Letters sent home, out and home again by way of Canada and the United States; or, What a summer's trip told me of the people and the country of the Great West

Front matter

from

the estate of

J. Stuart Fleming

Letter I

Going Out From Home.— Stroud Valley— Gloucester Station and the Emigrant Family — Herefordshire and Shropshire — Old Shrewsbury — The Workman’s Holiday — Chester — Liverpool — Growth of English Cities pp. i — 9

Letter II

Going Out From Home.— Development of the Canadian Trade— Liverpool Waifs and Strays — Emigrant’s Boarding Houses.

Letter III

On Board the Moravian. — A Run through Liverpool — Libraries, Museums, and the Working Classes — The Moravian — Meeting with a Friend on board — Our Cabin and Bill of Fare — The Sleeping Berths — Government Inspection of Ship, Stores, and Passengers.

Letter IV

On Board the Moravian. — The Catholic Priest, who is something more than a Priest — Father Nugent’s Children — Miss Macpherson’s Children — My berth companions— Ludicrous scene — Our first toilet — The Children Singing on deck in the Early Morning — The Irish coast and arrival at Moville pp. 24 — 30

X.

Contents .

Letter V

Moville. — Lock Foyle — A Proclaimed District — Irish Mendicants waiting for Prey — Proffered Blessings in Exchange for “ Coppers” — Bird Sellers and their Customers — The Ruins at Greencastle — Our Car Driver — The “sold” Yankee — Arrival of another batch of Passengers and “ The Mails.” pp. 31 — 38

Letter VI

Life on the Ocean.— -Exciting Scene — Fairly Out on the Atlantic — . “Tory” Island — A Scene of Beauty — Whiling the time away — - Difference in time — Taking “The Log” — Measuring Distances — • Miss Macpherson’s Children — The Scene on Deck — The Histories of the Children — Sunday Morning on Board — Our Captain, pp. 39 — 47

Letter VII

Life on the Ocean. —Fifth Day Out. — A Birth on Board— A Doctor’s Tale — The Ship’s Stores— “ Characters” on Board — An Old Sea Captain — A Horsey Young Man — Scott and Tiffins — Lord Gasbags and the Mail Officer — Tale told about him — Manchester Man, Wife, and Daughter pp. 48 — 56

Letter VIII

Life on the Ocean.— Sixth Day Out.— The Winter and the Summer Route to Canada — The Scenery of the Sea — A Storm Rising — Going Down to his berth and taking a mental leave of wife and Children — The Sailors and the Children — Punch on Sea Sickness — On the look-out for Icebergs — Sea Gulls — The class of Literature patronized by the Passengers — The Smoke-room, and the Characters meeting there pp. 57 — 66

Letter IX

Life on the Ocean. — Tenth Day Out.— Watching Gulls and seeing Whales — Temperature of the Air and Water — Sailors fishing for information to know where they were — The Gulf Stream — A Canadian Story — Sunset at Sea — Our Second Sunday — The Fog Signal — A Christening on Board — Miss Macpherson’s Work and what it has done and is doing pp. 67—76

Letter X

Life on the Ocean.— Twelfth Day Out.— Sighting Rock Island — Five hundred miles from Quebec — The Children Singing— A Glorious Night — An Entertainment on Board — First Sight of the

Contents

xi.

North American Coast — Journey up the St. Lawrence — St. Ann’s and the Shickshock Mountains — How the River’s Banks have been trimmed, and Boulder Stones carried out to sea — Preparing for Port— Arrival at Farther Point — The Log-huts along the coast — - How Mother Church took Care of Herself. .... pp. 77 — 87

Letter XI

On the St. Lawrence.— Fourteenth Day Out.— Nearing Quebec — The French Settlers — Canadian Loyalty — The Isle d’Orleans — The Suburbs of Quebec — Quebec, as seen from the River — The Gibraltar of Canada — Singular appearance of the roofs and steeples covered with Tin — Old Quebec — Arrival of the vessel at Point Levi — The Landing Stage — Waiting for New Arrivals — • Employers in Search after Servants — The Customs’ Officers and the (t Checking ” of Luggage. pp. 88 — 97

Letter XII

At Quebec. — Arrangements for Receiving Emigrants at Point Levi— The Forwarding of Emigrants into the Interior, and Precautions against their being Swindled — Canadian Money— The Canadian and the American Dollar — The Emigrant Barracks — The Hotel at Point Levi — Canadian Cattle — Quebec Market Place —The Price of Meat — Maple Sugar — Gosse’s account of Maple Sugar Making, pp. 98—106

Letter XIII

At Quebec. — A Run through Quebec — The Quaint Houses — Quebec Fires — The Upper and Lower Towns — The Wretched Roads — The Cathedrals, Churches, and Chapels of Quebec— The Citadel and its deserted appearance — The Mail Officer and the Children — The Eastern Townships — The U. E. Loyalists — The Government Sale of Land — The Conditions of Purchase and Sale — The Free Grant Districts — Unsurveyed Land of the Province — The Division of the Country into Districts for the purposes of Local and General Government pp. 107 — 116

Letter XIV

The Province of Quebec.— Education for Every Child— How the Religious Difficulty is met — The Public Schools and how they are Managed — The Cost and how it is met — A Classical Education within the reach of all. .......... pp. 117 — 12a xii.

Contents .

Letter XV

A French Canadian Village, and the Falls of Montmorency.— The Old French Calashe — On the Road for Montmorency — The Rich-looking Land — The French Village of Beauport — The Picturesque Cottage Dwellings — The Children — The People “stagnant,” doing only as the Priest bids them — The Produce of the Land — The Duke of York’s Residence — The View around the Falls — The “Natural Steps ” — The Primeeval Forest — The Scenery of the “Natural Steps” — The incessant rush of Boiling Waters — The Falls, as seen from below — The Falls in Winter — The Lumber Shoots — A Visit to Messrs. Hall’s Saw Mills — Quebec, as seen on the Return Journey pp. 123— 134

Letter XVI

Montreal. — The Indian Squaw and her Wares — The Grand Trunk Railway — The Country between Quebec and Montreal — The peculiar Fencing to the Enclosures of Land — A fine Dairy District — Cheese Factories — Manufacture and Export of Butter — The Shoe-black — Canadian Hotels — The Yankee Tourist— The Roman Catholic Cathedral — The Building of the Victoria Bridge, and the difficulties in the way — Mount Royal Cemetery — The Scenery around.

Letter XVII

Ottawa. — Railways and Railway Travelling in Canada — Origin of Canadian Cities and Towns, and how they are Planned — Canadian Engines and Carriages — Beset by Sharpers and Luggage-lifters.

Letter XVIII

Ottawa. — The Country between Prestcott and Ottawa, and how it was Cleared — Burst of Vegetation — The Parliament Buildings and Government Offices — Canadian Newspapers — Unexpected interview — Interview with the Minister of Agriculture— Rates of Wages and Cost of Living — Importance of Seeing the Country before Settling Down — System of Farming — Mineral Resources of the Ottawa District and the Timber Trade pp, 160 — 176

LETTER .XIX.

Brockville. — Sunday. — Missing one Boat and catching Another — A Canadian Town : It’s Rise and Progress — Grandfather and Grandchild : A pretty scene — Five-and-thirty years looking out for someone from “Home” — The Successful Tradesman and his

Contents.

xm.

Sons — The Canadian Lakes — The Boundary Line Between America and Canada — The Scotchman’s Twelve Year’s Experience of Canadian Life — The Robin — The Thousand Islands — Scenery to Feed a Life-time — Canadian Winters — The Social Life of Canada.

pp. I77-I9I

Letter XX

Kingston. — An Old Canadian Town — Finding myself in a fix, and the Mail Officer helping me out of it — The Old Seat of Government— The Liquor Laws — A ride out to the Penitentiary — The Prince of Wales in Kingston Harbour — The Criminal Classes in Canada, and how they are treated — Visit to the Rockwood Lunatic Asylum, and Reception by “ Queen Victoria.” . . , pp. 192— 201

Letter XXI

Toronto. — It’s Wonderful History — The Educational Establishments — The University and Normal Schools — The Cost of Education, and how it is met — The Law Courts — Morley Punshon’s Church — Meeting with a Man, balancing himself on a stool, who asked if my name was not Morris — The Successful Man from New Swindon, and his singular account of how he first made a start — The Police Court and the Drunkards — An American Toddy Time-table — How Spirits are served to Customers at a Drinking-bar, and the Stuff sold as Beer — Wages at Toronto — Local Government and its cost pp. 202 — 219

Letter XXII

Niagara. — Approaching Niagara — The Falls much to answer for — Charles Dickens at Niagara — Journey across the Lake — Niagara Fort and River — Stepping for the first time on American Soil — The Pests of a Show Place — A Visitor’s Experiences with a Hack Driver — My First View of the Falls — The Geography of the Falls, and how they were formed — The Bridges across the River — Chippawa Village and the Burning Springs — A Night View of the Falls.

Letter XXIII

Hamilton to Detroit.— Its Staple Trade and its Mountain— The Police Magistrate— Artizan’s Wages and the great Drink Curse — Value of Land in the Town and Neighbourhood — The Petroleum Oil District — A Great Fruit and Cheese District — Old Country Names of Places — Crossing into America — The Mosquito Curtains — My First Sleep under the “ Stars and Stripes,” . . pp. 236—245

XIV,

Letter XXIV

Detroit. — The Market-place and the People I saw there — Court House and Monument — The German Element — How the Population of the State of Michigan is made up — Statistics connected with its Trade — Reports published and experiments made for the Public Good — Information freely distributed, the like of which we cannot get in England — The State Educating a Man up to his best, that it may get the most out of him for the common good of himself and others.

Letter XXV

Chicago. — Its History and its Fires — Michigan State — The remains of the Fire — Singular appearance of the Ruins by Night — The Great Fire of 1871 — The Re-building of the City — The Grand Pacific Hotel— Marvellous Enterprize of the People. pp. 261 — 270

Letter XXVI

Chicago. — The Hog Market : Thirty-seven Thousand Hogs standing over for the Next Market — Details of the Trade of Chicago — Visit to the Corn Exchange, and the way in which trade is conducted there — Wheat sold on an Inspector’s Certificate — Rules for the Inspection of Flour — Rules for the Inspection of Provisions.

Letter XXVII

Chicago. — Splendid Buildings — Fire-proof Banks and Safe Depository * — A Ride through Michigan Avenue — The Water Supply — A Tunnel under the Lake Two Miles Out — Wages of Artizans in Chicago and the Cost of Living — Visit to the Tribune Newspaper Offices — The View from a Roof — A Fireman on the Look-out — Absence of all Superstition or Exclusiveness in the use of Buildings for Religious Purposes pp. 280 — 290

Letter XXVIII

St. Louis. — 'The Prairie Lands of America— The Farm Produce of Illinois — Indian Corn — The Mississippi River — Singular Appearance of the Streets on the Sunday Morning : — Bands of Music and Processions in the Streets — The Back Slums of the City — An Irish Row — Singular Combination of Trades — Monday Morning’s Experience at the Police Court — The “Terrible” away down Kentucky — The conduct of cases in the Police Court — The Ice Supply — Mules as Beast of Burden — Visit to the Chamber of Commerce — My First Check — The Editor of the Journal interests himself on my behalf — American Plagiarism of English Works — American Newpaper News : — “ Local Personals” — Jefferson Davis at the “ Planter’s House ” — I saw him, but did not Interview him.

Contents.

xV.

Letter XXIX

ClNClNNATTl. — A Mistake that cost me a Long Walk — Picked up by a Train and put on the Right Track — Indianopolis — The

Mississippi Valley and its Vineyards — -Meeting with Colonel J

and Ride through the City — -Our Hibernian Jarvey guessing he would do the city justice on receiving permission to do as he liked — Nicholas Longworth and his Singular History — Mrs. Trollope and Charles Dickens on Cincinnatti — The Rottenness of the Municipal Institutions of America at the bottom of all her troubles — The Popular Vote in America, and what it too often leads to — Some Striking Instances — The Suburbs of Cincinnatti — The Dutchman’s Welcome — Bass’s Pale Ale brought out — -The house where “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin ” was Written — The City of the Dead — Burial of the President’s Father — American Trotting Horses — Visit to some Wine Vaults — “ Cholera Specific ” — German Bear Gardens, pp. 304 — 320

Letter XXX

Cincinnatti to Washington. — Across the Alleghanies. — Travelling by Pullman’s Cars — Fire flies — The Alleghany Mountains — Fine Scenery — Harper’s Ferry, and the Late War — Passing over a Bridge crossing a Mountain Torrent. . . . c . pp. 321 — 327

Letter XXXI

Washington. — Out of Town — A City done up in Brown Hollands — “ Confidence” Men trying on their Little Game — Washington little better than a desert — Visit to the Capitol — The National, State, Municipal, and Territorial Government of America — Visit to the Government Offices — Information collected for the American people — Butter-making in Factories — Setting Milk for Butter — Amount of Milk to a Pound of Butter — The Manufacture of Condensed Milk — The Smithsonian Institute — Dr. Young, Chief of . the Bureau of Statistics — Wages and the Cost of Living in various States — Visit to the “ White House” — The President not at Home — The House in the hands of the Painters and Paperers.

Letter XXXII

BALTIMORE — Changing English Gold for American Greenbacks— Precautions against the Fleecing of Emigrants — Maryland — The Trade of Baltimore — Open Sewers and Public Streets — Door-step Evening Parties — George Peabody pp. 347 — 352

XVI.

Contents .

Letter XXXIII

New York. — New Jersey State — First View of the Hudson River — The Ferry Boat and First View of New York — Dray and Waggon Drivers— Population of New York — The Island of Manhattan and its History — The Streets and Avenues of New York — The Educational Departments and their Statistics — The Religious Bodies and their Numbers — Total Absence of all Religious Tests.

Letter XXXIV

New York. — The Fourth of July. — The day’s Programme, as announced in the Herald — The Parks and Public Squares of New York — The Fireworks pp. 365 — 374

Letter XXXV

New York. — Castle Gardens. — Arrival of the Emigrant — New York Bay and Harbour — Castle Gardens and its History — Protection for the Emigrant — The Number of Emigrants arriving, and the disposal of those who are Not Wanted — Ward’s Island — Blackwell’s Island — The Labour Bureau — Where the Emigrant comes from, and his Money Value to the Country pp. 375 — 386

Letter XXXVI

Sunday in New York. — The Churches and Chapels of New York — Visit to Plymouth Church, Brooklyn — Ward Beecher’s Sermon — Visit to Greenwood Cemetery — Coney Island and the Democracy of New York — A New York Light Railway # * . . pp. 387 — 398

Letter XXXVII

New York. — The Graphic Office, and Interview with Professor Wise — New York Dry Goods Stores and Mr. Stewart, the Great Storekeeper — “The Tombs” and the Law Courts — Lawlessness in America — The Croton Water Works, one of the Wonders of the World — Central Park and its Attractions — Astor-house Hotel and Cooper Institute — Signs of Death and a Funeral Procession — An Addition to the ordinary Obituary Notices .... pp. 399 — 410

Letter Xxxviii

New York to Boston. — American Railways — A Walk down Wall Street — Hell Gate and the preparations for blowing it up — River and Lake Boats leading features in American Travel— Boston and its Board of Trade — Boston Fires and their History.

Contents .

xVii.

Letter XXXIX

Boston to Portland— The New England States : Their Trade and History — The Maine Liquor Law — Thirty-five cases of Drunkenness for disposal at the Police Court — Liquor Easily Obtained, and Drunkenness Everywhere — The Puritanism of the New England States — The Switzerland of America — A Mountain Ride and an Early Breakfast — “ I Guess they were Bull Frogs.” — Postscript. — The Maine Law — The Idiots and Insane of the New England States — The use of adulterated drinks produces idiots and makes lunatics.

Letter XL

Shooting the Rapids of the St. Lawrence.— Montreal at Second Sight — Indians and Gipsies — Understanding by Contrast — The Company on Board — Approaching the Rapids — The Cedars and the Coteau-du-Lac Rapids — Immense Sensation — Moore’s Songs — The Indian Pilot — Timber Rafts — Again at Montreal pp. 442 — 454

Letter XLI

Home Again. — Quebec Market : wonderful change in its appearance — The Company on Board — Anticosta — Labrador — Ice-bergs — Canadian “ Delegation” to Vienna — Some of the People on Board — A Norwegian Doctor who knew not a word of English — The Drunkard, and the midnight abstraction of the bottle of brandy — Moville — The Irish Coast and return to the Mersey . pp. 455 — 461