Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-12-11
Ottawa and the Government Build.
ingS.i

Ottawa Is the capital of the Domin-
ion OF Canada, made so by the choice of
the Queen When It was a question of
making selection, both Montreal and
Toronto were anxious for the honor. but
the Queen bestowed ii finally upon
Ottawa 1t Is IN the province of Onta-
no, and although long way removed
from some Of the outlying parliamen-
tary districts, Is fairly central
There Is one parliament for Canada
consisting of the Queen, an upper
house, styled the Senate, and lower
house, styled the House of Commons.
The Senate consists of seventy-elght
members appointed for life, and the
House of Commons, of PA members,
elected for five years.
The Government buildings of which
We give some beautiful views, taken
during an artists tour this summer, are
situated on what is called Barrack Hill,
In the midst Of beautifully laid out
grounds, and the situation is the most
picturesque one imaginable. They
have an elevation of $50 feet, and from
this point of vantage, one can take in
the whole of the surroundings,
and at the same time have
splendid view of the Ottawa,
hill. The building is of Gght-colored
sandstone; the red sandstone of the
arches, and the cut sandstone ornamen-
tations give warmth to the pile and
relieve 1t of its otherwise creamy dull
ness.
The main structure contains the
Senate Chamber and House of Com
mons. There are two departmental
| buildings removed about a hundred
yards from the Legislative Chamber. A
| third departmental edifice called for by
the growth of affairs in the northwest,
is IN course of erection, and altogether
Canada Will have public buildings far
| in advance of those possessed by many
of the European powers (no other
| colony has anything approaching them
and fully worthy her growing import
ance. Fhe buildings together, cover
nearly four acres.
The Parliamentary Library is a
! splendid building, circular in shape and
constructed after the plan of the library
in the British Museum, with dome 80
| feet high There are two Librarians one
of whom is Mr.. Martin J. Griffin, at one
time editor of the Toronto Mail Our
second cut reproduced the dome of this
building, which is of exquisite beauty
i and finish.
Ottawa itself, is great numbering
center, and the busy whir of the saw
mills is heard the whole day long,
whilst the air is redolent with the resin
Gus smell of pine.
| The saw-mills are sight in themsel-
yes. Some of them are lighted by
electricity, so that during the season
work Is carried on without cessation day
| and night
1he principal mills are clustered
| around the Canadian Falls Much of
the prosperity of the city Is due to the
valuable water power furnished by
these falls, and the rivers turbulent
rapids, which serve to run quite a uum-
I Der of flour mills and factories.
On the opposite bank of the Ottawa
River lies Hale, the home of the lum-
bermen. 1t Is joined to the capital by
a suspension bridge, which spans the
river Just IN front of the Canadian Falls
1t is from this bridge that the best view
of the falls can be obtained. These
| falls are highly attractive at all times,
and no one should visit Ottawa without
! seeing them.
In the summer months when the busy
| hum of the mills fills the air, and the
| water foams and sparkles with many
| y
are the brightest; but in the spring
| freshets their grandeur increases, and
| they, rs the increased volume of water
| romps and roars, carrying everything
| before 1t, seem altogether newborn.
| This vigorous new life is in striking
/ contrast to the thraldom from which
| they have Just been released; for in the
| winter they are enchanted IN ice and
| shrOuded IN snow. Then they seem
but the ghosts of their former selves;
and were 1t not for the gush of escap-
ing waters 1t would be difficult to i'm
/ agine that they ever lived; for the clang
| of the wheels and the sharp hiss of the
! driving saws are no longer heard, and
| the roar of the waters IN the unfathom-
able basin has ceased The gladsome
| music of summer, and the turbulent
! uproar of spring, have given place to
| the rigid silence of winter.
| The spray has formed itself in fantas-
tic drapcrics, lacing the rocks, and con-
Meeting the rivers frowing sides by icy
threads seemingly spun by a gigantic
| spider born of the frigid north. The
I whirlpool in front of the Falls, whose
| depth no man has yet discovered lies
unraffied In the arms of the frost king
| whilst the frozen foam has heaped itself
in weird shapes upon its glossy surface
The writer is indebted for the above
beautiful description to Stuart Cumber-
lands account of Ottawa, in his very
interesting book entitled The Queen S
Highway"