Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-07-30
LETTER FROM MONTREAL.
Correspondence of the Alexandria GAZETTE.
MONTREAL. .Tuly 25. 1856.


The people of this city have beautiful
place of recreation in Mount Royal, with a
wooded hill, 7Co feet in height, just behind it.
1t is broad one, being, properly speaking,
two hills, with an elevated valley between.
On one are two cemeteries Catholic and
Protestant, full of elegant vaults, monu-
ments, etc., the former, having the Way of
the Cross, extending long distance on a
winding road, the 18th station being rep.
resentation of Mount Calvary, with the
crosses, figures, ETC., of life size or greater.
From An observatory in the latter magnif-
icent view of the surrounding country, ETC.,
is obtained.
The other part of the mountain is pub
lie park, reached by steps, an elevator, or
wagonettes, which carry you up, down and
far into the city for the very low price of 25
cents. There is hotel on top, as we'll as
delightful drives, walks, picnic grounds, ETC.
Just below the hotel is a place from which
YOU have q splendid view of the entire city
and far up and down the river.
The City Hall is an imposing ediGce, very
much like that in Baltimore, bpt smaller.
On the slopes in front, "City Hall'' and
"Hotel de Ville," are very prettily grown IN
variously colored leaves amid the we'll kept
grass. am indebted to some of the officials
for many courtesies. The building is nicely
furnished and I was shown tie council
chambers, mayors Office and reception
room, clerks Offices. fire alarm telegraph,
town clock, &c. Next to the City Hall is
the Palais de Justice, or Courthouse, also an
imposing stone ediGce, and in the street be-
tween, but nearly opposite, handsome
monument to Admiral Lord Nelson, erected
soon after his victory at Trafalgar. Those
buildings are on Notre Dame street, at its
intersection with Jacques Cartier, and be-
yond them are some fine stores. | observe
that the dry goods merchants here use some
thing like an immense pumpkin, gilded or
painted in some bright colors and suspended
over the side walk as sign of their busi-
moss. 1t has not word upon it.
The fire department seems 10 be in
very effective condition, though have visit
ed only small station at Hochelage, sit-
uated like West End in relation to AleXan-
dria, but part OF Montreal. -Four
men are employed there, at forty
dollars month, the chief having q
house to live in, in connection with the sta
tion The reservoirs being on the mount
dlu, GuS plugs VIII plIOW W w Va ~ ASot;
and engines are not often used. The hose
wagons have very large spool hanging be-
tween the wheels, and are drawn by one
horse, but the harness is kept attached to
the shafts and the cart is thrown back, 80
that they are elevated. The harness is
caught by long horizontal bars suspended
from vertical one, looking like gas fix
ture, and is held in position by weights.
When the indicator shows fire alarm, and
the gong sounds automatically, the horse
rushes to his place, the driver pulls down
the shafts and hooks the collar, and every
thing is ready, the men said, in six seconds.
Our quickest time is fourteen. In the back
of the house I saw an old engine about
twice the size of n garden engine, and work
ed by levers in the same way, but was told
that it was seldom used, and that in the city
proper steam engines were sometimes en-
ployed Where there are hook and ladder
trucks, they have an additional man at the
fire station. The men employed are very
intelligent and very polite, and explained
everything to me, being able to speak Eng
lish huently.
I attended solemn mass to-day at the
great church of Notre Dame. They have
two galleries, one above the other, and they
were both we'll filled. The singing was fine,
a choir of boys in the sanctuary being AIDED
by one of men in the organ loft. Many OF
the congregation joined in, the music being
Gregorian, and, consequently, simple.
What struck me most was the collection,
which was taken up By the altar boys, who
were each preceded by very solemn look
ing individual in long black gown, WITH
front and cuffs of bright blue, embroidered,
and bright red cape, who carried stafi.
One of the same personages escorted the
parish priest and the preacher to the pulpit,
where the former read the parish notices
and the latter preached, and sat in the pull
pit until he was done to escort him back.
The pulpit in this, as in most of the other
large churches, is away from the chance, !,
on the north side, as in the old Coloniai
American fashion was follo~ed-a large
number of people seemed to be in great
hurry for their dinners, and rushed out just
as the service was being concluded, though
it was not - o'clock. f1DELls.