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Title: Sketches and Traditions of the Northwest Arm
Date of first publication: 1908
Author: John William Regan (1873-1945)
Date first posted: June 28, 2022
Date last updated: June 28, 2022
Faded Page eBook #20220639
This eBook was produced by: Al Haines, Pat McCoy & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at https://www.pgdpcanada.net
SKETCHES AND TRADITIONS
OF THE
NORTHWEST ARM
(ILLUSTRATED)
——————
Third Edition
BY JOHN W. REGAN
——————
(copyrighted)
——————
HALIFAX, N. S.
Canada
First Published 1908—Second Edition 1910
3rd. Edition 1928.
Sesquicentennial of the Establishment of Parliamentary Government in Nova Scotia.
Laying the corner stone of a memorial tower at the Northwest Arm, Oct. 2, 1908. The Lieutenant-Governor is standing on the granite stone; at his right is Sir Sandford Fleming, who donated the site of the tower and first suggested the memorial.
Stationers report this year renewed inquiries for “Sketches and Traditions of the Northwest Arm” and they have sold the copies they had on hand. They could probably have sold more if they had them. It has therefore been decided to issue a third edition brought down to date. The first and second editions published twenty years ago have been rather widely distributed and there are none left. It is interesting to note this revival of interest in the Northwest Arm after the long interval of the war, explosion and postwar adjustments.
For three years following the first appearance of “Sketches and Traditions of the Northwest Arm” in 1908 there was marked increase in numbers visiting the Arm and in club activities due altogether to greater general appreciation of the charm and convenience of this lovely sheet of salt water. About the same time considerable residential development commenced and was stimulated by the important railway and terminal announcement of 1912. The new west-end may be said to have dated from that time.
Several large estates adjacent to the Arm became available for subdivision for perhaps the first time since 1864 when John D. Nash auctioned in building lots a large portion of the old Priory property and leading men of the day, Hon. Charles Tupper and others, bought sites for homes at the Northwest Arm. This preceded confederation when Tupper was premier of Nova Scotia. In 1912 Rosebank property passed to Halifax Realty Corporation Limited and became the centre of one of the most advanced town-planning developments in the modern history of Halifax. The Railway Department acquired a number of Arm properties by expropriation, one of which was turned over to the city and is now a public bathing place—Horseshoe Island. Dalhousie University purchased Studley and Birchdale properties. Fairfield became St. Mary’s Villa. The Armdale boat club was organized by A. P. Stoneman at Quinpool Road and Ashburn Golf and Country club on the Dutch Village Road.
Oaklands house, the Cunard mansion, was burned while being moved off the railway right-of-way. It had been purchased by Hon. F. B. McCurdy who was attempting to transfer the building to the Pearson property on Franklyn Street. W. M. P. Webster acquired Thornvale. John C. MacKeen purchased Bilton cottage and yacht. E. L. MacDonald bought the Anderson house at foot of Jubilee Road. W. P. Buckley bought the Cossey house on Pryor Street. Various other changes have occurred along the eastern shore of the Arm. O. E. Smith owns Belmont and is setting an example of fine development.
Through the extension of the tramway to the head of the Arm a settlement has been created at Armdale—churches, schools, shops and homes. There is a post-office and freight siding and a passenger station is promised. Simpsons mail order business is housed here in modern buildings.
The tramway extension and the motor car combined, possibly also high city taxation, have prompted large all year-round bungalow occupation around the head of the Arm and down the western shore. The time seems not far distant when a joint body representing the city and county will supervise in the public interest the further growth of population on the western shore of the Arm.
The railway bridges on the eastern shore are attractive structures. A valuable work was the construction of an intercepting sewer along the eastern shore to save the Arm from extensive pollution.
Similar to the development at the head of the Arm, which followed tramway extension to Armdale there is likely to be building activity along the lower part of the Arm through a recent tramway extension south on Tower Road and into Point Pleasant Park as far as the Martello Tower. There is a large amount of unimproved property in this direction. This extension also is helpful to people crossing the lower Arm ferries.
On later pages further reference is made to some of the changes briefly mentioned above. The outstanding fact is the renewed and increased popularity of the Northwest Arm notwithstanding the advent of “motor cars and highways”. The Waegwoltic for instance report this year so many new and reinstated members that the membership is the largest in the clubs history. Armdale House have had to turn down scores of applications for accommodation and a much larger hotel, including sea-plane facilities, is in contemplation. Some who did not think so a few years ago frankly say now—at the Arm—is where a modern hotel should have been located. Dredging the head of the Arm is much needed.
The sheets now being bound up were printed with the original editions and consequently it has not been possible to make alterations or additions in this edition.
Halifax Aug. 28, 1928.
As already stated the well-known Studley property has been acquired by Dalhousie University as part of an ambitious project for merging or affiliating maritime educational institutions. Several fine buildings have been erected at the Studley property. Birchdale hotel was bought it is understood for a students residence and for access to the shore for recreation. It is now fairly apparent the amalgamation aimed at is not feasible and will be limited to Kings College which has moved from Windsor and will shortly commence erection of modern buildings on the Studley grounds. The affiliation of these two historic institutions and their location in modern buildings at the Northwest Arm is an event of unusual interest. Local friends and business institutions have contributed to this forward move and the Carnegie endowment fund has given substantial assistance.
Following the sale of Birchdale property to Dalhousie University the late F. W. Bowes acquired Armdale property from Canadian Investors Limited who had bought it from MacCallum Grant who had bought from Hon. R. G. Beazley who bought from Dame Tupper and heirs of Sir Charles Tupper, deceased. Sir Charles died in 1915 and title descended to his grandson. He had previously deeded Armdale property in trust to his wife and sons. This property was made up of several parcels comprising in all nearly thirty acres including water lots. The most of the Quinpool Road portion including the site of the house was acquired from the Hosterman estate in 1864 before Nova Scotia entered Confederation. Additional Quinpool Road frontage was purchased in 1864 and 1870 at auction sales of building lots forming part of the Pryor estate. Frontage on Pryor Street now owned by W. P. Buckley was purchased by Sir Charles in 1886 from the Duffus estate. A letter some years ago from the late Sir Hibbert Tupper stated that his father did not transact confederation negotiations at Armdale as he did not own the property at that time. There is some error for as stated above the first Hosterman transfer was 1864 and a mistake in the deed was corrected in a new deed in 1867. It is from this property Armdale village takes its name. The first inroad on the Armdale estate was the railway right-of-way which cut off the familiar iron gates on Quinpool Road; these the railway transferred to Prince Arthur Street entrance. Lieutenant-Governor Grant retained the triangular piece of property on Quinpool Road and Prince Arthur Street severed by the railway right-of-way. The balance of the Quinpool Road frontage, except a lot promised the late Walter J. Busch, architect, and sufficient for a new right-of-way, was taken under option by Lorne club after the 1917 explosion wrecked their harbor premises. They had practically decided to move to the Arm and matters were all but arranged on that basis with the Relief Commission when at the last moment other interests prevailed on the Halifax M’s. P., to favor rebuilding on the harbour. Lots out of Armdale were then sold to Dr. A. W. Faulkner, W. P. Buckley, J. R. Clancey, F. W. Bowes, Mrs. J. W. Regan, Mrs. A. Webb, and others. Mr. Bowes took over the main property. Before his death he modernized the house and added a wing and operated the property as a hotel—Armdale House. It is recognized as the natural location for a summer hotel. Lately the present manager C. F. Bowes, who left college work in United States to temporarily take charge of the business at his father’s demise, states that far more accommodation is being applied for than is available. It is stated that in 1924 a fireproof hotel was proposed for this property but was not supported by members of Board of Trade hotel committee who feared the erection of an up-to-date hotel at the Arm would postpone the city’s desire for a modern commercial hotel downtown. Representatives of the C. P. R. took the same view and declined to assist. The foreign mortgage company stated they received several letters from Halifax advising against a loan at the Arm. They decided to communicate with a local trust company and on receiving a reply that a downtown location for a hotel was the only safe situation said they would have to reconsider their promise to supply the funds on mortgage. Later the real estate manager of the Trust Co. volunteered the information the above was the advice he had been authorized to send. However it seems inevitable that a modern hotel will be developed at the Northwest Arm and that it was merely deferred in 1924. Stone gate posts have been erected on Quinpool Road. A new cottage being built on one of the Armdale lots, part of the original Hosterman portion, is called Inskooom, the Micmac equivalent of Armdale and which literally translated from the Indian would be ‘beside a quiet water.’ The Tupper family came from Upper Saxony having to flee from persecution in 1522. One brother settled in Holland and a descendant was burgomaster of Rotterdam in 1815. Another brother settled in Kent and it was his descendant removed to New England and from this branch Charles Tupper, the grandfather of Sir Charles, came to Cornwallis in 1760. The Tupper shield in connection with the baronetcy incorporates the mayflower and the motto is “l’espoir est ma force”. The Buckley property on Pryor Street has been equipped for tourist camping.
This fine property on the north side of Quinpool Road opposite Armdale property was the residence of Chief Justice MacDonald of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. It is now being subdivided.
Opposite Blink Bonnie is a fine residence built by Robert Pickford and later owned by Sir Robert Borden, wartime premier of Canada, now the property of Mrs. Robert O’Mullin. It was recently occupied by Hon. F. P. Bligh who will be succeeded in the residence by Capt. the Hon. J. F. Cahan, M. P. P., from Yarmouth, a hero of the Great War and deputy Minister of Highways.
The property owned by the Nova Scotia Light and Power Co. Limited adjoining Point Pleasant Park on the lower portion of the Arm has been thrown open as a public field for picnicking and connected with the street railway system by an extension south on Tower Road. It attracts a lot of patronage.
The Rosebank property was transferred in 1912 to Halifax Realty Corporation Limited who consulted Richard Power, superintendent of the public gardens, as to the best way to subdivide the property to save as many as possible of the beautiful trees on the southern side. At Mr. Power’s advice to employ a town planning expert the new company engaged Warren H. Manning of Boston, adviser to the Massachusetts Park Commission to lay out the streets and lots in collaboration with the city engineer. The common grid-iron subdivision was avoided and very few trees were sacrificed. A building line is established on all streets and the minimum size of lots is 40 × 120, many are larger. A central avenue named Connaught for Canada’s Royal Governor-General is 120 feet wide made up of a centre panel and two roadways each thirty feet and two sidewalks each fifteen feet. Mr. Manning recommended that a thirty foot building line be also established on Jubilee Road and Quinpool Road between Oxford Street and the Arm and that Connaught Avenue be laid down on the city plan from Point Pleasant Park to Fairview, diverging here and there from a straight line, always in sight of the Arm and passing through fields throughout. Also that the splitting of lots in Rosebank Park or the operation of any business there be prohibited. Mr. Manning appeared before the legislature and in due course special legislation was enacted carrying out his recommendations in respect to Rosebank Park, Jubilee Road, Quinpool Road and Connaught Avenue. When opened Connaught Avenue should be one of the notable boulevards of Canada. About the same time a bill was passed requiring the Tramway Company to extend across the common and out Quinpool Road to Armdale. The extension was constructed. A number of fine private residences have been built in Rosebank Park. The property was afterwards transferred to Ralph P. Bell who laid down concrete sidewalks, but omitted to plant trees on the bare sections towards Quinpool Road. Bell resold to a syndicate. The stone gate posts of Rosebank on Jubilee Road are on the lot originally sold to John W. Regan who built a residence there and sold it in 1927 to W. H. Dennis. These gate posts and adjoining sections of wall are sandstone and have been a landmark for upwards of a century having been constructed by the military when the property was the residence of the commanding officer of the garrison. The story is that this particular officer was attached to a regiment which had served in the Seven Years War and in charging through a rose garden in Prussia each man picked a flower and decorated his bayonet. The regiment was granted permission to adopt the Bingen rose as its badge, so the story goes, and the gates at Rosebank—hence the name—were carved accordingly. The soft sandstone of adjoining walls is carved with names, initials and dates—some as old as 1840—the pastime of boys of several generations loitering on summer days going to and from the Northwest Arm. The original Rosebank residence was purchased by W. A. Hart of the Green Lantern and remodelled. The city of Halifax now owns the bulk of the property, bought in at a tax sale.
CONTENTS
PAGE | |
Naming the Arm | 10 |
Pryor Property | 13 |
The Waegwoltic | 22 |
St. Mary’s Aquatic Club | 28 |
Birchdale | 30 |
Thornvale | 34 |
N. W. A. R. C. and H. A. B. C. | 37 |
Oaklands | 43 |
Belmont Estate | 48 |
Marlborough Woods | 55 |
Fernwood and Maplewood | 57 |
Pine Hill College | 59 |
Bilton Cottage | 61 |
Emscote, Howe’s Birthplace | 62 |
The Old Penitentiary | 69 |
Point Pleasant Park | 72 |
Ferries at the Arm | 75 |
Queen’s Quarries, Herring Cove and Purcell’s Cove | 80 |
Saraguay Club | 85 |
Thos. W. Lawson’s Ancestors | 89 |
Story of the Royal Oak | 90 |
Boldrewood—Bishop’s Cottage | 92 |
Jollimore Village | 93 |
The Dingle | 96 |
Tower Point, site of new public park | 99 |
Melville Military Prison | 109 |
Hosterman’s formerly owned by an ancestor of Grover Cleveland | 118 |
A Manufacturing Centre | 120 |
A Hero of the Indian Mutiny | 121 |
The Rocking Stone | 123 |
The Arm in year 1784 | 124 |
The First American Zoo | 126 |
Armview, formerly Lakewood | 131 |
At the Arm Bridge | 137 |
Quaint Dutch Village | 138 |
Stanyan | 140 |
The Baronet of Armdale | 141 |
Jubilee Estate | 144 |
Rosebank | 146 |
The Priory | 148 |
A New Boating Club | 151 |
Panmure and Dalhousie | 152 |
Studley Quoit Club | 153 |
First Illumination at the Arm | 157 |
The Collins Estate | 160 |
Modern Villas at the Arm | 163 |
An Old Indian Feast | 165 |
Aquatics at the Arm | 168 |
A Strange Elopement | 172 |
Lights and Shades | 178 |
CORRECTIONS
Page 39, substitute John Jenny for the last name in the twenty-ninth line.
Page 48, delete initial “W” from first line.
Page 53, read “Akins” for “Akin.”
Page 54, John Howe, jr., referred to in the thirteenth line was John Howe 3rd. His father, John Howe, jr., was postmaster-general of Nova Scotia.
Page 59, we are informed Dr. Tomkins was not elected to the British House of Commons. He returned to Halifax and died in this city.
Page 101, add name of A. T. Weldon, omitted from the official list, to those present at the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the historical tower.
Page 120, for “Leopard’s” read “Leppert’s.”
Page 157, third line, delete initial “A”. On same page, line twenty, read Sept. 3 for Sept. 4.
A correspondent thinks there should be a more extended reference to the Cunard family and Oaklands than is contained on pages 43 to 47.
It is suggested that a future edition should contain a reference to the heather in Point Pleasant Park, whether the park plant is indigenous or an importation.
It is stated that the Armview property, which is dealt with on pages 131-136, was included in the Hosterman grant and only passed through Dr. Charles Cogswell’s hands as mortgagee.
onsidering the amount of space in
this booklet which is devoted to biographical
references, a catchy and not
altogether inappropriate title would be: “A
Roll Call of the Northwest Arm.” An
objection, however, could be fairly taken to
that name that the phrase lacks comprehensiveness
and does not convey a correct notion
of the scope of the book.
A friend recommended calling the booklet A History of the Northwest Arm; but that again is not exactly what it is intended to be, and the term “history” is apt to arouse recollections of chronological lessons which are inflicted on school children, and might deter timid souls from perusing the contents of this volume. The ordinary stereotyped history is such a prosy article that no effort has been made here to imitate its style. A booklet dealing with the enchantment of the Northwest Arm should bear some measure of resemblance to the gaiety of a spot where the sun seems to shine its brightest and birds appear to trill their happiest lays. What a cruel act it would be to attempt to compress and imprison that warmth and gladness in the diction of a staid history, and reading columns of dates always gives the writer a feeling of examining inscriptions in a necropolis.
Proceeding then on the assumption that few persons care for a formal history as a souvenir of the lovely Northwest Arm, the matter within these two covers has been arranged on the plan by which the modern newspapers capture the attention of millions of people, namely, embodying only what is interesting and endeavouring to present that in an entertaining way.
The book in hand is designed to interest the public in the Northwest Arm, and indirectly in Halifax. To be of the greatest benefit therefore to the city, it requires to have a wide circulation, an end which has been constantly kept in view in inscribing these pages.
But admitting that the exact form of the standard historical tome has not been closely adhered to in the present instance, does not imply that any liberties have been taken with the facts themselves. Quite the contrary. There was no relaxation of vigilance in collecting and verifying the information which has been employed, and in that respect and as far as it goes this book is a history of the Northwest Arm worthy of being preserved, at least until such time as something better is brought out. There is probably no book written in which errors do not exist, but it is hoped and believed that the data that follows will be found in the main to be moderately accurate and reliable.
The Northwest Arm is a lovely inlet of the sea with a reputation almost world-wide for the charm of its scenery and the quiet beauty of its surroundings. It was a mecca of the aborigines who made annual pilgrimages to this spot to fish and hunt. It was second nature with the Indians to pick out the most pleasant locations for their wigwams, and they came in numbers for hundreds of miles to camp at the Northwest Arm. In fancy one can see the mirrored surface of the Arm broken by a thousand paddles, and the steep slopes of the containing hills clothed with the primeval forest right down to the water’s edge. “The memory of the red man, it lingers like a spell,” and adds a pathetic and picturesque touch to the story of the Arm.
History repeats itself. “The Arm” is once again the scene of light-hearted assemblages. In and outside of boat clubs it is estimated there are fifteen hundred boats and canoes. There are no shoals or mudbanks, and only six feet change of tide, so that boating can be carried on at any hour of the day. The water in the Arm is renewed twice in twenty-four hours. Children of tender years are at home in boats alone, and regattas are an animated picture, when hundreds of pleasure craft, containing thousands of gaily clad people, gather in a huge cluster.
Illuminated boat parades make a feature which is unsurpassed at Henley-on-Thames, at Venice, or on the Hudson. A fairy-like effect is produced by scores of decorated craft moving about the dark waters. With the shores lined with blazing bonfires and changing lights and aided by a brilliant pyrotechnic display, King Carnival annually delights thousands of visitors at the Northwest Arm.
The location of the military prison at Melville Island, its connection with the wars of the first Napoleon and with previous conflicts, and the boom that was stretched across the entrance of the Arm to prevent the incursion of hostile ships, throw about the Northwest Arm some of the glamour of martial romance.
As a part of Halifax harbor, the Northwest Arm is also associated with a critical period in British history which led to the settlement of Halifax. The second quarter of the 18th century found British pride humbled on every hand. Pitt took the helm at Westminster and initiated a vigorous policy by the establishment of a stronghold at Halifax, then called Chebucto Bay. Great doors turn upon small hinges. The fate of half a continent was determined by that step. Using Halifax as a base of operations, Louisburg was soon captured, and in the following year Quebec, the citadel of French military power in America also fell. The expedition which left Portsmouth, Eng., in 1749, to found the future city at Halifax, consisted of the sloop-of-war “Sphinx” and thirteen transports. It contained artizans to build the city, statesmen to govern it, soldiers to protect it, tradesmen and professional men, school masters, and even actors—a moving city the like of which the world has seldom seen, certainly never since. The colonists arrived at Halifax June 21st, midsummer, when nature was at her fairest. They feasted their eyes upon the virgin beauty of the Northwest Arm, which was the first locality to arrest their particular attention, and it was so calm and inviting, the settlers concluded it must be a river.
The Northwest Arm is about three miles long, and a quarter to three-quarters of a mile wide. About midway between the entrance and the head of the Arm projecting headlands form what is called The Narrows, and divide the Arm into two large basins or lake-like expanses of much beauty. The distance across this contracted part cannot be above six hundred feet. On the outer end of the promontory from the western shore, which is responsible for the greater part of this reduction in the span of the Arm, there has been commenced the erection of a lofty symbolical tower, to contain a museum of natural history and art gallery, intended to commemorate the establishment of representative government at Halifax, 1758. At this location the tower will be visible throughout the length of the Arm, and to the Atlantic, and like the figure at Bedloe’s Island, proclaim to the world the rule of constitutional liberty. The assembly at Halifax is the oldest elective gathering in the present outward British Empire. The seed of popular government, which was planted on Nova Scotia soil Oct. 2nd, 1758, has gradually spread to the ends of the King’s overseas dominions. Thus in peace as in war, Halifax has played a prominent part, and is already historic ground, and many of the men identified with the momentous events which have been referred to were residents of the Northwest Arm. Hon. Joseph Howe was born there, and nearly three-quarters of a century after the convening of the early Nova Scotia Assembly, became the leader of a burning and successful agitation to make the press free and to enlarge the scope of the authority of the representatives of the people by giving the province the boon of full responsible government.
The origin of the name, Northwest Arm, is described. A copy of an old military map never before published, shows the number of buildings at the Arm in 1784, and is reproduced here.
Passing rapidly from history to aquatic sports, from golden sunsets to radiant moonlight scenes, narrating a strange elopement of a full blooded Indian with the fair daughter of a merchant and the flight and pursuit across the Northwest Arm which followed, reviving the almost forgotten tale of the festival of St. Aspinquid which was annually celebrated on the shores of the Arm, and recounting the legends of the lonely grave on Deadman’s Island, this booklet strives to be different from a plain, matter-of-fact record of ancient affairs, and has been denominated “Sketches and Traditions of the Northwest Arm.”
Some of its most interesting chapters are probably those referring to the prominent men who have “passed this way.” A glimpse at the annals of the Northwest Arm is almost equal to a peep into a hall of fame—scientists, soldiers, statesmen, poets, orators, prelates, admirals, generals, captains of industry and kings of finance. The personal element, the strange play of human character is always fascinating, and here we have it in opulent variety and abundance.
Joseph Howe, already referred to, one of the greatest orators of his time, born and reared at the Northwest Arm and gifted with prophetic vision, predicted that a transcontinental railway would be built across the continent and that a union of the British North American provinces would be brought about. Another intellectual giant, Sir Charles Tupper, succeeded Howe in prominence and lived at the Northwest Arm and drank deeply of the inspiration of its beauty and associations. Long before Chamberlain awoke to consciousness that a globe-girdling Empire existed, and before he had galvanized the Colonial Office into life, antedating by many years the commencement of Rhodes’ colossal work in South Africa, or the founding of the Commonwealth of Australia, Tupper at the far-away Northwest Arm was contemplating a confederacy, larger in territory than the scope of Napoleon’s activities and greater in area than the United States of America. On July 1st, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was born. The legislative union which Howe had foretold and Tupper and his contemporaries executed, was bound together with bands of steel by Sir Sandford Fleming, when he and his associates constructed the Canadian Pacific Railway from ocean to ocean.
Howe, Tupper and Fleming! In addition to this trinity of stars there is a long array of illustrious names in the constellation of the Northwest Arm. They are included in The Roll Call in this sketch book. Imagine the Northwest Arm an immense valhalla and this volume a guide book such as the traveller is furnished with at the portals of Westminster Abbey or at the entrance of the Pantheon, near Ratisbon.
The best way to see the Northwest Arm is from the water, in a boat or canoe if you have time, but otherwise a motor boat is to be preferred. Make a start at Coburg Road, coast south as far as Point Pleasant Park, take a run off seaward if at all possible, then over to Purcell’s Cove, and turning about, slowly skirt the western shore of the Arm up to Deadman’s Island, into Melville Cove past the military prison, then round the head of the Arm and back along the upper eastern shore to the place of beginning. The circuit will prove to be one of the most interesting excursions in Halifax.
The author offers his grateful thanks to the many persons who very kindly furnished information for this book. He will be glad to receive further suggestions, corrections, additions or photographs relative to the Northwest Arm to incorporate in a probable future revised and enlarged edition. Particular acknowledgment is due Mr. Harry Piers for assistance in referring to old maps and records, and the writer is under a special obligation to Mr. George Mullane, a discriminating reader of colonial history, for much of the material in this volume.
J. W. R.
Halifax, Sept. 5th, 1908.
hen the first settlers, after weeks of
sorrowing and fasting in the desert
of the ocean, sailed into bright Chebucto
Bay on June 21st, 1749, they noticed an
opening on their left, which they concluded
was the mouth of a river. On the morning
of that perfect day in mid-June, the sky all
sunshine, the earth all verdure, they named
the high promontory that ended the long
ridge of the Northwest Arm, Sandwich, after
a statesman who ruled in the councils of
George II. These first settlers who had
passed the Gulf of the Atlantic feasted their
eyes on this beautiful winding river-like
water and named it Sandwich River. It was
the season of our climate when nature appears
at her best. The steep hills were one mass
of tangled greenery interspersed with the
blossoms of the Indian pear and other wild
fruits which grew among the dark pines and
softer hues of birch and maple. The traveller
is in a mood to be pleased after a long
sea voyage, and fair indeed these pioneers
deemed the new land, which their children
were “fondly to call their own.” The Micmacs
had named this beautiful inlet of the
ocean, Waegwoltic, or “end of the water”;
the aborigines admired its beauty and camped
above its wooded points and found abundant
fish in its clear waters.
The early settlers on the peninsula of Halifax were content to dwell on their allotments within the palisades of the town, not daring to venture beyond the protection of the blockhouses and the enclosures. Those who were rash enough to do so often suffered the penalty of their indiscretion with their lives as is recorded in the history of the settlement. The Micmac lay in ambush and watched from a concealed point for the unwary, who ventured without an armed guard beyond the clearings which surrounded the pickets that enclosed the town.
In searching the first allotment book which records the parcels of land set apart for the settlers of Halifax, we find only the lands on the harbor side of the peninsula alloted to the first settlers; these lands were comprised within the limits of the town and within the north and south suburbs. In the first book containing allotments there is no mention of grants to any persons at the Northwest Arm. It appears that the lands bordering on the Arm were not taken up until long after the treaty with the Indians in 1760.
A military map dated 1751 shows the Northwest Arm labeled Hawke River. The names, Sandwich River and Hawke River, were probably never used except upon plans, because as early as 1752 in a grant of land to William Russell at Purcell’s Cove, the name Northwest Arm is used in the description. So far as known this is the first official document in which the name Northwest Arm appears. The early settlers had evidently soon convinced themselves that the lovely sheet of water on the west of the city was not a river, but an arm of the harbor. The Northwest Arm named itself.
his property was conveyed by Attorney-General
Uniacke June 16th, 1816, to
William Pryor, for £587. It was a
part of the original grant to Major-General
John Campbell, described as lots 1, 2, 3, 4
and 7, being part and parcel of a tract computed
to contain 65 acres, being also a part
of a division of letter G. in the middle division
of five acre lots, and the whole of letter
H. of the same division, which was granted
to Major-General Campbell. The Jones and
Stairs properties known as Bloomingdale and
Fairfield, together with the Morrow property,
Bircham, Thornvale, the estate of T. E. Kenny,
Esq., and the residences of E. P. Allison and
D. M. Owen were all included in this allotment.
Major-General Campbell was commander-in-chief
of the troops of the province
in 1786. Akin, in his history of Halifax,
states that on the 10th of October, 1786,
arrived His Majesty’s ship “Pegasus,” commanded
by His Royal Highness, Prince
William Henry, afterwards King William
IV. He was received at the king’s slip by
the governor and Major-General Campbell,
then in command of the garrison, and conveyed
to Government House. Campbell had
been in command of the British troops on the
Penobscot, Maine during the revolutionary
war. These properties in 1790 passed by purchase
into the possession of Richard John
Uniacke, sr., attorney-general of the province,
and member of the old Council of Twelve.
Lots 8, 9 and 10 were purchased from Stephen
Hall Binney in 1833.
William Pryor, of William Pryor & Sons, was a prominent West India merchant. He was the son of John Pryor, also a merchant and a representative of the County of Halifax in the Provincial Assembly. The family were enterprising and successful traders for over a century. Their fleet of brigs were famous as fast sailers. In April, 1793, official notification was received in Halifax that the French Republic had declared war against Great Britain on February 1st of that year. In accordance with instructions from England, Sir John Wentworth announced that letters of marque or commission for privateers would be granted in the usual manner. The French lost no time in sending ships to cruise along our coast in search of captures for hard on the declaration of war came reports of privateers and frigates cruising in the Bay of Fundy and on the coast. Several Halifax and Liverpool (N. S.) ships were taken by the enemy and the captains and crews suffered imprisonment in the horrible prisons of the French West Indies. Among the number of those confined in Gaudeloupe, were Captains William Pryor, Jacobs and Lloyd. In 1800 several privateers had been fitted out by merchants of the town and the captures of French vessels were frequent. Among the captures from the enemy at that time the most remarkable was that of two prizes, one French and the other Danish, brought in by Capt. William Pryor in command of the privateer Nymph.
John Stayner also conveyed to William Pryor several lots of land bounded northerly by a road leading to the Northwest Arm, easterly by lots of William Pryor and Nicholas Thomas Hill, southerly by a stone wall and westerly by the waters of the Northwest Arm, containing lots No. 5, 6, 11, 12, formerly owned by Robt. Lyon. Robt. Lyon’s name appears 20th of July, 1811, among a number of merchants who petitioned the governor respecting the state of trade, etc., stating that they were agreed to take gold and silver coins at the following values, viz.: a Guinea, £1 3s. 4d.; Doubloon, £3 17s. 6d.; and Eagle, £2 10s.; and old French Guinea, £1 2s. William and Robert Lyon were dry goods merchants and their advertisements appear in the old Halifax newspapers.
John Stayner was a merchant and an ancestor of C. A. Stayner, City Club, Halifax. Stayner’s wharf, north of the Ferry Slip on Upper Water Street, was owned by him. In 1818 John Stayner is mentioned as having commenced to erect a building known as Brookside, on the western side of Spring Garden Road, near South Park Street, now known as the Dwyer property.
Coburg Road, according to Rev. Dr. Geo. Hill in his paper on the naming of streets, received this name from the property owned by the late William Pryor on the borders of the Arm. Pryor married Miss Barbara Foss, a German lady, whose father was landed on George’s Island when it was covered with spruce, fir and pine, and he naturally paid her a compliment by calling the street Coburg, after Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, who at that time was married to the charming Princess Charlotte, daughter of George IV and the unfortunate Caroline, who died young and was sincerely mourned by the whole British nation. The cottage on the south side of Coburg Road now owned by Mr. Arundell, was once called Coburg House, being the Pryor residence. The fields adjoining were known as Coburg House fields.
Richard Clay, by deed of indenture, conveyed lot No. 6, August 20th, 1818, to William Pryor for £600. About the same time William Pryor received from the crown a grant of a water lot extending 150 feet into the Arm. This water lot included the foot of Coburg Road where Marr’s Ferry is located, and a search in the registry of deeds has failed to disclose any record of a conveyance of this water lot from the Pryor estate to the corporation of the City of Halifax. On January 25th, 1859, William Pryor devised, subject to debts of William Pryor & Sons and the legacies mentioned in the will, all his real and personal estate to sons, William, George and James, who were also his executors. They conveyed to Thomas L. Connolly, Archbishop of Halifax, Thornvale, now the property of T. E. Kenny, for $4,400, also a right-of-way from Coburg Road, which at first was considerably further down the hill than where the present right-of-way is located. This deed also conveyed the water lot opposite Thornvale. In 1867, for the sum of $6,000, the same parties conveyed to Thos. L. Connolly the land enclosing the field known as Coburg House Field.
Robert Morrow then received a conveyance of part of the land now comprised in Birchdale. By deed, April 27th, 1869, Arthur Ansell Boggs for $900 conveyed to Robert Morrow the balance of the property now known as Birchdale. Robert Morrow was a member of the well-known firm of William Stairs, Son & Morrow, and after his death his property passed into the hands of his son and then to the present owner, Fred. W. Bowes.
Richard John Uniacke to whom Major-General Campbell’s lands passed, was a striking and picturesque figure, and there was, says Senator Power, about his career a halo of romance. His first connection with the province of Nova Scotia came through Mr. Moses Delesdernier, a native of the Canton of Geneva, in Switzerland, but for many years a resident of this province—his monument may be seen in St. Paul’s cemetery. In 1774, Delesdernier went to Philadelphia to look for settlers to place upon land near Fort Cumberland, owned by himself and certain associates. One day, so tradition runs, while at the Delaware River side he noticed among those landing from a vessel which had just arrived from the West Indies, a tall athletic young man with a lively aspect and an elastic tread, whose dress and bearing were very unlike those of the ordinary immigrant. Struck with his appearance he accosted the young gentleman, asked him where he came from and was told that he was from the West Indies, and originally from Ireland. As to a further question as to his motive for coming to North America he said he left Ireland to seek his fortune. Finding there was nothing to be done in the island to which he had gone, he had come to see if there were better prospects on the mainland. Being asked what kind of work he would be prepared to do, young Uniacke, for he was the newly landed immigrant, replied that he was ready to do anything. Mr. Delesdernier, who had been interested in the youth at his first sight, thereupon employed him for the purpose of going to the Cumberland settlement and acting as a kind of clerk or superintendent for the proprietors. This he accordingly did.
In the second volume of Burke’s “Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland,” the lineage of Richard John Uniacke may be traced. He was the fourth son of Norman Uniacke of Castletown Roche in the county of Cork. Norman Fitzgerald Uniacke of Castletown was a third son of James Fitzgerald Uniacke, of Mt. Uniacke, Ireland, who commanded a troop of cavalry for William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne and whose military service is said to have been of material benefit to the Mount Uniacke branch of the family.
It would appear that young Uniacke remained at Cumberland with his employer from 1774 until the end of 1776. In May, 1775, he was married to the daughter of his employer. The groom was then 21 and the bride had not attained 13 years. In the latter part of 1776, Jonathan Eddy and other sympathizers with the revolted colonies laid siege to Fort Cumberland, but the fort having been reinforced by 200 marines under Major Batt, the undertaking was abandoned on November 28th and the rebels dispersed. Among those arrested on suspicion of being implicated in the rebellion and brought prisoner to Halifax, was Richard John Uniacke. Senator Power states that the sergeant of the guard charged with the duty of bringing the prisoners to the capital was an Irishman named Lawlor; that young Uniacke appealed to his fellow countryman to take the handcuffs off him pledging his honor at the same time to make no attempt to escape and that the sergeant granted his request. Lawlor afterwards left the army and settled back of Dartmouth. He was a Roman Catholic and made it a rule to come to Halifax every spring to make his Easter communion. After Uniacke’s admission to the Bar, when he was one of the leading men of the place he did not forget the comparatively humble man who had befriended him in the days of his distress, but always insisted that during these Easter visits Lawlor should make a home of his house. There is some mystery, says his biographer, as to young Uniacke’s life from 1776 until the spring of 1781.
Of the prisoners brought to Halifax charged with being concerned in Eddy’s rebellion, Dr. Clarke and Thomas Falconer were tried April 18th and 19th, 1777, respectively, and found guilty, but pleaded the King’s pardon before sentence and were respited. James Avery escaped jail. Uniacke, who had apparently promised to give evidence on behalf of the crown, failed to do so or to appear in court. It is supposed that some prominent Irishmen, of whom there were a number in Halifax at the time, and some of the officers of the garrison who knew Uniacke’s family in Ireland, used their influence to prevent his suffering from what might reasonably be looked at as a youthful escapade. The only evidence against Uniacke is contained in the deposition of William Milburn, and it is not altogether conclusive as to his guilt. Milburn swears that on or about the 11th November, 1776, being sent a message by Colonel Goreham commanding “ye garrison at Fort Cumberland to a place called No. 1 to one Mr. Smith, which having delivered and the next morning being about to return to the garrison, one Richard John Uniacke, who liveth at No. 1, aforesaid, said that he must go along with said Smith to the rebel camp, which the deponent at first refused, but said Uniacke insisted he must go, otherwise the rebel sentries would carry him there by force, and that Colonel Eddy, as he called him, of the rebels, would never forgive him if he would not go to him.”
This ends the episode connected with the arrest for rebellion. We find that a few years after this event Uniacke had left Halifax for Ireland and entered on the study of law. He was admitted to the Bar at Dublin and returned to Halifax and became Attorney-General of Nova Scotia. His son, Richard John Uniacke, jr., who afterwards was a judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, was one of the principals in the only instance of a fatal duel in Halifax. His opponent was William Bowie, a merchant. The place of combat was at the Grove, Richmond. The men met Wednesday, July 21st, 1819, as a result of some remarks made by Uniacke in the course of a trial in which Bowie was interested. Bowie fell mortally wounded and died the same day, aged 37 years, and a monument to him will be found in St. Paul’s. The survivor of the duel and the two seconds were tried Wednesday, April 21st, 1820, and were acquitted. It was said that the duel was not of young Uniacke’s seeking, but the murderous code of honor of that day left no alternative for him than to accept the challenge.
overed with glorious old trees, this
large property fronting 470 feet on
the eastern shore of the Arm, immediately
on the north side of Coburg Road,
has been a scene of many brilliant functions,
having been the residence for nearly half a
century of the late Hon. A. G. Jones, Governor
of Nova Scotia, a gentleman of the old
school, a man of integrity and popularity, a
scholar and a splendid entertainer. Originally
the property included “Fairfield,” which
Mr. Jones sold to John Stairs, together with
a right-of-way to Coburg Road and the
boundary of the estate also embraced the
field east of the right-of-way, now owned by
T. H. Francis, who is erecting a handsome
residence. Hon. Mr. Jones bought
“Bloomingdale,” a name he himself conferred
on the property, from William Pryor, who
acquired it from Richard Uniacke, being part
of the grant to Major-General John Campbell.
Hon. A. G. Jones was a native of Digby
county, of loyalist stock, and amassed a fortune
in the West India business at Halifax.
The firm of A. G. Jones & Co. were also
agents for the Dominion and other steamship
lines. The writer remembers with great
pleasure the uniform courtesy experienced in
calling at Mr. Jones’ office in gathering shipping
intelligence for the Halifax press. On
one occasion this courteous and successful
merchant told how he had labored in private
to acquire a fluent knowledge of the Spanish
tongue, an accomplishment which was of
great use to him in his intercourse with the
West Indies, and he always contended that a
knowledge of Spanish should be as general
as possible in Nova Scotia to better enable
our business men to get a full share of the
extensive trade of Spanish America.
Mr. Jones was an able platform speaker and several times represented Halifax county in the Dominion Parliament. He was Minister of Militia in the first Liberal cabinet, and in his declining years it was a fitting act that this man of high ideals should be called to the post of Lieutenant-Governor of his native province, a position which he filled with dignity and capacity in keeping with the records of the long line of illustrious men who had been his predecessors in that high office. Like Mr. Howe, Mr. Jones died in Government House. He had not lived at his Arm residence for several years, except occasionally in summer, one of these occasions being the entertainment of Lord Minto, Governor-General of Canada. Hon. Mr. Jones took delight in trees, and the grove which he developed at his Arm property comprised cedar, sycamore, larch, oak, lime, Norwegian spruce, mountain ash, and other varieties and is accounted one of the finest in Nova Scotia. There are several ash trees on the property which were transferred from St. Paul’s square, forty years ago. Mr. Jones’ fancy ran to evergreens. He thus had foliage the year round, and at many functions at the Arm, evergreen branches from his own grounds were the central feature of the table decorations. Miss Alice Jones, daughter of Hon. A. G. Jones, is a well-known Canadian novelist. A son, Colonel Carleton Jones, is Director General of the Canadian Military Medical Service. Another son, W. G. Jones, is Spanish consul at Halifax, and a third, A. E. Jones, is a director of the Union Bank. The latter was recently appointed by the Canadian Government a special commissioner to attend a conference of representatives of the British West Indies to consider tariff reciprocity with the Dominion. W. G. Jones first succeeded Manuel DeZea as Spanish consul. Senor DeZea was a popular tenor singer in Halifax. He died in Guayaquil. After a couple of years, Senor Lluch De Diaz came out from Spain and took over the post which in those days covered business with Cuba and Porto Rico, former rich dependencies of the Spanish crown. De Diaz remained here two years and Mr. Jones became consul again.
The property was purchased from the Jones’ estate by F. W. Bowes, who transferred it to the present owners. “The Waegwoltic” is a unique combination of country and boating club organized this year, and has been greeted with unusual favor by the public of Halifax, the membership now being nearly 350, representing the business and professional life of the city, and making the club one of the strongest in the Maritime Provinces. The Waegwoltic is a mixed institution, having both lady and gentlemen members. Families of members are associates. Ladies and gentlemen are placed on an equal footing and the privileges of membership are open to both alike and freely taken advantage of by both sexes. A handsome boathouse was erected to accommodate 220 craft. The residence required only a few changes for a most comfortable club house. Tennis, quoits and billiards have been introduced, and skating, bowling and tobogganing will be fostered in winter. The club also plans up-to-date bathing facilities, motor boathouse, and large ball room and restaurant, and is giving special attention to out-door entertainment, including open air theatricals. The present Lieut.-Governor, Hon. D. C. Fraser, is an honorary member of the club. At the opening exercises, May 24th, at which the Halifax and Dartmouth City Councils and nearly every club of the two towns were represented. Governor Fraser declared that the establishment of this club, and of other boating clubs on the Arm, pointed to the new interest which the people of Halifax were taking in open air recreation, and he said there was no question the Northwest Arm was one of the most beautiful spots in the world. The directors of Bloomingdale Limited, the incorporated name of The Waegwoltic organization, are: John W. Regan (President), W. S. Davidson (Vice-President), George H. Parsons (Secretary), F. W. Bowes, Frank Colwell, G. A. Burbidge and C. J. Silliker. C. N. S. Strickland is Treasurer; J. H. Trefry is assistant secretary and assistant treasurer. In most cases a club is a separate organization from the company holding the real estate, but so far that plan has not been followed here, as the stockholders are the members, the purchase of stock being the condition precedent to joining the club, which is thus managed directly by the board of directors. A close and most effective organization has been established by dividing the work of the club between seven committees appointed by the executive from the general body of members, and linking these committees to the board of directors by decreeing that the chairman of each committee shall be a member of the directorate. The word Waegwoltic, is the name the Micmacs gave the Northwest Arm. This club has been visited by a great many tourists and affords strangers an excellent place from which to see and enjoy the beauties of the far famed Northwest Arm. Visitors to the property have to be provided with guest cards. These are freely accorded on application and recommendation of a member, but for a limited period and to a restricted number of guests. The club aims to help to attract to Halifax a desirable class of tourists and other visitors and thereby advertise and build up the city. A non-resident membership is established for persons visiting Halifax occasionally. Full membership may soon be difficult to obtain, the list being fairly large now. In winter the club will be useful to citizens who are members as a pleasant place to have skating or card parties and dancing. Musical concerts and smokers promise to be very attractive.
his racing organization has sent more
representatives abroad than any other
rowing club in the Maritime Provinces.
It has been twelve years in existence and was
formerly located on the harbour, with headquarters
for a time at Power’s Wharf, and
later at Butler’s Spar Yard. Then the club
moved to the Northwest Arm, and located
on the Cunard property, where the H. A. B. C.
boathouse now stands. Forced to leave here,
St. Mary’s found a friend in the late Geoffrey
Morrow, who generously allowed the club,
for a nominal rental, to build a boathouse for
shells on his property at the foot of Coburg
Road. The amount of the rental was always
returned to the club by Mr. Morrow as his
contribution. The purchaser of the Morrow
property, F. W. Bowes, has continued this
liberal arrangement. The club does not furnish
accommodation for pleasure boats, being
a purely amateur racing organization. Members,
of whom there are one hundred at present,
must be connected with St. Mary’s C. T. A.
& B. S. The club was never more vigorous
than at the present time. St. Mary’s was
the first club to introduce the four-oared shell,
local rowing prior to that event having been
performed in lapstreak boats. This enterprising
association has held the Maritime Province
rowing championship several times. Its
representatives have competed in the National
Regatta at Philadelphia, Worcester and
Springfield for the Championship of America.
John O’Neil, the club’s single sculler, won
the association singles at Springfield this
year, and has rowed at other American
gatherings. St. Mary’s four also won the
four-oared race at Springfield this year. St.
Mary’s club was represented at the Olympic
trials this year at St. Catharine’s, Ont., and
its members have competed at St. John,
Sydney and other maritime points. Through
the efforts of St. Mary’s club in sending
crews abroad, valuable advertising has been
obtained for this city. In some cases, Boston
and other metropolitan daily papers have devoted
columns of letterpress and illustrations
to the visits of St. Mary’s representatives.
J. L. Gowen is president of the club.
irchdale, on the southern side of
Coburg Road and fronting on the
Arm, is a property of ten acres adjoining
the north of Thornvale, property of the
late T. E. Kenny, and dividing with the
latter property the block between Coburg
Road and South Street. This property is
now owned by F. W. Bowes, a director of
the Carleton House, who bought it two years
ago to make the experiment in conducting
what had been long talked of in Halifax—a
summer hotel. The venture was successful
from the start and this year a modern wing
containing about thirty rooms was added to
the south of the old residence. A corresponding
wing is proposed to be added to the north
side, and plans are being prepared for the
erection of a large independent building containing
over two hundred rooms, with salt
water baths, etc. Mr. Bowes was news editor
of the Halifax “Chronicle” for a number of
years, and afterwards editor of the “Echo,”
and correspondent for leading English and
American dailies. His father founded the
Sackville “Borderer” over half a century
ago, and this paper is now the Moncton
“Daily Transcript.” Mr. Bowes worked in
his father’s office for years before he came to
Halifax to engage in journalism here.
Birchdale was formerly the property of Robert Morrow of the century old firm of William Stairs, Son & Morrow. The father of the late Robert Morrow was an Englishman and came to Halifax at the age of eighteen years, being engaged at Liverpool as a clerk for James Bain, a prominent Halifax merchant. John Duffus, an ancestor of the present Duffus family, was a fellow clerk and through him Morrow became acquainted with his friend’s sister and married her. Sir Samuel Cunard married another sister. Mr. Morrow, sr., sometime afterwards became head clerk in his brother-in-law’s (Cunard) office, where he remained until he was appointed United States Consul at this port, the first to hold that appointment in Nova Scotia.
In 1854, Robert Morrow, the owner of Birchdale, married Helen, daughter of William Stairs, the founder of the firm of that name, and became a partner in the business, taking the place of John Stairs, who retired to engage in business for himself. The senior Morrow was greatly interested in the study of geology, shells and corals, and was in advance of his age in Halifax in this respect, as such studies were considered eccentric and of doubtful utility to one engaged in mercantile affairs. He also disclosed considerable skill in poetical composition and when a youth won a prize while he was attached to a newspaper in Liverpool, England. His son, Robert Morrow, was fond of natural history. When the latter acquired the Birchdale property at the Arm he expended a large amount of money in improving it, and in the basement of the residence which he erected, he had a small aquarium installed for studying the habits of fish, samples of which he regularly received from fishermen around the coast. He had a laboratory and wrote several papers on scientific matters connected with his favorite study of marine biology. Built at a time when labor and material were cheap compared with present day prices, the residence which Mr. Morrow established on the Arm was one of the finest of all the beautiful homes which rich men and gentlemen of refined taste built on the slopes of the Arm. The property was called Bircham on account of the great number of Scottish silver birch trees imported and planted on the property. There are other varieties of imported trees. An account of the expenditure on this property shows that it cost the Morrow estate between $50,000 and $75,000. The late Geoffrey Morrow, also of the firm of Stairs, Son & Morrow, Ltd., received the property from his father and resided there for some time. This property is beautifully situated on the upper portion of the Arm, which here expands into a large basin, and from its terraced slopes there is afforded a wide view of water, hill and forest. The hotel is a resort of many summer tourists and city people patronize it the year round on account of the charms and accessibility of its situation. The builder of Bircham, Robert Morrow, read two papers before the old Literary and Historical Society of Halifax in 1865, relating to Greenland and Vinland, which secured his election as a member of the Copenhagen Society of Northern Antiquarians.
hornvale, which was a part of the
estate of late William Pryor, is one
of the finest and most highly improved
properties on the shores of the Northwest
Arm. It fronts on South Street and is also
reached by a right-of-way from Coburg Road,
the latter method of communication is used
almost exclusively. Coburg Road being well
graded, and being the continuation of beautiful
Spring Garden Road, is the most convenient
and agreeable way to reach the Arm from
the city, and it is intended to widen it
throughout. Thornvale was formerly the
rural retreat of that able prelate, Thomas L.
Connolly, Archbishop of Halifax, a warm-hearted
and hospitable Irishman who identified
himself with the best interests of city
and Dominion. He wielded a trenchant pen
and was a powerful advocate of the confederation
of the North American provinces
and thereby helped to bring about the act of
1867, the corner stone of the present Dominion
of Canada. Archbishop Connolly succeeded
the Right Rev. William Walsh, who
was the first Archbishop of the diocese, in
1858. The former resided at Thornvale for
several years. The Archbishop afterwards
sold this property to the late T. E. Kenny,
son of Sir Edward Kenny, whose estate
now includes Thornvale, and he himself
purchased another property further up the
Arm on the road to the Dutch Village.
This is still owned by the Roman Catholic
corporation. T. E. Kenny was for a number
of years a member of the mercantile house of
T. & E. Kenny, having a branch in London,
and extensively interested in foreign shipping.
Mr. Kenny represented Halifax County
in the House of Commons for several terms.
He was identified with the Cotton Factory,
Sugar Refinery, and various industrial enterprises,
but was best known in banking and
commercial circles as President of the Royal
Bank of Canada, formerly the Merchants’
Bank of Halifax, an institution with very
large resources and operating branches from
coast to coast in Canada, and others in some
of the principal cities of the United States,
Cuba and the West Indies. It is no secret
that while a member of the House of Commons,
Mr. Kenny’s advice on financial matters
was prized by the Prime Minister, Sir
John A. Macdonald, and the Halifax representative
was more than once pressed to enter
the Dominion cabinet. The Kenny family is
intimately connected with another well-known
family—the Henrys—who have contributed
two members to the judiciary, one to
the bench of the Supreme Court of Nova
Scotia and one to the bench of the Supreme
Court of Canada. W. A. Henry, the first
judge, was a half brother of Lady Kenny,
wife of Sir Edward Kenny. The late Lady
Daly, wife of Sir Malachy B. Daly, former
governor of Nova Scotia, was a sister of T. E.
Kenny. Thornvale covers a point of land
which juts out into the waters of the Arm
and commands a variable view of the Arm
north and south. The present house was
erected about the same time as most of the
neighboring residences; the old building
which it replaced was removed in sections
and re-erected back off Coburg Road, near
the new residence of H. M. Pride. The name
of the property related to a thorn hedge which
formerly bordered the water front. It was
bestowed by Archbishop Connolly. Among
others who have been entertained at Thornvale
by T. E. Kenny was Sir John A. Macdonald.
E. G. Kenny, son of T. E. Kenny,
is colonel of 66th P. L. Fusiliers, Halifax. A
brother, George Kenny, is a captain of the
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Malta. Other
brothers of E. G. Kenny are J. B. Kenny, a
member of the leading Halifax law firm,
McInnes, Mellish, Fulton & Kenny; Louis
Kenny, of Pembroke, Ont., and Patrick
Kenny, a student at the conservatory of music
at Munich. The daughters of the late T. E.
Kenny are Mrs. George Primrose, wife of
Rear-Admiral George Ansen Primrose, Eastbourne,
Eng.; Mrs. George Will, wife of
Colonel George Will, R. A., Aberdeen,
Scotland; Mrs. George Weston, wife of
Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Weston, R. A.
M. C., Prospect, Bermuda, and Mrs. Joseph
R. Bridson, wife of Captain J. R. Bridson,
R. N., Portsmouth, Eng.
t the foot of South Street is Robinson’s
Ferry. Nearby are the fine premises
of two large boat clubs—Northwest
Arm Rowing Club and Halifax Amateur
Boating Club. Citizens point to these
organizations, particularly the former, with
gratitude for their share in “discovering”
the Northwest Arm. It seems almost incredible
that ten years ago, outside of boats belonging
to the handful of people who controlled
the land on the waterfront of the Arm,
there were less than fifty pleasure craft on
this unrivalled sheet of water distant only a
mile and a half from the City Hall.
Strange as that seems now, it was nevertheless
true a decade ago. The proprietor of a
property located in the vicinity of the boat
clubs, which we are discussing, has told the
writer he could recognize nearly every boat
that came around his point as belonging
to one of his neighbors. To do that at the
present time, with fifteen hundred summer
craft gliding about the Arm, one would require
to have a memory like a city directory.
The people of Halifax, as a whole, formerly knew little more about the Northwest Arm than that the city being built on a peninsula there must be salt water on the western side. Witness the change. Regattas on the Arm are regularly attended by thousands of spectators, and aquatic illuminations by tens of thousands. Visitors to Halifax bear away praises of the beauty of the Northwest Arm to distant lands, and citizens proudly declare the Arm is worth more to Halifax than millions of money. The extension of the street railway, electric lighting, and telephone systems helped to perform the miracle, and various circumstances conspired to enable the public to get a foothold on the exclusive ground surrounding the Arm which had been parcelled out in large estates from earliest times and remained in the possession of a few families.
TEN PIONEERS.
An early executive committee of the Northwest Arm Rowing Club.
Of the two clubs mentioned above, the nearer to South Street, the N. W. A. R. C., is the older and is the pioneer boating club on the Arm. The founders, perhaps a dozen strong, met in the Church of England Institute May 23rd, 1899, to form a boat club at the Northwest Arm. It was decided at the meeting to go ahead with the proposal. R. T. MacIlreith was elected chairman and W. B. MacCoy, secretary. The promoters had canvassed the matter to some extent in advance of the meeting, and had concluded to make a start in a very limited way, but they had no vision of the extent of Arm boating in 1908. They were pathfinders. A small boatshed was erected. The movement met with instant favor. Before the end of the first summer season a large wing was added at one end of the original modest building. This latter is the centre of the club’s present handsome boat house. Still other persons applied for membership and for boat and canoe accommodation, and a second and corresponding wing was attached to the opposite end of the boathouse. Later on the second story was added with observation roof, committee room, dance hall, etc. Every year minor improvements are made in connection with the building, the floats, electric illuminating conveniences, etc. The club owns a shed for housing racing shells on the opposite shore of the Arm on R. T. MacIlreith’s property. The boathouse is outlined in colored incandescent lamps and in this respect the club is ahead of other Arm clubs. The Northwest Arm Rowing Club initiated band concerts at the Arm, and has taken up amateur shell racing strongly and has been well represented in local regattas. The club was incorporated in 1900 and held its first annual meeting April 3rd of that year. The officers elected were: President, R. T. MacIlreith; Vice-President, W. L. Payzant; 2nd Vice-President, G. C. Hart; Treasurer, J. A. Clark; Secretary, W. B. MacCoy; Executive, H. B. Clarke, George Fluck, J. L. Gowen, S. S. Wetmore, George Tracey. The officers for 1908, are: President, A. D. Johnstone; Vice-President, W. J. Butler; 2nd Vice-President, John Jenny; Treasurer, C. W. Blethen; Secretary, Wm. Crowe; Executive, W. B. MacCoy, R. T. MacIlreith, James Turner, W. B. Hopgood, F. R. Hart. There are 198 berths in the boathouse. All are occupied. The membership of the club is about 275. The club has been a success financially as well as other ways. Besides erecting and equipping the boathouse and making miscellaneous expenditures, a piece of land on the waterfront immediately south of the boathouse was purchased and is owned by the club in fee-simple. All this has been done out of revenue entirely, showing the good management with which the organization has been blessed. The land on which the boathouse stands was leased from T. E. Kenny for ten years, when the lease may be renewed for a similar period, or the club can buy the site outright at a figure to be assessed by independent arbitrators not to include improvements. At the falling in of the lease next year it is safe to expect that the club will exercise its option of purchase.
Armdale Boating Club—Northwest Arm, Halifax.
The establishment of the Halifax Amateur Boating Club in 1904 was a development of the interest in Arm boating which had been engendered by the success of the older club, just as the boating movement at the Northwest Arm culminated in 1908 in the organization of The Waegwoltic on the broad lines of a social and recreation club combined with boating facilities. The formation of the second club strengthened the first club by increasing the public support of a new proceeding, and it is eloquent testimony of the deep-rooted popularity of the Northwest Arm with the people of Halifax that the third club has obtained three hundred and fifty members in one season, the great majority of this number being recruits to the ranks of the Northwest Arm devotees. The story of the progress of the H. A. B. C. is a repetition of the success of the N. W. A. R. C. in the matter of volume of applications for membership and the necessity for enlarging the boathouse to provide additional accommodation for boats and canoes. The H. A. B. C. boathouse, when first erected, contained berths for about one hundred and seventy-five craft. The building was later extended and now has a capacity fully one hundred more than its original large number and is therefore the largest boathouse on the Northwest Arm. It stands on part of Oaklands property. The members of the H. A. B. C. have taken an active part in aquatics and illuminations at the Northwest Arm, and for several years joined with their neighbors, the N. W. A. Rowing Club in a series of band concerts during summer months. This year The Waegwoltic was admitted to the musical partnership and each of the three clubs gave the public two concerts. The first officers of the Halifax Amateur Boating Club were: President, A. M. Bauld; Vice-President, A. A. Haliburton; Treasurer, J. F. Barry; Recording Secretary, J. A. Irwin; Executive, Dr. F. Woodbury, G. H. Parsons, W. B. Rankin, O. M. Hill, R. B. Huestis, T. S. Bowser, H. W. Dobey, Alex. McKenzie, J. S. Jost, Samuel Fenn, J. L. Putnam and J. H. Winfield. The officers for 1908 are as follows: President, A. A. Haliburton; Vice-President, J. E. Burns; Treasurer, J. F. Barry; Secretary, R. J. Anderson; Executive Committee, Fred Gregoire; Gordon Isnor, J. D. Walsh, G. M. Wood, T. S. Bowser, G. D. Wallace, H. F. Bethel, Oswald DeYoung, H. D. Brunt, Charles Collins, F. A. Palmer, A. M. Bauld.
H. A. B. C. EXECUTIVE, 1908.
KEY (read from left to right)—Back row: Fred Gregoire, Oswald DeYoung, T. S. Bowser, Charles Collins. Front row: R. J. Anderson. J. E. Burns, President A. A. Haliburton, A. M. Bauld.
aklands, a splendid property comprising
about forty acres with magnificent
brick residence, conservatory,
vinery, green house, stable and barns, boating
and bathing houses, cottage, etc., occupies
over two thousand feet on the water front of
the Northwest Arm, and runs back from the
eastern shore of the Arm about three
thousand five hundred feet. The principal
entrance to the estate is at the iron gates on
Robie Street, where its lodge is located. From
here the main drive or approach to the residence
forms a curving avenue a half mile in
length, arched with oak, birch, pine, beech,
maple, hawthorn, poplar and many other
varieties of trees and shrubs. The residence
is situated nine hundred feet from the water
front, and placed on a beautiful terrace. As at
present comprised, Oaklands is made up of
several parcels of land. The largest division
of twenty-four acres, which includes four
acres of water lot, was originally owned by
William Taylor, under grant from the Crown,
October 28, 1786. He conveyed it to his
granddaughter, Mary E. Brenton, in 1802,
who sold it to Richard Tremain, in 1815, the
year of “Waterloo.” The next year Mr. Tremain
acquired additional land from John
Howe, jr. This latter portion was a section
of the old commissioner’s farm, or Belmont,
the property of Hon. Henry Duncan, member
of the old “Council of 12,” and Dockyard
Commissioner at Halifax, during the active
period in naval and military affairs of the
American War of Independence. A favorite
place for bathers on the shore of Oaklands is
still known as Tremain’s Rock. At Richard
Tremain’s death about 1854, Oaklands extended
easterly from the shore of the
Northwest Arm, about sixteen hundred feet,
being less than half of the distance now covered
by this property, and the entrance at that
time was on Oakland Road, and not as now
on Robie Street. In 1861 the heirs of Richard
Tremain conveyed the land then held and
known as Oaklands, to William Cunard, who
in 1862 added to it some nine acres purchased
from John W. Ritchie, and still further
extended it by purchase of a tract from Robert
Davis, in 1863. The Davis lot was also at one
time part of the original Belmont. In 1871
Mr. Cunard disposed of the property to Hon.
P. C. Hill, Premier of Nova Scotia, by whom
it was mortgaged to the conveyor. It has
been occupied by Lord Alex. Russell, while
commander-in-chief of the troops in Canada,
and by Colonel Leach, R. E. Lord Russell
died last year. From his family, Russell
Square, London, takes its name, as a large
part of the surrounding property belongs to
the Duke of Bedford. The present duke is a
nephew of the late Lord Russell. Mrs. P. C.
Hill was a daughter of Enos Collins. William
Cunard, who built the Oaklands residence,
was the second son of Sir Samuel Cunard, a
native of Halifax who established the first
regular steam communication across the
Atlantic. The service which he instituted between
Liverpool, Halifax, Philadelphia, and
New York, has since developed into the great
Cunard line, the ships of which now hold the
blue ribbon of the Atlantic. After the retirement
of Sir Edward Cunard, an elder brother
of the owner of Oaklands, the business
interests of the great steamship company devolved
upon William Cunard, which necessitated
his removal to England, where he resided
until his death. The baronetcy remained in
the family of the eldest son of Sir Samuel. In
building Oaklands residence during the
American Civil War, Mr. Cunard took advantage
of the high gold rate by purchasing most
of the materials in the United States. The
building material is of Philadelphia pressed
brick, with freestone trimmings and dressed
granite foundation. The balconies, veranda
and supporting columns are of iron made in
Scotland. The building throughout is finished
in black walnut and birch, its doors, locks,
etc., being made in Boston. The rooms are
spacious and lofty, and the fittings and conveniences
are now up-to-date. In 1904 the
northern part of this property was purchased
by Roderick Macdonald, of Macdonald & Co.,
Ltd., of Halifax, who erected the large boathouse
now occupied by the H. A. B. C. under
lease from the owner for a term of years. In
1906 Mr. Macdonald acquired the residence
and the balance of the property, and has since
resided at Oaklands.
At the northern end of Oaklands, a name which the property bore at a very early date, the width of the Northwest Arm is contracted to about six hundred feet, with seven to nine fathoms of water, and from this point there is afforded one of the finest views of the lower or southern basin of the Arm. There is another splendid view at the southern end of Oaklands estate. Here the Northwest Arm is much wider, and from a point stretching out into the water known as Oaklands Point, a view can be had which compasses the entire length of the Northwest Arm. Northward can be seen the Bridge at the head of the Arm, and looking southward the view is an uninterrupted one out the bay to the heaving Atlantic, across which the Mauretania, Lusitania and other leviathans of the Cunard fleet ply with ferry-like regularity at express speed between Europe and America. Opposite Oaklands, on the western shore of the Arm is the Dingle, part of which has been deeded to the Lieut.-Governor of Nova Scotia in trust for a public park. On an elevation on this area there was recently laid the corner-stone of a memorial tower, intended to commemorate the beginning of representative government in Nova Scotia. About twenty years ago Sir Sandford Fleming, the owner of the Dingle, made an offer for the purchase of the northern part of Oaklands, having in view the possibility at some future time of bridging the Northwest Arm at this point. Oaklands is within a mile and a half of the general post-office, and may be said to be a park and farm combined, being capable of cutting quite a large tonnage of hay and producing quantities of roots, etc. This is typical of the comfortable homes men of wealth fifty years ago established for themselves on the Northwest Arm. Oaklands Cove is a favorite bathing place. James Tremain, a brother of Richard Tremain mentioned above, was a director of the Bank of Nova Scotia at one time; another brother owned the adjoining property, Belmont. This family was descended from John and Jonathan Tremain, who came from New York and settled here before the Revolution. They conducted a small rope walk in Bland’s Fields, and another in Dartmouth, near the site of the present works of the Consumers Cordage Co. The house on South Street occupied by Mr. Justice Drysdale, was built by the original John Tremain.
he property of Thomas W. Ritchie, Esq.,
and of George Ritchie and the Misses
Ritchie, is one of the finest estates on the
eastern bank of the Northwest Arm, though
not now nearly as large as it was originally
when it comprised Marlborough Woods and
other parcels of land. Belmont has been
known for over a century as the residence of
gentlemen prominent in the affairs of the
province of Nova Scotia. The successive
owners of this suburban domain have been
noted for their hospitality, and some of the
most brilliant events in the gay society of the
days of the city’s naval and military eminence
have taken place within its precincts. The
owners and occupants have been judges,
naval officers and merchants eminent in the
history of this port. According to statement
of title dated 1843, Belmont comprised 90½
acres. The first mention of the property in
the abstract of title is that of lot No. 13 in
letter B., and lot No. 1 in letter E., situated
in the south division of five acre lots; these
parcels were conveyed by Samuel Sprague
to John Schnedier on March 19th, 1774, for
£1 10s. On September 24th, 1790, lots No.
5 and 6 in the south division of five acre lots,
letter E., were conveyed by George Vanput
to Henry Duncan, a connection of the famous
naval commander, Viscount Duncan, for £7
in fee-simple. On November 11th, 1790,
Schnedier conveyed the property bought from
Samuel Sprague as above to Henry Duncan
for £8 10s. Hannah Crafts, Thomas Towell
and Arch. Wilson sold Hon. Henry Duncan
lot No. 3 on November 11th, 1790, for £3 10s.
Hon. Henry Duncan, on November 31st**,
1790, received from the crown a grant of 18
acres. Thomas Cochran, in exchange for lot
No. 13, which originally belonged to Samuel
Sprague, conveyed part of lots Nos. 8, 9, 10,
11 and 12 in letter B., south division, five
acre lots, 8 acres and 13 rods in all, to Hon.
Henry Duncan, R. N. Thus we see how the
estate of Belmont, or as it was then known
“Commissioner’s Farm,” was acquired. The
name, Belmont, was conferred on the property
probably to continue the name of Duncan’s
ancestral home in Dundee. Commander
Henry Duncan entered the navy at an early
age and was in active service in the East and
in the West Indies. He was commissioner
of the Halifax Dock Yard during the latter
part of the war with the revolted American
colonies. He was associated with Alex.
Brymer in large business transactions and
was president of the North British Society
in 1796. In some Dock Yard letter books of
date 1783, we find the following copy of a
letter to the master shipwright at the navy
yard:—
“You are hereby required and directed to inspect into His Majesty’s ships named in margin, and cause them to be repaired as far as possible. Halifax, November 20th, 1783. Henry Duncan.”
**[Transcriber Note: The month of November only has 30 days.]
The ships referred to were the “Mercury,” “Bonnette,” and the “Observer.” The latter was a brig-of-war and fought a severe engagement off Halifax harbor with the American privateer CJack,” of Salem, Mass., making her a prize and killing her captain and a number of her crew. The “Jack” was brought into Halifax and condemned in the admiralty court.
Again, Governor Parr writes to Commissioner Duncan about the necessity of having the provincial schooner “Greyhound” repaired. The commissioners of the admiralty at London also write to the master shipwright at the Dockyard immediately after the peace with the American colonies as follows: “We have your letter of the 10th June last relative to the damage to the “Stanislaus,” prison ship, has sustained from the prisoners which were on board of her and the difference of the estimate delivered for repairing the same, and acquaint you we have referred it to Commissioner Duncan.”
In the old letter books now in possession of the Historical Society of Nova Scotia, there are a number of letters from the famous admiral, Sir Robt. Digby, superintending the evacuation of New York by the British, recommending that a number of loyalist pilots be put on the list of pilots at Halifax at half pay. He specially mentions one, Killgrew, who lost his health through the severity of treatment endured in the prisons of the Americans during the late war.
On the 3rd January, 1788, Lieutenant-Governor Parr appointed Henry Duncan, Commissioner of the Navy Yard, and Attorney-General Blowers to be members of His Majesty’s Council in Nova Scotia.
Edward B. Brenton purchased the Belmont estate from Hon. Henry Duncan. He was the son of Judge Brenton who was impeached with Judge Deschamps by two loyalist lawyers, Jonathan Sterns and William Taylor. The Brentons were a leading Rhode Island family who sided with the crown in the revolutionary war. Hon. John Halliburton, who was the father of the Chief Justice of that name, married Susannah Brenton, while surgeon of a frigate commanded by Lord Colville who had visited Newport, R. I., in the year 1780. Dr. Halliburton became acquainted with the family of the Hon. Jahleel Brenton, whose son and grandson were well-known admirals in the British navy. He married Miss Brenton on the 4th of January, 1767. This alliance caused him to adopt the colony of Rhode Island as his home and follow his profession among his newly found friends and acquaintances. When open hostilities commenced between Great Britain and the Colonies, Dr. Halliburton was banished for refusing to subscribe to the test ordered by the revolutionary assembly. Dr. John Halliburton was granted by the crown some of the roads at Belmont. They were the proposed streets through the five acre lots, and this grant is dated June 1st, 1803.
Brenton, the owner of Belmont, was a barrister. In 1801 it was proposed to establish a bank in Halifax by means of a joint stock company, the capital of which was to be £50,000, in shares of £100 each. A committee of management was named, consisting of Edward B. Brenton, William Forsythe, Foster Hutchinson, Lawrence Hartshorn, James Foreman, James Fraser and Capt. John Beckwith. They required a monopoly, which was refused by the House of Assembly, and the project fell through. There was no public bank in Halifax until many years after this date, when the Halifax Banking Co. was chartered, which is today amalgamated with the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Edward Brenton’s name appears in many transactions of a public nature and he appears to have been a prominent citizen and an influential lawyer. In 1802 he was Judge Advocate, a legal position connected with the garrison of that day.
On August 12th, 1815, the property of Belmont was conveyed to John Howe, jr., by Edward B. Brenton and his wife Catherine for £1,800 sterling, Howe executing an indenture of mortgage of £995. Brenton sold another parcel of land to John Howe, jr., at Belmont for £148 at the same time. John Howe, jr., must have resided some years in the house at Belmont before he is recorded as purchasing the property, because we find it stated by Akin in his History of Halifax “that two fires occurred this year (1811), one at Commissariat Building, Hollis Street, the site of the present Bank of Nova Scotia, and the other at Belmont, John Howe’s residence at the Northwest Arm.”
On August 11th, 1816, Edward Brenton gave John Howe, jr., a release of mortgage amounting to £996 13s. 4d., while next day John Howe executed a new mortgage to Henry H. Cogswell for £800. In 1842, John Howe raised a further sum of £400 upon the property from H. H. Cogswell. In 1843, a deed of trust was executed by John Howe, sr., in favor of John Howe, jr., Joseph Howe and Joseph A. Seivewright. The above mentioned executors executed a deed of sale dated May 22nd, 1844, for £550 to William Clark, and on May 23rd, 1844, Henry H. Cogswell assigned all the lots mentioned in the mortgage to him dated 12th of August, 1816, to William Clark.
In 1857, Belmont passed to Judge J. W. Ritchie, and is now held by Thomas W. Ritchie. John Howe, jr., who resided at Belmont was a son of a Boston loyalist by a first marriage. His father, John Howe, sr., came to Halifax when the British evacuated Boston, March, 1776, and for 57 years was printer and publisher of the “Nova Scotia Gazette” and “Halifax Journal.” His son John was associated with him in business. John Howe, sr., was the father of the Hon. Joseph Howe by his second wife, and he also resided at the Northwest Arm, but farther south than Belmont, on a part of the property now owned by B. F. Pearson. There his famous son Joseph was born, whose monument stands in the south end of the Province Building Square, Halifax. John Howe, jr., afterwards was appointed postmaster at St. John, N. B., to which place he removed in 1837; he died in that city some time in the nineties of that century, and some of his descendants still reside there. In their time, the Howes seemed to have been active business men, because their names are connected with real estate transactions in many parts of Halifax, between 1820 and 1840. David Howe, son of John Howe, published a paper at St. Andrew’s, N. B.
n the eastern side of the Northwest
Arm, Marlborough Woods, the property
of the Northwest Arm Land
Company, is situated. It was formerly a portion
of the Belmont estate, which included
the Taylor fish lot as well as Commissioner’s
Farm, and was conveyed by Thomas and
George Ritchie, executors of Judge J. W.
Ritchie, to R. L. Borden, who sold a small
portion of the land to the Halifax Golf Club,
on which to build a clubhouse, and the
remaining part, an extensive area, was deeded
in 1895 to the Northwest Arm Land Company,
of which Hy. Roper is vice-president.
The Land Co. has sold a number of lots to
Halifax gentlemen, who have erected cottages
on this delightful spot. The location
is an ideal one and commands a charming
outlook. On the other side of the water, here
only about a quarter of a mile wide, rise
knolls clothed with almost every variety of
wood, bare rocky hills with beautiful little
bays bathing their base, greater coves eating
into the land here and there, while a vast
country covered with forest and dotted with
lakes, stretches far beyond. Among those
who have cottages at Marlborough are H. M.
Pride, manager Amherst Boot & Shoe Co.;
H. Roper, Russell Twining, J. A. Clark,
manager Eastern Canada Savings & Loan
Co. and Dr. G. H. Fluck. Henry Roper is
manager of S. M. Brookfield, Limited, building
contractors, who have erected many of
the modern buildings in Halifax. Some years
ago plans were drawn for a large summer
hotel called The Anglo-Saxon, to be erected
at Marlborough, but the project fell through.
Joseph Howe, who was born a little below
Marlborough, and who loved the locality,
was never tired of praising the “Arm’s enchanted
ground,” while for the Arm itself his
feelings were those of a lover for his mistress.
The Old Exhibition Building on Tower
Road, now used as a work-shed to shelter
the stonemasons employed building the new
Church of England Cathedral, may later be
taken down and re-erected at Marlborough
Woods for use as an ice and roller skating
rink, with prospective tramway extension.
Mr. Roper calls his cottage at Marlborough
the Ideal bungalow. J. A. Clark’s pretty
summer home is labelled Swastika Cottage
and Mr. Twining’s residence, Langley Cottage.
hese properties are owned by Walter
Thomson and Senator McKeen respectively.
They adjoin and were comprised
in an original grant to William and George
Castaffin, made in 1784. Pine Hill College
property was a portion of this grant. In
1806, William Peck, a son-in-law of one of
the Castaffins, conveyed the property to John
Halliburton, a naval surgeon at the Dockyard
Hospital, and father of Chief Justice
Halliburton, who owned the Bower. Mr.
Thomson’s father purchased the Fernwood
land which contains 4½ acres from the Halliburton
family.
Maplewood, on which a lovely new house has been built by Senator McKeen, was formerly the property of William Hare, father-in-law of Professor Weldon, Dean of the Law Faculty of Dalhousie College. It afterward became the property of the late M. B. Almon, jr., by whom it was transferred to the present owner. General Sir Patrick MacDougall lived at Maplewood at one time. General Sir John Ross also resided there. Lord Aberdeen, Governor-General of Canada, used this property as his residence the summer he spent in Halifax. Members of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron thought of buying Maplewood before it was purchased by Senator McKeen, and preliminary overtures were opened, but were not completed. Had this plan been carried out the yachting headquarters would have been on the Northwest Arm in addition to the Arm’s boating and canoeing eminence. Hon. David McKeen is president of the Halifax Electric Tramway Co., Ltd., and identified with numerous other financial and industrial institutions.
erhaps no other spot on the Northwest
Arm is more interesting to the
generation that is fast passing away
than Pine Hill property. Pictures that have
been preserved of the old substantial residence
will readily recall to the older residents
of the city many pleasing recollections of the
past. This house was built in the early forties
by a wealthy gentleman named Samuel
Story, who was also noted for his numerous
peculiarities. It is related that on summer
mornings he would gallop on horseback at
full speed through the town regardless of life
or limb. The property was sold after a few
years to the late James W. Fenerty, and it
was in this house that Arthur Fenerty of the
Customs Department, was born. For a number
of years the house was tenanted by the
late Dr. Tomkins, a Congregationalist clergyman,
pastor of the old Salem Church on
Argyle Street, who later returned to England
and entered the legal profession becoming
one of the most brilliant and accomplished
members of the Inner Temple. He afterwards
became a member of the House of Commons
and won for himself the reputation of
being one of the most scholarly and ablest
speakers in the English Parliament. Surgeon
General J. D. McIllree, inspector of
hospitals, resided in the old house after Dr.
Tomkins’ departure for England and remained
there until his recall in 1864. Then
the property was purchased by Edward
Albro, father of J. E. Albro, and in 1871 the
dwelling was razed and the present building
erected. In 1879 the property was sold to
the Presbyterian body for a college, when
another story was added to it. Two-thirds
of the Presbyterian clergy at present in Nova
Scotia are graduates of this school, which
has had a number of able scholars on its
teaching faculty. R. A. Falconer, President
of the University of Toronto, and Dr. Gordon,
Principal of Queen’s University, Kingston,
were both connected with Pine Hill at the
time of receiving their respective appointments.
What is probably the largest telescope
in Nova Scotia was presented to Pine
Hill by George S. Campbell of Halifax.
The present principal of the college is Dr. Robert Magill, a cultured Irishman. Mrs. Magill is a daughter of Edward Stairs, president of Wm. Stairs, Son & Morrow, Ltd.
ne of the prettiest villas on the Northwest
Arm is Bilton Cottage, between
Emscote and Pine Hill. The land
was originally part of the property conveyed
by John Howe to Robert Lawson, by deed
dated 1836. The latter sold it in 1846 to
Patrick Connolly, who transferred the property
to James Fenerty in 1851. In 1867,
Fenerty sold the property to Sophia Uniacke
and a year later Mrs. Uniacke passed the
property to Colonel Conrod Sawyer, who
altered and improved the house and gave the
property the name of Bilton Cottage in remembrance
of his home in England. Colonel
Sawyer’s executors sold the property to the
testator’s son Harry Sawyer in 1895, and he
in turn transferred it to M. R. Morrow, agent
of the Dominion Coal Co., in 1898. In 1907
Mr. Morrow sold the property to Captain
Rose of the United States Navy, retired.
Captain Rose lives at Bilton Cottage and is
an active member of the Yacht Squadron.
Mrs. Rose is a native of Charlottetown,
P. E. I. The old cottage has been beautifully
furnished and renovated since coming
into the possession of Captain Rose, and is
one of the prettiest estates on the Arm.
n a long, low cottage of one story and a
pitch, which stood on the eastern slope
of the Northwest Arm, Joseph Howe,
Nova Scotia’s famous parliamentarian and
statesman, was born December, 1804. The
building was about 300 yards southwest of
the Presbyterian Theological College, within
easy access of the waters of the Arm, and on
the grounds of what is now Emscote, the
residence of B. F. Pearson, M. P. P. Mr.
Sydenham Howe, a son of Joseph Howe,
writes: “The cottage in which my father
was born stood on the site of the house at
present occupied by Hon. B. F. Pearson. It
was destroyed by fire many years ago. I am
not sure of the date, but think it was previous
to 1840. I visited the place many times in
company with my father, who pointed out
the remains of the old cellar, and I saw the
present house in course of erection on the
same spot. The spring frequently referred to
in my father’s poems was quite near the road
running north and south, and on every occasion
on which my father and I walked about
the old place, he clambered over the old stone
wall which used to border the property and
drank from the old familiar spring, as I have
also often done, even when he was not
my companion. (The location is now indicated
by the red pump which can be seen
from the road.) My father’s half brother,
John Howe, jr., owned Belmont and lived
there in summer for years and moved into
Halifax in the winter. He died in 1843, and
he was for years King’s Printer and Postmaster
General in succession to his father,
and it was in his office that Joseph Howe
learned the ‘art preservative.’ ” It is a coincidence
that Joe Howe’s paper, the “Nova
Scotian,” and the site of his birthplace should
both come into the possession of the same
man, and Mr. Pearson states that when he
agreed to buy Emscote he did not know that
this was where Howe was born.
In his youth, Joe Howe loved to bathe in the salt water, and one evening, according to a book, “The Makers of Canada,” recently published, while taking a solitary swim in the Arm, he was seized with cramp and felt himself sinking. He cast an agonized look around and caught sight of the dearly loved cottage on the hillside, where his mother was just placing a lighted candle on the window sill. The thought of the grief which would overshadow that woman’s heart on the morrow inspired him to give a last despairing kick. The cramp was dispelled, and hastily swimming ashore the youth who was one day to become a foremost statesman of his time sank down exhausted, but thankful for his deliverance. It was long before he could summon courage to acquaint his parents of the circumstances. On the slopes of this beautiful spot the young Howe loved to read or to take a boat and row along the winding shores of the sparkling waters, which combined all the beauty of lake and river scenery in one, or to paddle his skiff to the opposite shore and land and climb the forest-clad hill. Often he would frequent the lake above Lawson’s, where his name is still perpetuated amongst anglers by a stand on Williams’ Lake known as Howe’s rock.
The Howes loved the shores of the Northwest Arm and made their homes upon its wooded slopes. John Howe, jr., the half brother of Joseph, we have seen lived at Belmont for many years. John Howe, sr., owned part of the Emscote land and the Uniacke lot, and conveyed this property to John Howe, jr., on June 25th, 1823, for £325, the deed being witnessed by Joseph Doby and R. G. Morse, and it refers to various buildings on the property. The deed was recorded the following year. This property was conveyed by John Howe, jr., to Robt. Lawson, Feb. 24th, 1836, for £500. This comprised lots number 6 and 7, letter D., in the south division of farm lots on the peninsula, about 4¼ acres.
In 1825, John Howe, sr., received a grant from the crown of 7 acres, called lot number 8, letter E., south division.
On September, 1847, Lawson mortgaged to Hon. Enos Collins half the property he had received. Collins afterward obtained a conveyance of the land and deeded it to Patrick Connolly, the father of the present Rev. John Connolly, S. J., an eloquent Jesuit pulpit orator. Then Lawson is recorded deeding a right-of-way now known as Francklyn Street to Patrick Connolly. On June 3rd, 1861, Connolly conveyed to Henry C. D. Twining the property and right-of-way for £161, and Twining conveyed the property to Maurice MacIlreith, the father of Ex-Mayor MacIlreith, for the sum of £400. MacIlreith sold it to Anne Vass, July, 1863. She passed the property in 1864 to William Cunard for $10,000, and Cunard passed it on to his brother-in-law, Colonel G. W. Francklyn. The north half of the Howe property which adjoins Pine Hill College also fell into the hands of Patrick Connolly in 1846, through purchase from Robert Lawson. Connolly deeded this portion to J. W. Fenerty in Nov., 1851, and Fenerty conveyed it in 1867 to Sophia Uniacke, who sold part of it to Colonel Francklyn, the father of G. E. Francklyn. The property was named Emscote after a village in Warwickshire, Eng., near Colonel Francklyn’s old home. The John Howe grant passed into the hands of Patrick Moran in 1847. From Moran it went to J. W. Johnston, jr., in 1854, for £200. From Johnston it was transferred to William Fitzgerald, and from him to one Lannon, the father of Joe Lannon the pugilist. From Lannon a part went to Connolly and a part to James Reardon, and eventually both portions came into the hands of the Francklyn family in 1882. The balance of Emscote was a grant from the Dominion Government to George Francklyn of part of the old Penitentiary property.
In 1825, John Howe, sr., owned the whole of the present site of Tower Road village, with the exception of one parcel of land in the centre, which was owned by J. W. Johnston, jr., the late judge in equity, Joseph Howe’s famous adversary in the fight for responsible government—a curious coincidence. The property owned by John Howe, sr., south of Pine Hill Theological College, and where his famous son Joseph was born, was originally owned by Nathaniel Mason and Jonathan Sterns. Mason kept a fish house there in 1784. Jonathan Sterns, who owned the property before it came into the possession of Howe, was a loyalist lawyer of Marblehead, Mass., who was prescribed for addressing Generals Gage and Howe, and forced to leave Boston on the withdrawal of the British troops, and accompanied them here where he settled. He married a sister of Judge Robie, who studied law in his office. Sterns was an uncompromising opponent of the patriotic party in the American Revolution. He was an able lawyer, and in his early career in Halifax was the prime mover in the effort to impeach the Judges Brenton and Deschamp, which fell through owing to the opposition of the old council.
Judge Johnston became premier of Nova Scotia and helped to develop responsible government. He was one of the founders of Acadia College, Wolfville, N. S., and occupies a large place in provincial history, which is well described in a series of valuable articles from the pen of Rev. Dr. Saunders.
A statue to Howe in the Provincial Building Square contains this inscription: “Journalist, Orator, Poet, Statesman, Prophet, Patriot, Briton. Born at Halifax Dec. 13th, 1804. Died at Government House, June 1st, 1873.” Grant’s “Life of Howe” contains the following reference to the Arm: “He was born Dec., 1804, in an old-fashioned cottage on the steep hillside that runs up from the city side of the Northwest Arm, a beautiful inlet of the sea that steals up the entrance of the harbor for three or four miles into the land behind the city of Halifax. A lawn, with oak trees round the edges, and a little garden with apple and cherry trees surrounded the house.” Hon. B. F. Pearson, the present owner of this historic property, is a member of the provincial assembly representing his native county of Colchester, and a member of the local government without portfolio. As the promoter of numerous enterprises he has conferred great benefit upon the province, but in an unobtrusive way. He took a leading part in organizing the Halifax Street Railway and the Nova Scotia Telephone Co. He interested H. M. Whitney, of Boston, in Cape Breton coal and brought about the establishment of those giant industries, Dominion Coal and Dominion Steel. Mr. Pearson is identified with the Dominion Chair Co., Midland Railway Co., Annapolis Iron Co., and a score of other useful enterprises. He is the principal owner of the Halifax “Chronicle,” St. John “Sun,” and Glace Bay “Gazette,” and has many warm personal friends.
djoining Emscote, on the shores of
the Northwest Arm is the site of the
old provincial penitentiary, which was
certainly a pleasant situation for the convicts.
Happily this prison was long since removed.
The prison was built by the Nova Scotia
Government in the thirties. When the Dominion
Government erected the federal prison
at Dorchester, N. B., which was to serve as
a place of confinement for the convicted
felons from the three Maritime Provinces,
the penitentiary at the Arm fell into disuse
as a prison, and was temporarily occupied by
the inmates of the Poor Asylum after the
destruction of the City Home by fire in Nov.
2, 1882, when 32 people lost their lives. A
portion of the land surrounding the prison
passed into possession of George E. Francklyn
by grant. The building and property was
afterwards acquired by Henry M. Whitney,
of Boston, and others, for the establishment
of coke and gas works to light Halifax.
These were operated for a while and abandoned.
Part of the property is now owned
by B. F. Pearson. Part of the remainder,
which includes the site of the old prison, is
the property of Chas. Brister. The street
railway company owns the balance adjoining
the park and the public bathing-house. It
was from the old penitentiary that Jones,
Hazelton, Anderson and Johnston, the ship
Saladin pirates and murderers were conveyed
on July 30th, 1844, to the place of execution,
guarded by an escort of the 52nd Regiment.
They were executed on the South Common,
near the front of what is now the Victoria
General Hospital. The old prison was also
the scene of the life imprisonment and death
of Mate Douglas of the brig “Zero,” the
accomplice of Doucey, a colored seaman who
was hung at Halifax about 1866 for the murder
of the captain of the “Zero,” off the Nova
Scotia coast. On the prison property there
was for many years the grave of an unknown
woman who died at the penitentiary. The
grave was situated on the bank near the
shore, surrounded by a railing, and was kept
in order by the authorities of the prison. The
grave was unmarked and the mound is probably
now obliterated, and the secret of the
slumberer, so far as known, remains secure
in the forgotten grave. Death was not the
only means of release for long time convicts.
Sometimes they escaped across the Arm, and
“Prisoner’s Cave” is still to be seen in the
rugged, hilly country on the western shore
of the Arm near Williams’ Lake. The legend
is that an escaped prisoner from the penitentiary
swam across the Arm and remained in
hiding in the cave for a long time until
search for him had been abandoned, he being
supplied with food meanwhile by residents
of the locality, whose compassion had been
excited by stories of suffering within the
prison walls. The entrance to the cave is
difficult to find in the maze of woods and
boulders which surrounds it, unless one is
familiar with the location. A hole in the rock
in the roof served as a vent for smoke.
The walls of the penitentiary building are still standing. While gutting the building to fill it with gas plant, the workmen of the Lighting Company, in demolishing the stone cells, obtained enough granite to make foundations for several other buildings which were erected. The venture of the People’s Heat and Light Co., for which the penitentiary property and the adjoining property were acquired, proved disastrous for the investors, but the result was fortunate for the preservation of the Arm as a pleasure resort and recreation ground. Noxious fumes and smoke from the gas plant would have polluted the atmosphere and played havoc with the beauty of the surroundings.
oint Pleasant Park, which is
situated at the extremity of the
peninsula of Halifax, commands a
broad view of the Atlantic. On the east side
it is bounded by Halifax Harbor, and on the
south and west by the beautiful sheet of
water known as the Northwest Arm. The
Park is Imperial property, but is leased to the
city for an indefinite period at a nominal rent
of a shilling a year. Once a year all roads
leading into it are closed for twenty-four
hours to maintain the ownership and prevent
any possible claim to a public right-of-way.
The roads through the Park were originally
built by the military under the direction of
Colonel Montague, of the Royal Engineers,
and are kept in capital order and enable the
visitor to drive through all portions of the
Park. There are very beautiful views of the
harbor, the ocean, and the Northwest Arm
from different points. Point Pleasant Park is
unrivalled in Canada, and is beautiful beyond
comparison. Its woodlands, driving roads
and riding paths, twisting and twining with
serpentine grace in and out through the forest
of spruce and pine, with glimpses now of the
harbor, now of the Northwest Arm, anon
of the broad ocean rolling in through the
entrance of Chebucto Bay, and breaking on
the beach at one’s very feet, enchant the spectator.
Picturesque Canada thus describes this
charming resort: “Broad carriage drives of
a most excellent smoothness wind through
the natural forest, the shimmer of the sea ever
and anon closing the vista. Footpaths abound
where one might lose himself most enjoyably
among the labyrinth of rocks, trees and tall
brackens. Shut your eyes and ears to the
plashing ocean all round, and fancy yourself
in the Black Forest of Germany. There are
the mossy reaches under tall pines, the wealth
of wild flowers, the sweet resinous odour as
the paths go up and up, you care not whither.
Where are the ruins? There is a good substitute
in the old Martello Tower.”
Emscote, Residence of Hon. F. B. McCurdy, looking into Purcell’s Cove.
Site of the birthplace of Hon. Joseph Howe, Dec. 13, 1804.
Along the shores are fortifications commanding the entrance to the harbor and Northwest Arm. Here also are found the remains of old batteries and entrenchments of the eighteenth century. On the Northwest Arm side of Point Pleasant Park may be seen the Chain Rock. This was at one time the landing place of a strong boom that obstructed the entrance up the Arm, and the ring and bolt remained in the rock until surreptitiously removed by souvenir hunters a few years ago. The boom was protected by a battery. The foundations of the entrenchments are still visible. In these days of peace there is no chain, and the place is a favorite resort for bathers, a public bath house being situated there. In the old, troubled days of war a chain of fortifications encircled the water front of Point Pleasant Park. The remains of these works are apparent today at every commanding position.
In the Park at the southern end, a famous South Carolina loyalist cleared a lot of land and built a stone house where he resided. This officer was Colonel Fanning, not he of the same name the fiery officer who was refused the benefits of the Act of Oblivion by the State of South Carolina, but a gentleman who was rewarded for his attachment to the crown of Great Britain by being appointed Governor of St. John Island, afterwards renamed Prince Edward Island. At another period he was Governor of Cape Breton. The land which he cleared in the Park is still known as the colonel’s fields.
he ferry across the entrance of the
Northwest Arm, conducted by Robert
J. and Charles Purcell at Point
Pleasant, has been a familiar object to the
people of Halifax for a long period of years.
Early records indicate that communication
between the outlying fortifications on the
farther side of the Arm and the city was
originally carried on by man-of-war pinnaces
and flat bottomed scows stationed at the
Royal Engineer Yard, King’s Wharf, Ordnance
Yard (now known as the Gun Wharf),
and H. M. Dockyard. A system of signalling
by a heliographic code was also in use. A
notable instance of the value of the signal
code occurred in the transmission by the late
Chief Justice Halliburton, (then a subaltern
on duty at York Redoubt), to the look-out
station at Fort George, Citadel Hill, of news
of the stranding of H. M. S. La Tribune on
Thrum Cap on 23rd November, 1797. Boats
were at once despatched both from the Dockyard
and the R. E. Lumber Yard to the
scene of disaster. The sad loss of life under
the cliffs at the western entrance of Herring
Cove (known since as Tribune Head) is one
of the most pathetic episodes in the annals
of the neighborhood. There were only six
survivors out of the whole ship’s company.
More convenient transit between Point
Pleasant and the opposite side of the Arm
leading to York Redoubt became a matter of
necessity as the years rolled on, but it was
not till 1853, that a regular ferry service
between the two points was undertaken. The
places selected were Purcell’s Cove, or rather
Island Cove, inside of Spectacle Island, on the
western side, and Point Pleasant at the
southernmost end of the peninsula, about
three miles from the centre of Halifax.
Joseph Purcell, uncle of Robert and Charles
Purcell, the present proprietors, made a
beginning single-handed from the Purcell’s
Cove side, a flag pole being used at Point
Pleasant, to display a signal when a passage
across was needed. Mischievous urchins having
given much trouble through false signals
on several occasions, a hut was erected at
Point Pleasant, and a sturdy Irishman,
Kennedy by name, engaged to look after the
ferry on Halifax side. On the death of the
founder of the ferry, his nephew James had
charge for three years. Kennedy having also
died, Robert Carteel who had married the
widow Purcell, took up the management. The
colonel commanding the Royal Engineers
gave Carteel permission to build a house on
the site of the hut, allowing him the use of
materials from some old military buildings in
the vicinity. Carteel conducted the ferry in
conjunction with James and Samuel Purcell
for fifteen years till 1870, when Major W. A.
Purcell, the well-known taxidermist, conducted
the service till 1890, his brother
Charles taking the Island Cove portion.
Since 1890, another brother, Robert J. has run
the ferry from the Ferry Station at the Point
on the Halifax side.
A much needed change is about to be made in the location of the ferry house at Point Pleasant, the present landing place being inconvenient and much exposed. The buildings are likewise badly dilapidated and out of repair. It should be borne in mind, that the need of discerning signals from the opposite shore, at the distance of over a mile was an essential factor in running the ferry, when first started, as it was largely used by the military authorities for the troops, as well as for workmen and supplies in construction of the forts. The building of a modern ferry house and more sheltered landing place will be a great boon to not a few local residents, in addition to affording visitors an opportunity of enjoying scenic views of rare beauty in the vicinity of Purcell’s Cove, Falkland Village, Ferguson’s Cove, York Redoubt and Herring Cove. The twelve and sixteen oar man-of-war cutters of bygone days held in readiness at the R. E. yard have been replaced by convenient steam-tugs and launches which make the round of the forts at regular hours daily.
Quite a little squadron of these up-to-date craft now convey the troops and supplies to the various military stations at George’s and McNab’s Island and round the whole expanse of the harbor, which in former times were almost entirely dependent (as far as the forts on the Northwest Arm side were concerned) on the unpretending ferry enterprise of successive generations of the Purcell family. The Point Pleasant ferry is now under the supervision of the Park Commission, and a small subsidy is granted to supplement the fares, together with residential privileges, the land occupied, however, being still under the control of the Imperial Government, who formerly paid a small subsidy for the conveyance of troops across.
Jollimore’s ferry about the centre of the Arm proper is likewise aided by a small subsidy from the Local Government of the Province. Samuel Jollimore and his sons now conducting this convenient “bridge of boats,” began operating a ferry in 1880, straight across from the Cove to the Cunard property then occupied by the late P. C. Hill. Several commodious boats now run passengers across to a convenient landing place on the property of Roderick Macdonald, Esq., near the foot of South Street, a couple of hundred yards from the Electric Tram line, in a few minutes, at any time day or night. The morning and evening trips for business residents are practically continuous, the distance in sheltered water being but a quarter of a mile.
Boutilier’s ferry from South Street landing to Boutilier’s Point is also available to the public at almost instant notice, from either side.
Longley’s ferry from Jubilee Road to Melville Park runs at frequent intervals on much the same route as that utilized by the Imperial Government formerly in making connections with Melville Island.
The river-like surface of the Arm renders the brief transit across a mere bagatelle for the possessors of boats or canoes, constituting domestic ferries from club house to bungalow at will.
At Coburg Road, Adam Marr, a veteran harbour boatman, has conducted a successful boat slip for five years past—since the rise of boating on the Arm rendered business on the harbour less attractive than formerly. Boats can be obtained here to convey passengers to any part of the Arm. Telegraph and telephone cables, some of them the private military lines of communication with the outlying fortresses and Melville prison, cross the Arm at several points. The Nova Scotia Telephone Co. has one hundred instruments on the western shore of the Arm.
he first license of the quarry lots on
the western shore of the Northwest
Arm was made, during the
administration of the government of Nova
Scotia by the Hon. Michael Wallace,
President of the Council and Treasurer
of the Province. This property is known
as the Queen’s Quarries and was licensed
to the principal officers of the Ordnance
department, Halifax. The deed recites as
follows: “License is hereby granted to
Gustavus Nicolls, Esq., a colonel in His
Majesty’s army and commanding the Royal
Engineers, at Halifax, the Hon. Charles
Morris, Surveyor General, and Sir Rupert
De George, Bart., Secretary of the Province
of Nova Scotia and to their successors in the
said offices of commanding Royal Engineers,
Surveyor General and Secretary of the Province,
to occupy during pleasure in trust for
the use of His Majesty.” Colonel Nicolls
built the Citadel. The quarries were formerly
granted to Robt. Dickey and escheated.
They adjoined land granted William Russell, Esq., in the year 1752. Russell’s grant fixes the early naming of the inlet from Chebucto Bay as Northwest Arm. This grant comprised the parcel of land known as Purcell’s Cove and Island. These were formerly known as Mackerel Cove and Russell’s Island, and are so marked on the old map attached to the grant of the quarries. Russell’s grant extended back as far as Flat Lake off the Herring Cove Road. The quarries grant comprised 200 acres and ran north to John Trider’s property, beginning at Indian Cove, so named because in early days the Micmacs resorted to it for the purpose of fishing and celebrating festivals. A spot between the military wharf and a small peninsula is named Indian Path, by which the aborigines gained the lakes situated beyond the boundaries of the quarries. From these quarries the Citadel bastions and escarpments were built, and from the adjoining iron stone deposits the walls of the dockyard were renewed. Some of the stone of which the beautiful facade of St. Mary’s Cathedral is constructed, came from these government quarries (the balance came dressed from Quincy, Mass.), as also did the granite which was used in the various fortifications that command and protect Halifax Harbor today.
The land adjoining the quarries at the north was formerly granted to Henry Ferguson and afterwards passed to John Trider, who was a government contractor and built the stone house at the foot of Inglis Street.
The water lot in front of the land occupied by the quarries was granted by the Nova Scotia government to Lord Panmure, Secretary of State for War. This grant is signed by Charles Tupper, Provincial Secretary, and Sir Gaspard LeMarchant, Lieut.-Governor. The Queen’s Quarry property is now owned by Havelock McC. Hart, who purchased the same from the British Government for the sum of $1,000 on the occasion, two years ago, of the withdrawal of Imperial troops from this station after a continuous occupation for more than 150 years. Mr. Hart is a member of a family of very successful Halifax merchants, one of whom, Jairus Hart, an uncle, was President of the Bank of Nova Scotia, and a munificent citizen.
Purcell’s Cove is the original of the bridge scene on the drop screen at the Academy of Music. Among others who summer here is William Dennis, proprietor and editor of the Halifax Herald and Evening Mail, and a striking figure in Canadian journalism. He is interested financially in various provincial industries, and a liberal supporter of athletics and aquatics, a patron of numerous charities and a friend of home enterprise. F. D. Morton and A. R. Cogswell have bungalows at Purcell’s.
Passing beyond the beautiful cove and island known as Purcell’s, we come to a fishing village clinging to the side of the hill north of York Redoubt. The hamlet is named Falkland in honor of Lady Falkland, who was a liberal contributor to the local church building fund, and was the wife of a lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia. She was said to be a daughter of the morganatic alliance of the celebrated Mrs. Jordan and King William IV. The village is the home of a hardy race of fisher folk and pilots, and climbs the steep in a very picturesque manner, and viewed at a distance from Halifax with its combination of two churches and the fortress on the summit of the hill above, presents the aspect of a scene in the mountains of Spain, with castle and village overlooking a wide expanse of sea.
York Redoubt is a modern fortress of great strength, at the extreme end of the long line of hills that form the western boundaries of the Northwest Arm.
Beyond the Redoubt are a number of small coves inhabited by those who depend upon the ocean as a means of livelihood. Between these and Herring Cove is Spion Kop, a work of recent construction, the guns of which command the approach of the harbor for miles seaward; it is called after one of the notable engagements of the last Boer war in South Africa.
The next important cove, Herring Cove, is a deep inlet in the iron-bound coast, the birthplace of many famous fishermen crews renowned in aquatic contests, and the home of that great champion oarsman, George Brown. On a headland overlooking the ocean near the cove is a rugged cairn erected to this oarsman’s memory. Brown was born at Herring Cove 1839, and died July 8, 1875, only 36 years of age. Mr. J. W. Power, of the Halifax Acadian Recorder, states that Brown beat William Schaeff at Springfield, Mass., July 8, 1874, and Evan Morris at St. John, September 24, 1874. Both races were for the championship of America.
Ironstone is now being obtained at Queen’s Quarries for the new Church of England cathedral at Halifax. There are two distinct quarries—ironstone and granite. St. Paul’s Parish Hall on Argyle Street contains a great deal of ironstone from here, and the stone enjoys the peculiar quality of not rusting.
he land on which this club is located
was formerly a portion of the Lawson
property. It is on the west side of the
Northwest Arm, and immediately opposite
Fernwood, property of Walter Thomson, who
was a son of James Thomson and a nephew
of Cathcart Thomson, whose wife was a Miss
Howe. The Lawson property in its original
state comprised 450 acres and extended from
Henry Ferguson’s grant adjoining the
Queen’s Quarries to the boundaries of Jollimore
Village. The executors of Hon. Charles
Hill, a prominent merchant of Halifax, and
a member of the legislative and executive
councils, and the executor of George Mackintosh,
conveyed to Robert Lawson, January 1,
1836, lot No. 1. Henry Lawson deeded the
same lot to William Lawson, sr., May 1,
1843. William Lawson, sr., by will dated
29th October, 1844, devised all his real estate
situate on the west side of the Northwest
Arm to Henry Lawson. Henry Lawson conveyed
to Ann Lawson on June 14, 1878, for
$10,000 a large part of the above-mentioned
property. On August 19, 1881, Henry Lawson
received a grant of water lot named lot
No. 2. Then he conveyed a part of lots Nos.
1 and 2 to Frederick Tremaine Miles. This
included the privilege to cut ice from
Williams’ Lake. Lawson also sold to the
Atlantic Sugar House Co., December 1, 1881,
a portion of lot No. 1, and a part of water lot
No. 2.
By will of Ann Lawson, dated November 13, 1900, John T. Ross was appointed sole executor. All the residue of the estate, real and personal, was devised to Ross in trust to convert into money for the benefit of the Old Men’s Home. The executor conveyed to the Club Building Co., Ltd., by indenture April 5, 1906, for the consideration of $6,000, lots Nos. 1 and 2, except portions conveyed away by Henry Lawson as mentioned above.
The Club Building Co., Ltd., leased to George W. C. Hensley, Edward A. Kirkpatrick and Daniel A. Murray, trustees of the Saraguay Club, the property purchased from John T. Ross for a period of 10 years, with option for renewals. Parties identified with the Saraguay Club have since acquired the property of the defunct Atlantic Sugar House Co. in order to extinguish certain water-power rights in a stream common to both properties. W. A. Black, of the progressive steamship firm of Pickford & Black, and a former M. P. P., of Halifax, is president of the club.
Robert Lawson, who owned part of this property, and the John Howe property on the east side of the North West Arm, ran a corn mill for many years. He was a grandson of John Lawson, who, was born in Boston Mass., and came to Halifax in the 18th century. He was engaged in the mercantile business under the firm name of Prescott and Lawson; Collins and Allison afterwards succeeded to their business, which was carried on at the present Pickford & Black’s wharf. John Lawson’s son, William, was also a prominent merchant, and one of the founders and first president of the Bank of Nova Scotia. His portrait by Field the artist, hangs in the directors’ room of the bank. The Saraguay is a country club owning large wooded grounds, with bathing and boating facilities, and intersected with roads and drives. The clubhouse is the former residence of Henry Lawson, with certain improvements. Robert Lawson’s house has been unoccupied for some years. It is back from the Arm towards Williams’ Lake. Max Aitken, a rising figure in financial circles in Montreal, occupies a summer cottage on the Saraguay property a part of each year. It is called the Three Penny Lot, which was the annual rental paid for the property years ago to Henry Lawson. Between the Saraguay property and the sugar refinery site is a small lot formerly owned by Miles and by Chittick, the Dartmouth ice-man. There is a connection with Williams’ Lake at the rear, and natural ice was formerly cut at the lake for commercial uses, and brought to the shore by a huge trestle for shipment, some of it going to the United States. A large ice house was erected on the shore of the Arm for storing the ice, which was cut in blocks about two feet square. The ice house no longer exists. Bungalows have been erected on the property and were occupied for several seasons by four young men who entertained with skill and hospitality, and the place came to be affectionately spoken of as the “Sign of the Four.” Saraguay is an Indian word meaning “north branch.”
he progenitors of the Lawsons of Halifax
were three brothers, John, William
and David, who came from the United
States; but little is known of their antecedents.
They have been described as loyalists,
but several stones in St. Paul’s bearing the
name of Lawson are older than 1780, the
earliest being John Shatford Lawson, Sept.
2, 1772. Descendants of the Lawsons became
extensively interested in land at the Northwest
Arm. Thomas W. Lawson, of Boston,
is a great-grandson of the original William
Lawson. He was born in New England, but
his parents were married in Halifax. E. Lawson
Fenerty is a first cousin of the coiner of
“Frenzied Finance.” Mrs. M. J. Katzman
Lawson wrote “A History of Dartmouth,
Preston and Lawrencetown,” and won the
Akins prize. Henry and Robert Lawson, who
owned large tracts of land on both sides of
the Arm, had eleven brothers and sisters.
Walter Lawson, chief accountant of the Union
Bank of Halifax, is a nephew. Robert Lawson’s
old home, near the Atlantic Refinery,
was occupied for a time by Rev. Dr. George
Hill, chancellor of the Halifax University and
rector of St. Paul’s. Colonel Lawson, who
resides in Halifax, was formerly connected
with the Military College at Sandhurst. The
wife of the late Principal George M. Grant
was a Miss Lawson.
oscobel, the residence of F. D. Corbett,
comprises forty acres and extends
back to Williams’ Lake. The property
has been greatly improved since the present
owner acquired it in July, 1888. Up to the
time that the property was knocked down to
him at a public sale which he happened to
attend, Mr. Corbett had no notion of living at
the Arm, but he realized that it would be a
very nice place for his family for the summer.
The estate was originally purchased from J.
G. Jollimore and J. P. Boutilier by Henry C.
D. Twining, clerk of the House of Assembly.
He devised it to his son Henry St. George
Twining, familiarly known to the last generation
as “Drag,” in reference to St. George and
the Dragon. Miss Violet Twining, daughter
of Henry St. George Twining, is now Marchioness
of Donegal, and resides in London.
The name Boscobel was conferred on the
property by Henry C. D. Twining for no
special reason as far as known. It is the name
of a parish in Shropshire, England, where
Charles II. fled after his defeat at Worcester,
1651. On the way to Boscobel House the
king had his long hair cut, his hands and face
smeared with soot, and for his royal dress he
substituted the homely suit of a countryman
and leathern doublet. It was here at Boscobel
Wood the monarch hid in the branches of an
oak tree, and watched Cromwell’s soldiers
passing beneath the tree in search of him—the
story of the Royal Oak familiar to every
school boy. Mr. Corbett has lately contributed
$10,000 to the Halifax Children’s
Hospital building fund. He has been an
extensive traveller and possesses a valuable
private library and a number of works of art.
Mr. Corbett founded the firm of F. D. Corbett
& Co., steamship agents, of which he was
head, until his retirement several years ago,
when his partner, George S. Campbell, became
the head of the business now known as Geo.
S. Campbell & Co. W. S. Davidson and R. A.
Corbett, only son of F. D. Corbett, are the
other partners. Mr. Campbell is a director of
the Bank of Nova Scotia, chairman of the
Board of Governors of Dalhousie University,
and a patron of numerous useful enterprises.
his property lies on the western shore of
the Arm, sloping gently back with a
lake at the rear. It has been improved
by cutting roads and walks through the trees,
giving a park-like effect, and the owner has
erected a number of pretty cottages for summer
occupation. The proprietor is A. E. Haliburton-Gilpin,
son of the late Archdeacon
Gilpin, and a brother of the late Dr. Edwin
Gilpin, jr., a scientist of international repute,
and for many years Deputy Commissioner of
Public Works and Mines in Nova Scotia. Mr.
Gilpin resides at “Elgin,” St. Elizabeth,
Jamaica. He acquired part of the property
from Henry Lawson, and the balance from
the late Hibbert Binney, Bishop of Nova
Scotia, who had a summer cottage at this
location. “Bishop’s Cottage” is still in
good repair. On his mother’s side, Mr.
Gilpin is a descendant of Thomas Chandler
Haliburton, the author of “Sam Slick,” and
other works of history and humor. Judge
Haliburton was connected with the Chandler
family of New Brunswick. He was a member
of the supreme court bench of Nova Scotia,
and afterwards removed to England, and was
elected to the House of Commons. A son,
Lord Arthur Haliburton, was connected with
the higher branches of the British Civil Service
for some years, while another son is a
noted archaeologist and spends much of his
time in the ruins of ancient Egypt. The Gilpin
family first settled in Nova Scotia at
Annapolis.
he Northwest Arm is a place of wonderful
beauty, and it is no surprise,
therefore, that it is a grateful retreat
for the busy citizens of Halifax, where the
cares of business may be temporarily laid
aside amid the charm of calm waters and the
attractions of a glorious landscape, beauties
which appeal to the visitor to the Arm in
whichever direction the eye is turned. Everything
here is pleasing. The hill-tops, health
laden breezes, fleecy clouds, and views of the
blue ocean with incoming and departing ships
in the foreground of the picture are all inviting
and restful. Jollimore Village on the
western side of the Northwest Arm has
become a centre for city residents for summer
seasons, and the shore and hillsides are dotted
with cottages in Tyrolean fashion, with St.
Augustine’s rural church, embowered in trees,
nestling midway up the steep slope. A ferry
connects with the cars at South Street, and a
half hour is ample for the “villagers” to reach
their places of business in the city. Jollimore
Village is named after a fisherman, who with
a number of others, came from Terrance Bay
many years ago, not in search of the picturesque,
which their summer visitors now
admire, but in quest of an opportunity to pursue
their honorable calling of fishers, the finny
inhabitants at that time abounding in the clear
waters of the Arm. Several generations of
the descendants of these honorable toilers by
the sea had passed across the stage since the
first residents of the village built their humble
cottages on the acclivity that slopes up from
the water, before the citizens of Halifax were
to learn that such an ideal spot for summer
bungalows was at their very door. But at
last the discovery was made, and the locality
has now become the popular home, for a part
of the year, of many prominent people of
Halifax. Crowning a succession of artificial
terraces rising from a neat retaining wall at
the waterside is the pretty villa of Ex-Mayor
MacIlreith. W. J. Butler, whose father was
vice-president of the Royal Bank, owns an
aerie cottage which commands a wide sweep
of the Arm valley and part of the city
opposite. From this lookoff one can see the
Northwest Arm’s many points of historic
interest, and few places in the world possess
greater attractions in this respect than the
lovely sheet of water down at our feet. Sometimes
unruffled and reflective as a mirror,
anon stirred by a gentle breeze and flashing
like dancing diamonds, or asleep in the
majesty of a moonlight night, the Northwest
Arm is one of the beauty spots of the earth.
A. E. McManus owns a cottage just on
the southern limits of the village, which was
built by Colonel Curren, and has named it
“Unadilla,” “the house of peace.” The name
is South American Indian, and a souvenir of
a trip to Patagonia in search of a new
El Dorado, one of Mr. McManus’ two sons
being a member of the ship’s company.
G. H. Jost, an architect who has designed
many buildings in Maritime Canada, is one of
the “villagers.”
JOLLIMORE OR ARM VILLAGE ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE NORTHWEST ARM
he Dingle is a large property on the
western shore of the Northwest Arm
owned by Sir Sandford Fleming, who
was chief engineer in the construction of the
Canadian Pacific Railway, the promoter of
the British Pacific cable, to girdle the globe,
and identified with other large undertakings.
Sir Sandford has decided to donate part of this
property to the city of Halifax as a public
park, as nearly the entire shore surrounding
the Arm is owned by clubs and private individuals,
and there is not much opportunity for
boating parties to land and picnic if they are
unconnected with the present proprietors.
The Dingle property is bounded on the north
by the Melville Island property, and on the
south by Jollimore Village. The land was
originally granted to William McGrannigan.
Sir Sandford purchased it from several
owners and their heirs. A large part of the
Dingle belonged to the estate of Arthur
Murphy, an Irishman, part to that of Mrs.
Palmer, who was a Jollimore, and a part to
the Boutilier family. The latter exchanged
with Sir Sandford for a piece of land within
the Jollimore Village boundaries. William
Cunard owned the high point on which a
memorial tower is to be erected. Fairy
Cove is in the bounds of the Dingle,
and in old days was a resort for bathers,
who would row across from the peninsula.
Most of the land is still primeval
forest with a few clearings, where picnickers
resort by permit. It is an ideal spot for outing
parties and it was on this account that an
effort was made to get it for the use of the
public. Sir Sandford’s offer to the city of part
of the property, is on condition that a tower
be erected there in connection with the 150th
anniversary of the establishment of representative
government in Nova Scotia, the
tower to be in sections of different material,
showing the development of elective institutions
in Canada. Halifax, says Sir Sandford,
was the constitutional birthplace of the outward
British Empire as it exists today, all the
other overseas territories included in the
empire having secured their elective assembly
after Nova Scotia, which is also the first
province in the Dominion of Canada. Joe
Howe, who led the fight for responsible government
in Canada, was born on the Northwest
Arm. It is not clear where the name of
the Dingle was derived from, but Sir Sandford
Fleming thinks it was copied from the
well-known district of that name in Ireland,
near Bantry. Sir Sandford Fleming was born
in Kirkcaldy, Fifeshire, Scotland, January
27, 1827. He studied civil engineering and
came to Canada 1845, and was chief engineer,
1863, on the construction of the Intercolonial
Railway—the road projected to extend from
the Atlantic to the Pacific—in Nova Scotia.
He lived in Halifax on Brunswick Street more
than forty years ago, and conceived a great
fancy for the Northwest Arm as a place of
residence, and resolved that some day he
would buy property there. In addition to
owning the Dingle he owns a house, “The
Lodge,” on Oxford Street, between South
Street and Coburg Road, which was built by
William Duffus. Sir Sandford was knighted
in 1897. He has published “The Intercolonial,
a history, 1832-76”; “England and
Canada”; “Time and His Notation,” and
other works. He was the originator of
“standard time.” In 1880 he was elected for
a term of three years Chancellor of Queen’s
University, Toronto. The London Morning
Post places him in the front rank of colonial
statesmen, and Lord Strathcona says his
name is that of a man who has done great
and good work not alone for Canada, but for
the whole British Empire. The suggested
public park at The Dingle is proposed to be
called the Sir Sandford Fleming Park. Sir
Sandford formerly had a bungalow on the
top of the high hill opposite The Waegwoltic.
He formerly owned Coburg Cottage property,
and exchanged it with the late T. E. Kenny
for a property on South Street.
n October 2, 1908, the sesquicentennial
of the establishment of representative
government in Nova Scotia and in
what is now the Dominion of Canada was
fittingly celebrated at Halifax under the auspices
of the Canadian Club. The Northwest
Arm was chosen as the scene for the ceremonies
because it is the recognized pleasure-ground
of the citizens, and has been the home
of distinguished men. In the midst of a rain
storm, in the presence of a handful of mackintoshed
spectators, surrounded by dripping
foliage and under the canopy of a gray sky,
an event of imperial significance transpired on
the western shore of the famous Northwest
Arm. Alongside the water of the same ocean
across which the original settlers came to
found homes in the untamed wilderness, there
was laid the corner-stone of a memorial tower
of imposing proportions designed to symbolize
the inception and gradual development of
representative institutions in Canada. Appropriately
enough a small clearing was made for
the occasion, just like what probably took
place one hundred and fifty years previous,
when the hardy first settlers started their community
and organized their pioneer assembly
beneath the shadow of the same varieties of
native trees—maple, beech, spruce, etc.—that
furnished a natural setting for the recent spectacle
at the Northwest Arm. When completed
the proposed tower is to correspond with the
splendid structure which the glowing future
promises this great Canadian Dominion.
Toward the top the tower will be ornamented
with windows of rich design, belvedere, cornice,
parapet and observation cupola. The
earlier sections of the memorial must be
simple, in harmony with the rugged period
in Canadian history when the golden west was
unknown, and only the roar of the waterfall
broke the savage stillness of the heart of a
new continent. Rough native stone will be
the building material for the base of the
monument. A block of granite for a corner-stone
typified the enduring principles of the
British constitution transplanted on Canadian
soil in 1758. In a receptacle in the stone were
placed copies of the Halifax dailies, pamphlets
relating to the tower and the Canadian Club,
volume of provincial statutes of 1908, last
session’s printed debates of both branches of
the legislature, and newspaper accounts of the
unveiling, August 19, 1908, at the Province
Building of a tablet bearing the names of the
first assemblymen. It is a coincidence that
including Governor Lawrence and clerk David
Lloyd in the count, the number of persons
whose names are mentioned on the tablet as
being present in an official capacity at the first
opening of the Nova Scotia assembly in 1758,
is the precise number of witnesses who,
according to an official pamphlet issued by the
Canadian Club, on the same day one hundred
and fifty years later chanced to be in attendance
and saw the corner-stone laid of a tower
to commemorate that first meeting of pioneers.
The names given in the Canadian Club
pamphlet are: Lieutenant-Governor Fraser,
Sir Sandford Fleming, K. C. M. G.; J. B.
Kenny, D. Macgillivray, A. McKay, W. T.
O’B. Hewitt, C. E.; John Willis, A. H.
Mackay, LL.D.; John W. Regan, S. M. Brookfield,
W. R. McCurdy, J. A. Chisholm, K. C.;
Dr. E. D. Farrell, James Roue, Rod. Macdonald,
G. S. Campbell; Mr. and Mrs. T.
Critchley, Sandford Critchley, Oswald Critchley,
Toronto; Mrs. Hugh Fleming, Ottawa—just
twenty-one. The governor represented
the Crown from which popular rights were
wrested in the good old days, but which is
now a valuable member of the constitution.
Sir Sandford Fleming had himself crossed the
prairies in a Red River cart, locating a line for
the railway that afterwards penetrated the
great west and did more than any one other
thing to raise Canada to the proud status
which the tower at the Northwest Arm is ultimately
intended to symbolize. Representatives
of the puissant fourth estate, the press,
and of the public educational system are
included in the above list. Free schools and a
free press are outgrowths or complements of
popular government. The other spectators
represented the sovereign people themselves.
The governor read a telegram from London
from Lord Crewe, Secretary of State for the
Colonies, congratulating Nova Scotia on a
century and a half of parliamentary government.
Another from Lord Grey, governor-general
of Canada, was dated at Grand Forks,
British Columbia, where His Excellency happened
to be, and expressed similar sentiments.
As His Honor declared the corner-stone of the
tower well and truly laid, cannon thundered
forth a salute from the Citadel as an acknowledgment
of the supremacy of the civil power.
A photographer snapped the group, and the
picture is reproduced herewith, a practical
illustration of the facilities our forefathers did
not enjoy; they were able nevertheless to
leave to their descendants the priceless
heritage of representative government.
To Sir Sandford Fleming is due the credit of calling public attention to the fact that the Nova Scotia assembly of 1758 was one of the earliest elective parliaments in the present overseas British Empire. He explained the matter very carefully and fully in several pamphlets, letters and public addresses. He said: “At a most notable gathering held at Oxford University scarcely a month ago, it was pointed out by the distinguished speakers that a century and a half ago was perhaps the most glorious period in British history. At that period were being laid far and wide the foundations of an ideal world-empire. Men, worthy of the great races from which they had sprung, became prominent agents in welding into a united political organization many sea-separated lands; while men great in military skill, such as Clive, Wolfe and Montcalm, and others, had each their place in the evolution of history. One of the prime movers in the hands of a higher Power, was William Pitt, the great Commoner. That remarkable man had great wisdom, great foresight and great designs. For a time he guided the destinies of England and influenced the future of many people geographically remote from England. The records of history bring out clearly what followed the adoption of his policy, and in that policy Nova Scotia appears prominently as a pioneer. One of the first steps to render a great empire possible—one of the essentials to its permanency—was to extend to the people free civil government. In the march of human progress, the fall of Quebec was, in the mind of Pitt, absolutely necessary, and it is impossible to avoid associating the conflict on the Plains of Abraham in September, 1759, with the statesman who directed the steps of Wolfe to the great Canadian citadel. A considerable time, however, before Quebec became British, even before the fall of Louisburg, steps had been taken to establish parliamentary government in Nova Scotia. The British prime minister was imbued with the most lofty patriotism, and his penetration led him to see the supreme value of constitutional government and a free people. Whatever objections were therefore raised at home or abroad to the policy laid down, they were at once overruled by the master mind in London. As previously arranged, elections were held among the settlers of Nova Scotia in the summer of 1758, and nineteen out of the twenty elected representatives met in Halifax in General Assembly for the first time, on October 2nd of that year. In the development of history it occasionally turns out that a matter which at the time may be regarded as of no great moment, will in the course of years prove to be of imperishable importance. The meeting of an assembly of nineteen representative Nova Scotians in 1758 has so proved. Similar general assemblies have met in the same locality each year for a century and a half, and as will be seen from the statement that follows, the same policy has been adopted wherever applicable throughout the Empire in both hemispheres.”
Then followed a list of British colonial legislatures with date of first meeting: Nova Scotia, 1758; Prince Edward Island, 1773; New Brunswick, 1786; Upper Canada, 1792; Lower Canada, 1792; Newfoundland, 1833; Upper and Lower Canada, 1841; Cape Colony, 1853; New Zealand, 1854; New South Wales, 1855; Victoria, 1856; South Australia, 1856; Tasmania, 1856; Queensland, 1859; Upper and Lower Canada, 1866; Quebec, 1867; Dominion of Canada, 1867; Manitoba, 1871; British Columbia, 1872; West Australia, 1890; Natal, 1893; Commonwealth of Australia, 1901; Orange River, 1907; Transvaal, 1907. Nova Scotia takes her place as the elder sister in the British constitutional family, writes Sir Sandford, and the cradle of the Empire, and Halifax its constitutional birthplace.
PROPOSED HISTORICAL TOWER AT NORTHWEST ARM, HALIFAX.
The proposed tower is also a suggestion of Sir Sandford Fleming’s. The corner-stone is located on part of one hundred acres of land on the western shore of the Northwest Arm, which Sir Sandford has generously deeded to the lieutenant-governor in trust for the citizens of Halifax as a free public park forever. The Park is to be called after the donor in memory of his philanthropy. The new park possesses about two thousand five hundred feet of water front, or nearly half the entire shore line of The Dingle estate. It includes beautiful Fairy Cove and stretches from Jollimore Village northward to a point near the “stone wharf.” Breaking out from the park shore is a bold, inconvenient headland, which obstructs the clear sweep of the Arm at its full width, and reaches almost to the middle of “the stream,” forming The Narrows. This granite promontory, with its capping of ironstone and conglomerate, leaves the shore at right angles like a flying buttress for the hills of the western shore of the Arm, and at its extremity rises to a lovely knoll of ninety feet elevation, with water on three sides, a natural stage from which some mythical god might deliver his fulminations. This is Tower Point. It occupies a commanding position on the Arm, is conspicuously visible from all directions, and dominates a panoramic view of the whole length of the Arm, the city and of the entrance to Halifax’s peerless harbor. The top of the knoll on Tower Point is worthy to be the site of the projected imperial tower, and the forum for the great message which the structure will convey to posterity. The tower will be 35 feet diameter, and 100 feet high, and will form a magnificent lookoff, and a landmark for commerce passing in and out of this ocean gateway. The deed of trust from Sir Sandford Fleming to the lieutenant-governor authorizes the latter to convey the valuable park land to the city of Halifax just as soon as the completion of the historical tower in accordance with the donor’s general design is reasonably assured. The structure is estimated to cost $15,000, and the Canadian Club of Halifax, which has undertaken to raise the funds for the memorial, is entrusted with the supervision of the erection. Letters expressing interest in the project have come from Lord Strathcona, Lieutenant-Governor Dunsmuir of British Columbia, from premiers, ex-premiers and ministers, from universities and educational departments and various organizations. Lord Milner, late British commissioner in South Africa, while journeying across Canada on a holiday, wrote from Winnipeg, September 28th, 1908, enclosing a subscription for the tower, and urging the importance of the event it is intended to celebrate. Sir Sandford Fleming has himself given a large donation, and a general appeal, which ought to merit a prompt and satisfactory response, is being made to Canadians at home and abroad in order to have the interest in the historical memorial at the Northwest Arm as widespread and as popular as possible. A symbolical tower is not a common object. The famous monuments of Europe, like the Campanile, or leaning tower of Pisa, were merely expressions of the prosperity of the time. The monument of London marks the ending of the great fire, which is depicted in a series of immense paintings in the Royal Exchange. Bunker Hill obelisk is one of a large class of military memorials. Grant’s Tomb, the Royal Albert Mausoleum, the Taj of Agra, the Sphinx and the Pyramids signalize particular things. The Arc du Triomphe and the memorials of Berlin are of the same variety. It is difficult to recall a symbolical tower representing an evolutionary process and covering a long period in its different sections. The historical tower at the Northwest Arm will be unique among the world’s memorials.
alifax people know all about the
beauties and attractions of the Northwest
Arm. They have gathered upon
its banks to witness aquatic sports for years.
They have traversed it in steam craft, sailing
boats, skiffs and canoes, in calm and storm,
by day and night. They have picnicked along
its shores, camped on its banks and summered
at its various points. To them it is as an old
friend, yet ever new and ever pleasing, and
they call it the most picturesque inlet of the
sea in America. Passing over the many and
varied beauties of the Northwest Arm, attention
is now directed to a deep cove near its
head in which is situated an islet known as
Melville Island, reached by a bridge from the
mainland, and named after that Scottish
statesman who was the second Pitt’s secretary
of the navy in the stirring times following the
breaking out of the great French revolution.
Melville Island bore several names before it
was purchased by the British government for
the imprisonment of seamen captured during
the wars between Great Britain and France,
and Great Britain and the United States. It
was once called Kavanagh’s Island. A little
later on we find the property surrounding the
cove and the island named McGrannigan’s.
Akins calls it Cowie’s Island, and tradition
reports that Cowie was a commissariat officer
and that he had a female servant hanged for
theft in the days when ferocious laws disgraced
the statute books of Great Britain, and
were copied in this country. A number of
silver spoons which were missing constituted
the charge against the unfortunate domestic,
but in the spring these were found where they
had been accidentally laid and had been
covered with snow. The story goes that the
people of the town showed great indignation
against Cowie for the execution of the girl.
MELVILLE ISLAND MILITARY AND NAVAL PRISON.
The first view shows the prison buildings, and causeway connecting the island with the shore. The lower photo shows the bridge under which boats pass at low tide, and an enlarged view of the gate of the prison and sentry box.
There are several traditions of an equally sad nature lingering among the people, regarding this historic spot. On Deadman’s Island within the Cove, near where the military prison is located there are a cross and slab which mark the last resting place of John Dixon. Little or nothing is known of the person whose lonely grave is placed in this secluded spot. But legend, ever ready to furnish forth and embellish a story, relates a romantic tale connected with the man whose mortal remains rest on the island. It relates that the inmate of the lonely tomb was a young soldier who died at the prison by his own hand. And legend further declares that he was the victim of the cruel father of his sweetheart, who was colonel of the regiment to which the young man was attached. The story runs that Dixon was an orderly of good family, although in the ranks, and of handsome physique, and that living at the colonel’s quarters his duties threw him much in the company of the beautiful daughter of the commander, a girl of eighteen years. They loved in secret for some time, until this attachment becoming known to the father, the young man was sent back to the duties of private soldier, where he had been only a short time, when a charge of theft from a comrade was trumped up against him. He was tried by court-martial, found guilty and sentenced to penal servitude at Melville Island military prison. The victim of this false accusation pined away in the dreary solitude of the prison, and finally, it is said, committed suicide, and on account of the manner of his death his body was committed to the grave at night. This is the tale told of him whose dust reposes on Deadman’s Island, and the soldiers who guard the prison approaches have for over fifty years transferred the tale of unfortunate love from one regiment to another, and also the trust of keeping the grave and headstone in repair, down to the present day. A. E. Gunning, of Halifax, years ago retouched the inscription on the slab, which had become faint with time. Some people think the unknown slumberer was a French prisoner, and that there are other graves on Deadman’s Island. Others declare the grave is that of some poor castaway whose body was found floating in the cove. The inscription on the slab is as follows:
Sacred to the Memory
of
John Dixon,
of Sydney, K. B.,
who died on the
6th of August, 1817.
Erected by the
VIII King’s Foot.
Renewed by 1st Royal
Berkshire Regiment, 1895.
LONE GRAVE AT DEADMAN’S ISLAND, MELVILLE COVE, NORTHWEST ARM.
The Hon. Joseph Howe, when a lad of sixteen, wrote a poem descriptive of the Northwest Arm and Melville Island. The island then had been abandoned as a naval prison for ten years, as the peace following the exile of Napoleon made a prison of this kind unnecessary. Howe writes:
Although a prison, yet the little isle
Was not a common jail for culprits vile,
No felons its genial soil impressed,
No frightful dream here broke the murderer’s rest.
The only crime which ’round its confines moved
Was nobly daring in the cause they loved.
And again the young poet says:
We cross the bridge where erst the cannon stood,
To guard the narrow passage o’er the flood.
The guardhouse there with fissures well supplied
To point the ready gun on every side.
Where walked the watchful sentry day and night
Lest some might strive to make a desperate flight.
At the period when Howe saw the old naval prison it had long been deserted and was then fallen into ruins. The large, red building had formed a prison and had been formerly a fish house, where green fish were cured and stored, and this was in a very dilapidated condition. Some years after this the island again became the site of a prison and the imperial military authorities removed the old wooden structure and erected the present substantial brick and stone prison building surrounded by high walls, capped with broken bottles set in cement, and with the approaches dominated by the guns of the guards.
One of the stories which used to be told about Melville Island was that the prison officials kept a shark swimming about the waters of the island and regularly fed it, and circulated this story among the prisoners to prevent them trying to escape.
The project seems to have originated with Sir John Sherbrooke when governor of Nova Scotia, to remove prisoners of war from Halifax to Pictou or Louisburg, but nothing came of it. The government was informed that owing to the intercourse which Mitchell, the American agent, held with American prisoners of war on Melville Island, no less than ten licensed vessels had been seized and condemned in the United States. The Transport Board, of which Sir Rupert George was at the head, reported their opinion in favor of changing the place for prisoners, and in particular recommended putting them out of the reach of such an agent as Mitchell, but the reply received was that unless Louisburg had been much altered within the last few years great expense must be incurred in buildings, and that there would be difficulty in supplying provisions there. Lord Bathurst, by letter January 29, 1814, directed Sir John Sherbrooke to “lose no time in removing all American prisoners of war now on parole at Halifax; that you will take every opportunity of sending the other prisoners not on parole to this country, and that you will immediately place Mr. Mitchell under the same restrictions in point of residence which the American government have imposed on Major Barclay.” Colonel Barclay, the British agent of prisoners of war in the United States, had been compelled to reside in the interior, while Mr. Mitchell, the American agent, resided at Halifax. About this time the following published notice was given:
NOTICE.
The inhabitants of Halifax and its vicinity having either American or French prisoners of war in their employment are hereby required and requested to send them to the prison at Melville Island on Monday next, 21st inst. for the purpose of attending muster.
(Signed) Wm. Miller.
Halifax, 13th Feb. 1814.
Transport Office, agent for prisoners of war.
Mr. Miller was a naval officer retired. He married an aunt of the late Hugh Blackadar of the Halifax Recorder. His residence was at the southwest corner of Water and North streets.
“Within a half hour’s walk west of our little metropolis of Halifax, there is,” Murdoch says in his history of Nova Scotia, “a charming, romantic inlet of the Chebucto Bay, called the Northwest Arm, and on the furthest or west shore a deep cove within which lies a small islet called Melville Island. The combination of forest scenery, villas and clear, deep water to be found here is hardly surpassed in beauty and attractiveness by any other place in the province. About the beginning of the 19th century this little islet was purchased by the British government and appropriated to the purpose of a naval prison. The war with France brought a crowd of sailors of that nation here, who had been taken in ships of war, privateers and merchant vessels. While the officers were prisoners on parole, the common men of the crews were lodged and provided for in this establishment. They were, generally speaking, cheerful, industrious and well behaved, so much so that very many were permitted to hire themselves out to farmers and others in the neighborhood of Halifax, or as domestics in some instances. In the large building occupied as a prison, those who remained were clean, orderly and even happy. Many of them spent their time in making boxes, dominoes and many other small articles. The people of the town were permitted to visit this prison and purchase these little objects. As the Northwest Arm is usually frozen in winter, parties from town frequently crossed on the ice from Pryor’s wharf, below “Jubilee,” to the island. The prisoners lived in a large wooden edifice very strongly built and comfortable. It was divided by partitions of plank and timber, which, however, only went part way up to the roof, into compartments on each side, the centre passage being wide open. The hammocks and other accommodation of the men were in these compartments. At the upper end of the place there was a kind of bazaar where every prisoner who had something to sell displayed his wares. One man had a kind of puppet show with vocal accompaniments. Another had a metal wheel revolving, forming a lottery—all prizes; you put down your eight of a dollar or so, and you got perhaps a toothpick or may be something of greater value. They had very pretty models of ships of war made of bone and the rigging of hair. When war with the United States was declared, the prison became overcrowded and the conditions not as cheerful as when the prison was solely occupied by the French sailors.” Deadman’s Island and valuable land surrounding Melville Cove are now owned by C. F. Longley and are used as a public pleasure resort known as Melville Park, with dance pavilion. A motor ferry connects with the wharf at Jubilee Road to take people to the Park, but telephone connection has been suspended owing to a conflict between several interests as to the right to erect poles and string wires on the public road to Melville. Mr. Longley is the pioneer in this particular feature of Northwest Arm attractions. The north shore of charming Melville Cove is occupied by an increasing number of tents and bungalows. This spot is extremely popular with Northwest Arm campers. The residents of Melville colony have arranged several very pretty joint illuminations of their premises, particularly this year. The Halifax Amateur Boating Club selected Melville Cove at which to hold a successful “At Home” in 1907. W. R. Geldert, of Truro, lived at Jubilee on the eastern shore of the Arm fifty years ago with his uncle, the late J. M. Geldert. He remembers visiting Deadman’s Island and seeing a number of shallow graves which had been uncovered by a heavy storm, and human skeletons exposed. Rev. T. L. Draper, of Louisburg, is a son of a former governor of Melville Island. “Azimghür” and “Have-a-Rest” are the names of two of the numerous villas at Melville Cove.
Henry Dundas, first Lord Melville (1742-1811), was nicknamed “Starvation Dundas” from having introduced the word starvation into the English language in a speech in Parliament, in 1755, in a debate on American affairs.
property on the western shore of
the Northwest Arm which was
familiar to many people for years as an
objective for Sunday-school picnics and other
excursions by water was known as Hosterman’s.
This formerly belonged to Thomas
Hosterman, who willed it to his sons John
and Charles. They married daughters of John
Howe, jr. Part of John Hosterman’s portion
was formerly in possession of Rev. Aaron
Cleveland, great-great-grandfather of the late
Grover Cleveland, twice President of the
United States. Rev. Mr. Cleveland was a
New England Congregationalist clergyman
who removed to Halifax in 1750 and settled
here for a time, but later returned to the
United States. There is no mention in the
Crown Lands office of a Northwest Arm
grant to Cleveland, but a grant of the Melville
Island property, consisting of 160 acres, dated
1752 to Robert Cowie, refers to Aaron Cleveland’s
property as bounding this grant on the
north. Associated with Cleveland’s name in
the ownership of the property at the Arm
was a Chadwick and an Auborg. There is
recorded a grant of a township lot in the
centre of Halifax city to Rev. Aaron Cleveland.
He ministered in the old Mather’s
church which stood on the site of the present
Exchange Building, corner of Hollis and
Prince streets. It was burned New Year’s
Day, 1859, in the Hollis Street fire, but there
is a wooden model of the edifice in the Legislative
Library. Mather’s was the second
church opened in Halifax for public worship.
It was built at the expense of the government
as a dissenting meeting house, and Cleveland
was the first officiating clergyman. Most of
the dissenters of the town had also come from
New England. The congregation is now
known as St. Matthew’s Presbyterian, on
Pleasant Street. Aaron Cleveland was also
the ancestor of Thomas Wentworth Higginson
(a friend of Longfellow’s, still living),
Clarence Stedman the poet, and other descendants
noted in American literature. Cleveland
was born at Cambridge, Mass., 1715, and was
educated at Harvard. He remained in Halifax
three years and returned to New England.
Later he went to England and embraced the
Anglican faith. He was sent back to America
by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel,
and came to Halifax in 1754 to settle up
his affairs. H. H. Banks lived at the Hosterman
property for several years. This fine
estate is now owned by G. Edmonds. Many
years ago a big whale wandered into the
Northwest Arm and was driven ashore at the
Hosterman property after an exciting experience.
One of the Hostermans was in the boat
which secured the prize. The skeleton of the
cetacean, measuring nearly one hundred feet,
was mounted at Walton Hall.
he head of the Northwest Arm at one
time was a busy manufacturing centre.
Chocolate Lake, near the Arm, derives
its name from a chocolate mill that was operated
there at one time. This was a spice and
snuff mill afterwards. Then Hosterman &
Black made a great deal of money importing
grain and grinding flour. This building was
afterwards used for a rolling mill and a nail
factory, and is now part of Brandram-Henderson’s
paint works. In the same
vicinity there were several shingle and
lumber mills, corn mills, etc., and near at
hand was Leopard’s shipyard, conducted by
a merchant and ship-builder of that name.
Numerous vessels were launched there, and a
map dated 1828 mentions this shipyard.
efore the destruction of the military
magazine, which stood on the harbor
front, north of the Dockyard, the merchants
of Halifax who handled explosives, had
the privilege of storing them in that building.
The magazine mysteriously blew up one night
in the fifties of the last century. After the
accident the hardware merchants and others
who dealt in powder had no place to safely
store dynamite. To meet the need they
obtained an old building from John E. Hosterman,
that stood on the site of the residence
now occupied by James Billman, at the
head of the Northwest Arm, which they converted
into a magazine. In 1873 the Merchants’
Magazine Company of Halifax, composed
of dealers in explosives, erected the
present safe and substantial stone and steel
building on property conveyed to them by
John E. Hosterman. This property in 1905
passed by purchase to Thomas J. Egan, who
still owns it. The magazine is west of the
Melville Island Road, and is still used as a
storehouse for explosives. The situation was
selected on account of its isolated position and
inaccessibility. Austen Bros., as agents of
Curtis’s & Harvey, Ltd., manufacturers of high
class explosives, London, E., are the present
lessees of the premises. The Austens are connections
of the Howe family. H. E. Austen
has made a study of ornithology, and possesses
a splendid collection of native birds
mounted by himself.
Just south of the magazine site is the residence of John Egan. The house was built by Sergeant Macnamara, an old Indian mutiny hero, who named it Azimghür, in recollection of the victory over the Sepoy rebels at that place. The sergeant was among the Europeans who fought with the gallant Gourkhas, the native allies of Great Britain, in this battle. Their force numbered only 1200 under Captain Boileau, who ordered Sumshai Sing to push his men forward at double quick. Splendidly the Gourkhas responded to their leader’s command, and rushing forward they drove the enemy from their positions in a desperate hand to hand conflict, and captured three guns. Tradition says in this battle Macnamara killed three men with his own hand.
bout three miles from the Dingle is a
granite rocking-stone, resting on a
strata of bed rock which rises to the
surface of the ground. It is twenty feet in
length, fourteen in breadth, nine in height,
and seventy-four in circumference. It is
estimated to weigh one hundred and sixty-two
tons, and sways on a pivot of twelve by six
inches. It is easily set in motion with the aid
of a small wooden lever, but is said to have
been so nicely balanced some years ago that
a push of the hand was sufficient to oscillate
this big glacial foot-ball.
n the year 1784, according to a large military
plan of the peninsula of Halifax,
surveyed by Capt. Blaskowitz of the
Royal Engineers, under orders from Lieut.-Colonel
Morse, R. E., there were eight buildings
on the shores of the Northwest Arm.
These were situated on the eastern side of the
Arm and are labelled on the plan “Fisheries.”
Mason’s Fishery stood a little below the
property now occupied and owned by Hon. B.
F. Pearson. Williams’ Fishery was near
Maplewood, opposite the Lawson property,
and Williams’ Lake, which is shown in the
old map, was in all probability named after
the Williams who owned the fishery. At
Horseshoe Island Nathaniels’ Fishery was
erected, and three buildings stood on the
island. Purcell’s Cove Island is named Russell’s
Island, and Melville Island is called
Kavanagh’s. In 1784 apparently not a
single inhabitant occupied the western shore
of the Northwest Arm, all that part being still
an unbroken forest. Near the site of the present
St. Agnes Chapel there is a property
marked Brymer’s Farm, where there were several
buildings. Alexander Brymer was a rich
merchant of Halifax in the latter part of the
18th century. He was twice president of the
North British Society, and a member of the
old Council of Twelve. His town residence
stood on the
present site of
Jerusalem Warehouse,
which formerly
belonged to
Thomas Saul. It
was called Brymer’s
Palace, and
history states that
the interior of the
residence was
elegantly designed,
and the rooms
embellished with
rich carvings.
Brymer married a
daughter of Governor
Parr (who
was a widow of a
Captain Dobson),
in London, where
he removed 1801
after amassing a
fortune of £250,000.
Mr. Brymer
was a man of
generous instincts,
and figured as a
patron of several
young Nova Scotians
whom he
assisted to rise in
life, one of them
being Andrew Blecher, the father of the
famous Arctic explorer of that name.
he Northwest Arm was the site of the
first zoological garden in America.
This was started by the late Andrew
Downs in 1847, sixteen years before the
Central Park collection at New York
was opened to the public. The Philadelphia
Garden did not open until July,
1874. The Cincinnati Zoo opened 1875,
St. Louis 1877, and Lincoln Park Garden,
Chicago, 1881. Mr. Downs commenced with
a piece of land five acres, but by 1863 he had
enlarged his premises to one hundred acres,
then called Walton Cottage at Dutch Village
at the head of the Arm, embracing wood and
field, stream and pond, hill and valley. The
property is now owned by Dr. Doull. This
became a popular resort, and many anecdotes,
says Harry Piers in an article contributed to
the Nova Scotian Institute of Science, were
connected with the naturalist’s life in this
lovely spot. King Edward when Prince of
Wales, visited Downs’ garden in 1860, as did
nearly every notable person who came this
way, including Prince Jerome Bonaparte,
King Victor Emmanuel’s daughter, Lord and
Lady Falkland, Captain Sir Richard Grant,
the African explorer, and others.
In 1864 Mr. Downs visited Europe, being complimented by a free passage in a British war vessel, the “Mersey,” Captain Caldwell. He carried with him several living specimens, two cases of mounted birds and a stuffed moose, which he presented to the London Zoo. In Europe he received courtesies from many scientific men. He remembered once seeing Audubon with whom he also corresponded, and he was a friend of Charles Watterton, the naturalist at whose house, Walton Hall in England, he had been a guest. Mr. Downs also corresponded with Frank Buckland, and most of the foremost zoologists of his time. Another friend, Charles Hallock, founder and proprietor of Forest and Stream, graphically described an early visit to Downs’ garden at the Northwest Arm, Halifax, in an article which he published January 4, 1893, entitled, “The First American Zoo.” Hallock says the gothic cottage was overhung with woodbines and honeysuckles, and surmounted at all points with antlers of elk and moose. All ’round the cottage were bird houses perched on poles, and a cloud of pigeons circled and tumbled about. In the house were paintings and engravings, water colors, busts, and case after case of birds, insects, etc. Hallock says there was a magnificent view from the veranda and bay windows, “the Northwest Arm stretching away toward the ocean with its bays, inlets, wooded hills and far-reaching points of land that are blue and only half distinct in the hazy atmosphere of a summer day.” There were fowls of all kinds, beavers, seals, mink, otter, deer, caribou, foxes, wolves, snakes, lizards and generally the birds, fishes, beasts and reptiles of every country. There was also a horticultural garden, and the whole estate was diversified with fountains, cascades, paths, ponds and shade trees.
In the latter part of 1867 Mr. Downs was proposed for superintendent of Central Park menagerie, New York, being recommended by Professor Spencer F. Baird, of the Smithsonian Institution. He received an offer of the position and sold his animals and grounds, and went to New York, but was displeased at a cool reception given him by one of the commissioners, and returned to Halifax at the end of about three months and did not accept the appointment. Soon afterwards he purchased a new property at the Arm, since successively owned by S. A. White, Captain W. H. Smith, R. N. R., and Alex. Stephen, a former Mayor of Halifax; now controlled by T. J. Egan, and son-in-law D. Chisholm of Sheet Harbor, and called “Rockwood Cottage.” Colonel Egan is himself a taxidermist, but unfortunately his fine collection of birds was destroyed by the Water Street fire a few years ago. He is the author of an interesting history—“Halifax Volunteer Battalion, 1859-1887.” Rockwood adjoined Mr. Downs’ old place, and here he built a house and started a new zoological garden, which he continued to improve for about three years. Then he lived for years on Agricola Street, surrounded by living animals and specimens, and about 1890 built a museum annex to his house and placed therein his extremely fine collection of mounted native birds, comprising about fourteen cases. After Mr. Downs’ death this collection was placed in the lecture room of the County Academy, Halifax, and is now in a deplorable state of preservation for want of care. T. J. McGrath occupied the Downs house on Agricola Street. Mr. Downs’ taxidermic work was very fine, and he received many awards at exhibitions in England and elsewhere, including a bronze medal, London, 1861 and 1862, bronze medal Dublin 1865, silver medal Paris 1867. Sir Wyville Thomson in a critical article on the Natural History section of the Paris Exhibition in Illustrated London News, August 24, 1867, made special reference to Mr. Downs’ collection of birds. Mr. Downs claimed he had stuffed about 800 moose heads. He supplied King Victor Emmanuel with many thousand dollars’ worth of animals and specimens. At one time this sovereign had in his acclimatization garden at Pisa a number of living moose and caribou supplied by the Nova Scotian naturalist. Specimens of the latter’s taxidermic work were supplied other European monarchs and large quantities went to the great museums and private collections on both sides of the Atlantic and a number are incorporated in the provincial museum at Halifax. Mr. Downs was a corresponding member of the Zoological Society of London, and wrote a number of papers on birds and natural history. He was born in New Brunswick, N. J., September 27, 1811, and came to Halifax at the age of fourteen with his father and mother. His father had landed here from Scotland when he first came to America. Young Downs started as a plumber in Halifax, and gradually drifted into natural history. He died August 26, 1892.
esidents at the head of the Northwest
Arm, which has always been a
popular section of the Arm with many
people, point out the fine view of the whole
length of the Arm to be had from this district.
In the early morning and at twilight the picture
might well adorn an artist’s canvas, and
is referred to in Hallock’s account of his visit
many years ago to Downs’ zoological garden.
The head of the Arm is spanned by a stone
bridge, with rustic parapets, and pierced by
an arched culvert for the passage of a murmuring
stream. Several roads spread out fan
fashion from each end of the bridge, which in
respect to the people that have passed this
way for many years resembles the narrow
part of an hour glass, the spreading roads
being the bulbs. There are pretty whitewashed
churches near both ends of the bridge,
and not far away the silent churchyards.
High up on the east side is St. Agnes Chapel,
and near it the palace of the late Archbishop
Connolly. An increasing number of business
men of the city have pitched their tents at the
head of the Arm for the summer, and some of
them for the entire year. The land rises rather
abruptly on both sides of the bridge, and from
the cottages and bungalows on the slopes
there is a fine view of the Arm and surrounding
country, and of the people coming and
going along the different roads and crossing
the bridge and disappearing from sight.
Armview on the western slope, with seashore on one side and the shore of Chocolate Lake on the other side of it, was formerly a part of the property of Dr. Charles Cogswell, a member of one of the old Halifax families connected with the original government of the province. This family had property in different parts of the city, including the historic Carleton House. A Miss Cogswell married Captain William R. Boardman, of the Royal Navy, who has risen to the rank of admiral. James Cogswell, father of Mrs. Boardman, and brother of Dr. Cogswell, was killed at sea May 3, 1867, by a wave which boarded the Cunard steamship “China”, bound from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston. His remains were brought to land and the funeral took place May 8th. On board the same ship was the late Hon. Joseph Howe, returning from an unsuccessful mission to England to endeavor to prevent the passage of the British North America Act confederating the provinces of Canada into the present Dominion. The “China” was one of the last mail steamships of the Cunard line making Halifax a port of call en route to the States. The Cunard line had been founded by a Halifax man, and this city witnessed the beginning of the trans-Atlantic steamship business as the pioneer American terminus. The Intercolonial Railway was not built until the seventies, and the absence of connection with the railway system of the continent was partly responsible for the withdrawal of the Cunard line from Halifax.
Dr. Cogswell’s fine estate at the head of the Arm has been sold in portions by his executors. Dr. Trenaman, city medical officer, is the owner of one part. The balance of the estate is now the property of Frank Colwell. Dr. Cogswell died in England about 1893. He took considerable interest in sea-birds, and admired the industry of the kingfisher, and he is credited with introducing the kingfisher into the crest of the city of Halifax. There is a weather vane surmounted by the kingfisher on St. James Church, in which Dr. Cogswell was interested, and a house in which he resided on Quinpool Road bore the same emblem. The city coat of arms is supposed to have been designed by the doctor during a visit he paid to the Herald’s College in London. Dr. Cogswell was also a patron of aquatics, and for a number of years there was an annual competition on the harbor for the Cogswell belt, which was captured at different times by George Brown, Warren Smith and other notable scullers. In 1883, the £100 which he had invested for the purpose of providing this annual trophy, and which was to be representative of the harbor championship, was increased to $1,000 and the competition was thrown open to professional scullers. In 1903 this was changed by medals being substituted for a belt and the entries restricted to amateurs. A silver medal is given annually to the winner of the amateur sculling championship, and a gold medal for three wins by the same oarsman. In addition to the thousand dollars now invested for the above purpose, Dr. Cogswell gave $4,000 to trustees to invest and pay the interest therefrom to the city school board to encourage military drill in the public schools. The estate of Dr. Cogswell was finally settled the present year, 1908, and in that connection Mrs. Boardman, one of the heirs, revisited Halifax after an absence of thirty years, and with her family returned to England via Vancouver, Japan, India and Suez, the entire trip round the world including long stops in Nova Scotia and India, occupying about fifteen months. James Cogswell owned the Bower property at the time of his death, having acquired it from the Halliburton estate. It was afterward divided between two of his children, and one portion, the title of which remains in the family, is called The Oaks. The other section, including the old Bower House, was sold a few years ago to W. B. A. Ritchie, K. C., former law partner of R. L. Borden, and one of the most distinguished men at the Nova Scotia bar. Mr. Ritchie is a member of the well-known family of that name that came from Annapolis, and furnished many able judges and lawyers to Nova Scotia and Canadian jurisprudence.
In addition to the Cogswell conveyance there are two other names of interest on Mr. Colwell’s title to Lakewood, now Armview, one of whom, Geizer, represents the family after whom Geizer’s Hill, a couple of miles from the head of the Arm, was named. They are said to be connections of the Duke of Guise. Another name is Kidston, a collateral branch of a rich family of merchants in Glasgow. One of the Halifax Kidstons in the 17th century, conducted a hardware and lumber business out of which grew the firm of William Stairs, Son & Morrow. He sold out and removed to Glasgow, Scotland, and established the great house of William Kidston & Sons in 1810. This firm was extensively interested in Nova Scotia shipping and their packets, most of them built in this province, brought out many of the old generation of Presbyterian clergymen. In a history of the Stairs and Morrow families published in 1906 by the late George Stairs, there is included among other MSS. of the late Hon. W. J. Stairs a letter regarding the Kidstons. The writer states that the “first seagoing vessel that went up this river (the Clyde) to the Broomielaw, was a small brig built at Maitland, N. S., for Mr. Kidston; she sailed from the Market Wharf, Halifax, and returned again.” This was the beginning of the enormous foreign trade and tonnage of the Clyde River, Scotland. The barque “Roseneath”, 60 years later, was the last Nova Scotia built ship owned and managed by the Kidstons of Glasgow.
C. W. Outhit, James Billman, the Misses Flinn, and other well-known Halifax people have permanent residences at the head of the Northwest Arm.
Near the foot of Quinpool Road is the estate of Hon. James McDonald, former chief justice of the supreme court of Nova Scotia, secretary of the province at the passing of the Confederation Act in the house of assembly, and a distinguished member of the bench and bar. James A. McDonald, barrister, Halifax, is a son; a daughter married Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper, former member of the Dominion cabinet.
uring Governor Lawrence’s time,
Indians made an attack upon a saw
mill at the head of the Northwest Arm.
A line of blockhouses ran from here to the
Basin, as a defence against Indian incursions.
In the attack on the mill three men were
tomahawked and killed. Their bodies were
buried by a rescuing party of soldiers from
one of the blockhouses, and were three times
dug up by the Indians in defiance of the guard
for the purpose of securing the scalps. The
blockhouses were built of square timbers with
loopholes for musketry. They were of great
thickness, and had parapets around the top
and a platform at the base, with a well for the
use of each post. The foundation of the centre
blockhouse, which stood at the foot of the present
Kline Street, was still to be seen in 1848.
In early days an old road ran east of the
present Dutch Village Road to the Basin, and
ended in the rear of Lockhart’s Hotel. Just
north of the Arm Bridge, in a field through
which runs the stream that passes under the
bridge, a beaver dam once existed, and above
this, tradition states, stood a strong Micmac
encampment. It is probable that the Indians
resented the encroachments of the pale-faces
upon their ancient domain, and this led to the
attack on the settlers at the saw mill.
t Dutch Village, near the head of the
Northwest Arm, Titus Smith, a
naturalist and “philosopher,” as he
was called, resided. He followed agricultural
pursuits in the village. He frequently contributed
to the newspapers of Halifax on subjects
connected with his favorite studies of
natural history and geology. Mr. Smith was
remarkable for the vast and varied information
he acquired in botany, natural history,
etc. With a familiar knowledge of most that
nature and books could teach an inquiring
mind, he united unfeigned simplicity and
kindness that rendered him an agreeable visitor
to all houses in the town. Titus Smith
received a classical education from his father,
who was a graduate of Harvard College, Cambridge,
and a minister of the Sandemanian
sect. The family were United Empire Loyalists.
An uncle of Titus Smith’s is the original
of Hawke-Eye, one of the leading characters
in Cooper’s famous novel “The Last of the
Mohicans.” Smith’s grave is in the woods
above Dutch Village on the road leading to
Geizer’s Hill. His descendants are in the
United States, and several have attained
prominence. This quaint village built by the
early German settlers and called after them,
was also the residence of several other naturalists
of repute. I. Mathew Jones, and his
father-in-law Colonel Myers of the Imperial
army, resided there for a number of years.
Captain Hardy, who afterward became a general
and wrote “Forest Life in Acadie,” lived
near the head of the Arm sixty years ago. He
was a keen sportsman, and was concerned in
the first discovery of gold in Nova Scotia at
Tangier. Dutch Village was also known as
Westenwald. Ravenswood, the residence of
Thomas Forhan, is one of the pretty homes
of this locality, and is probably named after
the hero of Scott’s novel, “The Bride of Lammermoor.”
tanyan,” the house at the head of
the Northwest Arm alongside the
bridge, and commanding a view of
the whole Arm, is the residence of County
Councillor Henry Piers, a descendant of
Lewis Piers, one of the original founders of
Halifax in 1749. Mr. Piers formerly resided
in a house of the same name at Willow Park,
now part of the provincial exhibition grounds,
that had been in the possession of the family
since 1784. In 1897 he built the present residence
upon the Arm on property purchased
from the estate of Dr. Cogswell. This land
had originally been granted on 10th August,
1811, to Major Alexander Ligertwood, of the
60th or Royal American Regiment of Foot,
who from about 1808 till his death in January
1815 was successively military secretary at
Halifax to Lieutenant-General Sir George
Provost, and deputy quartermaster-general at
the same place. The name Stanyan, like many
other property names at the Northwest Arm,
had been an old family name in England,
being derived from Temple Stanyan, a literary
man and friend of Addison.
rmdale on the eastern shores of the
Northwest Arm at the foot of Quinpool
Road, is a large property belonging
to Sir Charles Tupper, former premier of
Nova Scotia, one of the “Fathers of Confederation,”
a member of the Dominion cabinet
during several parliaments, High Commissioner
for Canada in London, and finally
Premier of Canada. Sir Charles is one of the
few surviving statesmen who were connected
with the federation of the British North
American provinces in 1867 into the present
Dominion of Canada. He was an opponent of
Howe in the provincial arena, and for more
than fifty years has been a prominent figure
in public life in this country. He is at present
residing at Parkside, Vancouver, B. C., with
his son Sir Hibbert Tupper. Writing under
date July 4, 1908, to James A. McDonald,
barrister, of Halifax, Sir Charles says: “I
bought the woods (at Armdale) from Henry
Pryor, and the land where Armdale house is
and all that open field in front from Hosterman,
and the other portion belonged to the
William Pryor estate.” Sir Charles in his
letter states that Grant’s “Life of Howe”
indicates that Armdale was Howe’s birthplace,
but this is clearly a mistake. Grant’s reference
is quoted elsewhere, and if it relates to
Armdale, the author labored under a misapprehension.
The house at Armdale was
erected by Sir Charles Tupper, and a reminiscence
of that event is that before going ahead
with the house Sir Charles invited the late
Hon. A. G. Jones to accompany him to the
property one afternoon to help select the location.
Shortly after the defeat of the conservative
government of Canada in 1896, Sir
Sandford Fleming and the late Hon. A. G.
Jones were at the Windsor Hotel in London
on Pacific Cable business. Sir Charles Tupper
came in, having just arrived from Canada, and
encountered the two first named in the
rotunda. There had been a coolness between
Jones and Tupper on political matters. Sir
Charles remarked that he had sustained a bad
reverse in the Canadian elections. The presence
of a third party, a mutual friend, proved
a convenient bridge for the two old friends to
shake hands most cordially. With the
exception of peers of the realm no Canadian,
and only a very few Englishmen
have received as many of the highest Imperial
distinctions as the Right Hon. Sir Charles
Tupper. In 1867 he was created a Companion
of the Bath; in 1879, a Knight Commander of
St. Michael and St. George; in 1886 of the
Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George; in
1888 a Baronet of the United Kingdom, and in
1907 a member of the King’s Imperial Privy
Council for Great Britain, which gives him the
title of Right Honorable. In addition to these
Imperial honors this veteran empire-builder is
an honorary LL.D. of the Universities of
Cambridge and Edinburgh. He was born in
Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, July 2,
1821. William Robertson, president of the
Union Bank of Halifax, resided at Armdale
for five years. This property is mentioned in
Sir Charles Tupper’s commission as a baronet,
and at his death will pass to his eldest son.
Only a few months ago, Sir Charles, although
in his 87th year, travelled from Vancouver to
London to receive the high appointment of a
Privy Councillor, and His Majesty the King
allowed Sir Charles to bring his stout walking
stick with him at the Royal audience, and
showed the aged statesman other marks of his
favor for his inestimable services to the
British race.
ubilee is a large property below Rosebank,
and derived its name from the
house built by John Pryor in the year of
George Third’s jubilee, which was celebrated
with eclat in 1810. The house, estate, and
road were christened Jubilee. The land and
buildings were conveyed to the late Mr.
Yeomans. The Pryor family in the early part
of the 19th century owned all the lands fronting
on the Northwest Arm from Quinpool
Road to South Street. This family was the
first to erect villas on this part of the Arm,
and many social events in early days graced
with hospitality this lovely spot. Mrs. Graveley,
S. R. Cossey, Sir Charles Tupper, R. L.
Borden, leader of the Conservative party in
the Canadian House of Commons, and others
owned part of the original Jubilee property.
The Borden residence, Pinehurst, was built by
Robert Pickford, of Pickford & Black, steamship
owners, who sold it to R. L. Borden.
After the latter’s removal to Ottawa, this fine
estate was taken temporarily by M. C. Grant,
Imperial German consul at Halifax, and son-in-law
of the late Hon. D. McN. Parker, and
later by Major Ogilvie. The property has
lately been repurchased by Mr. Pickford, who
when he first owned it called the estate Westbourne.
Quinpool Road was named after one
Quinn whose place was near where Dence’s
is now. Visitors to the Arm in July using
Jubilee Road will be sure to notice the profusion
of forget-me-nots lining the road on both
sides for hundreds of feet.
Jubilee Boat Club—Northwest Arm, Halifax.
osebank, overlooking the beautiful
Northwest Arm, comprising nearly
thirty acres studded with enormous old
willows, the residence of the late Senator
Almon, had many rare curios. One of the
first things that attracted attention on entering
the house was a brass cannon mortar captured
at the Redan, Crimea, the day after the
Nova Scotia heroes, Parker and Welsford,
were killed. In honor of their memory a lion
monument stands in old St. Paul burying
ground, Pleasant Street, Halifax. On the
walls of the billiard room at Rosebank hung
oil paintings of Dr. Johnstone, son of a loyalist
of Georgia, and a member of the old
Georgia colonial council, and of Rev. Dr.
Byles, a grandson of Increase Mather, both
ancestors of Senator Almon. Carefully posted
in an album were original letters from Pope,
the poet, 1627, Benedict Arnold, Isaac Watts,
Benjamin Franklin, the Duke of Wellington,
Belle B. Harding, the famous southern spy,
and the autographs of Queen Anne, George II,
and Lord North. On the shelves of the
library were many rare old books including
five folio volumes of Pope’s translation of
the Odyssey of Homer with an autograph
letter from Pope to Dr. Mather. There were
original copper plates of Increase Mather,
Richard Mather and Mather Byles. There was
a St. Helena medal given to the survivors of
the wars of Napoleon. The medal was presented
by an old French soldier to Dr. Almon,
who attended him during his last illness at the
Poor Asylum where he died. There was a
walking stick of the unfortunate Major Andre,
whom Washington ordered hanged as a spy.
The stick was given by Major Andre, when
adjutant-general of New York, to a sergeant
of his staff, and by the latter given to Mr.
Williamson, an old-time Halifax merchant.
There was also a Malacca stick, with a gold
head, owned by Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, a
signer of the Declaration of Independence,
besides many other souvenirs of New England
colonial days and of the prominent men of the
old colonies. These relics were brought to
Halifax by ancestors of the Almon family,
who were among the loyalists. Rosebank is
on the north side of Jubilee Road, and extends
north to Quinpool Road. Its late owner,
Senator Almon, occupied a high position in
the medical profession, and many of the older
medicos of Halifax of ten years ago studied
with him, and delighted to recount the pleasant
and profitable hours spent under Dr.
Almon’s training. Dr. W. Bruce Almon is a
grandson. Mrs. W. B. Graveley, wife of the
manager of the Bank of Montreal at Halifax,
is a daughter of Senator Almon. Rosebank
is at present occupied by W. H. Waddell, proprietor
of the Arnold School for Boys, and
remains of the old pheasant house are still to
be seen on the property.
n Professor DeMille’s novel “Cord and
Creese,” published by Harpers in the
Dodge Club series, is the following reference
to the Northwest Arm and The Priory
property. Paolo Langhetti, a musician, who
is an occupant of The Priory, is made (in the
course of a letter dated 1847, addressed to a
friend in England) to say: “I live for the
most part in a cottage outside of the town,
where I can be secluded and free from observation.
Near my house is the Northwest
Arm. I cross it in a boat and am at once in a
savage wilderness. From the summit of a
hill named Mount Misery I can look down
upon the city which is bordered by such a
wilderness. The winter has passed since my
last entry and nothing has occurred. I have
learned to skate. I went out on a moose hunt
with Colonel Despard. The gigantic horns of
a moose which I killed are now over the door
of my studio. I have joined in some festivities
and have done the honors of my house. It is
an old-fashioned wooden structure which they
call The Priory.”
Scenes at the Northwest Arm.
(1) The Waegwoltic grounds and clubhouse. (2) Formal opening of The Waegwoltic, May 24, 1908. (3) Tennis at The Waegwoltic.
The house was situated on the north side of Jubilee Road, and just east of Pryor Street. It was destroyed by fire about 1870. The property now has a neat retaining wall to give finish and protection to the seashore. The Priory was the residence of Edward Pryor, whose son, O. Pryor, is in the customs service at Halifax. The property is now owned and occupied by C. W. Anderson, who also owns property on the water front between Jubilee Road and Coburg Road formerly in the possession of Henry Pryor, stipendiary magistrate of the city. The Priory was also the residence of James Scott about forty years ago. He was head of the Army and Navy Depot, and one of the merchant princes of the city, who entertained lavishly at his beautiful place at the Arm. These social functions were participated in by naval and military officers, and the prominent people of the community. Edward Stairs, president of the century old firm of William Stairs, Son & Morrow, Ltd., and head of the useful and successful Stairs family, married a daughter of James Scott. Mr. Stairs is a keen business man, and one of the most public-spirited citizens of this old capital city. His father, the late Hon. W. J. Stairs, was president of the Union Bank, and declined a proffer of the post of Lieutenant-Governor of the Province.
The present Anderson house was built about 1880 by George Greer. William Duffus occupied this house for a time. Another member of this family, James Duffus, had a residence at Dutch Village. The Duffus family has been prominent in Halifax business circles since the latter part of the 18th century, and is related by marriage with the Cunard, Morrow, Salter, Murdoch (the historian) and other old families. General Ogilvie, for whom one of the forts in Point Pleasant Park is named, was also a connection of the Duffus family. The Anderson residence is called The Cottage.
n the city block fronting the Arm between
Coburg Road and Jubilee Road, there is
the land once owned by Henry Pryor, the
first stipendiary magistrate of the city of Halifax.
He purchased it in 1838. This property
is bounded on the north by Jubilee Road, and
extends south along the shore of the Arm 600
feet and eastwardly along Jubilee Road 600
feet. The northern part of it has been secured
for the purpose of a new boating club which
will be established early next year. The location
is an ideal one for that object, and is
situate opposite the old military prison at Melville
Island. After the death of Henry Pryor
this property was owned by Dr. James
Walker of St. John, an experienced Eastern
traveller and student, who conveyed it to Nelson
H. Gardner, who sold it to C. W.
Anderson, by whom part of it was conveyed
to W. H. Gunnell of New York. From him
it lately passed to Arthur A. Haliburton, and
from him to John E. Burns, of the city water
works department. There is considerable
water front to the property, which will
give excellent facilities for the erection of
a boathouse. The old residence on this
property was destroyed by fire while
occupied by Clarence J. Spike. Mrs. (Dr.)
A. C. Hawkins of Halifax was a sister
of C. J. Spike. Their father was city
health inspector at one time, but for many
years in early life was in the printing trade,
and at one time was associated with his friend
Joe Howe in local publications.
Lord Panmure, who was Secretary of State for War under Lord Palmerston during the latter part of the Crimean War, and who is referred to on page 81 as the recipient of a grant of a water lot at Queen’s Quarries, Northwest Arm, was eleventh Earl of Dalhousie. The tenth Earl was Governor-General of India. The ninth Earl was a general officer at Waterloo and came to Nova Scotia after the peace of 1815, and was Governor of this Province 1816-20. One of the prominent acts of his gubernatorial regime at Halifax was laying the corner stone of old Dalhousie college in 1820. This institution was named after him and uses the motto of the family ora et labora. Lord Dalhousie then became Governor-General of Canada. The eighth Earl of Dalhousie succeeded to the title and estate of his uncle, Lord Panmure, in 1782, and thenceforth the titles were merged.
tudley, the site of the “Studley
Quoit” club, is situated a little back from
the shores of the Northwest Arm. The
club has been famous for its hospitality, and
has entertained at its grounds members of
royal families and many eminent personages
who have visited our city. It is beautifully
placed on the slope facing the Arm. It owes
its name to Sir Alex. Croke, a judge of the
vice-admiralty court of Halifax during the
French war, which was renewed 1803 and
did not end till the exile of Napoleon in
1815. Judge Croke was lineally descended
from the Sir George Croke who so ably defended
the cause of national liberty in the case
of Hampden’s ship money. In the year after
his arrival in Halifax, Judge Croke bought
the property comprising forty acres, situate
on the peninsula of Halifax, to which he gave
the name of Studley in recollection of the
estate of that name which belonged to his
family in Oxfordshire, England. The site
commands a view of the Northwest Arm and
of the entrance to the harbor. On this he
built a large and commodious house; the
grounds he laid out with much taste. The
estate was wooded; in a pretty grove he
erected a bower, inscribing on its portals some
lines, which we quote:
Ye who all weary guide wandering feet,
Midst life’s rough crags which piercing thorns entwine.
Awhile beneath this lowly roof retreat,
Sacred to Peace—a pure though rustic shrine.
Fly hence swoll’n pomp to every vice allied,
Inconstancy, to nuptial vows untrue,
Comus with frantic Riot by your side
And mad Ambition’s ever restless crew.
Hence, for in vain ye deem no mortal sees
Your inly sickening hearts unfit for scenes like these.
These myrtle knolls demand far other guests,
And where the darkening woods unbounded spread
O’er earth’s primeval rocks their gorgeous vest
By human hand untamed, save where its head
Yon massy tower lifts o’er the western main,
And looks to Britain, there let Innocence
With sweet Simplicity, enchanters twain,
Unfading charms, celestial grace bestow—
Such as their natures feel, and only they can know.
In this retreat Judge Croke is said to have composed a certain poem alluding to laxity in Government House circles, which he afterwards put in private circulation in manuscript form; this and his satires on Halifax society created great excitement among the good people of the town. Sir Alexander Croke was administrator of the Province of Nova Scotia while the lieutenant-governor, Sir George Provost, was away on service of the Crown in Martinique, W. I. He continued in Halifax till the year 1815, when he returned to England, spending the rest of his life at Studley Priory, his family seat. He died there on the 27th December 1843, in the 85th year of his age. Besides his literary fame he had some reputation as an artist; he made sketches of Nova Scotia scenery while here, which at the time of his death were hanging on the walls of Studley Priory. Some of his paintings were well spoken of by Mr. West, President of the Royal Academy. The estate of Studley Priory was held by Sir Alexander’s son John, who in 1871 was his fourth and only surviving son. John Croke was a Nova Scotian by birth and was probably born at Studley, Northwest Arm. For this abstract on Sir Alexander Croke we are indebted to the late Sir Adams G. Archibald. Studley Club this year celebrated its golden jubilee. Coburg Road was formerly called Studley. During Judge Croke’s stay in Halifax there was great activity in naval circles—exciting captures on the coast and many prizes and their cargoes of silks, liquors, etc., to adjudicate on in the vice-admiralty court. The original Studley house was destroyed by fire and rebuilt. In the Bluenose of Saturday, October 6, 1900, vol. 1, No. 1, Lewis E. Smith, the artist and designer, gives a sketch of an old bell hanging at Studley with the date 1809 on it in bold relief. The Chesapeake’s flag was recently sold in London to W. W. Astor; perhaps, though not likely, this is also the bell of the United States frigate vanquished off Boston harbor and convoyed into Halifax by the Shannon. The Chesapeake was sent to England. Studley is now the residence of Dr. Robert Murray, a veteran journalist, for fifty years editor of the Presbyterian Witness.
CELEBRATING THE GOLDEN JUBILEE OF STUDLEY QUOIT CLUB, AUG. 24, 1908.
Studley Quoit Club was organized August 24, 1858, with a membership of fourteen, most of whom had been identified with the defunct Bedford Quoit Club, an association of gentlemen who met on certain Saturday afternoons to pitch quoits. The membership of the club has increased to one hundred. In 1873 the limit was thirty. In 1879 the number reached forty playing members, and twenty non-playing members. In 1893 the players numbered fifty, and in 1896 the number was sixty with forty non-playing, at which number it now stands, not including an Imperial service list of seven or eight, the limit for this class being twenty-five. The club colors are green for the grass, blue for the sky, and dark brown for the background of pine trees. In 1863 a section of the membership seceded and formed the Chebucto Quoit Club in Dartmouth, but which later disbanded. The first president was Samuel W. DeBlois. Dr. Howard Murray is the present incumbent of that office, and the lieutenant-governor is honorary president.
airfield adjoining the Waegwoltic
grounds, is the property of Mrs. James
A. Fraser, and was acquired by the late
Mr. Fraser from John Stairs, who bought the
land from Hon. A. G. Jones and raised the present
building and named the situation Fairfield.
Between business hours Mr. Stairs
gave special attention to the growing of
flowering shrubs, while not neglecting the
cultivation of ornamental trees, and it is said
there was good-natured rivalry between Mr.
Stairs and Mr. Jones, the latter being more
successful in developing a splendid grove of
evergreens. Trim hedges border clean gravelled
walks at Fairfield, which are well kept,
and notable in the approach to the residence is
a cluster of magnificent rhododendrons.
Probably the first illumination on the Arm was that tendered by Captain W. G. Stairs of African exploration fame, September 4, 1890, just prior to his departure for England after a visit of three months to his parents at Fairfield. The city council had presented him with an address of congratulation on his success in Africa, and for the honor thereby conferred on his native city. The reception accorded the explorer by his friends at the Arm was a brilliant affair. The grounds and residence of T. E. Kenny, Mrs. Robert Morrow, Hon. A. G. Jones, Sandford Fleming, Clarence J. Spike (Hillside), C. W. Anderson, William Robertson and F. D. Corbett were decked with Chinese lanterns and colored fire, and bonfires were placed at points of vantage. At the shore of Hillside a cluster of strong electric lamps spelled the word “Stairs.” Yachts from the R. N. S. Y. Squadron were decorated with lamps and moored along both shores, and numerous steam craft and boats, lighted from stem to stern, participated in the general tribute. Captain (then Lieutenant) Stairs left shortly after for London to take the post of adjutant at Woolwich, but was permitted to accept an engagement with the Belgian government to return to Africa, where he took command of an expedition to go to Chinde, at the source of the Congo, where fresh trouble existed. A melancholy interest attaches to the farewell illumination on the Arm in Halifax because the intrepid young officer died of fever June 1892, far from home at the mouth of the Zambesi, where he had returned to the coast from the interior. Captain Stairs had crossed Africa in 1888-1890 as second in command under Stanley, of the Emin Pasha relief expedition, and was several times wounded. One of his exploits was the ascent of Mount Ruwenzori, in the Mountains of the Moon, 10,667 feet altitude. Captain Stairs wore Turkish, Egyptian and Zanzibar decorations. He was born at Halifax 1863, and graduated in engineering at Kingston. He was connected with the Royal Engineers for some years and was then attached to the 41st Welsh. A tablet has been erected to his memory at his alma mater, and another at Rochester Cathedral, near Chatham, Eng., the headquarters of the engineers’ branch of the Imperial service. H. B. Stairs, barrister of Halifax, brother of the explorer, went to Africa in 1899, being in command of “H” company of the First Canadian contingent sent to the Boer war. He was at Paardeberg and other engagements. Hillside property was once the residence of Henry Pryor and is now owned by C. W. Anderson, with a right-of-way to Jubilee Road.
Illuminations at the Arm at the present time are much more elaborate than anything undertaken twenty years ago, and strangers who have visited different countries declare that the Arm illuminations surpass anything of the kind they have ever seen abroad. The numerous decorated boats and the bonfires and illuminations round the shores of the Arm constitute a fairy picture. This year the Canadian cruiser Canada, Captain Knowlton, participated in the annual illumination on the Arm, and was outlined from stem to stern in electric lamps, the same as the ship was decorated at the Quebec tercentenary. This was the first war vessel which had come into the Northwest Arm and illuminated.
large field on the north side of
Coburg Road, situated east of the land
recently acquired by W. T. Francis as
the site for a residence, is owned by Brenton
H. Collins, and there are several other parcels
of property on the Peninsula belonging to the
same estate. The most extensive is Gorsebrook,
where Enos Collins, the founder of the
Halifax branch of the family, resided during
the great part of a long life marked by striking
success in financial and commercial ventures.
He was the owner of privateers, and
was personally an officer in these enterprises
licensed in early days but not permitted in
present day naval warfare. Enos Collins was
a native of Liverpool, where his father conducted
a substantial business. He engaged in
business in Halifax and became a member
of the early Legislative and Executive Councils.
His name is also familiarly known in
connection with the establishment of the Halifax
Banking Company, now absorbed by the
Canadian Bank of Commerce. Gorsebrook
was purchased from John Moody, a merchant
and loyalist, a native of New York. Thomas
Moody, the father of the latter, was the
daring officer and scout in the ranks of the
Massachusetts Loyalists, who penetrated
Washington’s lines while the American army
lay in camp outside of New York City, and
succeeded in bringing valuable intelligence to
General Howe, the British commander, as to
the strength and disposition of the enemy’s
forces. Gorsebrook extends from Tower
Road west, almost to the shores of the Northwest
Arm. The new portion of Inglis Street,
connecting with Marlborough Woods, cuts
the Collins demesne nearly in halves. On the
north division of the property the links of the
Halifax Golf Club are located. Brenton H.
Collins, son of Enos Collins, resides in England;
he was born in Halifax. John Wimburne
Laurie, M. P., major general of the British
Army, married Frances Robie, a sister of
Brenton H. Collins. She is a granddaughter
of the late Chief Justice Halliburton, and a
great-granddaughter of Bishop Charles Inglis
of Nova Scotia, who was rector of Trinity,
New York, at the time of the Revolution, and
who, it is narrated, continued to offer prayers
for the success and safe-keeping of the king,
although warned with guns levelled at him
that he would be shot unless he desisted.
Major-General Laurie was present at the siege
of Sebastopol, and was twice wounded and
was mentioned in despatches for gallant
defence of advanced positions against a
superior force of Russians. He also saw
active service in the Indian mutiny, being
attached to a field force with irregular cavalry
and camel corps, which executed a number of
forced marches during the suppression of the
great rebellion. The general has an estate at
Oakfield, on the line of the Intercolonial Railway,
a few miles from Halifax, where some
of his family annually come from England to
spend part of the season. General Laurie
came to Canada at the time of the Trent affair
and was afterward connected with the Canadian
militia for a number of years, and later
represented Shelburne, N. S., in the Canadian
parliament. Professor D. Northall-Laurie, a
nephew of General Laurie, is a member of
the Alpine and Primrose Clubs of London,
and occupied the chair of chemistry at King’s
College, near the Old Curiosity Shop at Lincoln’s
Inn Fields. Professor Laurie is president
of a new company engaged in the manufacture
of various products from sulphate of
lime—gypsum—in Cape Breton, and makes
his headquarters at Port Hastings, where the
works are located.
Three families—Collins, Cogswell and Cunard—were neighbors on the southern portion of the Halifax peninsula in early days, and were intimate in business. The “Three C’s” was the way they were referred to after founding the Halifax Banking Co. William Cunard in later years was a director of the Bank of Nova Scotia, and one of the first directors of the Merchants’ Bank, now the Royal Bank of Canada. A sister of William Cunard married Colonel Francklyn, father of G. E. Francklyn.
change such as Rip Van Winkle experienced,
has occurred at the Northwest
Arm in recent years. Property
was considerably depressed in value a few
years ago, and changed hands for low record
prices. It is recovering, and during the last
two years there have been more transactions
in real estate at the Arm than for ten years
previous. The construction of a new trunk
line sewer built on the shore and discharging
at Point Pleasant must soon be taken up seriously.
There should be a continuous driveway
from Point Pleasant Park along the eastern
shore of the Arm, but not at the water
front as has been proposed, where it would
irreparably damage private property, but laid
out in serpentine fashion, alternately receding
and approaching the Arm, according as circumstances
permit. Such a boulevard is
within measurable distance; a shore frontage
driveway and promenade will not be built in
fifty years, if ever. Spring Garden Road and
Coburg Road should have one name and be
made of uniform width throughout.
Among the modern villas which have been built at the Arm since the recent revival of interest in this beautiful sheet of water as a place of residence, one of the most attractive is the residence of W. L. Payzant, barrister, on Oxford Street, commanding an extensive view of the upper Arm. The property is prettily enclosed in shrubbery, which has grown very rapidly, illustrating how well vegetation thrives on the western slope of the peninsula, protected from the dust and coal smoke of the city. John Young Payzant, father of W. L. Payzant, is a leading citizen of Halifax and identified with some of the important interests of the city. The family came to Nova Scotia under Governor Cornwallis and is of Huguenot origin. The great-grandfather of Mr. Payzant, sr., with some of his family, were massacred by Indians on an island in Lunenburg county, while his wife and the balance of the family were carried captives to Quebec, and were present at the conquest of that city by Wolfe and the heroic defence of Montcalm. John Y. Payzant studied law with the late Hon. J. W. Johnston, and was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia in 1864, and at once began to practise in Halifax and became very successful. He is President of the Bank of Nova Scotia, and a director in the street railway and numerous other large institutions. In private life Mr. Payzant is a popular resident, a keen sportsman and a scholarly writer. W. L. Payzant is secretary of the Nova Scotia Historical Society. A. W. Redden and C. J. Silliker have finished attractive homes near W. L. Payzant’s residence. E. P. Allison and Hon. D. M. Owen occupy fine residences on Oxford Street. The extension of the rails of the Halifax Tramway Co. to the Arm has done much to bring the Northwest Arm to its present prominence.
mong the annual festivals, says Murdoch
the historian, which have been
lost sight of in the passage of years,
was the celebration of St. Aspinquid, known
as the Indian Saint. St. Aspinquid’s day appeared
in the Nova Scotia almanacks from
1774 to 1786. The festival was celebrated
on the seventh day after the first new
moon in the month of May. The tide being
low at that time, many of the principal inhabitants
of the town on these occasions
assembled on the shore of the Northwest Arm
and partook of a dish of clam soup, the clams
being collected on the spot at low water.
There is a tradition that during the American
trouble, when agents of the revolted colonies
were active to gain over adherents, the good
people of Halifax in 1776 were celebrating St.
Aspinquid; the wine having circulated freely,
the Union Jack was hauled down and replaced
by the Stars and Stripes. This was soon
reversed, but all those persons who held public
offices immediately left the grounds and
St. Aspinquid was never after celebrated in
Halifax. The feast of St. Aspinquid was
of New England origin, and was brought to
Halifax by the settlers from those colonies
who threw in their lot with those from Old
England. Murdoch apparently knew nothing
of the origin of the above feast, a sketch of
which we append. From “New England
Legends,” by Samuel Adams Drake, we glean
the following account of St. Aspinquid. He
was born in 1588 and was nearly 100 years old
when he died. He was converted to Christianity,
possibly by the French Jesuits, and was
baptized when he was about 40 years old,
receiving the name by which he was afterwards
known, and he at once set about his
long active ministration among the people of
his own race to whom he became a tutelary
saint and prophet. For no less than fifty
years he is said to have wandered from east to
west and from north to south, preaching the
gospel to sixty-six different nations, healing
the sick and performing those miracles which
raised him in the estimation of his own people
to the character of being endowed with supernatural
powers. These wanderings had carried
him from the shores of the Atlantic to the
Californian sea. Growing venerable in his
good work, warned that he must soon be gathered
to his fathers, the saint at last came home
to die among his own people. Having called
the sachems of the different tribes together
they carried the body of their patriarch to the
summit of Mount Agamenticus. Previous to
performing the rite of sepulture and agreeable
to the customs held sacred by these people,
the hunters of each tribe spread themselves
throughout the forests. A great number of
wild beasts were slaughtered as a sacrifice to
the manes of the departed saint. Tradition
affirms that that day there were slain and
offered up between six and seven thousand
wild animals. Mt. Agamenticus, where the
Indian saint is supposed to have been born
and where his mortal remains were finally
returned to the earth, is on the borders of
Maine. Lowell and other American poets
make reference to Mt. Agamenticus, the locality
of the legend of the Indian saint. The
Maine Indians were a branch of the Micmacs.
The Halifax Gazette of June, 1770, contained
an account of the feast of St. Aspinquid as
follows: “On Thursday last, being the 31st
day of May, the festival of St. Aspinquid was
celebrated at Northwest Arm at Nathan Ben
Saddi Nathan’s and at Captain Jordan’s, both
fishermen, when elegant dinners at both
places were provided, consisting of various
kinds of fish, etc. After dinner at Mr.
Nathan’s were discharged a number of cannon,
and at Mr. Jordan’s, muskets, and many
loyal toasts were drunk in honor of the day.
At Mr. Jordan’s the toasts, after the usual
manner, were the twelve sachem chiefs of the
twelve tribes, who were general friends and
allies of the English.” The Indian Saint was
called the “grand sachem of all the northern
Indian tribes.” The town of York, New
Hampshire, near the Maine boundary, was
at one time called Agamenticus. It was
settled in 1624, and in 1641 at the instance of
Sir Ferdinand Georges was given a city
charter and government and renamed Georgeana.
This was undoubtedly the first English
city on the continent of America.
t is estimated that, at the present time,
between the three boat clubs, the Saraguay
Club and private parties, there are
from 1,200 to 1,500 boats and canoes on the
Northwest Arm. In addition there are twenty
motor boats, and the number is growing.
Then there are racing shells belonging to St.
Mary’s and others. A few years ago it was all
but arranged that the Lorne Club, located at
Richmond on the harbor front, should be
transferred to the Northwest Arm by taking
from the Acadia Sugar Refinery in exchange
for its present club premises adjoining the
Richmond Refinery, the Morrow property
now owned by F. W. Bowes. Negotiations to
this end progressed far toward consummation
but a hitch occurred and the project was called
off. It is a coincidence that some members of
the Northwest Arm Rowing Club at one time
contemplated securing the same property and
transferring their present boathouse in sections
from South Street to the foot of Coburg
Road. The club not being unanimous the
undertaking did not come to a head. The
popularity of boating and canoeing on the
Arm dates from the formation of the Northwest
Arm Rowing Club eight years ago. The
waters of the Arm are almost invariably
smooth, and well adapted for boating,
and for ladies and children to enjoy this favorite
maritime pastime in safety. Owing to the
great increase in the number of small boats,
and the number of power craft attracted to
the Arm sight seeing, this inlet of the harbor
is not quite as satisfactory for training scullers
as it was prior to 1900, at a time when practically
the only boats on the Arm were those
owned by the few owners of land on the water
front. The Arm used to be a favorite place
for shell practice. The four who competed at
the Philadelphia centennial, known as the Centennial
Crew, made their headquarters at
Lawson’s Mills on the western shore. They
were John J. Nickerson, Caleb Nickerson,
Obed Smith, Warren Smith, of Sambro,
and William Flemming of Herring Cove.
Police-Sergeant Nickerson and Caleb Nickerson
survive. These men were trained
under the auspices of the Fishermen’s
Rowing Association, an organization of
Halifax men interested in boating, and
coached by the veteran oarsman, Jeremiah
Holland, who was also the trainer of the
Pryor or Fishermen Crew that astonished the
rowing fraternity by their performance at the
aquatic carnival held at Halifax in 1871, in
which the scullers of the world competed. The
Pryors were large owners of property at the
Northwest Arm and were patrons and promoters
of aquatics. The Centennial Crew practised
on the Arm three times a day in a shell,
early in the morning, in the forenoon and in
the evening. The course was three miles in
length, and commenced at the bluff just above
Lawson’s Mills and extended a mile and a half
to a turning buoy moored off Horseshoe
Island and return. For practice this crew
used the boat “Tangier,” which was formerly
owned by the Barton crew. Their single shell
was the scull “Thomas Wasson,” built for the
late George Brown. They were seated in a
new shell at Philadelphia named the “Nova
Scotian,” built to order by Robert Jewett of
Dunstie-on-Tyne. It is believed this crew
could have won at Philadelphia but were
jockeyed by the opposing crew whom they
immediately afterward challenged, but the
challenge was not accepted. The Halifax
crew were awarded special honors. The Lynch
brothers of Purcell’s Cove also did considerable
training on the Northwest Arm, and
one of the races which they pulled against
Durnan and Rice, the Toronto cracks, was
rowed upon the Arm. While the great increase
of boating on the Northwest Arm has spoiled
the Arm to some extent as a place for training
oarsmen, it is still far enough away from
the city to get clear water in the morning.
There have been regular regattas on the Arm
each season in recent years, which have
attracted thousands of spectators both ashore
and afloat. These regattas have been conducted
under the auspices of the Arm clubs or
the United Banks, and included the Maritime
championships on several occasions. A new
course in the lower Arm basin from South St.
to a point off Maplewood and return has been
used in late years as affording a view of
the races to the greatest number of people.
The rapid building up of the shores of the
inner basin of the Arm will probably mean the
resumption of the old Arm course for some
regattas. This is the wider part of the Northwest
Arm, and is probably a better situation
for boating in many respects, though not in
other points than the southern and newer
course.
BOATING AT THE NORTHWEST ARM.
Regattas in the Lower Arm and at Melville Cove. The larger photograph shows the finish of a shell race. On the left of the same picture is the beautiful Thornvale estate.
The success of The Waegwoltic as an all-the-year-round club, with club privileges for ladies, being contrary to the predictions of the critics, has directed new attention to the Northwest Arm. Already members of one or two of the old conservative downtown clubs and athletic organizations are credited with a desire to obtain a footing for their institutions at one or the other of the Arm clubs, especially for summer; eventually the Arm will also be a centre of popular winter entertainment. The Northwest Arm Rowing Club plans a large balcony-addition next year to accommodate increasing patronage. A small new boat club is moored at the head of the Arm, and another at the southern part of Melville Cove.
n a paper read before the Historical
Society some years ago, written by the
late Peter Lynch, who made a study of
local traditions, there is recounted the story of
an elopement of an English girl with a young
Indian which took place in the early days of
the settlement. The matter is also referred to
in an appendix to Murdoch’s History of Nova
Scotia, and the story seems to be founded
upon fact. Mr. Lynch describes with vivid
detail the pursuit across the peninsula of
Halifax to the Northwest Arm at a point
which must have been somewhere near
Coburg Road or Jubilee Road, and the escape
of the elopers in a canoe. The following is
a summary of the paper read before the Historical
Society:
Amongst the earliest settlers in Halifax from England was a merchant of good family, and rumor stated that an unsuccessful speculation at home had caused him to go abroad to live quietly. With him was a sister, an aged spinster, and an only child, a beautiful girl of seventeen. He engaged in business, and with his domestics and employees, all dwelt under the one roof, partly for protection against possible Indian attacks and also because accommodation at that time was limited.
Notwithstanding the prevailing distrust of the Indians, the warriors and their women in picturesque costume were quite often seen on the streets of the town. A tall, graceful Indian lad who had been an invalid for a long time, and unable to follow the chase, was brought to the settlement to seek the aid of one of the resident doctors, the medicine man of his own tribe having failed to restore the boy’s health.
The fine, manly appearance of the youth excited the sympathy of the kind-hearted merchant, who took him to his home, where he had him regularly treated by a physician, and finally when the lad regained health and strength the merchant made him a proposition to take employment with him, which the Indian youth accepted, and he was at once admitted a member of the family. The youth was instructed how to write, and was given the duties of a clerk and was clad in the garments of the white man. The character of the savage steadily gave way in the midst of his changed surroundings, and he discharged his duties with diligence and interest. The apparent transformation was aided by his being an orphan and intercourse with his race having been broken off.
After a time, however, with the concurrence of the merchant, the Indian youth would stroll away into the woods with his gun for a few hours’ shooting. These excursions became more and more protracted, finally occupying entire days, and it was manifest that the nomadic habits born in his blood and dormant for a time were fast asserting themselves. The light work which had been assigned the youth was regularly neglected and the lad’s benefactor commenced to despair of ever moulding his protege into civilized ways.
Suddenly, to the surprise of everyone except the merchant’s daughter, the young Indian gave up his hunting habits and recommenced the discharge of his duties with alacrity and pleasure. It was gradually whispered among the neighbors of the settlement that the Indian had been seen conversing with members of his race in the forest, and also held meetings with the merchant’s daughter. This proved to be correct, and when the father charged his daughter with the fact, she declared that she loved the Indian boy and intended to marry him. The Indian was banished from the settlement and the matter was forgotten for a time, until some months later. In the autumn, one night the household was aroused by a report of the servants that the girl had eloped with the Indian. An armed party was quickly formed to follow them, and no difficulty was found in finding the course they had gone. It led up over Citadel Hill, and before the pursuers had gone half the distance they caught sight of the fugitives on top of the hill, the Indian carrying the girl. A large brook then ran through the Common. This was spanned by a rude pole bridge, which the Indian managed to cast adrift after he had crossed it, in order to delay the pursuit. The Indian, being familiar with the ground, made all possible haste over Camp Hill, but was repeatedly obliged to assist his companion. He descended the slope towards the Northwest Arm, and at last his quick eye caught sight of the stars glinting upon the black waters of the Arm. As he approached the shore he gave a short cry, a signal to confederates of his tribe who were supposed to be in waiting. At first the cry was not heard, and the friends of the girl were audible rapidly approaching. A second signal was given and the Indian’s comrades, who were in a canoe just off the shore, heard it and paddled to the bank. The pursuers had also heard and guessed what the signal meant, and lost no time in reaching the spot from which the sound proceeded. The Indian had just placed his burden in the canoe and stepped in himself when the foremost of the settlers sprang upon the shore and seized the bow of the canoe. There was not a moment to be lost, and the Indian raised a paddle and brought it down upon the arm of the man, compelling him to release his hold, and the canoe bounded out into the waters of the Arm. Guns were raised by those on shore to discharge at the occupants of the craft, but the father of the girl would not let them shoot. As the canoe neared the further side of the Arm, a torch flashed for a moment as a signal, and the craft glided into Melville Cove and vanished in the darkness. Next morning a large party of the townspeople accompanied the broken-hearted father back to the shores of the Arm, but no trace of the fugitives could be discovered, and from that time forward inquiries as to the whereabouts of the girl were futile. About a year after this time in a camp on the banks of the Shubenacadie, a woman lay dying in the flickering light of a camp fire, and there was the low cry of a newly-born infant. The mother of the child, who was the daughter of the English merchant, had led a wretched existence of one year, and her soul was now released from its mortal tenement. Again a few weeks after, a tall, gaunt Indian under the shade of night made his way into the town, approached the house of the merchant and carefully deposited the infant wrapped in a blanket, in the porch, rapped loudly at the door and fled into the darkness. He was never heard of afterward. The child became the comfort of her grandfather, and when she grew to womanhood, traces of the Indian blood could be discerned in her complexion, eyes and bearing. She married an English naval officer, and removed to England to reside, and one of her sons afterward lived on this station, holding the same rank in the navy that his father had held at the time of his mother’s marriage.
or the artist and lover of Nature, there
are two distinct sets of views at the
Northwest Arm—morning and evening—with
numberless variations of these two
general divisions. The Arm is about three
miles long, and one-quarter to three-quarters
of a mile wide, but is so narrow at some
places one could almost expect to see the
shadows of the hills join in the centre. Receding
coves and advancing headlands relieve the
monotony of a regular shore line. The Arm
lies approximately north and south, and therefore
intersects the path of the planets from
east to west. It is a place of ever-changing
lights and shades. At sunrise the orb of day
touches with light the recesses of the western
shore, and throws a gigantic shadow of the
proximate hills upon the dark green slopes of
higher eminences in the rear. This is reversed
at evening. Then the places which were
bright in the morning are obscured in the
gathering dusk, and the eastern shore of the
Arm comes into view in the blazing search-light
of a setting sun. The western rays penetrate
the natural avenues of the woods with
lines of fire; overhead the sky is painted in
glorious hues, changing from saffron to crimson,
and to salmon pink, and occasionally to
the deep red glare of Vesuvius or the golden
sunset of San Francisco Bay. Sunsets on the
Northwest Arm are talked about far and near.
Moonlight scenes on the Northwest Arm are not less lovely, and compare with the matchless nights one sees in Venice. The slow-circling shadows of rock and tree move no faster than the lunar planet. The moon and the stars and the shadows fade in company in the west. As at day there is a change of light from shore to shore, and at the highest point of the moon’s transit the scene on the Arm is especially beautiful. From sky-line to shore-line, the unreflecting hills retain their inanimate aspect. But the mirrored length of the Arm, the moon being at the zenith, is transfigured from end to end with a flood of dazzling silver radiance. Boats glide about as noiseless as Indian canoes, little lights twinkle on the shores, a note of song or lilt of musical instrument floats across the dreaming waters, and the whole effect is so tranquil and ravishingly lovely one thinks of fairy scenes from Shakespeare depicted on a metropolitan stage.
In a novel, “Cord and Creese,” written by Professor DeMille many years ago a moonlight scene on the Arm is thus described: “Opposite my house, on the western shore of the Arm there rises a barren rock called Mt. Misery, which I visited. It was night; there was not a cloud in the sky. The moon shone with marvellous lustre. Down in front of us lay the long arm of the sea that ran between us and the city. On the opposite side were woods, and beyond them rose the Citadel, on the other side of which the city lay nestling at its base like those Rhenish towns that lie at the foot of feudal castles. On the left hand all was wilderness; on the right, close by, was a small lake which seemed like a sheet of silver in the moon’s rays. Further on lay the ocean, stretching in boundless extent away to the horizon. There lay islands and sandbanks with lighthouses. Here under the moon lay a broad path of golden light, molten gold, unruffled, undisturbed in that dead calm.” This pen picture was evidently taken from the same point which was selected for the panorama at the back of this volume.
An enthusiastic contributor of the Evening Mail, on July 6, 1908, signed Rectus, said the beauty of the Northwest Arm exceeded that of the lochs of Scotland, the watering places of Wales, Devonshire or Cornwall, the charms of the Channel Islands, the Seine or the Rhone, the enchantment of the lakes of Switzerland, or of the noble Bay of Tuscany.
Returning from Europe in the middle of the nineteenth century, the Nova Scotian patriot, Howe, who was born and educated on the Northwest Arm, exclaimed on coming into sight of his home land:
The crowded mart, the busy throng,
The gay and brilliant halls,
The tramp of steed, the voice of song
The many pictured walls
Are all behind, but all before
My native land I view
A blessing on her sea-girt shore
Where toil the good and true.
AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE NORTHWEST ARM.
View from veranda of bungalow at Purcell’s Cove, showing pilot boats at anchor in the Cove, the wooded termination of Point Pleasant Park on the opposite shore of the Arm, and the Dartmouth shore and McNab’s Island in the background of the photograph.
Among the most beautiful spots in the world the Northwest Arm is also one of the most noted historic places in Canada, in fact in the Empire, through its association with great men and great events, and time will increase the appreciation of the people of Halifax of the value of the Northwest Arm. The sloping hillsides of the Arm have been the abode of eminent characters, and Nature has been lavish in beautifying this historic spot. In the years to come Halifax will have a large population, and many travellers will come and go through the gates of the city. For the benefit of the citizens and the pleasure of visitors, the memory of the associations of the Arm should be kept alive, and the charms and the attractiveness of this hallowed spot, like the classic vale of Attica, carefully preserved for the enjoyment and contemplation of future generations. The city should obtain authority to control and regulate both shores of the Arm and likewise exercise police jurisdiction over its waters. This book is a modest attempt to show the beauty and value of the Northwest Arm and arouse interest in the preservation of one of the most delightful spots in the Dominion of Canada.
THE END
TRANSCRIBER NOTES
Misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected. Where multiple spellings occur, majority use has been employed.
Punctuation has been maintained except where obvious printer errors occur.
Illustrations have been relocated to accommodate a non-page layout.
Book cover is placed in the public domain.
[The end of Sketches and Traditions of the Northwest Arm by John William Regan]