The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-14


is rapidly acquiring popularity with
visitors from the states. More
Americans than usual are here and
they are coming from greater dis
tances. Their appreciation of Mon
treal is not so much due to its be-
ing a picturesque old metropolis
and the fifth city of North America,
of which fact Montreal is not little
proud. It is chiefly prohibition
which is sending the extra visitors
and which is bringing Montreal
into fame as the second most cheer
full place in the western hemisphere
of course, being the first
Last year, Montreal was even
more cheerful than it now is. Then
liquor was not restricted to beer
and wines, and Montreal entertain
ed one convention after another,
until it threatened to become the
convention center of the continent.
But even now, with the province OF
Quebec limited as to variety OF
drinks, il is as an oasis in desert,
Ontario next door, being quite dry.
1t is said that Montreal will take
advantage of its popularity to re-
vive its sports, neglected since the
war, when 81, GOO OF its young men
departed to the front, and that it
will try to become a winter resort.
The Montrealers insist that their
section of the country is not land
of chattering teeth in winter, but
an ideal, bracing climate. Five or
10 below zero, they claim, marks
the depth of the average cold winter
day, and from this level the Their
mometer rises some 10 or Is de-
gress in the middle of the day. 1t
is a dry cold with little humidity to
make the chill penetrating. Mon
treal is not. the only Canadian city
that would like to make winter
sports the fashion and itself the
Lucerne of America. But with its
special attractions for Americans,
Montreal is the most favorably sit
uated just now. If any Canadian
able to start fad of skiing, ice
and sleighing among the
first families OF the United States.
Montreal, however, is not depend
ent on either liquor or the air cas-
tie. OF a winter sport trade for its
1t is, among various
other things, a center of the fur
trade, and stronghold Of the con-
vent school business where the best
French accents come from.
The fur houses are down near the
wharves. Tall warehouses make
canyons of the narrow, dingy
streets. A big building here and
there displays a few furs as a per-
functory sign, but mostly there are
only the names of the companies for
advertising. The buyers know their
territory.
The Fur Section.
To find the furs you have to go
upstairs in one of these big whole
sale houses where the buyers for
the retail trade do business. A long
room is lined on one side with deep
racks of expensive furs, protected,
and divided into cupboards, by red
velvet curtains.
On the other side the length of
the room is divided into aIcoves
with partitions reaching nearly to
the ceiling. Each alcove has its
gray wicker chair and table where
a buyer can sit unobserved by the
others and note the styles he
wishes to purchase. Between the
buyers and the racks of dark furs,
the models parade, twirling and
to show off the silky
richness of the costly mink, sable
and seal.
Furs from all over Canada pour
INTO Montreal and from here are
scattered abroad. Some pieces,
few in the bulk of
he trade, are carried to the United
States by feminine visitors to Can
ida. The rate of exchange is an
attraction, and then too there are
said to be alluring bargains in furs
here, especially down in the whole |
sale district.
The products of the convent /!
schools are as interesting to A !
stranger as furs. Outside of school |
hours little bands of convent school !
children can be seen walking Sc !
lately along the streets, sometimes |
With black or brown robed sister |
n charge. The girls wear a black !
inform with high neck and long |
sleeves, and generally with some |
sort of stiff white collar and cuffs. !