Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-26


the mountains in the distance, for you
know have not been west long
enough to become blase to the mag
Curious Laws.
From Montreal man on the boat
we learned some curious facts in re-
gard to Canadian realty Many of the
property owners today still pay trib-
ute to the heirs of the estates of the
old seigneurs, who were in the early
days the large land holders of Canada
Business houses in the heart of Mon
treal are included in this. He told us
of his own business establishment. for
example. the seigneurity of which had
long since passed into the hands of
a nunnery, yet they were still required
to pay some $4,000 twice a year as
tribute. This continues Indefinitely,
and unless some settlement is made
by the owner of the property, the trib-
ute must be paid to the heirs of
the estate for all time to come. He
told us that his firm was endeavoring
to compromise with the seigneurity,
and thus close the account, but found
even this difficult matter.
Quaint Vancouver.
1t was 1880 in the morning when
we reached Vancouver, thriving city.
en- the mainland of British Columbia.
This was a complete change from raw,
bustling Seattle. 1t is a quaint burg,
oddly unlike our American cities. Here
we saw the correct Englishmen. And
the Englishwomen too, who lack so not
1ceably the spring, or shall | call it
dash OF American girls But these Ca
madam girls have clear. white com
pleXions and brilliant red cheeks. and
they tan beautifully. But oh. their
panamas! They say you can tell an
American from an Englishman because
the American wears his panama hat
br1m pulled down in front and the Eng
lishman wears his bent down in the
back. We found this very true and the
Canadian girls follow the English Gus
tom OF wearing their panama hats
bent severely down at the back. and
with some the custom is extremely
unbecoming.
Keep to the Left.
Here we noticed another peculiari-
ty. The street cars and vehicles all
Keep to the left side of the street or
road, until, as Americans. we came to
the conclusion that when they are
going wrong here they are going
right Our stop in Victoria was until
one O'Clock, so we could see little be-
sides the business part of the city,
returning on the afternoon boat to Vic
toria, British Columbia.
Stad Victoria.
Victoria is said to be by far the
more English of the two cities. Here
we put up" as the Englishman saws.
at the Hotel Driard. Everything was
severely English, and our rooms were
large, lofty, barn-like apartments with
heavy, old-time furnishings. The at.
PENDANTS were soft-footed Chinese.
Inc climate in Victoria is very re.
taxing. The temperature is said to
stay within the limit Of 80 degrees
above zero in summer to 2 degrees
above in winter. The cold, however,
is very trying on account of the damp.
ness of the atmosphere.
Exclusive Homes,
In the afternoon we took the tally.
no ride around the city, and then we
1elt that we were truly in a foreign
land. The streets in the best resi-
dence portion are like our country
roads. Exclusiveness is written all
over the Victoria homes: thew stand
in trinity kept gardens, where a riot
OF roses and other flowers make one
gaze in establishment. But they are
cut off completely from the road ar
street, by high hedge fences of laurel.
ivy or hawthorne These hedges are
beautiful and seclude the home com
pletely, seeming to say "The English
mans home is his CASTLE
"Your hedges are beautiful, but why
DO you hide so completely the fine
grounds that surround your homes?"
| asked the driver. typical Canadian.
We'll, that is the English idea" he
said. Some one told our mayor not
long ago that he ought to take down
his fence and thus set the example,
but he answered. No Then would
have every one looking in my windows
to see Just exactly what l am eating .
The roadways are beautiful, too, and
often bordered with masses Of Scotch
broom, a pretty shrub originally
brought from Scotland. We were
driven into the grounds of Carey castle,
the residence of the lieutenant COVER
nor. This is a beautiful place. but of
rather recent date. the old Carey cas-
tie having burned down three years
ago. However, even the new buildings
here have an antique look. The en-
trance of the castle is like that of a
cathedral, built of heavy stone, while
the wings on either side are of brick
in the residence design. Lieutenant
Governor Joley resides here all alone
an old man surrounded by his SER
wants. The castle is the scene of much
of the social gaiety of the city.
We caught a glimpse through the
trees of Dunsmuir castle, the home of
the family of wealthy coal mine
owner now deceased From here we
were driven down to the harbor along
fine English roads, and saw what truly
a barren, rock bound coast could be.
In the Parliament Hall.
The Parliament building interested
me most and here we descended from