City Accountant - M. F. Walsh, Esq. City Legal Adviser -
L. G. Baillairge, Esq. City Notary - A. G. Tourangeau, Esq. Owen
Murphy, Esq., ex-Mayor; Chas. Baillairge, Chevalier, City Engineer."
In the leaden box, placed within the stone, were laid mementoes of the
occasion, similar to those placed in the proper receptacle in the
stone laid in the morning at St. Louis Gate, with the addition of
beautifully executed portraits of Lord and Lady Dufferin, from the
studio of Messrs. Ellison & Co.
"His Excellency having given the coup de grace to the foundation
stone with the silver mallet, the proceedings were closed." -
(Morning Chronicle, 19th Oct., 1878.)
The new city gate erected on the site of the old St. Louis Gate, instead
of being called Dufferin Grate, as it had been contemplated, was allowed
to retain its time-honored name, St. Louis Gate; the public of Quebec,
however, were resolved that some conspicuous monument should recall to
Quebecers the fragrant memory of its benefactor, Lord Dufferin; on the
visit in June, 1879, of His Excellency Lord Lorne and H.R.H. the Princess
Louise, a request was made on them by the citizens, through their chief
executive officer, the Mayor of Quebec (R. Chambers), to name and open to
the public our world-famous Terrace. On the 9th June, 1879, our
distinguished visitors performed this auspicious ceremony in presence of
thousands, and in the following words confirmed the name previously
entered in the Corporation records: -
INAUGURATION OF DUFFERIN TERRACE, 9th JUNE, 1879.
"According to notice previously given, the inauguration of Dufferin
Terrace occurred at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon. When that
hour arrived a mass of people variously estimated at from eight to
fifteen thousand, but probably containing about ten thousand, occupied
the Terrace. The appearance from an elevated place of this sea of
humanity was indeed wonderful. The band pavilion in the centre of the
garden had been reserved for the Viceregal party, and was covered in
carpet and scarlet cloth, with two chairs of state. The entrance to
the pavilion was kept by the City Police, while "B" Battery furnished
the band and guard of honour, and played the National Anthem as the
distinguished party arrived on the field.
The Mayor and members of the City Council had previously walked in a
body to the pavilion from the City Hall, and now His Worship conducted
His Excellency and Her Royal Highness to the dais, and addressing
himself to the Governor-General, said: -
"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY. - On behalf of the Corporation and
citizens of Quebec, permit me to thank Your Excellency for acceding to
our request that you would be pleased to open in person this public
promenade, and also Her Royal Highness for graciously honouring us by
her presence.
"The corner stone of this structure was laid by Your Excellency's
predecessor, the Earl of Dufferin (18th Oct., 1878).
"It will be gratifying to the noble Lord to learn that the work in
which he took so lively an interest has been inaugurated by Your
Excellency, and that the ceremony was graced by the presence of Her
Royal Highness the Princess Louise.
"I have, therefore, respectfully to request that Your Excellency may
be pleased to give the name which the Terrace is henceforth to bear,
and to signify if it is the pleasure of Your Excellency that it be
opened to the public."
His Excellency replied: - "I am happy to accede to your request to
signify that this Terrace shall be called after your late Governor-
General, Dufferin, and that it is now open to the public."
Rounds of applause followed His Excellency's remarks, and loud cheers
were given for the Earl of Dufferin, Her Royal Highness and His
Excellency." (Morning Chronicle, 10th June, 1879.)
Parallel with Ste. Anne street, and terminated by Dauphin street, a
tortuous, rugged little lane, now known as St. Andrew's street, leads past
St Andrew's schoolhouse, to the chief entrance of the Presbyterian house
of worship; a church opened at the beginning of the century, repaired and
rendered quite handsome a few years ago, but much damaged by fire on the
30th April, 1881. In connection with the erection of this structure, a
document was recently exhumed from the archives of the Literary and
Historical Society, which throws much light on an important section of the
former population of the city. It is a memorial to His Majesty George
III., signed at Quebec on the 5th October, 1802, by the Rev. Dr Sparks'
congregation and by himself. The first incumbent of St. Andrew's Church -
commenced in 1809, and opened for worship on the 30th November, 1810 - was
the Reverend Doctor Alexander Sparks, who had landed at Quebec in 1780,
became tutor in the family of Colonel Henry Caldwell at Belmont, St. Foye
road, and who died suddenly in Quebec, on the 7th March, 1819. Dr. Sparks
had succeeded to the Rev. George Henry, a military chaplain at the time of
the conquest; the first Presbyterian minister, we are told, who officiated
in the Province, and who died on the 6th July, 1795, aged 86 years.
One hundred and forty-eight signatures are affixed to this dusty document
of 1802.
A carefully prepared petition - it seems - to the King, asking for a site in
Quebec whereon to build a church - and suggesting that the lot occupied by
the Jesuits' Church, and where until 1878, stood the Upper Town, market
shambles, be granted to the petitioners, they being without a church, and
having to trust to the good will of the government for the use, on
Sundays, of a room in the Jesuits Barracks, as a place of worship. [42]
Signatures to Memorial addressed to George III., asking for land in
Quebec to build a Presbyterian Church: -
Alex. Sparks, Minister, A. Ferguson,
Jas. Thompson, Jr., Robert Eglison,
Fred. Grant, Robt. Cairns,
Jno. Greenshields, William A. Thompson,
Chas. G. Stewart, Wm.
