| Title: | Letter from William Hutton, St. Cathrines, to John McCrea, Strabane |
|---|---|
| ID | 1514 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hutton, William/39 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Hutton, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | Provincial Arbitrator |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Strabane, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McCrea, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers-in-law |
| Source | D 2298/4/2/1 Deposited by Messrs. Wilson & [and?] Simms, Solicitors. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office ,Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9310127 |
| Date | 20/10/1848 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C. McK., 07:10:19 |
| Word Count | 3942 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Letter from William Hutton, St. Cathrines [Catherines?], Oct [October?] 20 1848, to John McCrea, Strabane Oct. [October?] 20 1848 St Catherines Dear John Being far removed from Fanny & [and?] the girls & [and?] consequently very much among strangers I feel very desirous of renewing an exchange of kindly feelings with one for whom I have had a warm and deep regard for twenty years or there about one who never ha nor ever can be forgotten by me or dear F. [Fanny?] & [and?] who if we ever have said or done anything to forfeit his esteem would we are sure in consistence with his kind & [and?] Christian character block it out of his remembrance or put such a brotherly iterpretation upon it as would divest his mind of the desire any longer to punish us by his silence & [and?] divest our minds also of the long entertained idea that we must have offended a much loved nay more a highly respected brother - I am at present employed by the govt. [government?] as Provincial Arbitrator settling all disputes about public works in Canada West - they have accumulated so much that I & [and?] two co arbitrators are likely to have six to eight months work - valuing land taken - property injured - extra work done - contracts partly performed - lands drowned by canals - feeders &c &c &c [et cetera, et cetera, et cetera?] - it is a high and responsible position & [and?] very well paid We get 30/- [shillings?] per day except Sundays & [and?] days we are travelling when we get only 10/- [shillings?] per day. It amounts to about £9- per week your expenses are about £2- per week - if you have a good map of Canada you will see St. Cathrines [sic] where we are now marked near the Falls of Niagara & between the two great lakes Ontario & [and?] Erie is the Welland Canal which connects the two mighty fresh water seas - It is a splendid canal on an American scale of grandeur - some vessels pass thro' [through?] it containing 15.000 bushels of wheat & [and?] last month alone there were taken thro' [through?] this canal one million & [and?] nineteen thousand Bushels of wheat chiefly for Aswego & [and?] ports in the State of New York from Ohio Michigan Illinois &c [et cetera?] & [and?] the revenue of the canal is £30.000 per annum & [and?] if we could only get Free Trade it would double that - The restrictions in the Navigation laws are like all restrictions in trade a dreadful evil - American vessels are not allowed to go down our great St Lawrence! but the public mind is becoming enlightened and our ministry here is at length a liberal one & [and?] protection falsely so called will be abolished before another parliament closes its sittings - I dined with our new premier last week & #PAGE 2 [and?] was most happy to find him a thoro' [thorough?] going free trader - the Honble. [Honourable?] Will. [William?] H. Merrith - I do not know if you take any interest in Canadian politics tho' [though?] I suppose that you will be a warm supporter of free trade generally - I take a good deal of interest in them & [and?] knowing personally almost every member of the administration I think a better day is dawning upon us - At present on a/c [account?] of the restrictions freights are cent (sic) higher from Montreal than N. [New?] York & [and?] farmers are of course suffering just so much in the reduced price of their flour - at present a [---?] of flour costs to L'pool [Liverpool?] from Montreal costs 5/6 sterlg [sterling?] - N. [New?] York only 2/6 - I do not know whether Fanny has written home lately it being a month since I left Sidney - but you will probably have heard that I am appointed associate judge of assize - stand out my skin! It is unfortunately no emolument - honours have been crowded upon me unsparingly but until this arbitration business I had little share of the needful to enable me to wear those honours handsomely - It is however gratifying as showing respectablilty & [and/] high standing in society which I have endeavoured to maintain tho' [though?] poor - poor I may entirely be termed tho' [though?] all call me rich I have a beautiful property good value perhaps at present for £5000 but growing so fast in value that ten years will double that amount my next neighbour has sold lots for building within forty feet of my land & [and?] not so good as mine at £100 per acre & [and?] the town of Belleville is growing out to our every side - I could sell I dare say several acres at that price but I want to fight a hard battle to leave the girls comfortable & [and?] I do not wish to break on my 260 acres at present not at all events - I have no fears for Joseph he is a fine fellow perseveringly industrious & [and?] of excellent powers he has £125 per annum in the inspectors general (sic) office a situation which he accepted for a little while to enable me to rally me [my?] pecuniary forces a little & [and?] enable me to carry on his Collegiate education & [and?] as a barrister which will cost neary [nearly?] £100 per annum & [and?] which I was unable to continue without aid - but I will remove him as soon as ever I can afford it as there is no economy in bringing up a son with no fixed profession nor is there any economy in impeding or interrupting the progress of his professional education - We thought his salary would be £150 per annum but as all salaries are to be reduced at the meeting of parliament on the amended economic scale - & [and?] we cannot complain - he is getting a vast deal of useful knowledge of publicmen & [and?] public life & [and?] will be three or four times a week in the house of assembly during the sessions of parl. #PAGE 3 men & [and?] public life & [and?] will be three or four times a week in the house of assembly during the sessions of parl. [parliament?] he gets also a thoro' [thorough?] knowledge of public accounts - In sending a present of £5 to the girls he says "a dress suit with white figured satin vest and patent leather boots is to cost me £10 & [and?] a great coat £4" - so that he had not that quater [quarter?] much to spare - his outfit being so expensive - but the great matter is - that I have to pay nothing for him at the university now I used to pay £75 per annum I have often thought whether your lads would not improve their prospects much by coming out here & [and?] serving their time with an attorney or medical man If you had any wish that way I think I could find offices where they would receive their professional education gratis - boarding themselves the first two years & [and?] after that they would receive a small salary - enough to support them - There are many young men in Belleville & [and?] elsewhere receiving small salaries tho' [though?] there [their?] time is not out in Lawyers office but they would require to have a classical education which I do not whether your lads have - It appears to me to be a wise plan to send out lads young & [and?] let them grow with the growth of the country - no young man needs to be idle in this country & [and?] if they have not good prospects home let them come out here early We have not heard lately how Sam & [and?] Bill are doing or what they are doing If you think of sending any of your lads out here all I can say is that I will do everything in my power to advance their interests If you find that your prospects for your family at home are not good you might do worse than contemplate a removal hither root and branch - if we have no wealth we have no poverty - in fourteen years I have not seen fourteen beggars - nor half that number - We have a peaceful plentiful & [and?] in my mind a delightful country growing and improving most rapidly & [and?] why should it not? We have all experience Gt. [Great?] Britain acquires & [and?] all the knowledge - without the great sacrifice of capital & [and?] time which Gt. [Great?] Britain expends in acquiring we reap the immediate benefit of her improvements without paying one farthing for our whistles - the experience of ages is purchased by her at an enormous price & [and?] laid at our feet - look at the railways - the steam cars & [and?] steam boats & [and?] telegraph & [and?] Post Office reform & gutta percha &c &c &c [et cetera, et cetera, et cetera?] - all made to our hand & [and?] we have nothing to do but step into the shoes she has made for us & [and?] before we have had time to wear out our old ones - My co arbitrator & [and?] I (a Mr. Freeland from Sligo a large farmer like myself) have been paying a two day visit to the most splendid of all wonders of heavens creation the Falls of Niagara - only imagine the waters of that mighty inland ocean lake live with its numerous Lake #PAGE 4 feeders foaming & [and?] bellowing over a quarter of a mile of rapids & [and?] then precipitated over a perpendicular precipice - sending up to the clouds in a majestic pillar a soft & [and?] beautiful column of spray bespangled with its eternal rainbows wherever you look & [and?] even at night when we went to admire there was the Lunar Rainbows in softer and less dazzling beauty reflected by the silvery lustre of the paler orb - On the American side their falls do not contain probably the twentieth part of the body of water - but from this very circumstance they present a variety of scene - the water being shallower is more lashed against the rocks and the hue is whiter than that of the British falls which from the very depth of the water presents a greenish hue -- above these stupendous falls is still another hill some 80 or 100 ft. [feet?] in height & [and?] from this view is indeed splendid after viewing these we walked 1 1/2 miles to the new suspension bridge hung entirely on wires - another wonder of the world 750 ft [feet?] long & and?] 250 ft [feet?] above the level of the River Niagara which runs beneath - this is we crossed to the American side & [and?] returned & [and?] went 1 mile further to the much talked Whirlpool - where all these mighty waters are embedded at the foot of a mighty mountain and after lashing & [and?] foaming for a while in vast whirlpools retreat some 80 or 100 yards & [and?] [----?] off majestically (at a right angle) to the North - this is also one of the greatest wonders of creation & [and?] emphatically this is the place of wonders - after our return to the falls we crossed over to the American side in the ferry boat which crosses under the very spray & [and?] were well wet thro' [through?] with it - Thence we went by rail car to the most extraordinary city for its size Buffalo - the outlet for all the trade of the mighty West a whirlpool on dry land containing 43.000 inhabitants altho' [although?] it was burned down by the British in the war in the war of 1812-1813 - There were about 290 vessels in port a very forest of masts & [and?] here to was another wonder of the world the largest & [and?] handsomest Steamer ever built - (the Empire State) she carries 1500 tons burden & [and?] 1000 passengers & [and?] went out on her first trip to Chicago the day after we saw her - her drawing rooms are splendidly furnished with sofas - lounges - conversation chairs - stools &c &c [et cetera, et cetera?] all of plush crimson velvet - one of the tables ebony covered with white marble - satin paper boardered with embroidered gold & [and?] on every pannel [panel?] between the bed room doors is a beautiful sketch of American scenery also surrounded with gold edging altogether you would say a vessel of most extravagant grandeur cost £40.000 & [and?] compasses even the Hudson's floating palaces this vessel is also another wonder of the #PAGE 5 world - Thus did we see in two days five of the greatest wonders of the world & [and?] all within 35 miles of space The Americas seem to desire that their works of art shall be in unison with the gigantic development of nature & [and?] nature's beauty - In speaking of the Falls I may mention that from close calculating of the depth of water & [and?] the current below them 700,000 tons of water at the least come over the Falls every minute - all attempts to describe their grandeur are tame & [and?] futile & [and?] the sight of them creates an inner thrill & [and?] throb of awestruck veneration for the mighty architecture of natures work There is an island called Goat Island between the British and the American & [and?] a bridge on to it constructed with amazing ingenuity over the American rapids very near the Falls - over this we went determined to see them in every possible phase - the scenery was rendered still more beautiful by the autumnal tinge of the trees - our maple tree here at this season becomes [----?] & [and?] dies a splendid death - shedding a lustre all around I send you a leaf of it taken from Goat Island & [and?] also a sprig of red cedar (of which pencils are made) which grew on the same island & [and?] has a very sweet scent - I hope to be near John McCrea of Guelph in my travels & [and?] if I can manage it I will go to see him & [and?] his - I saw his name creditably mentioned as a judge at an agricultural society show in Puslinch not far from Hamilton whither we go when we have done here - I have never yet with any who knows him I think he must lead a very quiet and retired life - I had a letter from Fanny yesterday all well & [and?] happy - have been busy storing a large crop of potatoes some 800 or 900 bushels large for us dreading the rot which however has not affected us as yet - we had also a good deal of Indian corn which is troublesome to gather & [and?] husk our spring was excellent our wheat was middling but our hay was quite deficient The election for the supt. [superintendent?] of grammar schools for Victoria district has not yet come I have good hopes of being re-elected - the salary is £70 per annum & [and?] I hope to clear £120 a year by the business I am now on - this with Joes (sic) £125 which saves me £75 - will assist us very much tho' [though?] I think the arbitration business will not last more than a year or two - The Govt. [Government?] will learn wit to make their bargains with individuals before they commence public works & [and?] not leave anything for arbitration - I also get various other little pickings from my position in society - being appointed by the court of assize or private individuals as arbitrator or umpire or commissioner - This year I made £19 in his way in a very short time - but had it not been for these sundry pickings my farm never would have enabled me to pay for Joe's eductaion - money is very seldom made by farming here unless #PAGE 6 there is a working family who pay no hired hands - but all the necessaries of life are furnished in abundance and perhaps the time is coming when free trade & the abolition of the Navigation Laws & the improved climate from extensive clearings & improved skill in agriculture will afford us a better recompense & agricultural societies have already done something towards stirring up the dormant energies of the older settlers - If we can only increase our productions they will soon find a market If we can only open the springs the torrent of produce that will be created will soon find a channel wherein to run & the stream will run wherever there are fewest impediments - If they do not open the St. Lawrence it will go by N. [New?] York or Portland when the railroads are finished - all we want is a free course & no favor [favour?] - we want no miscalled protection - & hope Lord John will assist us next parliament - ours is not to meet for despatch of business till 3rd of Jan. [January?] for the purpose of sitting whilst the Imperial Parliament and congress are sitting that we may be more likely to prevail upon both houses to reciprocate with us - We are to have a universal twopenny postage I believe over all Canada & home - a great desideratum This day Oct. [October?] 20 we have news from L'pool [Liverpool?] up to the 7th inst. [instant?] by telegraph from N. [New?] York - that is on the 13th day & we shall have our letters on the 17th day - generally they are 20 or 21 days coming - The climate of this part of the country is delightful - last Sunday the ladies had their fans in church & we have been some days without any fire - when we first came here three weeks ago vast numbers of peaches were still hanging on the trees & very many given to the hogs They were selling in this town at 2/6 per bushel less than [---?] I had one measuring 8 inches round & an apple 16 inches being between the two great lakes the air is very mild & the soil being sandy & warm their fruit is very beautiful - sometimes they have a second crop of raspberries - the farmers however are not so rich as with us - nor are their homesteads nearly as good as in my own beautiful County of Hastings (District of Victoria) The markets are not so good for wheat - owing to the increased freight to Montreal - From all I have seen of Canada I think our central situation quite as desirable as any & if you think of coming or sending any one to settle I may safely recommend our town & neighbourhood What views have you for William Hutton Would you think of sending him to push his way? if industrious & enterprising he would live to bless you for so doing - young lads have plenty of room here & are not elbowed & jostled through life as they are at home If a lad of common ability I think I could put him in the way of earning a #PAGE 7 of common ability I think I could put him in the way of earning a livlihood [livelihood?] at an early age & would do all in my power to promote his interest - I dare hardly say send him out to me - because there is a great responsiblilty in saying so - but if you think of doing so I will feel great pleasure in doing what I can for him - if you intend him for a profession he will require a classical education for some time longer - if for a merchant I think I could get a place for him at any time without paying anything for him & where he would be out comfortably boarded - if I remember rightly he must be 13 or 14 years of age he could always stay with us whenever he would be out of profitable employment & would always have a home of cheerful happy & [and?] kind cousins to come to in his leisure hours - & only one mile from town - We last summer made a great addition to our house which is now very commodious - having a breakfast room - a parlour - drawing room - six bedrooms large kitchen & three large cupboards or pantries - our old Grange carpet after upwards of 20 years of constant wear is at length fairly done & has been degraded from the parlour to bedrooms & stairs Dear Fanny patched it till it had assumed almost a different surface - In 1847 we met with great calamities in loss of crops and cattle being upwards of £200 deficient - but this year will partly replace it & with the extraneous aid shall nearly recover the ground we lost that calamitous year - We have for 1849 sowed 26 acres of wheat & 9 of maze [maize?] & shall have a very large breadth of spring grain sowed & planted if we live - we have upward of 150 acres of cleared land all good & our wood land is full as valuable to supply the town with firewood - Belleville contains some 3000 inhabitants & I think will next year grow more largly [largely?] with the butter trade - as her character for making delicious butter is so well established that she gets 8 to 10 cents per pound always 1 1/2 cents over market price - out [our?] breed of cows is small only yielding half a pound of butter each day but our young stock are quater [quarter?] bred [-----?] & I hope will be much improved the next generation We hope to milk 8 or 9 next summer - Have you still your excellent breed of sheep which in 183[-?] yielded 10 lbs [pounds?] of wool to the fleece all round? They would be very valuable here - ours only average 3 1/2 pounds per fleece - the girls have spun it all into beautiful yarn & the flannel & cloth are excellent I believe they had 150 yards this season - They are themselves home spun girls - but still I think they will not be the less true gentlewomen - The colours may not be as bright but they will wear as well the multitudinous threads being finely spun & discreetly woven I rejoice to hear of Robt. [Robert?] of Grange succeeding #PAGE 8 so well as he is a spirited man Give him and his my kindest regards - With kind love to Margeret [Margaret?] & whose kind reception of me at all times I can never forget & to all your tribe & to your father & Farmhill & Leck & Lisanow & Maghera & all the Grange People & to brother Alexander & all find inquiring friends believe me with much love ever yrs. [yours?] most truly William Hutton I expect to be at home on my birthday at latest 22nd Dec. [December?] perhaps the 1st Dec. [December?] you will have this on the 15th of Novb. [November?] |
