Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
1873

OTTAWA, formerly BYTOWN, a city of Ontario, capital of the Dominion of Canada, and of Carleton co., is beautifully situated on the right bank of the Ottawa River, at the outlet of the Rideau, and on the Canada Central arid St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rail-ways, 54. mils N. of Prescott, 126 miles W.N.W. of Montreal, 95 miles N.N.E of Kingston, and 450 miles from New York. It is one of the most flourishing cities in Ontario, being the entrepot of the great lumber trade of the Ottawa River and its tributaries. It is divided into Upper and Lower Town by the Rideau Canal, which connects it Kingston. The locks here are eight in number and are wry tat

The town was founded in 1827 by Col. By, R.E. It was incorporated a city, and its name changed to Ottawa, in 1854, and selected by Queen Victoria as the capital of Canada in 1858.

The chief attraction in Ottawa is the government buildings, which occupy an elevated piece of ground, about 25 acres in extent and 150 feet above the river, known by the name of "Barrack Hill." The view from this natural terrace is superb. The great river with its moving rafts, steamers, barges, and canoes rolls swiftly on through splendid hill ranges towards the south. In the distance the fine suspension bridge which spans the majestic river just above the Chaudiere Falls attracts the eye, even though it be tempted to rest upon the wild beauty of the cascade sweeping by craggy rocks between abrupt islands, and plunging into the basin below, where part of its waters disappear in a mysterious way. Par beyond the cascade glitters the broad river swiftly rushing down the rapids Des Chenes; and in the remote background rise towering hills and mountains, often brilliant with purple and gold when the sun dips from view and gilds their lovely summit with his parting beams.

The government buildings, the corner stone of which was laid by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales in September, 1860, are constructed of a light colored sandstone found in the township of Nepean, in the valley of the Ottawa. The walls and arches are relieved with cut stone dressings of Devonian sandstone from Ohio and with red sandstone from Potsdam, N.Y. The roofs are covered with purple and green slates, and the pinnacles ornament with wrought iron castings. The style of architecture is the Italian gothic, and the south front of the quadrangle is formed by the Parliament building, 500 feet in length. The two departmental buildings are 375 feet long. The rear is open and will be railed off with a suitable ornamental screen. The committee rooms occupy the front of the building. The library, a beautiful detached circular building, with a dome 90 feet high, is in the rear of the central tower, 250 feet high. The two legislative halls are on each side of the library, but in the main building. The dimensions of these halls are the same as those of the House of Lords, namely, 80 feet by 45; they are situated on the ground floor and lighted from above. The library is constructed after the plan of the new library of the British Museum, and will hold 300,000 volumes. The two departmental buildings contain in the aggregate 300 rooms, and are intended to accommodate all the departments of the government of the Dominion; and are so constructed as to be capable of extension at any future time without injuring the general architectural effect. The buildings cover nearly four acres, and cost about $4,000,000.

Besides the above magnificent buildings Ottawa contain 17 churches, viz.: Church of England 3; Church of Rome 4; Presbyterian 2; Church of Scotland 1: Wesleyan Methodist 2; Episcopal Methodist 2; Congregationalist 1; Baptist 1; Catholic Apostolic 1; 9 printing offices, several flouring mills, and large saw mills; and has manufactories of iron castings, mill machinery, agricultural implements, brooms, bricks, leather, wooden ware, &c, and agencies of two telegraph and a number of assurance and insurance companies, and 7 banks. Five daily newspapers are published in Ottawa. The streets of the city are lighted with gas.

Adjacent to Ottawa are several thriving villages, among others New Edinburgh and Hull. "Rideau Hall," the residence of the .Governor General, is in the former place. It is a hand-some stone structure, with 35 acres of well laid out grounds, and beautiful avenues of shaded trees. A street railway connects these villages with Ottawa.

The city returns two members to the House of Commons and two to the Provincial Legislature.

The total value of imports for 1872 was $1,472,505; exports $1,409,954. Pop. in 1861, 14,669; in 1871, 21,545.

Lovell's gazetteer of British North America; J. Lovell; Montreal, 1873

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