THE PARLIAMENTARY AND DEPARTMENTAL BUILDINGS.
When completed, the Parliament and Public Buildings of the Province of Quebec, erected on the Grande Allée, outside of St. Louis Gate, will form a square, each side of which externally will measure 300 feet and will enclose a court l98 x l95 feet. Three facades are now completed; they are tenanted by the various Public Departments of the Civil Service—the Halls of the Legislative Assembly alone remain to be built and the foundations are now in process of construction in consequence of the vote of Parliament in 1881. The main facade, now in process of construction, will look towards the city walls and face on St. Eustache street, or rather on the splendid new area to constitute Dufferin Avenue, should St. Eustache street be closed; this street being altogether too narrow and in too close proximity to the buildings. The Lieut.-Governor will occupy a handsome suite of rooms on the second story in the portion of the edifice which lies parallel with and faces towards St. Louis Road. The northern facade faces on St. Augustin street and the fourth or western facade looks towards St. Julia street.
The style of architecture is that which was used in French edifices of the XVII. century. Pointe Levi greenish sandstone was used for the basement.
The second and third story are divided by a continuous band, supported by an Ionic entablature of Deschambault cut stone.
Embossed pilasters in rustic work, rising from the basement up to the cornice, close the salient angles of each projection. Hard Murray Bay sandstone has been used in constructing the interior revetment wall of the court, but Deschambault limestone forms the masonry of the basement, the bands, cornices, mantle-pieces, and lintels.
The roof of the building, a handsome one, is of galvanized sheeting, the ornaments of zinc; some cast, some wrought and hammered. The height of the body of the edifice from the ground to the great cornice is 60 feet English measure, and 72 feet to the top of the cornice above the attics.
Each angle of the square has a pavilion and contains a stone sculptured dormer window provided with a costly clock constructed by Duquet.
Access is had to the inner court by two passages in the centre pavilion, which faces St. Julia street.
A heraldic Lion passant, between two fleur de lys and three maple leaves, display the arms of the Province of Quebec. On the piers of the first story are cut in relief the escutcheons of the two first Lieut.-Governors of the Province of Quebec, sculptured on the central window of the second story, is visible from afar, the "year" when the structure was commenced, "1878," and on the side windows are inscribed the monograms of the Governor-General and Lieutenant-Governor, under whose administration the edifice was built.
The frieze of the main entablature shows the cypher of the reigning
Sovereign V. R. wreathed in oak leaves.