Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-08-31
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST
Canada Correspondence.
ToRoNro. CANADA.

TORONTO, CANADA.
We left Niagara Saturday afternoon, and
after a short railroad ride reached Lewiston,
where we found the steamer for Toronto
waiting for us. We had looked forward to
the three hour ride up Lake Ontario, but
were grievously disappointed. Saturday is
n general half.holiday in Toronto and they
run cheap excursion to Niagara: we
caught the returning crowd and the boat
was crowded to sufocation with anything
but the best class of the population. We,
therefore, had to take refuge in the cabin,
and bear the discomfort as we'll rs we could;
wa re,ched Toronto a little after eight
O'Clock in such a swarm of people As even
New York can hardly produce. 1t was
beautiful moonlight night-steamers were
coming and going, people were hurrying to
the wharves or back to the city, and it SEEM
cd to our tired eyes as if all Canada WAS
crowded into those three or four squares be-
tween tho lake and the street cars. We had
engaged board in private house in PSrk-
dale. s suburban town which is now part
OF tho city, as Toronto ha, grown up to it.
and had long ride to reach our destina-
ton, but were most-amply paid when we
arrived. Our house is right on the lake
shore; We have lovely view and the air is
delicious, so fresh and cool and sweet that
II must bring new life TO our tired bodies.
Toronto people are fussing about the heat,
but we have to wear our winter dresses and
wrap up in the evening; of course 1t Is
much cooler out here than in the city
Parkdale, like mos! suburban places, Is al
most entirely given up to residences ana
there are some beautiful places on the lake
shore. They say the people live on the wa
ter. aud certainly it looks like ii; as soon
as the sun goes down there are boats of all
descriptions on the lake-sail boats, row
boats, little light canoes that stick up in the
air half of the time, yachts and steameu.-
The undcrcurrent from the Niagars river,
which empties into Lake Ontario, is very
strong and at times the water is very rough
and dangerous for small boats, and there
are many accidents, but II does not inter
fere with the general pleasure. The lake
water is fresh and very cold and is the city's
drinking as well as bathing water. Yester-
day we rode through the fashionable resi-
dence part of the city. All the nice houses
have quite extensive grounds, kept in beau-
tifu order. In the business part of the
city the side walks are of stone or brick but
in the residence part they are all plank or
board walks, three or four feet wide, nicely
sodded on both sides There are good
many trees and the effect is very pretty
We have seen very few fine carriages and
there arc not many cabs, but the street cars
cross the city in all directions Car fare is
cheap and they are most obliging with their
transfers; thoy have no transfer tickets but
the conductor puts you on car OF another
line, or you stand on a corner until the car
that suits you comes along, and you can
ride an indefinite time on that one fare
The stores are disappointing, much inferior
10 ours-smallcr and like our second or
third class stores There is an infinite num-
Der of them; they reach along one street for
four miles, and we found quite as many on
A street that crosses it, Prices are about
the same as with US, but hey do not seem
to have the fine grades of ods that Amer
lean stores have, and nothing like the vari-
ETY.; they put good deal on the sidewalk
which always looks trashy. There are
quantities of steamers on the lake going OH
cheap excursions in every direction, and if
YOU stand at the corner of King and YOnge
street. at any hour of the day you will see
crowds OF people with lunch boxes and
wraps hurrying down to the wharves Mon
day, August l5th was civic" holiday
and the water was the pleasure ground
The street cars do not run on Sunday and
there are no Sunday trains or excursions
They say the Methodists are the largest,
richest and most influential body. The
Metropolitan Methodist Church looks like
an old cathedral-has large grounds around
it and is in the heart of the city. We are
yankees" to all Canadians and it gives
them pleasure to descant on our peculiari-
ties-but they like us and we like them.
r