The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-26

imposing public buildings. magnificent
hotels and costly residences; with long
! lines of massive warehouses. immense
grain elevators and many windoWed
factories: and also miles Of dock
crowded with shipping of all descrip-
tiOns from the smallest river craft to
! the largest ocean vessels.
This village of the Indians of over
two hundred and fifty years ago is
today the Wealthiest city in Canada.
the queen of the St. Lawrence" and
one of the handsomest most substan-
tial and imposing cities on the cont-
nent. 1t is $50 miles southwest from
Quebec and only second to that ancient
city in historic interest.
THE MONTREAL OF TO-DAY.
1t is situated on triangular island
of the same name about thirty miles
long and ten miles wide, formed by
branches of the Ottawa on the north
and the St. Lawrence on the south, and
by virtue of geographical position, at
the head of ocean navigat ton, its port
may he said to form the connecting
link between the ocean commerce and
that of the great lakes and rivers
which form the st. Lawrence. In fact
Montreal stands between French Que
bee. $50 miles east and English Toronto
33S miles west. The island upon which
Montreal is situated contains l97 square
miles, and from its fertility it has
been called the Garden of Canada"
AT Montreal the tourist will hardly
fail to stay for a few days, for here
are some most interesting of memoir
ials and natural and rare curiosities to
attract the student of history. Let us.
reader and writer. linger together for
time in and around this City of the
Royal Mountain" which is a veritable
connecting link between the days gone
by and the days that are.
Like Quebec and ottawa, it has its
upper or newer town and lower or old
town. the newer portion being well
laid out and the old being built after
the French manner Here is the old
Canada side by side with the new,
here French Canada and English Cana
da come into close and perpetual con-
tact, and yet maintain their individ-
uality. The city is built upon series
of terraces which is supposed to be the
former levels of the noble st. Lawrence.
capped by Il mountain heavily wooded
over seven hundred feet above the
river. The river is one and half miles
wide opposite the city and its front is
lined for nearly two miles with lofty
of gray limestone, said to be unequeled
i'm the world except at Liverpool. Paris,
and st. Petersburg. The public and
largely the private buildings are built
of stone. Quarlied from the face of the
mountain. and the stranger Is i'm
pressed with their soldity and beauty
of architecture.
A CITY OF CgUHCHES.
10. ,,e
churches" taken together with the
converts and colleges are numerous
and magnificent structures. The Eng
liSh cathedral, the Jesuit church, st.
Peters church and the French cathe
dlal. NOtre Dame, are the most i'm.
pOrtant. Here are SeVenty-nine
churches of various denominations, the
Catholics largely i'm the ascendancy.
Mark Twain says he was never i'm a city
before, when one could not throw Il
brick bat without breaking a church
window In every quarter of the city
you will find churches, hospitals. con-
vents, and other pieces OSvreligiOus re-
treat, while on almost any thorough
fare YOU meet the hlack-robed repre-
sentativcs. both male and female, Of
her various ecclesiastical Institutions
The real estate owned by both orders
of the church in this paradise of the
Roman priesthood is of enormous
value. This denomination is also rich
i'm many educational and charitable in
stitutions located in various parts of
the city. Many of the hospitals and
converts supported by this church we
found well worth a visit, especially. the
Hospital of the Grey Nuns" founded
in 1853: the Hotel Dieu," founded in
1914, and the Seminary of St. Sulpce.
founded in 1861. Besides these, there
are numerous sisterhoods, asyiums,
schools, theological and secular. which
further manifest the zeal and devotion
of this denomination.
MASSIVE CATHEDRAI.S.
The Church of Notre Dame" is the
handsomest and most expensive and in
teresting structure ON the continent.
1t is modelled after the Cathedral Of
Mexico and cost $G,OOO.OOO. 1t is 255 feet
long ard - feet wide and has chan
Gel windOvr OF stained glass GA by - feet
in size. The principal towers are -
feet high and one of them contains q
chime of ten bells, the largest sig feet
in diameter, 81 feet high, weighing
about fifteen tons and representing "a
cost Of $4,000 1t is the largest bell in
America. This church will easily ac-
cOmmodate 10000 people. while $1,000
often obtain admttance. Its pillars. its
double rows of galleries, it's pulpit and
its altars, are marvel of decoration.
Ii surpasses in grandeur, beauty and
perfection of painting by the most gift
ed artists, any other structure in the
Dominion, if not on the continent.
The Cathedral of st. James the
Minor modelled after st. Peters at
Rome, and dedicated in 1894 is larger
and in some respects more imposing.
Its length is 3%3 feet by 222 feet in
breadth. Its height is 25S feet to the
top of the cross. which is is by IL feet
and weighs 1900 pounds. The dome
above this is los feet and the circum-
ference outside of the dome is 24O feet.
From ali ends of the city and the sur
rounding country this dome can be
seen. an object Of veneration to the Ca
madam and admiration to the visitor.
OF the Protestant churches. of which
there are Is Presbyterian. IA Episco-
pal. II Methodist. Baptists, etc. be-
sidas three Jewish Synagogues. the
Episcopal. Christ church cathedraD
the Presbyterian (St. Paul's church
and st. James Methodis) are the finest
structures and most important, while
st. Gabriel Presbyterian church. built
in 1872. is the oldest Protestant church
in Canada.
IT'S FOREIGN ASPECT.
In spite of its pearness to the United
States. as a city, Montreal has q thor
oushly foreign aspect. The population
within city limits is 10000 souls and
with its suburbs amounts to nearly 3OO.-
600. seventy per cent. of whom are
French Canadian and Catholics. the
rest being mainly of English origin. The
bright suburban villages are almost en-
tirely inhabited by Frenchmen and the
French language is extensively used.
Montreal is not only a religious city
but a literary city as well. for here are
several superior libraries that we visit
ed, namely. the McGill college library.
which contains $4,000 volumes: the Ad-
yocate'S library, with L. 900. the Pros