Toronto of Old Part 52

In 1835 and years immediately following, additional names appear in the Toronto harbour steam-marine lists--the _Experiment_, the _Queen_, the _Gore_, the _Princess Royal_, the _Traveller_, the _City of Toronto_ (the first steamer so named), all of them boats built at Niagara under the superintendence of Capt. d.i.c.k, and all of them, with the exception of the _Traveller_, in the Royal Mail Service. The _City of Toronto_, built in 1841, and commanded by Captain d.i.c.k, was the first steamer that conveyed the mails westward. The mail-service previously had been performed by Mr. Weller and his stage-coaches. The princ.i.p.al owners of the vessels named were Mr. James Lockhart, of Niagara, Capt. d.i.c.k himself, Mr. Andrew Heron, also of Niagara, and Mr. Donald Bethune. The _Experiment_, above mentioned, was the Government Despatch boat which, under the command of Capt. d.i.c.k, did such good service on the Lake during the troubles of 1837.

When the steam-packet _Canada_ was finally sold, Capt. Richardson commanded and princ.i.p.ally owned the _Transit_, on the route between York and Niagara. This _Transit_ was in reality the steamer _Const.i.tution_, of which we have already heard as being commanded by Capt. Zealand, conjointly with the _Transit_. A steamer named the _Queen_ was for a time maintained by Capt. Richardson on the route between Niagara, the head of the Lake, and York. The _Queen_ was under the charge of Capt.

Richardson's son, Mr. Hugh Richardson, a.s.sisted by two brothers, Charles and Henry Richardson. Simultaneously with the _Transit_ and _Queen_, the _City of Toronto_ (the first steamer so named) also plied to Niagara, under the command of Capt. d.i.c.k. After some years the _Transit_ was sold and became a tug-boat on the river below. The steamer _Chief Justice Robinson_ was then built by Capt. Richardson for the Niagara route, in some respects after a model of his own, being provided, like the ancient war-galleys, with a rostrum or projecting beak low down on a level with the water, for the purpose, as was generally supposed, of breaking a way through ice when such an impediment existed; but by Capt. Richardson himself, the peculiar confirmation of the prow was expected to facilitate the vessel's progress through the heavy surges of the Lake.

About 1850 the _Chief Justice Robinson_ became the property of Capt.

d.i.c.k and Mr. Heron. This transfer closed the career of Capt. Richardson as a commander on the Lake. From 1852 to 1870 he filled the post of Harbour-master at Toronto, and on the 2nd of July, 1870, he died, in the 87th year of his age. The _Chief Justice_ continued to ply between Toronto and Niagara, in company with the _City of Toronto_, until the removal of the latter vessel to the waters of Lake Huron, where she became famous as the _Algoma_.

In 1855 the _Peerless_ was placed on the Niagara route. The _Peerless_ was an iron vessel, first constructed in the Clyde in parts, then taken asunder and s.h.i.+pped to Canada, where she was put together again under the eye of her owner, Capt. d.i.c.k, at Niagara. The number of pieces entering into the composition of the _Peerless_ was six thousand. Such a method of transporting an iron s.h.i.+p from the Clyde to Niagara, if complicated and troublesome, was shown to be, at all events, a dictate of prudence by the fate which befell a vessel intended to be a companion to the _Peerless_ on Lake Ontario. A steams.h.i.+p of iron named _Her Majesty_, built in the Clyde expressly for Capt. d.i.c.k, was lost in the Atlantic, with all the men in charge on board, sixteen in number; so that no clue was ever attained as to the cause of the disaster. We now find ourselves treating of times which, strictly speaking, do not come within the scope of these 'collections and recollections.'

For the sake of imparting roundness and completeness to our narrative, we have ventured on the few details just given. We finish by simply naming the successor of the _Peerless_ on the route to Niagara, Capt.

Milloy's splendid steamer, the _Zimmerman_. It fell to our lot to witness the last agonies of this vessel in the devouring flames as she lay at the Niagara quay, near the mouth of the Niagara River. On that never-to-be-forgotten occasion (Aug. 21, 1863), the long-continued shrieking of the steam whistle, the resounding moans and convulsive sighs issuing fitfully, in a variety of keys, from the tubes of the boiler and other parts of the steam apparatus, gave to all hearers and on-lookers the painful and most affecting impression of some gigantic sentient creature helplessly undergoing a fiery death, suffering in the process grievous pangs, protracted and inexpressible.

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HOC OPUS EXEGI; FESSae DATE SERTA CARINae; CONTIGIMUS PORTUM, QUO MIHI CURSUS ERAT.

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APPENDIX.

In 1869, the survivors of the early occupants of York, Upper Canada, formed themselves into a Society ent.i.tled The Pioneers, for the joint purpose of mutual conference, and of gathering together and preserving whatever memorials of the local Past might be found to be yet extant.

The names of the members of this a.s.sociation are subjoined, all of whom were resident at York customably or occasionally, at some period prior to March 6th, 1834, when the name of the town was changed to Toronto.

The date which precedes each group shows the year in which the members included in the group became identified with York, whether by birth or otherwise. In numerous instances, the father of the individual named in the following list, having been the establisher of a family in these parts and its first breadwinner here, was the true pioneer. (By a change in the original const.i.tution of the Society, the sons and descendants of the first members of the a.s.sociation, and of all the first grantees or occupants of land in the county of York, as defined in 1798, are, on their attaining the age of 40 years, eligible to be members.)

1794.--Edward Simcoe Wright, Toronto.--Isaac White, do.

1795.--Lieut. Francis b.u.t.ton, b.u.t.tonville.

1797.--John Thompson, Toronto.

1798.--Hon. W. B. Robinson, Toronto.--John Bright, do.

1799.--John W. Gamble, Pine Grove, Vaughan.

1800.--Andrew Heron, Toronto.--Cornelius Van Nostrand, Yonge Street.

1801.--Robert Bright, Toronto.

1805.--John Murchison, Toronto.

1806.--Hon. H. J. Boulton, Toronto.--William Cawthra, do.--John Ridout, do.

1808.--Rev. Saltern Givins, Toronto.--Allan Macdonell, do.--Joseph Gould, ex-M.P.P., Uxbridge.--James Marshall, Youngstown, N.Y.

1809.--Judge G. S. Jarvis, Cornwall--William Roe, Newmarket.

1810.--Rev. William MacMurray, D.D., Niagara.--Richard P. Willson, Holland Landing.

1811.--George Bostwick, Yorkville.--Joseph Lawrence, Collingwood.--Rev.

D. McMullen, Picton.

1812.--Francis H. Heward, Toronto.--William Dougall, Picton.

1813.--R. E. Playter, Toronto.--George Snider, M.P.P., Owen Sound.--Capt. Thomas G. Anderson, Cobourg.

1814.--Lieut.-Col. Richard L. Denison, Toronto.--Henry B. Heward, do.

1815.--R. G. Anderson, Toronto.--George Monro, do.--Dr. George Crawford, do.

1816.--Col. George T. Denison, Toronto.--Ven. Archdeacon Fuller, do.--Lieut.-Col. W. M. b.u.t.ton, b.u.t.tonville.--Capt. Robert Brock Playter, Queenston.--Thomas Montgomery, Etobic.o.ke.

1817.--R. H. Oates, Toronto.--Charles Stotesbury, do.--Sheriff B. W.

Smith, Barrie.--Robert Petch, Toronto.--J. W. Drummond, do.--Alex.

Stewart, do.--James Stafford, do.

1818.--James Beaty, M.P., Toronto.--J. O. Bouchier, Georgina.--John Doel, senior, Toronto.--John Doel, junior, do.--James Gedd, do.--Thomas Humphrey, do.--John Harper, do.--John Moore, do.--William Reynolds, do.--James Sparks, do.

1819.--W. B. Phipps, Toronto.--Grant Powell, Ottawa.--F. H. Medcalf, Toronto, ex-Mayor.--Robert H. Smith, Newmarket.--John Raper, Toronto.--John B. Bagwell, Hamilton.

1820.--W. J. Coates, Toronto.--Alexander Hamilton, do.--Clarke Gamble, do.--Hon. J. G. Spragge, do.--W. H. Lee, Ottawa.--Dr. John Turquand, Woodstock.--Charles L. h.e.l.liwell, Stayner.--William h.e.l.liwell, Highland Creek.--Edward Musson, Toronto.--Thomas J. Wallis, do.

1821.--Lieut.-Col. Robert B. Denison, Toronto.--William Barber, M.P.P., Springfield.--Henry Sproatt, Toronto.--John Eastwood, Port Elgin.--Edward C. Fisher, Humber.--William Duncan, York Towns.h.i.+p.--Jonathan Scott, Toronto.--Charles Scadding, do.--Rev. Dr.

Scadding, do.

1822.--Lieut.-Col. Frederick Wells, Davenport.--Stephen M. Jarvis, Toronto.--John h.e.l.liwell, do.

1823.--Hon. David Reesor, Markham.--Major John Paul, Weston.--John Small, M.D., Toronto.--James McMullen, do.--Alderman Adamson, do.--James Duncan, York Towns.h.i.+p.

1824.--Rev. Dr. Richardson, Toronto.--Matthew Teefy, Richmond Hill.--John Bell, Toronto.--Charles Lount, do.--Robert Young, Georgetown.--Rufus Skinner, Toronto.

1825.--Allan McLean Howard, Toronto.--D. O. Brooke, do.--Thomas h.e.l.liwell, do.--Thomas Armstrong, do.--James Taylor, Eglinton.

1826.--James St.i.tt, Toronto.--Ishmael Iredale, do.--David Burns, do.--Alex. Caird, Weston.

1827.--Col. Kingsmill, Toronto.--Stephen Heward, do.--William Hewitt, do.--H. B. Holland, do.--Geo. Leslie, Leslieville.--W. L'Estarge, Toronto.--Thomas J. Preston, do.--William H. Doel, do.--Andrew Sieber, do.

1828.--James Barber, Georgetown.--H. R. Corson, Markham.--Matthew Drew, Toronto.--G. B. Holland, do.--Thomas A. Milne, Markham.--Dr. Ogden, Toronto.--James R. Armstrong, do.--C. P. Reid, do.

1829.--Thomas D. Harris, Toronto.--Hon. Joseph C. Morrison, do.--Thomas Meredith, do.--Archibald Barker, Markham.--W. R. Harris, Toronto.--Robert Defries, do.--Capt. Robert Kerr, do.--R. B. Miller, do.--Capt. John McGann, do.--J. Merritt, St. Catharines.--Samuel Platt, Toronto.--J. C. Small, do.--William Quigley, do.--Alex. Rennie, Hamilton.--John Kitson, Toronto.--Robert Hill, do.

1830.--Hon. W. P. Howland, Lieut.-Governor, Toronto.--John Wallis, do.--Peter Hutty, Yorkville, do.--Philip Armstrong, Yorkville.--G. M.

Hawke, Toronto.--Alderman Spence, do.--Alex. Munro, do.--Thomas Metcalf, do.--James Farrell, do.--Thomas Storm, do.--W. G. Storm, do.--Duncan Macdonell, Montreal.--Edward Copping, Toronto.

1831.--James G. Worts, Toronto.--Thomas Swinarton, ex-M.P.P., Coventry.--James Acheson, Toronto.--George Henderson, do.--Samuel Rogers, do.--John Small, do.--John Nixon, do.--Alfio de Gra.s.si, do.--Frederick Milligan, do.--George Balfour, do.--Jeremiah Iredale, do.--James Ashfield, do.--Robert Fowler, do.--John Jacques, do.--Andrew T. McCord, do.--John Argue, do.--Noah L. Piper, do.

1832.--Sir Francis Hincks, Ottawa.--William Gooderham, senior, Toronto.--Isaac Gilmour, do.--John Paterson, do.--Samuel Bowman, do.--John Brown, do.--John Carr, do.--Capt. C. G. Fortier, do.--George Graham, do.--John G. Howard, Humber Bay.--A. K. Boomer, Toronto.--Thomas Lailey, do.--Thomas Mara, Do.--William Osborne, do.--Wm. Rowland, do.--Wm. Steers, Stratford.--John Bugg, Toronto.--C. W. Cooper, do.--James Severs, do.--Arthur Crawford, do.--Thomas Clarkson, do.--Robert Dodds, do.--John Evans, Montreal.--William Freeland, Toronto.--George Price, do.--David Kennedy, do.