GENTENARY OF OTTAWA

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3714, 12 October 1926, Page 7

GENTENARY OF OTTAWA

The history of Ottawa, which is now celebrating its centenary, is not quite comparable with that of any older capital; its choice as capital was almost an accident, and the choice, when first made, was bitterly resented (says the London ‘Observer’), 'flic father of Ottawa is generally given as Colonel By, 11. E., who settled there in 1826 in order to construct the canal which strategy demanded as an additional link between the two Canadas. But the real beginning goes back another thirty years to 171)5, when an ambitious young man. Philemon Wright, from a township near Heston, came adventuring along the river Ottawa. He came again in 1798, but his stories of the wonders of the new country did not lire his fellow-citizens, and he could obtain the help of only two men when he made bis next journey. They, however, added their testimony to his, and at the beginning of the nineteenth century he was able to begin the foundation of the township of Hull, just across the river from the future Ottawa. Wright prospered as be deserved, and became a great man in Canada. By's works brought now settlers, and the little township took the name of By town and prospered modestly, 'the canal works, a stone for which bad been laid in 1827 by no less a person than Sir John Franklin on the return from one of his North journeys, were completed in 1832, but Bytown was now definitely established, and the village was able to claim the dignity of incorporation in 1817. •This was a troubled period in Canadian history, and the troubles turned to the ultimate advantage of Ottawa, or By town, in a fashion little anticipated. Quebec bad been the capital till 1791, but. on the division of the country, Toronto was made capital of Upper Canada, Quebec of Lower. On the reunion Lord Sydenham fixed on Kingston for the capital, but the choice was unhappy. Dickens described Kingston of that ejra as “one half burnt down, and the other half not built up”; and the Assembly decided very soon that the place was unsuitable. Montreal was chosen in 18-13, but showed its gratitude by the great riot of 1849, the burning down of tho Parliament buildings, and the insults offered to Lord Elgin, Canada was now m a quandry. and it was arranged that Parliament should spend four years alternately at Quebec and Toronto. Peripatetic capitals are rarely satisfactory, and in 1857 Queen Victoria was asked to choose n new capital. Largely on tho advice of Read, .who was influenced by the desire io avoid local jealousies. Ottawa was chosen. The choice was ill-re-ceived. A resolution against Ottawa was passed in the Assembly, bn I wiser counsels prevailed in (he following vear.

fn ISGD the I’riuee of Wales went to Ottawa to lay a earner sloiio of llioso (doverument ImildiJt«xs. the beauty ol which Anthony Trollope c < Ichi aictl in lainoiage almost lyrical. Hut lire, (lie fjyoat enemy of American cities, which had swept Hull, across the river, a few years earlier, destroyed those tine buildings in IRK). and they were rebuilt within recent memory.