TORONTO OF OLD. 189 



Queen Street froia Parlkiment Street to Humber Bay, we observe the easternmost limit of the 

 "Toronto Purchase" conspicuously marked by a curved line drawn northwards from tlie 

 water's edge near the commencement of the spit of land which used to fence off Ashbridge's 

 Bay and Toronto Harbour from the lake. 



In 1804, the Lake Shore Road stood in need of repairs, and in some places even of " opening "■ 

 and " clearing out." In the OrncAc of Aug. 4th, in that year, we have an advertisement for 

 " Proi^osals from any person or persons disposed to contract for the opening anr. repairing tlic 

 Koad and building Bridges between the Town of Yorlv and the Head of Burlington Bay.' 

 "Such proposals," the advertisement goes on to say, "must state what prices the Party 

 desirous of undertaking the aforesaid work will engage to finish and complete the same, and 

 must consist of the following particulars : At what price per mile such per-son will open and 

 clear out such part of the road leading from Lot Street, adjoining the To^vn of York (beghming 

 at Peter Street) to tlie mouth of the Humber, of tlie width of 33 feet, as shall not be found to 

 stand in need of any causeway. With the price also per Rod at which such party will engage 

 to open, clear out, and causeway such other part of the same road as shall require to be cause- 

 wayed, and the last-mentioned price to include as well the opening and clearing out, as the 

 causewaying such Road. The causewaying to be IS feet wide ; as also the price at which any 

 person will engage to build Bridges upon the said Road of tlie width of IS feet. And the same 

 Commissioners will also receive proposals from any person or persons willing to engage to cut 

 down tlu-ee Hills at the following places, viz : —One at the Sixteen Mile Creek, another between 

 the Sixteen and Twelve Mile Creek, and the third at the Twelve Mile Creek. And also for 

 repairing, in a good and substantal manner, the Bridge at the outlet of Burlington Bay. All 

 the before-mentioned work to be completed, in a good and substantial manner, on or before 

 the last day of October next, and, when completed, the Money contracted to be given shall be 

 paid by the Receiver-General. Tliis advertisement is issued by William Allan and Duncan 

 Cameron, of York ; Janies Ruggles and William Graham, of Youge Street ; and William Apple- 

 garth, of Flamboro' East, Commissioners for executing Statute passed in Session of present 

 year." 



We now rettirn to that point on Queen Street where, instead of continumg on westward by 

 the Lake Shore Road, the traveller of a later era turned abruptly toward the north in order to 

 pass into Dundas Street proiier, the great highway projected, as we have observed, by the 

 first organisers of Upper Canada and marked on the earliest manuscript maps of the Province, 

 but not made ijracticable for human traflic until comparatively recent times. 



Prom an advertisement in the Oracle of August 1806, we learn that Dundas Street was not, in 

 that year, yet hewn out through the woods about the Credit. " Notice is hereby given," thus 

 runs the advertisement referred to, "that the Commissioners of the Highways of the Home 

 District will be ready on Saturday, the 23rd day of the present mouth of August, at eleven 

 o'clock in the forenoon, at the Government Buildings in the town of York, to receive pro- 

 posals and to treat with any person or persons who will contend to open and make the road 

 called Dundas Street, leading through the Indian Reserve on the River Credit ; and also to 

 erect a bridge over the said River at or near where the said Road passes. Also to bridge and 

 causeway (in aid to the Statute Labour) such other jiarts of such Road passing through the 

 Home District, when such works are ■necessarj'-, and for the performance of which the said 

 Statute Labour is not sufficient. Thomas Ridout, Clerk of the Peace, Home District. York, 

 6th August, 1806." 



The early line of communication with the Head of the Lake was by the Lake Shore Road. 



This cross thoroughfare between the park lots of Mr. Bouchette or Col. Gi\'ins and Mr. 

 David Burns, was opened up by Col. G. T. Denison, senior, with the assistance of some of the 

 embodied militia. The work of opening the road here, as well as further on through the front, 

 was at first undertaken by a detachment of the regulars under the direction of an officer of 

 the Royal Engineers. The plan adopted, we are told, was first to fell each tree by very labori- 

 ously severing it from its base close to the ground, and then to smooth off the upper sui-face 

 of the root or stump with an adze. As this process was necessarily slow, and after all not 

 likely to result in a permanently good road, the proposal of Colonel, then Lieutenant, Denison> 

 to set his militia-men to eradicate the trees bodily, was accepted — an operation with wliioh 

 they were all more or less familiar on their farms and in their new clearings. A line broad 



