Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-29
OLD QUEBEC.
SIGHTS TO BE SEEN IN THE ANCIENT
FRENCH CITY.
Our Correspondent Visits the Citadal and
Many Other Places of Interest
What She Saw.
QUEBEC, September 4, 1889.

QueDec-tne CapiIdl OI tne province OF
Quebec, and a city of some seventy thou
sand souls. From the confusion and lab
bering that greeted us as we landed, we
might Just as well have seen in France, for
all we could understand However, some
of us in early days having struggled with
the French grammar and thereby gained
partial victory over the French verb, we
managed by dint of much gesticulation
and smattering of French to make our
selves understood. and to find our way
here and there without much trouble. We
had heard of the elevator that goes
from Upper to Lower Town-perhaps l
had better explain that Quebec is divided
into what is called Upper and Lower
Town, because of the'very abrupt ascent
that overlooks the st. Lawrence, and upon
which eminence portion of the town is
built, and below on the fiat il the whole
sale business portion, or Lower Town, as it
is called. A letter or package must be
addressed to Quebec, L. T., or Quebec, U.
T., as the case may be. Well, this elevator
takes you from the fiat up to the top of
the hill.
After meandering through various lanes
and byways we struck the elevator, which
was nothing more nor less than tram
way. The man at the helm could not
change bill, and as none of us had
enough small coin to take the party up,
We couldn't go; so we sadly turned away
and walked up the "break-neck" steps to
Upper Town. These steps are SO called
because it is wearisome walk up so many
stairs, and we were glad to get to the top.
The Hotel st. Louis was but a stones
throw from here, and we soon found COM
Portable quarters. After a rest and
luncheon, we changed our money and
started out to explore and on our way
back to that miserable elevator we en-
countered the circus parade "The
Biggest Show on EARTH had finally
reached Quebec. We gazed and followed
after 1t for little ways feeling in duty
bound to evince an interest in Mr. Barnum
and his show. The animal that laid out
the streets of Boston must have had first
cousin In Quebec, for such narrow streets
and alleyways / never have seen before.
For narrowness and twists and turns,
Quebec beats Boston "all hollow" as the
saying is.
EXCELLENT STREETS.
One thing we noticed particularly, and
that was the excellence of the streets and
pavements. The streets seem made princi-
pally of round logs driven in solidly and
perfectly even, and as we drove along we
all remarked upon the smoothness of the
thoroughnres. The calash, or cone horse
shay" as we called the queer-looking vehi-
Gle, is as familiar a sight here as in the
villages along the st. Lawrence and
Saguenay rivers. Many of the places
In Canada are quite American-like; but
Quebec is undoubtedly Frenchy, and a
great contrast to the other cities
We have visited in the Dominion. In
the upper town is the world-renowned
Dutferin tcrrace-sueh a promenade, proba-
bly,, rs no other city can boast Of Right
on the edge of an immense bluff has been
built walk, and this overlooks the st.
Lawrenceriyer. Numbers of little pavilions
add to the beauty of the walk, and there
are seats all along, and it is really enchant-
ing to sit and watch the river, and the
boats thereon. Going nearer to the edge
of the terrace and leaning over the rail-
ing, you can gaze unreservedly at the queer
old town below. We fairly haunted this
terrace, the view was so magnificent. In
the harbor were two men-of-war and any
number of other vessels. Across the river
is the town of Lewis, which is built on
high hills, and is also strongly fortified
There is a ferry every FIVE minutes from
Quebec, and in this way the traveller crosses
to Lewis to take the Grand Trunk and
Intereolonial Railway. We leave the st.
Lawrence here, and take the latter railroad
line for Halifax and the Acadian land, as
we are little weary of steamer life
Our first drive was out to the Plains of
Abraham, broad expanse, where Wolfe
defeated Montcalm in the middle of the
eighteenth century. | haven't a history
handy, and faulty memory compels me to
omit the date. 1t won't affect this letter
materially, SO FL just pass over the de-
fciency. On the way out we drove along
st. Louis street, and by the house in which
General Montgomery was laid out. An
old man now keeps little shop-intelli-
gence office-there. But on the little an
tiquated structure is plainly printed:
The house in which General Montgom-
cry was laid out" On the opposite side of
the door is the business sign of the little
old man who at present occupies the old
structure. Out the Grand Alice or St.
Louis road is very fine drive, and the
Plains OF Abraham are not far away.
Cricketers were laying out grounds for a
game when we drove by. Except the
Champ de Mars in Montreal, there is no
ground in America which has been crossed
and recrossed by the armies of so many
different nations. Continuing on this
dive the road winds down till you get to
the river front, and drive through habi-
tation called the Cove. We passed the
well and
SHRINE OF ST. PATRICK
On the way, and many places of interest
In the shape of honses, cemeteries and
other things. Almost without exception
every house in Quebec has French roof
and dormer windows. Never in my life
have | seen places where such general
utility was made Of the upper story. In
fact, | don't remember to have seen house
with an uninhabitable roof The Cove is
a settlement where the laborers dwell
principally, and / should Judge it was the
home Of the sailor, too, for on little mite
of building was the sign Mariners
Chapel" At the waters edge millions of
logs were anchored, ready to be ffoated
down stream when wanted.
Quebec seems 10 be made OF cannon, con-
vents shrines and statues; of steep house
gables, tin roofs and all manner of strange
sights. The convent bells, the blowing of
whistles, the basilica organ and various
noises during the day; and at night per-
feet quiet, unless, indeed, the shrill piping
Of some boat out in the river.
1t was late but warm, and as / looked
out of my window for breath OF air | saw
funny sight-a man with hose washing
away for dear life at the paved street. and
following closely upon his heels was an
other man welding broom. That was
new way of cleaning streets to me, and |
thought of our own inferior thoroughfares
out home, and smiled audibly at the
thought of washing them with hose and
broom.
Next morning we went to the lower
town to see about our baggage. The man
told us TO claim it, and as we pointed out
piece after piece he hauled it out and
called wagon and sent it to our hotel.
This is the only place in Canada where we
have been allowed to claim anything with
out credentials, and we thought it was
lucky for us we did not delay too long or
our baggage would not have been there at