Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-19


The use OF the old world.
Nowadays the emblem OF the British Hon
HES over Montreal, but the population y
three-ouarters French; French. along with
Catholic Church IL about AZ important q
factor in municipal Affairs and in private
life as 1t was then. Only. q few days before
the party arrived in Montreal there oc-
CURED rather amusing little incident.
which Illustrates this fact very well indeed.
A priest In charge of one of the larger
churches noticed that the vesper serv'ce last
Sunday evening was very sltnfy attended.
most of the congregation had gone to a 30
cial function outside of town. He didn't
say much. but he did some tall thinking.
and after the service he pulled an .overcoat
over his surtout jammed soft hat over
his eyes and set out for the scene of the fes-
tivities. He found his parishioners having
mighty good time. and the good father
picked out a deserted corner and spent the
evening ''incog." But just when his care
free flock was about to depart he stepped
to the center Of the floor, threw of the coat
and Disgusting hat and waved his hand for
silence.
Down on your knees, my children" he
said. I'VE will pray that the sins of this
evening may be forgiven And the good
people of his flock dropped on their knees
and prayed. Then the priest took them all
back with him. not only to the city but to
the church. and kept them there in prayer
until the early morning.
Received With Open Arms
The members of the party were right
royalty received by the newspaper men
and the city authorities of Montreal. After
a brief stop at the Windsor Hotel, where
several acres OF fertile Canadian soil were
removed from the visitors. gilded chariot
on street car trucks came drifting into the
neighborhood and the party piled aboard
Tor visit to Dominion Park, the Coney
Island Of Montreal. The original Coney
may be all right in its way, but Dominion
Park has more different kinds Of foolish
amusements than. any other place in the
world. The French people of the city seem
TO like all sorts of devices that wiggle go
Sideways, jump up. and down and run
are guaranteed by the management to
make pirate seasick. The visitors took
them all in with disastrous results
II was not until this morning that the
strangers had chance to see the city in
detail and TO realize that it is one of the
most interesting as well one of the old
est cities on the American continent. Since
the day when the French governor laid
oown his arms to the English admiral the
city has been slowly but surely and sub
stantially building. and wonderful changes
nave taken place since the dark days re-
corded on a tablet in one of the churches
as the time when the red man burnt the
Wnlte man and the white man burnt the
red For the place has grown from a vii
iage of nifty sun-browned lodges In 1885 to
city Of 100000 people in 1906. with banks
and business houses that are famous in all
America and some of them over seas
The Bank of Montreal Is right in this
class The visitor doesn't have to inquire
whether this institution is sound and sane,
safe and conservative. All he has tc do is
to stand in the street In front of tn build
Ing and he will soak up the Impression Hike
a desk blotter II ever an Institution
looked like ready money this Is the one.
Appearances are not deceptive, either. for
there is more real cash in the vaults of this
institution. leaving aside other assets than
should be mentioned ofrhand by the light
minded.
Some Houses of History.
Among the old houses of history In the
town by far the most interesting is the
famous Chateau de Ramexay erected in
110S by one Claude OF that name some
time governor Of Montreal. 1t was later
known as Government House" and was
occupied by our own Gen Montgomery
during the time he held the city The
American congressional commission, COM
posed Of Franklin, Chase and Carroll sat
here for many days and nights unsuccess-
fully trying to persuade the Canadians to
join the thirteen states In their sincere eff
fort to kick King George on the shns The
ancient redoubts are there and much of the
old furnishings and many relics of other
days. The crumbling ruins of an old fort.
dismantled by the Americans in their march
to Montreal in 1775 and the old stone tower
that was the famous La Der mill in the
days of long ago are among the relics that
remind the tourist OF the time when the
tomahawk was the national costume and
scalping light diversion.
This afternoon the visitors were loaded
once more into the gilded chariot and run
out to Mount Royal Park, OF rather to the
foot of the mountain overlooking the city
TSt- IL IL
ascent Is made on a so-called cable road
that has the dual and delightful character
istics of an elevator and parachute. 1t
crawls slowly up the side of the mountain
on slant SO slight as to be hardly worthy
of the name. apparently holding on by its
teeth and toes. The cable that pulls 1t looks
about as thick as piece of Chinese clothes
line. OF course l knew that 1t had all
sorts of nafety clutches and things to make
accident impossible but conversation Ian
guished about the time the ascent was to
be made and l approached the engineer.
What kind of safety device have you
on this apparatus?" / inquired in highly
bored manner.
None" replied that genial soul. I'VE
have been thinking about putting one on
but there's no hurry. as we have never
had an accident yet"
1t was learned later that the park is not
popular, owing to the fact that the loop
the-loop apparatus and the gasoline air
ship haven't been adopted as household
pets as yet in this particular section of the
dominion The good people of Montreal
have the sympathy of the Washingto1ians.
The party got to the top. ell right but
decided some fourteen seconds after step
ping out on terra frma that they would
sleep up there rather than go back the same
way So the return was made In Open
faced street barges of a type peculiar to
Montreal.
Annexation Talk.
Once on top of Mount Royal the visitors
and their guides, President Slack and men,
bers of the local press club sat down to
luncheon amid most charming surround
ings as guests of the city of Montreal 1t
was not noted that the digestive apparatus
was impaired by the scenery. The occasion
was entirely informal but, OF course, there
was considerable talking after the inner
man had been satisfied. The king and
own T. R. were right royalty toasted and
the visitors were welcomed to the city and
to the country by Alderman White on be-
half of the mayor. Mr. White was sorry he
couldn't present the visitors with the key
of the city, but II can only be carried on
a four-horse truck he didn't have II handy.
They made ,nngs to last in those days OF
long ago. Lots of other folks made brief
speeches. Alderman LaVellee genial
French Canadian, long on enthusiasm and
short on English, made the eagle. or what
ever other loud voiced bird they have in