The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-03-01


III junction Of the St Charles ana
St Lawrence rivers. Old Quebec
reminds one OF the Mediterranean city
OF Gibraltar II YOU approach il 10y boat
and OF the American city of New or
leans II YOU enter The place by raj,
Travelling By way Of the S. Law.
renee takes the visitor through A beau
tiful harbor composed Of a great tidal
basin which is partially lined with
docks that speak OF great skill in en-.
cheering, and at one OF these the visi.
tor lands on narrow strip with the
water on one side and the steep ascent
TO the greater half OF the city on the
other.
IL is here that YOU imagine you are
scaling the rock OF Gibraltar when YOU
travel upward in search OF a lodging
place. Once up however YOU are sud.
denly transplanted into the atmo.
sphere OF New Orleans with its narrow
and crooked streets and its foreign
tongue. In the business section OF
Quebec there is one street which
cramps the pedestrian into a width Of
only four feet, and most OF it is all up
hill and down
But il is the language which first
holds the visitors attention. II was
as far back as the Treaty Of Paris in
1863, that France resigned all claims
10 her possessions In North America,
and yet three-fourths OF the people
-. 49,, 60
of a population OF over $4,000 souls.
The English heard is OF decided
French accent IL the churches there
is French, in the theaters and public
halls IL is French. and the same tongue
is taught in The public schools There
seems 10 be a natural prejudice against
the English language. though none can
tell you why. The people Of Quebec
are loyal British subjects when any
one questions ,heir nationality.
One thing, too, is very apparent
they possess that easygoing, care-free
disposition Of their Latin forefathers,
which extends TO great extent to the
English element also. Business in
Quebec makes no one hustle. Down
on the waterfront there is shipbuild.
ing and great deal OF shipping. but
they go easily with H. Quebec's har.
Dor is safe and SO commodious that
the largest vessels can ply 10 the
docks with perfect ease. There are
several lines which run direct from
there 10 the chief ports Of the world.
Back in the province where the
rivers become unnavgable for vessels
the timber men float their product
down tow"rd the city in RATS of logs
steered by redshirted logmen, who
turn them over 10 the steyedores at
the docks and make for the nearest
pint OF ale.
There is, too. a dry and bracing
air throughout the province that
makes the farmer glory In his prod.
uct. A rich, loamy soil responds
bountifully 10 his thing and his wag.
bns and carts come into the city we'll
loaded with cereals, hay, root crops,
Indian corn, hemp, flax and tobacco,
and although his season Is a short one,
he turns out a goodly portion OF ap.
pies, pums grapes and tomatoes.
Just below the city are the famous
falls OF Montmorcucy, which enter the
81. Lawrence They furnish all the
power that could b. desired and there
is consequently a string OF mills lin.
ing the banks. These turn the expor-
table crops into marketable wares. and
they are shipped abroad from Quebec
What Quebec sells 20 it's own citizens
are mostly the products OF its waters
but even then some OF the smoked
whitefish are sent into the United
States for sale.
But the old town has another kind
of business in which II prospers during
the summer months and fairly well
during the fall and winter months
Each year there is an influx OF thou.
sands OF American and foreign tour.
lists. A few years ago the structure
OF a great steel bridge began to creep
across the st. Lawrence. and II pleas.
ed the Canadians When II reached
two-thirds OF the way across and col.
iapsed their hopes fell with II, for 1t
was designed TO run the trainloads
of passengers and merchandise direct
from the United States into the city.
Immediately after the collapse work
began on the new structure and 90
Quebec's hopes are again rising.