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CANADIAN LOCAL HISTORY. 



[Since the publication of our last Number, there has been presented to the Canadian Institute, 

 by its Secretary, Mr. L. Heyden, a valuable collection of books and pamphlets, all having re- 

 ference to the early history of Canada, and its settlements, in various directions. Comprised 

 in this acceptable donation are bound volumes to the number of sixty-two, and pamphlets to 

 the number of forty-eight. It is proposed to form in connection with the Canadian Institute 

 (so soon as the assent of that Body can be procured) a Canadian Local History Section, having 

 for its special object the collection and preservation of Documents illustrative of Canadian 

 History in aU its aspects — of the volumes, -pamphlets, magazines, daily and weekly newspapers, 

 broad-sides, maps and engravings, that have been published at former periods, together with 

 those that appear from time to time, as the years pass on.] — Ed. Can. Jouenal. 



TORONTO OF OLD: 



A SERIES OP COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 



f Continued from page 17U.) 



BY THE KEV. DR. SCADDING. 



v.— KING STREET, FROM JOHN STREET TO YONGE STREET. 



After our long stroll westward, we had purposed returning to the place of beginning by the 

 route that constitutes the principal thoroughfare of the modern Toronto ; but the associations 

 connected with the primitive pathway on the cliff overlooliing the harbour, led us insensibly 

 back along the track by which we came. In order that we may execute our original design, we 

 now transport ourselves at once to the point where we had intended to begin our descent of 

 King Street. That point was the site of a building now wholly taken out of the way— the old 

 General Hospital. Farther west on this line of road there was no object that possessed any 

 archseo logical interest. The old Hospital was one of the spacious red cubical structures which 

 (as in the case also of several other edifices, domestic and public,) speedily made their appear- 

 ance when the practice of building in brick first began in the town. It had, by the direction of 

 Dr. Grant PoweU, as we have heard, the peculiarity of standing with its sides precisely east and 

 west, north and south. At a subsequent period, it consequently had the appearance of having 

 been jerked round bodily, the streets in the neighbourhood not being laid out with the same 

 precise regard to the cardinal points. The building exhibited recessed galleries on the north 

 and south sides, and a flattish hipped roof. The interior was conveniently designed. In the 

 fever-wards here, during the terrible season of 1847, frightful scenes of suftering and death were 

 witnessed among the newly-arrived emigrants ; here it was that, ia ministering to them in their 

 distress, so many were stru-ok down, some aU but fatally, others wholly so ; amongst the latter 

 several leading medical men,, and the Roman Catholic bishop, Power. 



When the Houses of Parliament, at the east end of the town, were destroyed by fire in 1824, 

 the Legislature assembled for several sessions in the General Hospital. 



The neighbourhood hereabout had an open, unoccupied look in 1822. In a Weekly Register 

 of the 25th of April of that year, we have an account of the presentation of a set of Colours to 

 a militia battalion, mustered for the purpose on the road near the Hospital. "Tuesday, the 

 23rd instant," that paper reports, "being the anniversary of St. George, on which it has been 

 appointed to celebrate His Majesty's birthday, George IV., [instead of the 4th of June, the fete 



