XXX. NATIONAL ORIGINS OF THE POPULATION
1834, THE YEAR OF THE SIMULTANEOUS ORIGIN OF THE EARLIEST NATIONAL SOCIETIES.
ST. JEAN BAPTISTE ASSOCIATION--REORGANIZATION IN 1843--THE “MONUMENT NATIONAL”--EDUCATION AND SOCIAL AMELIORATIONS--THE FRENCH-CANADIAN SPIRIT--PRESIDENTS.
ST. GEORGE’S SOCIETY--A CELEBRATION IN 1821--OBJECT--EARLIEST OFFICERS--THE HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE’S HOME--PRESIDENTS.
ST. ANDREW’S SOCIETY--ORGANIZATION AND FIRST OFFICERS--JOINT PROCESSIONS OF NATIONAL SOCIETIES--EARLIEST CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES--THE HEALTH OF THE POPE--THE LORD ELGIN INCIDENT--THE CRIMEAN WAR--SUBSCRIPTION TO A PATRIOTIC FUND--THE HISTORY OF ST. ANDREW’S HOME BEGINS--THE HISTORY OF ST. ANDREW’S HALL--CONDOLENCE ON DEATH OF D’ARCY MCGEE--PRESIDENTS.
ST. PATRICK’S SOCIETY--ORIGINALLY NON-DENOMINATIONAL--EARLY PRESIDENTS--THE REORGANIZATION IN 1856--FIRST OFFICERS--FIRST SOIREE--FIRST ANNIVERSARY DINNER--NATIONAL SOCIETIES PRESENT--THE TOASTS--IRISH COMPANIES IN CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION--IRISH PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION--T. D’ARCY M’GEE--EMIGRATION WORK--ST. PATRICK’S HALL--PRESIDENTS.
IRISH PROTESTANT BENEVOLENT SOCIETY--EARLY MEMBERS--WORKS--PRESIDENTS.
GERMAN SOCIETY--HISTORY AND PRESIDENTS.
WELSH SOCIETY--ORIGINALLY THE “WELSH UNION OF MONTREAL”--AFTERWARD--ITS OBJECT--PRESIDENTS.
NEWFOUNDLAND SOCIETY--ORIGIN--PRESIDENTS.
THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT--- THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
OTHER NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CENSUS OF POPULATION FOR 1911.
The history of the diverse elements of the population may be best told through that of their representative national societies. About 1834 the peculiar political crisis through which the country was passing turned the thoughts of the racial leaders of the various component parts of the city towards self-preservation. Politically there were the two camps, the Anglo-Saxon Community and the Franco-Canadians. Already there was in existence for the Anglo-Canadian party the “Constitutional Association,” but this was not felt to be adequate without the additional strength of strictly national societies on patriotic lines. Hence the St. George’s, St. Patrick’s, St. Andrew’s and the German Societies were formed almost simultaneously. Racially the motive of self-preservation was stimulated by the necessity of meeting the needs of the now increasing flow of immigrants from their respective fatherlands, who looked for some institution to give them a welcoming hand on reaching the city. The association of St. Jean Baptiste representing French Canadian interests had the same dual object, fraternity and benevolence, and the charters of all resemble one another very much in this last respect. Latterly other associations have been formed and cooperate in the welfare of the city. All of these associations representing the diverse sections of the community, are in harmony with one another and preserve the principles of “Concordia Salus.”
ST. JEAN BAPTISTE SOCIETY
The basis of the association of St. Jean Baptiste was laid by Ludger Duvernay on June 24, 1834, in the critical period when the seeds were being sown to fructify in the years of rebellion of 1837-38. The date named was the occasion of a banquet which was held in Mr. John McDonnell’s garden on St. Antoine Street, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Jacques Viger, then mayor of Montreal. The basis of a French Canadian National Society was then laid. The ends of the society were to unite all French Canadians for fraternal purposes, for union, and for the promotion of the national and industrial interests of all French Canadians and the members of the Association in particular. The annual subscriptions were to be employed in works of beneficence, assisting members affected by adversity or sickness, and burying those who died in poverty.
The sorrows of 1837 suspended the annual celebration of the national fête and, owing to the exile of M. Ludger Duvernay and several of the others who had been proscribed, the work of reorganization did not recommence until the former’s return in 1842. On June 9, 1843, the first general assembly met for reorganization in a hall in St. Ann’s market, under the chairmanship of the Hon. D.B. Viger, with George Etienne Cartier as secretary.
The city was divided into four sections for the operation of their works of beneficence. Each section was to have, subject to annual elections, three vice presidents, a treasurer, two secretaries and four teachers. In addition the association was to have the following officers elected annually: A president, four vice presidents, a treasurer, four secretaries, four teachers and a “commissaire ordinateur.” The minutes of this meeting of 1843 reveal the following elections:
1. Section de La Ville (embracing the limits of the city as then known). President: The Hon. D.B. Viger. Vice Presidents: Joseph Roy, E.R. Fabre, James McGill Desrivières, Jean Bruneau. General Treasurer: Joseph Boulanger. Secretaries: Joseph Belle, L.O. Lamoureux, M. Martel C. Roy. Commissaire Ordonnateur: General manager, Ludger Duvernay.
2. Section St. Antoine (comprising St. Ann, St. Joseph and St. Antoine suburbs and the adjoining districts). Vice Presidents: John Donegani, E.M. Leprohon, O. Frechette. Treasurer: Damase Masson. Secretary: Agapit Morin.
3. Section St. Laurent (comprising the St. Lawrence suburb and adjoining district). Vice Presidents: Augustin Perrault, Joseph Vallée, Fleury St. Jean. Treasurer: Meneclier de Monochon. Secretaries: A. Gauthier, M. Pommainville.
4. Ste. Marie (comprising the St. Louis and Quebec suburbs and the adjoining districts). Vice Presidents: L.M. Viger, Joseph Grenier, Pierre Damour. Treasurer: Louis Boyer. Secretaries: J.P.A. Poitras, C.A. Leblanc.
In addition a general committee was appointed for the association of the following: Joseph Bourret, C.S. Cherrier, B.H. LeMoyne, A.M. Deslisle, Jacques Viger, P. Beaubien, C.S. Rodier, G.E. Cartier, J.D. Bernard, John Jordan, P. Lacombe, François Perrin, O. Berthelet, J.G. Barthe, A. Laframboise, John McDonnell, Louis Comte, J.A. Berthelet, N. Dumas, J.A. Labadie, P. Jodoin, R. Trudeau, J.L. Beaudry, Hubert Lepage.
On the 24th of June of the following year, 1844, the feast of St. Jean Baptiste, the national fête, was celebrated in the manner now customary, a solemn high mass at Notre Dame Parish Church was followed by an imposing procession and succeeded by patriotic discourses on love of country and brotherhood. The association has continued with success to the present day.[1]
Some of the developments of the association may be recorded.
In 1873 Mr. L.O. David took the lead in inviting the French National Societies of Canada and the United States to join that of the St. Jean Baptiste Society at Montreal on the 24th of June of 1874 in a striking demonstration. This was realized. It was the occasion of many fruitful ideas for further development which were to bear fruit in time. Thus when there was question in 1884 of celebrating the fiftieth anniversary, Mr. L.O. David proposed the foundation of a national headquarters for French-Canadians. As a result land was bought for the purpose at the corner of Craig and Gosford streets, and the celebration of the 24th of June, 1884, included the laying of a foundation stone of the new building. Financial difficulties delayed further progress, but in 1886 Dr. E.P. Lachapelle, the president, took up the project anew. In the following year Mr. L.O. David, who was a member of the legislative assembly at Quebec, obtained a new charter and prevailed upon the Mercier government to give $10,000 for the construction of the building. Further money was raised by bazaars, concerts and by shares, till the money reached the round sum of $50,000. In 1890 the land on the present site of the “Monument National” was purchased on St. Lawrence Main Street. The foundations of the edifice were laid in the spring of 1901 and the work was completed in 1903. The name desired by its founders was the “Académie Nationale,” but popular desire centered on “Monument National” as the name which best expressed the demonstration of the sentiment of French-Canadian patriotism underlying the movement. Before completion, the cost of the building, apart from the purchase money for the site, rose to $200,000. The resources of the financial committee and of the two treasurers of the association, MM. A.S. Hamelin and J.C. Beauchamp, were highly taxed for a long period. It will be seen that in the early conception of the functions of the association popular education held a foremost part, hence the constitutions provided for “Precépteurs.” The first move, therefore, was to establish the public free courses in instruction which are maintained today with such efficiency of development.
The following courses were first instituted: Mines and metallurgy; industrial mechanics; architecture and building; electricity; universal history; commerce; elocution; agriculture and colonization; and Grammaire Parlée. A dramatic section to promote a taste for the purity of French was early added and under the name of “Soirée de famille” represented most of the masterpieces of the French drama. These are now discontinued, the movement being taken up elsewhere, but the courses have been continually improved and modernized to meet the requirements of the hour. The association has pioneered many progressive educational movements.
At present it is concentrating its attention on the amelioration of the social conditions of the French-Canadian population. In 1912 it played a leading part in the organization of the very successful Child Welfare exhibition, the first of its kind in Canada. The seal of the association “Rendre le peuple meilleur” indicates its national scope. The chief philanthropic work of a national description, founded by the association about 1899, has been the “Caisse Nationale d’Economie,” by which, through the means of an annual subscription and slight monthly payments, a system of old-age pensions or funds to meet emergencies of disablement has been elaborated and has proved wonderfully successful under the management of Mr. Arthur Gagnon.
Outside the material and intellectual functions indicated, the aim of the association has always been the preservation of the French-Canadian spirit. An extract from a speech delivered on the occasion of a St. Jean Baptiste day celebration about 1901, by the Hon. Israël Tarte, then minister of public works, will indicate this: “This manifestation,” he said, “of our patriotism cannot surely cause umbrage to our fellow citizens of diverse national origin surrounding us. Moreover our enemies are becoming scarcer. Today the assimilation of races is out of the question. No one any longer dreams of it, for the assimilation would deprive the country of a stimulus of the first importance, an interesting characteristic. It would cause the healthy (bien entendu) rivalry to disappear between the two races in the domain of study, the arts, commerce, industry and all that appertains to the intellectual and material advancement of our beautiful country. I am a partisan of the union of hearts and minds for the development of our Canadian, fatherland. Whatever the language we speak, whatever the altar we kneel at in prayer and adoration to God, we ought all to practice the cult of country. The English represent the genius of commerce, the art of making a fortune, the distinctive characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon race. We, on this continent, represent some of the virtues which have distinguished the French race from all time, generosity, the love of belles lettres and of good taste and Gallic gaiety and enthusiasm which are the heritage of France and have been the inspiring cause of so many noble actions inscribed in the annals of history.” In conclusion he said: “I know no country more beautiful than our own; I know no happier people in the world than the French-Canadians: remain such! Let us proclaim it on high, for our race is the equal of any at present existing under the sun. There is my last word.”
The original charter has been modified.
In 1903, on St. Jean Baptiste day, a national religious banner was adopted, recalling the memories of Carillon. It has a blue background, fleurdelisé, and bearing a large white cross with the emblem of the Sacred Heart in the middle of maple leaves. This was prepared by the Rev. E. Filiatrault and adopted by many of St. Jean Baptiste Association. It was a protest against those who, while desiring a flag to recall their French origin and their national sentiments, had used the tri-colored flag of modern France faute de mieux, although the ideas conveyed by it did not represent the ancient regime under which the French-Canadians had sprung. The fleur de lys of the past represents the sentiment of their descendants today, rather than does the modern tri-color.
The list of presidents contains many distinguished names.
1834 Jacques Viger 1843-44 Hon. D.B. Viger 1845 Hon. M. Masson 1846-47 Hon. A.M. Morin 1848-49 Hon. M. Bourret 1850 E.R. Fabre 1851-52 Ludger Duvernay 1853 C.S. Cherrier 1854-55 Sir G.E. Cartier 1856-57 J.B. Meilleur 1858 Damase Masson 1859 Dr. P. Beaubien 1860 Hon. J.A. Quesnel 1861 R. Trudeau 1862 Hon. de Beaujeu 1863 Olivier Berthelet 1864 T. Bouthillier 1865-66 Hon. P.J.O. Chauveau 1867-68 C.E. Leblanc 1869-70 Hon. G. Ouimet 1871 C.S. Rodier 1872-73 Hon. J. Coursol 1874 Sir A.A. Dorion 1875 Jacques Grenier 1876 Louis Archambault 1877-78 T.P. Rottot 1879 Hon. J.B. Rolland 1880 Hon. T.J.D. Loranger 1881 N. Bourassa 1882 Hon. L. Beaubien 1883 Jérémie Perrault 1884 Hon. T.J.D. Loranger 1885-86 A. Ouimet 1887 E.P. Lachapelle 1888-94 L.O. David 1895-98 Honorable Loranger 1899-1903 Hon. F.L. Beique 1905 H. Laporte 1907-10 J.C. Beauchamp 1910 Thomas Gauthier 1912 Olivar Asselin
ST. GEORGE’S NATIONAL SOCIETY
St. George’s National Society became such in 1834. But previously Englishmen good and true had rallied together on St. George’s day years before. The following account of a celebration in 1821 will therefore be interesting:
“Monday last being the day consecrated to the titular Saint of old England, and, what bestows on it nearly as great a distinction, being that appointed for the celebration of our most gracious Sovereign’s Nativity, a royal salute was at one o’clock fired on the Champ de Mars by the troops in Garrison, and a holiday was observed at both the Banks. (Montreal Bank, and Bank of Canada.)
“In the evening, natives of the Mistress of the Ocean joined at the Neptune Inn, when the evening was passed in social festivity in the expression of the loyal sentiments stamped in the bosom of every Briton, in toasts to the prosperity of the British Empire, and to the happiness of the illustrious family at its head.
“The dinner given at the Neptune Inn, kept by Geo. Casser, situate at the corner of St. Joseph Street, (now St. Sulpice) opposite the Montreal Steamboat landing place, was an excellent one provided for the occasion, to which the Sons of St. George, in large numbers, sat down precisely at 5 o’clock p. m.
“The utmost harmony and decorum prevailed throughout. A transparent painting ‘Combating the Dragon,’ done by Mr. Thomas Honey, was among the most conspicuous decorations of the room. In the course of the evening, when the circling glass had excited a high degree of hilarity, the gaiety of the moment was increased by a few well-selected songs accompanied by appropriate and patriotic toasts, among which the following few were given and received with enthusiasm:--The King, God bless him; Queen Caroline; The Duke of York and the Royal Family; England and the Day we celebrate; Our worthy Governor, the Earl of Dalhousie; Sir Peregrine Maitland and our Sister Province (Upper Canada); Lady Dalhousie and the Canadian Fair; may the Rose, Thistle and Shamrock ever entwine; the Duke of Wellington and the Army of Great Britain; Capt. Byner and our Navy; Trade and prosperity to the Canadas; Colonel De Salaberry and the surviving heroes of Chateauguay; Colonel Burer and the Garrison of Montreal; May the seeds of dissention never find growth in the soil of Great Britain; the immortal memory of Nelson (in silence); Colonel Morrison and the surviving heroes of Chrysler’s farm; Captain Broke and the surviving tars of the ‘Shannon’; the liberal heart that gives, and the tender heart that forgives; may the sins of our forefathers descend upon our foes; firmness in the Senate, valour in the field and fortitude on the waves; The Constitution of Great Britain--a pattern to the world.
“At a late hour the company separated, highly gratified with their entertainment.”
Although therefore Britishers had naturally, since the beginning of the English régime often combined, the St. George’s National Society as such was also born at a time when racial feeling ran high, and preceded the rebellion of 1837, being founded in 1834. Its first quarterly meeting was held on January 10, 1835, with a membership of forty-eight. On the cover of its first printed constitution and by-laws it is stated that the society was organized in the city of Montreal for the purpose of relieving brethren in distress, and in the introduction thereto feelings are expressed which indicate that the founders were indeed animated by the keenest sympathies and sincerest desires to aid unfortunate English people in the city at the time, expressing sentiments of intense patriotism. In an original introduction, dated December 19, 1834, it can be seen that its intention was to uphold in Canada a union of Britons to cherish in the descendants of Englishmen, Scotchmen and Irishmen born in the colony their veneration for everything British and their attachment for British laws and British rule and of holding out the hand of welcome and of brotherly love and charity to those numerous and frequently distressed countrymen whom the pressure of a superabundant population is annually forcing to emigrate to this distant land.
A pamphlet published in 1855 gives a list of the earliest officers at the foundation of St. George’s Society as follows: President, Hon. George Moffatt; first vice president, George Gregory, Esq.; second vice president, John Molson, Jr., Esq.; treasurer, Frederick Griffin; secretary, Samuel Tubby; assistant secretary, Arthur C. Webster; first physician, Thomas Walter Jones, M.D.; stewards, James Holmes, Edward S. Maitland, Charles Penner, Teavill Appleton, Isaac Valentine, William Snaith; charitable committee, Benjamin Hall, George Weatherel, Henry Corse, John Platt, Turton Penn; committee of accounts, Albert Furness, Benjamin Smith, Joseph Shuter, Hon. G. Moffatt, S. Gerrard, George Gregory, A.H. Griffin, Joseph Shuter, John Molson, Jr., George Crew Davies, H.W. Jackson, Benjamin Hale, W. Badgely, J. Henry Lambe, Edward J.S. Maitland, John P. Ashton, William Bradbury, W. Hall, George Weatherit, H.G. Webster, Chilion Ford, William Sharp, Thomas W. Jones, M.D., Isaac Valentine, Albert Furness, John Platt, Samuel Tubby, Charles B. Radenhurst, F. Griffin, James Duncan Gibb, T. Appleton, William Stephens, Thomas Philips, Hon. John Molson, John Jones, Thomas B. Wragg, Charles Penney, John Carter, Turton Penn, M. Radiger, Benjamin Ansell, James Holmes, William Pring, John Millichap, Henry Dyer, R.H. Hamilton, William Snaith, Henry Corse, Benjamin Smith.
The records of the first twenty years were destroyed by fire. By 1856 it had a membership of 147 and in the year of incorporation, 1861, it was increased to 170. During the presidency of Mr. John Leeming, 1867-8-9, the home on St. Antoine Street was built at a cost of $14,000. The Society has steadily kept to its purpose as a national society and has treated the immigration question theoretically and practically during its long career having demonstrated beyond dispute that the society has lived up to its original principles. In 19--the Society purchased a new home on Lagauchetière and Cathedral streets to meet the increasing demands on its charitable usefulness. It has two days in the year especially observed, that of Christmas eve, when a distribution of good things for the poor takes place, and that of April 23d, the feast of St. George, when conviviality reigns at the annual banquet to which the official representative of the other National Societies is invited.
The following gentlemen have served as president for the Society since its formation:
1834-35-36-37 The Hon. George Moffat 1838 The Hon. John Molson 1839-40-41 The Hon. George Moffat 1842-43 The Hon. Wm. Badgley 1844-45 Henry Griffin 1846-47 Charles Penner 1848 C.H. Cassels 1849-50 W.F. Coffin 1851 John Jones 1852-53 John Dyde 1854-55 T. W, Jones, M.D. 1856 H.H. Whitney 1857 Henry Bulmer 1858 James Parkin 1859-60 Robert Hart Hamilton 1861 John Lewis 1862-63 The Hon. George Moffat 1864-65-66 J.J. Day, Q.C. 1867-68-69 John Leeming 1870-71 W.H. Clare 1872-73 C.J. Brydges 1874-75 Nathan Mercer 1876-77-78 John Kerry 1879-80 Edward Rawlings 1881-82 T.H. Hodgson 1883-84-85 The Hon. J.K. Ward 1886-87 W.D. Stroud 1888-89 J.H. Redfern 1890-91 C.P. Sclater 1892-93 F. Stancliffe 1894-95 F. Wolferstan Thomas 1896-97 Joseph Richards 1898-99 William Nivin 1900-01-02 H.A. Hodgson 1903-04 A.W. Grant 1905-06 A.W. Abater 1907 R.S. Clift 1908 W.H. Trenholme
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1909 R. Meredith 1910 James Mitchell 1911 James Mitchell 1912 Robert Beckerdike 1913 F.W. Mitchell 1914 C A. Jacques
ST. ANDREW’S SOCIETY
Scotchmen have ever been clannish. They early formed their Scotch church on St. Gabriel’s Street and were a distinct national factor in the community, as the lists of names of the North West Company will attest, but their National Association, St. Andrew’s Society, arose thus:
On Monday, December 1, 1834, upwards of one hundred leading Scotchmen met at the Albion Hotel in the rear of the theatre to celebrate St. Andrew’s day, the ecclesiastical feast having been celebrated on the Sabbath previously. During the dinner, in consequence of strong national feeling, it was resolved to form a national society for fraternity and benevolence. The stewards of this meeting met on January 17th and a sub-committee of Messrs. Adam Ferrie, William Ritchie, William Edmonstone, Archibald Hume, Robert Armour, Jr., and William Wilson, Jr., was appointed to draw up a constitution. That of St. Andrew’s Society of New York became the model. A general gathering of the Scotch of the town was then called to attend a meeting in the North West building on St. Gabriel Street on the 6th of February, 1835. The chair was taken by the Hon. Peter McGill and a constitution was adopted. On March 9th a meeting was held in Mr. John Fisher’s premises on St. Paul Street, when the following office bearers were elected to serve till November 30, 1835: President, Hon. Peter McGill; first vice president, Adam Ferrie; second vice president, John Boston; treasurer, Charles Tait; secretary, William Edmonstone; chairman committee of management, J. Redpath.
The members in the first year numbered nearly three hundred. One of the first public acts of the association was to accept the invitation of the German Society to march in procession with them, and St. George’s and St. Patrick’s societies, to the Protestant Episcopal church on August 3d, it being “their anniversary.”
At this time an arrangement was entered into by these four national societies for a general procession on each national festival day. At the anniversary meeting of November 30th, held in the morning, the Earl of Selkirk was, at his own request, proposed and elected a life member. The society, followed by the other national societies, then marched to St. Gabriel’s Church, where the sermon was preached by the Reverend Mr. Esson. In the evening the banquet took place at Rasco’s Hotel, when 150 members and guests dined together. The annual dinner and the public procession of November 30, 1837, were omitted, this being the year of the civil rebellion of which the first act took place on November 6th, in the collision of “Fils de la Liberté” and the British residents of Montreal. The members of St. Andrew’s Society being all Loyalists, were immediately put under arms and performed military duty. At the magistrates’ request that the usual procession should be omitted in the disturbed portion of the country and in the excited state of the public mind, this was done, but it was hoped to hold the annual dinner. This was also found impossible, since on account of the regular military being withdrawn from the city, most of the members were on guard. About thirty, however, made arrangements for supper, at Orr’s Hotel, which took place.
Although another rebellion broke out on November 3, 1838, much less danger was anticipated, so the anniversary festival was observed, both with a procession and the annual dinner, but after the commencement of the rebellion of 1837 the custom of the national association of joining in each other’s anniversary processions was discontinued.
At the quarterly meeting of February, 1839, the Right Reverend Mr. McDonnell, Roman Catholic bishop of Kingston, was elected an honorary member.
In 1841, the first opportunity was offered of assisting destitute Scotchmen, outside the city. In September an application from Mr. Morris, president of the emigrant association of the district of St. Francis, applied for pecuniary aid for a body of 229 utterly destitute immigrants recently arrived from the island of Lewis (Scotland). A collection of £234 14s. 6d. was accordingly forwarded. The following year relief was granted to the Rev. John Taylor of Lachine to assist the Scotch immigrants who survived the very sad accident on Lake St. Louis when a small high pressure steamer, called the “Shamrock,” having burst her boiler shortly after leaving Lachine, sank almost immediately on account of the force of the steam which blew the bow completely out of the boat. Another opportunity for developing their charitable work was afforded in 1846 when, owing to the severity of this winter, a special collection was taken up to relieve the necessities of the poor. The Society identified itself with public movements thus:
On the 8th of August it took part on the Champ de Mars in the celebration of the opening of the Atlantic Railway, and in 1847 the Society joined the other national societies in a procession in honour of the entry of the Earl of Elgin into Montreal as governor-general on the 29th of January.
The relations of St. Andrew’s with others of diverse national origin have always been cordial.
On the 11th of February resolutions were passed to open a subscription for the destitute inhabitants of the Highlands of Scotland, while another read “that this meeting deeply sympathizes with the distress caused by famine in Ireland as well as that affecting their own native land, and are ready to admit that next to the claims of their own countrymen the poor of Ireland have the greatest right to consideration, yet in the belief that more money will be raised by two separate committees than by a united one, as proposed, they recommend that this junction be not entered into.”
At the annual banquet held at Donegana’s Hotel, among the guests were the Hon. A.N. Morin, president of St. Jean Baptiste’s Association, His Worship, the Mayor, the Hon. Messrs. Molson and Badgeley, both past presidents of St. George’s Society, thus showing that the racial hatchet was being buried.
The following record throws an interesting sidelight on the political state of the country and the keen interest which public events evoked: In 1849, at a special meeting held April 28th, three days after the signing of the Rebellion Losses bill by Lord Elgin, under the presidency of Mr. Hugh Allan with seventy-one members present, Mr. Andrew McGill moved the following resolution which, having been seconded by Mr. Robert Esdaile, was put to the meeting from the chair and unanimously adopted:
“Resolved, That the Earl of Elgin, having so conducted himself as to insult and outrage the feelings of every British subject in Canada, and to disgrace the Scottish name, this society with the deepest regret considers him unworthy to continue longer its patron and that he be, therefore, from henceforth, removed from that office.”
John Boston, Esq., having entered the room and finding that the previous resolution had been carried, left the meeting. Mr. John Auld, seconded by Mr. George Macrae, moved the following resolution which was unanimously adopted:
“Resolved, That the name of the Earl of Elgin be erased from the list of honorary members of St. Andrew’s Society.”
Mr. E.P. Taylor, seconded by Mr. John Armour, submitted the following resolution, which was also unanimously adopted:
“Resolved, That the secretary be instructed to intimate the above resolutions to his Lordship.”
In preparation for the annual banquet of 1850 the office bearers resolved by a majority to omit from the list of toasts “the governor general.” In consequence as the presence of the band of the Twentieth Regiment had been previously sanctioned for the occasion, its commander, Lieut.-Col. Frederick Horn, countermanded the permission. At a subsequent meeting of office bearers it was resolved to place on the programme the toast of the governor general, though the services of the band were not required. This year the annual banquet was held at Corse’s Hotel on St. James Street, the governor general’s toast being received with groans, hisses, reversing of glasses and other marks of disapprobation. In 1851 a significant resolution proposed by Mr. Edmonstone and seconded by Mr. Alexander reads: “That those who had left the society from conscientious scruples and who might wish to join again be readmitted without entrance fee.” This was carried unanimously.
Not only politics but religious matters were serious matters at this period.
A more pleasing incident is the following:
At a special meeting called on November 15, 1852, to consider what part the society should take in the approaching funeral solemnities of the late Duke of Wellington, it was unanimously resolved:
“That the St. Andrew’s Society as a society do proceed, with their banners and badges, with their brethren of St. George’s Society to the Cathedral.”
In November, 1854, during the Crimean war, the Society raised a subscription for the widows and orphans of those “who may fall during the present war.” Out of sympathy the annual social gathering was omitted, the amount to be devoted to the patriotic fund. This reached the sum of £305 15s. 2d. (equal to £372 0s. 1d. currency).
The history of St. Andrew’s Home is now to be told.
On April 24, 1857, a committee reported that the experiment of maintaining a home for emigrants and other homeless Scots had been successfully tried for six months in Hermine Street, a house having been rented for the purpose. The lease of a house was taken on St. George Street for seven years. This home was opened on June 11th, Mr. Norman Macdonald being appointed the first superintendent. In the same month, the new St. Andrew’s Home received seventy-six of the survivors of the steamer “Montreal,” burned at the water’s edge opposite Cape Rouge on the way from Quebec, out of whose 450 passengers 320 were Scotch. A subscription was raised by the committee of £1,182 5s. 11d. The disaster caused deepest sympathy and cooperation in Montreal’s ever charitable circles. It was one of the disasters of this terrible year of 1857. The social event of the year was omitted and the money devoted to the enlargement of the home.
Meanwhile other Scotch societies were growing up. On September 1, 1858, the mayor having requested the different national societies in the city to join a procession to commemorate the successful laying of the Atlantic telegraph cable, the Society marched to the Champ de Mars, accompanied by the Caledonians and Thistle societies, which had grown up of recent years. The “Burns” Society being then organized, it was agreed that the St. Andrew’s Society should cooperate with it in the celebration of Burns’ centenary.
The next events chronologically are:
In 1859 the Society assisted the people of the townships of Bruce and Kinloss, C.W., distressed by the failure of their crops. On August 25, 1860, the society joined in the procession in honour of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, on the occasion of his arrival in Montreal. A committee of ladies was appointed on November 16, 1861, to cooperate with the charitable committee in the management of St. Andrew’s Home. The Hon. Mrs. Rollo was appointed its president. On December 1, 1862, the thanks of the committee were given to Miss Edmonstone, of Scotland, for twenty-five years’ supply of heather on St. Andrew’s day. On September 22, 1863, the secretary was instructed to subscribe $25 to the funds of the House of Industry and Refuge, so as to secure for St. Andrew’s Society the privilege of electing a representative in this governorship. Mr. J.C. Becket was so chosen. A committee was held on January 18, 1864, to confer with the St. George’s and the Irish Protestant Benevolent Societies regarding a proposal to establish a United Protestant Immigration Home. In April, 1866, $2,000 having been subscribed for a St. Andrew’s Home on Dorchester Street, arrangements were made for completing the deed.
St. Andrew’s Society has wide sympathies, as the following will show:
In April, 1868, at a special general meeting, the following resolutions, moved by T.K. Ramsay, seconded by Andrew Wilson, were passed:
“That the members of St. Andrew’s Society of Montreal have learned with deep regret of the death of Hon. Thomas D’Arcy McGee by assassination.”
Moved by Mr. McKay, seconded by A. McGibbon:
“That the St. Andrew’s Society, feeling their deep obligation to the late T.D. McGee for his many acts of kindness, deem the present a suitable occasion to acknowledge the same, as well as their utter abhorrence of the dastardly deed by which the Dominion and the world have lost one of our most enlightened philanthropic and able statesmen, our national and benevolent societies a liberal contributor and a respected family its loving and affectionate head, desire to mingle their sympathy with the entire Dominion who mourn his death, and would offer the widow and bereaved family cordial and deep sympathy for their irreparable loss.”
Moved by Mr. McLennan, seconded by Mr. Burnett:
“That in order to show the appreciation of this society of Mr. McGee’s worth as a public man and a statesman, and their gratitude for the sympathy and assistance he extended to it on so many occasions, it was resolved that this society do attend his funeral in a body, wearing suitable mourning badges.”
In May, 1869, on the occasion of the departure from the city of the Seventy-eighth Highlanders, an address was presented to Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie and his men. The St. Andrew’s Society and the Caledonia Society, the latter having since its formation about 1855 been closely connected with the National Society, sent addresses to England on the happy marriage of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta with the Marquis of Lorne. On the occasion of the destruction of St. Patrick’s Hall by fire a resolution was passed on November 7th, sympathizing with St. Patrick’s Society.
In February, 1873, funeral of Sir George Etienne Cartier was attended by the body as a National Society. On November 2, 1876, a resolution was passed “that the annual procession on St. Andrew’s day be discontinued.”
The history of “St. Andrew’s Ball” may now be told:
In 1878 the presence of the new governor general, the son of MacCallain More, His Excellency, the Marquis of Lorne, and his royal consort, Princess Louise, was the occasion of a brilliant ball on St. Andrew’s day in the Windsor Hotel. As the annual St. Andrew’s ball has become one of the great social events of the city we may chronicle that the first quadrille was formed as follows:
His Excellency and Lady Macdonald, Lieutenant-Colonel Stevenson and H.R.H. the Princess, Captain Charter, A.D.C., and Lady Sophia MacNamara, Hon. T. Harbord, A.D.C., and Hon. Mrs. Moreton, Colonel McNeil and Miss Dow, Hon. M. Moreton and Miss Gordon, Mr. Hector Mackenzie and Mrs. Daglish, Mr. McCrae, Q.C., and Mrs. Hickson, Mr. J. Johnson and Mrs. Ewing, Hugh McKay and Mrs. Rose.
The Scotch reel was then danced by His Excellency and Miss Ogilvie and afterwards with Miss McGibbon, while the Princess danced the reel with Mr. Ewan McLennan, the president. The ladies who had the honor of dancing with His Excellency were: Lady Macdonald, Miss Ogilvie, Miss Allan, Miss Greenshields, Miss Campbell, Miss McFarlane, Miss Robertson and Miss McGibbon.
In 1881 the Society adopted a revised constitution. In 1883 an address was presented to His Excellency, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Governor-General, on his first visit to Montreal. The year 1887 saw the completion of the purchase of the Gould property on Mountain Street from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for $22,500, as the site of the new St. Andrew’s Home. The same year an address was presented for the Society to Queen Victoria on her Jubilee by the Reverend Dr. Barclay, who had the honour to be commanded to preach at Balmoral on June 12th. As Her Majesty was ill the petition was presented through the ordinary official channel. On September 28, 1893, an address of welcome was presented to the governor general, Lord Aberdeen, and Lady Aberdeen on the occasion of their first visit to the city. St. Andrew’s day, 1895, saw a return after twelve years to the banquet instead of the annual ball. In 1896 McDonald Campbell, the chairman of the charitable committee, died, having been preceded in 1895 by the decease of his wife. For over a quarter of a century these two had faithfully managed the “Home.” The annual ball was revived in 1896.
The death of Queen Victoria in January, 1901, caused the loyal Scots of Montreal to send a resolution of sympathy to His Majesty, Edward VII. On the occasion of the official visit of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall to the city in the fall of the same year, the Society erected a grandstand and a triumphal arch in the Scottish baronial style. In June, 1902, an address was forwarded to King Edward on the occasion of his coronation. At the annual ball the governor general, Lord Minto, and the Countess of Minto were present.
During the last decade the Society has continued to carry on its various works and public functions so happily inaugurated as described.
The past presidents of St. Andrew’s Society have been:
1835-41 Hon. Peter McGill 1841-43 Sheriff John Boston 1844-45 Hon. Peter McGill 1846 Hon. William Morris 1847 Hon. James Ferrier 1848-49 Sir Hugh Allan 1850 William Edmonstone 1851 James Gilmour 1852-54 Hon. John Rose (afterwards Sir John Rose, Bart.) 1855-56 William Murray 1857-58 Alexander Morris 1859-60 John Greenshields 1861 David Brown 1862-63 Hon. James Ferrier 1864-65 Hon. John Young 1866 J.C. Becket 1867 Walter Macfarlan 1868-69 Andrew Robertson 1870 Hon. A.W. Ogilvie, M.P.P. 1871-72 Alexander McGibbon 1873-74 Sir Alexander T. Galt 1875 David Mackay 1876-77 Ewan McLennan 1879 Lieut.-Col. A.A. Stevenson 1879 John C. Watson 1880 Hugh Mackay 1881 James Stewart 1882 George Macrae, Q.C. 1883-84 W.W. Ogilvie 1885-86 Hugh McLennan 1887-88 R.B. Angus 1889-90 Sir Donald A. Smith (afterwards Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal, G.C.M.G.) 1891-92 Duncan McIntyre 1893-94 Hon. Robert Mackay 1895-96 Donald Macmaster, K.C. (M.P. England) 1897-98 Hugh Paton 1899-1900 James Stewart, M.P. 1901-02 A.F. Riddell 1903 Principal William Peterson, C.M.G. 1904-06 W.M. Ramsay 1907-08 Charles Cassils 1909-10 Lieut.-Col. Robert Gardner 1911-12 Sir Hugh Montagu Allan, C.V.O. 1913 Farquhar Robertson (present president)
ST. PATRICK’S SOCIETY
St. Patrick’s Society was originally organized in 1834 as a society for benevolent and national purposes and included Irishmen of all religious denominations. At the time of its formation Irishmen were beginning to be a force in the community and the mention of the names of J. Holmes, William Workman, and Sir Francis Hincks bears this out.
The records of the transactions of this period until 1856 and long after are not to be found, but other information of the year 1856 is ample and enables us to trace the separation of the joint association into two, the St. Patrick’s Society of today and the Irish Protestant Benevolent Association.
The events leading to the reorganization of St. Patrick’s Society are as follows:
On February 12, 1856, a special meeting of the Society was held at St. Patrick’s Hall to consider the propriety of dissolving the Society. This was to allow an amalgamation of the Catholic portion of the original St. Patrick’s Society with the Catholic Hibernian Association, thus forming a new St. Patrick’s Society and to allow the Protestant members of the original St. Patrick’s to form one of their own which, in fact, they did, now known as the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society. After a series of resolutions in which there was recognition paid to the fact that the St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal, since it foundation in 1834, had carried out its prime objects according to its constitution, and recognizing that there was a move to allow the formation of other societies which would “embrace elements” now divided and in which jealous feelings would be extinguished amidst conflicting opinions and opposing parties among the Irish inhabitants of this city, it was moved by Mr. James Flynn and seconded by John McCloskey, that consequently this society do now decide to dissolve unequivocally and unreservedly and that on the termination of the proceedings this Society do adjourn sine die. The motion so moved was carried; and an acknowledgement made of the services of W.P. Bartley, Esq., for his conduct as president during the last two years.
Showing how easy was transition from one side to the other, it was moved by James Donnelly and Francis Dolan, recommending “that the paying members of this Society be admitted into the new organization without initiation fees,” and the resolution further expressed a hope that from the dissolution of the present may spring the germ of life of another organization on such a basis that sectional and petty rivalries may be merged.
It is pleasing to note that ever since the separation of St. Patrick’s Society into the two component parts, St. Patrick’s Society and the Irish Benevolent Society, there has never been any rift.
The first officers after reorganization in 1856 were: Henry Howard, president; Hon. Marcus Doherty, first vice president; Thomas McGrath, second vice president; James E. Mullins, treasurer; James Daly, corresponding secretary; Thomas C. Collins, recording secretary; W. Wallace O’Brien, assistant recording secretary; John McDonald, chief marshal; Rev. J.J. Connolly, P.P., chaplain.
The early minutes of St. Patrick’s Society having been burnt in the fires of St. Patrick’s Hall in 1872 we find from other sources that the new St. Patrick’s Society held its first soirée at the latter end of 1856 with the National Benevolent Societies present; it was followed by dancing to an advanced hour. The president was then Doctor Howard.
A meeting was held, February 8, 1857, in the Bishop’s Chapel of the Catholic citizens with the Catholic societies present, when it was moved by Doctor Howard, president of St. Patrick’s Society, and seconded by Mr. John Kelly, to the effect that “in order that the new cathedral may be a monument worthy of the size and wealth of this extensive diocese it should be built so as to meet not only the wants of the diocese, but those which may arise in the future from the rapid and constant increase of the population, both of the city and rural districts.”
On March 17, 1857, at John O’Meara’s Hotel, the first anniversary dinner was held. Presidents of numerous national societies and representatives of the city press were guests. The Hon. Mr. Marcus Doherty was in the chair. The following toasts were proposed: “The Day and All Who Honour It,” “The Pope,” “The Queen,” “The Emperor of France,” “The President of the United States,” “The Preacher of the Day,” “The Army and Navy, as Composed of Saxon and Celt,” “Irishmen at Home and Abroad,” “The Memory of Father Matthew,” “The Memory of O’Connell,” “The Mayor and Corporations,” “The National Association,” “The Press,” and finally “The Ladies.” Between the toast to the President of the United States and the Preacher of the Day the health of the Governor General was proposed and drunk by some of the party present, the “Orange” governor, Sir Edward Head, not being popular.
These were days of bitter animosities which a wiser generation has drowned.
On June 14, 1857, at the Corpus Christi procession, citizens, soldiers of Captains Devlin’s, Bartley’s, Bell’s and Latour’s Volunteer Montreal Rifles Companies, marched with St. Patrick’s Society and St. Jean Baptiste Society.
This was opposed by the Montreal Witness, but answered by the True Witness that it was the custom enjoyed by the French subjects and its legality had been formally recognized by the British government, which till a few years ago furnished in the persons of its soldiers a Guard of Honour for the procession. This is interesting in view of the recent attempt at disallowing the Sixty-fifth Regiment of Militia from continuing the time-honoured custom.
On December 1, 1857, a public meeting of Irish Catholics was held for the election of an Irish representative, being the first movement for such. Doctor Howard took the chair. Marcus Doherty, Esq., barrister, moved that the Irish, according to the last census, were entitled to name one of the three members allowed by law to represent this city in parliament. He was seconded by P. Ronayne. Barney Devlin, Esq., barrister, moved “as the unanimous sense of this meeting Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Esq., be requested to allow himself to be put in nomination as our candidate for Montreal in the approaching contest.” Seconded by Mr. Lanigan. Mr. McGee who had been brought to the city some time before for this purpose and had fulfilled the conditions of domicile was then brought into the room and introduced to the chairman as “our candidate.” Mr. McGee responded with wit and humour and sagacity and was most vociferously cheered. A resolution was moved by Mr. James Sadlier to form a committee to work the wards for the election, which was seconded by Mr. Henry Kavanagh. Mr. Henry Kavanagh was next called to the chair and a vote of thanks was moved to Doctor Howard for his able conduct therein. Seconded by Mr. McGee. The meeting then separated. “On reaching the street they made the welkin ring three times three cheers for ‘our candidate.’” Mr. McGee as told elsewhere was elected.
In later contests he was to be opposed by his proposer, Mr. Devlin, the lively remembrances of which still live.
The True Witness on June 12, 1857, announced an emigrant agency for St. Patrick’s Society opened at 35 Common Street under Doctor McKeon. This work had interested the Society for many years. Hence it is also that it took great interest in the establishment of St. Bridget’s Home and St. Patrick’s Orphanage and other similar charities.
The meeting place of St. Patrick’s Society, according to an advertisement of September 18, 1857, was the new hall on Place d’Armes Hill. The next move was to a hall over Donnelly and O’Brien’s store at the corner of McGill and Recollet streets, with the entrance on Recollet (N). This meeting was on May 3, 1858.
The next meeting place was a room in Bonaventure Hall, built at the northwest corner of St. James Street and Victoria Square, facing the Square. When this building was remodeled under the name of St. James Hotel[2] the Society remained there.
The Coffee House at the northeast corner of Craig and St. Alexander streets was then the meeting place until the new St. Patrick’s Hall was erected at the corner of Craig and McGill streets, facing Victoria Square and bounded on the north by Fortification Lane. It was a large and handsome building. The foundation stone was laid on March 18, 1867, and in it was placed a plate[3] recording the event as follows:
The Revd. P. Dowd, chief pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, on the 18th of March, 1867, in the 30th year of the reign of her Most Gracious Majesty,
Queen Victoria.
The Rt. Hon. Charles Stanley Viscount Monck, Baron Monck of Balling Trimmon, Governor-General of British America, Lieutenant-General Sir J. Michel, Bart., K.C.B., Commander of the Forces. Administrator of the Government of Canada, Henry Starns, commissioner of Montreal.
DIRECTORS (Ab Initio)
Bernard Devlin, Hon. T.D. McGee, Hon. Thos. Ryan, W.H. Hingston, M.D., M.P. Ryan, Edward Murphy, J.W. McGovern, Luke Moore, C.J. Cusack, Neil Shannon, J.W. Hopkins, architect, Howley & Sheriden, builders, E.J. Gilbert, iron founder, etc.
“Then praise to the Highest, in the Height and in the Depth be Praised.”
This fine building met with disaster, its roof fell in shortly afterward and finally it was burned down on October 2, 1872, after which the affairs of St. Patrick’s Hall Association were wound up and left the stockholders with 55% of their shares. In 1863 it was incorporated, its charter in part running as follows:
“WHEREAS, Thomas McKenna, Edw. McKeown, Dennis Downey, Wm. P. McGuire, J.J. Curran, Patrick O’Meara, M. Cuddihy, Daniel Lyons, P. Jordan, John H. Duggan, F.B. McNamee, O.J. Devlin, A. Brogan, Richard McShane, P. Mullin, J.E. Mullin, B. Devlin, Wm. Mansfield, M. Doherty and others have by their petition to the legislature represented that the Society of which they are members, known as the ‘St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal,’ has for many years been organized for benevolent and other purposes, and
“WHEREAS, They have prayed by the said petition that for the better attainment of the object of the said Society it may be invested with corporate powers, and by reason of the good effected by the said Society it is expedient to grant the prayer of the said petition;
“THEREFORE Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the legislative council and assembly of Canada, enact as follows:”
Since this time St. Patrick’s Society has carried on its good work, but it has never had a permanent building of its own. It has continued its interest in Irish charities, caring for orphans and immigrants. It has watched over the fortunes of Irishmen in civic, provincial and federal life and has always promoted Home Rule for Ireland. On April 24, 1893, St. Patrick’s Society telegraphed, through the Hon. Edward Blake, then a member of the English Parliament, congratulations to Mr. William Ewart Gladstone and himself on the second reading of the bill. Of recent years its activities in this line of similar promotion of their national cause have been great. Their annual dinner on St. Patrick’s day has seen the presence of some of the most distinguished Irish orators from Ireland and the American Continent.
The past presidents of the Society have been:
1856-57 Henry Howard, M.D. 1858-59 Hon. Marcus Doherty, J.S.C. 1860-61 Hon. Edward Murphy 1862-63 James A. Sadlier 1864 Thos. McKenna 1865-66-67 Bernard Devlin 1868 J.E. Mullin 1869 F.B. McNamee 1870 Bernard Devlin 1871 Francis Cassidy, Ex-Mayor 1872 James Homley 1873 Michael Donovan 1874-75-76-77 Bernard Devlin 1878 P.J. Coyle 1879-80-81-82-83 F.B. McNamee 1884-85-86-87-88 Hon. Denis Barry 1889-90 Hon. Henry Cloran 1891-92 Hon. J.J. Curran 1893-94 Hon. James McShane 1895-96-97 Hon. Jas. J. Guerin M.D. 1898-99 E.J. Kennedy, M.D. 1900-01 W.E. Doran 1902-03 Hon. C.J. Doherty 1904 F.E. Devlin, M.D. 1905-06 Frank J. Curran, B.C.L. 1907-08 W.P. Kearney 1909-10 Henry Kavanagh, K.C. 1911-12 J. C Walsh 1913-14 Walter G. Kennedy
IRISH PROTESTANT BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
The Irish Protestant Benevolent Society of Montreal was formed in 1856, after having separated from the joint St. Patrick’s Society. In that year an act of incorporation was granted, on March 18th, on the petition of a certain number of petitioners “and others of Irish birth or extraction, residents of Montreal (who) have maintained by voluntary contributions a certain charitable association whereof they are members, for the relief of distressed immigrants and others from Ireland or of Irish descent, under the name of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society of Montreal.”
The incorporators’ names appended are James L. Mathewson, William A. Merry, W.H. Gault, Hugh Mathewson, George Horne, George Armstrong, William Rodden, Richard Holland, J.J. Arnton, Campbell Bryson, William Clendenning, George S. Scott, Robert Miller, William Middleton, James Parker, Richard Thomas, W.S. Davenport, Howard Ransom, John Shinnick, Thomas Workman, William McWalters, the Rev. John Cordner, the Rev. John Irwin, Dr. Robert L. Macdonell, Dr. John Reddy, Dr. William P. Howard, etc. The Society was instituted to advance the welfare of Irish Protestants in Canada, to afford advice, information and assistance to those immigrating hither, to promote their settlement within the province, to protect their widows and orphans and to afford pecuniary aid to those in need.
A great work has been the maintenance of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Home in Belmont Park. Its activities along Irish patriotic lines have also been similar to those of St. Patrick’s Society.
The presidents of the Society since its formation have been as follows:
1856 *Benjamin Workman, M.D. 1857-59 *Hugh Mathewson 1859-61 *R.D. Collis 1861 *M.H. Gault 1862 *W.A. Merry 1863-65 *J.L. Mathewson 1865-67 *Thos. Workman 1867-69 *William Workman 1869 *John Lovell 1870 *Geo. S. Scott 1871 *Robert Miller 1872 *Thomas Simpson 1873 *Wm. Rodden 1874 *Sir Francis Hincks, K.C.M., G.C.B. 1875 William Clendenning 1876-78 W.J. McMaster 1878-80 *J.C. Sinton 1880-82 *John J. Arnton 1882 *James Moore 1883-85 *J.C. Wilson 1885-87 *Richard Thomas 1887-89 *D.H. Henderson 1889-91 *W.H. Arnton 1891 *Richard White 1892-94 *James Wilson 1894-96 *Moses Parker 1896-98 James H. McKeown 1898-00 J. Hamilton Ferns 1900-02 *Charles Byrd 1902-04 MacDuff Lamb 1904-05 William Henry 1906-07 Thos. Gilday 1908-09 J.W. Percival 1910-11 Wm. Rodden 1912-13 J.A. Mathewson 1914 F. Gilday, M.D.
* Deceased.
THE GERMAN SOCIETY
Of the other societies the German Society is the oldest, being contemporaneous in its birth with the former. A consultation of the lists of citizens at this early period will show that the German community then had some very notable names among its members.
The German Society was started in April, 1835, for the purpose of assisting poor German immigrants, without regard to creed, in order to prevent them from being a charge to the community; it has also often assisted Austrian, Swiss, Russian and other immigrants of German descent. It is a purely benevolent association, being supported entirely by voluntary contributions.
Its presidents since 1835 have been:
1835-39 Louis Gugy 1839-49 Dr. Daniel Arnoldi 1849-55 Heinrich Meyer 1855-58 Ernst Idler 1859-60 Gottlieb Reinhardt 1860-65 Gerhard Lomer 1865-66 Heinrich Drescher 1866-67, 70-73 Emanuel Häusgen 1867-70 Wilhelm Wagner 1873-77, 81-93 Wilhelm C. Munderloh 1877-81 Freidrich Geriken 1893 Eugen von Rappard 1893 *Edward Schultze
* Still in office.
ST. DAVID’S WELSH SOCIETY
It was about the years 1884-5, that the first society to weld together the various members of the Welsh Colony of Montreal was established, and the moving spirit in this matter, was the late Mr. Jabez Jones, a native of Mold, Flintshire, North Wales, an energetic and enterprising organizer.
The society was called the “Welsh Union of Montreal.” Its first president was the late Mr. John Lewis, surveyor of customs, for the port of Montreal. He continued to fill the office until his death, and, with his distinguished and delightful personality and support, helped materially to make it a success.
The first vice-president, was the late Mr. Thomas Harries, who at the time was the senior commercial traveller in Canada, a man of strong convictions and noble character.
The nature of the Society in its early years was largely religious and most of its gatherings were held on Sundays. Its rooms were in the old Y.M.C.A. Building on Victoria Square. This edifice was considered one of the landmarks both for architectural beauty and position among the great buildings of the city in those days. The Society justified its existence in many ways, and proved a necessary and helpful anchorage, particularly in bringing together the sons and daughters of Wales, more especially at such times as the Patron’s Saint Day, an event of importance, and a day dear to the Welshman’s heart, all over the world, known as “St. David’s Day,” always held on the first day of March; the time of the “Congresses of Bards and Contests of Minstrels,” and the feast day of one of the guardians of the nation’s ideals and inspirer of its genius.
However, the element of decay entered into the vitals of the old Society and it ceased to exist for some time.
About twelve years ago, the present Welsh Society was founded, known as the “St. David’s Welsh Society.” It was incorporated in 1910 on a far broader basis than the old Society. Its aims are, the bringing together of men and women of Welsh parentage or associated by marriage with Welsh people, to create an interest in the study of Welsh music, literature, folklore, poetry and all subjects of interest to the race and a culture of a true Canadian nationality among the descendants of this ancient and historic people.
The honorary president since its inception, with the exception of one year, is Mr. Lansing Lewis, D.C.L., a son of the president of the old Welsh Union, the exception being the year the late Mr. Samuel Carsley held the office.
The first president was Mr. Richard Roberts, L. Mus., the first vice president, Mr. James Kirkham (Iago Tegai), the latter, in consort with Mr. Evan Jones and Mr. Jos. Jenkins, B.A., being among the most important moving spirits in the organization of the Society.
The following gentlemen filled the position of president:
Mr. Evan Jones, Mr. Jos. Jenkins, B.A., B.C.L., Mr. M.E. Pritchard, Mr. W.G. Bithell, and the present holder of the position is Mr. Wm. Evans, merchant.
The Welsh people are renowned for their intense patriotism and loyalty, and by training and temperament make good citizens, invariably lending their influence and support to every effort to advance the interests of the cities and towns wherein they may chance to reside and it is estimated that there are in Montreal, at the present time, from one to two thousand Welsh people. Some of them are large employers of Canadian labor, and the majority of them are interested in the manifold forces at work of beautifying and making known the varied advantages, present and prospective of this regal and beautiful metropolis of the Dominion of Canada.
THE NEWFOUNDLAND SOCIETY
The youngest National Society formed on lines similar to the foregoing was founded in September, 1911.
Its presidents have been as follows:
1911-12 F.M. Renouf 1913 C.A. Peters, M.D. 1914 W.A. Gaden
The object of the Society was to encourage Newfoundlanders who were migrating to other lands to settle in Canada under the British flag and to welcome them when in the city with information to enable them to succeed here.
A great opportunity offered itself to the members in 1914, when on the occasion of the great Newfoundland sealing disaster in March of that year, it organized a relief fund in the city and realized a sum of $13,000, which was forwarded to the Newfoundland Government.
THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT
The Jewish community, whose earliest settlers and prominent citizens will be noticed elsewhere, has not been regarded as possessing a national society as such, although the Baron de Hirsch Institute, now long founded, has been the centre of charitable activities for Jewish immigrants. Of late years, however, there has arisen a movement which may have a place here.
Montreal is the head centre of the Zionist Movement in the Dominion, and the executive offices of the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada are situated in this city. No Jewish body in this country counts as large a membership or is as thoroughly representative of the entire Jewish population of Canada as the Zionist Movement, for it has its branches in every city, town and village from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The first Zionist society was founded in Montreal in January, 1898. Among its founders were Clarence I. de Sola, Rev. A. Ashinsky, H. Bernstein, L. Aronson, Lazarus Cohen, Jacob Cohen, Leon Goldman, J.S. Leo, Rev. Meldola de Sola, Dr. D.A. Hart and Moses Shapiro. From small beginnings this movement, having for its object the re-establishment of the Hebrew nation in Palestine, spread with phenomenal rapidity, and within one year from its foundation so numerous had the branches become that they were formed into a federation under a central federal executive. This was in December, 1899. The enormous strides which the organization has made is shown in its ever-increasing revenue and membership from year to year. Its conventions have become one of the striking events of Jewish communal life in this country. At the eleventh convention, held in Toronto in December, 1910, the Canadian Zionist Federation started the undertaking of establishing a Jewish agricultural colony in Palestine with funds entirely contributed by members of the movement in Canada. This enterprise was carried through so successfully that at the thirteenth convention, held in Montreal in 1913, the president was able to announce that the establishment of the first colony had been completed and the work of establishing a second colony was begun. This convention was also rendered noteworthy by President de Sola’s plea for the restoration of the Jewish Sanhedrin in Palestine, a plea which attracted world-wide notice and received the approval of many of the leading Jews throughout the world. The present executive of the Zionist Federation counts among its officers some of the most capable and active workers in the Jewish community of Canada. To mention them all would entail the giving of a long list, but among the Montrealers, in addition to those already mentioned above, are A. Levin, who is treasurer; M. Markus, Rev. Nathan Gordon, Rev. H. Abramowitz, Joseph Fineberg, L. Heillig, Mrs. Clarence de Sola, Mrs. J.S. Leo, and H. Lang.
The first Jew known to have settled in Montreal was Lazarus David, who came to this city in 1759. He was connected with the army, but on the close of the war settled in Montreal and became an extensive owner of real estate. He was a man of public spirit who took a prominent part in civic affairs in those early days. He was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1734 and his name appears in a list of residents published in Montreal in 1763. He continued to play a prominent part, in what was then but a little town, until his death on the 22d of October, 1776, and the headstone which marks the place of his interment is still to be seen in the cemetery of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews on Mount Royal. Very shortly after the arrival of Lazarus David there also came to Montreal Uriah Judah and other members of the Judah family, Emanuel de Cordova, Hananiel Garcia, Isaac Miranda, Judah Elvada, Uriel Moresco, Abraham Franks, Simon Levy, Levy Solomons and Fernandez da Fonseca. They were joined by another band of settlers, among whom were included Abram Franks, David Salesby Franks, Isaac Miranda, Jacob de Maurera, Andrew Hays, Levy Solomons and Joseph Bindona. De Cordova, Garcia and Miranda held military offices. Nearly all of these men belonged to distinguished families of Jews who had come to America originally from Spain and Portugal and known among the Hebrews as Sephardin and were members of the first Jewish Synagogue.
Although the members of this congregation were in those days but small in number, they produced a remarkably large number of men who took a very prominent part in public affairs. At the time that Lazarus David was settling in Montreal there had arrived in Canada Commissary General Aaron Hart, who was on the staff of General Amherst’s invading army and who took an important part in the operations which led to the British Conquest. He was born in London in 1724 and had married a member of the Judah family, and after serving under Amherst he afterwards joined the troops under General Haldimand, stationed at Three Rivers, and when that city fell into the hands of the British he took up his residence there. After the war he was created seigneur of Bécancour for his services, and became the owner of six other seigneuries. Another man of prominence was David Salesby Franks. He and his father, Abraham Franks, first appear as residents of Quebec in 1767 and afterwards they settled in Montreal. David Salesby Franks was president of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue previous to 1775. He agitated for the establishment of a House of Assembly and the establishment of representative government in Canada. Business affairs, however, drew him to Philadelphia and New York and when the American Revolutionary War broke out he espoused the cause of the American colonists and became major of a regiment. In May, 1778, he became aide-de-camp to Major Benedict Arnold. When in 1780 the affair of West Point occurred and Arnold fled to escape punishment for his treason to the Revolutionary cause, Major Franks was arrested on suspicion and courtmartialed, but was honourably acquitted and was afterwards placed on the staff of George Washington, under whom he fought during the rest of the war. He played a prominent part in the negotiations for peace between the American colonists and Great Britain and was sent on a mission in this connection to Europe in 1781, and in 1784 he was again sent to Europe by the United States Congress with the triplicate copies for the ratification of the definite treaty of peace. He assisted Benjamin Franklin and Mr. Jay in these negotiations. He was afterwards appointed American consul at Marseilles and he was one of the commissioners of the American Government who negotiated a treaty of peace and commerce with Morocco in 1787. He was one of the marshals who inaugurated George Washington as first President of the United States. There were other members of the Franks family who remained in Montreal and who fought on the side of the British against the American colonists. A sister of David Salesby Franks married the Levy Solomons who is mentioned above and who was at that time president of the Montreal Jewish Congregation “Shearith Israel.” One of their daughters, Rachel Solomon, became the wife of Henry Joseph, who in his day was one of the most prominent Jews in Canada. Henry Joseph was born in England in the latter part of the eighteenth century. He was nephew of Commissary General Aaron Hart and came to Canada when but a youth and entered the army, being attached to the troops that formed the garrison of Fort William Henry at the mouth of the Richelieu River. He afterwards became interested in the Northwest Trading Company and eventually retired from the army to develop trade from Hudson’s Bay to Quebec and Montreal. His headquarters were for a long while at Berthier, but he perceived even in that early day that Montreal was destined to become a place of importance, and he removed his home to this city in his latter days. It is claimed that he was the actual founder of Canada’s merchant marine service, for he was the owner of a line of ships that were the first to be registered as Canadian vessels engaged exclusively in direct traffic between Canada and England. He rejoined the army when the War of 1812-14 broke out between England and the United States and fought for the British crown in many engagements. Associated with him as a Hudson’s Bay trader was Jacob Franks, a member of the family above mentioned, who had married a sister of Mrs. Henry Joseph and who was also noted as a very enterprising northwest and Hudson’s Bay trader. He was the founder of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Jacob Astor was originally employed by him there. Another very influential member of the early Jewish community in this city was David David, the eldest son of Lazarus David. He was born in Montreal in 1764 and took a prominent part in almost everything which affected the interests of Montreal in his day. Possessed of considerable wealth he employed his means in works of benevolence, and his generous assistance to the early philanthropic societies of Montreal is on record. He was either president or director of a number of institutions. It was due largely to his initiative that the Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817, and he was elected a director on its first regular board on the 27th of February, 1818, and continued to hold this office until his death in 1824. He was also president of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Montreal for many years.
In addition to members of the David and Joseph families already mentioned, who fought for the British flag in the War of 1812-14, the names of a number of other Hebrew citizens are to be found also participating on the British side in that struggle, and there was also a large number of Canadian Jews who fought on the loyalist side in the rebellion of 1837-38, notably Colonel David, Aaron Philip Hart, Jacob Henry Joseph and several members of the Hays family.
The exact legal status of the Jews in Canada was not made very clear at an early date by any definite enactments, and for long they labored under the disability of not having the right of sitting in Parliament. This question was brought to a definite test by the election in 1807 of Mr. Ezekiel Hart, second son of Commissariat General Hart, as member of the Legislative Assembly for Three Rivers. When he entered the House he was required to take the oath in the usual form “on the true faith of a Christian” and upon his declining to do this on account of his Jewish faith the majority of the members objected to his taking his seat and declared the seat vacant. Appealing again to his constituents he was once more elected by a heavy majority, but again the House refused to permit him to take his seat, and after a stormy session a bill was pushed through to its second reading to disqualify Jews from being eligible to sit as members of the House of Assembly. This aroused the indignation of Sir James Craig, who was then governor, and he angrily dissolved the House and prevented the bill from passing. After a long struggle an act was introduced and passed in 1831 by which Jews were accorded the fullest civil rights in Canada and were placed upon an equal footing with all other citizens of the land. Ezekiel Hart was deservedly popular and it is stated that the opposition which was shown to his taking his seat was due more to the political partisanship of his political opponents than to any real feeling of religious intolerance. It is worthy of note that Canada extended full political rights to the Jews more than a quarter of a century earlier than the mother country.
Of the later Hebrews may be mentioned Moses J. Hays, who was one of the most active men engaged in municipal affairs in Montreal in the early part of the nineteenth century, and to his energy the city was indebted for many civic improvements. It was he who established the first Montreal waterworks. He also reorganized Montreal’s police force, of which he was the chief commissioner, and he was the builder of the Hays House, the leading hotel of Montreal in its day, situated on what was then known as Dalhousie Square, but which has since been swept away to make room for the Place Viger entrance of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Abraham de Sola, the rabbi attached to the Shearith Israel Congregation, was recognized as in the first rank of Jewish leaders in the cabinet. He was elected in 1848 professor of Semitic literature and oriental languages of the McGill University.
During the period of Doctor De Sola’s administration the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Congregation of the Shearith Israel Synagogue, formed by the first Jew settlers in 1768, counted among its members a number of men who were very prominent in Montreal’s social, intellectual and commercial life. Amongst these was Dr. A.H. David, a grandson of Lazarus David, who, besides being a prominent physician, was dean of the medical faculty of Bishop’s College. Samuel Benjamin, Goodman Benjamin and William Benjamin were three brothers who were all very well known in Montreal between the ’40s and ’60s in the past century. Samuel Benjamin took a very prominent part in civic affairs and was for a long while member of the city council, being the first Israelite to attain that position in Montreal. Four sons of Henry Joseph, Jacob Henry, Abraham, Jesse and Gershom, were all prominent. Probably there was no citizen of Montreal better known in his day and associated with more of our public activities than Jesse Joseph. He was either president or director of over fifteen different companies or institutions.
Another member of the Congregation of Shearith Israel was Isidor Ascher, who earned a respectable reputation as a poet. He was the author of “Voices from the Hearth” which Longfellow so highly commended, and of a number of other works, both in verse and in prose. His father, G.I. Ascher, was long a patriarchial and familiar figure in Montreal life in the nineteenth century, for he reached the venerable age of ninety-six years. Alexander Levy, Jacob Levy, Samuel Israel Rubenstein, Edward Cohen and Lewis A. Hart were well-known officers of the congregation in more recent years. The last mentioned was for some years lecturer on notarial practice at McGill University.
Dr. Abraham de Sola died in 1882, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Meldola de Sola.
The Jews have always shown an interest in both civic and national politics, and at the present moment there are two Jewish citizens who are members of the city council.
OTHER NATIONAL ORIGINS OF THE PEOPLE
The foregoing do not exhaust the list of Societies for national and racial conservation. There are others such as the “Société Suisse de Montréal,” “The Scandinavian National Society,” “The Jersey (Channel Island) Society of Canada” and others. Suffice it to say that Montreal is now veritably cosmopolitan as the census of 1911 will demonstrate.
CENSUS OF MONTREAL
ORIGINS OF THE PEOPLE BY SUB-DISTRICTS OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL FOR 1911
LEGEND:
British E = English; I = Irish; S = Scotch; O = Other.
Fr. = French Ge. = German A-H. = Austro-Hungarian Be. = Belgian BR. = Bulgarian and Rumanian Ch. = Chinese
Districts and British Sub-districts /--------^----------\ En. Ir. Sc. Oth. Fr. Ge. A-H Be. B.R. Ch. St. Raphaël de l’Ile Bizard 36 1 -- -- 549 -- -- -- -- -- Summerlea t 51 8 13 -- 82 -- -- -- -- -- Beaconsfield t 129 16 16 -- 206 1 2 -- -- -- Dorval t 220 101 139 1 479 8 1 1 -- -- Lachine t 2,316 364 554 163 6,593 35 21 7 13 15 Montreal W-O t 302 121 212 4 44 11 -- -- -- -- Notre-Dame de Grâces 1,538 310 257 -- 2,735 23 136 5 1 -- Outremont t 1,593 447 575 25 1,911 40 2 5 3 8 Pointe Claire t 147 22 55 2 549 5 -- -- -- 1 Ste. Anne de Bellevue t 127 46 77 3 1,141 -- -- 1 -- 3 St. Laurent t 29 10 36 -- 1,759 1 -- 10 -- 3 Verdun t 3,860 892 922 10 5,534 72 -- 95 -- 10 Ville Emard 674 69 41 3 5,119 16 -- 44 -- 1 Youville 197 60 74 -- 1,962 11 7 4 8 -- Cartierville v 41 24 4 -- 817 3 -- -- -- -- Côte des Neiges 351 129 104 1 1,797 9 1 -- -- 2 Côte St. Luc v 58 -- -- -- 237 -- -- -- -- -- Ste. Geneviève v 3 -- -- -- 609 -- -- -- -- -- St. Pierre aux Liens 208 120 178 2 1,480 4 49 -- 88 3 Senneville v 48 12 23 1 326 -- -- 6 -- --
MONTREAL-STE. ANNE 4,846 6,549 1,311 51 6,539 136 155 8 6 47 Centre ward 17 19 8 -- 395 -- -- -- -- 1 Ste. Anne ward 4,773 6,466 1,288 48 6,082 134 155 8 6 39 West ward 56 64 15 3 62 2 -- -- -- 7
MONTREAL-ST. ANTOINE 13,355 8,996 6,974 166 14,230 696 37 75 6 236 St. Joseph ward 3,184 3,042 1,128 13 8,636 178 7 26 -- 34 St. Georges ward 4,741 2,975 2,855 70 1,688 259 11 29 2 137 St. Andrews ward 5,430 2,979 2,991 83 3,906 259 19 20 4 65
MONTREAL-ST. JACQUES 1,246 915 414 2 38,384 117 10 163 11 87 East ward 141 69 19 -- 2,785 1 -- 3 -- 13 Lafontaine ward 802 565 306 -- 21,620 76 5 84 11 40 St. Jacques ward 303 281 89 2 13,979 40 5 76 -- 34
MONTREAL-ST. LAURENT 6,751 4,996 2,791 77 18,307 400 240 141 61 460 St. Laurent ward 4,507 3,792 2,353 74 4,785 279 145 31 53 334 St. Louis ward 2,244 1,204 438 3 13,522 121 95 110 8 126
MONTREAL-ST. MARIE 3,500 2,642 997 5 45,941 133 34 35 11 42 Papineau ward 2,697 2,086 732 4 32,420 102 12 22 1 30 Ste. Marie ward 803 556 265 1 13,521 31 22 13 10 12
HOCHELAGA 15,837 6,217 6,729 108 43,032 524 63 20 7 148 Ste. Cunégonde ward 1,519 581 390 -- 8,285 18 10 -- -- 25 St. Gabriel ward 4,875 2,625 1,888 35 8,690 160 37 4 -- 26 St. Henri ward 3,463 804 640 1 24,734 95 4 10 7 28 Westmount c 5,980 2,207 3,811 72 1,323 251 12 6 -- 69
JACQUES-CARTIER 14,001 3,303 3,606 216 40,920 289 236 215 118 -- Côte St. Paul 996 155 54 -- 2,069 21 -- 6 -- -- Notre Dame des 71 221 7 -- 593 2 -- 6 -- -- Neiges W Présentation de la Ste. Vierge 8 1 1 -- 210 -- -- -- -- -- Saints-Anges de Lachine 195 82 83 -- 415 15 -- 8 -- -- Ste. Anne du Bout de l’Ile 151 25 51 -- 557 3 -- -- -- -- Ste. Geneviève 18 3 1 -- 1,045 7 -- -- -- -- St. Joachim de la Pointe Claire 142 8 7 -- 647 -- -- -- -- -- St. Laurent 492 56 122 1 1,455 2 17 17 5 4
CENSUS OF MONTREAL
ORIGINS OF THE PEOPLE BY SUB-DISTRICTS OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL FOR 1911
Dutch = Du. Greek = Gr. Hindu = Hi. Indian = In. Italian = Ital. Japanese = Jp. Jewish = Jew.
Districts and Sub-districts Du. Gr. Hi. In. Ital. Jp. Jew.
MONTREAL-ST. ANNE 5 18 -- 1 201 2 913
MONTREAL-ST. ANTOINE 61 114 -- 7 1,116 2 1,288 Centre ward -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Ste. Anne ward 5 18 -- 1 201 2 905 West ward -- -- -- -- -- -- 8 St. Joseph ward 19 54 -- 1 688 -- 504 St. Georges ward 26 58 -- 4 271 2 436 St. Andrews ward 16 2 -- 2 157 -- 348
MONTREAL-ST. JACQUES 7 45 -- 3 1,115 -- 549 East ward 1 5 -- -- 48 -- 1
MONTREAL-ST. JACQUES Lafontaine ward 5 8 -- 2 857 -- 408 St. Jacques ward 1 32 -- 1 210 -- 140
MONTREAL-ST. LAURENT 19 292 -- 3 837 -- 19,256 St. Laurent ward 13 179 -- 2 205 -- 7,733 St. Louis ward 6 113 -- 1 632 -- 11,523
MONTREAL STE. MARIE 4 24 -- 2 439 -- 356 Papineau ward -- 21 -- -- 400 -- 306 Ste. Marie ward 4 3 -- 2 39 -- 50
HOCHELAGA 79 17 -- 11 315 -- 589 Ste. Cunégonde ward 12 7 -- 3 163 -- 102 St. Gabriel ward 23 -- -- -- 8 -- 56 St. Henri ward 4 10 -- 8 143 -- 50 Westmount c. 40 -- -- -- 1 -- 381
JACQUES-CARTIER -- -- -- -- 7 -- -- Côte St. Paul -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Notre Dame des Neiges W -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Présentation de la Ste. Vierge -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Saints-Anges de Lachine -- -- -- 2 9 -- 13 Ste. Anne du Bout de l’Ile -- -- -- -- -- -- 8 Ste. Geneviève -- -- -- -- -- -- -- St. Joachim de la Pointe Claire -- -- -- -- -- -- -- St Laurent 7 -- 2 6 -- 9 4 St. Raphaël de l’Ile Bizard -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Summerlea t -- -- -- -- 2 -- 3 Beaconsfield t -- -- -- -- -- -- 2 Dorval t -- -- -- -- 15 -- 11 Lachine t 1 14 -- 1 134 -- 342 Montréal W-O t 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- Notre-Dame de Grâces -- -- -- 1 130 -- 4 Outremont t 3 -- -- -- 63 -- 41 Pointe Claire t -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Ste. Anne de Bellevue t -- 1 -- -- -- -- 9 St. Laurent t -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Verdun t 3 1 -- -- 3 -- 67 Ville Emard 5 5 -- -- 158 -- -- Youville -- 2 -- -- 56 -- 2 Cartierville v -- -- 1 -- -- -- 10 Côte des Neiges 2 -- -- -- 9 -- 23 Côte St. Luc v -- -- -- -- 8 -- -- Ste. Geneviève v -- -- -- -- -- -- -- St. Pierre aux Liens v 1 -- -- -- 3 -- 5 Senneville v 2 -- -- -- -- -- --
CENSUS OF MONTREAL
ORIGINS OF THE PEOPLE BY SUB-DISTRICTS OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL FOR 1911
Negro = Ne. Polish = Po. Russian = Ru. Scandinavian = Sc. Swiss = Sw. Unspecified = Unsp.
Districts and Sub-districts Ne. Po. Ru. Sc. SW. Unsp.
MONTREAL-ST. ANNE 1 496 243 58 4 86
MONTREAL-ST. ANTOINE 189 84 62 156 53 735 Centre ward -- -- 17 -- -- 1 Ste. Anne ward 1 496 226 57 4 77 West ward -- -- -- 1 -- 8 St. Joseph ward 133 53 13 38 2 126 St. Georges ward 2 6 4 50 34 184 St. Andrews ward 54 25 45 68 17 425
MONTREAL-ST. JACQUES 2 25 63 37 24 838 East ward -- -- 8 7 2 458
MONTREAL-ST. JACQUES Lafontaine ward 2 5 40 7 13 170 St. Jacques ward -- 20 15 23 9 210
MONTREAL-ST. LAURENT 19 94 109 106 36 865 St. Laurent ward 14 32 84 83 17 324 St. Louis ward 5 62 25 23 19 541
MONTREAL STE. MARIE 4 271 280 16 12 162 Papineau ward -- 85 50 9 7 95 Ste. Marie ward 4 186 230 7 5 67
HOCHELAGA 47 318 100 127 55 706 Ste. Cunégonde ward 2 2 8 5 10 32 St. Gabriel ward -- 237 63 48 13 173 St. Henri ward 38 77 23 38 2 156 Westmount c. 7 2 6 36 20 345
JACQUES-CARTIER -- -- -- 6 -- 5 Côte St. Paul -- -- -- -- -- -- Notre Dame des Neiges W -- -- -- -- -- -- Présentation de la Ste. Vierge -- 1 -- -- -- -- Saints-Anges de Lachine -- 2 1 1 2 -- Ste. Anne du Bout de l’Ile -- 10 -- -- -- 8 Ste. Geneviève -- -- -- -- -- 1 St. Joachim de la Pointe Claire -- -- -- -- -- 1 St Laurent 4 16 5 -- -- 8 St. Raphaël de l’Ile Bizard -- -- -- -- -- -- Summerlea t -- -- 2 -- -- -- Beaconsfield t -- -- -- 2 -- 1 Dorval t -- -- -- 8 -- 21 Lachine t 1 34 18 6 1 66 Montréal W-O t -- -- -- -- -- 8 Notre-Dame de Grâces -- 8 11 11 -- 47 Outremont t -- 1 8 7 16 72 Pointe Claire t -- -- -- 4 2 6 Ste. Anne de Bellevue t -- -- -- -- -- 8 St. Laurent t -- -- -- -- -- 12 Verdun t 1 15 2 51 8 83 Ville Emard -- 10 10 5 -- 19 Youville -- -- 1 5 -- 5 Cartierville v -- -- -- -- 1 4 Côte des Neiges -- -- -- 2 2 12 Côte St. Luc v -- -- -- -- -- -- Ste. Geneviève v -- -- -- -- -- -- St. Pierre aux Liens v 2 33 15 3 -- 7 Senneville v -- -- -- -- -- --
FOOTNOTES:
[1] January 24, 1858, St. Jean Baptiste Festival was kept as a national fête in Toronto by French-Canadians
[2] This hotel was finally burnt on March 17, 1873.
[3] This plate with the documents contained in the box of the corner-stone, was taken out of the ruins of St. Patrick’s Hall by Mr. B. Tansey in 1872 and is now in his possession.
XXXI. PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES
FIGHTING FIRE--DARKNESS--FLOODS--DROUGHT
1. FIRE FIGHTING--THE FIRE OF 1765--“THE CASE OF THE CANADIANS OF MONTREAL”--THE EXTENT OF THE FIRE--FIRE PRECAUTIONS SUGGESTED--OTHER HISTORICAL FORCES--THE MONTREAL FIRE FORCES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT.
2. THE LIGHTING OF MONTREAL--OIL LAMPS, 1815--GAS, 1836--ELECTRICITY--FIRST EXPERIMENTS IN THE STREETS, 1879--THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANIES--NOTES ON INTRODUCTION OF THE TELEGRAPH--FIRE ALARM--ELECTRIC RAILWAY.
3. FLOODS, EARLY AND MODERN, 1848, 1857, 1861, 1865, 1886--THE PRACTICAL CESSATION IN 1888.
4. THE CITY WATER SUPPLY--THE MONTREAL WATER WORKS--PRIVATE COMPANIES--THE MUNICIPAL WATER WORKS--THE PUMPING PLANTS--THE WATER FAMINE OF 1913.
FIGHTING FIRE
Hardly had the English rule started in Montreal when on Saturday, May 18, 1765, a great fire raged for three hours, nearly endangering the safety of the whole city. There is in the McGill University Library bound up with sermons and essays, the first being an essay concerning the human rational soul, a rare pamphlet bearing the title, “The case of the Canadians of Montreal, distressed by fire.” There is no date of publication or publisher’s name. It is marked “Second Edition” and a postscript in it shows that this second edition was printed after March 20, 1766; probably in London. The second page has the following sub-title:
“Motives for a Subscription Towards the relief of the sufferers at Montreal in Canada
“by a dreadful fire on the 18th of May, 1765, in which 108 houses (containing 125 families, chiefly Canadians) were destroyed; and the greater part of the inhabitants exposed to all the miseries attending such misfortunes. The whole loss in buildings, merchandise, furniture and apparel amounted to £87,580 8. 10d. sterling; no part of which could be insured.”
Underneath there is a wood cut of Canada kneeling before Britannia pointing with her left hand to the burning blocks and appealing for relief. Underneath are the words: MONTREAL MAY MDCCLXV. By consulting the concluding pages of “The case for the Canadians” we see that the pamphlet is the appeal of a committee of trustees in London “who meet at the New York Coffee House every Thursday at 11 o’clock and will be glad to be favored with the assistance of any subscriber.” The treasurer was John Thornton, Esq., and there were twenty-three members, of whom Edward Green, secretary, concludes the list. There follows a list of firms of merchants and others in the city to the number of twenty who would take subscriptions.
The motives as eloquently expressed in the opening part of the appeal are firstly those of common humanity; secondly, the “Canadians are our fellow subjects.” “The consideration of distance ought to make no difference in the minds of a people whose EMPIRE is extended to so many places over the earth.” “There are other weighty considerations: much the greater part of these sufferers are strangers who, to use the language of liberty, the fortune of war has put under our protection; and those who have not seen them may form some idea of them by report. They are stout, comely and intrepid, of a vigilant, laborious, and obedient disposition. They have given proof of their discernment as well as of the necessity of their situation by the preference they have shown to British Sovereignty when they were at their liberty to have gone to Old France, and though military government, which took place, is seldom the most favourable to a commercial people, they had reason to be sensible of the advantageous change. There is now a form of Civil Oeconomy: if it is duly administered and not tinctured with military power it will be the most grateful to a brave and intelligent people. It is our wisdom and our duty to show them in every instance that we are as willing to be Their friends as They can be Ours, and let us endeavour to secure their fidelity to the crown of the realm by engaging their Hearts as well as their tongues. They profess allegiance to the King, let us engage them by every tye to render that allegiance inviolable.”
The details of the disaster are then given. The concluding words of the appeal, after an allusion to the “Most Awful Gratitude” to “Divine Providence” which has blessed His Majesty’s arms and given him “the possession of the country of which the city in question is in several respects the principal” are: “In these several views we present the cause of the sufferers in Montreal. It is meant that no circumstance which religion, humanity or True Policy can suggest shall be omitted. Thus shall we conciliate their minds to the British Government and render the oeconomy of it in that quarter of the world so much the safer. In proportion to the encouragement afforded by the promotion of useful industry and labour it is to be presumed their attachment to their country will increase by such means we shall also show them that Our Protestantism inspirs the most essential part of Christianity: We shall show them that the British nation is not more to be dreaded for their valor and intrepidity than beloved, for the exercise of the social virtues; and these qualities, displayed on this occasion, will in their natural tendency promote that harmony on which the prosperity of the state depends. Thus shall we behold commerce and navigation, Fixed on the securest basis; benevolence cherished; the hearts of all the subjects of the British Empire united by a concordance of sentiment; a just discernment of what is right and fit for the common good; and a resolution to adhere to such right. And being thus bound by a sincere and mutual affection, even the most adverse events may in the issue contribute to give permanancy to the state and uninterrupted happiness to the King and his people.”
This committee by March 20, 1766, had collected £1,818 16s 8d, of which His Majesty contributed £500. The “case of the Canadians” is worth quoting further, since it gives a picture of the city at this period from an English point of view. “Montreal contains about seven thousand inhabitants. It is here that the French Canadians were most desirous of retreating when they had acquired a subsistence; the adjacent country where they had many seats and farms on the banks of the river being delightfully pleasant and the climate more agreeable than at Quebec.” It was computed that one-fourth of the city was consumed and about one-third part in value. The loss sustained by the “dreadful fire” was carefully attested by His Excellency, the Honourable James Murray. An abstract is given:
Value in Buildings (an exact survey being made by masons and carpenters) £31,980 0 0 Value in Merchandise 54,718 5 9 Value in Furniture and Apparel 25,261 12 6 Value in Cash, plate and Bills 4,814 0 3 ------- -- --
Their currency £116,773 18 6 Equal to sterling 87,580 8 10
“It is worthy of notice that these people were so tender of what they evidenced on oath that great numbers declared, some time after, that they found their loss considerably greater than the account they had sworn to.
Families. In St. François Street were burnt out 54 In St. Paul Street were burnt out 87 In the Market Place were burnt out 26 In Hospital Street were burnt out 1 In St. Louis Street were burnt out 15 In St. Eloit Street were burnt out 6 In St. Sacrement Street were burnt out 6 In St. Nicholas Street were burnt out 1 In St. Ann Street were burnt out 1 In St. Ann Suburbs were burnt out 10 Grey Sisters Hospital, Suburbs and houses nearest were burnt out 8
In all 215 families, of whom much the greater part were Canadians newly become subjects.”
An extract from “A genuine letter written the 20th of May from the city two days after the fire” is quoted: “The fire began in the garret of Mr. Levington (a person of reputation) occasioned by hot ashes carried thither to make soap. It broke out at the roof and in an instant the whole was in a flame which communicated to the neighboring houses on both sides of St. Francis Street. The confusion and distress of the inhabitants is not to be exprest. Many of them were in the country and those who were present had not any time to save any part of their merchandize or household goods. Others lost all, even to their books, papers, plate, money. This misfortune has fallen on the richest and most trading part of the city, where the buildings were the best and most filled with merchandize. But the far greater part of the sufferers have now only the cloths on their backs. Many who had the fortune to save the few goods out of their houses and lay them on rafts or by the riverside lost them again, either by the flames or theft. The fire was stopt by uncovering Mons. Landrieve’s house, one end of the hospital and two small houses between Mons. St. Germain’s and the corner opposite Mons. Reaume’s. The wind, which, when the fire began, was at N.N.W., turned suddenly to N.E. which, with these precautions and the united efforts of the soldiers and the inhabitants, saved the rest of the town. For, had it gone up that street which leads to the parish church or fired the hospital des Soeurs it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to have saved any part of the town. There are 110 principal houses burnt.”
From footnotes we learn that though the houses destroyed were made of limestone they were either covered with shingles made of white cedar in the manner of tyle or with boards; and they had not at this time any fire engines. Last summer two of these useful machines were sent over to them. It must also be considered that the houses were inclosed within the fortifications and some so near that one of the city gates was burnt as well as the General Hospital without the gates. A postscript of 11th of February, 1766, adds: “It should be observed that the rooms of their houses at Montreal are floored with clay and stones laid on them in order to prevent fire; but as the French in Europe are much behind us in the mechanic arts which contribute to the safety and convenience of life they are still more so in their colonies; to which cause we may attribute these Canadians having been without fire engines on this occasion. This misfortune will be remedied hereafter and it may be hoped every other conveniency will be introduced among them and especially the conveyance of water to reservoirs which is much wanted there. This defect, indeed, is the more pardonable when it is considered that in so vast and opulent a city as London it is but the other day it was attended by very fatal consequences.” “It is hoped,” concludes the postscript, “every expedient that reason and experience can suggest will hereafter be brought into use now that they have such able instructors as ourselves.”
Then, various devices for roofing and covering the houses are suggested. “Iron plate coverings are certainly the best as practiced in Sweden and in Russia. Two layers of brown paper dipt in hot tar placed over the wooden roof and under layers of iron plates will probably answer better. Some of the persons now going to Canada intend to try if slate will not stand the frost.”
The practical genius of the English was to be devoted to Montreal and Canada. Thus during the early part of British rule, as in that of the recent French régime, Montreal being built so largely of wood, was in constant danger of fire. The English governors early saw this and some of Gage’s earliest acts were to fight this peril. Another fire in 1768 destroyed more than a hundred houses. In 1777 an act was promulgated by Governor Carleton providing for the appointment of an inspector to prevent accidents by fire in each of the towns of Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers. The inspectors were to see that the chimneys were swept once a month and each tenant was obliged to take certain precautions against fire under penalty of a fine. Under the French régime regulations were issued that buckets of water should be kept in readiness and should be carried to the scene of fire when the signal was given. The carpenters were to carry their axes.
Early after the conquest “Fire Club No. 1” was formed by a body of fifteen merchants apparently for mutual self protection. Fires were still constant, some of them threatening the very existence of the city.
On the 6th of June, 1803, a destructive fire took place in Montreal. It broke out in the house of a man named Chevalier in St. Lawrence Main Street on the northeast side towards the upper end. As the wind was high and variable, the outhouses on both sides of the street soon took fire. At a quarter to four the roof of the jail was burning, soon followed by the English church on the northeast and the Roman Catholic chapel on the southwest side. These, to use the words of the reports by the magistrate were “instantaneously consumed.” It was with difficulty the courthouse was saved. Besides the jail and two church buildings the old church of the Jesuits, the Roman Catholic College (St. Raphael) and eleven houses were burnt in the lower part of the town. About 10 o’clock at night the fire was under control at the house adjoining that occupied by Mr. Justice Ogden. In the suburbs, where it originated, the fire was extinguished by sunset, after destroying thirteen houses besides outhouses, stables, etc.
Other fires followed during the summer of so alarming a character that it seemed evident they did not arise from accident, but from design, and a reward of £500 was offered for the apprehension of the offenders. With the exception of the first, which took place in June, these fires broke out during the first week in August and the magistrates offered a reward of £250, making with that offered by the governor £750 for the detection of the criminal. The succession of fires is thus reported. On Monday, August 1st, a little after 1 o’clock in the morning, fire broke out and consumed two houses; on Tuesday morning, at 6 o’clock, a stable was discovered to be on fire but was pulled down and the fire extinguished; on Wednesday several houses were burnt, one man killed and a number more or less seriously wounded; on Friday other fires broke out entirely destroying a number of houses, and it was with difficulty the lower part of the town was saved from a serious conflagration. Patrols were established and precautions taken to guard against the repetition of the fires.[1]
In 1824 a volunteer fire association of 100 was formed under M. Antoine Lepage, assisted by Doctor Berthelet, with its station near Notre Dame Church. In 1825 the Property Protection Fire Company was organized by Captain John Lukin. On the 7th of September, 1825, a fire broke out in an outhouse belonging to a cooper of the name of Dumaine, situated in the rear of a house forming the corner of St. Mary and Campeau streets. Over eighty dwellings and outhouses were consumed. Had it not been that there was no wind during the time and that the services of the Seventieth Regiment were at hand the fire might have been extremely disastrous to the town.
The new municipal fathers took early steps by a regulation of the 3d of June, 1841, to create a fire department. It was to consist of an inspector, superintendent, a chief engineer, a captain and a lieutenant for each company of firemen. When the Oregon boundary dispute with the slogan of its agitators “Fifty-four forty or fight,” was creating anti-British feeling in 1846, the Montreal fire brigade was formed into a battalion of militia under the command of the mayor, the Honourable James Ferrier, Mr. John Fletcher, afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, being appointed adjutant. The battalion drilled, but without arms, in the market hall for several years, even after the excitement of the Oregon incident had died away. On the breaking out of the Crimean war, Captain Fletcher offered authoritatively the services of 100 men of the Montreal fire brigade as volunteers for the war and received the thanks of the secretary of war for their patriotism.
The voluntary system of firemen continued to the 30th of April, 1863, when the last companies, then ten, received their last payment. On the 1st of May, 1863, the system of the telegraph alarm was introduced as well as No. 1 fire station at the corner of Chenneville and Craig streets. The new firemen, to the number of thirty, with salaries varying from the equivalent of two hundred and forty dollars to three hundred and sixty-five dollars a year, were supplemented by a certain number of volunteers with an honorarium of about twenty dollars annually until 1867. Until 1868 the duties included the watering of the streets. Hand pumps were then in vogue, the steam pump not being used until 1871.
In 1863, therefore, the fire department was more fully organized and has developed to its present efficiency.
Under a by-law passed May 10, 1865, the fire department was reorganized in two sections; the “City Fire Police,” consisting of a chief engineer, an assistant engineer, a hosewasher and cleaner, eight guardians, eight assistant guardians, and eight drivers, with eight stations; and the “City Fire Company,” composed of such members of the former fire department as chose to offer their services, not to exceed thirty-six in number, with the right to enroll eighteen supernumerary members to supply the places of absentees. They were to be under the immediate command of a captain and two lieutenants. The fire department had to operate the fire engines, hose, hooks and ladders, axes, etc., and the city fire company was for the purpose of operating fire engines, working hose, placing ladders and any other duty required of them in aid to the fire police. The members enjoyed all the privileges and immunities of firemen; the thirty-six men had salaries of $20.00 a year, subject to draw-back for nonattendance and the Supernumerary members were entitled to pay only when supplying the place of absentee members. The captain was paid $50.00 a year and the lieutenants got $40.00 each. The members of the city fire police got salaries ranging from $800.00 a year for the chief engineer, down to $240.00 a year for the drivers.
The day’s work for the fire police was divided into four watches of six hours each and it was provided that “when not on watch or engaged in street-watering as is hereafter provided, the guardians and drivers may be absent for meals, and if married, for the purpose of attending to their families; but with the exception of the first, leave of absence shall first be obtained.”
In 1910 the fire brigade consisted of 1 chief, 1 deputy chief, 6 district chiefs, 29 captains, 38 lieutenants, 19 engineers, 100 first class firemen at $800 a year, 103 second class firemen at $725, 26 third class firemen at $675, and 100 fourth class firemen at $625, and 27 other members with various duties.
The apparatus was composed of 90 pieces, including 29 hose wagons, 2 Siamese wagons, 6 aerial ladder trucks, 16 hook and ladder trucks, 3 salvage wagons, 2 water towers, 2 chemical engines, 1 hose and chemical wagon, 6 coal wagons, 1 automobile and 9 buggies for officers. The brigade was called out 2,143 times.
During the last two years automobiles for the various officers have increased in number. In the summer of 1912 an automobile fire hose apparatus was ordered for No. 20 station and two automobile tractors, one for the aerial ladder truck and the other for the 1200 steam fire engine. These proving successful, on the recommendation of the fire chief the Board of Commissioners ordered three more of the latter in December, 1913, and a large order was placed for more at the beginning of 1914, so that now twelve motor power apparatuses are employed with more to follow. The day of the horse seems to be doomed for the city fire stations as too slow.
The fire chiefs of Montreal since 1863 have been:
Alexander Bertram 1863-1873 William Patton 1873-1888 Zephyrin Benoit 1888-1908 J. Tremblay 1909-
FIGHTING DARKNESS
The lighting of Montreal dates from 1815. Up to this no public provision had been made. Darkness is the friend of vice, and burglaries were numerous. In November, 1815, through the exertions of Mr. Samuel Dawson and others, that portion of St. Paul Street west of the old market (now Place Royale) was handsomely lighted by twenty-two oil lamps fixed at a distance of fifty-four feet from each other, each costing when ready for use $7.00 each. The east side of St. Paul Street raised a subscription “not to be outshown by their neighbours!” Notre Dame shortly followed the “bright example set.” This activity led on the citizens to petition parliament to provide night watches and street lamps for the town. In April, 1818, an act was passed providing for this. The number of men appointed was twenty-four, their duties being to attend to the trimming and lighting of the lamps and to act as guardians of the city. They used to call out the hours of the night, such as “Past 12 o’clock and a starlit night” through the drowsy streets. Within the homes the humble candle was still used and each household had its implements to make these simple dips or rush lights. Afterwards ready-made candles from England were sold. When candles were first introduced they were thought miraculous, but there are still some living in Montreal who remember how, in their youth, before candles, grease or oil would be put in a spoon, and carried through the house at night to light the way from room to room. Lucifer matches of the modern type were a wonder. The flint was used with tinders half a century ago.
The first gas works were built in 1836 at the Cross, then about one mile from the city, and some shops were lighted on the 23d of November, 1837. The proprietors were incorporated by an act of the provincial legislature in April, 1836. Mr. Armstrong was the proprietor and Mr. E.A. Furness was the principal stockholder and manager. The city was dilatory in making use of their services.
The New City Gas Company was established in 1847. In 1848 it was able to announce to its patrons that it had reduced the charge per 1,000 cubic feet from 25 shillings to 12 shillings, 6 pence. This is a far cry to the present rate. The New City Gas Company changed its name in 1879 to the Montreal Gas Company which was amalgamated in the Montreal Light, Heat and Power Company in 1901.
The origin of the lighting of Montreal by electricity may be briefly told. In 1878 Mr. J.I. Craig, of Montreal, returning from the Paris exhibition, determined to work out some experiments in electric lighting following on demonstrations seen in Paris. Accordingly he built himself Gramme bipolars, four polar machines and a Gramme alternation to supply current for Gablacoff candles. In 1879 he was allowed to give a demonstration by fixing up lamps on Bonaventure Street (now St. James), between Seigneurs and Guy streets. Another exhibition was given facing the Champ de Mars, having its generators in the building of the “Le Monde” newspaper, and his lamps on that now occupied by the “Chambre de Commerce” on St. Gabriel Street. At the midnight mass on Christmas eve, 1879, at St. Joseph’s Church, Richmond Street, he gave an illustration of its services in interior illumination. In 1882 a company called the “Phoenix” was formed to promote the commercial utility of Mr. Craig’s inventions, which consisted of dynamos, arc lamps and storage batteries. In the same year the harbour commissioners purchased a Brush generator with arc lights and were thus the first to adopt the new light. In 1884 the firm of Thompson & Houston, which became the Royal Electric Company, secured the contract to light some of the streets, commencing with St. James. In 1885 the Phoenix Company going into liquidation, the estate was purchased by Mr. J.I. Craig, who put up several plants in the province of Quebec and between 1887 and 1890 secured the contracts for St. Henri, St. Cunégonde and Coté St. Antoine. The first alternating current in the city was installed in 1890 by the Royal Electric Company. In 1895 the Royal Electric was merged with the Montreal Gas Company and the St. Lawrence Electric Company which was exploiting a hydro-electric plant at Chambly. Later the Lachine Rapids Hydraulic & Land Company, the Provincial Light, Heat & Power Company, the Standard Light, Heat & Power Company, the Citizens Light, Heat & Power Company and the Temple Electric Company were also added. The whole combination is now known as the Montreal Light, Heat & Power Company of today, which has its head offices at the Power Building on Craig Street.
Another body entitled the “Montreal Public Service Company,” a merger, which obtained its charter about 1912, controls the Canadian Light, Heat & Power, the Montreal Electric, the Saraguay and the Dominion Central Electric Company. The offices of this second corporation are in the Eastern Townships Building. Between these two companies Montreal is lighted in 1914.
We may add the following notes of the origin of our electric fire alarm, telephone service and other electric developments in Montreal:
The first telegraph wire connecting Quebec and Montreal was installed in 1847. But the first wire strung in the Dominion was put up in the same year by the Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara and St. Catherine’s Telegraph Company. The Montreal Telegraph Company was organized in 1846, and was incorporated by a special act of the legislature of Canada in 1847, and first opened between Quebec and Toronto. A message from Toronto to Montreal cost 3s. 9d., in Halifax currency, for ten words. The Montreal fire alarm telegraph, with which is connected the police telegraph and the telegraph in connection with the water department, was built by Messrs. J.F. Kennard & Company, of Boston. The work was commenced on the 2d of September and completed on the 26th of December, 1862, at a cost of $20,000. This line went into operation on the 19th of January, 1863, and “entered on its duties by striking the hour of 12 noon,” as is announced in a handbook issued in 1863 by the London & Liverpool Fire & Light Insurance Company. Electricity was first used as a motive power in Canada in 1883, when a short piece of track was laid on the grounds of the Toronto Industrial Exhibition. The first practical road was laid in 1884. In 1885 the track was lengthened and the overhead wire and trolley arm used. The possibility of combating the snow was demonstrated successfully in 1891 by the Ottawa Electric Railway Company. Montreal followed in 1892, when the city passenger rails were electrified. Quebec followed in 1897.
FIGHTING FLOODS
Floods in the early days of Maisonneuve had threatened the old stockade fort and till modern days the lower part of the city has constantly been inundated. On Thursday, the 14th of January, 1848, the waters of the St. Lawrence rose for three days and flooded, to a depth of from two to six feet, the lower part of the city, Griffintown and the emigrant sheds at Point St. Charles, where the sick from the fever were lying. In February, 1857, Griffintown was the scene of another and similar inundation. The lower part was like a series of canals and communication between the houses was by small boats. More important was the inundation of 1861 when the flood extended over one-fourth of the city. Griffintown was again submerged. The trains from the west and from Lachine were unable to enter the city and passengers had to find their way to the city by Sherbrooke Street. “The extent of the inundation,” says Sandham, “may be conceived from the fact that the river rose about twenty-four feet above its average level. The whole of St. Paul Street and up McGill Street to St. Maurice Street, and from thence to the limits of the city was entirely submerged and boats ascended McGill Street as far as St. Paul Street. To add to the suffering of the people the thermometer sank rapidly and a violent and bitter snowstorm set in on Tuesday, April 15th, and continued to rage with great fury all night.” Another flood in the lower town, second only to that of 1861, occurred in April, 1865. The damage done was not so great owing to the gradual rise of the waters, the inhabitants being able to remove their effects.
In the flood of April 17th, 18th and 19th, 1886, it inundated nearly one-half of what then constituted Montreal. The “Witness” of the above dates contained a long account of the flood.
According to this, the conditions became really serious on Sunday morning, April 18, while the people were at church. A big ice shove occurred in the river, and ice was soon piled up twenty or thirty feet high on St. Helen’s Island. * * * But there was yet no break in the Longueuil and Hochelaga ice, and the crushing, grumbling ice in the channel commenced to pack more thickly and to rear pyramids more profusely than before. At the last the mass stopped moving altogether.
When the water rushed backward, finding no sufficient outlet in the channel, Chaboillez Square, St. James Street West, Craig Street to Chenneville Street, and then to Cote Street, all were soon covered, and those who had gone from the lower levels to uptown churches, or who had come down to churches on St. James Street, and elsewhere, found that they had to make a detour as far east as St. Urbain and St. Charles Borromee streets, in order to get past the flood. Higher it slowly came up, and was into St. Urbain Street. It was also a few inches deep in St. Germain Street. And the cellars were full almost from one end to the other of Craig Street.
At Victoria Square, several teamsters with express wagons commenced a ferry service which was of great value to themselves and the public, for they charged 5, and in some cases 10 cents, to carry one across “the raging Victoria Canal.”
The eastern limit of the flood was just beyond Bonsecours Market, and Vitre Street was the farthest north. At Bonsecours Market the dealers could not get into their cellars at all.
At Jacques Cartier Square, the water was nearly to the corner of St. Paul Street, and the lamp posts at the corner of Jacques Cartier Square stood about half out of the water. The water washed through the pillar letter box at the corner of Commissioners Street. St. Paul Street west from Custom House Square was flooded. It was partly up St. Nicholas and St. François Xavier, but had not reached St. Sacrament.
Turning down St. Peter, pedestrians were brought to a sudden halt just north of Lemoine Street. The wrecking in the warehouses along Lemoine Street was described as “disheartening and the destruction appalling.”
On McGill Street, the wide space permitted any amount of boating, and skiffs and rafts were plying in all directions. McGill, above Lemoine, was entirely under water.
“A walk to Victoria Square opened the vista of St. James Street West, which street, from St. Michael Lane West, was a sheet of water as far as the eye could reach, the cars on the sidings at the Bonaventure station standing in the flood.”
The City Passenger Railway had ceased to be able to get through to St. Alexander Street, and were almost cut off from proceeding up Bleury. Later on the Bleury Street route was also impassable, the water flowing up Craig to the foot of Place d’Armes Hill.
The fires of the Montreal Gas Company’s works on Ottawa Street were extinguished by water, and consequently the supply was cut off from the whole of the lower portion of the city. Fortunately the company had another plant at Hochelaga which was not flooded.
On the south shore fields of ice swept over the country, knocking down fences, barns, and portions of dwelling houses. Some of the inhabitants who had spent fifty or sixty years in St. Lambert said they had never seen the water reach the height it did this time. At Longueuil the fine old Catholic church had four feet of water in it and nearly the whole village was more or less under water.
The following is a record made at the time by the city surveyor of the highest level reached by the water at the lowest points on various streets.
Feet. Inches.
Mill Street 10 -- Common Street 2 6 Commissioners Street 6 -- Youville Street 5 -- St. Paul Street 2 -- St. Francois Xavier 3 6 McGill Street 4 6 Wellington Street 5 7 Ottawa Street 6 -- Inspector Street 6 -- Chaboillez Square 5 -- Grand Trunk depot on Albert Street 6 9 St. James Street 6 8 Little St. Antoine 4 -- Wellington Bridge 10 -- Conde 7 -- Manufacturers 4 -- Centre 8 -- St. Patrick 7 --
In 1887, on April 2, the water rose 4 feet 7 inches above the revetment wall. In 1888 an embankment was made to prevent floods, since when there has not been much trouble.
FIGHTING DROUGHT
Floods are bad but droughts are an evil, also, which a city has to forestall. How this has been done may be exemplified by the story of the city’s waterworks. As this has been recently told again by Mr. F. Clifford Smith, we shall largely follow his excellent resumé prepared for the City Council last year.
At the beginning of the present century, when Montreal was a town of about nine thousand inhabitants, who lived mainly within the old fortifications, or, in other words, within the area bounded by the sites of McGill Street, Fortification Lane, Berri Street and the St. Lawrence, the only means provided by the municipality for the supply of water consisted of public pumps at Place d’Armes, the Market Place (now Place Royale), Notre Dame Street near the Courthouse, St. Jean Baptiste near St. Paul Street, and a couple of other points. For the rest the citizens supplied themselves with water from private wells and cisterns, and by watering carts from the St. Lawrence, and the creeks, the principal of which was the Petite Rivière which ran where Craig Street now is. The pedding of water in big puncheons was a common and quaint custom of these early days. The water cart would be driven into the river and filled. The poor women washed their linen on the banks.
In 1800, after considerable talk about forming a waterworks, an act was passed incorporating Joseph Frobisher (one of the founders of the Northwest Trading Company and builder of Beaver Hall) and his associates[2] under the title of the Company of Proprietors of the Montreal Waterworks. The capital invested was £6,000 with power to increase to £48,000. An exclusive franchise was given for fifty years. The system decided upon was that of gravitation. Water was obtained from a pond in the rear of the present Cote des Neiges village, and was brought to the city through wooden pipes laid around the southern slope of the mountain, via Monklands and Cote St. Antoine Road, to cisterns which were placed one on the corner of Guy and Dorchester streets, and the other on Notre Dame Street, just west of Dalhousie Square.
The company’s trouble soon began. The supply, which was from a well, was most precarious, while the frequent bursting of the wooden pipes finally resulted in the enterprise becoming a failure.
In 1816, the waterworks, and unexpired franchise of thirty-five years, were offered for sale; and in the year 1819 they were purchased by a new company under the management of Mr. Thomas Porteous for £5,000. This company abandoned the gravitation supply from the spring and instituted a steam pumping plant, the engines, of course, being very primitive. The supply was got from the St. Lawrence in the near vicinity of the city. Instead of wooden pipes, four-inch iron pipes were substituted, and wooden cisterns were then erected on Notre Dame Street east of Bonsecours Street. The cisterns were found to be very weak and were finally replaced with other wooden cisterns, but they were lined with lead. The capacity of the cisterns was 240,000 gallons. The pumping engine was placed on the west corner of Water and Friponne streets. The amount expended by Mr. Porteous was about forty thousand[3] pounds. The four-inch pipes put down soon proved insufficient; other troubles ensuing, this company also sold out. The plant was advertised for sale and was bought in by Mr. J. Haynes for $60,000. Mr. Haynes quickly floated a new company which replaced the small pipes in the streets by pipes of ten inches diameter and installed a more powerful engine. In 1843 two engines were at work with a pumping capacity of 93,000 gallons. By this time there were laid in the streets fourteen miles of pipes.
In 1843 also the first agitation was started for the city to own the waterworks. It was kept up till 1845, when the municipality made an offer of £50,000 for the plant, which was accepted.
HISTORY UNDER CIVIC CONTROL
In 1847, two years after the civic authorities of Montreal had taken over the primitive plant, the water committee made a report to the city council suggesting that a premium be offered for the best plan to force water from the St. Lawrence into a reservoir on the mountain. The idea was to get water power from the Lachine Canal. The suggestion was deemed impracticable and not acted upon.
In the year 1849 the city constructed a reservoir on what now is St. Louis Square. Its height was 130 feet above the St. Lawrence and its cost was £3,000. By the year 1850 the corporation had laid nineteen miles of iron pipe and six miles of lead pipes. The reservoir had a capacity of 3,000,000 gallons.
In the year 1852, the year of the great fire when much of the waterworks system had been destroyed, the services of Mr. Thomas C. Keefer were procured by the city to draft a plan whereby the city could get an entirely new water supply. The plan he proposed was adopted and has practically been in operation up to the present, when it is being drastically changed. The system consisted in an open canal having the entrance about a mile and a half above the Lachine Rapids. The canal, or aqueduct, which was four and three-quarters miles long, ended at a building called the Wheel House. This building contained two vertical hydraulic wheels operating a set of six pumps having a capacity of 4,000,000 gallons a day. The water was raised through a main of twenty-four-inch diameter, and ended at a reservoir where the present McTavish reservoir stands. The construction of these works lasted until 1856 and cost $280,236.53. The elevation of the aqueduct was thirty-seven feet above the level of the harbour. The dimensions of the aqueduct were forty feet wide at the water surface and eight feet deep. The canal furnished more than sufficient power to develop 300 horsepower, and to raise 200 feet above the level of the water, in the harbor, 5,000,000 imperial gallons of water, being at the rate of forty imperial gallons per capita. The hydraulic motive power was utilized by two breast wheels working six pumps. The old works were, of course, abandoned, and the pumping engines and reservoir on Notre Dame Street, with their sites, were sold for the very modest sum of $23,320. The whole new system had been well devised and the supply of water, indeed, was sufficient for a population twice as large as it was then; but troubles soon cropped up. Owing to the blocking up of the ice in the aqueduct, the formation of frasil and the annoyance caused by the backing up of water in the Little St. Pierre River, the supply in winter frequently only averaged three million gallons. The channel of the Little River St. Pierre was deepened in 1857 and 1858, but not sufficiently to get rid of the back water in question. In the winter of 1863 a tailrace was cut to the river which greatly ameliorated conditions. In 1862 and 1863, owing to increased population and ice blocks at the entrance of the intake, again the supply of water became so uncertain that the ancient custom of supplying water in puncheons had to be resorted to. This state of things naturally caused a great deal of trouble and annoyance, to say nothing of the additional expense to the city. In 1866 the consumption had actually reached 5,000,000 gallons a day, with the result that the supply was once more quite inadequate. In this year the superintendent of the water department made a strong plea for the purchase of steam engines; he held it was the only way that the water famines, through which the city was passing, could be prevented. Had there been a sufficient head of water in the aqueduct to get enough power, the plea for steam would not have been made, owing to its very heavy cost.
It was in 1868 that the first steam engine was installed, and some relief was experienced.
Little by little other steam pumps were added, but so steady was the growth of population that there were constant fears of a shortage of water.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE RESERVOIRS
The pressure on the pipes having been constantly unsatisfactory, and owing to the city expanding towards the higher levels, the construction of the present reservoirs had been decided upon. The reservoir, called the McTavish reservoir, is of oblong shape with semi-circular ends, and so placed in the mountain slope that the surface of the rock is about level with the water surface on one side, and with its bottom on the other. The natural rock was used as a wall on the upper side, but on the lower side the water is maintained by a masonry wall which is solidly banked. The reservoir was divided transversely into two equal parts by a masonry wall, and when first completed contained thirteen and a half million gallons. Later on extensive enlargements were made, until today its capacity is 37,000,000 gallons. Its elevation when full is 204 feet above the harbour. The entire cost of the reservoir is about one million dollars. Under the gatehouse, which stands on the reservoir wall, is a well or distributing chamber. Into the bottom of this well the main pipes from the pumps are led, and opposite to them is a separate passage to each division of the reservoir. The pipes and passages are all controlled by gates, and by their means the water is turned off and on each division or main pipe, as may be desired. The water from the pumps at the Wheel House does not go first to the reservoir and thence to the city; the reservoir merely takes the overflow water from the pumps at the Wheel House and stores it for further use. In other words, it is a safety supply which the city can depend upon in the event of sudden breakdown of pumps. But the big reservoir, even when full, could not supply the city now for two days.
What is termed the High Level reservoir is considerably farther up the mountain than the McTavish reservoir. It was found necessary to construct this in order to supply the district above Sherbrooke Street; as the McTavish reservoir was at such an altitude that it could not give the required pressure for the more elevated districts of the city. The High Level reservoir draws its supply from the McTavish reservoir. Its pumping station is at the McTavish, and it is equipped with one 5,000,000 and one 2,000,000 gallon pump. At the pumping station at the Wheel House there are six steam pumps. The High Level reservoir is 212 feet higher than the McTavish, or 413 feet above the harbour. Its capacity is one and three-quarter million of gallons. Like the McTavish it is built in the solid rock and is a most substantial structure.
PUMPING PLANT IN 1912
As it is now the city’s intent to do all of the pumping by hydro-electric power, it will be of interest to note, especially for the future, what is the steam pumping plant of today.
The plant situated at the low level pumping station, Point St. Charles, is here seen:
Engine No. 1, erected in 1886, ten million gallons, high duty, Worthington.
Engine No. 2, erected in 1894, ten million gallons, high duty, Worthington.
Engine No. 3, erected in 1895, eight million gallons, low duty, Worthington.
Engine No. 4, erected in 1905, twelve million gallons, high duty, Worthington.
Engine No. 5, erected in 1909, twelve million gallons, turbine with Bellis-Marcum engine.
Engine No. 6, erected in 1912, twelve million gallons, turbine with Bellis-Marcum engine.
The plant at the High Level reservoir is as follows:
McTavish St. engine No. 1, erected in 1889, three million gallons, Gilbert steam pump.
McTavish St. engine No. 2, erected in 1906, five million gallons, Electric turbine.
Papineau St. engine No. 1, erected in 1911, six million gallons, Electric turbine.
The story of the water supply would be inadequate without an account of the great drought that fell upon the city in the last weeks of 1913, caused by a break in the concrete conduit which occurred after dark on Christmas night. For 193 hours the city was without an adequate water supply. It was in great alarm lest a typhoid epidemic or fires should start. Luckily fires were few, but one on St. Louis Square occurred when the want of water caused a whole block to be burned down. The city authorities had water carried round in the water carts and distributed to the people, who besides this scanty service had to melt the snow, then abundant, for culinary purposes. The danger of typhoid was averted by careful attention of the people to the directions of the city health officers and other physicians. The event caused great excitement and much criticism. As a warning note of the dangers that may befall a modern city, the following adapted account, published at the time, is chronicled here.[4]
Montreal’s 193-hour water famine, it is hoped, has passed and gone, but that a city of its size should be so absolutely thrown out of gear by the bursting of a single water conduit was such a shock to the citizens, that they will want the facts of the case to go down to posterity engraved in tables of stone--or concrete.
Shortly after dark on the evening of December 25th, a break nearly sixty feet long appeared in the water supply conduit at a point directly behind the Protestant Hospital for the Insane, on La Salle road. It was claimed the cause of the breakage was the digging away of the earth surrounding the conduit on the one side, adjacent to the old aqueduct, and the piling of it up on the other side, in connection with the widening of the old channel.
It is stated that the pipe was thus caused to sag, crack and eventually under the water pressure to break.
The rush of water carried away most of the earth left between the conduit and the aqueduct, and it was into the latter, fortunately, that the water flowed. If there can be a fortunate side to the accident, it is that it occurred where it did, within a couple of rods of the shack used by the construction company, whose men were at work on the aqueduct, and where there was a telephone, which greatly facilitated the ordering of supplies and men.
By early morning on the 26th, a steel pipe, of six sections, and slightly smaller in diameter than the conduit, had been ordered, and Controller Godfrey had appeared on the scene, from which he was thereafter never absent for more than a few hours.
But before the pipe could be placed, all the earth on the top of, and to the north of the pipe had to be removed, and the remaining and unbroken sides of the conduit demolished. While this work was in progress, sections of the steel tube began to arrive and were bolted together, so as to be ready to be swung into position as soon as the place was cleared.
In the clearing operations, the engineers were also lucky, owing to the close proximity of one of the Cooke Company’s derrick steam shovels, which not only did the hard work of clearing the ground expeditiously, but later supplied hot water for mixing the cement, and steam to keep it warm while drying.
With Controller Godfrey either at work or bustling up the makers of the steel tube, and City Engineer George Janin, and Waterworks Engineer Lesage, continually at the scene of operations, by Monday, December 29th, the background was cleared and the steel pipe nearly completed.
By Tuesday, the latter had been swung into place, concrete had been run in to fill the joints and workmen had been lowered into the conduit, with buckets of blazing tar, to seal them inside.
On Wednesday, the 31st, at 4.45 A.M., the water was let into the conduit and the pumps were started. They ran a few minutes when the engineers were compelled to close them down because there was not a sufficient depth of water in the conduit for them to operate successfully. It was then found that the water had blown out some of the filling of concrete, wood and tar, near the top of the steel tube, and that a large leak had been formed which would keep the city waterless over New Year’s Day.
Meanwhile various serious fires had occurred in the city, in spite of the extra precautions taken by the fire commissioners and the police, and Chief Tremblay of the fire department is reported to have demanded at the City Hall that he be given water, and to have stated that there was but enough water remaining in the reservoirs for one big fire.
At the same time a number of foolish rumours gained credence, such as that should the water not be forthcoming from the conduit at once, the dam which holds the River St. Lawrence out from the old aqueduct would be dynamited, and an even more destructive rumor that the said dam was about to burst at any minute. Had either of these eventualities occurred, as various engineers pointed out, the whole of Point St. Charles would have been flooded.
On Wednesday afternoon, about 4 o’clock, hot concrete was run into the joints at both ends of the steel tube, and it was announced that after allowing four hours for pouring and fifteen hours for drying, the water would be let into the conduit and all would be well.
Thursday, however, still saw the engineers waiting all day for the concrete to set, while a pipe from the derrick up on the embankment above discharged steam into a canvas outer covering to the joint, and through a man-hole in the tube into the interior of the conduit.
On Friday morning, the eighth day from the break, Controller Godfrey, City Engineers Janin and Lesage, Engineer Herlihy, of the Cooke Construction Company, and J.E. Jamieson, of grain elevator fame, who had also been called in by the city for consultation, made an inspection of the repairs, and were at first inclined to the belief that all was well, and, in fact, issued a statement that water should be in the city by noon or 1 o’clock.
But a close internal examination revealed the fact that the concrete was yet not dry, so in order to prevent the waste of more time waiting for it, it was decided to cover it with oakum and pitch, and then to erect a wooden bulkhead or flange around the end of the steel tube inside the conduit to prevent the water from getting at the concrete with any force. It was here that the advantage of the telephone so near the work was evidenced, for a very short time only elapsed between the ordering of the oakum and its delivery.
The process of covering the soft concrete with its protection and erecting the bulkhead occupied most of Friday, and it was with some degree of fear and trembling that the engineers in charge ordered the water turned on at the intake at 6.45 P.M. This was done very, very gently, and so prepared were those responsible for another breakdown that it was definitely stated that should it occur, the pipe would be opened and the water allowed to flow into the old aqueduct.
However, all went well, and the first water reached the pumping station at Point St. Charles at a few minutes past 8 P.M. Within half an hour the first pump was started up, and at 9.50 the pressure was reported to be seventy pounds. By 11 o’clock the water was up to the Milton Street level, and three-quarters of an hour after 6, seven of the pumps were hard at work, and pumping at the rate of 56,000,000 gallons a day. Before breakfast on Saturday morning the McTavish reservoir was full, and every house had its full complement of water.
During the period of stress, there is not a doubt everyone connected with the repair work, and, for that matter, all those engaged in supplying the water to householders from sleighs, worked to their utmost capacity, in spite of considerable external difficulties.
At present Montreal’s city waterworks are supplied by a very-much-criticised concrete conduit, with a 60-foot length of steel tube of a considerably smaller diameter let into it where the break occurred. But at the time of writing, at least, the city has got water.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The Précis in Doctor Brymner’s Archivist’s report for 1892 has been used above.
[2] These were John Gray, Daniel Sutherland, Thomas Schieffelin and Stephen Sewell.
[3] Writing in 1839, the author of “Hochelaga Depicta” says, “Montreal is better supplied with water than any other city on this continent with the exception of Philadelphia.”
[4] Montreal Daily Star, January 5, 1914.
XXXII. LAW AND ORDER
JAILS--POLICE SERVICES--COURTHOUSE--LAW OFFICERS
EARLY PUNISHMENTS--FIRST CASES OF THE MAGISTRATES--GEORGE THE “NAGRE”--“EXECUTION FOR MURDER”--OTHER CRIMES PUNISHED BY DEATH--SOLDIER DESERTIONS--A PUBLIC EXECUTION--THE JAILS--THE JAIL TAX TROUBLES--OBNOXIOUS TOASTS--THE NEW JAIL OF 1836--ITS POPULATIONS--THE NEW BORDEAUX PRISON--OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY PRISONS--THE EARLY POLICING OF MONTREAL--THE LOCAL POLICE FORCE OF 1815--THE POLICE FORCE AFTER THE REBELLION OF 1837-1838--POLICE CHIEFS--MODERN LAW COURTS AND JUDGES--THE HISTORY OF THE BAR--THE BAR ASSOCIATIONS OF MONTREAL--THE RECORDERS--THE ARCHIVES.
SUPPLEMENT--THE JUDGES OF THE HIGHER COURTS FROM 1764 TO 1914--THE SHERIFFS OF MONTREAL--THE PROTHONOTARIES--THE COURTHOUSE SITES--THE BATONNIERS.
The early execution of the law in Montreal under British rule has been indicated in the chapters on the military government which lasted until 1764, when the magistrates or justices of the peace ruled the city till nearly up to the Union. Their first case was one of battery and assault.
At the May meeting of 1765 the first felony case was adjudicated. A man and his wife and a negro had been stealing. The sentence of “William and Elinor March and George, the Nagre” is thus recorded: “They are to go back to the place of their confinement, the said William to be stripped to the waist and Elinor March to have her back only stripped, and the said George the Nagre and each tyed to the carttail and beginning at the jail or prison between the hours of 8 and 9 o’clock in the forenoon on Friday next, are to proceed along around by the Intendant’s and then go to Market Place and round by St. Francis Street and through the Parade to place begun at, during which round they are to receive twenty-five stripes each on the naked back, besides twenty-five each on the naked back when at the market place.”
Next month “George, the Nagre,” was up again for stealing two pieces of silk ribbon, the justices being John Dumas, Daniel Robertson and Isaac Todd. He was sentenced again to be flogged with a cat of nine tails on his march around at the carttail six times with ten stripes each.
At the sitting of the court for August 2, 1765, a French woman named Margaret Tourangeau was “Set for an hour in the stocks for stealing a piece of camblet.”
“It is remarkable,” quotes Borthwick (History and Gazetteer, page 17), “that in the records of courts of sessions for years after the conquest of the country as natural there are very few French names before the magistrates for those crimes for which punishment by whipping, the stocks or the pillory or branding on the hand was meted out. This shows how thoroughly they obeyed their curés to respect the laws and be faithful to their allegiance.”
In the Court of King’s Bench, September, 1781, is recorded the first murderer to be hanged in the history of this Province since the cession, William Blunt.
Being placed in the stocks with a paper label on the breast and “burning in the hand” were common forms of punishment during this period.
The latter punishment was thus inflicted: The prisoner was brought from the gaol into the courtroom, and made firm by an iron hand at the back of the dock, the palm part of his own hand being opened tightly. The red hot iron, sometimes ending either in a crown or some other device, was held ready by the common hangman, and the punishment was inflicted in the center of the palm. The instrument being ready, the prisoner is informed that the moment it touches his flesh he can repeat as fast as he can these words in French, “Vive le Roi” three times, and at the end of the third repetition, the punishment would cease, or the words “God Save the King” if he were an English prisoner.
Even in this short time the hot iron has hissed into the flesh, and made such a mark that all the waters of the St. Lawrence could not efface it. (Cf. Borthwick’s Gazetteer.)
The Montreal prisons of the past, especially before 1840, saw many sad men who were condemned to death for crimes not so punished today, as a glance at some of the principal events recorded in the Court of King’s and Queen’s Bench from 1812 to 1838 will show.
Cases of executions for (1) stealing, larceny, shop lifting, burglary, 20; (2) horsestealing, 10; (3) rape, 3; (4) highway robbery, 1; (5) sacrilege, 1; (6) forgery, 1.
After 1821, although the records give the sentence of hanging for the above crimes, we find that although it is often executed, yet there is frequent mention of “pardoned by the king,” “respited,” “transported (so many) years in prison,” “pillory,” and “lashes.” One burglar sentenced to be hanged is respited and sent for five years to Quebec! It is strange to find cases of murder and manslaughter punished thus: “Murder, to be burned in the hand;” “drowning a man, six months in jail and to be burned in the hand in open court.” One of those executed in 1813 for stealing a cow was B. Clement, a boy of thirteen and a half years of age.
In 1818, March term, L. Bourguignon, convicted of grand larceny and condemned to be hanged, “prays for the benefit of the clergy,” which being granted by the court, he is sentenced to two-years’ House of Correction.
Desertion or attempt at desertion among the soldiers stationed in the Montreal district was not uncommon in 1838, after the first curl revolt of 1837. Transportation for a term of fourteen, twenty-one years, or “for the period of his natural life” was the sentence meted out to the “felon” who was marked with a D for deserter. A few records of deserting will suffice:
Fifteenth of May, 1838: Fourteen soldiers, deserters, under sentence of transportation, sent to Mr. Waud, Jailor, under charge of officer of Thirty-fourth Regiment.
Eleventh July: Three soldiers sentenced to fourteen, twenty-one, and twenty-one years’ transportation by G.A. Wetherall, commanding officer of the Second Battalion, “The Royal.” Three for a term of “natural life”--the Seventy-first Regiment.
Fifth of August: Five soldiers of the Seventy-first Regiment, fourteen years.
Third of September: Two of the Fifteenth Regiment, fourteen and seven years. Three of the Seventy-first Regiment, fourteen years and all marked D.
In May, 1839, no less than twenty-four soldiers were committed at one time for desertion, by order of the town major; five were discharged, the remainder were transported. These belonged to the Eighty-fifth and Thirty-second Regiments.
It is not our purpose to record the gruesome punishments further. There are, however, living with us those who have heard from their fathers the days in the ’20s when hangings were conducted in public in the yard of the old jail close to the Champ de Mars. The following description is from a lady eyewitness still living in 1914:
“You know, Mr. Robert Watson, a flour inspector, and a fine gentleman, was shot dead in his own house by a man whose name I cannot recall. That was, I think, in the twenties. The man was arrested, tried and found guilty on circumstantial evidence, which was principally the fact that his boots corresponded to the footmarks found in the snow leading to Mr. Watson’s residence. At the same time there was a French-Canadian tried and sentenced to death for forgery, and sheep stealing, which were then capital offenses. I determined to see the hangings. I know you will think me queer, but I had a desire to go. Hangings were then conducted in public. I remember the crowd in the jail yard as well as if it was yesterday--men and women and girls like myself. The authorities had allowed as many as the yard would hold, but there were hundreds outside who could see nearly as well.
“The Irishman asked for three cheers for the Irish, and said, ‘Take off your hats for the Irishman.’ The people did as he asked. The Frenchman said he had sold his body to the students, and that he was ready to die like a man. He asked the women to come up that he might pull their ears off, for when he began to steal his mother never corrected him, and therefore he was on the scaffold. Then I fainted, the first and only time in my life. I was sorry I went.”
JAILS
The jail[1] used in the latter part of French régime and the early portion of English rule was situated on the site formerly known as the Crystal Block (now represented by the second building northwest of St. Lawrence Street), on Notre Dame Street. On the occupation of the British, the Jesuits’ residence, on Notre Dame Street, on the site facing what is now Jacques Cartier Square, was confiscated and in 1773 used as a jail as well as a courthouse. Not being designed for a jail, it is not surprising that the grand jury at the Court of King’s Bench held on the 2d of September, 1782, presented in their statement that the jail “is very insufficient for the purpose of a civil prison, is in a ruinous condition and is becoming a nuisance to the public and dangerous to the health and lives as well of the persons confined therein as others, his Majesty’s subjects. That it is insufficient for the purposes of a civil prison will appear on considering that there are but three small apartments into which are put prisoners of both sexes, and every denomination, whether for debt, breaches of the peace or the most flagrant crimes, and on the representation of the sheriff of the district to their honours, the judges of the court of common pleas, on the insufficiency of the prison, they have thought proper to order that executions should not issue against the persons of debtors who, by the laws of the Province, may become subject to imprisonment.”
In 1787 a committee of the legislative council was appointed by Lord Dorchester to investigate into the past administration of justice in the Province of Quebec. A committee of merchants of Montreal in a report to this commission, dated the 23d of June, 1787, stated in Article 8: “The want of a proper jail for the district has long been complained of, and at divers times has been represented by different grand juries, as well as at the courts of oyer and terminer and in the inferior courts of quarter sessions; but hitherto no remedy has been applied. The house which at present serves for a jail consists of four very small rooms in which are frequently confined promiscuously persons of different sexes and for very different degrees of crime. The unfortunate debtor cannot have a room to himself, nor can the malefactor, when preparing for the other world, be accommodated with a place of retirement to deprecate the wrath of the offended Deity. The insufficiency of the jail, in point of security, occasions a guard of soldiers to be kept in the lower part of it and even with that precaution many atrocious offenders have escaped, insomuch that the sheriff of the district has refused to confine debtors, unless the prosecutor offer to take upon himself the risk of an escape. The situation of this insufficient jail heightens the sufferings of the persons whom the law dooms to imprisonment, offends every passerby in the warm season and is a nuisance to the neighbourhood.”
The fire in 1803, which swept this portion of the city, partially destroyed the jail, and pending repairs a building was leased for a temporary jail. Still procrastination prevailed.
In 1804 the grand jury of Montreal made another presentment stating: “that the present gaol is only the ruins of the former one, which was burned, repaired and patched up in such a manner that the prisoners are sheltered from the inclemency of the weather, but by no means prevented from going out whenever they feel so inclined.” A report of the sheriff, Gray, shows that the same building had existed under the French rule, that it had then, as subsequently, suffered from fire and that although recently the sum of £615 had been expended on repairs it was still inadequate for the security of prisoners.
In 1805 an act was passed in the house of assembly by which commissioners were appointed to have a jail erected in Montreal and Quebec, the cost to be restricted to £9,000 currency in each case. It was high time. The act of 1805 was the result of these representations.
But a discussion arose at once concerning the ways and means of raising the funds. The bill as prepared embodied a proposal for the raising of funds through a tax on imports.[2] The merchants opposed this as directed against commerce and urged a land tax which the landholders in turn combatted. Petitions were sent by the merchants against the bill and they asked to plead at the bar of the house. This was refused and the bill in its original form passed the upper house unanimously. The bill became law. The merchants trading from London also intervened in a memorial protesting against the import tax. Altogether there was a strenuous fight. The feelings at Montreal rose high.
The Montreal Gazette of the period reported a meeting at Dillon’s tavern, Mr. Isaac Todd, a principal merchant, took the chair at a dinner and among others certain toasts were proposed which were thought by some members of the legislature to reflect on them, scandalously and libellously, and Mr. Todd and the printer of the Gazette were declared by the session of 1806 to have been guilty of a high breach of the privileges of the house. The sergeant-at-arms on attempting to make an arrest in Montreal found both of them absent, and the matter dropped. Some of the obnoxious toasts were as follows:
“Our representatives in the provincial parliament, who proposed a constitutional and proper mode of taxation for building gaols, and who opposed a tax on commerce for that purpose as contrary to the sound practice of the parent state;”
“May our representatives be actuated by a patriotic spirit for the good of the Province as dependent on the British Empire and be divested of local prejudices;”
“May the city of Montreal be enabled to support a new paper, though deprived of its natural and useful advantages, apparently for the benefit of an individual” (sic);
“May the commercial interest of this Province have its due influence on the administration of its government.” (Christie--“History of Canada,” p. 239.)
The next jail was finally built in 1808 adjoining the east side of the courthouse erected in 1800, but becoming too small a more suitable one was commenced in 1831 at the foot of St. Mary’s current on ground purchased from the heirs of Sir John Johnson. It was not taken possession of by the sheriff till 1836. It was not built on hygienic or practical lines and in 1852 the northeast wing had to be demolished. It soon became very much occupied by the rebels and political prisoners of 1837 and 1838.[3]
The former prison was occupied as a house of industry from 1836 to 1838, when it became the government barracks. In the summer of 1849 the old jail built like the courthouse on the site of the Jesuits’ estate was pulled down. The cornerstone was found with two plates, the first recording the laying of the foundation stone of the Jesuit residence in 1742 by M. Normand, superior of the seminary, and the other recording that of the prison by Peter Panet, Isaac Ogden, “honorabiles judices,” and Joseph Frobisher, armiger.
In 1870, the prison, opened in 1836, was already being found too small and its overcrowded state had been frequently protested against by many grand juries. The theoretic capacity for this prison was 225 persons. It managed to hold 552 at one time. In 1876 the women prisoners were removed. It continued to be used for its original purpose till lately when the new prison at Bordeaux was opened in 1912, the last contingent being transferred from the old prison in August, 1913.
The following is a table of the population of the prisoners in the old prison:
1836 Men and women 162 1846 Men and women 1,275 1856 Men and women 1,792 1866 Men and women 4,410 1876 Men and women 3,969 1886 Men only 2,156 1896 Men only 4,132 1906 Men only 3,130 1908 Men only 4,854 1909 Men only 4,287 1910 Men only 4,702 1911 Men only 5,344
In November, 1912, the transmigration to Bordeaux began and the congestion was relieved. The site of the new prison comprises a superficies of twenty arpents, and the buildings are eminently well fitted for their purpose, hygienic and spacious, with none of the faults so bitterly deplored in the old jails.
The supplementary prisons, in 1914, are the women’s jail at Fullum Street, established about 1876, under the “Good Shepherd” community, which has sections for Catholics and Protestants (four non-Catholics), the detention house for juvenile delinquents, in connection with the Juvenile Court, erected by the Juvenile Delinquent act of 1910, established March 12, 1912, the reformatory school at De Montigny Street undertaken by Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul, the boys’ farm reformatory at Shawbridge for Protestants, that for Catholic girls at the House of the “Good Shepherd” on Sherbrooke Street, and another for Protestants, commenced at St. Lambert’s about 1912. There is also for long terms of two years and over a large penitentiary under the Federal Government at St. Vincent de Paul.
THE POLICE FORCES
The policing or the control of law and order in general of Montreal dates back to the 27th of January, 1663, when Maisonneuve founded a voluntary association under the name of the “Police de la Sainte Famille de Jésus, Marie and Joseph,” which was divided into twenty companies of seven men each. In 1667 Maisonneuve organized a more formal police force under the direction of five important citizens who also acted as justices of the peace. In the early times it was also customary to choose two or more citizens in each district of the town to act as constables.
In 1815 the legislature authorized the organization of a local police force. It was composed of twenty-five to thirty men who carried a long baton painted blue, a lantern at their girdle, and a bell to summon assistance. At night the watchmen called out the hour and other, cheerful news such as “All’s well--past 1 o’clock and a starlit night.” When lamps were introduced it was their business to light them. They had multifarious duties, such as looking after the health regulations, the removal of snow, the quelling of riots, especially at elections, when frequently the military had to be called out to assist them. Even then a policeman’s lot was not a happy one, being also very inadequately remunerated.
After the troubles of 1837-8 the special council of the legislature of Lower Canada passed an ordinance to authorize the governor to name an inspector or a superintendent of police for the city of Montreal. This superintendent was similar in power to a justice of the peace. He had, in addition, the charge of the composition and the control of the police force, subject to the provincial secretary. The force consisted of thirty constables, paid by the government. They were supplemented by a special force from the police appointed by the governor and paid by the harbour commissioners. That the new police was badly needed, a picture from “Hochelaga Depicta,” written in 1839, makes clear. “The passions drawn forth by the rebellion have disturbed the repose of many, and military habits and pursuits have not only diverted them from their regular course of action, but have introduced a martial and unsettled spirit which has operated unfavourably upon a large portion of the community. It is to be regretted that many of the regular troops are from time to time seen reeling in the streets, to the interruption of that good order which their services are so efficient in promoting; and that intemperance has increased among the volunteers since they received pay.” (“Hochelaga Depicta,” p. 212.)
The police force was organized in consequence of an ordinance issued during the administration of the Earl of Durham on the 28th of June, 1838. It consisted of 102 privates, four mounted patrols, six sergeants and six corporals under the command of four officers, viz., Capt. Alexander Comeau and Lieutenant Worth for Division A, and Capt. William Brown and Lieut. William Suter for Division B. The expenses were borne by the civil home government and amounted “to at least six thousand pounds per annum.” (Cf. “Hochelaga Depicta.” 181.)
After the rebellion in the early days of Queen Victoria’s reign the office of superintendent was abolished and a “Fire Society” was established by the special council, with power to create a body of officers of the peace. The name suggests that protection against fire was more important those days than against other evils. The force consisted then of 102 men, four mounted patrols, six sergeants, six corporals under the command of four officers. The government supported this expense, which amounted annually to about six thousand pounds. In 1851, after the burning of the parliament house and the Gavazzi riots, the powers of the Fire Society passed into operation under the municipal authorities. The constables were increased to 100. The chief of police was Mr. Hayes. The central station was in the basement of Bonsecours Market and another post was the corner of Craig and Bleury streets. The police had not an enviable reputation. The pay was only 50 cents a day. Often recruits for the service were obtained from the prisoners. Drunkenness was charged to them so that a fine of 5 shillings was imposed on all who sold intoxicating liquors to any of the force.
In 1861 Guillaume Lamothe became chief of police and after some years’ agitation he succeeded in obtaining $1.00 a day pay for his men. Mr. Lamothe, alarmed at the growth of houses of prostitution at this period, suggested in his annual report of 1863 the license of a certain number so as to regulate the evil.[4] The recorder, De Montigny, supported this, but on the protest of the religious authorities of the town the innovation was discountenanced.
In 1870 the military were removed from the garrison and the records show an improvement in the morality of the town.
Since 1850 the chiefs of police have been: H. Jérémie, 1850; Thomas McGrath, 1851; E.O. Ermatinger, 1854; J.N. Hayes, 1854; Guillaume Lamothe, 1861; P.W.L. Penton, 1865; H. Paradis, 1879; G.A. Hughes, 1888; D. Legault, 1901; O. Campeau (November), 1905.
THE COURTS AND COURTHOUSE
The establishment of the higher courts has been treated in the chapters dealing with the constitutional growth of the city. It remains to indicate the present system as in vogue. Lawsuits in purely civil matters involving less than one hundred dollars and in which no future rights are involved, are settled by one of the three judges of the circuit court or in a few cases of minor importance by one of the City Recorders. The city recordership is an office peculiar to the Province of Quebec. It is attached to the City Hall and deals with minor offenses enforcing a part of the criminal law, enforcing payment of city licenses and is a court of appeal for assessment charges, actions for wages and civil cases not exceeding one hundred dollars, and minor cases of non-support and the duties of a domestic relations court. All cases dealing with children under sixteen years of age have been relegated to the recently established juvenile court.
Cases of litigation involving $100 or over are decided by one of the judges of the superior court, from whose decision an appeal may be made either to the court of review, which is practically the first court of appeal (composed of three judges of the superior court, other than the judge rendering the first decision), or to the court of king’s bench, consisting of five judges. There are now six judges of king’s bench, sixteen of the superior court, and four of the circuit court for the district of Montreal, which comprises the island of Montreal and the counties of Laval, Soulanges, La Prairie, Chambly and Verchères. The court of king’s bench is composed of six judges, one of whom is the chief justice of the Province of Quebec and five of whom hear appeals in civil and criminal matters for the Province for two weeks every month in the cities of Montreal and Quebec, alternately. They also preside over the sittings of the criminal court for the cities of Montreal and Quebec. Of late years the salaries of the judges of the king’s bench for Montreal and Quebec are $8,000 for the chief justice and puisné judges at $7,000; those of the superior court, $8,000 for the chief justice and $7,000 each for the puisné judges, with a rider restricting all judges to the exclusive practice of their profession as judges. This limitation causes retirements after a number of years for more remunerative posts. The bench is not a body corporate, while the bar is. The first legislation was in 1785 (25 George III, C. 4), regarding the appointment of advocates, attorneys, solicitors and notaries.
The first attempt of the bar of Montreal to acquire corporate existence goes back to 1828, when on March 27th the members of the bar, under the auspices of the court of king’s bench, then composed of Chief Justice Reid and of Justices A.F. Uniacke, George Pyke and L.C. Foucher, organized themselves into a library association, the first board of management being composed of Messrs. Stephen Sewell, Joseph Bedard, Frederick Griffin, and Alexander Buchanan.
The association had a social circle as a scientific side and partook of the nature of a club. The admission fee was $200 and the annual subscription was $5.00. It appears to have flourished.
The next legislative provision enacted regarding the bar was the enactment of 1836 (6 William IV, C. 10) regulating that those who had followed a regular higher course of letters and had served their clerkship in a law firm were fit to be admitted to practice at the bar. The bar association of Montreal was incorporated in 1840 and the bar of Lower Canada in 1849. The title of batonnier was given officially by act of 1849 to the president of the corporation. It comes from days as far back as 1342, when the president of the Sodality of Lawyers carried a bâton, the emblem of St. Nicholas, their patron.
The act to incorporate the bar of Lower Canada was the gradual dissolution of the Library Association so that about a quarter of a century ago the library began to be considered by comity the property of the bar. Since 1898 the Junior Bar Association has been formed for the purpose of mutual information, interest and friendly relations with similar bodies abroad. About 1907 the Montreal Bar Association was founded “for the purpose of promoting the interest of the bar and of facilitating professional labours and of fostering friendly relations among its members.”
THE COURTHOUSES
The courthouse used after the conquest was held in the Jesuit residence confiscated by the government. On the 3d of January, 1799, the sum of £5,000 was appropriated by the parliament for the erection of a new courthouse and at the same time the ground was granted by the government without any pecuniary indemnity. It was built in 1800 at the cost of $25,000 upon part of the site occupied partially before by the chapel and residence of the Jesuits. It contained many large halls and six fine vaults in which the notarial deeds and registers of births, marriages and deaths were stored. In 1803 at the east end of this courthouse there was built a prison which was partially demolished in 1849.
In 1844 the old courthouse was burnt. Until the present courthouse was built the courts were held partially in the prison adjoining the Château de Ramezay. The present courthouse was opened for business in 1856 on the site of the old courthouse and the prison. What was left of the latter was demolished in 1860 and a square was made between the garden of the government fronting the Château de Ramezay and on this place between the Champ de Mars and Notre Dame Street there was placed a fountain with the statue of Neptune, since removed to Park Mance.
In the present courthouse there are kept the judiciary archives of the district of Montreal, which are certainly the richest of any district in the Dominion because nothing has been destroyed, so that all the notarial deeds and official papers from the times of Maisonneuve to our day are available. These archives occupy a space on the basement floor of the courthouse of nearly three hundred by one hundred and twenty-five feet and also nearly half of the ground floor. Under the French régime the archives were under the care of the governor and the seigneurs of the island. Afterwards they were at the old French courthouse at the corner of St. Francis Xavier and Notre Dame streets and they followed the subsequent fortunes of the courthouse transmigrations. When the courthouse was burnt in 1844 the only documents destroyed were a part of the criminal court record. No systematic indexing and classification of the documents were undertaken before Doctor Lemieux was named sheriff in 1910. As this office in Montreal embraces the administration and supervision of the courthouse and prison, it was to this sheriff’s zeal that in 1911, after many demands, he succeeded in having a staff named under Mr. E.Z. Massicotte as the first archivist to put the archives department on an efficient modern basis. This was done, comparing favourably with the best kept contemporary archives in America. This was attested to by the visitors of the Great American Bar Congress held in Montreal in 1913. While the archives in the courthouse represent the collection of all documents relating to the city anterior to the period of English rule and of all the judiciary courts of the Montreal district since, including the preservation of the births, marriages, deaths and notarial deeds, there has lately been established in the city hall a municipal bureau of Archives under Mr. Beaudry, which preserves all documents concerning the government of the city under the system of the Justices of the Peace and the modern municipal corporation of Montreal. The historians of the future will bless both these forward movements of recent years.
SUPPLEMENT
JUDGES OF THE COURT OF KINGS BENCH, LOWER CANADA
Date. Place. Name.
Dec. 11, 1794 Montreal John Fraser Dec. 15, 1794 Montreal Jean Antoine Panet Dec. 16, 1794 Montreal James Walker May 8, 1795 Montreal Pierre Louis Panet June 22, 1796 Montreal Isaac Ogden Feb. 1, 1800 Montreal Arthur Davidson May 7, 1807 Montreal James Reid Dec. 10, 1812 Montreal Louis Charles Foucher May 1, 1820 Montreal George Pyke Feb. 1, 1825 Montreal Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke Dec. 6, 1828 Montreal George Pyke Jan. 7, 1830 Montreal Jean Roch Rolland Dec. 8, 1830 Montreal George Pyke Dec. 9, 1830 Montreal Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke Dec. 11, 1830 Montreal Jean Roch Rolland Aug. 23, 1834 Montreal Samuel Gale Aug. 30, 1838 Montreal George Pyke Aug. 30, 1838 Montreal Jean Roch Rolland Dec. 20, 1838 Montreal George Pyke Dec. 20, 1838 Montreal Jean Roch Rolland Dec. 20, 1838 Montreal Samuel Gale
JUDGES OF COURT OF THE COMMON PLEAS, P.Q.
Date. Place. Name.
Dec. 11, 1764 Montreal and Quebec Hon. Adam Mabane Dec. 11, 1764 Montreal and Quebec Hon. Francis Munier Dec. 11, 1764 Montreal and Quebec Hon. John Fraser July 14, 1769 Montreal and Quebec Hon. Hector Theophilus Cramahé July 14, 1769 Montreal and Quebec Hon. Adam Mabane July 14, 1769 Montreal and Quebec Hon. John Fraser July 23, 1776 Montreal Peter Livius July 23, 1776 Montreal William Owen Aug. 22, 1776 Montreal Edward Southouse March 6, 1777 Montreal Peter Livius March 6, 1777 Montreal William Owen March 6, 1777 Montreal Gabriel Elzear Taschereau May 29, 1777 Montreal Edward Southouse May 29, 1777 Montreal Edward Southouse Feb. 18, 1779 Montreal Hon. Adam Mabane Feb. 18, 1779 Montreal Thos. Dunn Aug. 30, 1779 Montreal Hon. John Fraser Aug. 30, 1779 Montreal Hon. Hertel de Rouville Aug. 30, 1779 Montreal Edward Southouse Dec. 24, 1788 Montreal Adam Mabane Dec. 24, 1788 Montreal Thomas Dunn Dec. 24, 1788 Montreal Pierre Panet Dec. 24, 1788 Montreal William Dummer Powell Dec. 24, 1788 Montreal Simon Sanguinet Jan. 7, 1790 Quebec and Montreal Adam Mabane Jan. 7, 1790 Quebec and Montreal Thomas Dunn Jan. 7, 1790 Quebec and Montreal Peter Panet Jan. 7, 1790 Quebec and Montreal John Frazer Jan. 7, 1790 Quebec and Montreal Hertel de Rouville
JUDGES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, LOWER CANADA
Date. Place. Name.
Jan. 12, 1792 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers John Fraser Jan. 12, 1792 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers Thomas Dunn Jan. 12, 1792 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers Hertel de Rouville Jan. 12, 1792 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers Jenkin Williams Jan. 12, 1793 Montreal Peter Panet Aug. 30, 1793 Montreal Peter Panet Jan. 28, 1794 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers John A. Panet Feb. 8, 1794 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers P.A. DeBonne Feb. 8, 1794 Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers James Walker
JUDGES OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, P.Q.
Date. Place. Name.
June 15, 1770 Montreal John Fraser June 15, 1770 Montreal John Marteilhe Feb. 1, 1771 Montreal John Marteilhe Feb. 1, 1771 Montreal John Fraser July 1, 1771 Montreal John Fraser July 1, 1771 Montreal John Marteilhe Jan. 13, 1772 Montreal John Marteilhe Jan. 13, 1772 Montreal John Fraser June 23, 1772 Montreal John Fraser June 23, 1772 Montreal John Marteilhe
JUDGES OF THE PREROGATIVE COURT, P.Q.
Date. Place. Name.
Nov. 25, 1779 Montreal John Fraser Nov. 25, 1779 Montreal Hertel de Rouville Nov. 25, 1779 Montreal Edward Southouse
ASSISTANT JUDGE, LOWER CANADA
Date. Place. Name.
June 1, 1818 District of Montreal George Pyke
JUDGES CIRCUIT
Date. Place. Name.
April 22, 1844 Montreal District Hypolite Guy April 24, 1844 Montreal District Charles Joseph Elzear Mondelet April 27, 1844 Montreal District John Samuel McCord April 29, 1844 Montreal District William Badgley
JUDGES OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
Date. Place. Name.
Jan. 26, 1877 District of Montreal Hon. Vinceslas P. Wilfrid Dorion June 23, 1883 District of Montreal Hon. Michel Mathieu April 12, 1886 District of Montreal Hon. Charles Ignace Gill June 10, 1887 District of Montreal Charles Peers Davidson April 15, 1889 District of Montreal Charles Chamilly De Lorimier June 5, 1889 District of Montreal Siméon Pagnuelo Oct. 19, 1891 District of Montreal Charles Joseph Doherty Nov. 22, 1893 District of Montreal John Sprott Archibald Oct. 18, 1895 District of Montreal Hon. John Joseph Curran Jan. 14, 1898 District of Montreal François Xavier Langelier June 25, 1901 District of Montreal Norman William Trenholme Sept. 25, 1901 City of Montreal Thomas Fortin June 11, 1902 District of Montreal Henri-Césaire Saint Pierre Mar. 11, 1903 District of Montreal Napoléon Charbonneau May 5, 1904 District of Montreal John Dunlop Aug. 31, 1906 District of Montreal Eugène Lafontaine Aug. 31, 1906 District of Montreal Edmund Guerin
JUDGES OF CIRCUIT COURT
Date. Place. Name.
Nov. 16, 1893 District of Montreal Denis Barry Nov. 16, 1893 District of Montreal Charles L. Champagne June 8, 1895 District of Montreal John Daly Purcell July 7, 1898 District of Montreal Achille Dorion Jan. 18, 1908 District of Montreal Calixte Le Beuf Nov. 29, 1913 District of Montreal Jean Baptiste Archambault
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT, P.Q.
Date. Place. Name.
Oct. 27, 1894 District of Montreal Melbourne M. Tait
JUDGES OF THE SUPERIOR COURT FOR QUEBEC
Date. Place. Name.
Jan. 11, 1910 District of Montreal Charles Archer July 6, 1910 Residing at Montreal Robert Alfred Ernest Greenshields July 6, 1910 Residing at Montreal Charles Laurendeau Jan. 14, 1912 Residing at Montreal Simeon Beaudin July 16, 1912 Judicial District of Montreal Campbell Lane Dec. 7, 1912 Judicial District of Montreal Louis Edmond Panneton
COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH (SUPERIOR COURT), LOWER CANADA
From 1841 to 1849 Inclusive
Judges.[5] From To
Chief Justice.
Sir Jas. Stuart, Bart Feb. 10, 1841 Dec. 31, 1849 J.R. Vallière de St. Réal (M.) June 1, 1842 Feb. 17, 1847 J.R. Rolland, (M.) Apr. 23, 1847 Dec. 31, 1849
Puisné Judges
Edward Bowen (Q.) Feb. 10, 1841 Dec. 31, 1849 Phi. Panet (Q.). Feb. 10, 1841 Dec. 31, 1849 Elz. Bédard (Q.) Feb. 10, 1841 Apr. 25, 1848 T.C. Aylwin (Q.) Apr. 26, 1848 Dec. 31, 1849 Geo. Pyke (M.) Feb. 10, 1841 June 28, 1842 J.R. Rolland (M.) Feb. 10, 1841 Apr. 22, 1847 Saml. Gale (M.) Feb. 10, 1841 Apr. 25, 1848 C.D. Day (M.) June 29, 1842 Dec. 31, 1849 Jas. Smith (M.) Apr. 23, 1847 Dec. 31, 1849 Elz. Bédard (M.) Apr. 26, 1848 Aug. 11, 1849
COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH (APPEAL AND CRIMINAL), LOWER CANADA
From 1850 to 1865 Inclusive
Judges From To
Chief Justice
Sir Jas. Stuart, Bart (Q.) Jan. 1, 1850 Died July 14, 1853 Sir L.H. LaFontaine, Bart (M.) Aug. 13, 1853 Died Feb. 26, 1864 Hon. J.F.J. Duval (Q.) Mar. 5, 1864 --
Puisné Judges
Hon. J.R. Rolland (M.) Jan. 1, 1850 Jan. 26, 1855 Hon. Phi. Panet (Q.) Jan. 1, 1850 Died Jan. 15, 1855 Hon. T.C. Aylwin (Q.) Jan. 1, 1850 -- Hon. J.F.J. Duval (Q.) Jan. 27, 1855 Mar. 4, 1864 Hon. R.E. Caron (Q.) Jan. 27, 1855 -- Hon. W.C. Meredith (M.) Mar. 12, 1859 -- Hon. W. Badgley, Asst. Judge (M.) Sept. 12, 1863 Dec. 31, 1864 Hon. L.T. Drummond, Puisné Judge (M.) Mar. 5, 1864 -- Hon. C.J.E. Mondelet, Asst. Judge (M.) Jan. 1, 1865 --
SUPERIOR COURT, LOWER CANADA
From 1850 to 1865 Inclusive
Judges. From To
Hon. Edw. Bowen, Chief Justice (Q.) Jan. 1, 1850 Died Apr. 11, 1866 Hon. D. Mondelet, Pusiné Judge (M.) Jan. 1, 1850 Died in 1863 Hon. C.D. Day, Puisné Judge (Q.) Jan. 1, 1850 Sept. 30, 1862 Hon. Jas. Smith, Puisné Judge (?) Jan. 1, 1850 -- Hon. Geo. Vanfelson, Puisné Judge (?) Jan. 1, 1850 Jan. 26, 1856 Hon. R.H. Gairdner, Puisné Judge (Q.) Jan. 1, 1850 Sept. 30, 1852 Hon. E. Bacquet, Puisné Judge (Q.) Jan. 1, 1852 Died in 1853 Hon. C.J.E. Mondelet, Puisné Judge (M.) Jan. 1, 1852 Dec. 31, 1864 Hon. J.F. Duval, Puisné Judge (Q.) Jan. 1, 1852 Jan. 26, 1855 Hon. W. C Meredith, Puisné Judge (M.) Jan. 1, 1852 Mar. 11, 1859 Hon. E. Short, Puisné Judge (?) Nov. 12, 1852 -- -- -- R.E. Caron, Puisné Judge (Q.) Aug. 15, 1853 Jan. 26, 1855 Hon. A.N. Marin, Puisné Judge (M.) Jan. 27, 1855 Died July 27, 1865 Hon. W. Badgley, Puisné Judge (M.) Jan. 27, 1855 Sept. 11, 1863 Hon. J. Chabot, Puisné Judge (Q.) Sept. 20, 1856 Died in 1860 Hon. Hyp. Guy, Puisné Judge (M.) Nov. 25, 1857 Apr. 16, 1860 Hon. J.S. McCord, Puisné Judge (M.) Nov. 25, 1857 Mar. --, 1865 Hon. W.K. McCord, Puisné Judge (M.) Nov. 25, 1857 --, 1858 Hon. W. Power, Puisné Judge (Q.) Nov. 25, 1857 Died in 1860 Hon. J.C. Bruneau, Puisné Judge Nov. 25, 1857 Sept. 4, 1863 Hon. J.T. Taschereau, Puisné Judge (Q.) Nov. 25, 1857 -- -- -- Hon. D. Roy, Puisné Judge Nov. 25, 1857 -- -- -- Hon. P. Winter, Puisné Judge Mar. 29, 1858 -- -- -- Hon. J.T. Taschereau, Asst. Judge (Q.) Nov. 2, 1858 May 2, 1859 Hon. J.T. Taschereau June 6, 1860 Aug. --, 1865 Hon. J.T. Taschereau, Puisné Judge (Q.) Aug. , 1865 -- -- -- Hon. A. Stuart, Asst. Judge (Q.) Feb. 10, 1859 June 6, 1860 Hon. A. Stuart, Puisné Judge June 6, 1860 -- -- -- Hon. J.A. Berthelot, Asst. Judge (M.) Feb. 10, 1859 Dec. 31, 1864 Hon. J.A. Berthelot, Puisné Judge Jan. 1, 1865 -- -- -- Hon. J.G. Thompson, Puisné Judge (G.) May 11, 1859 -- -- -- Hon. A. Lafontaine, Puisné Judge May 11, 1859 -- -- -- Hon. S.C. Monk, Asst. Judge (M.) June 4, 1859 -- -- -- Hon. A. Polette, Puisné Judge (T.-R.) Apr. 21, 1860 -- -- -- Hon. F.O. Gauthier, Puisné Judge (?) Nov. 14, 1860 -- -- -- Hon. T.J.J. Loranger, Puisné Judge (M.) Feb. 28, 1863 -- -- -- Hon. L.V. Sicotte, Puisné Judge (M.?) Sept. 5, 1863 -- -- -- Hon. C.J. Laberge, Puisné Judge (M.) Sept. 18, 1863 July 2, 1864 Hon. F.G. Johnson, Puisné Judge (M.) June 1, 1865 -- -- --
Deputy Judges, Superior Court.
J.B. Parkin (M.?) Dec. 22, 1854 May 11, 1855 Chas. Panet (Q.) May 16, 1855 July 6, 1855 J.J.C. Abbott (M.) May 19, 1855 Aug. 25, 1855
Assistant Judges Under Seigniorial Act.
H. Driscoll (?) Sept. 3, 1855 G.O. Stuart (Q.) Sept. 3, 1855 F.O. Gauthier (?) Sept. 3, 1855 J.T. Taschereau (Q.) Sept. 3, 1855 J.B. Parkin (M.) Sept. 3, 1855 S.C. Monk (M.) Sept. 14, 1855 J.F. Pelletier (Q.) Sept. 14, 1855 J.A. Berthelot (M.) Sept. 14, 1855
COURT OF VICE-ADMIRALTY (QUEBEC)
From 1841 to 1865
Hon. H. Black Feb. 10, 1841
THE COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH FOR THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC
From 1867 to 1895 Inclusive
Chief Justices of the Queen’s Bench.
Name. From To
Hon. Jean François Joseph Duval (Q.) Mar. 4, 1864 May 31, 1874 (Retired June 1, 1874; died May 6, 1881.) Hon. Sir Antoine Aimé Dorion, Kt. (M.) June 1, 1874 May 31, 1891 (Knighted, 1877; died May 31, 1891.) Hon. Sir Alexandre Lacoste, Kt. (M.) Sept. 14, 1891 -- -- -- (Knighted June 15, 1892.)
Puisné Judges of the Queen’s Bench.
Name. From To
Hon. Thomas Cushing Aylwin (Q.) Dec. 24, 1849 Aug. 24, 1868 (Retired Aug. 25, 1868; died Oct. 14, 1871.) Hon. Réné Edouard Caron (Q.) Jan. 27, 1855 Feb. 16, 1873
Mr. Justice Caron assumed the office of Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Quebec, February 17, 1873. Mr. Justice Mondelet, who was a Puisné Judge of the Superior Court, acted as Assistant Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench for and during the time that Mr. Justice Caron continued to be a Commissioner for the codification of the laws of Lower Canada relative to civil matters and procedure.
Hon. Charles Joseph Elzéar Mondelet, Asst. Judge (M.) May 30, 1859 Dec. 31, 1869 Hon. Louis Thomas Drummond (M.) Mar. 4, 1864 Oct. 31, 1873 (Retired Nov. 1, 1873; died Nov. 24, 1882.) Hon. Wm. Badgley (M.) Aug. 17, 1866 Mar. 1, 1874 (Retired Mar. 2, 1874; died Dec. 24, 1888.) Hon. Samuel Cornwallis Monk (M.) Aug. 27, 1868 Sept. 19, 1888 (Retired Sept. 20, 1888; died Oct. 29, 1888.) Hon. Jean Thomas Taschereau (Q.) Feb. 11, 1873 Oct. 7, 1875 Appointed Puisné Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada. Oct. 8, 1875 Hon. Thomas Kennedy Ramsay (M.) Oct. 30, 1873 Dec. 22, 1886 (Died Dec. 22, 1886.) Hon. John Sewell Sanborn (?) Mar. 6, 1874 July 17, 1877 (Died July 17, 1877.) Hon. Ulric Joseph Tessier (Q.?) Oct. 8, 1875 Sept. 11, 1891 (Retired Sept. 12, 1891; died Apr. 7, 1892.) Hon. Alexander Cross (M.) Aug. 30, 1877 Oct. 3, 1892 (Retired Oct. 4, 1892; died Oct. 17, 1895.) Hon. Louis François Geo. Baby (M.) Apr. 29, 1881 -- Hon. Levi Ruggles Church (M.) Jan. 25, 1887 Jan. 6, 1892 (Retired Jan. 7, 1892; died Aug. 30, 1892.) Hon, Joseph Guillaume Bossé (Q.) Sept. 25, 1888 -- Hon. Jean Blanchet (Q.) Sept. 19, 1891 -- Hon. Robert Newton Hall (M.) Jan. 11, 1892 -- Hon. Jonathan S. Campbell Wurtele (M.) Oct. 12, 1 892 --
THE JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF MONTREAL
From 1867 to 1870, four Judges of the Superior Court had to reside in the city of Montreal (C.S.L.C., Chap. 78, 1860); 1870 to 1872, five Judges (33 Vict. Q., Chap. 10); 1872 to 1882, six Judges (35 Vict. Q., Chap. 6, and 36 Vict., Chap. 10); 1882 to 1883, seven Judges (43-44 Vict. Q., Chap. 5); 1883 to 1887, eight Judges (46 Vict. Q., Chap. 13); 1887 to 1895, eleven Judges, including the Judge to whom the district of Terrebonne is assigned (49-50 Vict. Q., Chap. 7, 50 Vict. Q., Chap. 11, and 52 Vict. Q., Chap. 27).
Judges. From To
Hon. James Smith Dec. 24, 1849 Aug. 24, 1868 (Retired Aug. 25, 1868; died Nov. 29, 1868.) Hon. Chas. Jos. Elzéar Mondelet Dec. 24, 1849 Dec. 31, 1876 He was Assistant Judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench from May 30, 1859, to December 31, 1869, during the time Mr. Justice R.E. Caron continued to be a Commissioner for the codification of the laws of Lower Canada relative to civil matters and procedure; he died December 31, 1876. Hon. Joseph Amable Berthelot Nov. 30, 1860 Aug. 31, 1876 (Retired Sept. 1, 1876.) Hon. Francis Godschall Johnson July 18, 1865 Dec. 9, 1889 He was Recorder of the Province of Manitoba from September 3, 1870, to June 1, 1872; appointed Chief Justice December 10, 1889. Hon. Samuel Cornwallis Monk Aug. 17, 1866 Aug. 26, 1868 Appointed Puisné Judge, Court of Queens Bench August 27, 1868. Hon. Robert Mackay Aug. 27, 1868 Oct. 31, 1882 (Retired Nov. 1, 1882; died Feb. 23, 1888.) Hon. Fred Wm. Torrance Aug. 27, 1868 Jan. 2, 1887 (Died Jan. 2, 1887.) Hon. Jos. Ubalde Baudry, Asst. Judge during the absence of Mr. Justice Dec. 5, 1868 June 30, 1869 Mackay (Died Jan. 12, 1876.) Hon. Jos. Ubalde Baudry, Puisné Judge Dec. 22, 1869 Jan. 12, 1876 Hon. Henri Félix Rainville Feb. 3, 1876 Apr. 11, 1886 (Retired Apr. 12, 1886; died Feb. 7, 1891.) Hon. Auguste Cyrille Papineau Sept. 1, 1876 May 6, 1889 (Retired May 17, 1889.) Hon. Vinceslas P. Wilfrid Dorion Jan. 26, 1877 June 2, 1878 (Transferred from the Judicial District of Quebec; died June 2, 1878.) Hon. Louis Amable Jetté Sept. 2, 1878 -- -- -- Hon. Louis Onésime Loranger Aug. 5, 1882 -- -- -- Hon. Marcus Doherty Nov. 2, 1882 Oct. 14, 1891 (Transferred from Judicial District St. Francis; retired Oct. 15, 1891.) Hon. Mathieu June 23, 1883 -- -- -- (Transferred from the Judicial District of Joliette.) Hon. Chas. Ignace Gill Apr. 12, 1886 -- -- -- (Transferred from the Judicial District of Richelieu.) Hon. Chas. Peer Davidson June 10, 1887 -- -- -- Hon. Henri Thomas Taschereau Dec. 1, 1887 -- -- -- (Transferred from the Judicial District of Joliette and assigned the Judicial District of Terrebonne.) Hon. Jonathan Saxton Campbell Wurtele Sept. 20, 1888 Oct. 11, 1892 (Transferred from the Judicial District of Ottawa; appointed Puisné Judge, Court of Queen’s Bench, Oct. 12, 1892.) Hon. Siméon Pagneulo June 5, 1889 -- -- -- Hon. Melbourne McTaggart Tait July 5, 1889 -- -- -- (Transferred from the Judicial District of Bedford; appointed to perform the duties of Chief Justice in the District of Montreal, Oct. 27, 1894.) Hon. Charles Joseph Doherty Oct. 19, 1891 -- -- -- Hon. John Sprott Archibald Nov. 22, 1893 -- -- -- Hon. John Joseph Curran Oct. 18, 1895 -- -- --
RECORDERS APPOINTED SINCE THE CREATION OF THE RECORDER’S COURT, IN 1841
Joseph Bourret 1841 John P. Sexton 1859 B.A.T. de Montigny 1881 A.E. Poirier 1899 R.S. Weir 1899 F.X. Dupuis 1907 Amédée Geoffrion 1912
SHERIFFS OF MONTREAL
John Turner, 23rd September, 1762.
Edward Wm. Gray, May, 1776, 1770-1795.
Frederick Wm. Ermatinger, 24th December, 1810, 1813-1820.
Hon. L. Gugy, March 3, 1827.
Hon. Roch de St. Ours, April 3, 1837-1839.
Hon. Foussaint Pothier and Andrew Stuart, September 21, 1839 for five days.
John Boston and Hugh Edmund Barron, September 26, 1839-1841.
John Boston, March 4, 1841-1842.
John Boston and Wm. Foster Coffin, February 16, 1842-1851.
John Boston, May 17, 1851-1862.
A.M. Delisle, March 12, 1862-1863.
F. Bouthillier, December 19, 1863-1872.
C.A. Leblanc, November 28, 1872-1877.
Hon. P.J. O’Chauveau, September 10, 1877-1890.
Hon. J.R. Thibaudeau, May 9, 1890-June 6, 1909.
Dr. Louis Joseph Lemieux, 1909.
PROTHONOTARIES
1780 John Burke and Charles Lepailleur.
1788-1792 John Burke, John Reid and C. Lepailleur.
1794 John Burke and John Reid.
1795 John Reid, John Burke and Sauveuse de Beaujeu.
1801-1813 Alexander Reid and Sauveuse de Beaujeu.
1814-1815 John Reid and Louis Levesque.
1816-1818 John Reid, L. Levesque and Samuel Wentworth Monk.
1831 S.W. Monk and W.C.H. Coffin, and
Afterwards C.A. Papineau; W.C.H. Coffin, C.A. Papineau and Honey; Hubert, Papineau and Honey; Hubert, Honey and Gendron; Honey and Gendron; Honey, Longprés and Cherrier.
1866-1867 A.B. Longprés.
1890 Hon. Arthur Turcotte.
1895 (about) Hon. (now Justice) Monette.
1908 A. Girard.
THE BATONNIERS OF THE MONTREAL BAR
1849-1852 Toussaint Pelletier. 1852-1853 Sir Antoine Aimé Dorion. 1855-1856 C.S. Cherrier, Q.C. 1856-1858 Henry Stuart, Q.C. 1859-1860 Strachan Bethune, K.C. 1861-1862 Sir Antoine Aimé Dorion. 1862-1863 Strachan Bethune, K.C. 1864-1866 Hon. R. Laflamme, Q.C. 1873-1875 Sir Antoine Aimé Dorion. 1875-1879 W.H. Kerr, Q.C. 1879-1881 Sir Alexander Lacoste, Q.C. 1881-1883 W.W. Robertson, Q.C. 1887-1889 Rouey Roy, Q.C. 1890-1892 Hon. F.L. Beique, Q.C. 1894-1896 Hon. J.G. Robidoux, Q.C. 1896-1898 C.B. Carter, Q.C. 1898-1900 Hon. J.A.C. Madore. 1901-1902 W.J. White, K.C.* 1902-1903 S. Beaudin, K.C. 1903-1904 D. McMaster, K.C. 1904-1905 Gustave Lamothe, K.C. 1905-1906 Eugene Lefleur, K.C. 1906-1907 P.S. Mignault, K.C. 1907-1908 F.G. Meredith, K.C. 1908-1909 Honoré Gervais, K.C. 1909-1910 R.C. Smith, K.C. 1910-1911 F.J. Bisaillon, K.C. 1911-1912 A.J. Brown, K.C. 1912-1913 J.L. Archambault. 1913-1914 F. de Sales Bastien, K.C.
* A one-year’s term of office was now resolved upon.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The first jail under the French régime was situated, according to documents found by Mr. Massicotte either on St. Paul Street near St. Sulpice, or at Point a Callieres, i. e., either at Maisonneuve’s château or in the original fort.
[2] An auction duty of 2½% was levied, with a tax on tea, varying from twopence to sixpence a pound, likewise threepence a gallon on spirits and twopence on molasses and syrup.
[3] In 1839, the date of the publication of Newton Bosworth’s “History of Montreal,” the author writes, “There is no chaplain attached to this gaol nor, we are sorry to learn, is there any provision made for the moral and religious instruction of the prisoners. Vice and immorality, we are informed, prevail to an alarming extent and call loudly for the benevolent services of all who feel it important to check the prevalence of these enormous evils and to reclaim the sinner from the error of his ways.” Vol. II--27
[4] The same suggestion has been made on several occasions since, but always with the same result.
[5] The provincial appointments from 1841 to 1864, and from 1867 to 1895 are given for Lower Canada. It has been found impossible to identify them all in time for the press. Those marked “M” have been identified, as Montreal, “Q” as Quebec and “?” as questioned.