Mower County transcript., 1900-09-05

Imitation of st Peters at Rome. 1t
will seat about 4,OOO and Is solid and
neat rather than gaudy. But what
attracts is the rich collections .of
paintings upon it's walls, some OF the
most remarkable and valuable objects
of art on this continent. These were
mostly secured by Canadian priests in
France after the reign of terror in
1893, when the mobs pillaRed the
churches and monasteries in their
madness. Here are genuine Van
Dycks. Fleurets, Lebrums, Marettis
and others equally famous of the old
masters, two or three of which would
bring a fortune. A famous VanDyck
shows the Son of God on the cross.
The magnificent canvass of the I'm
maculate Conception over the high
altar is supposed to be a genuine
Lebrum.
We also visited some OF the old
French markets, dating back cen.
turtles, and reminding US OF the "a
nous markets in New Orleans.
At the parliament house we were
presented to the lieutenant-g governor,
Hon. L. A. Jette, and lunched with
him. The parliament house and de-
partmental buildings are among the
finest public buildings in Canada.
They are Of massive stone, finished in
1887, forming a perfect square, 800
feet in length. From the main tower,
facing tbe city, the view is unrivalled.
Not far away are Wolfe's monument
and the Plains of Abraham. The
broken ground and the artificial
mounds are remnants of the old
French earthworks. The Martello
towers we're outposts of the citadel 70
years ago. The steep and narrow
path is Still pointed out upon the face
Of the rocky precipice where Gen.
Wolfe, under cover of the famous
September night, led his devoted army
to the scene of bis heroic death and
victory. One Of the best golf links in
Canaoa is now laid out on these
plains. In this section of the city are
many of the finest residences, tnclud-
ing Marchmount, Wolfesfeld and
other private estates Of great beauty.
Opposite the parliament house is the
large new drill hall and in front the
Short -Wallick monument. Two miles
out IS Spencer Wood, the official resi-
dence Of the lieutenant governor. We
returned to Dufferin terrace along
the brow OF the cliff over Cove Field
and down along the outer walls Of
the citadel.
We took the electric car out eight
miles to the far-famed falls of Mont
morenci, nearly a hundred feet higher
than those Of Niagara, the water leap
ing 250 feet over the face OF the rock
in perpendicular fall. 1t furnishes
power for the electric lights and street
railway system of Quebec. The seem
cry along the way is fine, including
views of the St. Lawrence and Isle Of
Orleans, of historic BEAUFORT aud
many old manors. One curious feat.
ure along the way is the fact that the
farm houses are all on the road, the
farms running back in narrow strips
for a mile or more. This leaves all
the houses where they are close to.
qether and with one road to clear of
snow in the winter. When we were
there, the farmers were hayinR,, it
having rained for five weeks previous.
Wheat and oats were still green and
not ready to cut. Corn does not ma
ture and what was raised was for
roasting ears and silo. Raspberries
and blueberrles we're in plentiful
bearing. We saw some fine herds of
Herefords and Ayrshlres.
Quebec is quite manufacturing
city, having thir ty-two shoe factories
in operation, besides others. Forty
years ago its harbor and wharves were
crowded with shipping and vessels,
but today commerce has greatly
diminished on account of Montreal's
competition. But Jim Hill is build.
ing a mammoth elevator here and
new connections are being made and
it is believed that Quebec, the head
of tide water on the St. Lawrence,
aud accessible to ocean vessels of all
draughts, will soon regain her com.
mercial supremacy. It is 500 miles
nearer to Liverpool than is New York.
The foundations of a mammoth new
bridge across the st. Lawrence are
now going in. -.' -
Space forbids more of Quebec. The
day spent here was q marked one.
The old walls and gates, the fortifica-
tions, the quaint houses In town and
country said to resemble so much
those Of the old French provinces of
Normandy and Picardy, the narrow
streets and market places, the monu-
ments, the hills We climbed, the
quaint caleches, the magnificent views
from terrace and bluff. the cathedrals
and ancient churches, the works Of
art, all along side of and in contrast
with the chateau Frontenac. the ele-
CANT public buildings, Laval univer-
stty with its treasures of art and mu-
scum. the fine stores, the beautiful
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