The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-13
LETTER FROM ONTARIO
The Town OF BrockvilIe-The Canadian Cen

sus.
BRocKv1ILy, ONT. Sept. s.-This is rather
an attractive town. Of some eight or nlne
thousand people. on the st. Lawrence at the
lower end of tho Thousand Islands, the low,
est island being abreast OF the upper emu OF
the town. 1t is consular port OF SONG IN,
for n couple of years. till his death III 1855. Dy
Mr.. William Old. at one time editor OF the
Examiner or ENQUIRER. Rockville is reached
bv both tho Crank Trunk ard he Canadian
Pacific roads. and is now enjoying some niue
distinction as being the last objective Cana
dian point in the great mail race IRON loha-
hona 10 England accomplished IN twenty
days -, 90,
The run from Victoria to Brcckville -2.s03
miles-was made N seyentv-soven hours ana
twenty minutes.
By reason of the st. Lawrence. visit to
Brockville is invigorating. OF all the grea'
rivers OF the.ltlantic and Gulf vater-sheds'
the st. Lawrence is TO me bv far the most I'm,
pressiye Clear as crystal, broad, deep ana
rapid, unlessened by summers diought. I'M
increased by winters rain. II hows on
sublimely maiestically, far nobler emblem
of the Creator than Niagara Falls and, short OF
the ocean. the best typo 81 eternity ana
omnipotence. But grand and mighty as 10
this river il heeds the voice OF greater.
Frost, issues his mandate. it draws forth IT'S
lev mantle. upon which whole armies might
safely camp and sleep for months.
have been struck with minor archltectu.
raj feature of Ontario. and especially OF
Brockvile One usually associates thick;
solid walls with very cold climates and
weather board houses in such localities strike
one at first sight as rather singular, but when
/ saw hath and plastered houses outside as
we'll as in, the sight struck me with the iuli
force of novelty. These houses are called
rough cast, and are found everywhere among
the older generations of buildings. but they
appear no longer to be built. They are as
comfortable as if made Of thickest stone and
they must be healthier. as they do not hold
darnpness so well. They were probably balit
before saw mills were generally introduced
and bear the same relation that our ola log
dwellings bore to saw-mills, but they are very
much more sightlythan log houses and would
pass for brick houses stucOed.
All through Ontario. but in perfection
about Brockvllle. one is inyoluntarily attracted
by tree varying from fifteen TO twenty-five
feet in height. Its leaf is compound like the
locust, except that it is little longer, richer
and more pointed. The limbs, branches and
twigs are clean cut like whip and spring up
right in graceful sweep from the trunk, but
not spreading at tthe top, but inclining to
pineapple shape. Beautiful from the mo-
ment it clothes itself profusely with blossoms
from now on till its leaves drop is its period
OF greatest glory and triumph, too, if it was
girl. Now every branch twig and twiglet IS
bending beneath its wealth of berries. Now
every clump. averaging a hundred berries
each. is brilliant Scarlet, and every clump is
bending in graceful salutations to whomeyer
will notice. There are trees larger, trees
stronger, trees more useful. but there IS
no tree more beautiful than the mountain ash.
The Canadians are now discussing their
10. st.1r. - Hatf
ing exhibit. In ten years the Dominion has
gained only 1854 although within that
period $50 900 immigrants have landed, thus
showing an actual loss of home growth and
corresponding drain to the United States.
The total population inhabiting its 100000
square miles is only 1893. 34i. about as many
rs Ohio and fewer than Pennsylvania has.
The Dominion is not prosperous for the OBJ
vious reason that it occupies the same
parallels. and these the least fruitful,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. and
il is cut of by the tariff from trading
freely with the United States. Having little
variety of productions it affords scarcely any
basis for exchange. for though producers may
live n thousand miles apnrt, yet living in the
same parallel. each produces what the other
wants TO sell and neither what the other
wishes TO purchase. while where producers
live a thousand miles. or even five hundred
miles apart in longitude while one viii be
RAISING gram ana meat. tHe otheI Will DC rNS-
ing tobacco, cotton, sugar. &c. and each will
be able and eager to exchange with the
other. IL Canada could add TO her latitude
longitude by free access TO the markets
of the United States. it would prosper
greatly, for its soil is fertile. its climate invig-
Grating and its people hardy and industrious.
The only hope for Canada is in absorption by
the United States or in a liberal reciprocity,
neither of which are at present near in sight.
In conclusion, if Southern people desire TO
enjoy a delightful summer climate to find
abundant and substantial fare at moderate
prices, TO recover health and lay up strength
for future wears, they cannot do better than
t. spend the summer almost anywhere from
Niagara Falls to Rockville. RICHMOND.