome iron raj
divides the city from the river
THE VICTORIA BRIDGE
deserves more than passing mention Its numer
Gus piers span two hundred and forty-seven feet
while the center span is three hundred and fifty
seven feet permitting very large vessels to pas
under 1.-THE grade from the center being forty
feet This bridge occupied five years in its cree
ton, and cost six million dollars 1t is of sole
stone and iron, constructed by the celebrated en-
gineer, Robert Stephenson. Some idea Of its per
manence may be gained from the fact that thre'
million cubic feet of masonry and ten Thousand
tons of iron enter into the construction Of this 81
gantic work More than six million rvets wer
used in building it, 1t is supported on twenty
four piers. The center pier contains two thou
sand ton OF stone No railroad train is permitted
to enter this bridge without written permit from
the proper officer, SO that there is no possibl
danger Of collision. By obtaining permit at tn
office OF the Grand Trunk railway You may wall
through and inspect it, There is an opening in tn
| ntra fYiy Won hon nj pta If \,
St Lawrence as 1t winds like silver ribbo
around the green bosom of old Mount Royal. W
next called at the photograph rooms of that well
known artist, William hoffman, " Photographic
to the Queen, and under the patronage of tn
Emperor of France" The Prince of Wales an
his suite had their pictures taken with the skat
ing club of Montreal during his late visit. Tn
photographs of all the royal family are on exhbi
3 ton Mr. hoffman is also the author of severa
works ON photography, ms well as numerous book
of travel which are illustrated with photographs
3 quite a novel feature Though the great kindnes
of Mr. Lyman who is so well and influential
known, we had an opportunity of inspecting tn
WINDSOR HOUSE,
which is 10 be the finest hotel on this continent
far surprising the Palace Hotel OF San Francisco
: 1t will be open to the public in about month
The dining-room contains the most exquisite fires
7 Going that ever saw The rotunda contains tn
n gods and goddesses of the twelve months in tn
G year; the figures standing ont in alto relierC
4 looking as If they might step from their littl
@ inches and speak to yon, At the lower end {
= the dining-room, the wall is ornamented with III
4 coat-of-arms of Europe, Asia and Africa, wit
: the American and English coat-of-arms and tn
4 Union Flag and Union Jack surmounting then
d The four corners contain exquisite fruit pieces
Q fruits from the four quarters of the globe Will
n the whole of the upper wall is lined with bewitcl
y ing scenes from England, Ireland, Scotland an
!, Italy, as well as many fine and picturesque view
o Of American scenery some of the Yosemite view
: being especially brilliant in coloring. The exter
Z of the dining-room may be imagined when tie
you It covers two city lots TheWindsor House tse
5 covers whole block and gives onea commandin
r view Of the whole city, Victoria Bridge, the ba
= Dor and shipping ON one side, and Mount Royal
n frowning sides upon the other THE Egypta
e room" contains some fine frescoing, and the ear
4 ing would delight the eyes of wood worker.
But have already heightened this description
beyond the patience Of my readers, and just pau
l. to say II you go to Montreal don't forget to pa
e the ell egant store OF our friend Lyman visit
o is like grand fairy palace Musical clocks of Il
:, most exquisite workmanship all kinds OF ingen
" ,rna,nanta from SVitzarland and France. a