Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-28

more time could not be spent in Ottawa
What We saw of 1t showed us city OF
SURPRISING beauty. There is an air OF ele-
CANT leisure. produced doubtless by the
presence of ''the court and the consequent
social atmosphere. The city is laid out
with wide streets. well paved and lighted.
and the buildings are of substantial and
artistic nature. I have referred In another
letter to this characteristic of the Cana
dians of building their towns to stay, with
an eye to the future and this is markedly
demonstrated In the case Of Ottawa.
Picturesquely Situated.
The picturesqueness of the situation of
Ottawa has been described a thousand
times since the explorer, Champlain. dis
covered and noted it's beauties. Champla:n
had left Montreal then called Vile Marie,
or a tour of discovery toward the unknown
wilderness of the west He and his COM
pan1ons padded up the Ottawa river, max
ing portages around the rapids, and always
entranced by the charm of river, woodland.
SKY and atmosphere. They followed that
natural system of waterways which after
ward became the main artery of communl-
cation between the coast and the western
country, and his mapping of the water
way made 1t possible to establish perma-
nent canoe route to the northwest.
Ottawa proper was born, in 1876, when
Col. BY arrived to superintend the con-
StructiOn of the Rideau canal. He built
barracks for his soldiers on the hill now
occupied by parliament house. A little town
sprung up and continued to grow, an ex-
tensive logging and lumber business gradu-
ally becoming established The Ottawa
river today is the natural outlet for the
great timber region Of the north and thou
sands of RATS are drifted down the river
on the spring floods, some of them coming
half thousand miles.
There are few traces of the old romantic
times of the French voyageurs, and there is
naught but legend Of the wilder days of the
raftsmen. The city of Ottawa is essential
ly OF modern creation and reflective of q
nigh type of civilization and culture. The
city naturally would appeal to Washing
ton1an, who would find here a trace of the
atmosphere of the American capital. Ii only
we could have the air they breathe in OF
tawa. and If only our eyes could hourly
witness the ravishing scenic prospect,
Washington would be the most delightful
spot in all creation. The Canadian capital,
however, may some time push us close
second AS the dominion grows, as grow it
must within the next quarter century, this
city will expand, and If upon the lines now
established it will be indeed an earthly
paradise.
Entertained at Camp
One incident of the stop at Ottawa Inn
pressed the visitors. We were invited to
visit the encampment of the 59th Regiment,
on the highlands above the river. Being
mcst Hospitality received by Col. Hodgkins,
bronzed hero of the Boer war, the party
assembled in the headquarters tent and
were regaled with (among other and diff
ferent things) a serenade by the Scots bag
pipe band. which played for our benefit.
Yankee Doodle Then headed by the
bagpipes, to the stirring tune of Cock of
the North,' we marched through the camp.
led by the colonel, and inspected the ad-
mirable equipment of this famous regiment.
With memory running back through
yicyfr IN ,f H.. Io
not recall any more picturesque and beau
tiful scene than the one presented to at
Ottawa-this camp on the heights, with the
lrxuriant background of green foliage,
fecked with the relocated soldiery NOV
ing about; the stately river sumbering at
our feet and beyond, the red sun sinking
behind the giant pines and fir trees of the
hills. N. .. Nj.