CHAPTER V.
MODERN QUEBEC.
"I can re-people with the Past; and of
The Present there is still, for eye and thought
And meditation, chasten'd down, enough."
—(CHILDE HAROLD.)
Quebec, with the limitations set forth elsewhere, under the English regime, was governed by Justices of the Peace, who sat in special sessions, under authority of Acts of the Provincial Legislature, until 1833. In 1832 the city was incorporated (1 William IV., chap. 52,), Its first Mayor, elected in 1833, was a barrister of note, Elzéar Bédard, Esq., subsequently Mr. Justice Elzéar J.S.C. The amended Act of Incorporation of the City of Quebec, the 29th Vic., cap. 57, sanctioned on the 18th September, 1865, thus defines the limits of the city, the number and limits of the wards:—"The City of Quebec, for all municipal purposes, comprises the whole extent of land within the limits assigned to the said city by a certain proclamation of His Excellency Sir Alured Clarke, bearing date the 7th May, 1792, and in addition all land extending to low water mark of the River St. Lawrence, in front of the said city, including the shore of the River St Charles, opposite the city, as limited by high water mark on the north side of the said river, from, the prolongation of the west line of St. Ours street to the west line of the farm of the Nuns of the Hôtel Dieu; thence running southwards along the said line, about 550 feet, to the southern extremity of a pier erected on the said farm, at low water mark; thence running due east, about 800 feet, to the intersection of the line limiting the beach grants of the Seigniory of Notre Dame des Anges, at low water; and finally, thence along the said beach line, running north 40 degrees east, to the intersection of the prolongation of the line of the Commissioners for the Harbour of Quebec, and thence following the said Commissioners' line to the westerly line of the city. The said city also comprises all wharves, piers and other erections made or to be made in the said River St. Lawrence, opposite to or adjoining the said city, though extending beyond the low water mark of the said river, and being within the said Commissioners' line, and even beyond the same, should it be hereafter extended or reduced.
BOUNDARIES OF THE WARDS.
"The said city is divided into eight wards, to wit: St. Louis Ward, Palace
Ward, St. Peter's Ward, Champlain Ward, St. Roch's Ward, Jacques Cartier
Ward, St. John's Ward and Montcalm Ward.
1st. St. Louis Ward comprises all that part of the Upper Town within the fortifications, and south of a line drawn from Prescott Gate to St John's Gate, along the middle of Mountain street, Buade street, Fabrique street, and St. John street.
2nd. Palace Ward comprises all that part of the Upper Town within the fortifications, and not included in St. Louis Ward. 3rd. St. Peter's Ward comprises all that part of the Lower Town bounded on the south by a line drawn in the middle of Sous-le-Fort street, and prolonged in the same direction to low water mark in the River St. Lawrence at the one end, and to the cliff below the Castle of St. Louis at the other, and on the west by the eastern limits of the Parish of St. Roch, together with all the wharves, piers and other erections, opposite to this part of the Lower Town, although built beyond low water mark in the said river.
4th. Champlain Ward comprises all that part of the Lower Town lying between St. Peter's Ward and the limits of the said city, together with all wharves, piers and other erections, opposite thereto, although built beyond the low water mark in the said river.
5th. St. Roch's Ward comprises all that part of the Parish of St. Roch which lies within the limits of the said City of Quebec, on the north-west side of a line drawn in the middle of St. Joseph street, from one end to the other.
6th. Jacques Cartier Ward comprises all that part of the Parish of St. Roch which lies within the limits of the said City of Quebec, not comprised in St. Roch's Ward.
7th. St John's Ward comprises all that space bounded by Jacques Cartier Ward, the fortifications, the limits of the said city on the west, and a line drawn in the middle of St. John street from St. John's Gate to the western limits of the city.
8th. Montcalm Ward comprises all that space bounded by the fortifications on the east, and on the west by the city limits, on the north by St John's Ward, and on the south by the cime du cap of the St. Lawrence.
The city is administered by a Mayor, holding office for two years, at a salary of not more than $1,200, nor less than $600, per annum; and by eight Aldermen and sixteen Councillors, returned by the eight wards,— elected to serve gratuitously three years by the duly qualified electors of each ward: no one is eligible as Mayor, Aldermen or Councillor unless he be a British subject, by birth or naturalization, and of the full age of twenty-one years, and owning within the city limits real estate, free from encumbrance, of the value of $2,000. Quebec contains ten small Fiefs or Domaines. The Fief Sault-au-Matelot belongs to the Seminary. The Ursuline Nuns, the R. C. Church (La Fabrique), the Heirs LaRue, the Hôtel-Dieu Nuns, the Récollet Friars, each had his Fief. The Fief de la Miséricorde (Mercy) belongs to the Hôtel-Dieu. The Heirs LaRue own the Fief de Bécancour and that of de Villeraie; there is also the Fief Tasseville. The Fief of the Récollets—or Franciscan Friars—the order being extinct, reverted to the Crown.
WAR DEPARTMENT PROPERTY IN QUEBEC CITY AND DISTRICT.
As per Schedule, Consolidated Statutes of Canada (22 Vict.) Cap. 36.
LOCAL NAME OF THE PROPERTY AND ORIGIN OF THE TITLE.
Exercising Ground, Plains of Abraham—Leasehold from the Ursuline
Nuns, 99 years from 1st May, 1802.
No. 3 Tower Field, N. W. of the Grande Allée, Plains of Abraham—
Leasehold from the Nuns of the Hôtel-Dieu, 99 years from 1st May, 1790;
space covered by the tower is freehold.
No. 4 Tower Field, N. W. of St. John's Road—Leasehold from the Nuns
of the Hôtel-Dieu; 99 years from 1st May, 1790; including a freehold
strip of 0_a_. 1_r_. 0-1/2_p_.
Land surrounding Nos. 1 and 2, Towers, S. E. side of the Grande Allée
Plains of Abraham—Acquired by purchase from the Ursuline Nuns, 15th
June, 1811, Joseph Plante, N. P., Quebec.
Land S. E. of the Grande Allée to the Cime du Cap and between Nos. 1 and 2, Towers property, and counterscarp of the Citadel and works adjacent—The greater part acquired by purchase from individuals, and partly by conquest, of the old French Works, &c., an annual ground rent of £1 17s. 0d., is payable on part of this land to the Fief de Villeray.
The Esplanade, Town Works—Glacis, Cricket Field, ditches, ravelin, &c., in front, lying between St. Louis and St. John's Gates—Acquired partly by conquest and partly by purchase from various individuals (Cricket Field, 5_a_. 3_r_. 22_p_.)
Citadel—Glacis and Town Works, as far as St. Louis Gate, Engineer
Yard, &c.—Chiefly by right of conquest and military appropriation.
Town Works, Artillery Barracks, Glacis, &c., between St. John's Gate,
Palace Gate and St. Valier street—Chiefly by conquest and military
appropriation. Lots in St. Vallier street, purchased in 1846-7.
Mount Carmel, a commanding eminence, and site of the Windmill Redoubt
or Cavalier, formerly a portion of the defenses of Quebec.—Acquired
by purchase, 25th Nov, 1780. J. Plinguet, N.P.
Officers' Barracks, Garrison Hospital, &c., fronting on St. Louis
street, and in rear by St. Geneviève street.—Acquired by purchase,
5th April, 1811.
Commissariat Premises, opposite old Court House, on St. Louis street,
and in rear by Mount Carmel street.—Acquired by purchase, 11th
August, 1815.
Jesuit Barracks, with other buildings and land attached, fronting on
St. Anne street and Upper Town market square.—By right of conquest
and military appropriation, occupied as Infantry Barracks, &c.
The Town Works, along the top of the Cape (Cime du Cap), between the King's Bastion of the Citadel and Prescott Gate, Mountain Hill, including site of old Fort St. Louis, Government Garden, &c.—Part of the Crown Domain by conquest and military appropriation, with small portions at either end acquired by purchase in 1781, and about 1827- 29.
Near Grand Battery, East end of St. George street. Magazine F., and
Ordnance stores, &c.—By right of conquest and military appropriation.
Magazine E., Hôtel Dieu, on Rampart street, between Palace and Hope
Gates.—Acquired by purchase, 17th June, 1809.
The Defences along the Ramparts between Prescott Gate, Grand Battery,
Hope Gate and Palace Gate (Upper Town).—By right of conquest and
military appropriation (including Rampart street and cliff
underneath).
Inclined Plane Wharf and land to the Cime du Cap (top of the cliff) on
Champlain street, S. E. of the Citadel.—Acquired by purchase, 24th
Sept., 1781, afterwards used in connection with the Citadel.
Queen's Wharf premises, and small lot opposite, on Cul-de-Sac street—
Formerly a part of the defences of Quebec, site of a battery.—
Acquired by right of conquest, &c.
Land at the foot of the cliff in La Canoterie and St. Charles streets,
as a Glacis in front of the Town Works.—Acquired by purchase in 1846-
7, to prevent buildings against the defences.
Commissariat Fuel Yard, &c., on Palace Harbor, St. Roch's.—Part of
the Intendant's Palace property, held by conquest.
SEIGNIORY OF NEUVILLE COUNTY OF PORTNEUF.
(Site of Fort Jacques-Cartier.)
A strong defensive position, on the right bank of the River Jacques
Cartier, about 30 miles above Quebec.—Acquired by purchase from the
Seignior, 26th June, 1818.