CHAPTER VII.

1816. Soon after the peace the prosperity of Halifax began to wane. The

price of provisions and all the necessaries of life, the value of real

estate and the high rents of houses in the town all became more or less

affected by the scarcity of money arising from the withdrawal of the

troops and navy and the sudden alterations in trade. The reaction was

not fully realized until about two years after peace was proclaimed,

when the rapid fall off in the value of real estate and the sudden check

given to commercial pursuits was found to have reduced many speculators

to poverty.

Sir John Cope Sherbrooke having been appointed Governor General of

Canada, the principal inhabitants of the town gave him a farewell dinner

on 25th June. It was presided over by Chief Justice Blowers and the vice

chair was occupied by Michael Wallace, the treasurer of the province. An

address, largely signed by the inhabitants, was presented to the

Governor on his departure. Sir John had rendered himself very popular in

Halifax by his affable manners and his prompt and decisive way of

treating all matters brought to his notice by the citizens. He embarked

at the King's wharf on Thursday, 27th June, under a salute from the

batteries and the cheers of the inhabitants.

The rough condition of the streets of the town at this period rendered

immediate and extensive improvements necessary. Those in the least

frequented parts of the town had been so much neglected that in many

places they were impassable from the accumulation of rubbish and the

broken condition of the wooden platforms or bridges at the gutters and

crossings. In many places the streets were overgrown at each side with

grass except in the centre. Brunswick Street, though one of the

principal highways of the town, was overgrown at each side with grass.

Many of the old Dutch houses then still remaining in this street stood

on banks a few feet above the sidewalk and where there were no buildings

rough stone walls or fences marked the line of the street. Water

Street, from the continual traffic and wear during the period of the

war, had been worn into holes and was in wet weather almost impassable

from the accumulation of mud, particularly between the Ordnance Yard and

the foot of Prince Street. The market square at this time, as also that

portion of Water Street between Collins' Wharf and the King's Wharf, was

much lower than at present. It was found necessary to pave this portion

of Water Street, which was accordingly accomplished during the years

1816 and 1817. The pavement, which was with round stones, extended from

the Ordnance to Black and Forsyth's Wharf, (later Mitchell's) at the

foot of Prince Street. The Provincial Legislature contributed the sum of

L.1,200 towards the work, and the expense of flagging the sidewalks was

charged to the owners of property fronting on the street. About the year

1835 this pavement had so sunk down as to be no protection from the

accumulation of mud. The lower part of the market square bordering on

Water Street and the way leading to the market slip or public landing

were raised about five feet. Between 1820 and 1824 new Street

Commissioners were appointed. The Macadamizing system begun to be

introduced and extensive improvements in the way of levelling the

streets and filling up hollow places were proceeded with.

The Acadian School, conducted by Walter Bromley, had now been under way

for about three years. It was inspected on 31st July. There were 400

children in attendance. On this occasion Mr. Bromley stated that since

the opening of the school in 1813, eight hundred and ninety-three

children had received instruction there, and about one hundred

apprentices and colored children in the Sunday schools. The latter were

under the special superintendence of Mr. Bromley himself, who devoted

all his leisure to the instruction of the black children and others who

could not attend school throughout the week. The small sum of L.200 was

voted annually by the Legislature in aid of this school. Subsequently a

grant of money was made by the Assembly to the National School, which

was about this time set on foot on the Madras system, under the auspices

of the Bishop and members of the Church of England in Halifax, who had

lately erected the large three-story building in Argyle Street, opposite

the parade, for the purpose. In 1818 this school had 117 children in

attendance. The daily attendance at these two schools exceeded 500,

which was a large number considering the extent of the population at

this period.

The appointment of Dr. Robert Stanser, Rector of St. Paul's, to the

Bishopric of Nova Scotia, vacant by the death of Bishop Charles Inglis,

took place in 1817. Interest had been made with Lord Bathurst, the

Colonial Secretary, and the Archbishop of Canterbury to have Dr. John

Inglis, son of the late Bishop, appointed to the See. The appointment

was said to have been arranged in favor of Dr. Inglis, but a

recommendation from both branches of the Legislature then in session in

favor of Dr. Stanser, their Chaplain, prevailed, and Dr. Inglis was

appointed Rector of St. Paul's, vacant by the elevation of Stanser to

the Bishopric. Dr. John Inglis proved a highly popular Rector; his bland

manners and kind disposition rendered him a favorite with all classes

and denominations, and when he afterwards, in 1825, obtained the

Bishopric he carried with him to England addresses in his favor not only

from his own parishioners, but largely signed by his friends among other

denominations.

The remains of the old Bishop were brought to town from Aylesford, where

he died, and buried under St. Paul's Church on the 29th February. The

funeral was attended by the Governor, Sir J. C. Sherbroke, Sir John

Wentworth, the retired Governor, His Majesty's Council and a large

assemblage of the citizens. A monument to his memory is on the west side

of the chancel of the church.

On the morning of the 18th April great excitement prevailed throughout

the town in consequence of a murder which had been committed in one of

the streets during the previous night. Capt. Westmacott of the Royal

Engineers who, as officer of the night, was going his rounds on

horseback to visit the guards, met two men in Sackville Street whom he

challenged in consequence of their suspicious appearance. They

immediately attacked him and by a sudden effort threw him from his

horse, having first wounded him fatally with a bayonet. He lingered

until the 4th day of May, when he died. The murderers were soon after

discovered and proved to be two soldiers, deserters from one of the

regiments in garrison. They had been stealing fish through the night

from a store on one of the wharves. They were identified by the Captain

and, being tried and convicted of the murder, were executed on the

Common.

The Nova Scotia Fensible Regiment, after the close of the war, remained

in Canada for some time. Early in June of this year they embarked at

Quebec for Halifax. The transport in approaching Halifax ran upon a reef

of rocks known as Jeddore ledges, which lies off the harbour of that

name eastward from Halifax. The weather was calm and the troops were

landed in safety, with the exception of four private soldiers, two women

and several children, but with the loss of considerable part of the

baggage. It was found on landing the men that the tide was rising, and

that in all probability the greater part of the ledge would be covered

at high water. It was proposed that the women and children should be

first landed and placed on the higher part of the rock. But on the

soldiers perceiving that Colonel Darling, who commanded the Regiment,

and several of the officers were intending to avail themselves of the

higher parts of the ledge, immediately declared that all officers should

be compelled to remain with their respective companies and share the

fate of their men. One officer, a captain, is said to have shown

symptoms of impatience or something worse on the occasion, and abandoned

his wife and family and his men, seeking shelter for himself on the

rocks amidst the reproaches and jeers of his comrades. The Regiment was,

however, successfully landed on the ledges, chiefly through the heroic

exertions of the Adjutant-Lieutenant Stewart, who volunteered to carry a

cable from the bowsprit of the ship to the rock, when having there made

it fast the sailors were enabled to construct means for landing men in

safety. Part of the Regiment was brought to Halifax in coasting vessels

about the first July, and others found their way by land, having been

brought on shore from the rocks by the fishermen of the neighbourhood.

Col. Darling and some others being displeased at all the credit of the

exploit being attached to Lt. Stewart, who was probably not a favorite

of the Colonel, brought him to a Court-Martial for some trifling offence

supposed to have been a breach of orders, and it is said he was

compelled to leave the Regiment.

Two very extensive fires occurred at Halifax this year. One on the 8th

October, remembered as the "Haliburton" fire in consequence of the

brick building at the corner of Hollis and Sackville Streets owned by

Mr. George Haliburton, having been the first house consumed. The fire

destroyed nearly the whole block from Haliburton's corner to where Mrs.

Howard's new stone building stands, on the east or lower side of Hollis

street. All the buildings on Sackville Street down to the corner known

as Reynolds' corner, and the whole of the buildings on the upper or

Western side of Bedford Row were consumed. The fire commenced at ten

o'clock in the evening and continued to rage until six o'clock next

morning. It was considered the most disastrous fire that had ever

occurred in Halifax. The old buildings were all of wood except

Haliburton's corner house. The block was soon rebuilt with a better

description of buildings. Mr. W. K. Reynolds erected a fine stone store

at the corner of Sackville Street and Bedford Row, which still remains;

this was far the finest store in Halifax at the time. A range of brick

buildings along Bedford Row were at the same time erected by the late

Nicholas Vass. Haliburton's corner was also rebuilt of brick, and the

buildings on Hollis street, the property of Mr. LeNoir and others, were

built about the same time by the late Judge William Hill and his brother

T. T. Hill, then both at the Halifax Bar. Several old wooden houses were

pulled down during the fire by order of the firewards to prevent the

spread of the fire. The town was assessed to pay the damage. The other

fire was on Water Street at Creighton and Grassie's wharf. It occurred

in the night of 17th December, during very cold weather. All the stores

at and near the head of the wharf were consumed, and the fire extended

to buildings on the opposite side of the street. Mr. Grassie rebuilt

with brick and stone, and afterwards lined the shutters of his new store

with sheet iron.

The Earl of Dalhousie, a Scotch nobleman, who had distinguished himself

in the Spanish campaign as a general of Division under Lord Wellington,

had been appointed to succeed Sir J. Cope Sherbrooke in the Government.

He arrived in Halifax on 24th October, 1816, in the Frigate Forthe. Lord

and Lady Dalhousie, immediately after their arrival, landed in state and

proceeded to the Council Chamber under a salute from the Citadel

attended by the heads of Departments, civil and military, when the Earl

was sworn into office in presence of His Majesty's Council. The troops

lined the way from the King's wharf to Cochran's building where the

Council Chamber was then situated.

There had been no theatrical performances worthy of mention in the town

since the Duke of Kent's old theatre in Argyle Street had been

appropriated to the school under Mr. Bromley. In the autumn of this year

a company of players, Messrs. Price, Chamock, Placide, etc., fitted up

an old store on Fairbank's wharf as a theatre. Placide, Price and Mrs.

Young were considered good performers and attracted large audiences. At

the close of their career the manager got into jail for debt, when

Placide, the best comic actor of the company, distinguished himself by

escaping from prison and passing the sentry at the jail gate in the

night, who supposed it was a Newfoundland dog, Mr. Placide being famous

for imitating the bark and whine of the canine species.

1817. The winter of 1816-17 was much more severe than that of the

preceding year. The south-east passage was closed with ice all winter,

and the ice remained until late in April. Great distress prevailed in

the town as usual among the laboring classes during this winter, which

was also the case throughout the whole Province. The sum of L.600 was

contributed this winter by the inhabitants of Halifax for the support of

destitute emigrants who had been brought up from Newfoundland.

An attempt was made by the Legislature in their session of 1817 to

relieve the pressing necessities of the county by an Act authorizing the

Governor and Council to procure copper coin to the value of L.2,000 to be

issued from the provincial treasury. The Act was disallowed by the

Colonial Secretary in England. No good reason appears to have been

assigned for its rejection. The circulating medium at this time in the

town and throughout the country was Spanish doubloons, old Spanish

dollars, pistareens and other small Spanish coins, with a mixed

collection of copper coinage, English and Spanish, with all kinds of

half-penny tokens issued by private individuals in the town. No British

coinage ever reached Halifax except the old English Guinea. The troops

were paid in old Spanish money, which was brought from South America and

the West Indies by the merchants in exchange for their cargoes of fish

with occasional importations of Spanish silver by the British

Government for the troops, etc. An issue of paper money was at this time

made under an Act of the province.

It was in the year 1817 that the project was first broached for the

establishment and erection of a college on the Grand Parade.

The sum of L.9,750 was then remaining in the hands of the Governor from

the revenues collected at Castine while the State of Maine was in the

hands of the British troops. This sum Lord Dalhousie obtained the

permission of the Colonial Secretary to appropriate towards the erection

of a college in Halifax on the model of the Scotch Universities. The

professors were to receive moderate salaries. The students were not to

reside in the college building, but only to attend courses of lectures

which were to be open to all students and all else who might feel

disposed to purchase tickets for the courses.

This winter the theatre on Fairbanks' wharf was again in operation and

as attractive as ever. Miss Powell was at this time giving lessons in

dancing. She gave her spring ball at Mason Hall on 21st May. This lady,

who was patronized by the fashionable part of the community, was the

daughter of Mr. Powell who conducted the theatre in Argyle Street when

under the patronage of the Duke of Kent. She lived many years in Halifax

and died at an advanced age, having been dependent on the charity of her

friends for several years before her death.

The naval force on the station had now been reduced to a few ships under

the command of Rear Admiral Sir David Milne, father of Vice-Admiral Sir

Alexander Milne, who some time since commanded on the North American

Station. Sir David's flagship was the Leopard, Frigate.

It may here be noticed that the British and Foreign Bible Society had

lately organized a branch in Halifax. The second annual meeting of the

branch society took place on the 5th May. It was attended by the Earl of

Dalhousie, who occupied the chair, and a number of officials. The chief

speakers on the occasion were Judge James Stewart, the Rev. Dr.

Archibald Gray, of St. Matthew's, and Judge Wilkins. Martin Gay Black

was treasurer and Walter Bromley, secretary. Mr. Black continued to act

as treasurer of this society to the year of his death. The Speaker of

the House of Assembly and a number of the members of the House were

also present on this occasion.

The great destitution of the laboring part of the population during the

winter, as usual, rendered it necessary on behalf of the Commissioners

of the Poor for the town to call on the inhabitants for contributions in

addition to the annual poor rate assessed. The poor house at Halifax was

then, as has been the case frequently since, the receptacle for

transient paupers from the country, and the sum of L.300 was voted this

year by the House of Assembly towards the expenses of the establishment.

The charitable societies of St. Patrick and St. Andrew dined together on

the respective anniversaries of their patron saints. Richard J. Uniacke,

the Attorney General, occupied the chair at the St. Patrick's dinner,

and Dr. Samuel Head the Vice. The Governor, Mr. Philip Woodhouse, the

Commissioner of the Dockyard, the Bishop of Nova Scotia, the Commanding

Officers of the Garrison and other distinguished guests were present at

both dinners.

A fire occurred in the southern part of Granville Street this winter,

which destroyed the chocolate manufactory of Mr. John Ferguson and his

dwelling house. The fire companies of Halifax at this time were,

perhaps, the most useful institutions in the community. These companies

consisted of several hundred gentlemen each, who formed themselves into

a company for the purpose of rendering assistance at fires. Each member

provided himself with a leather cap, two or three buckets, canvas bags,

etc., on which were painted the name of the owner and device of the

company. The members were elected by ballot. They held quarterly

meetings and occasionally dined together, and gave annual balls at Mason

Hall. The Heart and Hand and the Hand in Hand Companies were the oldest,

but the Sunfire Company was the most exclusive. The Phoenix Company

was also very efficient, being composed chiefly of young tradesmen of

the town. The Engine Company was a very ancient institution, and

tolerably efficient, considering the kind of machinery they had to work

with. The Axe Company, as now, was composed of carpenters and others

suitable for such work at fires. It was customary for the soldiers in

garrison to turn out at fires and form lines with the inhabitants for

the conveyance of water by buckets, handed through the lines from the

harbor or the wells and tanks of the town. One feature which is now

never seen at fires was the guard which was furnished by the military to

take charge of the property removed to the streets from the burning

houses. Scarcely a pile of furniture or goods could be observed without

a sentry over it with fixed bayonet pacing up and down. The supply of

water was principally drawn from the wells and pumps which were kept in

order by the Magistrates of the town. These pumps have been before

noticed. The inhabitants of the suburbs, however, depended for good

water on their private wells. Almost every house in Brunswick and

Lockman Streets had a good well in the garden or near the house. The

north suburb lots were of very large dimensions; fruit gardens were

numerous; the plum, the Dutch cherry and red and black currants were

raised in abundance. The caterpillar and other vermin which now infest

the fruit gardens had then not been imported.

Among the names of merchants who were carrying on business this year in

Halifax we notice those of John Pryor, father of the late City Judge,

Henry Pryor, William Strachan, White, Creighton & Co., Ironware

Merchants, Wallace & Russell, Hardware and Wines, at the corner of

Hollis and Prince Streets, now occupied by the Union Bank; Prescott &

Calkin, Fruits, etc., in Granville Street; James Leishman & Co., Woolen

Ware, lately from Glasgow; Hartshorne, Boggs & Co., Hardware, etc., at

the old stand, corner of Granville and George Streets, and S. & W.

DeBlois at the opposite corner. The firm of Hartshorne & Boggs existed

for many years. The head of the firm, the Hon. Lawrence Hartshorne,

retiring from business, the name was altered to Boggs & Hartshorne; the

late Thomas Boggs became head of the business and Lawrence Hartshorne,

Jr., afterwards County Treasurer, was junior partner. The business

continued until the old corner building was taken down, about the year

184-, and replaced by the fine stone edifice erected by Mr. George E.

Morton on the site.

Scarff & Bain, afterwards James Bain[81] & Co., carried on an extensive

importing business at the corner now occupied by W. & C. Silver. James

Romans, Boots and Shoes, who succeeded Mr. McNab at the old corner of

Granville and Prince Streets, lately owned by Mr. Robert Romans, who

succeeded his father in the business; John Witham and Thomas Donaldson,

the former Groceries and Wines, the latter Confectionery, were

fashionable resorts on the lower side of Granville Street. Mrs. Jane

Donaldson carried on the business after the death of her husband and

finally retired to her residence at Birch Cove on the Basin, which had

been purchased from the late Andrew Belcher on his leaving the province

for England. Sherwood, which was built by Bishop Stanser, was also the

property of Mrs. Donaldson. The late William Donaldson afterwards sold

it to Thomas Kenny, Esq. James Donaldson, the brother of Donaldson of

Granville Street, was also a Confectioner and carried on business at the

corner of George and Barrington Streets, now occupied by Cragg Bros.,

opposite the Parade, and was afterwards succeeded by the late Adam

Esson. The principal auctioneers were Bowie & DeBlois, Moody & Boyle,

Fillis & Perkins, and Charles Hill & Co. The latter carried on business

in Bedford Row near the corner of Sackville Street. Among the dry goods

stores were Israel Allison & Co., Carnot & Alport, where Mr. Duffus

afterwards erected his stone building; Thomas Cleary, M. G. Black,

Winkworth Allen & Co., in Cochran's Buildings near the market. Among the

importing and West India merchants, Abram Cunard & Co., Lawrence Doyle,

Collins & Allison, Collins' Wharf; James Forman, Sr., James and Michael

Tobin, Tobin's Wharf; Thom, Salter & Co., Ship Chandlery.

[Footnote 81: Mr. Bain married a daughter of the late Benjamin Salter

and grand daughter of Malachi Salter, one of the first Members of

Assembly for Halifax, the ancestor of Mr. Benjamin Salter of this city.]

A court for the summary trial of actions in the town was established

this year. The Commissioners named by the Governor and Council were

James Forman, Richard Tremain, William Minns, Charles Boggs and James

Tobin. The Commission bears date in April of this year.

In addition to the public schools before mentioned, Mr. Thomas Crosskill

kept a good school for young men in rear of the Acadian School, entrance

from Barrington Street; his classes were more advanced than those of Mr.

Bromley. Mr. Addison kept his classical academy in Marchington's Lane.

There were several schools for young girls. Miss Wenman kept a school

for small children in Granville Street; she was one of those who were

burned out in the great fire before mentioned. Mrs. Henry in Barrington

Street and Mrs. McCage, for young ladies, also in Barrington Street, in

the brick house lately the property of Mrs. Doctor Slayter.

On the 25th April, 1818, a public meeting was called to petition the

British Government to make Halifax a free port so that foreigners might

have access and take cargoes of the produce of the country or

merchandise imported into it; accordingly, on the 27th May, an order of

the Prince Regent in Council was obtained making Halifax and St. John,

New Brunswick, free ports. Halifax was declared by proclamation of the

Governor bearing date August 13th.

At the request of the inhabitants of the town an Act of the Legislature

was obtained this year authorizing the leasing of 25 acres of the Common

for a period of 999 years at a small ground rent. The lots were each 60

feet in front by 330 feet deep. These lots were gradually disposed of

and the broad street known as Spring Garden Road was laid out with the

lots fronting on it. Very few of these lots were built on at first, and

not until many years after was there any appearance of improvement in

this part of the town. The only residence westward of the General's

quarters was the house of old Colonel Pyke, the Police Magistrate, which

stood in the field next his brewery.

About this time the late John Stayner, of Water Street, commenced to

erect the building known Brookside, afterwards the residence of the late

Hon. Joseph Allison. Many years afterwards John Spry Morris, the

Surveyor General, erected the building, and planted the trees, lately

occupied by D. Cronan. The fields on the west side of Queen Street,

opposite the General's quarters, known as Pedley's Fields, or

Smidtville, were not then built upon and the whole space from the

present line of Queen Street to the Tower Road was occupied as pasture

for cattle. Queen Street led up to Fort Massey military burial ground;

it was covered with grass and seldom used except for military funerals.

Owing to the frequent alarms of fire and other disturbances in the town

this winter, the Magistrates made application to the Legislature for an

Act to establish a night watch, and accordingly, on the 5th May, a

nightly watch was established by order of the Governor and Council for

three months.

During the spring of 1818 and the previous autumn, several vessels

arrived in this port with emigrants from Europe, many of whom were found

to be in a most destitute condition. They could not be permitted to

remain a burden on the town and the Governor and Council advanced funds

to assist their removal to the country, and Mr. Samuel Cunard and Mr.

Michael Tobin were intrusted with the funds for the purpose.

"On the 9th February there remained of these emigrants in town only 20

families and 30 single men. Their distress and that of the humbler

classes in the town this winter induced the Governor to place L.100 more

in the hands of Messrs. Tobin and Cunard to be used by them to mitigate

the suffering of the poor in general. They, in consequence, established

for a time a public soup house, beginning with 50 gallons of soup a day;

but in three days they were obliged to double the quantity, finding that

50 pounds beef and vegetables, producing 100 gallons a day, did not more

than answer the demand. The fitting up of the place and eight days'

issue cost over L.50, and they supposed the money would be all gone in a

fortnight more. They attended constantly in person at the daily issues

and say that 500 daily partook of the gift. They estimated that L.200

more would be required to keep up the establishment until the pressure

of want should be alleviated in some other way. The first L.50 was paid

out of the Arms Fund, L.100 from the Treasury, and the House voted L.200

on 10th February for temporary relief of the poor at

Halifax."--[Murdoch.]

Eight armed fishing vessels were seized this summer by the ships of war

on the station, and brought into the Harbor of Halifax. Five were

released and three condemned in the Court of Vice-Admiralty.

A general election occurred this year. The poll for the County and Town

of Halifax was opened at the County Court House on Monday, 15th June,

and continued until Wednesday, when one of the candidates, Mr. Richard

Kidston, having withdrawn, the other two, Mr. John Albro' and Mr. H. H.

Cogswell were returned. Capt. Thomas Maynard, R. N., was Sheriff this

year. He resided in the old house in Jacob Street formerly known as the

Grenadier Fort, which stood on the spot where the Trinity Church has

since been erected.

Among the events of the year worthy of notice was the appearance of

Anthony H. Holland, proprietor of the Acadian Recorder newspaper, (which

had been established in 1813) at the Bar of the Assembly to answer

charges of having published severe animadversions on public affairs,

particularly from some remarks relative to Edward Mortimer, one of the

County members, for which Mr. Holland suffered a short imprisonment.

This affair, with the letters of Agricola, which now began to appear in

the same paper brought that paper into public notice.

A Bill was introduced into the House of Assembly this session by Mr.

Shaw, who resided near the Three Mile House, for lighting Water Street,

but it does not appear that the object was effected.

Paper money, issued from the Provincial Treasury, had been for some time

in circulation and had to some extent taken the place of the Spanish

Silver, which had been, heretofore, the only circulating medium in the

town.

During the month of February this year, the harbor was blocked up with

float ice as far down as George's Island. Between 13th and 20th, persons

crossed from Dartmouth on the ice at the Narrows.

In the "good old days when George the Third was king," his birthday, the

4th June, was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Halifax. A levy at

Government House, a review of the troops, and sometimes the militia on

the common, and a royal salute from the Battery and shipping in harbor,

terminating with a ball in the evening.

This year the officers of the 3rd Halifax militia regiment gave a dinner

at the Exchange Coffee House in the large room lately occupied by the

Corporation as a Council Chamber. The North British Society also dined

together on St. Andrew's day at Mason's hall. Lord Dalhousie, and all

the heads of departments, civil and military, and Bishop Burke attended.

Judge Brenton Halliburton was President, and Geo. Mitchell

Vice-president.

Dr. Burke had been officiating priest at St. Peter's, the old Roman

Catholic church which stood on the present St. Mary's grounds at the

head of Salter Street. He was this year appointed Bishop for this

province under the title of Bishop of Zion. He was consecrated at

Quebec on the 5th July. Dr. Burke was a very popular clergyman, was

highly thought of in the town and was very remarkable for his

hospitality, great benevolence, and Christian self-denial and care for

the poor. Though on several occasions engaged in theological

controversies with Dr. McCulloch of Pictou and others, he never

permitted those differences of opinion to interfere with that kindly and

gentlemanly intercourse with his friends for which he was so remarkable.

On the 15th December this year the Agricultural Society of Nova Scotia

was inaugurated at a public meeting held at Masons' Hall. The Earl of

Dalhousie presided, the Hon. S. B. Robie, Judge Brenton Halliburton,

Rev. Dr. Inglis, afterwards Bishop, and S. G. W. Archibald addressed the

meeting. Resolutions were passed for the organization of the society,

Lord Dalhousie appointed President, and John Young, the author of the

letters of Agricola, was appointed Secretary with a good salary. Chief

Justice Blowers was named as Vice-president, and a Committee of twenty

named to manage the business.

Mr. Placide's theatre at Fairbanks' wharf was again in full operation

this winter; Mrs. Young was the favorite actress, and young Mr. William

Blake, a native of the town who joined the Company, acquired much

popularity. Mr. Blake afterwards visited Halifax as manager of a company

of play actors, about 1830 or '31.

Mr. John Black[82] and James Fraser, two wealthy Halifax merchants, were

this year appointed to His Majesty's Council. Mr. Black was senior

member of the firm of Black, Forsythe & Co., afterwards known as Fiddis,

May & Robinson. This business was carried on for many years on the wharf

at the foot of Prince Street, lately the property of George Mitchell.

Mr. Fraser[83] carried on business near Commercial wharf. His residence

was on the upper side of Water Street nearly opposite his place of

business. His garden extended into Argyle Street, and occupied the

space on which the Salem Chapel stood.

[Footnote 82: Mr. Black's daughter was the wife of the late Hon. Jas. B.

Uniacke. Mr. B. built the handsome stone mansion near Government House

in Hollis Street, afterwards the residence of Bishop Binney. The granite

with which this house was built was brought from Aberdeenshire. Mr.

William Black, his son, removed to Scotland.]

[Footnote 83: The Hon. James Fraser married a daughter of Mr. DeWolf of

Windsor, his eldest son James D. Fraser, was for many years member of

Assembly for Windsor, and his second son was Dr. Benjamin D. Fraser, of

Windsor. His eldest daughter married Hon. Chas. Gore, afterwards Gen.

Sir Chas. Gore. G. C. B., and her daughter married the Earl of Errol, a

Scotch peer. Another daughter became the wife of the Right Rev. Dr.

Suther, Bishop of Aberdeen.]

CENSUS OF THE TOWN OF HALIFAX, TAKEN 1816-17.

Men, 3114, males under 16 years of age, 2120, Total males 5234

Females, total 5177

-----

10411

Colored population, males 391, females 324 745

-----

Total population of the town 11156

MEMO:--Population in 1752,--4249.

" " 1791,--4897.

In the spring of 1819 the excavations at the north end of the Grand

Parade were commenced for the erection of Dalhousie College. A grant

under the great seal of the province, of a part of the parade ground had

been made to Trustees as a site for the college in August 1818. The

Legislature at their sitting in February, voted L.2000 towards the

erection of the building and a sum of L.3000, part of the Castine fund

before mentioned, was also appropriated to the building, the balance

together with an additional vote of L.2000 from the province being

invested for the support of the college.

The space known as the Grand Parade had been reserved for military and

other necessary purposes on laying out the town in 1749. It had never

been military property or claimed by the military authorities, but was

originally reserved as a place of muster for the militia of the town,

though used also by the King's troops for mounting guard. An old

building originally erected on the upper side of the space next Argyle

Street for an Artillery barrack, was remaining there as late as 1777,

and ranges of cannon appear in front of it in the old pictures of the

town about that date. Prince Edward when General Commanding at Halifax

had the parade ground walled up and a new rail or fence erected. The

surface was levelled and the wall built at the north end bringing the

surface high above Duke and Barrington streets; ice houses were built

under this wall which were occupied by Mrs. Jane Donaldson, Confectioner

of Granville street. This wall was removed to make way for the

foundation of the college building. It had always been asserted as a

right on the part of the inhabitants of the town, that a free,

unobstructed way for foot passengers should be kept open across the

centre of the old parade from one part of George street to the other,

and wooden steps had been provided soon after the wall along the upper

side had been erected and a gate and turn stile at the town side for the

accommodation of the public.[84] There was a high wooden rail around the

parade painted red.

[Footnote 84: The Grand Parade as it is called, like other spaces

reserved in 1749 for public purpose, such as the old burial ground,

public landing, the common, etc., had been used for the purpose to which

it was originally appropriated but the title had been supposed not to

have passed out of the Crown. Towards the close of the last century it

was thought advisable to vest all the public property in Trustees under

several grants from the Crown for that purpose; accordingly a grant was

made of the parade ground to certain public officials and their

successors in office, to be held by them for the public purposes for

which it had been originally reserved. This grant with all the others

had been constructed under the supervision of old Attorney General

Uniacke and of Chief Justice Blowers, but it having been afterwards

discovered that none of the public officials to whom it was granted

possessed the corporate powers and therefore had no succession in law,

and the original incumbents at the time of the grant being all dead, it

was concluded that the title had lapsed to the Crown. Lord Dalhousie,

Mr. Wallace and a few others in their exuberant zeal for the erection of

a college on the Scotch model, undertook to have another grant from the

Crown passed of the whole or part of the parade ground to the Governors

of the College, reserving, it is understood, certain privileges over a

portion of the ground to the public.

The Governors of Dalhousie College claimed under this grant. The City

contends that the old grant was not forfeited and that this space among

other public property appertaining to the town was under the Act of

Incorporation turned over to the city. That in order to create a legal

forfeiture there must be process of Escheat gone through, and further,

that though the public functionaries to whom it was granted were not

possessed of corporate rights or had any succession of their offices in

law, yet the fact of their having been by Royal patent constituted

trustees of the property, by inference of law the Crown intended to make

them a corporation for that particular purpose, and that their

successors in the various offices they held, or the successor of any one

of them, would possess the power of supporting the grant. Otherwise the

object of the Crown in making the grant would be defeated, and as Crown

grants are always constituted in law most favorably for the Crown, it

might be inferred that the Crown intended to support its grant by

constituting those public officers and their successors in office a

corporation with succession for that special purpose. Later the dispute

was settled by private arrangement.]

The Province Building being now finished, the Courts of Justice and the

Public Offices were removed from Cochran's building, and the

Legislature, which met on the 11th February, took possession of the

chambers appropriated to the Council and Assembly with all due ceremony.

The reduction of the Dockyard establishment this year was a great loss

to the town. A large force of workmen were discharged, many of whom were

thrown out of employ without any provision from government.

The project for the removal of the Dockyard to Bermuda was found in many

respects not to have realized the advantages contemplated by the change.

It was removed at the time that one of the Admirals on the Station had

taken offence at some occurrences in the town and had used his influence

to effect the change.

A few years afterwards the Shears, a gigantic apparatus at the Dockyard,

for throwing down vessels, was demolished. The Shears was a very

conspicuous object, and stood so high that it could be seen from most

parts of the town. It is still in the recollection of many of our older

citizens. The Royal Standard floated from the staff which surmounted the

Shears on the King's and Queen's birthdays and other public holidays.

The Dockyard of Halifax, as mentioned in a previous chapter, was first

established in the year 1758. The present wall was first erected in 1769

and bears the date of 1770 over the gate, but it has been improved and

some portions rebuilt since that time.

Anthony H. Holland built a paper mill at the head of the Basin this

year, on the stream near the opening of the Hammonds Plains Road. The

paper made here was used for his newspaper, and the various pamphlets

which issued from Holland's press and occasionally by other newspapers.

It was of a very inferior quality. The brown paper, however, used for

shop purposes, was of a tolerably good description. It was the first

paper manufactory set on foot in Nova Scotia. It was kept up for many

years after the death of Holland.

On the night of the 11th of November a fire broke out in the Naval

Hospital adjoining the Dockyard, which destroyed several buildings. In

consequence of the removal of the Naval Station the space remained

unbuilt on for many years.

The Magistrates of the town, in session in December, voted a portrait of

Chief Justice Blowers. It was painted by a Mr. Drake in full dress, wig,

and scarlet gown. This picture occupies a place in the Legislative

Chamber, with that of Chief Justice Sir Thomas Strange, by Benjamin

West, late President of the Royal Academy.

Among the promotions which appeared in the Royal Gazette this year we

find the appointment of Mr. Hibbert N. Binney[85] to His Majesty's

Council.

[Footnote 85: Mr. Binney was a native of the town. He was the father of

the late Edward Binney and Grandfather of the late Bishop of Nova

Scotia. His residence was at the corner of Hollis and Salter Streets,

opposite that of the late Honorable William Lawson. The old house was

removed some years since to make way for a range of wooden three-story

buildings, erected by Henry G. Hill, along the east side of Hollis

Street. Mr. Binney was many years Collector of Imports and Excise at

Halifax.]

An event occurred in the month of July which cast a gloom over the whole

community. Mr. Richard J. Uniacke, junior son of the Attorney-General of

that name, a member of the Bar, in his address to the jury at a trial

before the Supreme Court, made some observations offensive to Mr.

William Bowie, of the firm of Bowie and DeBlois; a challenge from Mr.

Bowie was the consequence, and on the morning of Wednesday, following

the 21st July, the community was startled by the announcement that Mr.

Bowie had been mortally wounded. The duel was fought in the grove at the

Governor's north farm, near the Lady Hammond Road. Mr. Bowie was carried

to the house at the corner, then or afterwards occupied by Mrs. McNeil

as a tea house, where he died in a few hours, the bullet having entered

his right side below the rib. Mr. Uniacke and the two seconds, Stephen

W. DeBlois and Edward McSweeny, were indicted for murder and tried the

same term, and were acquitted by the jury of the capital offence. This

was the first criminal trial of importance which took place in the

Province Building. The Court Room at the time, now the Legislative

Library, comprised the three rooms overhead, lately used by the keeper

of the building. A large gallery then surrounded the Court Room on three

sides. This gallery was removed in 1827 or 1828, the height of the Court

Room reduced, and the upper space made into three rooms, which were

appropriated to the Law Library, Admiralty Records, etc. This

unfortunate duel excited much feeling in the town, and some blame was

attached to the seconds who promoted or advised the parties to fire a

second time, when a reconciliation might have been effected. The

combatants were both gentlemen highly esteemed for their amiable

qualities. Bowie was a handsome young man and very popular for his

social qualities. He was buried from his lodgings in town, and his

funeral was said to have been more numerously attended than any within

the recollection of the oldest inhabitants. Mr. Uniacke afterwards

became a Judge of the Supreme Court. The recollection of the sad event

is supposed to have shortened his life. He died at the early age of 45.

Judge Uniacke was one of the handsomest men Halifax ever produced, was

more popular than any other of his family, several of whom were in

public positions.

1820. On 7th April, King George IV. was proclaimed at Halifax. The

ceremony was performed by the Governor, Council, and such Members of the

House of Assembly as remained in town, together with the Magistrates,

the Grand Jury, and a number of private citizens, proceeding to the

Council Chamber, where the proclamation was signed by the Governor,

Councillors, and others. David Shaw Clarke, the Clerk of the Peace,

acted as Herald, accompanied by the High Sheriff in a carriage, escorted

by a body of troops. The proclamation was read by the Herald in the

Market Square, at St. Paul's Church, and on the Military Parade in

Brunswick Street in front of the officers' old barracks. A royal salute

was fired and the procession then returned to the Province Building,

where the proclamation was again read. The Royal Standard, which had

been flying on the citadel, was then lowered to half-mast and minute

guns fired from George's Island, there being none mounted on the hill at

the time on account of the decease of the late King George III. Sermons

were preached in all the places of worship and the inhabitants of the

town went into mourning.

The House of Assembly being dissolved by the death of the Sovereign, a

public meeting of the freeholders of the Township was held at the

Exchange[86] Coffee House on the 3rd May for the nomination of the

candidates to represent the town. Richard Tremaine, Esq., was called to

the chair. Mr. Stephen W. DeBlois nominated John Pryor and George

Grassie. Mr. Cogswell, the former member, retired, also Mr. James Forman

and Mr. John Young, both of whom had been suggested. John Albro', one of

the former members, led the poll at the close of the election, Pryor and

Grassie stood even. Captain Maynard, the Sheriff, made a special return

of the facts. It was said that the last vote polled was that of the

Sheriff, who first declared the poll closed and then voted for Mr.

Grassie, which placed the candidates even. On the validity of his vote

rested the question of the majority. The election lasted three days and

closed on Saturday evening. At the close the poll stood, Albro, 453;

Grassie and Pryor, each 395. Freeholders or owners of real estate only

had the privilege of voting at this period. The new House met on 12th

November following, and Mr. Pryor having died in the interim the House

ordered the return of Mr. Grassie.

[Footnote 86: The building afterwards used as the City Hall was then

called the Exchange.]

William Lawson, Simon B. Robie, Samuel G. W. Archibald, and George Smith

were returned for the County. Mr. Robie was elected Speaker of the new

House. Mr. Smith resided in Pictou, the other three in Halifax. Pictou

and Colchester then formed part of the County of Halifax.

The walls of the new College had now been built up even with the

surface of the parade ground, and it was arranged that the corner stone

should be laid with proper ceremony by Lord Dalhousie, the patron and

originator of the scheme. Accordingly, on the 22nd May, 1820, the troops

in the garrison were turned out and formed a double line from the

Province Building to the Grand Parade. The Freemasons, under the Grand

Master, John George Pyke, proceeded from Mason Hall along Barrington

Street and formed a square on the Parade. About 2 o'clock, Governor

Dalhousie, the Admiral, the officers of the Governor's Staff, with the

Members of His Majesty's Council, the Magistrates of the town, and a

number of leading inhabitants, proceeded through the line of troops to

the south-east corner of the building. Dr. J. T. Twining, the Grand

Chaplain, offered a prayer, after which a brass plate containing the

necessary inscriptions and a quantity of coins, were placed under the

stone, after which the Earl addressed the meeting and explained the

objects contemplated in erecting the college. The stone was then laid

with all due Masonic ceremony. A royal salute was fired from the forts

and the whole was concluded by a ball and supper at Government House.

On the 24th May, the corner stone of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

was laid with full religious ceremonies by Bishop Burke. The old church

of St. Peter, usually known as "the chapel" was a small wooden building

painted red. It stood opposite the head of Salter Street, inside a rail,

and was approached by a gate and turn stile. This old building was the

first Roman Catholic place of worship in Halifax. It was built some time

between 1785 and 1790. It was removed soon after the new building was

ready for occupation.

On the 29th November, Bishop Burke died in the 78th year of his age. He

was laid out in state in his Episcopal robes and mitre for several days.

Bishop Burke was succeeded by Dr. Fraser, Bishop of Tanen in partibus.

He resided at Antigonish. Mr. Miniot was parish priest at this time; he

was succeeded by Mr. O'Brien and afterwards by Mr. Lochnan, etc., until

the appointment of Bishop Walsh. The St. Mary's Cathedral crept on

slowly for many years for want of funds, but was finished according to

the original plan about the time of the appointment of Bishop Walsh.

The Earl of Dalhousie having been appointed Governor General of Canada

on the death of the Duke of Richmond, a farewell ball was given to him

and his Countess by the officers of the garrison on 28th May, and on

31st the inhabitants presented him with an address. On the first of

June, his successor in the Government, Sir James Kempt, arrived at

Halifax in the Phaeton, frigate, Capt. Montague, 42 days from England. He

landed at the King's Wharf, and was driven to Government House. At 3

o'clock the same day he went to the Council Chamber, where he was sworn

into office.

On the 5th, Lord Dalhousie embarked for Canada. The flank companies of

the First Halifax Regiment of Militia, under the command of Capts. John

Liddell and John Pyke, attended on the wharf as a guard of honor. Sir

James Kempt brought with him as A. D. C., Major Charles Gore, afterwards

General Sir C. Gore, G. C. B., Lord Frederick Lenox, a younger son of

the Duke of Richmond, who lately died in Canada, and Major Couper,

afterwards Sir George Couper, Comptroller of the Household of the

Duchess of Kent, the Queen's mother. Sir James Kempt was one of Lord

Wellington's Officers in the peninsular war. He commanded a brigade at

the Battle of Waterloo, and after the death of Sir Thomas Picton, the

General of Division, who was killed early in the action, the command of

the division fell to him.

The only other occurrences worthy of notice during this year were the

dinner given to Governor Dalhousie by the inhabitants of the town, which

took place at Masons' Hall on 17th June, the Hon. Michael Wallace in the

chair, and John George Pyke, Vice. Sir John Wentworth, Baronet, the

former Governor, died this year at his residence, Mrs. Flieger's, Hollis

Street. His death took place on 8th April. He was in his 84th year. He

was succeeded in his Baronetcy by his son, Charles Mary Wentworth, a

native of Halifax, who had retired to England, where he held some

subordinate office under Government. At his death, unmarried, the title

became extinct. By his will, he gave the old villa and grounds on the

Basin, built by the Duke of Kent, to Mrs. Gore, the novelist, who was a

distant relative of his family.

A Fair and Cattle show was held by the Agricultural Society on 6th

September on Camp Hill. The Governor distributed the prizes. John

Young, John Albro', William Young, John Starr, Peter McNab and Frederick

Major, Esquires, were Judges of the cattle.

1820-21. This winter was, if anything, more severe than the three

preceding. Early in January the harbor became frozen over, and by the

20th the ice extended to Meagher's Beach and was sufficiently strong to

bear sleighs. By the 27th the ice formed a firm bridge between Halifax

and Dartmouth, over which a continuous line of sleighs, teams and foot

passengers might be seen on market days. Skating and sleighing parties

were numerous. The Governor, Sir James Kempt, drove tandem almost to

McNab's Island, and the double sleigh of Judge Brenton Halliburton, in

passing over a weak spot in the ice, fell through but was rescued

without damage to the horses or the ladies in the sleigh. The navigation

was completely stopped for several weeks. A passage was, however, cut

from Cunard's wharf to the mouth of the harbor with much labor and

expense, to permit the Government Brig Chebucto to proceed on her

cruise. This little brig was owned by A. Cunard & Sons, and was employed

by the Imperial Government in cruising along the shores of the province

to protect the fishery, and at the same time to enable the officers of

Government to visit the outposts, and was occasionally employed on

special service to proceed to Quebec and other places with despatches,

etc. The channel through the ice by which this vessel was taken out, and

which ran along close to the wharves, was afterwards kept open while the

ice remained, and a boat and two rafts were used to convey over

passengers and sleighs.

On the 17th September, a fire occurred in the town, which destroyed

nearly all the buildings on the eastern side of Barrington Street,

between Sackville Street and Blowers Street and extended back into

Granville Street, where several houses were consumed. Most of the

buildings destroyed were old and delapidated except those at the corner

of Granville and Sackville Streets occupied by Mr. Liswell's Bakery,

etc. There were in all about 24 houses consumed. A large portion of the

burned district remained for many years after unbuilt upon.

It was customary at this time for the dress companies of the militia to

give balls. On 23rd January the Grenadier and Light Companies of the 1st

Halifax Regiment gave a ball at Mason Hall at which 300 persons were

present. The regiment was commanded by Hon. T. N. Jeffery, the Collector

of the Customs, who had only lately succeeded old Col. J. G. Pyke in the

command. John Liddell commanded the Grenadiers and Brevet Major John

Pyke, the Light Company. Lieut.-Col. Richard Tremain commanded the Town

Artillery.

The condition of the transient poor of the town was very sad this

winter. An organized system of relief known as the Poor Man's Friend

Society, was instituted. The town was divided into wards, and three or

four gentlemen volunteered in each ward to visit the poor throughout the

winter months. A soup house was established, and other arrangements made

to meet the objects intended. This society continued for about six or

seven years. In 1824 Beamish Murdoch was its secretary. The following

year William Young (the late Chief Justice) was acting secretary.

A large issue of paper money by the province took place in 1820. Silver

change was almost driven out of circulation by the issue of small notes,

many at one dollar, at 2s. 6d., and even at 1s. 3d. These notes were

issued by private individuals upon their own credit and responsibility.

Those of William Lawson and Adam Esson were the most numerous. The

doubloon was at this time established at L.4 currency, and the Spanish

dollar at five shillings. The price of flour had fallen to twenty-seven

shillings and six pence per barrel.

An anonymous pamphlet was published from the press of A. H. Holland,

charging the magistrates of the town with malpractices, which caused

much excitement. It was discovered to have been written by Mr. William

Wilkie, of Halifax. He was indicted for libel, tried at the Easter term

of the Supreme Court, found guilty and sentenced to two years

imprisonment with hard labor in the House of Correction. This was

esteemed a most tyrannical and cruel proceeding on the part of the

government. The pamphlet was a very paltry offence, such as at the

present day would be passed over with contempt. Wilkie, though not a

person of much esteem, yet being a member of a respectable family in the

community, should have been spared the indignities thrown upon him by

Chief Justice Blowers and the other Judges of the Supreme Court. After

the sentence was known, the sympathy in his favor was very general

throughout the town.

The reaction after the peace had reduced the price of agricultural

produce, not only in Halifax but throughout the province. The West India

trade, then the chief branch of commerce, had begun again to be

prosperous, and the merchants were looking forward to profitable

voyages. But the value of real estate had so fallen that sales were made

in the body of the town for much less than half the cost of the

buildings. This state of things continued for several years, and very

few new buildings were erected between 1819 and 1823. The population was

about 15,000, but the number of houses did not exceed 1,600.

The market square at this period presented a very different appearance

from what it does at present. A low wooden building stood on the site of

the present brick market house. The roof was originally flat and

afterwards a pitched roof was added. The butchers' stalls in this old

building were very convenient, perhaps more so than those in the new

market house. The cellars of this building fronting on Water Street were

let for the benefit of the town, and the south end was, some time after

this, occupied by Mr. Alexander McLeod as a liquor store and grocery for

many years. The ground in front of the market wharf and market slip was

much lower than at present, and also that part of Water Street between

the old City Court House and Stayner's Wharf, all which was filled up

about 1830 or, perhaps, a year or two later. A range of shops under the

Court House before this alteration in the streets afforded a large

revenue to the town, but their value as places of business was destroyed

when the street was raised, and though partially occupied afterwards,

they proved damp and unfit for storage of goods. The truckmen, who were

then very numerous, ranged their trucks and carts in lines in the square

fronting the meat market (there being no other stand allowed) and in

cold weather they might be seen, in the afternoons, when not engaged in

trucking, amusing themselves with the game of football. Two liquor

stores, one at the head of the market, on Beamish's Wharf, and the other

at the opposite corner, now known as Laidlaw's corner, kept by Samuel

and David Muirhead, were the chief places where spirits and beer were

retailed to the truckmen and fishermen. In front of these shops were

ranges of apple and cake stalls kept by old women, where also gull eggs

and lobsters boiled hard could be had by the fishermen and shallop men

from the wharves. The red woollen night cap was generally worn in those

days by the market fishermen and the people from the coasting vessels.

The sidewalks throughout the town with the exception of part of Water

Street, were all of wood. The old platform on George Street, between

Granville and Hollis Streets, was known as Hartshorne's platform.

Messrs. Hartshorne & Boggs occupied a range of wooden buildings at the

corner of Granville Street, since replaced by the stone building erected

by George E. Morton and now occupied by Knowles' Bookstore. On the lower

corner, known as Martin Gay Black's corner, there stood an old

gamble-roofed house on a high green bank occupied by Mrs. Hart as a dry

goods store, and afterwards by T. & S. Greenwood, watchmakers. This old

building was about this time replaced by another which afterwards made

way for the handsome free stone building erected by the late Martin Gay

Black.[87] This platform was the resort of merchants and others who

congregated there in the mornings for a short walk and to talk over the

news. A large ship gun did duty as a post at Hartshorne & Boggs' corner,

and another at Black's, and formed a nucleus for loungers--not smokers,

for smoking was strictly prohibited in the streets of Halifax at this

time by the Magistrates of the town. Opposite, near the Province

Building rail, was the old town pump mentioned above, known as Black's

pump, remarkable for its good water, where dozens of boys and girls

might be seen towards evening getting water for tea. The old wooden

range known as Cochran's building, which occupied the site of the

present Dominion building, had been only lately evacuated by the

Legislative Assemblies and the Courts of Law, and was now being fitted

up for shops. Among those who first occupied shops in this building were

Winkworth Allen, who afterwards went to England, Mr. David Hare, who

afterwards became the purchaser of the property; W. A. Mackinlay, on the

north side, and Clement H. Belcher, at the north-west corner, both well

known stationers and booksellers, occupied their respective shops a

long time, the latter for more than twenty years. At the opposite

corner, to the south, on Hollis Street, stood a large three story

building erected by the late James Hamilton, who carried on an extensive

dry goods business. It was afterwards sold to Burns & Murray, who

erected the present handsome freestone edifice on the corner. Mr.

William A. Black kept his watchmaker's establishment at the corner

below, now occupied by the P. Walsh Hardware Co. The old Halifax Journal

office occupied a wooden building at the corner of George and Granville

Streets, where the stone store of T. & E. Kenny now is. Mr. Benjamin

Etter had his watchmaker's shop at the corner of George and Barrington

Streets, now known as Crosskill's corner, in the same old wooden

building which has since undergone extensive alterations. Mrs. Donaldson

carried on the confectionery business at the corner opposite and was

succeeded by Adam Esson. There were two Donaldsons, both confectioners,

whose wives carried on the business after the death of their husbands

and accumulated large properties, usually known as upper and lower

Donaldson's; the latter was in Granville Street and was the most

fashionable, being patronized by the military and navy officers during

the war. The parade ground was surrounded by a high wooden rail painted

red and had a gate and two turn stiles opposite George Street; the

latter for foot passengers who claimed the right to pass across the

ground to the steps which led up into Argyle Street, and which still

remain. John Howe kept the Post Office in the old building opposite the

parade later occupied by Mr. Brander, Cabinet Maker. The late Matthew

Richardson a year or two later erected the three story stone building

next to Mrs. Donaldson on the site of the Hon. Andrew Belcher's garden,

which occupied an open space south of Donaldson's or Esson's corner. Mr.

Belcher had, a few years before this, left Halifax to reside in England.

His residence was in Granville Street, the same building formerly owned

and occupied by the late Doctor Hoffman a short distance south of

Kenny's buildings and his garden extended in rear fronting on Barrington

Street. No part of the city has undergone greater changes since this

time than Granville Street. From George Street northward all the old

houses on both sides have been replaced by lofty buildings with some

rare exceptions. Between Romans' corner and the Ordnance Square, the

street at this time was elevated about 20 or 25 feet above the present

level. It was cut down about the year 1830 or 31, (perhaps a little

earlier) and the old shabby buildings on the upper side removed, and

those on the lower side had an additional story added to them below in

consequence of the street being lowered. The whole of this part of

Granville Street has been since twice destroyed by fire and replaced by

the present buildings, at a cost and in a style far beyond the

requirements of the city. Proceeding southward along Hollis Street from

the Province Building, both sides as far as Sackville Street were

occupied by a range of small low buildings. At the corner now occupied

by the Queen stone building, there stood an old gamble roofed house of

one story with a little shop at the corner occupied by a worthy old man,

James Smith, who held the office of Deacon of St. Matthew's Presbyterian

Church, opposite. The other deacon was James Dechman, senior, who was

for many years keeper of the town clock, and resided in the clock

building. These two old worthies have long since gone to their rest. The

latter was father of the late James Dechman, of Halifax, master

carpenter, who died at an advanced age some years ago at his residence

in Bishop Street. The Rev. Dr. Archibald Gray[88] was minister of St.

Matthew's at this time. His place of residence was the old house in

Granville Street, opposite the Province Building, now known as the

Acadian Hotel. Several buildings both in Hollis and Granville Streets,

remnants of the first settlement, stood on high grassy banks with

porches and steps outside and cellar doors on the side of the bank with

plank platforms over the gutters; the porches and steps frequently

projecting out on the side path.

[Footnote 87: This fine stone building has been since pulled down and a

new building for the accommodation of the Merchants' Bank now occupies

the corner.]

[Footnote 88: Dr. Gray married a daughter of Dr. Michael Head and was

father of the late James F. Gray, of the Halifax Bar, many years Clerk

of the House of Assembly.]

The Hon. John Black, a short time previous to the year 1821, built the

fine granite building in Hollis Street north of Government House,

afterwards the property of his son-in-law, Hon. James B. Uniacke, since

the residence of the Bishop of Nova Scotia. The old house within the

railing at the upper corner of Hollis & Salter Streets, lately owned by

Mr. Esson, was then the residence of Hon. William Lawson. It was

originally built by Malachi Salter about 1760, perhaps before. At the

opposite corner stood the residence of the Hon. Hibbert N. Binney,

since removed. At the other corner Mr. Charles R. Fairbanks, some time

Solicitor-General, afterwards Master of the Rolls in Chancery,

son-in-law of Mr. Lawson, had just erected the fine brick building since

occupied as a boarding school for young ladies. The late Samuel Lydiard

Brewer built the iron stone house of three stories south of Mr. Binney's

residence about the same time. The residence of the Hon. Michael

Wallace, Treasurer of the Province, was in Hollis Street immediately

opposite the Government House. It was a wooden building and considered a

first class residence in its time; now altered into two separate

dwelling houses. Trees were common in the streets of Halifax at this

period as has been before mentioned. The stone building in Morris

Street, the residence of Chief Justice Sir Brenton Halliburton, then

Judge Halliburton, had been erected some years before this. Judge

Stewart, his brother-in-law, built the yellow brick building at the

north-west corner of Hollis & Morris Streets, now the residence of a

gentleman of the same name, son of Hon. Alexander Stewart, late Master

of the Rolls and Judge of Admiralty. The Hon. Thos. N. Jeffery,

Collector of the Customs, built and resided in the building later

occupied by Mrs. James Donaldson. The late Bishop Inglis, then Rector of

St. Paul's, owned and occupied the low wooden building nearly opposite

Mr. Jeffery's, since the residence of Mr. Hagarty. At the corner,

opposite Judge Stewart's, was the old gamble roofed house, the residence

of James B. Franklin, son of Governor Franklin. This old fashioned house

still remains as one of the few relics of the early town. The Hon.

Charles Morris built a handsome wooden dwelling house on the south side

of Morris Street, between Hollis and Water Streets, afterwards the

property of Hon. S. G. W. Archibald, Attorney-General and Speaker of the

House of Assembly; since his death occupied as a boarding house. The

late John Trider about the same time built his rough stone house at

Freshwater Bridge. The late John Tremain had a Ropewalk adjoining his

residence on the south side of the road leading up from Freshwater

Bridge, now known as Inglis Street. This property was afterwards

purchased by James Forman, Junior, and the old ropewalk building

removed. The residence of Major Bazelgette at the head of this street

had been originally constructed by John Trider from the materials of the

old Government House which had been removed and the materials sold to

make way for the foundation of the Province Building. It afterwards

became the property of the late John Moody, a merchant in the town, who

sold it to Major Bazelgette about the year 1817 or 1818, who added to

the building and improved the grounds. Mr. Moody purchased the adjoining

grounds and erected a new house; after his failure his residence was

purchased by Hon. Enos Collins, who improved the property and beautified

the surrounding grounds.

Old Fresh Water Bridge, so well known in former times, crossed the

stream from Smith's Tanyard nearly in the same place as the present

abutment. It was a rickety old wooden structure with a rough curb or

rail. It was a favorite resort of the young of both sexes on Sundays and

summer evenings, and the old wooden rail was covered with names and

initial letters carved with the pen knife by visitors. The walk down

Pleasant Street and up the road now known as Inglis Street and round the

new road, as the Tower Road was then called to Pyke's Bridge, and thence

down Spring Garden Road to Government House, was the fashionable

promenade for all classes on Sundays and holidays. The old English

Burial ground was then surrounded by a high, rough stone wall, built

without mortar, which was removed some years after the new cemetery on

Camp Hill was consecrated. The Governor's garden up Spring Garden Road

adjoining the burial ground extended as far as the General's quarters. A

portion of this field was taken for the site of the new Court House and

County Jail. The new Poor House in the opposite space, then lately

erected, was a rough stone building whitewashed on the outside, but the

Work House or House of Correction was the old gamble roof building

probably originally erected as a soldiers' barracks in the days of the

forts, and afterwards used as a Poor House. All these buildings have

been since removed and the ground sold to private speculators, a step

much to be regretted, as the space was very extensive and the most

eligible situation for a public building in the whole city.

The Poor House Burial Ground, at the corner opposite the present new

Court House, was at this time a standing nuisance in consequence of the

want of drainage and the careless manner in which bodies of paupers were

interred. After the law for closing all places of burial in the city had

been carried into operation, this open space was planted with trees and

ground carted in to fill up hollow places, and a substantial wall built

around it. The old tan Yard of Andrew and John Smith was then one of the

most picturesque and secluded spots in the neighborhood of the town. The

stream which turned their mill passed down from the south common through

Smith's Fields, where it formed a pond near the town road, known as the

mill dam, for many years the resort of skaters in winter, continuing

south-eastward to Freshwater Bridge and passing through a range of

willow trees, some of which may still be seen above the present bridge.

Southward from old bridge the road was at this time but a footpath

winding along the shore to Steele's Pond, beyond which it was passable

for carriages. At a very early period, however, there had been a broad

carriage road all along the shore to Point Pleasant, but the earth had

fallen in or been washed away by the tide. Black Rock, a point running

out south from Trider's old lime kiln, was then, and for many years

after, the resort of bathers. There was a fine gravel beach outside the

old Freshwater Bridge leaving a large expanse of gravel when the tide

was out. It was customary for gentlemen's servants, truckmen and others

who came morning and evening to water their horses in the stream above

the bridge to ride their horses in the surf at low water.

That part of the city known as Schmidtville, or Pedley's Fields, west

from Queen Street and the General's quarters, was not laid out into

building lots until many years after the period we are now describing.

The stone house at the corner of Prince and Argyle Streets, opposite the

south-west angle of St. Paul's Church, was originally the mansion of the

Hon. Richard Bulkeley, and is, perhaps, now the oldest stone building in

Halifax; it was purchased about 1818 by H. H. Cogswell, who improved the

old house and resided there until his death in 1854. The stone house at

the opposite corner was built after the close of the war by Dr. William

J. Almon. It afterwards became the residence of his son, Matthew Byles

Almon, who sold it to Dr. Daniel McN. Parker. Proceeding southward along

Argyle Street at the next corner was the handsome residence of Hon.

Richard John Uniacke, who held the office of Attorney General for a

great number of years. This was a wooden building of three stories

originally with a flat roof and a parapet all around with ornaments in

the shape of urns at the corners and in the centre. A roof was put on

this building about the time of the death of old Mr. Uniacke, and the

parapet removed. At the south termination of Argyle Street stood the

residence of Mr. Alexander Creighton, a small low house, and along

Blowers Street, to the west, was a low range of wooden buildings which

had been a soldiers' barracks or guard house. The late Chief Justice

Blowers, about the commencement of the present century, erected the

large wooden building at the corner of Barrington Street, adjoining the

Roman Catholic property, as a residence. After his death it was sold and

became a hotel under the name of the Waverley House. It has since been

purchased and attached to the Roman Catholic church property.

In the year 1821 there were no houses in Gottingen Street, north

suburbs, except the stone house at the corner of the lane leading

westward, some years before built by Major McCola, Town Major of

Halifax, since owned by Mr. R. Duport. A wooden house, a short distance

north of it, built by Peter Hay, Mason, and the old hipped roofed

building at the corner of Gerrish Street, known as the North Pole, still

standing. Mr. Lewis Demolitor had then lately built a large house at the

northern extremity of Brunswick Street, which at that time was

considered a very wild speculation. This is the same house lately the

residence of the Hon. Senator Northup. The late Benjamin Etter also,

about this time, built himself a residence at the corner of North

Street, afterwards the mansion of the late Hon. William A. Black.

Captain Michael Head, R. N., occupied the two story house to the

westward of W. A. Black's property, which a few years before had been

built by the late William Rudolf, of Halifax, and was afterwards the

residence of Commissary General, W. H. Snelling, and afterwards by John

Northup; now or lately known as Belle-Air. Lockman Street then could

boast of very few buildings and was so grown up with grass as in some

places only to afford a narrow path in the centre for pedestrians and

occasionally a stray carriage. The original Lockman Street extended only

from North Street to Gerrish Street, in the rear of what was called the

Dutch Lots; it was afterwards continued southward by consent of the

north suburb lots, as far as Cornwallis Street. The old house, formerly

the residence of Major Leonard Lockman, a German officer, one of the

original settlers, for whom the street was called, stood on the western

side near the northern extremity of the street. It became very

delapidated and was removed some years ago.

In the 1818, or perhaps as late as 1820, that part of the north common

known as Camp Hill, since appropriated as a public cemetery, as also all

the swampy space westward of the drill ground, was in a state of nature,

covered with cradle hills, laurel bushes and ground juniper. The

butchers' boys kept their sheep there, and in autumn the swampy portions

afforded to the sportsmen good ground for snipe, plover and curlew. An

old building, known as the St. Andrew's Cross, stood on the hill at the

corner where Quinpool Road, so-called, now meets the common. On the

opposite side an old two story house called Quinpool, which had been the

residence of a Mr. O'Brien, stood in a field to the north of the road.

This old house became uninhabited and was afterward taken down by Dr.

Cogswell, the proprietor of the property, when he divided the fields

into building lots. There were two main roads leading from town to the

Basin, both meeting at what was called the Three Mile House, a building

erected by Mr. Shaw, a member of Assembly, as a hotel, afterwards known

as Increase Ward's country house. The Wistermont Road was known as the

Blue Bell Road from a very old house with a swinging sign which stood at

the corner before you arrive at the Willow Park property. Mr. John

Young, known as the author of the letters of Agricola, had then lately

purchased this latter place, had improved the house and gardens, and was

commencing to work it as a model farm. Further north were the old Dutch

farms of Philip Bayer and Jacob Shefforth on either side of the road,

surrounded by groups of old willow trees. The Bayer's house has

disappeared, but that of the Shefforth family fell to the late Mr. Henry

Vieth, who repaired the old buildings. The other road, known as the Fort

Needham or Lady Hammond Road, was a prolongation of Gottingen Street.

After passing the farms of the late John and James Merkel, it turned to

the westward down the hill to the shore of the Basin at the Three Mile

House. The Kempt Road had not yet been opened though for some time in

contemplation. Two block houses, the remnant of the old fortifications

of Halifax, overlooked these roads. The first or nearest blockhouse, was

at Fort Needham on the hill south of the Governor's north farm. The

other surmounted the hill just above the cottage of the late John Steel,

called Three Mile Cottage, at the termination of the Blue Bell Road,

near the present Three Mile Church. The old house at the Governor's

north farm known as Lady Hammond's house was then in good repair, since

fallen down. This house was erected by Lieut. Governor Hammond as a

country residence for his family. The north farm, as it was called,

extended eastward to the shores of the narrows and included the beech

grove near the old railway station. This beautiful grove has been lately

cut up by one of the Government Railway Superintendents who caused

building lots to be laid off and sold in the grove. This fine collection

of trees has been carefully preserved for nearly a century, and had been

the scene of many festivities, and was associated with very many

pleasing events in the minds of the older citizens.

The common was the usual resort of a large portion of the inhabitants on

a Sunday afternoon during the summer months. It had been the custom for

many years, and had continued to be so until discontinued by Governor

Maitland, for the whole garrison, which usually consisted of service

companies of three regiments, a part of artillery, and a company of

sappers and marines, to parade on the common every Sunday afternoon at

three o'clock during the summer season. The Governor and his staff

attended and the whole brigade, with their regimental colors, and the

artillery, with their field pieces, formed a line and were inspected by

the Governor or Commander-in-chief, after which they marched around the

drill ground, passing before him at slow time, saluting him in open

column of companies. No booths, however, were allowed on the common for

the sale of refreshments except on the King's and Queen's birthdays,

when grand reviews came off.

Sunday presented a gay scene at Halifax in those days. There being then

no garrison chapel for the troops, the regiments in garrison, preceded

by their brass bands playing, marched in full dress to St. Paul's and

St. George's churches amid the ringing of bells and the sound of martial

music. The carriage of the Governor (who was then always a general

officer) in full military costume, with his aides-de-camp, drove up to

the south door of St. Paul's, the whole staff having first assembled

under the portico which then ran along the southern end of the church.

His Excellency, followed by a brilliant display of gold lace and

feathers, the clank of sabres and spurs, and the shaking of plumed hats

of so many officers, many of whom were accompanied by their ladies, on

entering the church, presented a most brilliant spectacle. All this was

followed by the old Chief Justice Blowers in his coach and livery, the

carriage of the Admiral, and those of several members of Council. All

being seated and the body of the church full of fashion and dress, the

peal of the organ began to be heard and the clergy in surplice and hood

(he who was about to preach, however, always in the black gown)

proceeded from the vestry up the east side aisle to the pulpit, preceded

by a beadle in drab and gold lace, carrying a large silver headed mace,

who, after the clergy had taken their seats, deliberately walked down

the aisle again to the vestry with his mace over his shoulder. The

Rector, Dr. John Inglis, usually preached in the morning, and the

Curate, Mr. J. T. Twining, performed the service. They were frequently

accompanied by other church clergymen on a visit to town, and in Lord

Dalhousie's time, his Chaplin, the Rev. Isaac Temple, always took part

in the service, frequently preaching in the afternoon at 3 o'clock. On

the sermon in the morning being concluded, the troops marched back to

barracks and the general and staff returned to Government House, where

they partook of luncheon, and were again in requisition by 3 o'clock for

the grand review of the troops on the common. There were no evening

services in the churches and meeting houses in those days, except with

the Methodists, who were quietly doing their work in the old Argyle

Street meeting house, under the Rev. Wm. Black.

The police of the town were conducted by one paid magistrate and one

unpaid assistant, together with the clerk of the peace and three police

constables, afterwards increased to four. Old Colonel Pyke presided as

Chief Magistrate for many years, and was usually to be seen sitting in

the little police office in drab knee breeches with gray yarn stockings

and snuff colored coat. Age and infirmity having at last compelled him

to retire, Mr. John Liddell, the second in command, was appointed Chief

Police Magistrate by Sir James Kempt.[89] David Shaw Clarke had been

for some years Clerk of the Peace. He was a member of the Bar and

particularly well qualified for the office he held, the duties of which

he performed with much satisfaction to the public. He was very

remarkable as being the most corpulent man in town. The late Samuel

Muirhead, who kept a liquor shop at the head of the Market Wharf, was

next in size to Mr. Clarke. Muirhead died in 1820, and Clarke, from that

time to the day of his death, had no competitor. No man was better known

or more popular for about thirty years in Halifax than David Shaw

Clarke. He was succeeded in his office by his son James Stewart Clarke.

[Footnote 89: Governors had a voice in all appointments at this time.]

Drunken people were frequently to be seen in the streets in those days,

yet the peace of the town was tolerably well preserved by the three or

four police constables. Old Jock Henderson was very corpulent, but his

great knowledge of his profession rendered him an exceedingly useful

officer. Jack Mahar was celebrated as a detective, but king alcohol at

last put an end to his usefulness. The practice of publicly whipping

thieves had almost altogether gone out of fashion by this time, though

occasionally resorted to at the work house. Among the town oddities was

Constable Hawkins. He was a negro, one of those who were brought from

the Chesapeake by Admiral Cockburn. He had been for some years employed

at the work house to do the whipping. He was usually dressed in an old

military green uniform, epaulets, plumed cap, with red sash, and on

state occasions, a sword. With constable's staff in hand, this worthy

might be seen in the morning at the opening of the police office,

escorting prisoners down George Street to the office for examination,

accompanied by a mob of boys. Among the other curiosities of the town

was old Ben Myers, usually known as Major Ben. This old fellow, an

idiot, was dressed in a long tailed red coat of a fashion then long

obsolete, a cocked hat and long white feathers hanging over his

shoulder, and on particular occasions, a star on his breast and a sword

and sash. He was the messenger of the poor house and Bridewell and came

down to the market every morning with his wheelbarrow in which he

brought back supplies for the establishments.

The troops mounted guard every morning on the Grand Parade and went

through the salute and troop before relieving guard. This formed a great

attraction to strangers and people from the country. The band usually

played for half an hour before the ceremony of inspecting the guards

commenced. At sunset and at gun fire, at eight o'clock in the evening,

the drum and fife proceeded from the town clock, in Barrack Street, to

Government House or the General's quarters, and back again to the

barracks. This had been an ancient custom in the Halifax garrison and

was partly kept up until about the year 1845. Guard mounting on the

parade at 10 o'clock in the morning during summer continued until

Governor Le Marchant left Halifax in 1856.

One feature of the town which frequently afforded amusement to visitors

must not be omitted. The negro population of Hammonds Plains and

Preston, the latter particularly, had been, after the peace, supplied

with the American uniform coats taken at Castine or somewhere in Maine

in the year 1813. The sky blue coats with red and sometimes yellow

facings, in conjunction with old torn and patched trousers of every

description, presented the most grotesque appearance. A short time

before this a fensible regiment known as the York Rangers, having been

disbanded in the town, their old green uniforms, faced red, and the

sugar loaf shaped caps, were given to the negroes, who presented the

most ridiculous appearance on market days.

M. Geneni kept dancing school at Mason Hall and gave many pleasant

school balls in the winter season to the great delight of the young

people. M. Perro, a polite old French naval officer, was most popular as

a teacher of French and was much esteemed in the community. M.

Chenalette was the most famous confectioner ever known in Halifax. In

his latter days he kept his establishment in Sackville Street, opposite

Bedford Row, and was celebrated for his French cordials and fancy

confectionery. Such was Halifax in 1821 and thereabouts.