"From 1775 to the withdrawal of the Imperial troops in 1870-71— nearly a century,—this property was used specially for military purposes, and commonly known, as shown on old plan, as the King's Wood Yard, and more recently as the Commissariat Fuel Yard. The land several years ago was reduced in extent by the sale of building lots on the lines of St. Valier and St. Nicholas streets.
"At the beginning of this century, and many years afterwards, a military guard seems to have done duty at the 'Palais' and adjoining premises, east of St. Nicholas street, known as the Royal Dock Yard, King's Wharf, Stores, &c. This latter property extended eastward as far as La Canoterie, in front of a blockhouse, the site of the present Nunnery Bastion, and lying between what is now known as St. Charles street, or the foot of the cliff, and the high water mark on the north side, corresponding pretty nearly with the line of St. Paul street.
"The ruins of 'Le Palais' and accessories since 1775 were several times fitted up by the military authorities for stabling, fodder- sheds, wash-house, military stores, caretaker's quarters, &c., &c., and the vaults were leased for storing ice, wines and other liquors, and storage generally to the inhabitants of the city, and the roof was shingled or otherwise covered in on several occasions by the Government.
"In the great fire of St. Roch's (1845) the Fuel Yard, about four acres in extent, with some hundreds of cords of wood piled there, and a very large quantity of coals in a 'lean-to-shed' against the Palais walls were consumed—the coals continued to burn and smoulder for nearly six months,—and notwithstanding the solidity of the masonry, as already described, portions of it, with the heat like a fiery furnace, gave way. Upon this occasion an unfortunate woman and two children were burned to death in the Fuel Yard. Great efforts were made by Mr. Bailey, a commissariat officer, and Mr. Boswell, owner of the brewery, to save the lives of the victims, but unfortunately without success. These gentlemen, after their coats had been burned off their backs, and the hair from their heads and eyebrows, had to fly at last to save their own lives.
"On the withdrawal of the Imperial troops in 1870-71, the whole of 'Le
Palais' property was handed over to the Dominion Government.
"CHARLES WALKEM, "(Late R. E. Civil Service Staff in Canada.)
"Ottawa, 24th July, 1876."
Doubtless to the eyes of the "free and independent electors" of La Vacherie, in 1759, the Intendant's Palace seemed a species of "eighth wonder" The eighth wonder lost much of its éclat, however, by the inauguration of English rule, in 1759, but a total eclipse came over this imposing and majestic luminary when Guy Carleton's guns from the ramparts of Quebec began, in 1775, to thunder on its cupola and roof, which offered a shelter to Arnold's soldiery: the rabble of "shoemakers, hatters, blacksmiths and innkeepers," (says that savage old Tory, Colonel Henry Caldwell), bent on providing Canada with the blessings of Republicanism. A century and more has passed over the gorgeous Palace—now a dreary, moss- covered ruin, surrounded in rear by coarse grass, fallen stones: Bigot— his wassailers,—the fair but frail Madame de Pean, like her prototype of Paris, Madame de Pompadour, have all fleeted to the land of shadows; and tourists, high and low, still crowd to glance meditatively at those fast fading traces of a guilty past. It was in October, 1879, the special privilege of the writer to escort to these ruins one of our Sovereign's gentle and accomplished daughters, H.R.H. the Princess Louise, accompanied by H.E. Lord Lorne, as he had done the previous autumn with regard to the learned Dean of Westminster, Revd. A. P. Stanley: proud he was to think that though Quebec had no such attractions like antique, like classic England,—turretted castles, moated granges, or even
"Old pheasant Lords,
"Partridge breeders of a thousand years,"
—its romantic past was not without pleasing or startling or interesting memories.
We have just mentioned "La Vacherie", this consisted of the extensive and moist pastures at the foot of Coteau Sainte-Geneviève, extending towards the General Hospital, where the city cows were grazed; on this site and gracing the handsome streets "Crown" "Craig" and "Desfossés," can now be seen elegant dry-goods stores, vying with the largest in the Upper Town. Had St. Peter street, in 1775, been provided with a regular way of communication with St. Roch; had St. Paul street then existed, the sun of progress would have shone there nearly a century earlier.